Peacock Angel: The Esoteric Tradition of the Yezidis

The Yezidis are an ancient people who worship Melek Taus, the Peacock Angel, an enigmatic figure often identified as "the devil" or Satan. This secretive culture has been persecuted for centuries. Peter Lamborn Wilson's study examines the sect's antinomian doctrines, magical lore, and taboos, and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He reveals how the historical founder of the sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent who settled in a remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. The author examines Yezidi cosmogony, the role of angels, ritual, alchemy, symbology, and color in their religion, and presents the first English translation of the poetry of Caliph Yazid ibn Muawiya, venerated by the Yezidis as Sultan Ezi. Wilson shows that the Yezidis worship "the Devil" but the devil is not "evil." God has redeemed him and he rules a world of beauty and spiritual realization.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 09 June 2022
Publisher: Inner Traditions Bear and Company

The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey,Syria,Iraq,and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Taus,the Peacock Angel,an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan,hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted. Presenting a study of the interior,esoteric dimensions of Yezidism,Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sects antinomian doctrines of opposition,its magical lore and taboos,and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent,Sheik Adi ibn Musafir,who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam,and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel,Melek Taus,with all its “Satanic” connotations. Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture,the author examines Yezidi cosmogony,how they are descended from the androgynous Adam--before Eve was created--as well as the role of an.

The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey,Syria,Iraq,and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Taus,the Peacock Angel,an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan,hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted.

Presenting a study of the interior,esoteric dimensions of Yezidism,Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sects antinomian doctrines of opposition,its magical lore and taboos,and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent,Sheik Adi ibn Musafir,who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam,and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel,Melek Taus,with all its “Satanic” connotations.

Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture,the author examines Yezidi cosmogony,how they are descended from the androgynous Adam--before Eve was created--as well as the role of an.

The Yezidis are an ancient people who live in the mountainous regions on the borders of Turkey,Syria,Iraq,and Iran. This secretive culture worships Melek Taus,the Peacock Angel,an enigmatic figure often identified as “the devil” or Satan,hence the sect is known as devil-worshippers and has long been persecuted.

Presenting a study of the interior,esoteric dimensions of Yezidism,Peter Lamborn Wilson examines the sects antinomian doctrines of opposition,its magical lore and taboos,and its relation to other occult traditions such as alchemy. He explains how the historical founder of this sect was a Sufi of Ummayad descent,Sheik Adi ibn Musafir,who settled in this remote region around 1111 AD and found a pre-Islamic sect already settled there. Sheik Adi was so influenced by the original sect that he departed from orthodox Islam,and by the 15th century the sect was known to worship the Peacock Angel,Melek Taus,with all its “Satanic” connotations.

Revealing the spiritual flowering that occurs in an oral culture,the author examines Yezidi cosmogony,how they are descended from the androgynous Adam--before Eve was created--as well as the role of an.

Weight: 440g
Dimension: 151 x 228 x 19 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781644114124