Mystical Cosmology THREAD
--Velikovsky, Kabbalah, Mithraism, and PIE myth--

Saturnian Cosmology refers to a collection of ideas that first originated from Immanuel Velikovsky. Essentially the key idea Velikovsky put forth was that the world’s mythology is actually based on real celestial mechanics.

Velikovsky’s theories have been vigorously attacked by the academic community. The point of this post is NOT to convince you of the truth of Saturnian Cosmology. Rather, I ask that you momentarily suspend disbelief. (I will link to more info at the end that you can examine.)

I ask you to suspend any disbelief, so that we may the easily examine implications of this within Qabalah, Mithraism, and finally PIE mythology, Let’s not get bogged down into lengthy discussion of the astrophysics behind how Saturnian Cosmology works.

Let’s begin our discussion with Qabalah/Kabbalah. Understand that the Qabalistic map called the Tree of Life (pictured below) is the key foundation behind the majority of western occult esotericism as well as Jewish mysticism.

From top to bottom following the white line I will give the name, name translation, and planetary correspondence with each circle known as a sefirot.
1. Kether – The Crown -Primum Mobile
2. Chokmah – Wisdom – Zodiac
3. Binah – Understanding – Saturn

4. Chesod – Mercy – Jupiter
5. Geburah – Strength – Mars
6. Tiphereth – Beauty – The Sun
7. Netzach – Victory – Venus
8. Hod – Splendor – Mercury
9. Yesod – Foundation – The Moon
10. Malkuth – Kingdom – The Earth

In many western occult orders grades often follow this order in reverse from Malkuth (10) to Kether (1) in what could perhaps be viewed as a return to the godhead. What does all of this actually mean though?

Note that we can align Saturn slightly different and get this model of the planets:

This model of the seven planets viewed from a different angle. This is known as the Seven Palaces and is important in both mystical Judaism and Western esotericism.

There are two important ways of categorizing the Sefirot on the Tree of Life. First is by splitting it into three triangles, beneath which Malkuth (the Earth) exists as a pendant. The first triangle on the top consists of Kether, Binah, and Chokmah.

Saturn is related to the highest trinity of super consciousness, and is the most accessible of this trinity. It is the only planet to be placed in so high an honor, thus reflecting how Saturn has always been viewed as far above the others. the original God, a brown dwarf star.

Following Saturn, the next trinity includes Jupiter, Mars, and the Sun. The Sun is placed in the center, which would make sense as it currently is the center by which we currently revolve around. Why Jupiter and Mars though?

Jupiter was seen as “the Bull of Heaven” the younger God to reveal itself following Saturn. It was able to be seen as three times larger than the Moon is today. It remained it’s massive size until reaching the asteroid belt in 2680 BC.

After 3070 Mars revealed itself. With Saturn and Jupiter disappearing into the elliptic, Mars was now held to be the God in charge of Earth. Likely he was held to be Horus of the Egyptians. This all aligns perfectly with the path from Kether to Malkuth

In the last triangle we have Venus and Mercury which blazed like the suns in 685 BC for 40 days. The last of the two to reveal themselves as gods. Note that Mercury revealed itself BEFORE Venus in Sat. Cosmology thus continuing to reflect the path of Tree of Life.

It should be obvious why Yesod (Moon) is of course, seen as the last Sephirot. It is the closest to Earth. The moon is the only of the Classical Planets which still is in our sky at the size the others once were. It is a sense a guide through which we may know the others.

Next let us briefly examine the the other view of the tree of life. The three pillars. Notice that the head of the pillar of severity is Mars and beneath it Mercury. Interesting because in Saturnian cosmology Mars and Mercury first emerge together.

Let's now discuss Mithraism. For those unfamiliar, this term refers to a Roman mystery religion, sometimes called a 'mystery school', centered around the god Mithras. The religion was inspired by Iranian worship of the Zoroastrian god Mithra.

Mithra corresponds with the Vedic Mitra and Zoroastrian Mithra. Naming a mystery cult after the god what in sanskrit means “friend” or “friendship”. Thus corresponding with first function god Varuna-Mitra.

Note that Mithras inscriptions were common in Jupiter Dolichenus temples once again reflecting the Jupiter aspects of Mithras/Mitra. Keep in mind however that in late Rome Jupiter had largely absorbed the aspects of Saturn and represented Jupiter an absolute 1st function.

Let’s now examine the grades of the Mithraic mystery cult.
Corax (raven) – Mercury
Nymphus (Bridegroom) – Venus
Miles(Soldier) – Mars
Leo(Lion) – Jupiter
Perses (Persion) – Luna
Heliodromus(sun-runner) – Sol
Pater(father) – Saturn

Notice some key similarities between these and those given in the Tree of Life?
Mercury in each case associated with Intellect
Venus associated in each case with Desire
Mars association with Volition
Jupiter association with Righteousness
Father Saturn is higher than the Sun.

This is a good time to point out to the detractors. If Odin = Jupiter (& HE DOESN’T) then why would the Mithraic Cult put Saturn above him? Why would the highest grade be governed by Saturn? Yet they worshiped Mitra who is Jupiter? Clearly Jupiter absorbed the Saturn aspects.

BUT WAIT THE ORDER OF PLANETS IS DIFFERENT. HAHA…. Your idea that this is all the same is broken! Except here is thing… it actually is just a different path expression of the same basic concept.

We actually trace a path from left to right Mercury then Venus then again next level left to right again Mars then Jupiter! Then after doing this for the first four grades known as the outer order, we can go straight up Moon-Sun-Saturn for the three inner order grades.

So how does this correspond with Dumezil and the Tripartite function? Glad you asked… So as we have learned Saturn is the supreme, and then Jupiter is the “second planetary God” so to speak reflecting the dual nature of the 1st function.

In Roman society these were later merged into just Jupiter, and it’s important to remember the distinction does in fact exist. Saturn, Jupiter and Mars formed what Porcius Cato and Verrius Flaccus referred to as the three gods which built Rome in 8th century BC.

Mars of course corresponds to judgement, awe, and fire. The archetypal Kshatriya. Saturn (Varuna) & Jupiter (Mitra) serving as the twin aspects of the Brahmin.

Beneath all of this Venus (sex, fertility, prosperity and victory) and Mercury (financial gain, commerce, messages, trickery, thieves) serve as Gods of the 3rd function, that of the Vaishya.

Aside: According to attributions of occultist Aliester Crowley, these seven planets map to the human psyche in the following way:
3. Saturn–Intuition
4. Jupiter–Memory
5. Mars–Volition
6. The Sun–Ego-center
7. Venus–Desire
8. Mercury–Intellect
9. The Moon–Automatic Consciousness

So hopefully that is a pretty decent introduction to how I view planets as obviously gods. I’m trying to keep it fairly simple even though this topic can, and has, filled many books. If you are curious about want to learn more about Saturnian Cosmology: https://saturniancosmology.org/