The Qliphoth

• The counterpoint of the Sephirot. Qliphoth means ”shell”. They are the reverse side of the Sephirot that occur due to imbalance or deficiency.
• The Qliphoth is ruled by the primordial couple Samael and Lilith.
• Some views on the Qliphoth
  • As the last link on the chain of emanation — the furthest away from God’s absolute good.
  • Shells that protect the world from pure evil, even though they also separate God from man.
  • Waste products expelled from the process of creation.
  • Rooted in primordial dark worlds that are as old as God himself, if not older.

Enumeration of Qlipha §

• Every Qlipha represents a negative aspect of each Sefira, ruled by demons rather than angels:

• An alternative is presented as follows. See Les Mysteres de la Kabbale by Eliphas Levi

Sephiroth	Qliphoth demigod / Demon counterpart	Characterization
Keter	Lucifer	Ruled by The inverted pentagram, Remfam, despotism
Chokmah	Nibbas / Samaxia and Belial	Blind Faith, Black Magic and Clerical Science
Binah	Tharac / Astaroth	Unlimited Stupidity
Chesed	Azima / Belphegor and demon goat Mendez	Obscure and Carnal love
Geburah	Marcolis / Moloch	Inflexible rigidity and determinism
Tiphereth	Anamelech / Pegasus	The Beast triumphs.
Netzach	Nergal / Abraxas and Mars	Foolish Pride
Hod	Succoth Benoth	Lethal Motherliness
Yesod	Nisroch	Impure Phallus
Malkuth	Adramelek	The world of pride

Kellipath Nogah (Brillaint Shell) §

• The sphere in which good and evil are mixed. Thus, he has the possibility for either good or evil.
• Shekhinah is given importance here as it embodies the duality of man—with the presence of God, man has the potential to be good. Otherwise, man falls to evil.
• According to Luria, it is the source of man’s lower soul.

Qliphotic Path §

• Sitra Ahra (The Other Side) is the world of the Qliphoth — the world of Evil that constantly attempts to break into the Holy Side and win over the world of man through temptation.

• Lilith is viewed as the female personification of this domain. It embodies sin and lawlessness.

• The darkness of Sitra Ahra is viewed as something primeval, which is a common theme in mythology — that Evil comes before Good.

  • Postulated as existing because of Geburah and punishing man during the fall. Related to this is its potential role as a purifying purgatory.
  • Another theory is it exists and thrives because of the sinfulness of Man.
  • The Sitra Ahra may also be viewed as the shells that contain the sparks. Without man, it is just a negation of good, but man can bring life to the Sitra Ahra and actualize its evil.
    • The Shekinah may be likened to a divine spark imprisoned in the Sitra Ahra. The Messiah will enter and bring it back, thus annihilating evil.
    • Related to this is the possibility the Sitra Ahra would perish without the sparks inside it that bring it to life.
    • Another possibility is that the sparks were what was good in evil, and would enable evil to reach salvation.

• To enter this realm, man requires an esoteric initiation to lay bare the occult hiding behind outer phenomena. This allows access to hidden truths and unlocks the power of creation).

  • It symbolizes the death of the novice and the birth of a new man. A descent to the underworld, rebirth, and ascent.
  • This gives access to three levels of knowledge:
    • Exoteric knowledge - mundane and common Science.
    • Light esoteric knowledge — the light tradition. Towards divine unity with God.
    • Dark esoteric knowledge - the dark tradition. Going beyond the divine.

Initiation §

• Entering the Qliphotic path has four phases (related to alchemy).
  • Nigredo - the material level / Asiyah
  • Albedo - the astral plane / Yetzirah
  • Citrinitas - the mental level. / Briah
  • Rubedo - the divine final goal. / Atziluth
• It may also be divided into seven stages based on alchemic processes. It has 11 steps reflecting man’s journey going beyond divinity. [^2] [^2[]: See Karlsson p.109-110

The Orders of Qliphoth ¹ §

Nahemo / Lilith §

• Ruler: Nahema (Lilith’s sister)
• Worshipped by the: Amalekites (attackers), Geburims (violent), Raphaim (cowards), Nephilim (depraved), Anakims (anarchists)
• Accessed via Lilith.
  • The Mother of Demons, Queen of Vampires, Ruler of Harlots, and the Empress of Evil. The Moon that radiated from its own force and refused to yield to the Sun.
  • The Soul of Wild Animals; Mother Earth in her more violent aspects, corresponding to the wild and carnal which refuses to yield to Man.
• Through Lilith we enter the Qliphoth. One may access Lilith through dreams and unconsciousness, as that is what she is associated with. The Unconscious contains our repressed desires and fears.

Gamaliel §

• Ruler: Lilith
• The shadow of anima mundi — the world soul. Lilith exerts her influence here still.
• It is the Qlipha of Dark dreams. Gamaliel contains the dreams that man normally cannot or does not wish to remember or refuses to accept.
  • It is the sphere of forbidden sexuality—going beyond seduction but towards a higher state of mind..
  • Also associated with blood since it corresponds to fertility (menstruation), life and death.
  • The gods of witches belong here. Those that correspond to life and death; blood and sexuality.

Samael §

• Ruler: Adrammelek
• The great tempter. He who tempts with knowledge (similar to the Serpent), particularly occult wisdom. The blasphemer that destroys illusion with intellect.
  • It is the dark intellect that is perceived as Madness.
  • Samael poisons the moral rules and replaces them with aesthetic rules that let us see the beauty of things through artistic creation.
  • The trickster gods belong here—the gods that are wise and cunning.
• Here: Insanity becomes Wisdom and we recreate old values starting by deconstructing values to see the world through new perspectives.

A’Arab Zaraq / Hereb Serapel §

• Ruler: Baal
• Represents battle. Invoked to achieve victory in the battle of life.
  • The war gods belong here.
• Symbolized by the Raven which represents war and storm, but also passion, sin and forbidden wisdom. It lives off the dead and is the free spirit of death.
  • The Raven corresponds to flying in ecstasy after meeting life and death. It is to overcome the fear of death and to learn how to live through a black baptism.
  • Here is the sphere of dark emotions — forbidden feelings, obscure instincts, explosive creative expressions.
    • Thus, here reside the Nephilim who were born from the meeting of heaven and earth.

Thagirion / Tagaririm §

• Ruler: Belphegor
• Represents dispute and juridical process. Interpreted as similar to how Satan acts as the prosecutor on God’s behalf, as well as the place where God’s judgment is located.
• Corresponds to the child or offspring — to the Anti-Messianic characters, in contrast to Tiphereth’s Messiah. Both are associated with the Sun and solar gods.
  • Man can save himself. Man does not need God to save himself.
  • This level also means illumination via a Daemon that acts as a guide. Here, man becomes one with the ideals they strive for—either through a feeling of total power, or total benevolence. Man experiences his Complete Self.

Golachab / Galab §

• Ruler: Asmodeus
• Associated with fire. It contains the Arsonists, the Spirits of Wrath, those who burn with Fire. It is characterized by mercilessness, violence and suffering, revolution and rebellion..
• It inspires the breaking of bonds and promiscuity. Sadomasochism.

Gha’agsheblah §

• Ruler: Astharoth
• Characterized by restlessness and lack of restraint.
• Associated with the Demiurge — the creator that shapes the world. It initiates journeying to the absolute core of the universe. It destroys obstacles for encountering outmost darkness.
• Here, lust and suffering pass over each other in ecstatic energy. Thanatos becomes Eros.

The Abyss / Masak Mavdil §

• From the perspective of the light side, it is where one falls down after failing to achieve the divine.
• From the perspective of the dark side, it is the river that separates the darkest center of the underworld from its surrounding parts
• Passing through here means Death.

Satariel §

• Ruler: Lucifuge.
• Characterized by Absurdity and Mystery - the answers within but lie hidden under darkness.
  • Associated with gods of Fate, Destiny, and Time.
  • Here we grope in the darkness until we attain clear sight via a third eye.

Ghagiel / Chaigidel §

• Ruler: Beelzebub
• Characterized by Material and Illusory Experiences. It is the active force of the dark side.
  • Associated with Sky gods as they are the ones who create the world and uphold its order. Here, we recreate the universe.

Thaumiel §

• Ruler: Satan and Moloch, constantly at strife.
• Characterized by Duality, Revolt, Anarchy. Satan acts as the opponent against Creation. Moloch is the one that rules the new worlds. We reconcile the lord and the rebel. The Ouroboros
  • Here one rebels and frees themselves from God and becomes the Lord of another universe.
  • Alternatively, here one can become one with God, at the risk of disintegrating the self.

Qliphotic Paths §

• Like Hebrew’s 22 letters and creation there are 22 Qliphothic Paths ²

1. Amprodias §

• Thaumiel - Glagiel

2. Baratchial §

• Thaumiel - Satariel

3. Gargophias §

• Thaumiel - Thagirion

4. Dagdagiel §

• Satariel - Ghagiel

5. Hemethterith §

• Ghagiel - Thagirion

6. Uriens §

• Ghagiel - Gha’agsheblah

7. Zamradiel §

• Satariel - Thagirion

8. Characith §

• Satariel - Golachab

9. Temphioth §

• Golachab - Gha’agsheblah

10. Yamatu §

• Gha’agsheblah - Thagirion

11. Kurgasiax §

• Gha’agsheblah - Hereb Serapel

12. Lafoursiax §

• Golachab - Tagirion

13. Malkunofat §

• Gloachab - Samael

14. Niantel §

• Thagirion - Hereb Serapel

15. Saksaksalim §

• Thagirion - Gamaliel

16. A’ano’nin §

• Thagirion - Samael

17 Parfaxitas §

• Samael - Hereb Serapel

18. Tzuflifu §

• Hereb Serapel - Gamaliel

19. Qulielfi §

• Hereb Serapel - Lilith

20. Raflifu §

• Samael - Gamaliel

21. Shalichu §

• Samael - Lilith

22. Thantifaxath §

• Gamaliel - Lilith

The Tree of Evil §

• The side pillars of the Tree of Evil correspond to Compulsion, Coercion, and Condemnation — counteracting Severity, Mercy, and Moderation respectively in The Tree of Life.
  • If Man’s true nature is inherently Good, then the only ways to condemn him is through coercion or compulsion.
  • Condemnation drives us towards eventual extinction. Evil is not sustainable long-term.
  • Coercion acts on Pleasure.. Compulsion acts on Pain.
• The Tree of Evil is what would happen if we deliberately rejected the qualities of the Tree of life.

Materialism (Qimranut) §

• Life is confined to physical levels applying to humans for one incarnation only, during which they should get all they can out of it.
• It is the refusal to recognize any kind of living away from this world.
• They offer no opposition to intended Evil or opportunity for intended Good. They allow for spiritual damnation because they do not believe these have reality.
• If it is beneficial physically, then it must be good. There is no Principle of Evil.

1. Life is here for me to experience.
2. Matter is everything.
3. I live as an evolved animal.
4. I will only have this one Earth life to become myself.
5. I ought to get all I can
6. The existence of Spirit is impossible.
7. I will relate all on Earth by the common denominator of money. As I control that, so shall I do what I want in this world.
8. Without an earthly body, I cannot live.
9. I cannot believe in anything excepting this physical world.
10. Eat, Drink, and be Merry, for tomorrow we die.

Instability (Aiyatsbus) §

• It is spiritual weakness which results in humans not making much sense. It is to lose faith in Life.
• It is here we find confusion, weakness, distortion of vision, and insanity that misdirects people on the path of enlightenment.
• The result is humans running around every area of immediate inquiry until they become indifferent or exhausted. Everything feels uncertain and confusing.

1. Life is a matter of chance.
2. Life is instability.
3. Live irresponsibility in being.
4. Place faith in nothing.
5. There is no meaning to be found in Life.
6. Grow uncontrollably.
7. Breed indiscriminately.
8. Families are social insignificant.
9. Sex is something all important.
10. All Life is uncertain.

Greed (Chemdah) §

• Care nothing for how much anyone else may be hurt, as long as objectives are gained for temporary satisfaction.
• Greed associates unearned misappropriation. It is to acquire whatever is wanted for the sake of having it.
• an artificial expansion of ego by attempting to stuff the Self full of availables with small regard as to consequence

1. You cannot make Life pay without cheating.
2. Be known by your self-importance.
3. Take every advantage of others for your own benefit.
4. To deceive is nothing.
5. Don’t earn it — steal it.
6. Enjoy the flattery of fools.
7. Be mean and grasping.
8. Make others think you’re clever.
9. Learn how it is possible to be admired.
10. Laugh at what happens to others.

Lust (Shakah) §

• To dominate — even if it means destroying yourself in achieving it, or destroying the objective to prevent anyone else from achieving it.
• It is a profanation of love, and a degradation of loveliness to the lowest possible level. It jeers at the expense of the unsuccessful.
• It is insatiable, cruel, and careless. Nothing but real Love can extinguish it.

1. Overcome Good with Evil.
2. Achievement is your right.
3. Be the master yourself.
4. Satisfy your desires.
5. Make your will obeyed by force.
6. Use your compulsion on others against their will.
7. Count not any costs.
8. Break to nothing what you cannot make.
9. Hate and conquer.
10. Destroy all intending to oppose you.

Ugliness (Kaitul) §

• To create a controllable chaos which affects others yet leaves one’s main interests clear. To make ourselves worse on purpose to avoid perfection.
• It implies the denial or denigration of the Divinity of Man through attempts to make Life seem horrible and wretched.
• It is rooted in a refusal to live by the rules of Cosmic harmony. The deadly type of Ugliness is that which we accept on purpose to screen our somewhat hideous states of unsatisfactory Selfhood from the Blessed Beauty which would show this up too clearly.

1. Create chaos, then control what you will.
2. In Universal Ugliness, Beauty must fade away forever.
3. Whoso blasts out Beauty rules the world.
4. Prevent people from discovering the difference between Beauty and Ugliness.
5. Inharmony strikes out at Truth.
6. Persuade people to accept Ugliness or nothing.
7. Keep yourself in control.
8. Confuse others, then control them yourself.
9. Unbalance others to make opportunities for yourself.
10. In deliberate disorganization lies the secret of preventing perfection.

Cruelty (Akzeriyyuth) §

• An intentional misuse of power by a strong entity toward a weaker one Son the same plane of action
• It implies cowardice — it is only possible as a calculated discharge of destructive energy directed at feebler creatures unlikely to retaliate effectively.
• It is motivated by a false ego boost from aggressive action.
• Cruelty can also mean torturing ourselves

1. Just be strict.
2. Hurt and hate.
3. Will to kill or conquer.
4. Ill-treat the feeling of others.
5. Revenge all wrongs.
6. It is necessary to be severe.
7. Punish whoso will not respect you.
8. Be brutal and feared forever.
9. Subdue by ferocious force.
10. Make others accept your discipline.

Apathy (Adyeshach) §

• To be indifferent, lazy, and have a bored outlook on Life — to let Life go to hell.
• It is not selective neutrality, rather sheer deliberate refusal to accept whatever responsibility is due from all living beings on behalf of others.
• It is a strong person’s failing towards feebler creatures by not providing assistance in the path of perfection.
• Those who are apathetic about their own Inner conditions are not likely to care much about anyone else’s.

1. Everything is too much trouble for nothing.
2. Don’t be bothered with anything.
3. Care not for the care for others.
4. Waste no time being merciful.
5. There is no necessity for generosity.
6. It is weak to have compassion.
7. Life is too wearing for happiness.
8. It is laughable to try loving life.
9. Needless to answer anyone.
10. Is it worthwhile making efforts to help anyone?

Ignorance §

• The counterpoint to Da’at. It is to deliberately refuse to cross the border between real Understanding and Wisdom, and a state of stupid denial for spiritual wellbeing.
• It cuts us off from all that is really worth existing for. It is the refusal to learn.

Antipathy (Sheriruth) §

• An automatic refusal to examine any essential whatever. It isolates the ego by repulsing everything else.
• It rejects all self-ability to understand the meaning of Life.

1. Be antipathetic to everything.
2. Fear what you do not understand.
3. Understanding things is trying.
4. Sympathy is stupid.
5. Hate avoids understanding.
6. Don’t listen to anything. Reject learning.
7. Intuition is dangerous, shun it.
8. Refuse to understand what you dislike.
9. Who cares enough to be understood?
10. It is all past comprehension.

Stupidity (Iweleth) §

• A positive refusal to become Wise, normally through sheer inertia. To stay in the comforts of ignorance with the rest of the crowd..
• It is the closing of a soul against its divine destiny.

1. Where ignorance is bliss ‘tis folly to be wise.
2. Why be wise when stupidity is acceptable?
3. Who fears the wisdom of any God?
4. Obscure the clarity of wisdom.
5. Why work at wisdom when foolishness gives pleasure.
6. Among idiots, the stupid seem wise.
7. Don’t encourage wisdom in others — they might find you out.
8. Never waste time with wisdom.
9. You can do without wisdom.
10. Better luxuriously stupid than penuriously wise.

Atheism (Bacikal) §

• To deny the existence of a Supreme Spirit that gives life its essence. To live life without reference to it..
• It is a refusal to recognize or live by the Principles of Perfection inherent in oneself.
• It distracts Mankind from its main mission of seeking Self-salvation.

1. God is dead, not living.
2. No God. Do what you will.
3. Wherever is God?
4. God is nothing.
5. God is nothing but impossible.
6. Who knows God exists?
7. No one can prove there is a God.
8. Everyone knows God does not exist.
9. What faith can anyone place in God?
10. Don’t believe in God. Doubt Divinity.

Links §

• Qabalah, Qliphoth and Goetic Magic by Karlsson

  • Contains a chapter on Qliphotic Invocations.

• The Tree of Evil by Gray

• The Sephirot

• Kabbalah

• Good and Evil (Kabbalah)

• Demonology

Footnotes §

1. Karlsson has a dedicated chapter on the Qliphoth discussing incantations for contacting them. ↩

2. See more in Karlsson ↩