Today, I joyfully see that a very select group of Gnostics are joining us; they are visiting Mexico after having attended the International Gnostic Congress in the Republic of El Salvador. So, together we will continue with our lectures and I hope that all of you will obtain the utmost benefits from them. After this preamble, let us fully enter into the topic that concerns us today.
There were various marvelous catacombs, subterranean crypts, in ancient Chaldaea and in Egypt where the mysteries were cultivated. It is not irrelevant to remember the crypts from Thebes and Memphis; unquestionably, the most renowned of these were the subterranean crypts of Thebes. In those ancient times, there were passages—some of them of a very vast extent—beginning on the western side of the Nile and extended towards the Libyan Desert. It was there, within such crypts, that the secret, sacred mysteries related with the “Kuklos Anankes,” the Inevitable Cycle, the Cycle of Necessity, were performed.Editor's Note: Kuklos Anagkes or Kuklos Anankes (Greek) Kuklos is Greek for a circle or wheel. Ananke or Anagke comes from the ancient Greek: Ανάγκη, a goddess representing destiny, necessity. and fate (see image). Thus the Kuklos Anankes is the circle or wheel of destiny or necessity, which can represent the journey of the disembodied entity to a temporary experience of happiness (the state of devachan) and back to Earth. At times, it was symbolized by serpent-mounds, the serpent swallowing his tail, and other emblems of the dragon, all of which denote cyclic time, among other things. Visible in the subterranean crypts of Thebes and Memphis.
In these moments in which we mention this, there comes into my mind the Temple of the Serpents in San Juan Teotihuacán. The esotericist investigator can see there in detail the rattlesnake, chiseled on the rock, and what is the most remarkable about this, is that alongside the sacred viper of the Aztec mysteries, the snail-shell also protrudes, chiseled on the living rock. Various snail-shells stand out, beautifully shining on both sides of the divine serpent.
Undoubtedly, the wisdom of the serpent was really cultivated within the subterranean crypts of Chaldaea, Thebes, and Memphis. Likewise, the transcendental study of the Inevitable Cycle or Circle of Necessity, which processes itself in a spiral (snail-shell manner) during the cosmic manifestation, was also evident. So, observe, dear Gnostic brothers and sisters that accompany me tonight, the eternal, inner relationship between the serpent and the snail-shell. Reflect for a moment on the profound significance that both serpent and snail-shell intrinsically possess.
Obviously, the serpent is the transcendental sexual power, the marvelous power that puts us into existence, since it is the force that originates all life. So, any authentic esotericist knows very well that the sexual serpentine power of the entire universe exercises power over the tattvas and therefore over the elementals of nature. Indeed, the universal serpentine power, Devi-Kundalini, originates infinite creations. She creates the Mental body, the Astral, the Ethereal, and the physical bodies. Now then, if Maha Kundalini, in other words, if the Cosmic Mother, if Mother Nature, has created all the universe or has taken the shape of the world, obviously she has also performed all her processes based on the spiral line, which is so vividly allegorized in the snail-shell. Therefore, any internal progress, every inner development, is based on the spiral of life.
Now, therefore, we can say that each one of us—individually speaking—is a wicked snail-shell within the bosom of the Father. Since the 108 existences that are granted or assigned to every soul for its self-realization are processed now in the higher spirals, now in the lower spirals, lo and behold the snail-shell.
But, dear brothers and sisters who attend our lecture tonight, let us delve a little bit deeper into this topic; let us study the “Kuklos Anankes,” the Inevitable Cycle or Circle of Necessity. It is a very remarkable concrete fact that this profound subject-matter was studied solely within those subterranean crypts.
Undoubtedly, the doctrine of transmigration of souls—which later on the Avatar Krishna taught in India—encompasses the same; however, it is noteworthy that the Egyptian “Kuklos Anankes” was even more specific.
Regarding the descent into the infernal worlds, we have already stated, we have already affirmed a great deal about it in our lectures. In them, we have made a certain emphasis on the cycle of 108 lives. We stated that once these 108 lives that are assigned to each soul are completed, if we do not have achieved our self-realization, we then enter into the infernal worlds. Obviously, we frighteningly devolve within these submerged regions until arriving at the ninth circle, located in the core of the world, where the lost ones are disintegrated, where they are reduced to cosmic dust. Thus, after the second death—this is something that we have already stated in our former lectures—the failed soul or souls resurge, reemerge, up to the light of the sun, to once again begin their journey, starting a new evolution, which inevitably has to begin from the lowest rung, which is the mineral kingdom.
Sequentially, the specifications, the diverse analysis and synthesis of the Egyptian “Kuklos Anankes,” are precisely remarkable.
It is obvious that through each essence that sprouts from the abyss, its ray has to grow, and whereby its line of particular development has to be considered, since varied are the vegetable families, varied are the animal species, as distinct are the mineral elements, etc. Therefore, the rectors of nature cannot make all the essences that sprout from the abyss pass through the same mineral element, whether this be iron, copper, or silver, etc., or to make them pass through the same specific vegetable family, or through the same determined animal species. Thus, the Gurus-Devas have to wisely distribute life, since some essences can live within the iron, others within the copper, and others within silver, etc., so not all essences pass through the same mineral element.
Likewise, the vegetable elemental families—which are very well organized in the Ethereal World—not all of the vegetable elementals can be pine trees or peppermint plants, since each vegetable family is different. There are Lunar, Mercurial, Venusian, Solar, Martian, Jupiterian, Saturnine plants, etc. Thus, each one of the essences has to relate with their own kind, according to their ray of creation, that is, according with this or that vegetable department, and to solve all of this, that is, to know how to distribute them, is something that corresponds to the rectors of Nature.
The animal species are very varied, thus it would be an absurdity to reincorporate determined essences within animal organisms that are not related with their ray of creation. Certain essences evolve within the kingdom of birds, others within the quadrupeds, others amongst the fish of the immense sea. Therefore, the rectors of life must know how to wisely handle these currents of elementals in order to avoid confusions, anarchies, unnecessary havoc.
Finally, the entrance of these currents of life into the kingdom of rational humanoids is very delicate. A great deal of wisdom is required in order to avoid catastrophes.
Apprehend therefore what this doctrine about the transmigration of souls is, which was studied in depth by the Egyptians.
Wotan also narrates his expedition through a snake’s hole, which he had the bliss of entering. This is, indeed, very suggestive, for the serpent or snake’s hole narrated by Wotan here in Mexico is that of the ancient Egyptian and Chaldean crypts [known as the Serpent’s Catacombs]. Thus, Wotan’s serpent hole is nothing more than a subterranean cave, a crypt of mysteries, where this great initiate triumphantly entered. Wotan states that he was admitted into that serpent hole, a subterranean passage that ran underground the earth, and terminated at the root of the heavens, because he was himself a snake or a serpent.
The Druids from the Celto-Britannic regions also called themselves snakes. It is not irrelevant to remember the Egyptian Karnak and the British Carnac, both living symbols of the serpent’s mount. Undoubtedly, my friends, some of you already know very well about the meaning of the serpent. Yes, some of you already have such information, and therefore it seems to me that this report is not new.
Anyway, the Hindustanis clearly talks about the serpent [Kundalini], about a marvelous sexual electric power, the sacred fire that is hidden within each one of us. Undoubtedly, this igneous power or serpentine power looks indeed like a snake; this is how clairvoyants see it. Thus, from the point of view of occult anatomy, I can emphatically affirm unto you that such igneous power looks like a serpent of fire coiled three and a half times within the magnetic center of the coccyx, the fundamental base of the dorsal spine. Even so, sometimes I fear that you have not understood me. Nevertheless, since I know that some of you have read my books, thus based on that it seems that in no way should the teaching that we are imparting tonight astound you.
First of all, the fire has to be awakened and thereafter made to ascend through the medullar canal to the brain; thus, only in this way can we transform ourselves radically.
Then, afterwards—and this is what is the most tremendous—we must be swallowed by the serpent. Only thus can we be transformed into serpents. These are the teachings of Wotan. This is the doctrine of the Mayas and Aztecs.
We can never enjoy the powers of the snake unless first we are swallowed by it. This is something that, regrettably, many pseudo-esoteric and pseudo-occult writers ignore. Nonetheless, I want you to understand that it is not possible to be devoured by the snake without previously having defeated the dragon.
I also cited the dragon in my book entitled The Three Mountains. In it, I wanted to make reference to an abominable monster that every human being carries within, along with the three traitors, and which inevitably must be disintegrated within the lunar infernos.
Yet, now I am addressing a different dragon. I am referring to the reflection of the Logos within each one of us, here and now. This is the authentic Devil, the sacred dragon of the Dracontia that has nothing wicked or perverse, as ignorant people suppose.
That sacred dragon is the red dragon, the shadow of the Solar Logos within us, the psychological trainer that each person carries within their interior. That dragon is the one who leads us into the alleys of temptation with the purpose of training us on the path of virtue. We have already stated—and I will not tire of repeating it to satiety—that without temptation there is no virtue. The stronger the temptations, the greater the virtues, if we victoriously overcome them. Temptation is fire. The triumph over temptation is light. Let us therefore not to look with disdain at Typhon Baphomet, the Devil, because every person carries him within, since he is the shadow of our inner God.
Remember, brothers and sisters, that Devil is every contrast: the Devil is the shadow of the Sun, the Devil is the shadow of every tree under the light of the Sun, the King Star; the Devil is the night, etc.
Now, when beholding the Devil from another angle, when considering this Devil from another perspective, as in the reverse and obverse sides of a medal, we can state that the Devil is the reverse side of any medal. Thus, the tenebrous ones, the people that live within the abyss, the demons, consider the angels, the Gods, light, kindness, beauty, as Devils, etc. Thus, if the people who live within the light become terrified when they see demons, it is obvious that the demons are also terrified when they see the people, when they see the angels or the archangels who live within the light.
I am stating something that I have verified, something that I have confirmed, something that I have directly experienced for myself. Many times when I have entered into the infernal worlds, I have seen the tenebrous ones horrified. I have heard them exclaim: “A demon is invading us, let us defend ourselves!” Indeed, they have felt terrified before my presence. I am “a white demon” for them, and they are black demons for me. Therefore, the Devil is a matter of contrasts, of oppositions, etc.
The Dragon was worshipped—in other words, the shadow of the Logos, the Shadow of the Spiritual Sun [the Ain Soph Aur], its reflection in the universe and within us—was worshipped within the Dracontia. Do not forget that behind the Sun that illuminates us is the Phoenician Elon, or the Hebraic Elion, the central sun of this universe in which we live, we move, and have our Being. It is normal for the Sacred Absolute Sun to have its contrasts and oppositions.
Anyhow, Lucifer is the shadow of the Sacred Absolute Sun in us and within us. Lucifer is the great psychological trainer that we have for our own sake. But please, I beg the brothers and sisters that are listening to me to comprehend what I am stating: Do not be afraid, since the resistances that some of you who are listening at this moment have are based on prejudices, on fear, on the mistaken information given by some dogmatic priests. All of us have received a certain false education during our childhood, where erroneous, absurd, negative, and harmful ideas were inculcated in us. We were told that Lucifer was a terrible devil that commanded the entire Earth, who took us into an orthodox hell in order to torture us within dippers and cauldrons with fire, etc. So, I want you, my friends, to know once and for all that such a devil of orthodox religions does not exist, since each one of us carries the true devil within our interior.
The Gnostic sect of Satanians [not the modern Satanists] existed in the Middle Ages, likewise the sect of the Iscariots. The adepts of those sects were burnt alive at the stake during the Inquisition. It is pitiful that the sect of the Satanians was left without any hope of vindication in the present day, due to the concrete fact that their documentation was destroyed. Moreover, the concrete fact causes certain pain that until this date Judas Iscariot is really considered as a traitor disciple. [Editor: The Gospel of Judas was discover many years after this lecture, which presented Judas in a different light].
If we judiciously analyze the true nature of Satan, the devil, Lucifer, if we comprehend that Satan is only the reflection of God within us, the shadow of the Inner Sun within each one of us, located within the depths of our soul for our own sake, as a fact and by our own right we are doing justice to the ancient Satanian Gnostic community.
Ladies and gentlemen, the orthodox, dogmatic Satan of the clerical sects does not exist. The authentic Lucifer is within each person, and only in this manner should Satan be understood.
Judas Iscariot is another very interesting case. Indeed, this apostle never betrayed Jesus the Christ; he only played a role, and this role was taught to him by his Master Jesus.
Understand, that the cosmic drama—that is, the life, passion and death of our Lord the Christ—was represented by all the great Avatars in ancient times. Before the second transapalnian devastation, the great lord of Atlantis represented in flesh and blood the same drama of Jesus of Nazareth.
On a certain occasion, a Catholic missionary who arrived in China found the same cosmic drama amongst the people of the yellow race. “I believed that we, Christians, were the only ones that knew about this drama,” exclaimed the missionary. Thus, confused, he put aside his religious habit.
That drama was brought to Earth by the Elohim. Therefore, any individual who seeks the Inner Self-realization of the Being has to live it, and become the central character of this cosmic play.
So, each one of the twelve apostles of Jesus of Nazareth had to represent their role in the play. Judas did not want to perform the role that was chosen for him; instead he asked for the role of Peter, but Jesus had already firmly established the role that each one of his disciples had to symbolize. Thus, the role that Judas represented had to be learned by memory and this role was taught to him by his Master. Therefore, Judas Iscariot never betrayed his Master.
The gospel of Judas is the gospel of the dissolution of the ego. Without Judas, the cosmic drama is impossible. The apostle Judas is therefore the most exalted, the most elevated adept amongst all the apostles of the Christ Jesus. Indubitably, each one of the twelve had his own gospel. We cannot ignore the gospel of Patar, Peter, since He is the Hierophant of sex, the one who has the keys of the kingdom in his dexterous hand—Peter, the great Initiator. And what can we say about the gospel of Mark, who with so much love guarded the mysteries of the Gnostic unction? And what about Philip, that great enlightened one whose gospel teaches us how to astrally project ourselves and how to travel with the physical body in the Jinn state? And what about the gospel of John that contains the doctrine of the Word? And what about Paul with the philosophy of the Gnostics ? It would be very long to narrate here in short everything that is related with the twelve and the Cosmic Drama.
So, the moment has arrived to eliminate from our minds the ignorance and the old religious prejudices. Yes, the moment has arrived to study Christic esotericism in depth.
Question: Master, regarding the demons that they say frighten and torment people on the roads, is that true?
Samael Aun Weor: I will gladly answer this question from the audience. When we do not acknowledge the Devil of dogmatic orthodox sects, we are not denying the existence of the authentic Devil within each person. Likewise, we do not deny the tenebrous demons of the Avernus who torment people. Nevertheless, we must make a clear differentiation between the essential nature of Lucifer, the shadow of the Logos within us, and the essential nature of the demons or psychic aggregates or fallen angels, etc.
demons exist everywhere, within and outside of us. Our psychic aggregates are demons. The psychic aggregates of the neighbor are demons. Bael, Moloch, Belial are demons, and there are many millions, billions, or trillions more. So, demons exist, inevitably, and we have to fight against them.
Question: Beloved Master, what is the effective manner to defend ourselves from the devils that attack us?
Samael Aun Weor: Friends, many ancient conjurations exist by means of which it is possible to defend ourselves from the attacks of the tenebrous ones. Let us remember the Conjuration of the Seven from Solomon the Sage, the Conjuration of the Four, the Pentagram, etc.
In a very special manner, it is convenient to know that when the pentagram is placed with its superior angle aiming upwards and its two inferior angles aiming downwards, it makes the tenebrous ones scatter.
Question: Master, I want you, sir, to tell me if the fifth Angel—who in righteousness comes and makes war in order to deliver the inner wisdom of the Being—can liberate and give to humanity the great teaching about Judas Iscariot.
Samael Aun Weor: Friends who listen to me tonight, respectable lady who asks this question, listen: certain reactionary elements in the Middle Ages—when comprehending that Samael, my true, internal Being, the fifth of the seven, teaches the occult revolutionary wisdom—gave the shadow of the Logos the name of Samael. To be more precise, they nicknamed me, Samael, as “the Devil” because of the “crime” of my not fitting within their very terribly narrowly mental molds.
Indeed, it is up to me now to unveil, to indicate the path with clarity, to perform a dissection of many words and concepts, in order to see what they have of truth. I am not the only initiate who knows the mysteries of the cosmic drama, neither am I the only one who has the honor of knowing the role of Judas, since we already know that the Gnostic community of the Iscariots existed, which specialized precisely in the gospel of the great Master Judas, faithful disciple of our Lord the Christ.
The learned ignoramuses, the intellectual loafers, the henchmen of many dead sects, have launched themselves against us, the Gnostics , because of the very fact of having divulged these matters. However, we fulfill our duty, and with great pleasure we bestow light within the darkness no matter what the cost might be.
I repeat: the true, just character of Judas has never been correctly presented, in spite of the fact that he was the most exalted of the twelve. What happens is that the elimination of the ego is horribly disliked by this humanity, and since the doctrine of Judas Iscariot is precisely against the “I,” against the myself, then it is most natural that even the erudite among the diverse pseudo-esoteric schools and pseudo-occultists mortally hate him.
Anyhow, the four gospels cannot be interpreted to the dead letter, since they are written in code. They have been precisely elaborated by initiates for initiates.
Question: Venerable Master, if Judas Iscariot was the most exalted of the disciples of the great Kabir Jesus, then who was the traitor?
Samael Aun Weor: I will answer this question from the audience. Friends and Gnostic brothers and sister, listen to me: the true traitor of Christ is within each one of you. This means that you not only betrayed the Christ, but moreover you are betraying him daily, from instant to instant, from moment to moment.
The Masonic brothers know very well who the three traitors of Hiram Abiff are. Judas is the demon of desire, who betrays the Inner Christ from second to second. Pilate is the demon of the mind, who always goes around giving excuses, always justifying himself, washing his hands and declaring himself to be innocent, etc. Caiaphas is the demon of evil-will. Each person carries him deep within. He is the one who does not know how to do the will of the Father, the one who always does what he wants, who always does his own whim, who could not care less about the commandments of the Blessed One. These three traitors murdered Hiram Abiff, the secret Master.
Before crystallizing within himself the three primary forces of the universe, Jesus the great Kabir had to eliminate the Inner Judas, as each one of you must do within yourselves.
Thus, having understood this, having comprehended that Judas Iscariot only fulfilled his duty when obeying the Master, when representing the role that he had learned by memory, we must now do justice to this Adept before the solemn verdict of the public conscience.
Question: Master, from the beginning of Christianity, the sacred Bible known as the book of divine truth does not mention the apostles as you denominate them, nor does it teach that Lucifer is the shadow of God. Then why should we give more credit to your words than to the words that are written in the Holy Gospels?
Samael Aun Weor: I will gladly answer the question from the audience. Respectable gentleman, the four gospels were written four hundred years after Christ, not by the apostles, but by disciples of the apostles, and as I have said, they are written in code. Indeed, they are four treatises of Alchemy and Kabbalah. Thus, by judiciously analyzing the words of the great Kabir Jesus, we see within them the Chaldean and Egyptian parable, Pythagorean mathematics, and Buddhist morality. Unquestionably, the great Kabir Jesus traveled through India, Chaldaea, Persia, Greece, Egypt etc.
Only those who have studied Gnosticism, only those who have delved deeper into the Cainite, Satanian, Iscariot, Naasenian, Essenian, Philalethean esotericism, etc. know indeed what the mysteries of Lucifer are, the role that Judas Iscariot performed, and the role that each one of the apostles of the Master Jesus performed in the cosmic drama.
The Bible will not explain the role of each one of the twelve. You must begin, respectable gentleman, by knowing in depth the esotericism of the twelve signs of the zodiac, and thereafter you must guide yourself by means of the study of comparative religions and Gnostic scriptures.
You can intuit very much by studying The Pistis Sophia. It is a pity that we only find this book in English; however, I hope that someday it will be translated into Spanish.
Anyhow, we should not study the Bible at the dead letter [literally], since it is written in a symbolic manner. Thus, only the Initiates can understand it.
Question: Master, please explain us why Peter denied the Christ three times?
Samael Aun Weor: I will gladly answer this question. It is stated that Peter denied the Christ three times, and it is convenient to know its significance. Obviously, the three denials are completely symbolic. By means of the three denials we are meant to understand that the initiate falls into temptation once, and once again, whether in the physical world or in the internal worlds. He cries and suffers the unspeakable. Yet, if he perseveres, if he is firm, if at the end he eliminates the ego and reduces it to cosmic dust, he then is transformed into a Master and attains his inner self-realization.
This chapter is from Hell, the Devil, and Karma (1974) by Samael Aun Weor. Benefit yourself and others: buy the book, and you help raise awareness of Gnosis.