Chapter IV – The Sun, The Devil, and the Redeemer

One of my aims in the foregoing chapter has been to show that this is the Aeon of the Foundation of the Kingdom upon Earth, characterized by the Incarnation of God in the Heart of every Man, Woman, and Child.

It is not so much a question of “Climbing the Tree of Life” as of recognizing how all things have been working together for good so that the Source of All might become manifest in Matter, here on Earth, and the Kingdom of Ra-Hoor-Khuit be established.

We have seen in tracing out the Traditions that there have been two Wills at work, the Divine and the Personal, and that through the Ages these have appeared in conflict. One is the Bright Star or Pentagram of Unconquered Will, the other the Dark Star of the Reversed Pentagram. These two Starts are symbolized by the hands of Man, or the Magician, one raised to Heaven in the Sign of Solve, the other directed downwards in the Sign of Coagula. When united they form a Ten-fold Star, just as the hand of the man who has fallen may be grasped by the one who Raises him in the Grip of the Lion, which exactly symbolizes this uniting of the Rising and Setting Sun, or the Twins Sut-Har. For the Two Wills are Harmonized in Tiphereth.

But when we consider Malkuth, it is a question of Raising the Fallen Daughter, the Animal Soul, or Matter, to the Throne of the Mother, Understanding. That is a more difficult task, but we now have the Keys in our hands.

The Union of the two Stars as a Tenfold-Star in Malkuth is the Work before us, for this represents the Covenant God made with Abraham, as promised by the Rainbow of the old order. Having apparently lost this Symbol of the Rainbow through the alteration of the Paths, we may hope to find instead the Fulfillment of the Promise of the Covenant.

In the old order of the Paths we found Q, Sh, Th as the three influences descending upon Malkuth. QShTh is the Hebrew word for the Rainbow of Promise.

The Authority on the Qabalah, referred to in our Preface, rejected the reformulation of the paths of the Tree, partly on account of the fact of this symbolism being lost in the new arrangement. But what have we in its place? Wisdom, Love, and Power directly descending upon the Earth; the Paths of Magick and Mysticism, united by the “Way of the Tao”. More than this, we have the direct influence of the Three Supernals upon the Kingdom. Kether, the Crown of Light, is upon the Head of the Crowned Child of the Path of Aleph, who wields the true Power of the Breath; the Wisdom of Chokmah is seen in the Path of Beth or Mercury, the Great Magician who represents the Father on Earth; while the Great Mother, Binah the Third Sephira, is translated into the Path of the Empress, the Woman of Venus, on the Path of the Mystic. So we find Father, Mother and Holy Spirit or Son, all prepared to raise the Fallen Daughter. Yod, He, and Vau once more symbolically united with the final He. Thus the Missing members of the Body of Osiris are all brought together again; the Lost Word is recovered; the Rulers of the Four Elements of Malkuth are shown in their respective offices; and in the midst is the concealed Power of the Spirit of Shin, IU, or IO, which is 10, the number of Malkuth, as well as Kether.

The same Authority objected the some of the Alchemical Symbolism was destroyed. The Alchemists tell us that in order to make Gold, we must have Gold; and this the Gold of the Sun. What now makes Gold in our Revised arrangement? The influences descending upon Tiphereth, the Sun. We have shown how the principal Paths of Influence, which are all Solar in nature, give us 666 the Grand Number of the Sun in Tiphereth. The secondary influences are from Aries of the Golden Fleece, Scorpio the Path of “Death”, or the Sun at the Dark Stage, and from Pisces which is by Tarot the “Moon”. These together make the True Gold of the Sun. Again they tell us that the First Matter is the Soul of Man, and we have shown how the dual soul became divided as Adam and Eve, etc., so that you may work out this Alchemical Symbolism on other planes. But there is an even more important aspect, which this study may lead us to understand; the Inner Mystery of the Sun, the Heart of the Beast 666 which is MAN. Herein we may discover the answer to the riddle of the Sphinx, who with fixed gaze of impenetrable Mystery looks on at all the Changes of Life. Here, too, we may learn something of the Concealed Mystery of the Strange Baphomet of the ancient Templars, for all is made clear in the Reformed Order. If this is the Age of Horus the Revealer and Opener, there is nothing hid that shall not be revealed.

Let us turn our attention for a little while to what, to some, may appear the absurd idea of The Devil. Eliphas Levi, wisely states: He who affirms the devil, creates or makes the devil. But it has elsewhere been written: Since every idea, theory or doctrine must, in the very nature of things, have some truth as its basis, it happens that the more difficult, unreasonable, or even absurd, any idea seems to be, the more illuminative does it become when thoroughly understood; for only some very important truth could have availed to give currency to a teaching of extreme incredibleness and difficulty.

Thus it is with doctrine of the devil, which, in one form or another, is found in almost every religion of the world.

The chief snare of the Devil is the Illusion of Time. Man is limited by the ideas of Time and Space, which are but modes of the human mind, as is now becoming scientifically recognized. The Black Tradition is based on Time. Saturn, the God of Time, and the Progenitor of the Devil, or Serpent of Time, is shown on the Path leading from Kether to Binah. This influence is further transmitted from Binah to Tiphereth by the Path of “The Devil” as explained before. The Hebrew letters of these Paths are Tau and Ayin, whose numerical value is 400 and 70. Ayin, Tau, or OTh is the Hebrew word for Time, or a period of Time, 470 is also the numeration of other Hebrew words meaning Eternity, or literally, a cycle of cycles. This should be sufficient evidence that the Paths are rightly placed. Taking into account the other two Paths influencing Tiphereth on this side of the Tree, which are Pe and He, or 80 and 5; we obtain 400 + 70 + 80 + 5 = 555 which is the Numeration of the Hebrew word for OBSCURITY. This certainly proves that the Dark Tradition is operative in this part of the Tree, and it accounts for much of the confusion of the “Tower” of Babel.

We have shown how the Sut-Typhonian tradition arose, so that the Son was thought to have preceded the Father, and the Mother to have been the First Cause by means of Blood. One should note in passing, that the Reciprocal Path of “The Star” is that of Aquarius which Sign governs the Blood Stream.

This tradition as far as Time is concerned led to the calculation of the Year as 365 Days, based on the Sun and Sirius Cycle. We may also notice that the Sephiroth Numbered 3, 6, and 5, are those whose influence is here depicted. They form a Triad, linked by the paths we have been discussing, and the base of this Triad is the path of “The Devil”, and of the Rising Sun.

We shall have more to say in regard to the Devil, but for the moment let us turn to the other side of the Tree, and examine the Channels of the Light Tradition.

We might have done well to call these the Traditions of Black and White, for Black is that which absorbs all colors, and White that which reflects them all. The True Light is Equilibrated and Concealed in that Darkness which is higher than eyesight.

The Force of the Primum Mobile of Kether produced the Whirling motions of the “Wheel of Life” resulting in the Star Universe and Sphere of the Zodiac. Thus originated the illusion of SPACE, the other great limitation of the mind of man.

This Space became narrowed down till the idea of a Straight and Narrow Way limited all the conceptions of the followers of these Paths. The Light became but a Twilight, and a reflection of the primal Truth, as indicated by the Path of Pisces, and the Tarot Key “The Moon”. The Primal idea of the Supreme as the Concealed Life of All was soon lost. Infinite Space, filled with the Infinite but Invisible Life, became 3rd dimensional space in the minds of men. The Paths of Influence are of interest; Kaph 20, and Resh 200, give us 220, the numeration of the Book of the Law of Thelema (Will), which will eventually redeem this narrowed conception and bring back the Truth. Will is Chokmah the Sphere of Wisdom and of the Word or Logos, which was not comprehended by the Children of Darkness. This being the 2nd Sephira, makes the complete Channel from Kether to Tiphereth 222, which is the Hebrew numeration of the word for “Whiteness”, thus proving our earlier speculations Qabalistically.

Taking the Sephirotic Triad as before, we find the Base is the Path of “The Sun”. This in the Twilight of the Setting Sun of the White tradition, they mistook for the Lost Father, formulating the idea of ATUM-RA as the Father of the Gods. The Sun is, of course, the center of the Solar System and Ruler of the Planets; He is truly the Father of this Earth, but He is NOT THE FATHER OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE. That is where the followers of the White Tradition made an even greater mistake than those of the Black.

The Sephiroth Tiphereth, Chokmah and Chesed, as 6, 2, 4 or 624 give us a number equivalent to the Hebrew Word for “His Covenant”. The Arrow of Sagittarius (which in the old arrangement of the Paths was said to be the Arrow that pierced the Rainbow, on account of its position below Tiphereth) is seen on one of the other Paths of influence connecting this triad, and the “Moon” or “Bow” on the other. If we take these Sephiroth in the order of 264 we get the numeration of Hebrew Words for “Footprints” literally “Foot’s Breadth”, and “A Straight Row” indicating the “Narrow” Way referred to before. Or as 246, we obtain “Vision” or “Aspect” denoting Space, as before indicated. This also seems good enough Qabalistic proof.

We may now better understand how the True Sun of a Bi-une Nature, became looked upon as SUT-HAR, and how the Traditions of the Sut-Typhonians and those of the Jupiter-Ammonians, were blended in Tiphereth.

The Influence of Har-Machis, Horus of the Star, was little understood owing to the limitations of Time and Space, though it descended as the Mediating Influence upon Tiphereth, and Welded the Twin conflicting Ideas together. The Osirians of the Right Hand Path, examining Space with great care, discovered the more correct calculation of the Year as 365 ¼ days. The Four Quarters were established, the Four Suts arose, and these were accepted as the Children of the Father Atum-Ra. Ra became the great Sun God, and the IU was lost to view in such an apparently Harmonious arrangement. So he who was the Son, became looked upon as The Father, and the Supernal Triad was no longer taken into consideration. The Pillars of the Temple of the Sun were set up. Boaz and Jachin were established in strength, as Geburah and Chesed, Severity and Mercy, and the Sun was seen between them as the Sole Lord of Light.

Followers of the old Sut-Typhonian Tradition might still secretly Symbolize Him as The Devil; followers of the Osirian Cult, as The Sun of Heaven.

Let us now return to our discussion of the Devil, or Baphomet fairly depicted, but the Symbolism of Rider’s Pack is wrong. Eliphas Levi drew him correctly, and also described him perfectly. Let me quote: “The name of the Templar Baphomet, which should be spelt Qabalistically backwards, is composed of three abbreviations: Tem., Ohp., Ab., “Templi ominium hominum pacis abbas”, “the father of the temple of universal peace among men.” According to some, the Baphomet was a monstrous head; (Resh, the head, is the Sun); according to others, a demon in the form of a goat. (Capricorn is the Goat). A sculptured coffer was disinterred recently in the ruins of an old commandery of the temple, and antiquaries observed upon it a baphometic figure, corresponding in its attributes to the Goat of Mendes (Osiris) and the androgyne (two-sexed Horus) of Khunrath. It was a bearded figure with a female body, holding the sun in one hand and the moon in the other, attached to chains. Now this virile head is a beautiful allegory which attributes to thought alone the initiating and creating principle. Here the head represents spirit and the body matter. The orbs enchained to the human form, and directed by that nature of which intelligence is the head, are also magnificently allegorical. The sign, all the same, was discovered to be obscene and diabolical by the learned men who examined it. Can we be surprised after this at the spread of medieval superstition in our own day! One thing only surprises me, that, believing in the devil and his agents, men do not re-kindle the faggots.”

The was written by Levi in 1855; even today there are many people who refuse to see the light of truth; but we are progressing.

The Figure of Baphomet, or the XVth Key of the Tarot, depicts the Symbolism of Tiphereth perfectly, from the point of view of the combined Traditions of SUT-HAR, as shown on the Revised Tree.

The Flaming Torch between the Horns is the Holy Spirit of the Path of Shin, his Horns are the Paths of SUT-HAR or of Capricorn and the Sun. The female body shows the Tradition of the Mother, while the Legs of the Goat are crossed to indicate the Passover or Crossing of the Ways after this point, as explained before. His head is that of an Ass, showing that the followers of the “Head” Doctrine of the acceptance of the Sun as the Supreme Father were foolish, but that in Tiphereth, the Heart, all things might be Harmonized. He makes the sign of Solve and Coagula, thus indicating “That which is above is like unto that which is below, and that which is below is like unto that which is above, for the performance of the Miracle of the One Substance”. This is the sole Hermetic Dogma of the Microcosm and the Macrocosm; their Equivalence is found in Tiphereth. This sign also indicates the two Currents of “Will” and “will”, harmonized in the Heart. This Figure should be studied with care, and it will reveal many other truths. The Caduceus in his lap, for instance, clearly shows that the Central Pillar of the Tree of Life is the Staff whereon the Twin Serpents of Time and Space are Twined.

We have explained how the Sut-Typhonians first looked upon the Great Mother as of Animal Nature, afterwards assuming her into the Heaven as the Star Goddess, Mother of the Sun. In this latter assumption they were absolutely correct, but the Worship of Nuit is practically pre-Dynastic, as is Her Symbol the Crossed Arrows. In the Darkness the idea arose of half-human, half-animal beings as representing the earliest types. The Hebrew Tradition of the First Adam corresponds to this. The Universal Tradition of the Sons of God on Earth, was lost. Man, today, is the highest of the Animals, but the lowest of the Spiritual Beings. It is the personal will and power of choice, which makes him more than animal, for he has within him a spark of the Divine Intelligence which makes it possible for him to direct his own actions, though until he discovers the Divine Will in the darkness of his own being, and aligns the personal will with It, he cannot progress. The personal will transmitted to the Heart of man from the Sphere of Geburah, is harmonized with the Divine Will of Chokmah, to the extent to which the Channels of Light are Open. But Har, the Sun of the White Tradition, was “Closer” and the True Will was little realized and understood.

We can now see that Tiphereth is a perfect Image of THE BEAST, 666, as MAN. This aspect combines in itself all that is Animal with all that is Human and all that is Spiritual and God-Like. This is the Great Solar Image which all men have worshipped and all men will worship for a long time to come. Yet it is not the Highest Truth in itself, it is a Harmonious Combination and Synthesis of Light and Darkness. Only through this Synthesis may the Truth be arrived at, however, as the Son of Man, Who was also the Son of God, has before remarked “No man cometh unto the Father but by Me”. For the Son is always the visible Aspect of the Invisible and Concealed Father, who may never be known because He Is the very Essence of our Being.

The most truly representative MAN of his time is always THE BEAST, for he displays all the qualities of the Race of the Period in which he lives. We look at such a Man and see in him Ourselves, for we can only see what is within us. To some he appears an Angel of Light, to others the grinning Devil of Darkness. Thus is Genius always misunderstood and blasphemed by some, while recognized and praised by others. He is the Son, wherein Glory and Suffering are identical. He is always betrayed, always Crucified, as we see in the Path of “The Hanged Man” immediately below Tiphereth. This is the Path attributed to Water, and Water was the enemy of Horus. Why? Because his Mother was the Great Deep, and She was misunderstood and reviled as the Harlot because the true Father was invisible. Thus are Man’s greatest enemies those of his own household. The Son must suffer on account of the fact that he is born of Matter, and the Soul within him is crucified, by those who see naught but Darkness, while that same Darkness conceals a Higher Light than their own.

See the proud followers of the White Tradition, whose Sun has the Head of an Ass. For Intelligence cometh from Binah the Great Mother of Understanding, and without Understanding the Way of Holiness is indeed Narrow. These are the people who are always Right, while the others are always Wrong in their sight. Their ¼ day additional in the Year makes them too proud to perceive Wider and Grander Spaces and Cycles.

But, as I hope to show, the age of narrowness is passing, and for the first time in 25,000 years, Man has the opportunity of coming into his own.