_Exploring the Alchemical and Occult Dimensions of a Misunderstood Thelemic Symbol_ # Decoding the Inverted Red Triangle of Thelema Last night, I watched Marco Visconti's fascinating [livestream](https://www.youtube.com/live/nFxryZNHft0?si=DBrVXXZ5ya86rT_b) on the _Inverted Red Triangle_—a symbol both deeply embedded in Thelemic tradition and, it seems, prone to outrageous misinterpretation. Visconti began with a surreal detour into the political misappropriation of the symbol by a conspiracy theorist who claimed it referred to Gaza. How such a claim was arrived at is anyone’s guess. Perhaps the Cakes of Light were particularly heady that evening—after all, Thelema has its own brand of madness. But set aside the speculative geopolitics and internal O.T.O. theatrics, and we find something far more compelling: a symbol worn on the _Tau Robe_ in O.T.O. initiations and referenced by Crowley himself in a later commentary on _Liber AL vel Legis_. The Inverted Red Triangle has nothing to do with genocide or war. It is a magical symbol that speaks to fundamental principles of the Great Work. ## What Is the Inverted Red Triangle? It is, quite simply, a red downward-pointing equilateral triangle: 🜄 In alchemical iconography, a downward-pointing triangle denotes _Water_. When coloured red—traditionally the colour of _Fire_—it generates an intentional dissonance. This overlay of elements, Fire upon Water, is not confusion but alchemical synthesis. The union of opposites. Masculine and Feminine. Heat and Coolness. Action and Receptivity. In sexual alchemy, it hints at _Rex de Arte Regia_—the King of the Royal Art—Sex Magick itself. In TARO terms we are looking at the Lovers and the Art cards which should be interpreted as complementary to each other. ## Fire, Water… and the Invisible Counterpart? If there is a red 🜄 symbolising Fire within Water, does there exist a blue 🜂—Fire’s triangle pointing upward—imbued with the qualities of Water? And if not, why not? This question opens the gate to a deeper occult insight. Perhaps the term _inverted_ is not literal but implies a mirror, a deviation, or a shadow principle. The missing blue triangle—an unseen counterpart—may hint at Akasha, the fifth element, or the unseen forces of the _Supernal Triangle_ in Qabalistic terms. Air and Earth, too, are implicated in this system of colour-coded geometry. Red 🜄 could collapse into 🜃 (Earth), while blue 🜂 implies 🜁 (Air). There is a subtle yet complex colour magick operating in the background. ## Link to the Hidden Masters Alternatively, the invisible blue 🜂 represents the link to the Hidden Masters, Holy Guardian Angel, Aiwaz, Augoeides, or whoever floats your boat. ## The Alchemy of Dissonance The visual dissonance of a red Water symbol should not be dismissed. In ritual and initiation, such symbols destabilise the intellect to open higher vision. The union of Fire and Water is the generative paradox at the heart of all true alchemy. It is the essence of the _Solve et Coagula_ formula, encoded here not as words, but as shape and hue. ## Avoiding the Eternal O.T.O. Wars Naturally, all this is far more intriguing than the Eternal O.T.O. Soap Opera—a melodrama played out online and off, full of secret squabbles, performative secrecy, and the occasional absurdity. For those of us who never joined this “Secret” organisation, these controversies are mildly amusing footnotes. The real mystery lies in the symbol itself—if you choose to look. #oto #sex-magic #holy-guardian-angel --- ### Contact me The circle is open — if the work calls to you, or if you simply wish to say hello, you're most welcome. Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: [Message me here](https://wa.me/447918637940) ### Links to Paul on the web - [Patreon](https://www.patreon.com/paulhughesbarlow) - [Youtube](https://www.youtube.com/@PaulHughesBarlow1) - [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/paul.hughesbarlow) - [Bluesky](https://bsky.app/profile/paulhughesbarlow.bsky.social)