Blog, Demons, Occult Tarot
Astaroth: the Historian
Oct
“Astaroth (also Ashtaroth, Astarot, or Asteroth), in demonology, is the Great Duke of Hell in the first hierarchy with Beelzebub and Lucifer; he is part of the evil trinity. He is a male figure most likely named after the Near Eastern goddess Astarte…the name Astaroth was ultimately derived from that of the 2nd BCE millennium Phoenician goddess Astarte, an equivalent of the Babylonian Ishtar, and the earlier Sumerian Inanna.”
Source: Wikipedia
Daemonic Magick: Astaroth Ritual
In my personal deck of cards, I have Astaroth as Justice in the Major Arcana. The demon can tell of the history prior to the fallen angels’ fall from grace. When path working with Astaroth, I focus on the office of telling of things past, present, or future. Astaroth is also capable of teaching liberal sciences if the conjuror so wishes.
Lady Justice, who is depicted in the tarot card always holds a sword in one hand and scales on the other. These are commonly accepted symbols of justice as can be seen in the Sword of Damocles. The tarot card (Justice) represents fairness, law, or truth when upright. When reversed however, it represents dishonesty, lack of accountability, or even unfairness. With Astaroth, there is need for divination as the demon is capable of revealing things that the average mortal cannot see.
This tarot card shows cause and effect being a natural course of order for life. The conjuror is therefore tasked with examining their actions in order to determine the potential outcomes. Astaroth is able to teach the conjuror of things past, present, and those to come. Therefore, this demon can be very useful when helping to learn what the consequences of one’s actions can be in the future. When I see this card in a reading, I am immediately made aware that I should watch my actions in order to preventing suffering an undesirable fate.
The Demon
Astaroth is a very high ranking demon forming the evil trinity with Beelzebub and Lucifer. There is no consensus regarding the demon’s gender and there are reports that it could be androgynous. The demon belongs to the first hierarchy as a result of the high ranking. The demon appears as a malformed duke riding atop a monstrous dragon and holding a viper in his hands. The demon wears a crown on the head perhaps as an indicator of his lofty status in Hell. The demon also has an estimated 40 legions of lesser demons serving under his command. He is described as having such stinking breath that requires the conjuror to wear a special magic ring in order to approach safely. In some variations, he is depicted as having feathery wings in addition to these monstrous features. Some grimories report that he has the ability to answer any of the questions asked of him or to make the conjuror invisible if they wish.
Significant symbol – Crown
This demon has been mentioned in various grimories. Among the historical accounts that make mention of Astaroth are the Lesser Key of Solomon, the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, and the Dictionnaire Infernal. The symbol of the crown highlights royalty or authority that is consistent with his place in the first hierarchy of the evil trinity. The symbol is indicative of Astaroth being a very potent demon who should ordinarily be summoned only by experienced conjurors. There are however no reports of whether the demon is good natured, malevolent, or indifferent towards human beings. However, he is capable of luring human beings with laziness or self-doubt.
The crown is a universally known symbol that depicts loyalty or authority. This aligns with the demon’s high ranking and his vision that far surpasses anything that human beings are capable. It is no wonder he is so good for consultations in divination. Astaroth is therefore capable of helping the conjuror to see beyond the limits of the mortal eye. In this way, the conjuror is able to discern the potential effects of their actions.
Note – Astaroth is too highly ranked and potent for less experienced conjurors to attempt summoning
The Message
What should I look out for? Are there any benefits or harm that can result from my actions?
I feel like Astaroth can appear in a reading in order to highlight certain incoming consequences. The positivity or negativity of these actions depends on the causative actions performed earlier by the mage. The demon shows the need for one to examine their past, present, or future actions in order to know whether they are ultimately helpful or unhelpful in the long run.
If the reading of the Justice tarot card appears during a reading, it implies that I have been fair, lawful, and cognizant of the processes of cause and effect. Here, I can expect positive outcomes in one week or more. If I do not get any response from Astaroth, then I assume the positive effect to have gone unnoticed.
If my actions can result in harm for me in the near future, then I believe I should be able to determine this with ease. The response which I can mostly expect is for in the reading was a reversed card. The implication would be that I have been unfair in the past. This is also consistent with the processes of cause and effect.
Astaroth is a very potent demon given his high rank in hell. The demon is the custodian of all knowledge associated with the fall from grace of the 72 spirits of Solomon. This is in addition to being capable of telling the past, present, and future. If you want, he can also teach you liberal sciences. Astaroth can be useful within divination as he provides this knowledge which is otherwise kept from the eyes of mortal man.
You should however take care when you attempt to deal with Astaroth. Demons from the first hierarchy should be a preserve of experienced conjurors only – this is especially important considering that is unknown whether he is good, bad, or indifferent towards humans.
Image: photo is the property of BWC
References
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astaroth
https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/major-arcana/
