Blog, Occult Tarot
Marbas: The Healer
Feb
Marbas: The Healer
“In demonology, Marbas or Barbas is a demon described in the Ars Goetia. He is described as the Great President of Hell governing thirty-six legions of demons. He answers truly on hidden or secret things, causes and heals diseases, gives wisdom and knowledge in mechanical arts, and can change men into other shapes. He is depicted as a great lion that, under the conjurer’s request, changes shape into a man. The name Barbas also comes from the Latin ‘barba’ beard, hellebore (a plant used in witchcraft, especially to invoke demons), and also a male name”.
Source: Wikipedia
In my deck of cards, Marbas has been given the 10 of Wands. There are several of his offices that can be used when path working. He is able to cause and cure all manner of diseases. In addition, he is also capable of telling secrets and revealing hidden things to the conjuror. Marbas can also cause one to shapeshift if they so wish. Personally, I am drawn towards his office of curing illnesses as these are a major concern today. Diseases, especially the ones that cannot be cured clinically, pose a major challenge for most people today.
The 10 of Wands is a tarot card that belongs to the Minor Arcana. When it appears upright, it is associated with being burdened by extra responsibility or doing it all. When reversed in a reading, it can mean delegation of duties or even release from a burden. In the foreground, it shows a man carrying a load of sticks on a bent back and he appears to be strained by the weight on his back. The man looks down as in a determined facial expression which can be expected when exerting effort. In the background, a town can be seen not too distant from the man and it may be that this is his destination.
Lions are usually symbolic of power, royalty, strength, majesty, courage, military primacy, or authority. With Marbas, there is a desire to triumph over challenges such as chronic illnesses – this obviously requires the individual to draw upon their strengths. When working with this demon it is worth considering his ability to help one recover from diseases of all kinds. The 10 of Wands therefore represents Marbas’ potential for helping one to shoulder the burden of disease or any other challenges as a result of inner strength.
The Demon
Marbas is a Great President of Hell with 36 legions of lesser demons serving under his command. He is a fallen angel and the 5th of the 72 demons that were ensnared by King Solomon. Marbas appears as a great lion that has otherwise no monstrous attributes. Upon the request of the conjuror, Marbas is able to assume the shape of a human being. He is prominently discussed within the Ars Goetia of the Lesser Key of Solomon the King. Marbas is able to cause and heal all manner of diseases, teach the mechanical arts, reveal hidden truths and items, and cause men to shapeshift if they so wish.
Significant Symbol – Lion
The origins of this demon can be traced back to ancient Middle-Eastern mythology. The Ars Goetia, the Pseudomonarchia Daemonum, the Dictionnaire Infernal, and other renowned grimories acknowledge Marbas as being the 5th of the 72 fallen angels who were bound by King Solomon. He is a potent demon as seen in his high ranking within the demonic hierarchy as well as among the Goetic demons – his appearance as a majestic lion is also testament towards his potency and power. There are however no mentions of whether the demon is benevolent, malevolent, or indifferent towards human beings.
Note – this demon is equally capable of causing illnesses as he is able to cure them.
The Message
Is there a chance for anyone I know to overcome a chronic condition? What could I be not seeing or missing?
I believe Marbas comes to help benevolent conjurors to overcome illnesses – he can also help malevolent conjurors to bring illnesses on targeted enemies. He can alternatively reveal secrets and other hidden things to the mage. Marbas can also teach and impart wisdom on the mechanic arts if the conjuror desires. If they so wish, Marbas can also convert the magician into another shape of their desire. You can summon this demon and use him to achieve objectives which are consistent with his offices.
If the 10 of Wands appears in a reading, my first reaction is to examine myself. I am drawn to the realization that I am currently shouldering a burden or another person close to me is. If I am healthy, I will immediately think of the people I am close to or anyone who is ailing within my social circle. If I am healthy and cannot determine anyone I know suffering from a chronic condition, I will begin to question if there is a secret being hidden or something buried. This is because I do not harbor any interests in shapeshifting or learning about the mechanical arts. I also have no interest in causing illnesses to a person.
If I do not see any signs of illness within the next week or two, I will examine the people who are close to me. During the same period, I also attempt to determine if they are holding any secrets or hiding stuff from me. If there are no tell-tale signs of either, I assume that the message being sent by the demon has not yet arrived or has since passed. However, I continue to take care of my health in order to avoid any possibility of disease. In a matter of weeks, I am able to tell whether there are any illnesses to contend with or secrets that I should be aware of.
All tarot readings and the symbolism contained within are open to interpretation. Let us know what you think of this demon and the Knight of Swords in the comment section below. We’d love to hear from you!
Occult Tarot by Travis McHenry
Drawing on daemons, symbols, and sigils from ancient magickal grimoires including Archidoxis Magica and the Key of Solomon, Occult Tarot presents a fully realized divination tool to finally embrace and behold the mysteries of the night.
The first tarot deck to faithfully adhere to the Solomonic principles of demon conjuration, Occult Tarot allows practitioners to discover the power of ancient demons and learn to tame the beasts that wander between the physical and spiritual worlds.
Should we be sold out, if you are in the USA you can grab this deck from Amazon.
References
http://dbpedia.org/page/Marbas
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marbas
https://www.biddytarot.com/tarot-card-meanings/minor-arcana/suit-of-wands/ten-of-wands/
