An hermaphrodite is a being possessing both male and female sexual characteristics, symbolizing the union of opposites, the reconciliation of duality, and the attainment of a state of wholeness beyond gender. The term derives from the Greek god Hermaphroditus, son of Hermes and Aphrodite, who became fused with the nymph Salmacis into a single androgynous form.

Position on the Tree of Life

This image corresponds to the eighth Sephirah, Hod (Splendor), on the Tree of Life. Hod is the sphere of intellect, communication, and analytical reason, yet its magical image is a hermaphrodite, indicating that true intellectual mastery involves the integration of seemingly opposed forces—the active, projective principle (traditionally masculine) and the receptive, formative principle (traditionally feminine).

Astrological and Planetary Correspondence

Hod is associated with the planet Mercury. The hermaphrodite thus reflects Mercury's nature as a messenger and mediator, a fluid and dualistic force that bridges realms. In alchemy, the hermaphrodite (Rebis) is the goal of the Great Work, a fusion of Sun and Moon, Sulphur and Mercury, King and Queen, achieved through the Mercurial solvent.

Historical Context

The image of the hermaphrodite is ancient and pervasive in esoteric traditions. In alchemy, it is the Rebis (the "two-thing"), the perfected stone produced by the chemical wedding of opposites. This figure appears in numerous alchemical texts, such as the Rosarium Philosophorum (16th century), where the union of the red king and white queen produces the androgyne. In Gnostic and Hermetic thought, the primordial androgyne (e.g., the Greek Hermaphroditos, the Platonic Androgyne from Aristophanes' speech in the Symposium) represents the original, undivided state of humanity before the fall into duality. The image also resonates with the Hindu Ardhanarishvara, the composite form of Shiva and Parvati, and with the Kabbalistic concept of Adam Kadmon, the primordial man who contains both male and female aspects. In the Western esoteric tradition, particularly as systematized by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, the hermaphrodite is a key symbol for the magician who has balanced the forces of the Pillars of Severity and Mercy, achieving the equilibrium required for higher spiritual work.

In Liber 777, the hermaphrodite is the magical image assigned to Hod, the sphere of Mercury. This placement underscores that the intellectual and communicative powers of Hod, when fully realized, are not merely analytical but synthetic, capable of holding and reconciling contradictions. The image serves as a direct visual formula for the alchemical and magical principle of the union of opposites, a central operation in the Great Work.