A comprehensive look at hidden symbols and the occult
Baphomet is one of the most instantly recognizable figures: the goat head, breasts, human torso, wings, and goat legs aren’t exactly common anywhere else. In basically every depiction of Baphomet (who’s sometimes erroneously referred to as “Satan”), they are making a unique gesture with both hands. In this article, we’ll break down what that gesture means, as well as the other strange elements in Baphomet’s image, and why Baphomet probably doesn’t represent what you think it does.
Baphomet’s two-finger salute is a nod to “as above, so below,” an axiom in certain Pagan and occult traditions. The phrase reflects the idea that anything that happens in the spiritual world also happens in the physical world and vice versa.
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“As above, so below” is one of the most iconic phrases in occult circles, magick, and hermetic spiritual traditions. It comes from The Hermetica , a religious text supposedly written and compiled by Hermes Trismegistus during the Roman Empire. [1] If you look at Baphomet, one hand points up (“as above”) and one hand points down (“so below”), with each finger representing one word in the phrase.
- What does “as above, so below” mean? The phrase has several potential interpretations. The most common reading basically boils down to “whatever happens in the heavens and spiritual world will also happen in the material world.” It can also be interpreted to mean that every action has a reaction, or whatever is in your heart will impact your behavior.
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Between 1119-1314 AD, the Templar Knights were accused of worshiping a deity named Baphomet. Years later, occultists, Satanists, Pagans, Wiccans, and magick enthusiasts would come to identify with Baphomet as a kind of symbol of equality and balance. [2]
- Why is Baphomet a symbol of equality and balance? Baphomet’s inverse hands and symmetrical wings/horns convey symmetry and evenness. The fact that Baphomet has both male and female sexual characteristics further reflects their emphasis on duality. In most traditions, Baphomet is the ultimate expression of freedom, empathy, justice, and balance.[3]
- Baphomet is not Satan. The two figures are often viewed identically by the general public, but Baphomet is not a Christian entity, and they are never mentioned in the Bible.
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Also known as “the sigil of Baphomet,” the pentagram is probably the most iconic symbol associated with the deity. Baphomet is often depicted with a pentagram painted on their clothing or tattooed on their skin, although sometimes the symbol is just nearby. In occult traditions, the pentagram is a symbol used to protect against evil. [4]
- The five points on the pentagram are also said to signal the five core virtues of knighthood: generosity, courtesy, chastity, chivalry, and piety.
- Pythagoras, the Greek mathematician, thought the pentagram was a symbol of man’s perfection, with 4 points symbolizing the 4 limbs and the top point representing the head.
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You often see The Caduceus either resting on Baphomet’s shoulder, sitting on Baphomet’s chest, or in Baphomet’s hand. The Caduceus—a winged staff with two snakes curling around it—is the staff carried by Hermes, the Greek God. The two snakes represent the duality of life, while the staff is a symbol for truth. As a result, the Caduceus is often associated with the pursuit of knowledge and the betterment of oneself. [5]
- The Caduceus is often mistakenly confused for the Rod of Asclepius, which is a symbol of medicine and healthcare.[6]
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A flaming torch is often depicted in the middle of Baphomet’s head. The torch symbolizes intellectual enlightenment and freedom.[7]
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The upside-down cross, also known as St. Peter’s cross, is actually a traditional Christian symbol. The story goes that St. Peter was asked to be crucified upside-down because he didn’t think he deserved to die the same way Jesus did. Today, the upside-down cross is often used to symbolize a rejection of traditional Christian norms. [8]
- The fact that the upside-down cross is both a Christian and Satanist symbol plays nicely into Baphomet’s entire theme of opposites in balance.
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Despite popular belief, Satanists don’t actually worship Satan (they don’t even think he exists). Their organization simply uses Satan as a metaphor for the values they support: freedom, individualism, reason, and rejection of religious bigotry. For Satanists, Baphomet is an easy way to express these same values. [9]
- The Satanic church famously commissioned a giant Baphomet statue to try and push public perceptions of what “freedom of religion” means. By touring the statue around, they demonstrated that most people really just mean “my religion” when they talk about freedom of religion—they don’t extend the same courtesies to religions they don’t like, like Satanism![10]
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