Ziminiar’s Paralyzed Mind
In describing why the mind of the “ordinary” human being functions so ineffectively, Western Myth suggests that each “activity” of the mind is distorted by a corresponding destructor. These distorted activities of the mind, acting as independent agents, are expressed in mythological images of the “Archdemons,” or — as the Lemegeton calls them — the Four Emperors. In this system, distorted streams of thought appear as the “King of the marketplace,” Amaymon; the stream of distorted desires is figured as the “Alpha-Leader” Goap; destructured emotional streams manifest in the universe of mind as the son of Beelzebul— the “Emperor of caprices,” Corson; and perverted realizational streams as the “King of inactivity,” Ziminiar (זימיניאר, or Zimimai, זﬠמﬠמארּ).
It is worth noting that the grimoires differ in how they correlate the Emperors with principles and cardinal directions. For example, the Lemegeton assigns Ziminiar to the North, whereas the Grimoire of Honorius places Amaymon there; Agrippa — as do a number of other sources — names the Emperor of the North Egin (sometimes Ariton). We have already discussed how this discrepancy arises from the different approaches particular schools (the authors of the grimoires) take to describing their own “physics”: if the Lemegeton proceeds from a quaternary division of the world, then, for instance, the True Grimoire proceeds from a ternary one, and comparisons between such systems are possible only with a long list of qualifications.
Grimoiric literature insists that ritual interaction with the Emperors is mortally dangerous, recommending that one turn to them only to subordinate “lower-ranking” Demons. Indeed, destructive impacts upon the mind — expressed as the demonic vortices of these Archdemons — can inflict grave harm on an incarnate being, even one using multilayered protections, because the Emperors “sum up” within themselves the destructive streams of all the predators that belong to their domain.
Each of the Emperors manifests through more specific streams, and Ziminiar’s power extends through two key Kings —Paimon and Vine.
All the Emperors operate as distorted forces of the “primordial” manifestations of mind. Whenever we see a neglect of spiritual values for the sake of the rationality of material existence, we are dealing with manifestations of Amaymon. Whenever the mind asserts itself by opposing and suppressing those around it, it manifests the activity of Goap. Whenever the mind ignores its deep desires in favor of momentary surges, caprices, and whims, it acts under Corson’s dominion. And whenever the mind proclaims the “value of passivity,” confusing equilibrium with indifference, it performs the will of Ziminiar.
Ziminiar is the “Emperor of the North,” blocking the realizational, creative activity of mind — “freezing” and paralyzing its living flow. His manifestations are especially visible today in the form of a “wisdom of inaction,” which in practice often proves to be nothing more than a justification for laziness, asthenia, and passivity. Too often, modern “wisdom” is a philosophy of surrender. People grow tired of walking; we grow tired of growing — tired of aspiration and seeking. We lose ardor and inspiration. And then we declare that “there is no need to seek,” that “one must simply be happy,” using these words to conceal our fatigue and inertia.
Yet the “simple life” of one who has attained and the “happiness” of one who has surrendered are fundamentally different. So when it seems we need to “sit down and rest,” we must ask ourselves: have we truly found? Or have we simply grown weary of seeking and decided to give up — to acknowledge defeat? When we are guided by “passivity for passivity’s sake,” we can say with certainty that we are in trouble: our mind has been seized by Ziminiar.
The two Kings within Ziminiar’s sphere express his paralyzing influence in two domains. Paimon translates all activity of mind into a “race for trends”: fashion, external tinsel, empty glitter. Vine locks the mind in a dungeon of envy and jealousy, forcing it to poison itself — to seek not what it needs, but what “others have.” Both gravitations — toward what is fashionable and toward what others have — pull the mind away from realizing its own impulses and attractions, gradually exhausting its creative capacities.
As the “Keeper of the Gates of Earth,” Ziminiar allows through these Gates of realization only what does not disturb the passivity of this principle. In this way he expresses a kind of “firmness” stripped of generative potential; his “earth” is not fertile soil, but an empty, stony surface.
For the Magus, resistance to Ziminiar begins with awareness of the need for productive activity as an instrument for developing mind. Even while practicing contemplation, the Wayfarer must avoid passivity and asthenia, not confusing calm with inertia.
Only when mind is equally free of clinging, anger, and indifference — when it realizes itself through interaction with the world, comes to know itself in that interaction, and comes to know the world in its active being inseparable from mind — does it reach those levels of its nature where freedom and actualization attain their maximum possible degree.
The Idleness of Orobas
Jealousy: Vine
Aamon: Indifference and Pacifism
Kingdoms of Sin
The Lemegeton System: Gates of the Mind
Archons and the Loss of Discernment
The Entangled Time of Agaliarept
Yetzer hara and the Buildup of Husk
Question. Do you think that a being that has exhausted its resources at the moment and has not managed to restore them or is investing all resources in a specific activity, falls under the power of this Emperor? Formally, in both cases the absence of ‘strength’ and ‘energy’ will make consciousness passive. ‘Generally, temporarily’ in the first case and ‘everywhere except, always’ in the second. And let’s assume that in both cases the energy and strength were not dissipated under the influence of predators but were used ‘for the matter’.
It depends on the degree of constructiveness of the undertaking itself. A being that invests energy in some costly but constructive, i.e., consciousness-developing activity, firstly, gains authority, and thus the ability to resist distractors, and secondly, probably has a strong desire, meaning it will restore energy fairly quickly. ‘Using Strength leads to Strength’, unlike dissipating or losing.
I’m sorry, I didn’t understand. So, if we feel a loss of strength as a result of some constructive action, it will quickly replenish, and if it is a destructive action, it will be its depletion? In that case, what could be a destructive action if a person is burning with desire and believes that their actions are constructive and benefit him and the World, but still may feel weakened for a long time?
Golden words. It is precisely to avoid getting stuck in development that a magician must complicate their actions by changing interactions with those Forces that are important to them. Example: first a magician learns to feel energy, then to see, to manage… to perceive. Then the Forces pay attention to them; then it already depends on style, direction, tradition… but gradual increase in influence is needed, otherwise you’ll get stuck, stagnate, fall out of the flow, stop, or fall.
Enmerkar, please tell me, is it even possible to totally free oneself from these so-called demons? Especially while continuing to live in society? And what awaits someone who has freed themselves from all demons?
Complete liberation from distractors means achieving the degree of the Most Perfect. Principally it is of course possible and desirable, but how much time it will take depends on personal efforts.
As far as I know, the first Archdemons are the reflected ideas of the Creator in emptiness. They are a controlling structure of demons. They are independent of the Forces and Gods. If we talk about independence, the question of the source of consciousness arises. What expresses the initial ‘true’, pure consciousness, and where is its source?