Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
demonic fire or a destructive tornado. In Mesopotamia winds and<br />
hurricanes were <strong>of</strong>ten regarded as elemental ones. :<br />
Sometimes <strong>the</strong>y were believed to be sent by to punish<br />
humans for <strong>the</strong>ir sins. The demon assumes many forms, or appean<br />
formless - as a whirlpool <strong>of</strong> black dust. Among <strong>the</strong> shapell<br />
which he assumes, we can mention a anthropomorphic lizard-lib<br />
figure with long hair and two pairs <strong>of</strong> wingsi a demonic with Ions '<br />
or a black a mask on <strong>the</strong> face. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> visions<br />
experienced during this magical project included an image <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> black .<br />
wind a on <strong>the</strong> desert blood-red in <strong>the</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />
sun, This was a glyph <strong>of</strong> a human with circles in <strong>the</strong> place <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>the</strong> main chakras, and a symbol <strong>of</strong> an eye in <strong>the</strong> place <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> throat chakra.<br />
This symbol turned out to be an entrance to <strong>the</strong> underworld, a pathway<br />
from which <strong>the</strong> black wind was and in which it disappeared.<br />
Also many o<strong>the</strong>r examples point at <strong>the</strong> close relation <strong>of</strong> this demon with<br />
<strong>the</strong> underworld. The wind blows out <strong>of</strong> a in <strong>the</strong> ground and <strong>the</strong><br />
."'n............ into labyrinths, and tunnels, <strong>the</strong><br />
black fire burns so that one can hardly find any air to brea<strong>the</strong>. The<br />
heat burns down <strong>the</strong> body and releases <strong>the</strong> It inflames <strong>the</strong><br />
and makes him a living torch or a fire elementaL In <strong>the</strong> magical work with<br />
this demon, <strong>the</strong> practitioner may also physical sensations <strong>of</strong><br />
dry air in <strong>the</strong> temple, or extreme thirst.<br />
The second demon is <strong>the</strong> dragon "whose mouth is .'. that none can<br />
measure." creatures in ancient were not aav,n'",<br />
viewed as demonic. In <strong>the</strong> Sumerian poetry <strong>the</strong>re is a term "u1iumgal" (a<br />
which does not have any pejorative meaning, ncnAl'll''"<br />
but denotes a powerful god or a king. In mythology we encounter<br />
many dragon creatures, e,g. <strong>the</strong> serpent-dragon (Mu1ihu1i1iu), or <strong>the</strong> lion-<br />
(identified sometimes with demons or Mushussu was<br />
a symbol <strong>of</strong> power, associated with such gods as Marduk, Nabu, or Asur.<br />
On <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r Asag and Anzu were vicious demons, bringing plagues<br />
and disasters onto The nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maskim also<br />
seems complicated. It assumes forms and connected to all elements:<br />
it can become a water serpent-dragon, like Leviathan, with its jaws as <strong>the</strong><br />
waves <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> ocean, very cold and silver. But it can also assume a form <strong>of</strong> a<br />
dragon, with electric and fiery breath, bolts <strong>of</strong> lightning<br />
through its eyes. it can be wholly chthonic - appearing as a<br />
part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> earth or <strong>the</strong> underworld. Its head is a mountain, and its open<br />
- 108 -