Hell and the Hexagram

Story of the Little Boy and the Cabin

A story begins with a little boy who was uncertain about being born. His mother also shared this uncertainty. They lived in a cabin in the woods on an island within a lake, far from anyone else. The cabin had a peculiar feature—a door in the floor. Both the little boy and his mother were afraid of what lay beneath that door.

Long ago, other children had visited the cabin for Christmas. However, when they opened the door in the floor, they disappeared into the hole beneath it. The mother had tried to find them, but upon opening the door, she heard a terrifying sound that turned her hair white. She also witnessed horrors beyond imagination. Because of this, she questioned whether she wanted a child, especially with the fear of what might lurk beneath the door. Eventually, she decided to have the boy but warned him never to open the door in the floor.

Though the boy was initially unsure about being born into a world with such a danger, he eventually decided to take the chance. Both he and his mother were happy, yet she constantly reminded him never to open the door in the floor.

However, being a little boy, curiosity might get the best of him, as the narrator suggests that if the listener were in his shoes, they might also be tempted to open that door.

The Door in the Floor and Hell

The speaker explains that the story is from the movie The Door in the Floor and uses it to introduce the topic of hell and the hexagram. He draws a parallel between the door in the floor and the structure of ceremonial magic, particularly in the Golden Dawn system.

In the Golden Dawn tradition, the “door in the floor” is represented by the floor of the Vault of the Adept. The vault, a chamber with seven sides, contains a magical seal on the floor with serpents or primal forces beneath it. The Adept stands on top of this seal, which is a symbol of control over these primal powers.

He discusses how practitioners can experience a sense of power and confidence by “power posing” and how this practice can influence public speaking or confidence in general. Above the vault, on the ceiling, is another triangle, mirroring the floor’s triangle but pointing in the opposite direction. Together, these triangles form a hexagram, symbolizing the balance of forces in ceremonial magic.

The Structure of the Universe in Magic

The hexagram, formed by the overlapping triangles, represents planetary powers in astrology.

The forces beneath the floor—the primal forces of nature—are akin to the Titans from Greek mythology.

The speaker references these ancient powers, imprisoned by Zeus in Tartarus, representing chaos and disorder. These primal forces are linked to the natural world, while the Olympian gods, led by Zeus, symbolize human intelligence, order, and civilization.

In this magical worldview, the speaker explains how human civilization arose by controlling these primal forces. Shamans once communed with nature and its spirits, but as cities formed, rulers replaced shamans with priests, whose role was more about maintaining moral control over the population. Religion, in this view, became a tool for social order, while true magic went underground, hidden from the masses.

The speaker then discusses how modern society still grapples with the tension between controlling primal forces and fearing their return. Myths of the Titans, the Biblical Beast of Revelation, and modern horror stories all reflect this anxiety.

The Olympian Gods and Civilization

The Olympian gods, while powerful, are imperfect, as they are born from the primal forces of the Titans. Although they represent order, their actions are often driven by jealousy, anger, and irrationality, reflecting the complexity of human nature. These gods are immortal in relation to humans but are not the ultimate divine forces. The speaker references the esoteric Greeks, who believed in a higher, singular divine force known as “the One” or “the Good.”

The speaker contrasts the Olympian gods with the primal forces they overcame, noting that while the gods maintain order, they are not free from the very chaos they were born from. This tension is central to the practice of ceremonial magic, where magicians invoke planetary powers to harness the energies of the universe.

The Concept of Hubris in Magic

The speaker touches on the concept of hubris, explaining that in ancient Greece, hubris was seen as acting beyond one’s station—assuming divine authority that one did not possess. In magic, this translates to overestimating one’s power. The speaker warns that ego inflation—believing oneself to be godlike—leads to suffering. He likens this to the story of Moses, who was punished for striking a rock to produce water, trying to take credit for a divine act.

Magicians who believe they can control every outcome with precision fall into this trap. The speaker advises practitioners to be open to different manifestations of their goals, rather than becoming attached to specific results.

The Role of the Holy Guardian Angel

The speaker introduces the concept of the Holy Guardian Angel, a central figure in the Golden Dawn system. Rather than a comforting figure, the Holy Guardian Angel is described as an entity that forces individuals to face their destiny. If one tries to avoid their karmic tasks or spiritual challenges, the angel pushes them into it, making them confront what they are trying to escape. This process can be painful, but it is necessary for spiritual growth.

Those who willingly accept their tasks are guided and protected by the angel, while those who resist face greater suffering. The speaker compares this to the experience of hell, where resisting one’s destiny leads to being trapped in a cycle of pain and chaos.

Modern Horror and Cosmic Fear

In the final part of the discussion, the speaker explores how modern horror, particularly in the works of H.P. Lovecraft, reflects ancient fears of primal chaos. Lovecraft’s creatures represent the formless, chaotic forces of the universe, which humans fear because they threaten the stability of civilization.

These cosmic horrors mirror the old gods of mythology, who were cast down but remain a lingering threat to human order.

The speaker notes that for the uninitiated, the idea of formlessness is terrifying, but for those on a spiritual path, it represents the pure, radiant essence of the divine. The fear of chaos and disorder, prevalent in both ancient and modern myths, ultimately points to humanity’s struggle to understand its place in the universe and the forces that shape existence.

Conclusion

The talk concludes with the idea that magic provides a framework for understanding and interacting with the universe. Through the study of elements, planets, and primal forces, magicians begin to uncover the deeper purpose of existence and their role within it.

The question of what to do with this knowledge is left open, as each practitioner must discover their path through experience and guidance.