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VISIONARY REVUE PARIS - SPRING 2003

The astrological order in the

cosmos is manifest in the
figure who winds seven times
around the Anthropos. The
motif of a serpent winding
seven times up the body is
taken from Orphic and
Mithraic statuary. In the
former, it depicts Phanes; in
HERMES
TRISMEGISTOS the latter, the lion-headed
Zervan Arkana. In either
case, the seven turns of the
serpent symbolize the seven
planets surrounding man (see
right).

Since, in the Poimandres, it is the Demiurge 2ND CENTURY BAS RELIEF

OF THE ORPHIC GOD PHANES
who orders the seven planets, we see that the
The five planets known to the Orphics are symbolized
upper figure with hands raised and the serpent’s by the serpent twisting round him five times.
body is none other than this Demiurge. Like an He is enclosed in the cosmic egg, divided into
Astrologer, the divine Craftsman encompasses in the twelve signs of the Zodiac.
his mind the knowledge of the seven planets and
their turnings.
As such, these are the first emanations of the
On the Demiuge’s chest is the pentagram. It’s
divine One - the Light and Life of the One. As
five points set in a circle indicate the four
leonine, these figures manifest the Light and, as
elements plus the quintessence which are set in
serpentine, they manifest Life.
the sphere of the surrounding cosmos. Like an
But, we must see our own reflection, not only
Alchemist, the divine Craftsman masters the
in the Anthropos and Demiurge, but in these
secrets of elements and their combinations.
glowing figures as well. These images reflect the
But, just as we may see ourselves in the
divine Light and Life planted in us as mind and
Anthropos, so must we see ourselves in the
soul: “From the Light and Life, the man became
Demiurge. He symbolizes the knowledge of the
soul and mind; from Life came soul and from
planets and the elements which we possess in
Light came mind” (C.H. I. 17) As such, they
ourselves, through the divine spark. As such, the
reflect the light and life which we ‘know’ to exist
upper figure with hands raised is a reflection of
in our mind and soul.
ourselves, reminding us that we too possess the
The divine One is indicated by the crown.
craftsman's knowledge.
But, properly understood, the One is invisibly
The Demiurge holds up both his arms
present in all the figures in the painting, and
because he belongs to the upper aeons, as an
unites them all. As Poimandres says about the
emanation of the divine One. As the Poimandres
figures in the upper aeons, “they are not divided
describes these emanations:
from one another, for their union is life” (C.H. I.
“The Mind who is god, being androgyne and
6). Most of all, the One is manifest in the golden
existing as Life and Light, by speaking gave birth
circle of light on the chest of the central figure.
to a second Mind, a Craftsman, who... crafted
The Corpus Hermeticum is useful in
seven governors; they encompass the sensible
elucidating Johfra’s imagery. But, the only way
world in circles, and their government is called
the viewer may penetrate these symbols and
fate.” (C.H. I. 9)
‘enter through the image’ is via meditation.
Behind the Demiurge and Anthropos, two
bright figures appear with lionine faces and
serpentine bodies, which wind five times like a
caduceus. The imagery seems Gnostic, drawn
particularly from the iconography of Yaldabaoth.

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VISIONARY REVUE http://visionaryrevue.com/webtext2/herjof10.html

But the intent, rather, is to portray the upper

aeons, which are five in number and blaze with
light and life.

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