Temple of Ascending Flame

OPEN PROJECT

Masks of Belial
By Temple of Ascending Flame

25th-31st May

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 Introduction
Belial is mentioned in various texts, including the Bible, Jewish apocryphal literature, modern
Satanism, and the works of Anton LaVey. Additionally, he is referenced in sources such as the Dead
Sea Scrolls, where he is depicted as the Angel of Darkness and the adversary of God. In ancient texts,
his name is employed as a synonym for Satan, and he is widely acknowledged as one of the most
prevalent embodiments of malevolence. The word “Belial” (or Beliar) is commonly understood to be a
title denoting evil rather than referring to a specific spirit. For instance, within the Bible, there is
mention of “sons of Belial,” which is commonly understood to refer to individuals who are considered
evil or worthless. Other meanings of the name include “destruction,” “ruin,” “death,” “the abyss,”
“lawlessness,” or “without a master.” The prevailing interpretation of the name “Belial” is based on
the Talmud, which suggests that it is a combination of the terms “beli” and “ol,” or "yo'il," signifying
worthlessness. In biblical and apocryphal texts, “Belial” is a term used to refer to several malevolent
figures such as the prince of darkness, the Antichrist, the devil, the progenitor of idolatry, the demon
associated with impurity, the angel of lawlessness, and the ruler of the world. These roles and
interpretations of Belial (his “masks”) reveal him as a complex and multifaceted figure, appearing in
many contexts and possessing many magical powers. In this project, we will take a closer look at some
of these powers and titles of the demon-king in a practical way, exploring his gnosis through the
combined techniques of meditation, chanting and dreamwork.

The project includes 7 workings which have to be done individually on 7 days in a row, before sleep.
All workings are designed according to the same pattern – meditation with the sigil of The Eye of
Belial, chanting the mantra of calling, attuning to the vibrations of the demon-king through the music
track specifically dedicated to Belial, and dream pathworking. Each of them, however, focuses on a
different aspect of Belial, including the Gatekeeper of the Abyss, the Angel of Darkness, Goetic
Demon-Angel, Lord of War, Spirit of Lawlessness, Lord of the Earth, and the Worthless One. The
purpose of the project is to introduce the practitioner to the current of Belial in its diverse forms and
manifestations, showing how he can be approached in modern magic and how his powers can be used
for the sake of shadow-work.

After each working, write down experiences, visions and observations and keep the notes for your
own records. When the whole project is finished, prepare a report (a few sentences about the workings
and your thoughts about how they affected you) and send it to us. After gathering all reports, we will
prepare a summary of results which will be shared with all participants. If you do not feel comfortable
with the idea of sharing your results, you do not have to send the report (this will not exclude you
from participation in future open projects), BUT if you would ever like to work with us in the Temple
of Ascending Flame and participate in our inner projects, you have to be active, open-minded, and
willing to talk about your work. You do not need to be an advanced practitioner to take part in the
project, and we do not charge anything for this material. All we ask for in return for our work is a report
with the feedback and description of results.

Please send your report within 7 days following the final day of the project. We will cease gathering
reports on June 7th and within the next week you will receive the summary of results. Thank you for
your interest in our work and good luck with the project!

***

The Eye of Belial

The sigil used in the project stands for the “eye” of the demon-king. In magical work it can be used as
a medium in all kinds of scrying and meditative practices that are aimed at communication with Belial
in his role of a gatekeeper. In this set of workings, we are approaching him as a keeper of the gates of
the subconscious, connecting with his various powers and aspects. The central part of the sigil shows
a dark eye with a spiraling shape that opens the gates of the inner mind. The swords below the eye
show that we are dealing with the piercing of veils and barriers between planes and dimensions. The
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number of the swords is 13, referring to the sinister and transgressive aspect of this current. The
flames on top of the sigil represent the transforming character of Belial’s energies and his power to
fortify the practitioner on the Path of the Qliphoth. The sigil should be painted in black on a white
background, or in black on white. While meditating, you may visualize the eye turning into a swirling
vortex of swords and flames, which signals that the gateway has been opened and the energies can
flow through.

For the workings you will need the following items:

- The Sigil of The Eye of Belial - It should be printed or drawn on paper or another material. Make it
big enough to gaze into comfortably, without straining your eyes.

- The music track that can be downloaded from our website: ascendingflame.com

- Two black candles – They should be placed near the sigil so you can see it clearly. The rest of the
room should be dark.

- Dragon’s Blood incense – It can be replaced with a blend specially prepared for Belial. Do not use
oils.

- A tool to draw blood - This can be a dagger, knife, razor, lancet, etc. You only need a few drops to
activate the sigil. The blood of the practitioner opens inner gateways and serves as a symbolic act of
self-sacrifice. It is essential in this work and cannot be replaced by anything else.

- Other tools and preparations – You can have your usual tools on the altar during these workings. A
statue or portrait of Belial is recommended, but not necessary. At the beginning of each meditation,
you should perform your favourite Kundalini-raising exercise to prepare yourself for the actual
working. If you do not know any, you will find suitable exercises in Draconian Ritual Book by Asenath
Mason.

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 Day 1
Gatekeeper of the Abyss

This aspect of Belial is related to the interpretation of his name as “Sheol,” which translates to “the
abyss.” Within the Qabalistic framework of the Tree of Life and Tree of Death, the term “abyss” refers
to the concealed Sephira Daath. In a positive context, it represents “Knowledge,” but from the
perspective of the Qliphoth, it is referred to as “The Worthless One,” which is another concept
associated with Belial. The adept embarking on the journey through the Nightside encounters Belial as
the Gatekeeper at the entrance to the Abyss. In this aspect, he guards the portal that connects the
bright and dark sides of the Tree. His role is to open the way to the Abyss and to the highest triad on
the Qabalistic Tree, and he aids in preparation of consciousness for the opening of the Gate of Daath.

Begin this working by lighting the black candles and putting some incense on charcoal. Anoint the
sigil with a few drops of your blood to activate it as a gateway to Belial’s current (this can be done
only in the first working or repeated each day – this is up to you). Then focus all your attention on the
image. See how it becomes charged and activated with your life force, how it glows and flashes with
the vibrant energy of Belial. At the same time, play the music in the background and begin chanting
the mantra of calling:

“BELIAL AYI OPINT MARET”1

Keep gazing at the image until you can memorize and visualize its shape. Then close your eyes, and
while you keep chanting, imagine it forming in front of you, growing and transforming into the
gateway to the current of the demon-king.

When you feel a shift in the energies around you and you are ready to proceed with the working,
begin the following visualization: You are standing in front of a vortex made of black smoke. It swirls
and grows as you gaze at it. With each inhale it gets closer and becomes bigger, and with each exhale
it moves away a bit. Continue this breathing cycle for a few minutes, and then visualize a static black
hole in the center of the vortex. At the same time the vortex becomes so big that it is all around you
and suddenly you are pulled inside the black hole. For a moment everything fades away and you are
in complete darkness, but then you begin to notice a scenery forming in front of you. You are standing
in front of a dark throne, on which you notice the demon-king in his aspect of the Gatekeeper of the
Abyss. He appears as two robed beings with their heads concealed under the hood - one dressed in a
white robe, the other in black, representing two aspects of his gnosis: that of the Dayside and that of
the Nightside. They are sitting back-to-back, each one holding a rusty sword, with which they point
the way further – into the bright gate leading to the Tree of Life and the dark portal to the Tree of
Qliphoth. You can talk to him and ask questions about the gateway and the journey that lies ahead.
You can then travel through either of the gates or decide to go back – this is up to you. Let the visions
flow freely and open yourself to whatever may come to you through this journey.

As you commune with the Gatekeeper, think of your spiritual journey so far – where has it brought
you? Are you where you want to be? Where would you like to go from here? When you feel ready to
end the meditation, open your eyes, thank Belial, and give him a small token of gratitude. Then
proceed to dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed, close your eyes, and visualize the sigil within your inner mind. Instead of the
sigil, you may also visualize the imagery from the pathworking – this is up to you. In either case, feel
how your inner eyes open and your sight becomes attuned to the energies of the astral plane through
this visualization, and let yourself fall asleep. If you wake up at night and if you can get back to sleep,
focus again on the sigil and try to keep this vision while falling back asleep. Write down your dreams
when you wake up and meditate on them for a moment, trying to determine if and how they are
related to Belial as the Gatekeeper of the Abyss.

1 From Chants of Belial by Edgar Kerval and Asenath Mason

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 Day 2
Angel of Darkness

This depiction of Belial is derived from the Dead Sea Scrolls, which make reference to the Angel of
Light and the Angel of Darkness. God is commonly referred to as the Angel of Light, while Belial is
described as the opposite. According to the text, the demon made people feel ashamed of themselves
and encouraged them to act immorally. Furthermore, the source recounts a dream that Amram,
Moses’ ancestor, had in which Belial is described as the ruler of darkness or the ruler of malevolence.
According to the Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs, the demon is God’s adversary and serves as a
tempter. According to the scriptures, fornication causes a person to turn away from God and towards
Belial. There are also claims that when a soul is disturbed, it belongs to Belial.

Begin this working in the same way as you did on the previous day. Then focus all your attention on
the image, play the music in the background, and begin chanting the mantra of calling: “BELIAL
AYI OPINT MARET.”

Keep gazing at the image until you can memorize and visualize its shape. Then close your eyes, and
while you keep chanting, imagine it forming in front of you, growing and transforming into the
gateway to the current of the demon-king.

When you feel ready to proceed with the working, begin the following visualization: Before you a
swamp unfolds on the horizon. The air surrounding you is dark, only the silhouettes of the trees are
visible. As you approach, they appear as looming dark shadowy figures on the horizon and the leaves
are weeping, excreting a thick black liquid down the trunks of the trees. As you touch the trees, the
liquid leaves part like a veil separating this world from the nightside. You are now inside the grove.
The air becomes like the cloak of night, surrounding you. Its folds each part like wings in the veil of
night. You begin to rise up through this chamber of darkness, and as the black light gives way to an
indigo veil, you begin to see a mountain in the distance. Slowly a figure comes into view. It is a dark
figure with a mighty wingspan, hovering above the mountains. Waves of cool air roll off of his body.
What shapes do they take?

Allow the pathworking to unfold before you. How does Belial appear before you? If so in what form?
What were the lessons he imparted to you in this exercise? After you have finished with this
pathworking, make any offerings that you feel are necessary, and proceed to dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed and close your eyes. Visualize the sigil within your inner mind. You can also
focus on the imagery from the pathworking. Having your mind set on continuing the journey in your
dreams, let yourself fall asleep. If you wake up at night, focus again on the sigil and try to keep this
vision while falling back asleep. Write down your dreams when you wake up and meditate on them
for a moment, looking for a connection to Belial as the Angel of Darkness.

***

Day 3
Goetic Demon-Angel

In Goetia, Belial is a powerful demon-king, created after Lucifer. He comes as two beautiful angels
sitting in a chariot of fire, distributing presentations and senatorships, and bestowing favors of both
friends and adversaries. He is also one of the four ruling forces of all Goetic spirits, connected with the
direction of north and the element of earth. According to the Goetic legend, King Solomon imprisoned
the most terrible spirits of the earth in a brazen vessel, which he then cast into a deep lake in Babylon,
ensuring that the demons would never again bother humanity. However, the Babylonians, believing it
contained a hidden treasure, retrieved it and shattered the seal that kept the spirits bound. When the
seal was broken, they all flew out and returned to their original dwellings, with the exception of Belial,

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who entered a statue and became an oracle to his worshippers, acting as an intermediary between the
spirits and sorcerers seeking the wisdom and power of Sitra Ahra, the Other Side.

Begin as before – light the candles and incense, and focus on the sigil. Visualize it as a gateway to
Belial’s current, and while you listen to the music, chant the mantra: “BELIAL AYI OPINT
MARET.”

When you feel ready to commune with the Demon-Angel, close your eyes, and imagine the sigil
forming in front of you, growing and transforming into the gateway to his current. Then begin the
following visualization: You are standing among ruins of an ancient city. There is smoke coming from
the ruined buildings and you can see fire in the distance. The scenery is ominous and apocalyptic. As
you walk through the ruins, you can hear a sound of a hundred voices from the distance, and when
you look at this direction, you notice a chariot of fire emerging from the smoke. Sitting in it are two
beautiful angelic beings, but they have black eyes and the chariot is pulled by ghastly horses. You can
see their beauty and light, but you can also sense their darkness. One of them speaks with a harsh
voice, while the voice of the other is soft and melodic. The chariot stops in front of you and you are
now facing the Goetic Demon-Angel, proud and powerful king who was created before Michael and
the other archangels. He can bestow any power upon you, but only if you are worthy of standing in
his presence. He can also provide you with powerful allies, both among people and spirits, which is a
useful thing on the path. At the same time, however, he is the Deceiver and the Father of Lies.

As you commune with the Demon-Angel, think of your position and resources – do you have all you
need to walk the path and achieve your goals? What are your allies and what are your enemies? What
can you use to your advantage? When you feel ready to end the meditation, open your eyes and thank
Belial by giving him a small token of gratitude. After that proceed to dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed and close your eyes. Visualize the sigil within your inner mind, or focus on the
imagery from the pathworking. Having your mind set on continuing the journey in your dreams, let
yourself fall asleep. If you wake up at night and if you can get back to sleep, focus again on the sigil
and try to keep this vision while falling back asleep. Write down your dreams when you wake up and
meditate on them for a moment, looking for a connection to Belial as the Goetic Demon-Angel.

***

Day 4
Lord of War

Belial appears in The War Scroll, as part of a Messianic tradition that arose just after the Babylonian
exilic period. Eschatology and messianism lie at the heart of Qumran scholarship. The Damascus
document includes a time frame for the end times written by a community formed ca 96 BCE. It
describes a war between the Sons of Light, led by Melchizedek (described as a heavenly being or
Elohim), and the Sons of Darkness, led by Belial. It begins to describe a developing messianic tradition
where some of the messiahs had temple duties whereas others had more militaristic responsibilities.

Begin this working in the usual manner. Then focus on the sigil, play the music, and begin the chant:
“BELIAL AYI OPINT MARET.”

When you feel ready, close your eyes, and while you keep chanting, imagine the sigil forming in front
of you, growing and transforming into the gateway to the current of the demon-king. Then begin the
following visualization: You are standing on a field engulfed by the night on the edge of dawn. As the
sun slowly rises, the first shades of blue wash over the horizon. You begin to perceive shapes and
shadows as they come into view. Soon they reveal a field of skulls blackened from decay. There is no
way to tell how long they have been here. Emerging from the skulls are pikes that form the base of
waving pennants and flags as they hover over the land. You proceed slowly through this pathworking
and the earth is stained with blood, but there are green shoots of grass growing through the bloodied

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soil and skeletal decay. A hot wind blows across the land. Without death and decay, growth and life
would not exist. As you gaze up to the skies, you observe that the skies extend a great height, as a
crystal blue. You may hear the crying of birds in the distance. Some of the birds soar through the blue
skies, while others descend upon the earth to feast on the remains. Their deaths feed the earth and the
insects that burrow into its depths, just as their deaths feed the birds of prey that soar through the
skies.

Allow the pathworking to unfold before you. Does Belial appear before you? If so in what form? What
were the lessons he imparted to you in this exercise? How do you feel about warfare and its
aftermath? How do you engage with war-related death or war and its relationship with sacrifice?
How do we personally define sacrifice in our lives? After you have finished with this pathworking,
make any offerings that you feel are necessary, and proceed to dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed, close your eyes, and visualize the sigil or the imagery from the pathworking
within your inner mind. Again, affirm that you will continue the journey in your dreams. If you wake
up at night and if you can get back to sleep, focus again on the sigil and try to keep this vision while
falling back asleep. Write down your dreams and meditate if and how they are related to Belial as the
Lord of War.
***

Day 5
Spirit of Lawlessness

Belial as a spirit of lawlessness is mentioned in the Bible and the apocrypha, where “Belial” is a
synonym for the devil – the adversary. From Goetia we learn that he is a stubborn and rebellious spirit
that has to be given offerings and sacrifices, otherwise he will not obey the magician’s commands. One
of his offices is to tempt the righteous and lead them on the way of transgression, be it in the spiritual
sense or in the sense of disobeying the law and breaking rules and structures of order. Hs is the Angel
of Lawlessness who can help with any situation having to do with law, offering guidance to those
who want to avoid legal prosecution, and in a spiritual sense, he inspires the sinfulness and
immorality of mankind, leading people to acts of transgression.

Begin this working as you did before. Then focus on the sigil, play the music, and begin the chant:
“BELIAL AYI OPINT MARET.”

When you feel ready, close your eyes, and keep chanting while you imagine the sigil forming in front
of you, growing and transforming into the gateway to the current of the demon-king. Then begin the
following visualization: You are standing in front of a door to a dark temple. The door has the sigil of
the Eye imprinted on it. As you approach, you notice that the door is locked, but you know what to do
– with a dagger or knife you cut your hand and put the blood on the sigil. At this moment the door
opens and you can go inside. As you do that, you notice a chamber full of mirrors. You look at them
and see yourself as you are in your day-to-day reality – a person with a socially acceptable life,
wearing casual outfit, having a daily job, maybe family obligations and responsibilities, obeying the
laws and rules of your community, etc., Think of all that you do in your daily life that is perfectly
normal, mundane, within the norms of social conduct. Now see how confining and limiting all this is
for your magical path. Think of what you could do if you were free from all these worries, duties, and
mundane routines that drain your vital energy. As you focus on it, break the mirrors and see how they
fall apart in hundreds of pieces. And from these pieces emerges Belial as the Spirit of Lawlessness,
facing you and showing you what you can do and what you can be if you get rid of all those mundane
struggles.

Open yourself to whatever he chooses to show you and feel the thrill of liberation as you imagine
yourself transgressing your mundane barriers and limitations. Think of what binds you or stands as
an obstacle in your progress. Do you find yourself empowered by being a part of your community
and following its rules? What laws do you find confining? When you feel ready to end the meditation,

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open your eyes and thank Belial by giving him a small token of gratitude. Then proceed to
dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed, close your eyes, and visualize the sigil or the imagery from the pathworking
within your inner mind. Then affirm that you will continue the journey in your dreams. If you wake
up at night and if you can get back to sleep, focus again on the sigil and try to keep this vision while
falling back asleep. Write down your dreams and meditate if and how they are related to Belial as the
Spirit of Lawlessness.

***

Day 6
Lord of the Earth

As “Lord of the Earth” Belial is already mentioned in the apocrypha. In Western Esoteric Tradition, he
is one of the four ruling forces associated with the cardinal directions. In this paradigm, he rules the
north, alongside three other spirits: Leviathan in the west, Satan in the South, and Lucifer in the east.
Because of the connection between north and the earth, he is often believed to be the Lord of the Earth.
This is a relatively new association, though, owing much to LaVey’s The Satanic Bible, in which Belial
denotes earthly mastery, “magic with both feet on the ground - real, hard-core, magical procedure,” as
well as independence, self-sufficiency, and personal accomplishment.

Begin as you did before. Then focus on the sigil, play the music, and begin the chant: “BELIAL AYI
OPINT MARET.”

After that, close your eyes, and keep chanting while you imagine the sigil forming in front of you. See
it growing and transforming into the gateway to the current of the demon-king. When you feel ready,
begin the following visualization: You are standing before the mouth of a cave. As you explore its
interior, a path of black dust and sediment leads you down through catacombs, through the bones that
make up the floor of the cavern. The path grows dark as you travel further, through layers of shifting
metallic plates and shimmering diamonds embedded in the thickening soil. As you descend further,
the air grows hotter. It is thick with heavy metals swirling slowly in the atmosphere. Slowly as you
continue your descent, you pass through the mantle and into the earth’s core. The sound of the hot air
blasting past you makes no sounds now. The darkness softens into an aura of soft blue and ashen
grey. A shadowy figure comes into view, its horns enflamed with golden light as they twist into the
height.

Allow the pathworking to unfold before you. How does Belial appear before you? In what form?
What were the lessons he imparted to you in this exercise? After you have finished with this
pathworking, make any offerings that you feel are necessary, and proceed to dreamwork.

Again, lie down on the bed, close your eyes, and visualize the sigil or the imagery from the
pathworking within your inner mind. Keep your mind focused on continuing the journey in your
dreams. If you wake up at night and if you can get back to sleep, focus again on the sigil and try to
keep this vision while falling back asleep. Write down your dreams and meditate if and how they are
related to Belial as the Lord of the Earth.

***

Day 7
The Worthless One

One of the interpretations of Belial’s name is “The Worthless One.” This interpretation is derived from
the Talmud and explains the name “Belial” as composed of two words: “beli” and “ol,” or “yo'il,”

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which means “without a yoke” or “without advantage,” i.e. “worthless.” This is also connected to his
role as the Gatekeeper of the Abyss. Within the Tree of Qliphoth paradigm, the Abyss is considered as
a transition zone between the phenomenal realm of appearance to its noumenal source, i.e. non-
manifestation. To reach the Abyss, we must leave our world behind, and its affairs and material
possessions must no longer hold any worth for us, hence the title “Worthless.” In the Abyss, we have
no sense of time or space, and nothing exists, including the mundane world, our lives, and ourselves.
Everything we were no longer matters, and we become “The Worthless One.”

Start this working as you did before. Then focus on the sigil, play the music, and begin the chant:
“BELIAL AYI OPINT MARET.”

Then close your eyes, and keep chanting while you imagine the sigil forming in front of you. Imagine
it growing and transforming into the gateway to the current of the demon-king. When you feel ready,
begin the following visualization: You are standing in front of a dark swirling portal, like the one in
the first meditation. Allow it to grow in front of you and pull you inside. This time, as you walk into
the darkness, it doesn’t take you to the other side, but you find yourself in a tunnel. Everything
around you is dark, and with each step forward, you feel more and more distant from your mundane
reality – your life, your identity, and finally – your body. All that is left is pure consciousness. The
world as you know it means nothing to you and there are no attachments left to hold you back.
Finally, you see the darkness around you fades away, and at the end of the tunnel you meet Belial – a
skeletal being who embodies death itself – the ultimate liberation from all attachments and from
everything you have ever valued. He looks at you and starts laughing, and as you realize your
freedom and power, you begin to laugh with him, the sound of laughter resonating throughout the
immensity of the Abyss.

Let the experience unfold itself now, and think of what you value in your life. How would you feel if
you lost it? Would you leave it all behind to completely rebuild your life? Would that empower and
liberate you, or would it make you weak and confused? When you feel ready to end the meditation,
open your eyes and thank Belial. Leave a small token of gratitude on his altar, and proceed to
dreamwork.

Lie down on the bed, close your eyes, and visualize the sigil or the imagery from the pathworking
within your inner mind once again. Affirm that you will continue the journey in your dreams, and
with your mind focused on this intention, let yourself fall asleep. If you wake up at night, focus again
on the sigil and try to keep this vision while falling back asleep. Write down your dreams and
meditate if and how they are related to Belial as The Worthless One. This working concludes the entire
project.

__________________________

Thank you for participating in the project!

The project was prepared by:

Day 2,4,6 meditations – Katie Collins

The project outline, sigil and the other meditations – Asenath Mason
Music by Edgar Kerval / EMME YA

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