An aspid is a viper (Vipera aspis).

This term is dervied from pertaining to or proceeding from the stars, but in the esoteric knowledge it refers to the emotional aspect of the fifth dimension, which in Hebrew is called Hod. Related terms are below.

"The Astral Light is the deposit of all of great Nature's past, present and future forms. The Astral Light is the Azoth and Magnesia of the ancient Alchemists, Medea's Flying Dragon, the Christians' INRI, the Tarot of the Bohemians. The Astral Light is a terrific sexual fire springing from the Sun's nimbus and is fixed to the Earth by the force of gravity and the weight of the atmosphere. The Sun is the one that attracts and repels such an enchanting and delightful light. The Astral Light is Archimedes' lever. The old Sage said: "Give me a fulcrum and I will move the universe." The semen is the human being's Astral liquid. The semen is the Astral Light. The semen is the key to all powers and the key to all empires. The Astral Light has two poles, one positive and the other negative. The ascending serpent is positive. The descending serpent is negative." - Samael Aun Weor, The Perfect Matrimony

"The Astral Light is the battlefield between white and black magicians. The Astral Light is the clue of all empires and the key of all powers. It is the great universal agent of life. All the columns of angels and demons live within the Astral Light..." - The Revolution of Beelzebub

See also: Od

From Astro (Greek, “star”) and Greek: theourgeia, related to theos, “god,” and ergon, “work.” The synthesis: “the science to consciously work with the intelligences of the stars.”

An alchemical oven which symbolizes the union of the male and female sexual organs.

(Sanskrit, literally "self") An ancient and important word that is grossly misinterpreted in much of Hinduism and Buddhism. Many have misunderstood this word as referring to a permanently existing self or soul. Yet the true meaning is otherwise.

"Brahman, Self, Purusha, Chaitanya, Consciousness, God, Atman, Immortality, Freedom, Perfection, Bliss, Bhuma or the unconditioned are synonymous terms." - Swami Sivananva

Thus, Atman as "self" refers to a state of being "unconditioned," which is related to the Absolute, the Ain Soph, or the Shunyata (Emptiness). Thus, Atman refers to the Innermost, the Spirit, the Son of God, who longs to return to that which is beyond words.

"Atman, in Himself, is the ineffable Being, the one who is beyond time and eternity, without end of days. He does not die, neither reincarnates (the ego is what returns), but Atman is absolutely perfect." - Samael Aun Weor

In general use, the term Atman can also refer to the spirit or sephirah Chesed.

"The Being Himself is Atman, the Ineffable. If we commit the error of giving the Being the qualifications of superior “I,” alter ego, subliminal “I,” or divine ego, etc., we commit blasphemy, because That which is Divine, the Reality, can never fall into the heresy of separability. Superior and inferior are two sections of the same thing.
Superior “I” or inferior “I” are two sections of the same pluralized ego (Satan). The Being is the Being, and the reason for the Being to be is to be the same Being. The Being transcends the personality, the “I,” and individuality." Samael Aun Weor

"Bliss is the essential nature of man. The central fact of man's being is his inherent divinity. Man's essential nature is divine, the awareness of which he has lost because of his animal propensities and the veil of ignorance. Man, in his ignorance, identifies himself with the body, mind, Prana and the senses. Transcending these, he becomes one with Brahman or the Absolute who is pure bliss. Brahman or the Absolute is the fullest reality, the completest consciousness. That beyond which there is nothing, that which is the innermost Self of all is Atman or Brahman. The Atman is the common Consciousness in all beings. A thief, a prostitute, a scavenger, a king, a rogue, a saint, a dog, a cat, a rat-all have the same common Atman. There is apparent, fictitious difference in bodies and minds only. There are differences in colours and opinions. But, the Atman is the same in all. If you are very rich, you can have a steamer, a train, an airship of your own for your own selfish interests. But, you cannot have an Atman of your own. The Atman is common to all. It is not an individual's sole registered property. The Atman is the one amidst the many. It is constant amidst the forms which come and go. It is the pure, absolute, essential Consciousness of all the conscious beings. The source of all life, the source of all knowledge is the Atman, thy innermost Self. This Atman or Supreme Soul is transcendent, inexpressible, uninferable, unthinkable, indescribable, the ever-peaceful, all-blissful. There is no difference between the Atman and bliss. The Atman is bliss itself. God, perfection, peace, immortality, bliss are one. The goal of life is to attain perfection, immortality or God. The nearer one approaches the Truth, the happier one becomes. For, the essential nature of Truth is positive, absolute bliss. There is no bliss in the finite. Bliss is only in the Infinite. Eternal bliss can be had only from the eternal Self. To know the Self is to enjoy eternal bliss and everlasting peace. Self-realisation bestows eternal existence, absolute knowledge, and perennial bliss. None can be saved without Self-realisation. The quest for the Absolute should be undertaken even sacrificing the dearest object, even life, even courting all pain. Study philosophical books as much as you like, deliver lectures and lectures throughout your global tour, remain in a Himalayan cave for one hundred years, practise Pranayama for fifty years, you cannot attain emancipation without the realisation of the oneness of the Self." - Swami Sivananda

Every atom is a trio of matter, energy and consciousness. The consciousness of every atom is always an intelligent elemental. If the materialists are not capable of seeing those elementals, it is because they still do not know the scientific procedures that allow us to see them. We have special methods in order to see those creatures. Indeed, the atom is a truly infinitely small planetary system. Those planetary systems of the atoms are formed by ultra-atomic ternaries that spin around their centers of gravitation. The atom with its Alpha, Beta, and Gamma rays is a trio of matter, energy and consciousness. - Endocrinology and Criminology

(Hebrew און) Virility, sexual strength.

Avalokiteshvara (Sanskrit, lit. "Lord who looks down") is a term given to the Bodhisattvas of Compassion according to Mahayana Buddhism. The Tibetan name is Chenrezig. Both are symbols of the Cosmic Christ. The eleven-headed, thousand-armed Avalokiteshvara is the symbol of the many Bodhisattvas of compassion that attained the ten Bodhisattva stages and also symbolizes the many Avalokiteshvara’s incarnations or Buddhas of compassion within the different Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. He is also known as Kuan-Yin and Chenrezig; in Hinduism he is Vishnu. In the Greek language he is Khristos or Christ who looks in every direction in order to assist and save any being through his Bodhisattvas. Thus, its thousand arms extend his helping hands toward all beings. His ten heads indicate the process through the ten Bodhisattva stages towards the perfection of the Nirmanakaya Body; these stages are represented in the ten hierarchies of the Kabbalistic Tree of Life of the world of Yetzirah with the eleventh that represents the acquisition of the Samboghakaya Body; thus, the eleventh head indicates the incarnation of the universal compassion of all Buddhas. The ten heads also represent the prajnaparamita type of vision that is able to look at all beings within and without the ten Sephiroth of space; the eleventh head represents the all-encompassing Buddha wisdom (Chokmah).

From the Sanskrit avatāraḥ, meaning descent (of a deity from heaven), avatar: ava, down + tarati, he crosses. An incarnation of the cosmic, universal Christ (Vishnu, Chokmah). Samael Aun Weor used the term "avatar" to mean "messenger."

"The reincarnated Christ expresses himself through every authentic Avatar. " - Samael Aun Weor, The Pistis Sophia Unveiled

"...the Omni-merciful, the infinitude that sustains all, the very, very sacred Absolute Sun, periodically sends Avatars, Saviors, to this valley of tears. These sacred individuals, these messengers, these Saviors, are living incarnations of the Omni-merciful. Nevertheless, this lunar race, this perverse race of Adam, mortally hates such helpers. [...] The blessed Krishna, the blessed Buddha, the blessed Lama, the blessed Mohammed, the loving, essential Ashiata Shiemash, Moses, Quetzalcoatl (and many others) were all Avatars. The doctrine of all Avatars has its roots in the three basic factors of the revolution of the consciousness: to be born, to die, and to sacrifice the self for humanity." - Samael Aun Weor, The Doomed Aryan Race

The sixteenth letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it symbolizes: the eye, delight, divine providence, divine sight. Its Kabbalistic value is 70.

In alchemy, Azoth is the life principle of all metals.

Alchemists always address three symbolic substances: mercury, sulfur, and salt. Azoth is added as a fourth, mysterious permuting life principle.

According to Alchemy: Salt, sulfur, and mercury each have a triune nature, for each of these substances contain, in reality, also the other two substances.

Therefore, the body of Salt is threefold: salt, sulfur, and mercury; but in the body of Salt one of the three (salt) predominates.

Mercury is likewise composed of salt, sulfur, and mercury with the latter element predominating.
Sulfur, similarly, is indeed salt, sulfur, and mercury, with sulfur predominating.

The permutation of these nine divisions - 3 times 3 – 9 is done thanks to Azoth, the sacred fire of Kundalini.

Azoth is therefore the universal substance, the invisible eternal fire, electricity, magnetism, astral light, the measureless spirit of life, the fiery mercurial essence that flows out from the throne of God and the Lamb, the spinal medulla. This is the River of living water in Eden – Sex, the Genesiac mist of the earth, the igneous particles ‘Hashim’ within the dust of the ground (Adamah) from where God formed the electronic bodies of Adam, the true human being.

The Egyptian name for the Mental Body.

In the Judeo-Christian scriptures, in Hebrew, the word Babylon does not appear; instead, it is spelled בבל BBL (Babel). Babel is an important symbol with many meanings, primarily as a symbol of degenerated humanity.

"We must destroy Babylon the Great, the mother of all fornication and abominations of the Earth. Obviously, Babylon is our psychological city, populated by the psychic aggregates that we carry within our interior." - Samael Aun Weor, The Pistis Sophia Unveiled

[from Greek baphe immersion + metis wisdom] From The Theosophical Glossary: A medieval mystic term usually identified with the goat of Mendes. The Templars of Malta were accused of worshiping Baphomet as an idol. Baphomat signifies a baptism in wisdom or initiation, but became degraded and misunderstood when the keys to its real meaning were lost. The symbol of the Baphomet is related to Arcanum 15: Passion, as explained in The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah. The term baphomet hides a message when read backwards: Tem-o-h-p-ab, which is the symbol of the Latin words Templi ommun hominum pacis abbas, which means The Father of the temple of universal peace for men. See Typhon.

The first word of the Bible "Barashith" has six letters and is translated in common English as “In the beginning" and in Greek as "Genesis." Yet in Kabbalah, the meaning of this word has yet to be fully explored. According to Kabbalah:

• “Be” = The

• “Raishath” = "Higher, or Upper Wisdom,” which in Daath is related to the Sephirah Chokmah: the Cosmic Cognizance that is always creating is hidden within the letter "Vav".

So the "Higher, or Upper Wisdom" which is hidden within the six Hebrew letters of the word Barashith, which is the creative power of (Iod-Havah Elohim in Daath) created the Heaven and the Earth. Chokmah, the "Higher, or Upper Wisdom" of the Elohim (Gods and Goddesses), is related to creation in Briah. In Daath is where the Heavenly Man is created = Heaven. ‘And’ in Yesod in the SIXTH DAY, the Terrestrial man Adam was created from Adama = the Earth.

(Tibetan) Literally, between the two. Six states of consciousness. These are detailed in The Great Book of Natural Liberation through Understanding in the Between. See Book of the Dead, below.

Often translated as "Parlok"; a term used in the teachings of Gurdjieff.

"To exercise the Being-Partkdolg-Duty means that we not allow intellectual concepts to pass through our mind in a mechanical manner; in other words, we become cognizant of all the intellectual data that come to the mind. How do we become cognizant of that data? It is done by means of meditation. So, if we read a book, we should meditate on it, try to comprehend it.

"2. We must become cognizant of all the activities of our Emotional Center. It is unfortunate to see how people move under the impulse of emotions, in a completely mechanical manner, without any control whatsoever. So, we must become self-cognizant of all emotions.

"3. The habits and customs of the Motor Center. We must become self-cognizant of all our activities, of all our movements, of all our habits, and not do anything in a mechanical manner.

"4. We must become lords of our instincts and subdue them. We must comprehend them in-depth, integrally.

"5. We must transmute the sexual energy. We transmute our creative energies by means of certain alchemical procedures.

"Obviously, our life unfolds harmoniously, when we fulfill in this manner the Cosmic Duty or Being-Partkdolg-Duty and we live in harmony with the Infinite, in agreement with the Great Law. Thus, we will be able to reach old age full of ecstasy; we will be able to attain Mastery and perfection." - Samael Aun Weor, excerpts from The Erroneous Functions of the Five Centers 

The second letter of the Hebrew alphabet, it means and symbolizes "a house." Its Kabbalistic numerical value is 2.

"The house of bread” in Aramaic and Hebrew [בית לחם]. "The house of meat” in Arabic [بيت لحم]. The Holy City of western religions and a deep symbol. The birthplace of King David and Jesus.

“In order for the Savior to be born, the event of Bethlehem has to be repeated; such an event is very profound and at the same time symbolic.  The town of Bethlehem which the Gospels refers to is very allegorical.  It is said that this small town did not exist in the epoch of Jesus of Nazareth.  If we analyze the word Belen (which is Bethlehem in Chaldean), we have Bel-En.  Then, we see that Bel in Chaldean terminology signifies “tower of fire.” When is this tower of fire attained?  This is attained when one has created the Superior Existential Bodies of the Being, when the Sacred Fire has reached the superior part of the brain.  This is how the Advent of Bethlehem occurs.” - Samael Aun Weor, The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah

(Sanskrit) Fear.

(Hebrew בינה; means understanding; related to תבונה (tabuwn) intelligence, or knowledge from experience) The third sephirah on the Tree of Life. Related to the Holy Spirit. Known in Hinduism as Shiva-Shakti.

"Binah is the Holy Spirit; He is the Third Logos, the Lord Shiva of the Hindus, who manifests himself as sexual potency within everything which is, has been, and will be... The Holy Spirit unfolds himself into an Ineffable Woman; She is the Divine Mother; She is dressed in a white tunic and a blue mantle. The Holy Spirit is Shiva, the Divine Spouse of Shakti, the Divine Mother Kundalini." - Samael Aun Weor, The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah

"...proper form and image are not formed until they emerged from בינה Binah and afterwards they were formed and consolidated. The world to come, which is Binah, is also the craftsman of all the creation and is the secret of Elohim that is mentioned there, as it is written: "And Elohim said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light" and also, "And Elohim said, 'Let there be a firmament.'" So Binah is the craftsman, the one who forms, that makes the shape of light, water, and firmament..." - Zohar 11:77

Magic comes from "mag," priest. Black magic is the science of the impure priesthood, or those who awaken the consciousness within the ego (pride, anger, lust, etc). See also Goetia.

"Black Magic appeals to the mass mind. It appeals to the principles of our civilization. It offers something for nothing. As long as there is cupidity in the human heart, it will remain as a menace to the honesty and integrity of our race." - Manly P. Hall from Magic: a Treatise on Esoteric Ethics

"The black magicians have their mysticism, and they always firmly believe that they walk on the good path. No black magician believes that he walks on the evil path. The path of black magic is a broad way filled with vices and pleasures." - Samael Aun Weor, The Revolution of Beelzebub

"Multitudes of schools of black magic exist, many of them with very venerable traditions that teach Sexual Magic with the spilling of semen. They have very beautiful theories that attract and captivate, and if the student falls in that seductive and delicious deceit, he becomes a black magician. Those black schools affirm to the four winds that they are white and that is why ignorant ones fall. Moreover, those schools talk of beauty, love, charity, wisdom, etc., etc. Naturally, in those circumstances the ignorant disciple attains the belief with firmness that such institutions are not evil and perverse. Remember good disciple, that the Abyss is full of sincerely mistaken ones and people of very good intentions..." - Samael Aun Weor, The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah

"The intellect as the negative function of the mind is demoniacal. Everyone that enters into these studies, the first thing that they want is to dominate the mind of others. This is pure and legitimate black magic. No one has the right to violate the free will of others. No one has the right to exercise coaction upon the mind of others because this is black magic. The ones that are guilty of this grave error are all of those mistaken authors that are everywhere. All of those books of hypnotism, magnetism and suggestion are books of black magic. Whosoever does not know how to respect the free will of others is a black magician; those who perform mental works in order to violently dominate the mind of others convert themselves into perverse demons. These people separate themselves from the Innermost and they crumble into the Abyss." - Samael Aun Weor, The Initiatic Path in the Arcana of Tarot and Kabbalah

Black Magic is not a fundamental art; it is the misuse of an art. Therefore it has no symbols of its own. - Manly P. Hall

Refers to the values or energetic potential carried in the individual. An obscure term, but known in the teachings of Gurdjieff.

An Indian adept of the fifth or sixth century AD. He founded Ch'an (Zen) Buddhism and originated the martial art known today as Kung Fu.