Guénon refrains from passing judgment on the association of the Yazidis with devil worship or the character of Melek Taus. Nonetheless, he recognizes the shrine referred to by Seabrook as one of the seven “Towers of Satan.”
The “Towers of Satan” refer to seven locations on Earth believed to be connected to the negative spiritual realm. These sites have long intrigued those interested in esoteric and mystical traditions. They are often associated with ley lines and high places, concepts related to supernatural events in Earth’s ancient past and end-time prophecy.
These towers, also referred to as “Mesopotamian” or “central,” are considered the antithesis of the seven aktab, or pillars, in the Sufi tradition. They symbolize locations with a reversed emblem, deemed power centers linking black magicians to the Prince of Darkness.
Guénon asserts that these towers are the foundation for counter-initiation centers led by “saints of Satan,” who venerate the devil and herald the arrival of the Antichrist. Guénon’s correspondence from the 1930s often touches upon these towers. The letters reveal the existence of six additional towers: in Syria’s mountainous region, known as the “land of the Ismaili Aga Khans” among other alleged sects, and in the mountains of central Sudan, Niger, Turkestan, the Urals, and the Ob River basins.
The correspondence also mentions shifts in the Central Tower’s activities, yet details about these changes or the precise location of the Central Tower remain undisclosed.
In his 1945 book, The Reign of Quantity and the Signs of the Times, Guénon does not reference the tower of Satan, though it includes a chapter on counter-initiation and counter-tradition.
It is noted that there were no Nizari communities in Syria during the 20th century. Guénon likely alludes to the Jabal Ansar mountains, historical Ismaili strongholds in the 13th and 14th centuries, now primarily inhabited by the Nusayris/Alawites.
The Nusayris belong to an ancient Gnostic sect, sometimes labeled as devil-worshippers by certain extreme authors, possibly due to their beliefs’ resemblance to the cosmogonic concepts of the Yazidis.
Ancient teachings describe the Earth as a complex system endowed with vast energy resources
It is thought that energy manifests in areas where the earth’s crust is altered, like fault lines and meteor impact sites. These locations can have both beneficial and detrimental impacts on individuals and the environment.
René Guénon, the French philosopher, theorized the existence of seven “towers of Satan,” which emit intense negative energy. He posited that these towers were the sites where fallen angels came down to Earth. The energy from these sites is said to enable contact with malevolent forces that have the potential to dominate the world.
Guénon was not the sole figure intrigued by these enigmatic locations. The Third Reich, under Germany, was also in pursuit of them. Hitler was deeply engrossed in the occult, seeking supernatural relics he believed would aid in global domination.
Following Germany’s defeat in World War II, proponents of Nazi ideology were unsuccessful in their search for these sites. Reports indicate that three of the seven towers alluded to in the legends are situated within the territories of the former Soviet Union, while the whereabouts of the remaining four are still contested.
A prevailing hypothesis posits that the initial two towers might have been located in Africa, particularly in Niger and Sudan, nations celebrated for their ancient and sophisticated civilizations, some purported to have engaged with extraterrestrial entities.
The third location is presumed to be in Syria, with the fourth tower potentially in the historically pivotal areas of Mesopotamia and Sumer, present-day Iraq. It is conjectured that the last three towers could be found within the expansive lands of the former Soviet Union.
The fifth center of negative energy is thought to reside in the Turkestan region. Attention should also be given to Pobeda Peak, the tallest peak in the Tien Shan mountain range, known for its perilous conditions and the numerous tragic accidents that have befallen climbers. Some theories propose that one of the towers might be situated there.
René Guénon’s calculations indicate that the sixth and seventh towers might be found in the Urals or Western Siberia. Lake Baikal is another possible location, its geological faults making it a prime spot for extraordinary energy phenomena.
The Yazidis are a religious and ethnic group
The Yazidis primarily reside in Iraq, but they also have a presence in countries such as Turkey, Armenia, Georgia, Russia, and Iran. Additionally, they can be found in Syria and Ukraine, and a considerable number of Yazidis have migrated to Europe and the United States. Estimates suggest that over 500,000 Yazidis live in these nations. Yazidi organizations report that the global Yazidi population is approximately 3 million.
Yazidis speak the Kurdish language, particularly the Kurmanji dialect. Their faith, Yazidism, is a distinct religious tradition that shares close ties with ancient Kurdish beliefs, including Alevism and Yarsanism, often referred to collectively as Yazdanism. These traditions are transmitted through the generations.
The Yazidi faith is centered around two holy texts: the Kitab al-Jalwa, or Book of Revelation, and the Maskhaf Rash, known as the Black Book. These texts encompass the doctrines, laws, creation myths, and ceremonies of this remarkable religion.
The Yazidi beliefs were historically shrouded in secrecy due to persecution and thus remained largely unexplored. Nonetheless, in the 12th century, Sheikh Adi ibn Musafir played a pivotal role in shaping the religion. His teachings, which integrated aspects of Zoroastrianism, Judaism, and Christianity, were distinctively eclectic.
A key site for Yazidi worship is the Lalish sanctuary, situated in Iraqi Kurdistan, about 60 kilometers northwest of Mosul. This site was originally a Sun temple prior to the Christian era. Yazidi tradition holds that after the Arab conquest, Nestorian monks sought refuge in this temple, which was under Muslim protection.
It was in the 12th century that the Yazidis, with Sheikh Adi’s assistance, reclaimed the temple. Sheikh Adi resided there until his passing in 1162, and his tomb remains within the temple grounds.
