Kourai: Intermediate Intelligences in Yetzirah

The Kourai (Greek for “female youths” or “maidens”) are what we term the Astral Intelligences of the World of Yetzirah. Similarly to the kouroi, the term kourai is also connected to certain archaic Greek sculptures. The Astral Intelligences represent, in some ways, the essential quality of a given Sphere at the Astral level. Thus are they used in rites of Talismanic consecration, where they are conjured and compelled by the magician to stir the substance of the materium and this “ensouling” is what actually gives a talisman its charge.

The Intelligences and Spirits represent in different modes the essential characters of their spheres. Thus [Aschia] is lofty, silent and remote, and [Abethes] is keenly perceptive in matters of material prosperity; [Zathanat] and [Demoros] perceive directly the needs of a moral situation, but [Zathanat] with royal mien emphasises the philosophic or religious interpretation, while [Demoros] genially assists the social aspect. Of the Intelligence and the Spirit of Mars, [Zostheme] is stern and just, [Nazirias] fiery and enthusiastic. Similarly [Baltha] radiates the effulgent light and spiritual generosity of the Sun-sphere; [Sobias], its joy and warmth. [Anaitos] is the high and inspiring Lady of Beauty; [Izethos], the translator of beauty to its more earthly connotations. [Astaphia] is the Intelligence of prophecy and of the interpretation of oracles; [Psarchias], the Spirit of all communication. Finally, [Kamaira], the Queen upon the Waters, shining with the serene radiance of the Moon above the sea, is the controlling Intelligence of the Sphere of Change, of birth, of renewal; [Ierochos] dwells within that Sphere of change, and is the veritable Spirit of that fluctuation.

The Sword and the Serpent, Denning & Phillips, p. 96

AS -3- Contingent Scale by Sarkos
3. ΑΣΧΙΑ
4. ZΑΘΑΝΑΤ
5. ZΟΣΘΗΜΗ
6. ΒΑΛΘΑ
7. ΑΝΑΙΤΟΣ
8. ΑΣΤΑΦΙΑ
9. ΚΑΜΑΙΡΑ
10. ΜΕΡΟΦΙΑ

11. ΦΩΣΤΡΕΙΑ
12. ΑΣΤΑΦΙΑ
13. ΚΑΜΑΙΡΑ
14. ΑΝΑΙΤΟΣ
15. ΥΕΛΚΕΘ
16. ΚΑΒΥΡΑΣ
17. ΑΜΝΕΦΙΛΗΣ
18. ΣΕΘΑΚΛΗ
19. ΚΑΘΑΝΕΥΣ
20. ΣΕΡΙΦΥΣ
21. ZΑΘΑΝΑΤ
22. ΚΙΛΑΝΣ
23. ΝΑΣΑΜΑΛΗ
24. ΞΩΣΤΕΘ
25. ΦΩΛΩΤΟΣ
26. ΥΕΘΥΝΙΣ
27. ZΟΣΘΗΜΗ
28. ΣΑΤΡΑΝΙΣ
29. ΚΥΛΑΘΙΟΣ
30. ΒΑΛΘΑ
31. ΤΙΒΥΛΚΑΝ
32. ΕΘΑΧΩΝ

 


3. ΑΣΧΙΑ = 812. Intelligence of Saturn.

812 = ἁλουργής “sea-purple”
812 = ἀμαυρός “dark, dim, obscure, murky”
812 = βίω “to live”
812 = ὁ βροτός “the mortal; the blood from a wound”
812 = ῥύμβος “bull roarer, magic wheel, phallus”
812 = σφαῖρα “sphere” (from Liber 1264)
812 = ᾠδή “ode, song”
Back to Top


4. ZΑΘΑΝΑΤ = 369. Intelligence of Jupiter.

369 = ληναῖος “belonging to the wine press,” an epithet of Bacchus
369 = κάμηλος “camel”
369 = νόσημα “sickness, disease, plague”
Back to Top


5. ZΟΣΘΗΜΗ = 342. Intelligence of Mars.

342 = παλλάς “virgin, maiden”; epithet of Athena, derived from πάλλω or “brandisher”
342 = ἡ κανναβίς “the hemp”
342 = βοός “ox, cow”
Back to Top


6. ΒΑΛΘΑ = 43. Intelligence of Sol.
Back to Top


7. ΑΝΑΙΤΟΣ = 632. Intelligence of Venus.

Note that ἀναίτιος is “guiltless” and ἄνατος is “unharmed”

Back to Top


8. ΑΣΤΑΦΙΑ = 1013. Intelligence of Mercury.

1013 = αβεραμενθω A Gnostic deity identified with Christ.
1013 = ἀρχάγγελος “archangel”
1013 = εὐχῇ “prayer; pray”

1013 = σαβαώθ “Sabaoth” a Gnostic god-name

Sabaoth (Gnostic) Title of the genii of Mars, one of the planetary regents of the seven sacred planets as enumerated by Origen in his outline of the Gnostic system. Likewise one of the quaternary of emanations which formed the unity of Jehovah, according to the Gnostics: Iao, Adonai, Sabaoth, and Eloi.

Also one transliteration of the Hebrew Tseba’oth (q.v.).
Encyclopedic Theosophical Glossary

Note ἀσταφίς means “raisins” or “raisin wine”.

 
Back to Top


9. ΚΑΜΑΙΡΑ = 173. Intelligence of Luna.

173 = αριμαθαια “Arimathea”

Note καμάρα means “vault” or other arched covering
Back to Top


10. ΜΕΡΟΦΙΑ = 726.
Intelligence of Tellus.

 
Back to Top


11. ΦΩΣΤΡΕΙΑ = 1916. Intelligence of Air.

= 1916 = 8

φώς τρεῖς is “fleeing light”
Back to Top


15. ΥΕΛΚΕΘ = 469. Intelligence of Aries.

= 469 = kriqinoV “made of barley”
‘o onqoV “the dirt, dung”
to amhn “the certainty”
Nuiq “Nuit” (from Liber 1264)
Back to Top


16. ΚΑΒΥΡΑΣ.
Intelligence of Taurus.

= 724 = glaukoV “light blue”
‘h loceia “the process of childbirth”
Back to Top


17. ΑΜΝΕΦΙΛΗΣ = 844. Intelligence of Gemini.

844 = to duo “the two”
844 = qelw “I will; I am willing”
844 = ‘o douloV “the slave”

Possibly from amneioV filhV or “lover of the lamb”?
Back to Top


18. ΣΕΘΑΚΛΗ
Intelligence of Cancer.

= 273 = ‘h kleiV “the key”
exhV “one after another; next”
Back to Top


19. ΚΑΘΑΝΕΥΣ. Possibly from kaqanuw meaning “to bring to quite an end”
Intelligence of Leo.

= 686 = Aiodax. Yetziratic Power of Pisces.
‘H peleia kai ‘h ‘ugra. “The dove and the waters.”
floggoi “the notes of the musical scale”
‘etairoV “comrade, companion, lover”
to apeiron “the boundless”
apletoV “immense”
Back to Top


20. ΣΕΡΙΦΥΣ. Perhaps relating to the island of Seriphos.
Intelligence of Virgo.

= 1415 = zwsthr “warrior’s girdle, baldric”
ofeilw “to owe, a moral obligation”
Back to Top


22. ΚΙΛΑΝΣ.
Intelligence of Libra.

= 311 = bhta “beta”
dfnamiV “power” (with digamma)
kakoV “evil”
oikiaV “house”

Back to Top


23. ΝΑΣΑΜΑΛΗ. nasa malh is “flowing white”
Intelligence of Water.

= 331 = kalaqoV “a basket used in the Mysteries to hold sacred objects”
laikoV “belonging to the people”
alloV “other, another”
akriV “locust”
Back to Top


24. ΞΩΣΤΕΘ.
Intelligence of Scorpio.

= 1374 = to tecnhma “the work”
doulow “I enslave”
Back to Top


25. ΦΩΛΩΤΟΣ.
Intelligence of Saggitarius.

= 2700 = ocupaiderwtinoV “bright pink”
Back to Top


26. ΥΕΘΥΝΙΣ.
Intelligence of Capricorn.

= 1074
Back to Top


28. ΣΑΤΡΑΝΙΣ.
Intelligence of Aquarius.

= 862 = Abaddwn “Abaddon”
parousia “presence, arrival”
Back to Top


29. ΚΥΛΑΘΙΟΣ = 740. Intelligence of Pisces.

740 = αιθεροσμελος “music of the spheres”
740 = κτίσις “creation, foundation”
740 = κύκλος “circle, cycle”
740 = ὁ επιπασι θεός “the god of all” (Plato)
740 = ἡ θερμότης “the heat; the passion”
Back to Top


31. ΤΙΒΥΛΚΑΝ = 813. Intelligence of Fire.

813 = ὁ ἄβροτος “the holy; the immortal; the divine”
Back to Top


32. ΕΘΑΧΩΝ = 1465. Intelligence of Earth.

1465 = συναγωγή “a bringing together; one who brings together”
Back to Top

Comments are closed.