Demon-A-Day: Phenex

Small ways to connect with and honor Lucifer

Contemplate the stars.

Learn something new.

Share some fruit with him.

Take care of yourself.

Boost voices of marginalized people.

Explore his depictions in art.

Study philosophy.

Learn and correct misinformation about snakes and other villanized animals.

Light him a candle and contemplate the fire.

Write them little thank you notes.

Play music that reminds you of them, and invite them to listen with you.

Do something that brings you pleasure.

Donate to organisations doing work connected to what he stands for, like fighting oppression and helping oppressed people.

Write a list of things you appreciate about him, then try to do the same for yourself.

Learn about their history.

Simply talk to him.

Sing them a song.

Luciferian feminine - without appropriation

One of the most popular beings venerated in modern Luciferianism (as well as Satanism), besides Lucifer himself, is Lilith. That is unfortunate, as she is a being exclusive to a closed religion. People will say she is an ancient goddess and not originally Jewish - that is not true. Jewish Lilith is connected with certain other beings and classes of beings, but is not the same, and the whole story with her being the first wife of Adam and becoming wife of Samael is Jewish. As I’m not Jewish myself, I will link @will-o-the-witch ’s blog. She wrote extensively on Lilith appropriation and misconceptions surrounding her. Quite prominent Eisheth Zenunim, Agrat and Naamah are also exclusive to Judaism. 

However, there are many fascinating feminine figures a Luciferian can research and potentially work with that are open. They come from various places, but all have some established connections with Lucifer and the infernal.

First of all, Eve is often contrasted with Lilith and depicted as some docile ancient tradwife archetype. And this makes totally no sense, because Eve ate the fruit, and shared it with Adam. She was the one who dared to reach for knowledge and give it to humanity, and was misogynistically reviled for it in Christianity for centuries. The story of Eden is so important in modern Luciferianism, and yet, Eve remains tragically underappreciated. People will say they want to reclaim a reviled feminine figure and that’s why they appropriate Lilith, and at the same time completely remove Eve’s agency from her story.

Speaking of Lucifer, he is not strictly male - they are a fallen angel, which makes them nonbinary. They are a very androgynous, fluid, shapeshifting being. And while masculine depictions are more prominent, there’s lots of lore with her assuming a feminine form as well. If you want to explore Luciferian feminine, I think feminine aspects of Lucifer themself are really worth looking at.

Some other demons associated with femininity are: Astaroth (connected to ancient goddess Astarte), Vepar (depicted as a mermaid) and Gremory (depicted as a beautiful woman). That said, none of them should be approached with the assumption of being women or always presenting feminine in any culture’s terms. They’re not women, they’re demons, and they are not bound to any human concepts of gender. They will do whatever they want. The same applies generally to any being of angelic origins. (Please note that while grimoires include many open spirits, they also include a lot of appropriation so check origins of things before diving into stuff. This is not just about entities - you can very much approach a non-exclusive being with techniques that are bastardized elements of Judaism.)

The goddess Diana in Aradia is depicted as Lucifer’s partner, and Aradia is their daughter who came to Earth to teach oppressed people witchcraft. While the book’s authenticity is still disputed academically, it influenced modern witchcraft greatly.* It can be particularly interesting for Luciferian witches, as well as anyone whose Luciferianism is connected to social justice.

Diana’s role in Aradia is influenced by her role as a Witch Goddess and a Fairy Queen in post-christianisation folklore. Both witches and fairies often have infernal associations in that folklore. The Fairy Queen, or various specific Fairy Queens, were sometimes connected with the Lucifer as the Folk Devil, who could be depicted as their partner and even a Fairy King himself. Interested in folkloric Luciferianism? Check out the Fairy Queen.

While I’m not aware of anything connecting her specifically with Lucifer that wouldn’t be modern, Hekate in post-antique folklore shares not only Diana’s role as a Witch Goddess, but also her connection to the fairies and infernal associations - the depiction of those two in that context is more often than not very similar. William Warner in Albion’s England describes her as Queen of Hell (not simply Greek Hades, but Hell, and possibly the fairy realms as well).

And finally, even though she comes from Thelema, not Luciferianism or Satanism, Babalon, the Whore of Babylon goddess, is quite popular among many LHP practicioners, including Luciferians and Satanism. If you’re interested in Lilith because you associate her with untamed sexuality, you can check out Babalon.

As I wanted to include many beings in that post, I don’t have experience with every single one of them, but if you have some questions about Diana or Aradia, and especially about Hekate (with whom I worked the longest) you can send asks, they are very prominent in my practice and I might be able to help.

*cw for a few myths involving sexual assault, and one passage that is antisemitic and anti-Romani. While Aradia is a historically important text for modern witchcraft, it should be questioned and should never be treated as a literal gospel.

Today I'm thinking back on the discovery that people get freaked out by animism because it makes them feel like everything is alive and judging them. Here's something that hopefully helps with that.

You know pets? Love 'em. Probably if you've had a pet you've done stuff like change clothes and fart in front of that pet. Normal stuff that you probably wouldn't do in front of just any human, but your pet doesn't judge. It just figures you're doing normal human stuff. Because that is exactly what you're doing.

That's how I figure most spirits see us, if they're even paying attention to us. Just an animal going about its business.

Does this help?

Eve Lockscreens

Hey! My preliminary research has suggested Azazel being closed to Judaism due to his roots within it, can I ask where you have gotten your information on him from? Not to sound accusatory, just wanting to know more.

Hello, thanks for asking!

So obviously I'm coming at this from a Christian perspective. My knowledge of Jewish religion and folklore is far more limited than someone raised within the religion.

The aspect of Azazel I understand to be very intertwined with Judaism is the scapegoat ritual. I've grabbed a definition of it from the Sydney Jewish Museum.

A key part of Yom Kippur, as described in the Torah, is the ritual slaughter of two goats; one for the Lord, and the other is designated “for Azazel”. Jewish tradition takes “Azazel” as the name of a rocky headland off which one goat, having the sins of the community symbolically placed upon it, would be thrown. The other goat, the one for the Lord, would be slaughtered as part of the general Yom Kippur rituals. This slaughter would bring atonement to the community.

This isn't part of Azazel's mythology that I really engage with. My view of him as a Watcher or fallen angel comes from the Book of Enoch, which is an Apocryphal text that seems to date back to the Dead Sea Scrolls. I've read that both Ethiopian Jewish communities and some Orthodox Christian churches consider it canon, but for the most part it is treated by wider Judaism and Christianity as not an official part of scripture. I have also heard that a story very similar to it appears in Islam, though I've not done enough research into it to speak at length about that.

In another Apocryphal text called the Apocalypse of Abraham, the name Azazel is attributed to an unclean bird of prey that tried to consume part of Abraham's sacrifices to God. In the same text, the name is also used to refer instead to the Serpent in Hell. Neither version is something I draw much of my understanding of him from (at least currently), but I'm mentioning it as an example of how often the same name or concept can pop up in different texts.

So to summarize, the name Azazel and a very specific rite associated with it do appear in Judaism, and that version/interpretation not something I feel comfortable approaching as a Luciferian who was raised Christian. Meanwhile, the view of him as a fallen angel exists only in Apocrypha, and isn't closely intertwined with or unique to Jewish culture and folklore in the same way a figure like Lilith is. That's the specific entity called Azazel I engage with.

Prayer to Grand Marquis Phenex

Ave Grand Marquis Phenex. Powerful and numinous are you, divine bird of firy transformation who rises from the ashes. May you help me to transmute the dust of my thoughts and flames of my emotions into creations of beauty. May words flow from my lips and images from my brush as an elixir which heals, a sweet cordial which intoxicates, a magickal potion which sets into motion. Let my words inspire and reach from the depths of my psyche to the divine abode above. Sing to me the secrets of the natural sciences, that my art may be grounded in truth and nourished by revelations. Uncloak for me the bones of the archetypal world. The fractal creation forever has more to unveil. Abracadabra. I create as I speak. Be my muse that I may be ever inspired. Transform me and rebirth the old and dead into new life. Let my story and being be an alchemical work on all levels- physical, mental, astral, and spiritual. Glory to you, Grand Marquis Phenex.

Azazel

The name Azazel only occurs one time in all of the canonical Bible, in Leviticus 16:8-10. As the Catholic Encyclopedia records, this passage explains the ceremony that the Jewish people should perform as part of Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement.

As a personification of evil, the Jewish Encyclopedia refers to Azazel as "in some degree a preparation" for the idea of Satan. The figure of Azazel is likely pre-Israelite in origin and is probably closely tied to a communal fear for the mountainous desert region that he came to personify.

According to the Nahmanides the scapegoat rite is a symbolic expression of the idea that the people's sins and their evil consequences were to be sent back to the spirit of desolation and ruin, the source of all impurity.

1 Enoch portrays Azazel as responsible for teaching people to make weapons and cosmetics, for which he was cast out of heaven.

In the extra-canonical text the Apocalypse of Abraham (c.1st CE), Azazel appears as an unclean bird who came down upon the sacrifice which Abraham prepared. (This is in reference to Genesis 15:11: "Birds of prey came down on the carcasses, but Abram drove them away" [NIV]).

In the Apocalypse of Abraham, Azazel is described with his own Kavod (Magnificence), a term usually used for the Divine in apocalyptic literature, already indicating the devil as anti-thesis of God, with the devil's kingdom on earth and God's kingdom in heaven. Azazel is also identified with the serpent which tempted Eve.

In De occulta philosophia (1509-1510), Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa: Scale of quaternary: Four Princes of devils in the elements: Azazel: Air

In later lore, he is fallen and is punished by having his nose pierced.

The word "scapegoat" has developed to indicate a person who is blamed and punished for the actions of others.

The illustration depicts him with horns, a pitchfork, a banner, and, of course, a goat. There's a frog on the banner. From Dictionnaire Infernal by Jacques Auguste Simon Collin de Plancy

Alternative Spellings

Hebrew: עֲזָאזֵל ʿAzāʾzēl

Arabic: عزازيل, romanized: ʿAzāzīl

Asael

Azael

Azazyel

Azzael

Epithets

The Adversary

Advisor

The Angel of Darkness

Blender of Eyeshadows

Counselor

The Crafty Adversary

The Crafty Worm

The Cunning Worm

The Fallen Archangel

Forger of Swords

Guardian of Goats

The Lawless One

The Rebel Angel

Seducer of Mankind

Identified With

The Devil

[Apocalypse of Abraham] Here there is the idea that God's heritage (the created world) is largely under the dominion of evil – i.e., it is "shared with Azazel" (Abr. 20:5), again identifying him with the devil, who was called "the prince of this world" by Jesus. (John 12:31 niv)

Gadriel and Rameel

Some of the fallen angels that are given in 1 Enoch have other names, such as Rameel ('morning of God'), who becomes Azazel, and is also called Gadriel ('wall of God') in Chapter 68. (A source is not cited for this)

Gadreel (Hebrew: גדר האל, romanized: Gader ha-el, lit. 'Wall of God') is listed as one of the chiefs of the fallen Watchers. He is said to have been responsible for deceiving Eve. Schmidt lists the name as meaning 'the helper of God.'

Iblis

In Islamic lore, Azazel or Azazeel was the name of Iblis before he disobeyed God by not bowing to humans and was sent from the Earth.

Satan

Origen ("Contra Celsum," vi. 43) identifies Azazel with Satan.

Azaz, as in Azazel, means strength, so the name Azazel can refer to 'strength of God'. But the sense in which it is used most probably means 'impudent' (showing strength towards), which results in 'arrogant to God'. This is also a key point in modern thought that Azazel is Satan. Also important in this identification is the fact that the original name Rameel, is very similar in meaning to the word Lucifer ('Morning Star') which is a common Latin name of Satan in Christianity.

Associated With

Alchemy

Antimony (use of)

Beauty

Coloring tinctures

Cosmetics

Cunning

The earthly realm

Fatherhood

Forbidden knowledge

Freedom of choice

Goats

Dye making

Herbalism

Knowledge

Magic

Marriage

Metallurgy

Metalworking

Mirror making

Occult arts

Ornamenting the body

Pleasure

Pride

Rebellion

Scapegoats

Seduction

Self preservation

Sensual experiences

Sexuality

Temptation

Warfare

Weapon making

Wisdom

Witchcraft

Attributes

Abyss, hole, pit

Air

Antimony

Banner with a frog on it

Black

Bracelets

Breastplates

Chain

Coats of mail

Cosmetics

Darkness

Desert

Dragon

Dudael, Dûdâêl (God's Kettle/Crucible/Cauldron)

Dye

Fallen/falling star

Fire

Goat, goat skulls, goat bones

Grapes, grapevine

Herbs

Jewelry

Knives

Metals

Metalsmithing tools

Mirror

Mount Azazel (Jabel Munttar) in the Judaen Desert

Nose piercing

Precious stones

Red

Rough and jagged rocks

Serpent

Shields

Swords

Unclean bird, bird of prey, carrion bird

Uninhabited places

Weapons

Wilderness

Depictions

His form is described as a dragon with "hands and feet like a man's, on his back six wings on the right and six on the left." (23:7)

Originally, Azazel was one of heaven’s angels, a gloriously beautiful man with wings on his back.

Today, like many demons, Azazel is drawn with red skin, glowing yellow eyes, and a barbed tail. He may also be found wearing goat skulls or dressed in goat bones.

He is a shape-shifter and may appear in any form, including a winged angel.

An unclean bird, bird of prey, carrion bird

greetings! i'm new to buddhism and i would be curious to know if you have any tips for westerners regarding the practice. i see a lot of people online aggravated by western attitudes at times and as new convert, i would like to avoid contributing to that. thank you!

Hi there :)

I suppose one of the greater issues is that there is a mindset of... shall we say, pioneering and innovation that can be unhelpful when approaching Asian traditions.

Western practitioners like to experiment, change the rules, "fuck around and find out" as they so often say. This works out well enough for them – in fact I think Western practitioners often thrive on their enthusiasm to explore, when it is balanced by discernment – but it is not an attitude that will get them far if they decide to train properly in an Asian tradition.

What we have in Asia that is lacking in Western traditions, are culture, history and esoteric lineages spanning thousands of years, and techniques that have been refined through trial and error with each passing generation. European traditions don't have this kind of unbroken lineage, which creates some distinct differences in mindset.

A Western practitioner might consider themself 'advanced' after 5-10 years of practice. But to become a Buddhist monk, guru/lama or Daoist method master, in that time you might only have just completed basic training (depending on tradition; I'm making broad generalisations here).

There is such a thing as spiritual authority, and Westerners sometimes don't like to hear this. After all, for many, becoming a witch/sorcerer/magician/spiritualist is all about taking fate into your own hands, claiming the universe's power, the church be damned, etc. Asian witchcraft and malefica does exist, however it is not treated as the path of self-liberation and sovereignty as it is in the West, so please do not mistake it as such.

(Diasporic Asians like to claim titles such as 'witch', and this is fine, but just bear in mind this has a decidedly negative connotation when you visit countries in East Asia).

The line between laypeople and ordained monks and priests is very clearly defined, and one is expected to show deference. This does not mean any sort of self-deprecation, rather, to understand one's own limits and keep an open and curious mind. Just as a layperson would not presume to know better than a trained doctor or surgeon.

Therefore, having ample patience will serve you well. You should expect to repeat the same basic practices 100s and 1000s of times, because cultivation is grueling and the path to Buddhahood, Immortality, or what have you, is something that takes lifetimes to achieve.

Now, that may not be your goal. You might simply want to live well in this life, and that is fine. The above message is more for those who aspire for mastery, importance or greatness, but do not yet understand what the journey requires. (I don't claim to understand it myself either).

This might be obvious, but in case it is not... be discerning about who you trust to guide you. There are genuine European/white practitioners who have entered their respective traditions the correct way, and there are Asian frauds and charlatans who have no qualms about using their cultural traditions to con people out of their money. You should respect what people have to say about their cultures and experiences, naturally, but don't use someone's ethnic background as a validation of their skill or character.

Most of all, maintain humility. Humility is the virtue that supports all other virtues. One that I think all of humanity struggles with the most, perhaps because we don’t understand it very well, and our survival has so often required its opposite.

Beyond that, I advise you not to place too much emphasis on seeking knowledge in books or written texts. The main reason for this: published texts on Buddhist practices come from oral traditions that may require empowerment and transmission. The people who publish these texts might not understand this, or they are relying on the good faith of spiritual seekers. One does themself a great disservice if they believe they can bypass the guidance of a teacher from a long-standing lineage.

The other reason is that the wisdom, capacity and personal growth one gains through cultivation is experiential. It can only be gained through consistent practice. A skillful teacher can guide you on the path, but ultimately, the real thing cannot be taught, and all words fail to capture its true majesty.

I hope this helps, and doesn't come across as too intimidating. Take it slow, let the path unfold before you, and enjoy each day as it comes. Keep a green bough in your heart, and the singing bird will come 💚

Hi there! So I saw this post and I wanted to ask, how to you view and work with Lord Satan, and how do you differentiate him from Lord/Lady Baphomet? I've always been confused about Satan as a daemon, and never really knew if he was the same as Baphomet or not or how to differentiate them.

I've been wanting to work with Satan as his own deity/daemon for a while now, but never really knew how to go about it.

Really interested to know how you view them both!

~ Many Blessings ~

-Korv Xx

two reflections of one energy. i'd connect lucifer to this, as well (though keep in mind that this is my personal beliefs, and it's alright and even encouraged to form your own - do what feels right for you first and foremost). they're all connected, not dissimilar to the father/the son/the holy spirit all being apart of the same one deity, but being different aspects of said deity. think of them as like a hydra, having three heads with different faces and different brains, and one body that connects them. the heads are their own identities, while also being the same body that connects one to another. i hope that makes sense, because it makes sense to me.

anyway, another way i personally differentiate satan and baphomet is if satan was red, and lucifer is blue, then baphomet is purple - a peaceful middle ground between the two. additionally, if lucifer is more angelic and satan more demonic, then baphomet is a neutral ground between the two. baphomet is also divinely androgynous, whereas lucifer can be seen as being feminine, satan more masculine (though labelling demons as strictly one or another doesn't really slot neatly into my practice, i need to express that. it works for some people, but not for me).

i'm a little dissociative when writing this, so i hope this makes sense. i just want to express differences in order to help you focus on one or another. but again! it's totally fine to disagree with me and/or form your own belief system regarding this. this is solely just how i view it within my own practice.