Abraxas (And Why You Should Probably Be a Little Afraid of Him)
The god above gods, Jung’s metaphysical curveball, and the awkward truth about being whole
It’s Not a Vibe—It’s a Threat
Everyone wants to be the sun or the moon.
No one wants to be both at once—and also a snake.
Abraxas is a name I first came across in a book that felt like it was watching me back. You know the kind.
He’s not your candle-and-crystals, affirmation-fed deity. (Nothing wrong with those…)
He doesn’t help you manifest your dream job.
He is the thing that swallows opposites—and doesn’t apologize for the taste.
Carl Jung named him in The Seven Sermons to the Dead, that little back-of-the-drawer psychospiritual document he insisted didn’t count as “real work.” (Spoiler: it was very real work.)
Abraxas isn’t about healing.
He’s about totality. And the parts of yourself you keep obfuscated.
The Most Dangerous God Is the One You Already Contain
"Abraxas is the god who is difficult to grasp. His power is greatest, because man does not perceive it..."
— Jung, Seven Sermons to the Dead
God and devil. Light and dark. Creation and collapse.
He isn’t either/or. He’s yes/and.
He’s the part of you that wants to be good, and the part that wants to burn it down. And he doesn’t split those impulses into different rooms like we’ve been taught to. We like binaries because they’re clean. But clean doesn’t make you free. It makes you quiet.
Abraxas doesn’t offer moral clarity. He offers something worse: the truth that you're both—and you're still worth naming.
We like binaries because they’re clean. But clean doesn’t make you free. It makes you quiet.
You Can’t Be Seen Without Being Misunderstood
I told a friend recently: Even when you accept that you contain multitudes, you can’t make anyone else recognize them in you.
They’ll still want to pin you.
To simplify you.
To digest you.
Saint or sinner. Artist or administrator. Dreamer or drag. Pick one, they say. Be consistent.
But wholeness isn’t consistent. It’s contradictory, inconvenient, and sometimes a little raw. It doesn’t perform well on LinkedIn. Which is exactly why it’s powerful.
The Gospel of Thomas (and Why It Feels Like a Dare)
“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you.
If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”
— Gospel of Thomas, Logion 70
You already know what this means. You’ve known it in the pit of your gut, in the thing you hide under sarcasm or silence or spreadsheets.
The most dangerous thing in your life isn’t what someone might do to you.
It’s the self you’ve put on mute.
Abraxas doesn’t punish. He just exists, in full. The invitation is to stop pretending you’re only one thing at a time.
Okay But Seriously, Tell Me:
What’s the part of you that doesn’t fit the persona?
The contradiction that makes people tilt their heads at you?
The thing you almost buried just to be understood?
Drop it in the comments. Or write it on a post-it and feed it to the wind. (Or forward this post to someone who calls you “too much” as though it’s a compliment wrapped in flypaper glue.)
Voices in the ‘stack
A.P. Murphy once wrote, "Opsec is life." Then gave me three rules for existing outside empire and also sent me a link to a pizza review that made me question time. He’s featured in our upcoming anthology. You’ll see why.
🔎 Seen something that needs unearthing? I feature radical reads + reader finds on Fridays. Tag me or reply if you want your thoughts featured.
This week’s rec: “Blue Canary Part 1”, from The Strangeness Kit
Sharp, strange, and worth your scroll. Tell 'em I sent you.
✍️ Writers: Enjoy some of my previously-shared free resources & templates
Not immune to consumption
📚 TBR this week:
The Red Book (again, but slower; like it’s going to respond if I pause long enough)🎧 Currently playing:
Dark Gnosis (remaster) from The Great Southern Darkness (a bit harder)
Goetia from Peter Gundry (a little chiller)🧵 Upcoming:
My piece on Hekate’s Bronze Sandals and why we all need better metaphysical footwear.
📚 Read some of my free fiction here on Substack or buy my books on Amazon
A brief word on my life
(A bit about me tucked away at the end)
I just had an eye procedure, my vision has really been holding me back the last couple of weeks. I appreciate everyone’s patience who has reached out, and the well-wishes. I’m hoping that there will be some good news the next week or so. Because if the inflammation in my iris and uvea does not depart, I’ll need an implant. Send love.
Until next time,
Nico
📸 Find me in the labyrinth: TikTok | Instagram | Threads | Zines | Letterboxd
🔗 I only recommend creators who light up my brain. Check them out here.
“But wholeness isn’t consistent.”
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All the best! I hope your eye gets better!