 | Drawing Baphomet suggests a need to resist stagnation. The individual has achieved a state of security and awareness which lends itself to become apathetic and unconcerned about further development. Baphomet urges the individual not to be lulled into a state of complacency by their apparent development, but to continue to strive for personal growth. The image of the hermaphrodite God/dess, standing over two pyramids. Baphomet is the perfect union of all opposites; life and death, spiritual and primal, male and female, solar and lunar. She presents these pyramids to the observer. On the right is a pyramid representing the right-hand path, the path of altruism and subservience. It is bound by a metal chain, suggesting its restrictive nature, but strong as a position. On the left is the pyramid of the left-hand path, the path of pragmatism and independence. It is bound by a strip of cloth, suggesting that it is more allowing than the chain, but is of course weaker as a position. It is easier to connect to the right-hand path than to the left. However, our true goal should be the torch of truth above Baphomet’s head, the light in darkness of internal exploration and understanding of the universe through knowledge of the self. The structure of the image is a circle of balanced spirituality within a square of materialism. This reflects the need to remain introspective despite the allure the external world presents the individual in his current state of awareness. At the center of the image are the God/dess’s genitalia, suggesting the pleasurable and regenerative nature of the process of self-exploration, the dual promise of the primal. The traditional meaning of this image indicates a disruption of character, loss of power, and domination by lust, completely ignoring the actual image and its structure. |
