The Sigil of Baphomet – Symbolism and Meaning
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Throughout history, religions have been using a variety of symbols and imagery to represent both good and evil. Today, the Sigil of Baphomet is one of the most relevant symbols of satanic cults. Let’s take a closer look at its origin, characteristics, and current use.
What is the Sigil of Baphomet?
In 1966, Anton LeVay created the Sigil of Baphomet as the insignia symbol of the Church of Satan. For the Sigil, LeVay put together a variety of satanic and gnostic elements, creating a true representation of the nature of the church.
The Sigil of Baphomet consists of an inverted pentagram with Baphomet’s head inside. The head and the pentagram are inside two concentric circles containing the word “Leviathan” in Hebrew. Each letter of the word is aligned with a point of the inverted pentagram.
Sigil of Baphomet – Imagery and Symbolism
As mentioned before, the Sigil of Baphomet is a combination of several gnostic and occult symbols.
The inverted pentagram represents the spirit descending to temptation and matter, often associated with witchcraft and occultism.
The goat’s head that is within the downward-facing pentagram represents Baphomet, also known as the Goat of Mendes, who in turn represents everything within light and darkness. The Goat of Mendes is believed to be closer to the Dark Force that affects everything in the world.
The concentric circles containing the word “Leviathan” going up in a counterclockwise direction represent the Dragon of the Abyss, the sea serpent, which stems from Judaism as one of the central representations of evil in the world.
All of these elements are symbols and imagery related to Satan in different religions and cultures. In other words, LeVay took into careful consideration which elements should be part of the Church of Satan’s emblem.
Elements of the Sigil of Baphomet
The Sigil of Baphomet has become so controversial that many fear the symbol and what it represents.
Baphomet
The first mention of Baphomet can be found in a letter written in the 11th century by Anselm of Ribemont, count of Ostrevant and Valenciennes. This letter describes a ritual dedicated to Baphomet, a gnostic deity the Knights Templars worshipped. The ritual was performed before battle.
In 1857, the occultist Eliphas Levi describes Baphomet as a goat with the pentagram on his head, its highest point symbolizing light, and his hands forming a triangle as a reference to the symbol of Hermeticism.
Alongside this description, Levi details that one of Baphomet’s arms is female and the other one is male. Plus, he argues the flame behind Baphomet’s horns is a symbol of universal balance, where the spirit is in the perfect place tied to matter but also being elevated above it.
These facts suggest that Baphomet was a deity associated with justice, mercy, and balance between darkness and light. There are no direct records of the time or the reason Baphomet became worshiped by and related to occultism.
The Pentagram
The pentagram is a five-pointed star that is drawn in an uninterrupted line. This symbol has been around for over 5000 years, making it virtually impossible for any modern religion to claim it as theirs.
In its beginning, the pentagram was construed as a protector against evil. To some accounts, each point of the pentagram represented the four elements plus the spirit at the highest point.
With all of this in mind, the pentagram represented the order of things and balance, with the spirit as the highest exponent of it all. Occultism, however, had other plans for it.
If the pentagram meant order and balance, then an inverted pentagram meant chaos, and the spirit in the lower point represented perversion and evil. Occult writer Heinrich Cornelious Agrippa was the first to use the inverted pentagram in magic.
After this first representation of the inverted pentagram, people have been using the inverted pentagram for magic, occultism, and satanic practices.
What is Leviathan?
Several books of the Hebrew Bible refer to Leviathan as a gigantic sea snake. Leviathan was the representation of evil, chaos, and sin in the world. In recent times, it has been connected to Satan and occultism. In the satanic Bible, there’s also a book of Leviathan.
Wrapping Up
The sigil of Baphomet is an extremely nuanced symbol that belongs to the Church of Satan and did not exist up until 1966. That is not to say that the elements which Anton LeVay used to create it did not exist before that; he only took those who aligned with his philosophy to create his insignia symbol.
Today, it represents the faith of members of the Church of Satan, which contrary to popular belief is not a demonic cult, but simply an atheistic association that advocates for individual liberty and freedom.
However, to most people, the symbol represents evil, darkness, the occult, and magic. For them, it’s a symbol that should be avoided.
