**Éliphas Lévi**
**Definition**
Éliphas Lévi (1810–1875) was a French occult author and ceremonial magician whose writings significantly influenced modern Western esotericism and the revival of occult traditions in the 19th century.
**Article**
### Early Life and Background
Born Alphonse Louis Constant in Paris, Lévi initially pursued a religious career and was ordained as a Catholic priest. However, he later left the clergy and turned his interests toward mysticism, magic, and esoteric philosophy.
### Contributions to Occultism
Lévi is best known for his works on magic, Kabbalah, and tarot, which helped shape the symbolic framework of modern occultism. His most influential books include *Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie* (Dogma and Ritual of High Magic), where he combined elements of Christian mysticism, Hermeticism, and Jewish Kabbalah. Lévi introduced the concept of the „astral light,” a universal fluid believed to connect all things, and popularized the image of the Baphomet, a symbolic figure representing the union of opposites.
### Legacy
Éliphas Lévi’s ideas deeply impacted later occultists such as Aleister Crowley and the development of organizations like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. His synthesis of various esoteric traditions laid the groundwork for contemporary Western magical practices.
**Meta Description**
Éliphas Lévi was a 19th-century French occultist whose writings on magic and Kabbalah influenced modern Western esotericism. He is known for popularizing key mystical symbols and concepts.