X: The Symbol of Transformation
In Freemasonry one must go through various initiation rituals before attaining the next rank in their journey of enlightenment. The 17th degree is conferred upon the initiate and is considered the transformation, or change of the initiate. They cite the crossing of cordons as part of the ritual as a reference of the point in the heavens where the celestial equator crosses the plane of the ecliptic, basically referring to changes made over time. This 17th degree marks the transformation of spiritual power into the Law of Love (which reminds me of occultist Aleister Crowley’s “
Love is the law, love under will” saying, and it should also be noted that Crowley’s Star of Babalon serves as the logo for his Thelema system which has the X and O at the top center):
The cordons used in this ‘X’ transformation ceremony are depicted with black and white- the classic symbol of duality these various groups are
always referencing. They are pushing the idea of joining opposites and finding a new equilibrium. This is conveyed in various manners in conspiracy theories like the Ordo Ab Chao (Order Out of Chaos), the Hegelian Dialectic (creating the New World Order through new, cultural “norms”), the Baphomet with its aspects of dual sexuality (it’s both female and male), and the Boaz & Jachin pillars which show us the entrance to a new, mystical place of transformation.
To add a bit more on the idea of Baphomet and transformations; you’ll read further on that ancient Egypt was unified when the North and South regions were merged together. They also combined the deities of Horus and Set together and said it symbolized synthesis and integration by showing the red and white headpieces together.
This is just an idea, but what if the ancient mystery schools of Egypt influenced these occult ideas of the Baphomet and its androgynous characteristics? We see some of the more extreme occult practitioners like Genesis P. Orridge (he had links to Crowley’s OTO and the Satanic Process Church) taking on these sex change transformations and it seems that they aren’t doing it for the sake of an internal gender identity disorder; but rather to convey an occult message of transformation into a superior being. This is a concept referred to as pandrogyny where they embrace both sexual roles.
Perhaps these ideas of transforming man into some new creature are why we see characters like the X-Men who are mutants with “super” powers. The storyline of this group are meant to sympathize with these people who are labelled as outcasts, and some theorists believe this is a way of predictively programming us to accept alterations to the creation of man and woman.
X: The Symbol of Death
Another theory is that the ‘X’ signifies death; the journey into the ultimate unknown. Texe Marrs says it is used a symbol for the Egyptian deity Osiris because you see it in Egyptian pyramids and temples, while we find pharaohs buried with their arms and legs crossed in devotion to this sun god.
No doubt this idea has permeated pop culture with its use in sayings like “cross my heart and hope to die”, and in cartoons where we see ‘X’s placed over the eyes of dead characters.For example, the Royal Arch’s Super-Excellent Master’s Degree has the first sign being that of crossing the hands over the chest, which says that the initiate will be penalized with death if they ever reveal the secrets.This talk of oaths is reminiscent of the “cross my heart and hope to die” phrase from earlier- it’s an oath taken which goes against Christian dogma of not taking any sorts of oaths. In Matthew 5:33-34 , Jesus Christ Himself warns us against swearing oaths to anyone but God, basically saying that trust cannot be secured by swearing an oath by things that aren’t in man’s possession to do so.
You’ll surely recognize this last symbol as the well-known Yale Skull and Bones secret society, which also incorporates the crossed bones with the skull as well:
X Marks the Spot: Illuminati Events
Theorists also claim that the ‘X’ signifies important “Illuminati” events. This symbol is used for the entire “Illuminati” spider-web in order for all its members to know who and what is marked as one of the people or events that have some kind of Illuminati influence.
The jocks of our generation (Generation X; that is) are known for participating in these extreme sports. The Olympics version of these sports is called the X Games and you can guess that they’ve got the fusion of the X and the O on their medal. Texe Marrs also claims this ‘X’ is used to activate subconscious programming. Psycho-analyst Carl Jung referenced a ‘collective unconscious’ which I translate as some kind of connective web in which we are all in touch with one another (kind of like the ecology of the film Avatar).
X: The Mark of the Beast
This final explanation of the ‘X’ could possibly be the most accurate hypothesis.
One aspect of the ‘X’ is to use it to symbolize the entrance to the unknown. We’ve seen it used in television shows like
X-Files that is devoted to exploring the unknown, the supposed Planet X of Nibiru that Ancient Astronaut theorists claim is the hidden planet that has Annunaki aliens inhabiting it, and with generic names of items like Brand X (not to be confused with the show by Russell Brand).
We also see the ‘X’ referring to the unknown by philosopher Rene Descartes and in algebra (used as the primary placeholder for the unknown variable). This is also why the X-Ray is labeled as such; they didn’t know what they were at the time of discovery.
The Kabbalah Influence
In terms of Jewish mysticism, the Kabbalah has a Tree of Life which is a depiction of ten divine emanations, or characteristics of god. Some of the occult-Kabbalah practitioners believe they can navigate through these emanations and reach the top most Sephirot- that of Kether (Heaven). They can approach this realm through one of three paths or ‘pillars’ (technically there are 22 if you consider jumping around the nodes). The three paths are up the left hand side, the right, or the center:
This center path takes the practitioner from Malkuth (the Earth) and into Kether (Heaven) through the unseen realm call Da’at (or Da’ath). This path is referred to as the “G” path (or camel), which is yet another theory for why we see a “G” in the Freemason compass and square:
Taking the center “G” path leads the follower into the realm known as the Abyss; which is similar to the previously mentioned “unknown” realm. This path is referred to as the “pillar of consciousness” (recall that there are three distinct paths up the Tree of Life referred to as pillars). This Abyss is more or less the shortcut of reaching the top most Sephirot. In
Liber 418 (The Vision and the Voice), occultist Aleister Crowley detailed his journey through the Abyss using John Dee and Edward Kelley’s Enochian magick rituals. This book would help form the foundations of his Thelema belief system, and describe the Scarlet Whore, aka the Thelema goddess, Babalon. In this book, Aleister Crowley himself even warned of entering into the Abyss because it is guarded by a demon (or a “dweller” as he calls it) named Choronzon:
And let the Demon be invoked within a triangle, wherein is
inscribed the name of Choronzon, and about it let him write
ANAPHAXETON—ANAPHANETON—PRIMEUMATON, and
in the angles MI-CA-EL: and at each angle the Seer shall slay a
pigeon, and having done this, let him retire to a secret place,
where is neither sight nor hearing, and sit within his black robe,
secretly invoking the Æthyr. And let the Scribe perform the
Banishing Rituals of the Pentagram and Hexagram, and let him
call upon the Holy Names of God, and say the Exorcism of
Honorius, and let him beseech protection and help of the Most
High.
And let him be furnished with the Magick Dagger, and let
him strike fearlessly at anything that may seek to break through
the circle, were it the appearance of the Seer himself. And if the
Demon pass out of the triangle, let him threaten him with the
Dagger, and command him to return. And let him beware lest he
himself lean beyond the circle. And since he reverenceth the
Person of the Seer as his Teacher, let the Seer bind him with a
great Oath to do this.
Now, then, the Seer being entered within the triangle, let him
take the Victims and cut their throats, pouring the blood within
the Triangle, and being most heedful that not one drop fall
without the Triangle; or else Choronzon should be able to
manifest in the universe.
And when the sand hath sucked up the blood of the victims,
let him recite the Call of the Æthyr apart secretly as aforesaid.
Then will the Vision be revealed, and the Voice heard.
This is also why we see mention of the occult belief in the ’66 fallen angels’ of the Qlippoth (a concept I heard from theorist Freeman Fly). The Qlippoth is supposed to be a realm that is the dark shadow of the Tree of Life and similar to the Abyss, anyone who traverses it would go insane because it requires the destruction of the ego and that would cause subsequent madness (as if actually believing any of this stuff would make you more rational??… but that’s just my opinion).
There also appears to be another character in this Abyss and that is Typhon: the lord of the Abyss. At some point in occult history this Typhon character gets conflated with the Celtic god Nodens, the Greek Olympian Poseidon, the Bible’s Leviathan, and the Greek Titan Atlas. There will be more on this in a few paragraphs…
The Bible says that the Beast comes from the Abyss, and I find it strange that these occult groups try to actually summon entities from the Abyss (like Crowley attempted); yet say there is nothing “evil” about these things. Granted all of this is confusing, but to me that seems a bit telling of their intentions. In Revelations Chapter 13 we read the following warning:
People worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, “Who is like the beast? Who can wage war against it?” 5 The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise its authority for forty-two months. 6 It opened its mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. 7 It was given power to wage war against God’s holy people and to conquer them. And it was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation. 8 All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast—all whose names have not been written in the Lamb’s book of life, the Lamb who was slain from the creation of the world.
In the next chapter it talks about a second beast arising that controls the first beast:
Because of the signs it was given power to perform on behalf of the first beast, it deceived the inhabitants of the earth. It ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. 15 The second beast was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that the image could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. 16 It also forced all people, great and small, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hands or on their foreheads, 17 so that they could not buy or sell unless they had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of its name.
This calls for wisdom. Let the person who has insight calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man. That number is 666.
I find it interesting in Judaic Kabbalah the number 666 is actually used to represent the creation and perfection of the world. Why would they use that specific number when the Bible warns us against it? Since we’re ultimately trying to explore the ‘X’, it should also be noted that in Greek the letter ‘X’ (Chi) has a numeric equivalent of 600; so 666=XXX. In Roman numerals, the ‘X’ is equal to 10, which is the number of Sephirot in the Kabbalah Tree of Life.