The Cross and the Occult

Most of the information in this article is taken from the book ‘The Secret Teachings of all Ages’ by Manly P. Hall, the 20th century occultist. click here to purchase your copy of this valuable reference book.

Ancients revered the cross

According to modern occultists, the cross was associated in pre-Christian times with nature-worship. The Aztecs, Toltecs and American Indians are among those who believed the cross had mystical powers. Eastern religions also incorporated the cross into their symbology, while to the Pythagoreans, the number 10, signified by an X, was sacred. The cross is also revered by the Illuminati, Rosicrucians and Alchemists who believe that it symbolises light.

There are three main types of cross: the Tau; the Crux Ansata; and the Christian cross.

The Tau (Tav) Cross

The Tau cross looks like the modern capital ‘T’ and occultists believe it may have originated among the ancient Egyptians. It is believed to be the oldest form of cross and is sometimes referred to as a ‘hammer’ cross. In Kabbala-Masonry, Tubal-Cain presents a hammer in the form of a Tau cross to Hiram Abiff and this symbol is preserved in Freemasonry as the T-square. This cross has multiple forms among the occult groups, such as the Royal Arch of Freemasonry’s Triple Tau.

The Crux Ansata

The Crux Ansata, also known as the ‘cross of life’, is a Tau cross topped by a circle. Some occultists believe this form of cross is connected to a legend about St. Peter’s ‘golden key’ which gives entry to heaven. Occultists from the Egyptian mystery school revere this form of cross as having power over evil, going so far as to co-opt the words of Constantine, in hoc signo vinces. (‘in this sign I will conquer’ – a reference to the vision God granted to the pagan Constantine ensuring his victory in battle if he used Christ’s cross on his banners.)

To the occultist and pagan, the Crux Ansata is generally associated with water.

The Roman and Greek Catholic Crosses

This is the cross used by Christians to represent Christ’s death; however, occultists do not necessarily believe that Our Lord died on this form of cross.

Occultists acknowledge the importance of the cross to the Christian: that it is a symbol of Christ’s sacrifice while also representing their own hardships in life. But they posit that the sacrificial aspect derives from antiquity, believing that to many ancient civilisations, the cross symbolised the equinoxes and solstices, when the sun was ‘crucified’ in astronomical terms.

Other occultists, unable to attribute Christianity’s popularity to Its intrinsic Truth, claim that the widespread adoption of the cross by Christians is only evidence that it was a highly important symbol to pagans. They point to the Southern Cross constellation, associated with seasonal rainfall and so revered by pagan civilisations, as proof of man’s inherent attraction to the cross as a symbol. The high-level Freemason, Albert Pike, taught that the four letters placed at the top of Christ’s cross during His crucifixion, are connected to the four elements which the Kabbala represents in a cruciform symbol.

Other Significant Ideas about Crosses

Occultists find significance in the fact that a cube can be opened to form a cross. (Image source here)

To the occultist, the cross within a circle may be either a symbol for the planet Earth, or for the element ‘earth’, because it is formed by four triangles representing the four elements.

Alchemists used a cross to symbolise the four constituents of the Philosopher’s Stone, and Freemasons also revere this form of the cross.

Other alchemy symbols which contain crosses.

Composition of Crosses

To the occultist, the composition of a cross is highly significant. A golden cross signifies illumination; a silver cross symbolises purification; a base metal cross symbolises humiliation; a wooden cross represents aspiration.

The cross is sometimes said to symbolise the human body due to the practise of those people who extend their arms while in prayer. The Kabbala, which identifies four natures of man (physical, vital, emotional and mental), relates each nature with one of the four elements, thus adding another layer to its association of the cross with the four elements.