A critical examination of Eliphas
Levis diagram of the Pentagram as seen in Transcendental Magick.
The power of a
symbol lies in its compact form. In this way a symbol is very similar to a
ritual in that it combines many different ideas into this compacted form. If
done properly, or understood properly, condensed symbols become expanded. There
are several areas of interest in Levis Pentagram drawing: the symbolism of the
pentagram itself, the ideas of the Tetragrammaton and the 5 elements; the
symbols of Venus and Mercury conjoined, the caduceus, the Alpha and Omega, the
squared circle, and the Hebrew letters which point to different and concrete
ideas. (I do not reiterate the history of the pentagram, nor the commonly known
meaning so as to avoid banality.)
The pentagram is first and foremost
a sign of the five elements, fire, water, air, earth and spirit. It represents
man, and the microcosm, while the hexagram represents planetary influences and
the macrocosm. The elements are represented on the pentagram with the wand,
cup, sword/dagger, and disk symbols. There is a theme of the union of opposites
present with the sun and the moon, the masculine and the feminine uniting. This
theme is carried out with the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end, representing
all of existence, the squaring of the circle from sacred geometry, and the
Venus and Mercury conjoined. The Venus and Mercury are very interesting here
because one would think of Venus and Mars being together because of the
traditional masculine and feminine from Greek/Roman myth. The use of Venus and
Mercury is thus removed from myth mostly and I think hinting toward its use as
a pathworking, being the 27th path and the uniting of fire (netzach)
and water (hod). Interestingly enough hod, typically thought of as male, is
water, while netzach, being female to hod, and female in other senses, having
the element of fire thus giving the sense of motion, and not a sense of being
static. (The male being the female and the female also being the male.) I also
noticed the three darkened Ts, which I found related to the triple Taus in
masonry. The A for Alpha also looks like a Masonic compass.
The Hebrew letters are intriguing. I spent a lot
of time looking through them and at one in particular which I found made no
sense at all. Ill consider the three that made sense first. ADM, PChD, HVH.
ADM = Aleph Daleth Mem is quite overtly referring to mankind, not first man.
Aleph being the air that breathes life, and DM the blood that receives it. PChD
= Peh Cheth Daleth. Pachad is fear or terror. Fear of God might be one reason
it was included, as Levi was Catholic, additionally it is the name of the 5th
sephira Geburah, and 5 for overt reasons is connected to the pentagram. HVH=
Heh Vau Heh. I found that this, according to Blavatsky, was the process of
generation itself, and regeneration. YHVH without the Yod. Mankind regenerating
Mankind. Now I got to the last one KPR = Kaph Peh Resh. I do not know if these
are the correct Hebrew letters, and nothing seemed to fit. I tried KPD, KChD,
KSR and every variation because the letters arent clear but nothing came of
any of my variations. The only thing that came to mind was Cafer/Kafir, infidel
in Arabic; however, I dont think that fits. Levi might have made a mistake and
his letters are blurry but I can not figure it out at all.
Putting together all of this
information with the traditional view of the meaning of the pentagram gives me
a new perspective on the meaning of the pentagram according to Levi. It seems
that there is a lot of union of opposites, the perfection of the self, the
transcendence of duality, balance within the self, and all of this is done
without the overt pressure/presence of the divine. HVH is divorced from Y, and
yet it regenerates and can maintain a balance. After the divine created
mankind, from a Christian narrative, then mankind has free will and must be a
good human, and maintain balance in his or her nature. There isnt a reaching
upward, or a going below, but a sense of maintenance and progression. Despite
all the balance and the union of opposites I dont feel that this is a static
symbol. When I think of all of these items together I think of something which
is very much in motion, but a balanced motion. I could continue on with these
symbols, and thoroughly explaining the Tetragrammaton, but I felt I should
cease because of space. I am familiar with the commonly known meanings of the
Tetragrammaton and the pentagram so I felt it was better to focus on the new
symbols and the input their contributed.
Anyone who has input on this particular symbol feel free to contact me.
