Why leviathan?

[Tumah]

I notice that there is something called a sigil of Baphomet that has the word "Leviathan" spelled out in Hebrew. I was wondering why a leviathan should be associated with LHP more than any other animal out there, such that it made its way onto this sigil?

As a side question, I noticed on this Church of Satan article another sigil of some sort with "Adam" and "Eve" written on it and something in Hebrew as well, but I can't figure out what it says as I don't know which letter is meant to be first. Does anyone have any idea what that should say?

Thanks.

 

[dantech]

I notice that there is something called a sigil of Baphomet that has the word "Leviathan" spelled out in Hebrew. I was wondering why a leviathan should be associated with LHP more than any other animal out there, such that it made its way onto this sigil?

As a side question, I noticed on this Church of Satan article another sigil of some sort with "Adam" and "Eve" written on it and something in Hebrew as well, but I can't figure out what it says as I don't know which letter is meant to be first. Does anyone have any idea what that should say?

Thanks.

Yod Hey Shin Vav Hey. Could it be a way to spell Yehoshua (Jesus)?

 

[Adramelek]

I prefer the Sigil of Baphomet without the Hebrew letters, as it is a Satanic symbol not a Jewish one.

The following statement should give you an answer to your question as to why Leviathan is an important LHP principle:

The Statement of Leviathan
From the Diabolicon

"Before God or angel, Daimon or man, there was Leviathan alone,
Principle of continuity and ageless existence.
By relation and time I have oft been sought,
But Leviathan shall yield to none other than the final Master of the Universe.

Leviathan is the Absolute, man,
And if thou would presume to realize what neither Heaven nor Hell may effect,
Know that when thou behold the presence of Leviathan,
Thy end hath been attained.

Only through obliteration of the Universe
That is may man seal his Mastery of the Black Flame,
For only thus may he know that he is not subject to a greater Will.

Heaven must perish,
Hell must perish,
And man alone must remain ere the Black Flame becomes Red in the glory of its perfection.

Then the Red Magus shall behold only Leviathan,
And he shall recognize that he has become the perfect mind,
Who shall remake the Cosmos in the eternal glory is his Satanic Will."


​

 

[Saint Frankenstein]

I'm not quite sure why LaVey chose that symbol specifically for his brand of Satanism. It had nothing to do with Satanism before he started using it as an embalm for the Church of Satan.

Anyway, my understanding of it is that Leviathan is an archetypal Chaos Serpent related to the Canaanite Yam, who is a God of the raging untamed waters, of the rivers and the oceans. He is much like Tiamat, Apep and Typhon. He represents formlessness, the subconscious, all-potential and primordial energies. He is wild and untamed. I doubt LaVey would've known about its deeper meanings and roots because he was actually pretty ignorant about such things, all told.

Surely you can see why Satanists would be drawn to such a figure.

 

[Adramelek]

I'm not quite sure why LaVey chose that symbol specifically for his brand of Satanism. It had nothing to do with Satanism before he started using it as an embalm for the Church of Satan.

Anyway, my understanding of it is that Leviathan is an archetypal Chaos Serpent related to the Canaanite Yam, who is a God of the raging untamed waters, of the rivers and the oceans. He is much like Tiamat, Apep and Typhon. He represents formlessness, the subconscious, all-potential and primordial energies. He is wild and untamed. I doubt LaVey would've known about its deeper meanings and roots because he was actually pretty ignorant about such things, all told.

Surely you can see why Satanists would be drawn to such a figure.

The "Sigil of Baphomet" is also a very good example of the effects of Greater Black Magic. A symbol which at one time may have meant something completely different has now taken on the traits and powers bestowed upon it by its use in many a Satanic ritual. It is now become a universal symbol of Satanism. Just as the inverted cross, the Cross of St. Peter, has become a universal "Satanic" symbol of the Anti-Christ, whether through ignorance or not, it can be difficult to see through all the "Satanic" subjective camouflage enshrouding it.

 

[1137]

LaVey also claimed that the Leviathan was the only creature God feared, which isn't exactly true.

 

[crossfire]

It comes from here:
The Book of Abramelin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[crossfire]

Silly guys. Leviathan is a girl.

 

[1137]

Silly guys. Leviathan is a girl.

Actually it's a species.

 

[Tumah]

The "Sigil of Baphomet" is also a very good example of the effects of Greater Black Magic. A symbol which at one time may have meant something completely different has now taken on the traits and powers bestowed upon it by its use in many a Satanic ritual. It is now become a universal symbol of Satanism. Just as the inverted cross, the Cross of St. Peter, has become a universal "Satanic" symbol of the Anti-Christ, whether through ignorance or not, it can be difficult to see through all the "Satanic" subjective camouflage enshrouding it.

So basically, it is because it is?

Yod Hey Shin Vav Hey. Could it be a way to spell Yehoshua (Jesus)?

That's what I thought too, but I thought it odd that they would be familiar with Hebrew letters but not actual spelling and still gain some amount of fame.

I prefer the Sigil of Baphomet without the Hebrew letters, as it is a Satanic symbol not a Jewish one.

The following statement should give you an answer to your question as to why Leviathan is an important LHP principle:

The Statement of Leviathan
From the Diabolicon

"Before God or angel, Daimon or man, there was Leviathan alone,
Principle of continuity and ageless existence.
By relation and time I have oft been sought,
But Leviathan shall yield to none other than the final Master of the Universe.

Leviathan is the Absolute, man,
And if thou would presume to realize what neither Heaven nor Hell may effect,
Know that when thou behold the presence of Leviathan,
Thy end hath been attained.

Only through obliteration of the Universe
That is may man seal his Mastery of the Black Flame,
For only thus may he know that he is not subject to a greater Will.

Heaven must perish,
Hell must perish,
And man alone must remain ere the Black Flame becomes Red in the glory of its perfection.

Then the Red Magus shall behold only Leviathan,
And he shall recognize that he has become the perfect mind,
Who shall remake the Cosmos in the eternal glory is his Satanic Will."


​

That's very interesting, thanks.

I'm not quite sure why LaVey chose that symbol specifically for his brand of Satanism. It had nothing to do with Satanism before he started using it as an embalm for the Church of Satan.

Anyway, my understanding of it is that Leviathan is an archetypal Chaos Serpent related to the Canaanite Yam, who is a God of the raging untamed waters, of the rivers and the oceans. He is much like Tiamat, Apep and Typhon. He represents formlessness, the subconscious, all-potential and primordial energies. He is wild and untamed. I doubt LaVey would've known about its deeper meanings and roots because he was actually pretty ignorant about such things, all told.

Surely you can see why Satanists would be drawn to such a figure.

But who attributed those characteristics to the Leviathan?

 

[AnnaCzereda]

I notice that there is something called a sigil of Baphomet that has the word "Leviathan" spelled out in Hebrew. I was wondering why a leviathan should be associated with LHP more than any other animal out there, such that it made its way onto this sigil?

I once read a very simple explanation posted on one forum, that Leviathan made its way into the sigil because it had five letters in Hebrew, exactly the number needed, as the pentagram had five points. Sure, Satan has five letters too, but perhaps Hebrew looked cooler for LaVey than plain English. It seems that the name was chosen for pure aesthetic reasons.

 

[Tumah]

I once read a very simple explanation posted on one forum, that Leviathan made its way into the sigil because it had five letters in Hebrew, exactly the number needed, as the pentagram had five points. Sure, Satan has five letters too, but perhaps Hebrew looked cooler for LaVey than plain English. It seems that the name was chosen for pure aesthetic reasons.

Interesting, thanks. When you speak English, I'm sure non-Latin alphabet looks more mysterious.

 

[Mindmaster]

The pentagram that Church of Satan was completely stolen from _La Clef de la Magie Noire_ by French occultist Stanislas de Guaita, in 1897. (see the sidebar) LaVey basically copied verbatim from that text and other than removing the text "Samael" and "Lilith" from it probably had not a freaking clue as to the significance of any of it. (See LaVey's and Aquino's curious Enochian sets keys for that matter.... Mostly added to both of their respective magic systems to MAKE THEM SPOOKEY.) Nothing but what LaVey has said on the matter has any historic bearing -- as Leviathan is a big nasty critter in _The Bible_ but certainly is one of God's creations like all the rest; there is no association with any defiant concepts... It's just a beast... like a whale... or at least what the book says. (Most of the descriptions are in Job if I remember correctly...)

The use of the Goat of Mendes/Baphomet references are about as dubious as anything else I've mentioned. The figure was traditionally associated with a Promethean-type creature who was associated with an aright pentagram and sat between the pillars of knowledge (of good and evil). Most of what we know really came from Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie by Eliphas Levi; in that book our Baphomet is a nice guy not some brimestone-laden Satan-beast. Again, the chances LaVey had access to this material and the chance that he just merely cut and pasted what he liked has more to do with it than anything similar to how he borrowed word-for-word from Ayn Rand, Ragnar Redbeard, and others... _The Satanic_Bible's magical system mostly is a passing joke to any serious occultist -- it's hard to take it seriously when it doesn't even seem LaVey properly understood how secular ceremonial magick really is. Mostly old holy names used in such systems are basically used like mantra-talismans used to tap the magical egregores created by the energies that have been pumping into these processes for centuries. Why couldn't have LaVey just used the already effective versions of keys or rituals like the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram for his base system? Well the answer is simple to me... THEN SOME OF IT MIGHT WORK! And, the worst part.. It's all these god names and things... all though the "God" of a cermonial magicians universe is usually _THEMSELF_. Really, it reflects his limited understanding of magick in general... That he doesn't know how these things work at all.

Anyway, I'll go on an on about this stuff because it irks me... Feel free to ask about anything else.. =)

 

[Adramelek]

Mostly old holy names used in such systems are basically used like mantra-talismans used to tap the magical egregores created by the energies that have been pumping into these processes for centuries. Why couldn't have LaVey just used the already effective versions of keys or rituals like the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram for his base system? Well the answer is simple to me... THEN SOME OF IT MIGHT WORK! And, the worst part.. It's all these god names and things... all though the "God" of a cermonial magicians universe is usually _THEMSELF_.

I think what LaVey did was to create a magical system which reflected his own subjective universe. Created new rituals and meanings to certain already existing magical symbols. Rather than being an occult purist LaVey sought new creation and change as several Magi did before him, and have and will do afterward -- to forge their own unique ways and techniques in the Quest of Mastery of the Black Flame. Whether it be from barrowing from others and/or self-created systems and formulae, all Magick, its essence and powers, originates from within the mind and force of will of the practicing Magician/Sorcerer.

No one Magus has a "copyright" on any magical system or formulae, the Law is for All to either practice in its most purist form or to extrapolate in accordance with their own mind, will, and successful techniques. I think LaVey knew perfectly well what he was doing.

 

[Mindmaster]

Whether it be from barrowing from others and/or self-created systems and formulae, all Magick, its essence and powers, originates from within the mind and force of will of the practicing Magician/Sorcerer.

No one Magus has a "copyright" on any magical system or formulae, the Law is for All to either practice in its most purist form or to extrapolate in accordance with their own mind, will, and successful techniques. I think LaVey knew perfectly well what he was doing.

I guess what strikes me as odd is if he was modifying things he didn't just modify them into a completely different form. Why borrow all the Judeo-Christian hub-bub or Crowley's crap? Mostly LaVey just pooped on what his predecessors did... In the case of the LBRP you would be borrowing a mechanism that centuries of magicians previous had charged for you as a baseline protective tool -- there has to be some real power to tap in that regardless of the names muttered or used.

The Enochian system to me has no damn place in _TSB_ just on the basis that it is a difficult system to wield correctly when using the proper information, the potential for obsession/mania remain high, and the class of entities are far more powerful than others. Basically, if you screw up here you may do permanent damage -- it's not the sort of thing you play with without giving it a full treatment. Even experienced folks have problems and bungles with using the methods involved... Then there is the rather silly notion of the would-be Satanist calling up Angels vs something like say Goetia demons. =) Something is just wrong with the aesthetics here for me.

I am very secular mind you with all of this personally. I'll use the LBRP non-modified, and any other thing I see as useful. If I was making money on it perhaps I would care to package it, but I just don't see the point -- thousands of people putting juice in a ritual form is more effective to me than "just me and my buddies" even if they're more adept than the crowd.

 

[Adramelek]

The Enochian system to me has no damn place in _TSB_ just on the basis that it is a difficult system to wield correctly when using the proper information, the potential for obsession/mania remain high, and the class of entities are far more powerful than others. Basically, if you screw up here you may do permanent damage -- it's not the sort of thing you play with without giving it a full treatment. Even experienced folks have problems and bungles with using the methods involved... Then there is the rather silly notion of the would-be Satanist calling up Angels vs something like say Goetia demons. =) Something is just wrong with the aesthetics here for me.

I understand your position here, it is logical. I personally don't either see the significance of the Enochian Keys in the SB; unless LaVey did actually recognize the magical significance of the Enochian system. What LaVey did was basically change certain words from "God" to "Satan" or "Ineffable King of Hell". Aquino did basically the same thing in his "Word of Set" working - which I do personally prefer. Aquino, however, did leave the original Enochian language in tact. "Ol sonf vorsg, goho Iad balt lansh calz vonpho..."

I think for some the speaking of a certain Enochian Key at the beginning or ending of a ritual will help crystalize, magically, their subjective will with that of the objective universe. So that the later will become reflective of the former within all reality; sort of an infusing element of Greater Black Magic.

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Anyway, my understanding of it is that Leviathan is an archetypal Chaos Serpent related to the Canaanite Yam, who is a God of the raging untamed waters, of the rivers and the oceans. He is much like Tiamat, Apep and Typhon. He represents formlessness, the subconscious, all-potential and primordial energies. He is wild and untamed.

In the Ugaritic library there's a myth "Ba'lu versus Yammu". Ba'lu, god of the sky, and Yammu, god of the sea, argue over who's to be the chief god of Earth. Ilu, the creator, tells them to sort it out themselves, so they have a fight and Ba'lu wins. Eventually, in the process of "promoting" their tribal god Yahweh, the Israelites equated him to to Bal (only later to El, i.e. Ilu) and so the myth was incorporated into their religion as "Yahweh versus Leviathan". I presume the Satanist reasoning was "Yahweh is Satan's enemy. Leviathan was Yahweh's enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

 

[Tumah]

In the Ugaritic library there's a myth "Ba'lu versus Yammu". Ba'lu, god of the sky, and Yammu, god of the sea, argue over who's to be the chief god of Earth. Ilu, the creator, tells them to sort it out themselves, so they have a fight and Ba'lu wins. Eventually, in the process of "promoting" their tribal god Yahweh, the Israelites equated him to to Bal (only later to El, i.e. Ilu) and so the myth was incorporated into their religion as "Yahweh versus Leviathan". I presume the Satanist reasoning was "Yahweh is Satan's enemy. Leviathan was Yahweh's enemy. The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Where is this Yahweh versus Leviathan story?

 

[GoodbyeDave]

Where is this Yahweh versus Leviathan story?

There are references in Psalms 74 and 89, and more in the Talmud.
My apologies to the denizens of this section for being off-topic!

 

[Adramelek]

Leviathan, the Eternal Serpent of the Abyss, Dragon of Perpetual Remanifestation.

Xeper and Remanifest.
/Adramelek\