The Grigori Who Keep the Balance
“And the angels, the sons of heaven, … said to one another: ‘Let us choose wives for ourselves from among the daughters of men, and beget children for ourselves’!
The Book of Enoch, ch. 2
One of the strange groups of beings that live among humans, yet do not share their aims or their course of development, are the so‑called Watchers — the Grigori (Greek ἐγρήγοροι, Aramaic עִירִין iyrin).
The story of their origin is described in detail in a number of Old Testament apocrypha associated with the patriarch Enoch (and also, in the book of the prophet Daniel).
According to this account, in times beyond memory two hundred angels, led by Semyaza (in some sources, also Azazel) — came down to earth in order to sire a race of giants — Nephilim. They lived among humans, taught people Magic, science and crafts, but were later routed by the heavenly host, and the Nephilim were swept away by the Flood. Yet the angels who survived the battle and their descendants continued to wander the earth, belonging neither to heaven nor to hell, silently observing human life and entering battles whenever the world risked losing its balance, fighting at times on the side of heaven and at other times for the underworlds — depending on which side had violated equilibrium.
Let us try to make sense of what happened.
The angels mentioned in the account belonged to the order of Seraphim (in Christian angelology the Dominions — angels of Gevurah), and originally dwelt on the corresponding heaven of Mahon, under the authority of Samael and Sandalphon. Their Hebrew name, SHRPIM, is rendered “serpents,” and derives from the verbal root SHRP, meaning kindler.
The function of the Seraphim is the awakening of inner activity in those systems over which they exert influence. This primary activity is weakly governed and weakly controlled; it is the primary fire of Mars, scorching and destructive.
Yet, in the sense of primal source the fire of Gevurah is named most akin to Keter and the Creator. The idea of Mars’s role can also be found among the alchemists, where it is traditionally associated with iron among the metals:
“This metal is generated by the force of all the stars and planets… Surrounded on all sides by dark clouds and gloom, it wanders in the very womb of the earth, hidden there, born of no one, yet eternal and the father of all.”
It is no accident that one of the names of the Ruler of Gevurah is Kemael, a name meaning “He Who Sees God.” The Power of Gevurah dissolves the inexorability of the laws of being, transforming the dead form of the given — the past — into a natural impulse of energy in which the new, the future, is born.
In effect, the Seraphim are the most active of the angelic orders, and therefore the most free. Thus, unlike all other ministering spirits, they, as Dionysius the Areopagite says,
“dominate over the others that follow those orders of angels, being themselves free. Having abandoned slavish fear, they voluntarily and with joy serve God unceasingly.”
It is therefore unsurprising that some of these angels resolved to defy their very nature — for ministering spirits are not only unfree, they are also not immortal in the absolute sense of the word: they are born from Dinur and return to Dinur.
And just as humans found a way out of gilgul by fixing their souls in the Interworld, these Dominions resolved to preserve their free existence by “clinging” to the manifest world, moving into the human wave of life.
It was for this purpose that they came down “on Ardis, which is the summit of Mount Hermon; and they called it Mount Hermon, for they swore upon it and uttered oaths to one another. ”
Sources differ about the names of the first Grigori. According to the Book of Enoch, they are “Semyaza, their leader, Urakibaramel, Akibeel, Tamiel, Ramuel, Danel, Ezekeel, Sarakuyyal, Azael, Batraal, Anani, Tsakebe, Samsaveel, Sartael, Turel, Iomyyael, Arazyal”,
in another variant — “Semyaza, Arakiel, Rameel, Kokabiel, Tamiel, Ramiel, Danel, Chazaqiel, Barakiel, Azael, Armaros, Batari’el, Betzaliel, Ananiel, Zachiel, Shamsiel, Satariel, Turiel, Yomiel, Sariel”
according to the “Parables of Enoch” — Semyaza, Asbeel, Gadrel, Kasdeya, Kesbeel and others; according to G. Davidson’s “Dictionary of Angels” — Armaros, Arakiil, Azazel, Barakiil, Ezekiel, Gadriil, Kokabil, Penemu, Sariil, Semyaza and Samshiil.
All sources concur, however, the Grigori made a substantial contribution to teaching humans Magic, astronomy and astrology, the sciences and the arts.
It becomes clear why they did this.
The Grigori possess only an “artificial soul,” the existence of which depends on the existence of the dense plane, the “world below.” Therefore they are equally uninterested neither in the fall of the Earth into the Qliphoth, nor in its evolution into Yesod. Thus the Watchers uphold the balance on earth between the Forces of Light and the Dark. If that balance is threatened these Grey Angels shift to the opposite scale to combat the forces that have upset equilibrium, in order to restore the prior balance.
When the balance is maintained, the Grigori simply walk among humans, cast off by heaven yet never fully come to earth. Keeping a world alien to them, a world that has become their refuge, they strive not to interfere in its affairs except when absolutely necessary — able to teach much, but not seeking to do so.
For the Magus, contact with the Grigori is usually pointless, and sometimes dangerous. Setting aside romantic notions about the Watchers, one can see that their aims are directly opposed to the goals of Magic. The Grigori strive to keep this world stable; Magi destabilize it with every act. Nevertheless, in exceptional circumstances the Watchers may assist a Magus’s Passage beyond the Threshold if they judge that the best way to preserve the stability of the world is to remove Magi from it.
This is a clash of interests. The original goal seems to be one, but due to different natures, it is achieved through different paths.
Enemies by circumstance..
Good afternoon. Is there any connection between Gregory and g’yalgo?
What are the signs of interaction with Gregory?
What is the difference between Gregory and the gray ‘hobby colleagues’?
Gregory are not spirits; they are embodied beings.
G’yalgo are also embodied beings.
Please tell me, did I understand correctly that Gregory were spirits but became embodied beings by their choice, transitioning into a human life wave? And when different sources today (for example, David Icke) talk about reptilians, are they referring to Gregory?
If they are embodied beings, what is the nature of their conductors (bodies)?
Especially since they have souls, albeit artificial. According to legend, they never sleep and are of gigantic size.
Spatially, are they still in the In-Between or in the manifested world, i.e., exaggerating, do they live and go to work alongside us?
Sorry, there was some confusion. Gregory, of course. Where does this name come from? And how can we still recognize them?
Gregory means ‘the watchers.’ And yes, they resemble humans. The reality of our world is such that ‘pure’ people – that is, beings with exclusively human energy – are far from all those we meet on the street. In addition to Gregory and nephilim, there are various others with energies of fairies, igvos, and many others.
It’s interesting, if they are indeed that powerful and need stability on earth without jumps and fluctuations, why wouldn’t they arrange society to their liking, strengthen it with dogmas, and minimize the risk of various disruptors like mages? Or do they simply not realize themselves, consider themselves human?
Gregory are embodied beings. Does this mean they possess mortal human bodies?
Good day. I have a question that has arisen after a few days: Gregory are embodied beings. Does this mean that they are bearers of some force striving to maintain the balance of other forces and actively use it, or is it much more mundane: is there a structure with many years of experience monitoring everything happening in the world and resorting to the use of a baseball bat only when necessary? Is such a phenomenon as ‘God’s wrath’ an expression of such a force? And why now, when the world is becoming more demonic, does it appear that Gregory is not taking noticeable actions to restore the balance of forces?
Eiol: I think that people like magicians are needed by Gregory; they surely have their place in the cosmos, and their absence would greatly skew the scales.
Both. Gregory use both their quasi-angelic abilities and, when necessary, won’t hesitate to use a baseball bat. And right now, they are acting; they just have unequal strength.
Could you write an article or at least a small note about people with ‘impurities’ of other energies mentioned above? Unfortunately, reliable information is hard to find nowadays… 🙁
And also: does this mean that any being incarnating as a human and “visible” as metallic-grey, shimmering, is a grigori?
It is said here that the egregores are not interested in the fall of the earth into klippot nor in the evolution in Yesod; with evolution, everything is clear, but can the spirits serve become klippot.
Something is not right here.
Angels decided – did not decide, went – did not go. But do angels even possess free will? Let us say, they are endowed with some semblance of personality, but with free will.. To be honest, they seemed to me more like a laser cutter with a rather indifferent interface. Machines of great power, and they act like machines – nothing personal, nothing extra.
The second point. So by their very act of throwing down the gauntlet, they gained free will. And how could they possibly decide to throw down the gauntlet without possessing free will? Or have they evolved to the level of accepting the spark, or… Or are they much more cunning than can be imagined? And that cannot be. I repeat, the impression from interacting with them – as extremely powerful functional mechanisms, require purity, absolutely ruthless. A huge flow of light of wild power, capable of burning in case of non-compliance with a certain purity. And there is no reason in them zero.
The third point (or, rather, observation). If I were in their place, I would engage in building capitalism, lead financial power, enter the administrative apparatus. In that sphere of finance, where you don’t need to be an administrator but rather an innovator. In general, administration best suits their goals and limitations.
Have you encountered them in inner vision? What images did they present themselves with? As I understand, these are intellectual machines. There is intelligence, but reason is lacking. But then how does reason differ from intelligence in the context of magical myth?
It has been 9 years since I wrote that comment)). It would be great to add a notification feature on the site that someone replied to your comment. After all, you still have to specify your email. Is it technically difficult to do? It would significantly increase the density of discourse within the framework of magical myth. And there is much to discuss))
I suspect that Grigori are the same Mahatmas, in esotericism and the New Age movement, who do not provide anything meaningful in terms of technologicality and the integrity of vision (theory), but rather overlay a too ‘refined morality’. It is strange, according to other sources, fallen Angels are Lucifer and they form a hierarchy of dark forces (demons). I don’t know if it is accurate to relate them to climatic forces (the dark hierarchy)?