Gyllou is one of the Demonesses sacred to women and to childbirth. Her origins are debatable as She Herself claims to have twelve and a half names. Gyllou’s primary name originated in Babylon, but Her others names are Amorphous, Abyzou, Karkhous, Brianê, Bardellous, Aigyptianê, Barna, Kharkhanistrea, Adikia, Myia and Petomene. Besides these names, which Gyllou revealed to humanity, She is also known by others within various other languages and cultures. Anabardalea, Gello, Antaura, Alabasandria and Obizuth are all names by which Gyllou has been known.
Like Lilith, Gyllou was historically blamed for miscarriages and infant mortality, but is today understood to be a Matron Demoness and protector of all women and children. To those who feared Her, Gyllou was said to murder infants because She envied the motherhood of the mortal women who bore them—according to legend, as a being of Spirit, Gyllou was incapable of bearing a flesh-and-blood child. She is depicted as being serpent-like or fish-like and is inherently connected with the sea and the Element of Water. Some scholars have attempted to equate Her with the primeval Ocean which would effectively drawn comparisons between Gyllou and other mythological sea entities such as Tiamat, Leviathan and Rahab. Amongst many modern Demonolators and Theistic Satanists, Gyllou is sometimes believed to be a daughter of Eisheth Zenunim and Rahab or Leviathan.
A common theme amongst classical depictions of Demonesses is that They often appear as possessing serpent-like features. Like Agerath, Gyllou is described as having serpents in place of Her hair. This connection with mythological figures such as the Gorgons, namely Medusa, leads many soft polytheists to assert that the beings are one in the same—a particular point of interest is the fact that both Medusa and Gyllou are said to have been fathered by gods of the sea. A further connection between Medusa and Gyllou is illustrated by the Testament of Solomon. In this tome, the mythical figure of Solomon punishes the Demoness by chaining Her by Her hair and hung up in front of the Temple. This echoes the legend of Medusa’s head being severed and used as a weapon by the hero, Perseus.
Most Theistic Satanists and Demonolators who honour Gyllou do not equate Her with Medusa and the Gorgons. Within other legends, Gyllou is conquered and flogged by the Byzantine hero, Arlaph—identified with Solomon and the archangel, Raphael. This image of the conquered Gyllou was inscribed upon amulets for use in the protection of childbearing women and newborn infants from the grasp of the Demoness. Gyllou often appears within stories in which She is confronted by or speaks of the archangels. Michael is said to have demanded that She reveal to him the 40 names by which She could be controlled and She speaks of Her hatred of the archangel, Raphael, within the Testament of Solomon.
Like Machaloth, Gyllou is a Demoness of healing. She may be called upon for aid in the healing of specific ailments—most notably migraine headaches, labour pains, preeclampsia, infant illnesses, hearing loss, eye afflictions, obstructions and inflammation of the throat, mental illness, arthritis, muscle pain and fibromyalgia. I associate Gyllou with the Zodiacal sign of Cancer due to its overtly watery nature in compliment to its underlying fiery influence. Although Gyllou is a Demoness of healing, She is less patient than Machaloth and may be said to have less of a “good bedside manner” than Her sister Demoness. Gyllou is a goddess to approach when one is in need of rapid healing and assurance during medical crises.
I attribute Gyllou to the 18th Kabbalistic Path. The 18th Path is known upon the Tree of Life as Sekhel Beth ha-Shepha or the Path of Intelligence of the House of Influence and Schichiriron (Black Ones) upon the Tree of Death. Because of this, Gyllou also concerns Herself with transformative rites and introspection. She is very much a goddess inclined to deliver to us the hard lessons and to burn away our self-delusions, but who stands beside us through the process—remaining to soothe our wounds after the battle.
Primary Name: Gyllou
Other Names: Gylou, Amorphous, Abyzou, Karkhous, Brianê, Bardellous, Aigyptianê, Barna, Kharkhanistrea, Adikia, Myia, Petomene, Anabardalea, Gello, Antaura, Alabasandria, Obizuth
Mythological Source(s): Europe, Babylon, Egypt, Greece
Title: None
Role: Matron Demoness of Women and Children
Sacred Animals: Serpent, crab, turtle, sphinx, ibis, heron, eagle, scorpion, dove, penguin
Mythical Beings: Vampires, undines, mermaids, naiads, water sprites
Zodiacal Sign(s): Cancer
Planet(s): The Moon
Element(s): Water (Primary), Fire (Secondary)
Direction: South (Biblical), West (Agrippa), West (Traditional)
Colours: Maroon
Soul Part: None
Sense: Taste
Musical Key: None
Kabbalistic World: Briah
Kabbalistic Hell: None
Kabbalistic Palace of Hell: None
Tree of Life Attributions: Path 18 (Intelligence of the House of Influence)
Qliphothic Habitation: Schichiriron (Black Ones)
Associated Demons: Characith, Schichiriron
Vowel: O
Sounds: s, sh, z, zh
Environment: Hydrosphere
Season: Fall
Magickal Words: Thothoutthoth, Nerxiarxin, Phimemameph, Geniomouthig
Consort: Varies
Children: Unknown
Parentage: Eisheth Zenunim, Rahab (or Leviathan)
Trees: Yew, lime tree, hazel, mangrove
Herbs: Lotus, Angelica, Watercress, crab-apple, hay, camphor, cucumber, poppy, pumpkin, gourd, lettuce, melon, purslane, beetroot, reed, white sandalwood, lime, hazel, yew, mangrove, comfrey, almond, mugwort, moonwort, alder, pomegranate, mistletoe, peony
Stones: Amber, emerald, sapphire, chalcedony, beryl, aquamarine, onyx
Incense: Onycha, camphor, orris, lotus, myrrh, storax, benzoin, opoponax
Metals and Minerals: Silver, Sulphates
Tarot Cards: The Chariot (Cancer), The Hanged Man (Water), The High Priestess (The Moon), the four Queens, Cups, King of Cups
Ailments: Migraine headaches, labour pains, preeclampsia, infant illnesses, hearing loss, eye afflictions, obstructions and inflammation of the throat, mental illness, arthritis, muscle pain, fibromyalgia, chills, malnutrition, lymphatic ailments, female complaints and disorders, vitamin deficiencies and imbalances
Bodily Government: Female reproductive organs, the stomach, breasts, lymphatic system
Sin: None
Vices: Envy
Virtues: Trueness to Self, Independence
Holy Days: June 21 (Solstice), July 21 (Zodiacal)
Time of Day: Sunset
Chemical Element: None
Alchemical Process: Dissolution
Symbolism: Alchemical furnace, serpents, Medusa, ouroboros, rain
Chakra: Third Eye, Heart, Belly
Ritual Tools: Burning bowl, aspergillum, chalice, censer
Drugs: Emmenagogues, ecbolics
Powers and rulership: Healing, transformation, introspection, protection of women, protection of children, childbirth, defiance, medical emergencies, enchantments, divination, hydromancy, sea-storms and tempests, all things pertaining to the water and oceans