Forces of Darkness

Forces of Darkness (Forces of Evil, Forces of Materiality) -- The involutionary or materialistic forces which uphold the matter aspect of the planet.

In this particular case the Will was employed to try to help out of their enslavement a number of those who, having served the forces of darkness, and having under the Law entered into the prisons of their own making, were at last, also under the Law, ...

Their nocturnal nature leads stars to represent the struggle against the forces of darkness and the unknown, as suggested by Carl Jung's use of the Mithraic saying - "I am a star which goes with thee and shines out of the depths.

But, the forces of darkness are dominant at the Winter Solstice (see Sabbats), the shortest day of the year; which, is why the new sun god has to be born in order to insure the return of light, the balance that is achieved at the Spring Equinox.

The Babylonians, Chaldeans, and Persians believed in a dualism between the forces of darkness and light. Ahriman, in Zoroastrianism, and Seth, the god of evil in Egyptian mythology, and 'Mara' in Buddhism manifest characteristics similar to Satan's.

See also: Darkness, Light, Ritual, World, Spirit