Reigning Fire

Description

Portrait of consciousness and focus, harnessed energy

Abrasax, or Abraxas – acrylic on canvas – 30X24X1.5 inches

Guardian of heaven – the divine, eternal life (akin to Zoe)

Acting as guardian of the highest heaven in Gnostic lore, this “deity” supersedes the god of the Old Testament. Figures such as Carl Jung, Aleister Crowley, and Charles Manson all held Abraxas in high regard. Manson often spoke of Abraxas when explaining his ideas of universal balance and harmony.

In Gnosticism, deities are more like anthropomorphic realms of the mind of the God which encompasses all. Even the profane material world and everything in it is part of the one divine essence.  Abrasax’s shield bears the image of Ialdabaoth, a conglomerate seed containing both Jehovah and Satan – god/devil of the mundane, known in Gnosticism as the demiurge.  Aleister Crowley identified the lion-serpent Ialdabaoth with Abraxas. In a charade of good cop/bad cop, the demiurge plays the exoteric for fools.

As guardian of the heavens ruled by 365 archons, Abrasax’s place in Gnostic mythology would seem to be a step below the great abyss (black hole) which divides the metaphysical realm of the aeons with the physical realm of the deities, the lesser gods.

$1260