The Scarlet Woman
Babalon—also known as The Scarlet Woman, The Great Mother or the Mother of Abominations — is a goddess found in Thelema. In her most abstract form, she represents the female sexual impulse and the liberated woman; although she can also be identified with Mother Earth in her most fertile sense. At the same time, Crowley believed that Babalon had an earthly aspect in the form of a spiritual office, which could be filled by actual women — usually as a counterpart to his own identification as ‘To Mega Therion’ (The Great Beast) — whose duty was then to help manifest the energies of the current Aeon of Horus.
“This is the Mystery of Babylon, the Mother of Abominations, and this is the mystery of her adulteries, for she hath yielded up herself to everything that liveth, and hath become a partaker in its mystery. And because she hath made her self the servant of each, therefore is she become the mistress of all. Not as yet canst thou comprehend her glory.” – 12th Aethyr
“This is Babalon, the true mistress of The Beast; of Her, all his mistresses on lower planes are but avatars” Although Crowley often wrote that Babalon and the Scarlet Woman are one, there are many instances where the Scarlet Woman is seen more as a representative of the universal feminine principle. In a footnote to Liber Reguli, Crowley mentions that of the “Gods of the Aeon,” the Scarlet Woman and the Beast are their earthly emissaries. Though many women could be the “office holder” of the Scarlet Woman, there could be only one Beast – Crowley himself.
If the number of the Beast is 666 then the number of Babalon is 777. Her consort is Chaos, the “Father of Life” and the male form of the Creative Principle. Babalon is often described as being girt with a sword and riding the Beast. She is often referred to as a sacred whore, and her primary symbol is the Chalice or Graal. As Crowley wrote, “She rides astride the Beast; in her left hand she holds the reins, representing the passion which unites them. In her right she holds aloft the cup, the Holy Grail aflame with love and death. In this cup are mingled the elements of the sacrament of the Aeon” (Crowley 1981, p. 94).