I was considering today about how certain symbols used by various occult orders or traditions can become perverted by those who hold nothing sacred and commit heinous acts under the banner of those symbols. The one I had in mind initially was the Swastika or the Fylfot Cross. The Fylfot Cross (as it is more commonly referred to in the G.:D.: literature) is the officer lamen of the Dadouchos (da-DAH-hos) who consecrates the Temple with Fire. Additionally, it also has reference to the Rashith ha-Gilgalem which is the mundane chakra of Kether and means "First Whirlings". In other words, this is a sacred symbol of the highest order. Yet just looking at it puts a bad taste in any reasonable persons mouth. Certainly without an understanding of the difference between the Nazi Swastika and the Fylfot Cross depicted on the lamen of the Dadouchos, one would be extremely uncomfortable undergoing ritual initiation in which this symbol is seen.

It was pointed out by Donald Michael Kraig in his book Modern Magick that the two are depicted differently. "This holy and mystical symbol was always drawn in a horisontal-vertical pattern with the arms in such a way that the cross appeared to be moving with the Sun or clockwise. It is a shame thatthis symbol was peverted by the Black Magic Lodges of Germany of which Hitler was a member... You can see how the Nazi swastika goes against the Sun, giving the impression of spinning in a couter-clockwise direction. Note, too, that it is on a point rather than horisontal-verrtical. Although the Nazis did at times use the true mystical Swastika, their official symbol was the perverted version. Today, most people are disgusted with the symbol and do not separate the spiritual from the obsene." (Kraig, 1988, Modern Magick, Second Edition, p. 142)

Some may argue with some validity that the symbol has been so ingrossed into our collective consciousness as a symbol of hate that it does more harm than is worth and should be done away with. This may be the strongest arguement one can make as even armed with the information given above, most will still be uncomfortable with it. However, the Fylfot Cross makes appearance in another key place other than on the lamen of the Dadouchos to represent the element of fire. The Fylfot Cross is also used as the admission badge in the Zelator Ceremony shown here. This makes its removal or modification rather difficult. Many in the G.:D.: tradition have made various modifications to the original versions of the rituals and symbols used. I on the other hand believe that one should be extremely wary of making changes to an established tradition because too much freedom in this department can lead to the complete loss of the identity of the original system, such as what happened with Christianity. It is tragic that the true teachings of Christ have been lost forever because of popular opinion. "It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people." (Giordano Bruno)

Another symbol that has been perverted by Black Magicians is the Pentagram, or in particular the inverted Pentagram. This is most commonly associated with Satanism as shown here. What it really represents is matter triumphing over spirit. In fact, the G.:D.: has a particularly unmistakable warning against its use in ritual. "Traced as a symbolof good, it should be placed with the single point upward, representing the rule of the Divine Spirit. For if thou shouldst write it with the two points upward, it is an evil symbol, affirming the empire of matter over that Divine Spirit which should govern it. See that thou doest it not." (Regardie, 1971, The Golden Dawn, The Sixth Edition, p. 280)

Yet is this the end of the story? I've had some particular experience with the 24th Path of Ayin to which the Tarot Trump of The Devil and the sign of Capricorn are attributed. The following is a journal entry from I time in which I experienced the path of the Devil.

"I also dreamed of trying to save a captive of the Devil. Part of the dream was a narrative of the life of the Devil in his own words. It was a bitter tragety, and after a brief explanation of his childhood, he turned apathetic and wistful and regarded this as unimportant. A small part described his borther (???), barely noticing that he hadn't eaten for weeks, sniffing around the ruins of the family's former empire in search of food.

"I'm reminded of the climax of The Phantom of the Opera:

A face which earned a mother's fear and loathing
A mask my first unfeeling scrap of clothing
Pity comes too late
Turn around and face your fate
An eternity of this before your eyes"

The story of the Phantom of the Opera may easily be referred to the path of the Devil, the frustrated and wrathful persona of Pan, or it may be referred to the path of the Universe, the 32nd Path of Tau and Saturn. Similar stories are referred in which someone is taken from the surface world by some dark entity and spirited away to an underworld of death. Persephone and Hades is a good example.

The two paths are strongly linked. In the card above, I used indigo for the background as that is the color of Ayin in Atziluth. The color of Tau in Atziluth is also indigo, and the Universe card that's referred to it also has an indigo background in my deck. This is to indicate that the whole path takes place in the underworld of the unconscious mind of repression, instincts, and unexpressed fears. The whole card is very sexually oriented. This is why I used very red flesh tones to indicate a flushed and excited appearance. The sexual symbolism can also be seen clearly in the Thoth deck which is just a picture of a giant phallus.

You can see, in my card, that the inverted pentagram is represented by the head of the figure. This is to represent the carnal self-serving desires of the flesh dominating the rest of the card. It might be a very evil card if it weren't for the upright pentagram above it. This upright pentagram represents self-sacrifice, the giving of ones self for the sake of higher ideals. In sexual symbolism, it represents the sperm, which redeems the sex act by becoming creative. Of course, only on the surface level would this act of creation be a human child. The sexual intercourse, if engaged in lovingly, is an act of creation and spiritual extacy regardless of whether or not a child results. It is only the crude, degrading, and self-serving sexual encounter that is represented by the triumph of matter over spirit symbolised by the inverted pentagram.

Furthermore, the card does not necessarily represent physical sex. In fact, when it comes to pathworking, the surface meaning is never the dominant meaning of the path. This card may symbolize any creative act from works of art to a scientific discovery. If these things are shared with ones fellow men and women for the benefit of all, then it is a positive creative act. If, however, greed and self-serving is the motivator here, it is the worst of evils, and matter tramples spirit in this case.

So why are both present in the card? It is a common saying that in order to love others you must first love yourself. In sex, the pleasure of the sensations carries you through the act. In art, you make the art for yourself and make it an expression of yourself. It is the result of this that must be shared. Just as in the parable of the talents. "Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed: And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine. His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury." (Matt 25:24-27)