Baphomet is not evil.

Did you ever hear about Baphomet prior to paranormal t.v. shows and Hollywood’s version of horror movies?? My guess is probably not. Oh yes, and let’s not forget all those documentaries on the Knights Templar. Baphomet would still be hiding in relative obscurity if it wasn’t for those templar informationals that accuse templars of kneeling and worshiping this goat-headed demon. What drivel !!

Baphomet is a beautiful symbol that illustrates the natural connection of everything we know in this three-dimensional reality we live within. It connects each thing with one another and in total to the all that is.

(This photographic reproduction is considered to be in the public domain in the United States.)

If we go back to Hebrew writings, the name Baphomet is equated with the name Sophia by use of the Atbash Cipher. This cipher uses a substitution method to hide a message. It’s an easy code – the first letter becomes the last, the second letter becomes the second to last and so on. In the third century B.C. the Hebrew Bible was translated to Greek so Jewish peoples living in Egypt could read their Bible as many of them were no longer familiar with Hebrew.

Sophia, lower case sofia in the Old Testament, refers to wisdom. And the symbolism of the figure of Baphomet explains the archaic wisdom this symbol entails.

Baphomet is a complex esoteric icon that needs to be explained and understood for what it really is. So – let’s have a go at that….

So, to start dissecting the representions of the horned one….

Baphomet is seen sitting with crossed legs. Sitting represents a fixed foundation and legs are crossed illustrating that some things cannot be changed – like truth. Androgyny is shown by the wonderfully full feminine breasts and the tall, erect male member that renders it a non-binary or an encompassing totality of all that exists.

The snakes surrounding the phallus are representative of renewal and transformation of all existence.

The snakes that form in a sort of caduceus speaks of the entirety of all being. All things are a part of each another. All aspects of life are interconnected and don’t exist without one another.

Baphomet’s wings lend to psychic imagination and spiritual growth. His two arms one pointing down that reads “coaglia” meaning to join together. The other arm points up and says “solve” which means to dissolve or separate. Together they represent the completeness of the Emerald Tablet’s message of, “As Above, So Below”.

Baphomet’s horns represent wisdom just as the horns in the painting of Moses by Michelangelo are symbolic of the smarts that Moses possessed.

And finally – the fire. Fire is a sign of illumination. And – illumination, spritual growth, archaic wisdom, and a recipe to understand the meaning of life is what the symbol of the goat-headed being is all about.

Taken together, this symbol of Baphomet is a wonderful ancient representation of mystical wisdom that is still being shared today with those that have the mental and spiritual acuteness to understand its meaning. For others, it will always remain the thing of movies and unfortunately – demonic.

And – for those who don’t know — The Knights Templars who were tortured and burned alive in 1306 were massacred by King Philip IV of France. He managed to get the Pope’s willingness to look the other way, but it didn’t have anything to do with Philip’s allegations of heresy on the part of the Templars.

It seems King Philip IV owed a great sum of money to the Templars and there was no way he could repay them. Philip had frivolously squandered his kingdom’s money. So, rather than be upright and straight forward, Phil decided he could have the Knights annihilated rendering him free from debt.

And – the Pope of Rome at that time – Pope Clement didn’t necessarily agree with Phil’s efforts. Pope Clement also wanted the indigent King to repay him. Over time Philip had borrowed quite a sum from the Roman Catholic Church. The Pope wanted the money he had given Philip repaid with all the appropriate interest payments.

The Knights Templar and Baphomet are free of guilt. But, the king of France and the head of the Holy Catholic Church cannot be exonerated from evil deeds as easily.

– ashanta