Through the retroversion of the senses we achieve inspiration, drunkenness of the senses, with the ability to see the world aglow with colored lights.

The Shadow Tarot

"The Virgin of God is enthroned upon an oyster-shell; she is like a pearl, and seeketh 70 to her 4. In her heart is Hadit the invisible glory."

Aleister Crowley, Liber CCXXXI

"The fourteenth tunnel is suffused with the kala of Venus ... The name of its sentinel is Dagdagiel. She may be evoked by vibrating her name in the key of 'F' sharp accompanied by a crooning or lilting sound ... The sigil of Dagdagiel shows the letter Daleth reversed and in the form of a gallows from which hangs an inverted triangle above the letters A V D. The triangle is the inverted pyramid set in the Abyss with its apex in the Void (Ain), for this reciprocal tunnel is reflected into the gulfs beyond Kether."

Kenneth Grant, Nightside of Eden

excerpted from . . .

The Shadow Tarot 

© Linda Falorio, 1995, 1998

              Dagdagiel is seen here as sensual, debauched Venus, depicted as abhorred Alphito—the White Sow, Phagmo Dorje—wallowing shamelessly, enmired, in sheer orgasmic delight. She is the profligate mother, who, not recognizing her own offspring eats them with gluttonous desire. Her retromingent vulva—the secreting part, represents the Womb of Time, the Eye of the Void, the Gate for the Aeon of Maat, and indicates that She is High Priestess of the Mysteries within, Who bows before No Man.

This the 14th Tunnel's door is fashioned as an oyster-shell, which is a symbol of male sexual prowess and staying power—yet it has the salt-sea scent and shape of the feminine organ. Outside the shell we find the Chaos of the spider's web; within, the web becomes a network of "infinitely corroding light" whose interstices are black holes in interstellar space. These black holes are the midnight crossroads between dimensions, they are transcosmic vortices through the Void that suck us unaware into the Twilight Dreamtime; they are vortices that first spew out then suck the Universe back upon itself into Non-being.

Crawling upon the sigil in a ring of fire are the Spider, Snake, and Scorpion, all symbols of Serk, Weaver of the first web, Caster of the first Circle. On the right is Odudua, also known as Erzulie Bon Rouge, the Goddess of Love, and the Goddess of Death—for is not Love called "the little death"? Refusing none, She gives herself to all without distinction. Her consort, the Beast Shugal, beckons her within these dream dimensions, where together they distill the ultimate love-wine, the blood essence, the milk of Life. The Shakti answers with the sign of Koth, or, Kotha, the voluptuous Goddess of Desire, "whom Satan, beholding, desireth!"

MEDITATION:

          The need to work with the energies of Dagdagiel may be signaled by experiencing an inner lack of joy, the feeling of inability to appreciate life's simple, sensual pleasures. One may feel out of touch with one's body, emotionally unable to reach out to others, however one may wish to do so. There may be a sense of premature physical and/or emotional aging that results from bioenergetic body-armoring, and which may be signaled by experiencing irrational anger at, and abhorrence of pornography. Here we find emphasis on rationality and analytic thought, with inability to live through the senses, to stay in the present, having too much focus on the future. Here too, we may find lack of perspective, with fearfulness, and an inability to relax, to enjoy, and to go with the flow of the moment.

The powers of Dagdagiel are those of drunkenness of the senses, the ability to see the world aglow with colored lights. Here is appreciation of, and mastery of the Green Ray  of nature, with the possibility of communication with and cooperation with the Devas., who are the elemental Sprites, or Spirits of Nature. Here too are sexual prowess and fecundity; here is the power of communion with all life, the ability to make life thrive and grow. Here especially is the retroversion of the senses, the power to merge with all forms of life, with all creatures, human and otherwise, with all races, cultures, creeds, the power to merge with all aspects of existence, to merge even with those which seem naturally repugnant to narrowed senses—without fear of harm.  And here is the ability to find in this merging inspiration, divinity, forgetfulness of self, orgasm, bliss. For here is the power of Love which denies none, and "conquers even ravening beasts."

Danger lies in lack of discernment and judgment when seeking ultimate oblivion "in the kisses of Nu." Danger lies in the dissipation—physical and moral, including diseases such as AIDS—which are attendant upon total hedonistic surrender to impulse, and immersion in sensual desire without thought of future consequences, and especially without thought of mothering those things we love.