Baphomet is one of the most controversial figures within the history of the occult. The symbol is often used by Satanists but older practitioners of The Craft had no problem using the symbol of Baphomet as well. Sabbatic Witches along with Traditional witches have always used the symbol of Baphomet within their rites throughout the ages. The old wood carvings showing Baphomet along with a female figure in attendance at witches sabbaths have been depicted in art for many years and they are a visual testament to the classical witches of old.
The Ancient Mystery Schools both east and west used monstrous figures which were displayed outside of temples and within sacred groves to ward off anyone who would let appearances alone frighten them form entering their schools. Traditional Witches understand the symbolism behind this figure because we know this is not an "idol" it's a representation of harmony between two polarities, a place were opposites meet.
Baphomet is also associated with the phases of the moon, one hand points to the full moon while the other points to the Dark Moon. These hand gestures express the perfect harmony between opposite polarities. The Dark Moon represents our actions and *Our Will to Action* toward our goals. The Full Moon represents the fulfillment of those goals.
The two horns of Baphomet represents duality and the lotus flame (the black flame) that burns between them represents the eternal flame that destroys duality and causes us to see everything as being connected to the universe that surrounds us all. The flame is symbolic of universal equilibrium. The two snakes that face each other at his solar plexus represent the coming together of opposites. The solar plexus is also representative of our *WILL* and the Chi force within us. Within the solar plexus there's a circle representing the dome of the heavens, and the star mantle of the earth; this symbol is known as the Caduceus it represents eternal life, and the cycle of renewal. The two snakes also act as guardians of the Heart Chakra they stand guard against any impurities that may affect it.
Within many of the old Mystery Schools the figure of Baphomet represents many occult truths, one of which is his association with the four elements EARTH, AIR, FIRE, and WATER. His wings represents the element air, the top of his head between his horns burns a torch which of course is representative of fire. He sits on top of the world (the earth), and he's surrounded by the the element water.
The Symbolism behind Baphomet show that he is the lord of the four worlds (Plant, Animal, Sea Creature, and Human).
1) Plant: Represented by the Lotus.
2) Animal: Represented by the Goat
3) Sea Creature: Represented by his scales
4) Human: Represented by his male and female features.
On his right hand he has the word Solve which means to find an answer or explanation for. On his left hand he has the word Coagula which comes from the word Coagulate which means to change from a fluid into a thickened mass.
The female breasts symbolize the life giving essence given to us by the female. Baphomet's male and female attributes shows that he is a hermaphrodite both male and female and worthy of our respect.
The Star of Baphomet comes from the Pythagorean school of Mathematics. Many have missed the association of Pythagoras' name with Python (another form of the Serpent Leviathan). In fact, one of the more Esoteric derivates of Baphomet is "Baphe-Metis," that is, Initiation into Wisdom-Measurement.
The Goat within the symbol is Pan, the symbol of nature itself.
With two points up, the Pentagram symbolizes the natural and healthy venting of emotion. The one point down is the Lightning bolt or ENTROPY which produced the spark of life as we know it.
The Baphomet emblem used by the Church of Satan was neither original to it nor created by ASL. The original Baphomet dates at least as far back as the medieval Knights Templars. The inverted goat/pentagram first appeared in a 1931 book by Oswald Wirth. The complete emblem with the added circles and "LVYThN" Hebrew letters appears on the cover of a book by Maurice Bessy two years before the creation of the Church of Satan. Early photos of The Church of Satan often show C.O.S members using the Bessy book as a photo-prop because of its prominent cover-Baphomet.
So what does the Sigil of Baphomet represent???
There are five symbols located at each point of the inverted star. These symbols are the five Hebrew letters: Lamed (L), Vau (V), YOD (Y), Tau (Th), and Nun (N). These letters spell out the Hebrew word Leviathan (LVYThN)
Leviathan is associated with the Ouroboros, or Serpent eating its own tail. This use of Baphomet is derived from the Ophites who used the Serpent as a symbol of Wisdom. The Serpent represents the big-bang/crunch of the Cosmos (the simultaneous creation/destruction).
Baphomet, a.k.a The Goat of Mendes, is a symbol of the Horned God, Cernunnos, Thanateros, The Great God Pan or Abraxas. It has a fairly long history that has always been associated with Traditional Witchcraft.
Baphomet represents the sum of all life on the earth, the carnal. Baphomet, in the form of the horned god is considered by some to be one of the oldest fertility Gods in history. Of course, we are talking about its early forms. Some believe that paintings in the cave in Ariege, France represent one of the earliest forms of Baphomet. Obviously, horns are a recognizable
feature of Baphomet.
The founder of Baal worship, Nimrod is often represented with a headdress with horns, and Baal worship is where the name "The Goat of Mendes" comes from. Mendes or Mendez is a place in Egypt where the fertility God Baal was worshiped.
How did Baal, represented as a bull "evolve" into a goat is not too clear. Apparently any animal with horns "could pass" as the symbol of fertility and power. Kenneth Grant, leader of Ordo Templi Orientis ( Order of Eastern Templars) says that the name Baphomet comes from "Bapho Mithras" - son of Mithras. Mithras was old Indo-Iranian divinity mentioned as early as 14 century BC, and in approx. 66 BC its cult reached Roman Empire.
The image of Baphomet is also associated with The Knights Templars. During the crusades, a group of knights, upon reaching Jerusalem, began to move into stables next to the legendary Temple of Jerusalem, they wanted to be next to the temple night and day so they could protect it.
Hence their name - Knights Templars.
As time went on they accumulated great amounts of gold and all sorts of assets which made them richer than some of the rulers in Europe. Rumors began to circulate that they worshiped the devil in a form of a head which they referred to as Baphomet. It's hard to tell if some of the stories were true, or if it was all just a insinuation to create anti - Templar hysteria and so that the European rulers could take over their wealth.
Some Knights admitted that they worshiped the devil in the shape of Baphomet but We have to look at this with some degree of suspicion because the Templers were persecuted for their beliefs and after several hours of torture, people have a tendency to "admit" to more or less anything they were told to say. It should be noted that Satanism is not the only religion where some form of Baphomet appears. The Craft had a horned God long before the sigil of Baphomet ever appeared.
Note: Well known Witch Alex Sanders (the so-called King of the Witches) used the symbol of Baphomet during his rituals.
The ancient Greek fertility God, Pan was worshiped long before Christianity came to be. It's a well known fact that Pan was used by the xians as a model for their Devil because they liked to depict him during the middle ages with horns, a tail, cloven hoofs, and goat legs.
SOURCES: Large colored Baphomet by blackdog777 Visit him on the web at the following addresses (http://www.myspace.com/mendes666)(http://blackdog777.deviantart.com/)
Oswald Wirth, La fran-maconnerie rendue intelligible a ces adeptes - II, "Le compagnon", Paris: Derry-Livres, 1931, page #60; Maurice Bessy, A Pictorial History of Magic and the Supernatural, London: Spring Books, 1964 [the original edition of this work -
Histoire en 1000 images de la magie - was published in 1961 by Editions du Pont Royal]; Thomas H. Hilton, Sex and the Occult, Vol. I, Los Angeles: Centurion Press, 1974; Church of Satan members, The Black Flame (a 1980s Church of Satan magazine).
The Stella Tenebrarum webpage
The Church of Satan's webpage (http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BaphometSigil.html)
