Abraxas
A term used by the Basilideans, a Gnostic sect of the second century, designating the Supreme Being or god whom they worshipped. They believed that Jesus Christ emanated from Abraxas and was a phantom while here on earth.
Abraxas
Also Abracax and Abrasax (the word Abrasax is also used to describe ancient stones of Basilidian origin inscribed with bizarre figures and formulas).
Abraxas (or Abrasax); The letters of this word add up to 365. In Tertullian's outline of the beliefs of Basilides, the term seems to refer to the unknown Father, the Prime Source. In Hyppolitus, what is described seems to be the Demiurge.
Abraxas: NS 76, 198, 211, 222
Abraye: H
Abraym (Name of the Sun in Spring): H; J 5 ...
The power of Abraxas is twofold; but ye see it not, because for
your eyes the warring opposites of this power are extinguished.
What the god-sun speaketh is life.
What the devil speaketh is death.
In describing Abraxas, C. W. King says:
"Bellermann considers the composite image, inscribed with the actual name Abraxas, to be a Gnostic Pantheos, representing the Supreme Being, with the Five Emanations marked out by appropriate symbols.
It is possible that the Orphic symbol of the serpent twisted around the egg attempts to show the motion of the sun in relation to the earth under such conditions. Mr. Mackey advances the Labyrinth of Crete, the name Abraxas, and the magic formula, ...
 See also: Spirit, World, Magic, Light, Ritual
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