Pagan Deities and Occult Themes
In Gnosticism, an early branch of Christianity now mostly considered heretical, Barbelo is the first entity to emerge after God. Clearly feminine based on her name. Barbelo was not born from God but rather emerged from him. God was so great that he had an inexhaustible overflow of thoughts and energy, and she emerged from... Continue Reading →
In Greek mythology, the Telchines were the offspring of the primordial beings, probably born on the island of Rhodes, and in control of powerful magic. They initially used their magic to help the gods, creating magical weapons such as the scythe of Cronus and the trident of Poseidon. As their knowledge grew, they sought to... Continue Reading →
The Book of Shadows is one of the famous grimoires within the magical community, but it belongs specifically to the realm of Wicca. The original Book of Shadows was the founding book of Wicca, the pagan religion founded by the British occultist Gerald Gardner in the 1950s. He claimed that the knowledge within it came... Continue Reading →
Mirrors are often portrayed as magical objects in both history and fantasy. It is perhaps no surprise that mirrors were believed to reveal things beyond what was normally visible. Early mirrors did not give a clear image, and seeing shadowy images was probably not uncommon. In addition, Mirrors were expensive items limited to the elite... Continue Reading →
Thoth was the ancient Egyptian god of the moon and wisdom, specifically associated with writing, science, and magic, with the lines between these three concepts blurred in the Egyptian world. He was known by the Egyptian name Djehuty, which means “he who is like an ibis,” which was a symbol of wisdom in Egypt. With... Continue Reading →
Seshat, whose name means “female scribe,” was a goddess of writing, wisdom, and knowledge. Often considered the female counterpart of Thoth, as mother or daughter, she was associated with many of the sciences, including architecture, astronomy, geometry, and more. Some stories suggest that it was actually Seshat who invented writing, and Thoth only taught it... Continue Reading →
In Sumerian mythology, Anzu was a large bird (eagle or vulture) who lived in the realm of the gods. He was originally a benign creature, but sometime around 2000 BCE, stories formulated that he rebelled against the gods, casting him as a demon destroyed by Ninurta or Marduk. He was conceived by the cosmic freshwater... Continue Reading →
In Zoroastrianism, Ahriman or Anga Mainyu was among the high-ranking enemies of Ahura Mazda, with Ahura Mazda leading the battle for good, and Ahriman leading the side of evil, and therefore sometimes considered equal to Satan. All Zoroastrians are encouraged to actively participate in the fight between good and evil but have the choice to... Continue Reading →
Sepharvaim was a pair of twin cities, Sippar Yahrurum and Sippar Amnanum, on the east bank of the Euphrates, captured by the Assyrians, according to the Bible. It was the center of worship for the god Adramelech, who the Jewish Rabbis say had the face of a mule and the feathers of a peacock. 2... Continue Reading →
The Lesser Key of Solomon is another grimoire attributed to the Jewish king Solomon, like the Greater Keys, but probably compiled in the mid-17th century. One of the principal aspects of the Lesser Keys is the Goetia, which is a catalog of 72 demons that can be summoned to do one’s bidding. The term “goetia”... Continue Reading →