Thelemapedia - User contributions [en]

User:Alhazred

2012-07-01T01:37:58Z

Alhazred:

[[Image:Award star.gif|frame|I, [[User:Thiebes|Joseph Thiebes]], award you this [[Thelemapedia:Awards#Star of Thelemapedia|Star of Thelemapedia]] for your regular contributions]]

Alhazred is the Thelemapedia nom de plume of Mick. He lives in Portland and is groovy.

===External Links===
[http://elmicko.blogspot.com Blog] 
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/alhazred/ My photos on flickr.com]

Priapus

2008-03-17T21:49:53Z

Alhazred: added link to Aphrodite

{{saint}}

'''Priapus''' (also Lutinus, Fecundus and Mutunus) was a [[Roman Godforms|Roman]] and [[Greek Godforms|Greek]] [[phallus|phallic]] god of fertility and protector of gardens. He is generally considered to be the child of [[Aphrodite]] and Dionysus (or Adonis, or Hermes, Pan, or Zeus, depending on the source). The ass was his sacred animal.

Statuettes of the god Priapus with a oversized phallus was quite common in Roman gardens,
with a warning for the those thinking about stealing the fruits of the garden:

:"... If I do seize you ... you shall be so stretched that you will think your anus never had any wrinkles." (Epigram collected by Smithers & Burton)

He tried to rape Lotis, and she was changed into a lotus plant to protect her. In Ovid's ''Fasti,'' an imbibed Lotis is attempted by the aroused Priapus, at which time one of Silenus' donkeys (he was hosting the feast) with "raucous braying" revealed Priapus' intentions and the entire party had a good laugh at his expense. To repay the donkey for the embarrassment, the annual feast (sometime during May) of Priapus is begun by the sacrifice of a donkey to the diminutive and ironic garden-god.

==Priapus & Crowley==

In Crowley's ''Paris Working'' (Liber 415), one of the "Holy Hymns to the Great Gods of Heaven" is to Priapus:
<blockquote>
Semina nunc molli dat mentula saeva cinaedo. 
Aspectu gaudens ipse Priapus adest. 
Gaudens exaudi; nobis sit mentula semper 
Et Rigida et roseo semen ab ore jacens. 
</blockquote><blockquote>
Aprox: Now the grim penis gives semen to the soft catamite. 
Rejoicing at the sight Priapus himself is present. 
Rejoicing, listen: may we always have a penis 
Both stiff and shooting semen from its rosy mouth.
</blockquote>

==Links of interest==

''[http://www.sacred-texts.com/sex/dwp/dwp00.htm A Discourse on the Worship of Priapus]'' by Richard Payne Knight (1786)

==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. ''The Paris Working: The Book of High Magick Art.''
*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/priapus.htm Priapus]''. Retrieved on January 17, 2005.
*Wikipedia. (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priapus Priapus]''. Retrieved on January 17, 2005.

[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]
[[Category:Greek Godforms]]
[[Category:Roman Godforms]]
[[Category:Love & Lust Godforms]]

User talk:Alhazred

2006-12-24T19:44:51Z

Alhazred:

Template:Treetext

2006-12-24T19:02:01Z

Alhazred: spelling correction

Within the western magical tradition, the [[Tree of Life]] is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet within the larger system of the [[Qabalah]], the use of which was central to the mystical teachings of [[Aleister Crowley]]. Each sephera ("Emination") and path is assigned various ideas, such as [[astrology|astrological]] planets and signs, cards of the [[Tarot]], and the classical [[Elements|elements]]. Many of these correspondances were gathered together in Crowley's book ''Liber 777'', which is used for these listings.

Noah

2006-11-09T22:28:31Z

Alhazred:

{{thelema}}
'''Noah''' or '''Nóach''' ("Rest", Standard Hebrew '''נוֹחַ''' '''Nóaḥ''', Tiberian Hebrew '''נֹחַ''' '''Nōªḥ'''; Arabic '''نوح''' '''Nūḥ'''), is a character from the ''Book of Genesis'' and the [[Qur'an]] who builds an ark to save his family and the world's animals from the [[Deluge (mythology)|Deluge]], the universal flood. Noah was the son of Lamech and the grandson of Methuselah. His name means "rest".

== Life of Noah ==
According to the account in ''Genesis'', he lived five hundred years, and then he and his wife had three sons, Sem or Shem, [[Ham]], and Japheth (Gen. 5:32). Noah's wife is not named in the [[Bible]]; according to later Jewish traditions as expressed in the ''Book of Enoch'' her name is Naamah.

According to the Bible, Noah was a "just man and perfect in his generation", and "walked with God" (comp. Ezekiel 14:14,20). The "sons of god" (Hebrew ''elohim'') and "the daughters of men" began to intermarry, and from there sprang up a race of giants. Men became more and more corrupt, and God determined to sweep the Earth of its wicked population (Gen. 6:7). But God entered into a covenant with Noah, with a promise of deliverance from the threatened deluge (18). He was accordingly commanded to build an ark (6:14-16) to save himself and his family. An interval of one hundred and twenty years elapsed while the ark was being built (6:3), during which Noah tried to convince the people to repent so they could avoid the wrath of God. ([[Christianity|Christian]] interpretations, as seen from Rome in the 2nd century [[EV]], are preserved in the ''First Epistle of Peter'' 3:18-20 and the ''Second Epistle of Peter'' 2:5).

When the ark of "gopher-wood" (a wood mentioned only in Genesis) was at length completed according to the command of the Lord, the living creatures that were to be preserved entered into it; and then Noah and his wife and sons and daughters-in-law entered it, and the "Lord shut him in" (Gen.7:16). The judgment of God then fell on the guilty world, "the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished" (2 Pet. 3:6). The ark floated on the waters for one hundred and fifty days, and then rested on the mountains of Ararat (Gen. 8:3,4); but not for a considerable time after this was Noah given divine permission to leave the ark, so that he and his family were in the ark for a whole year (Gen. 6-14).

On leaving the ark Noah's first act was to erect an [[altar]], the first of which there is any mention, and offer the sacrifices of adoring thanks and praise to God, who entered into a [[covenant]] with him, the first covenant between God and man, granting him possession of the earth by a new and special charter, which remains in force to the present time (Gen. 8:21-9:17). As a sign and witness of this covenant, the rainbow was adopted and set apart by God, as a sure pledge that never again would the earth be destroyed by a flood.

The Jewish tradition, however, gives Noah less credit as to his righteousness. Noah's being "perfect in his generation" implied to some Jewish scholars that his perfection was only relative. Moreover, his late entry into the ark (Gen. 7, 12-16) can be seen as an act of one who is of little faith. Later commentaries find two degrees of righteousness, which they demonstrate as a metaphor for a man who is cold: the fully righteous person would set up a fire—that is, help the others. A person who is not absolutely righteous would only get himself a coat—and be warm while others are cold, just like Noah was safe while all other men besides his family died.

==Christian applications of Noah==
Apart from the "Christian" application by way of scripture both in the Old and New Testaments, there is a source of verification, by way of a Greek Philopsopher, [[Plato]], and is given thus:

:According to Digenes Laertius, a Greek author of the third century A.D., Epimenides, a certain Cretan hero, responded to a request borne to him from Athens by a man called Nicias, asking him to advise the city of Athens in the matter of a plague. Arriving in Athens, Epimenides obtained a flock of black and white sheep and released them on Mars Hill, instructing men to follow the sheep and mark the places where any of them lay down. Epimenides' apparent purpose was to give any god concerned in the matter of the plague an opportunity to reveal his willingness to help by causing sheep that pleased him to lie down to rest as a sign that he would accept those sheep if they were offered in a sacrifice.

:Since there would be nothing unusual about sheep laying down apart from one of their usual grazing periods, presumably Epimenides conducted his experiment early in the morning, when the sheep would be at their hungriest. A number of sheep rested, and the Athenians offered them in sacrifice upon unnamed altars built especially for the purpose. Thus the plague was lifted from the city. According to a passage in Plato's laws, Epimenides at the same time also prophesied that 10 years in the future a Persian army would come against Athens. He assured the Athenians, however, that their Persian foes "will return back again with all their hopes frustrated, and after suffering more woes than they inflict." This prophecy was fulfilled. The council, for its part, offered Epimenides a talent of coins for his services, but he refused to accept payment. "The only reward I desire," he said, "is that we here and now establish a treaty of friendship between Athens and Knossos." The Athenians agreed. Ratifying a treaty with Knossos, they gave Epimenides safe transport back to his island home. (Plato in the same passage, pays tribute to Epimenides as "that inspired man," and credits him as one of the great men who helped rediscover inventions lost during "The Great Flood") Diogenes Laertius does not mention that the words "to the Unknown God" were inscribed on Epimenides' altars. He states only that "altars may be found in different parts of Attica with no name inscribed upon them, which are memorials of this atonement." Two other ancient writers, Pausanias in his "Description of Greece" (vol 1, 1:4) and Philostratus in his "[[Apollonius Tyanæus|Apollonius of Tyana]]" -- refer to "altars to an unknown god" implying that an inscription to that effect was engraved upon them. According to Luke at least one altar in Athens bore this inscription. In Acts 17:28, Paul makes the connection between this story by quoting from the Greek poet, Epimenides.

:(Pg 20, 21; "Eternity in Their Hearts", Don Richardson, Regal Books, 1982).

==Islamic traditions of Noah==
'''نوح Nūḥ''' (the Arabic form of Noah) is a prophet in the [[Qur'an]].

Because the Qur'an is more poem than prose, references to him are scattered throughout the Qur'an, but no historical account of the entire flood is given. Generally speaking, the references in the Qur'an are consistent with Genesis and Islamic tradition generally accepts the Genesis account as historical. However, degree of detail varies between the two accounts.

Generally, the Qur'anic account emphasizes Noah's preaching of the [[monotheism]] of God, and the ridicule heaped on him by [[idolatry|idolators]].

Particularly:
:We sent Nuh to his people: He said, "O my people! worship Allah! Ye have no other god but Him. Will ye not fear (Him)?"
:The chiefs of the Unbelievers among his people said: "He is no more than a man like yourselves: his wish is to assert his superiority over you: if Allah had wished (to send messengers), He could have sent down angels; never did we hear such a thing (as he says), among our ancestors of old."
:(And some said): "He is only a man possessed: wait (and have patience) with him for a time."
:(Nuh) said: "O my Lord! help me: for that they accuse me of falsehood!"

God later instructed Nuh to build the ark:
:But construct an Ark under Our eyes and Our inspiration, and address Me no (further) on behalf of those who are in sin: for they are about to be overwhelmed (in the Flood). (Surah Hud: 37) (Surat al-Mumenoon: 23-26)

The Qur'anic account contains a detail not included in the Biblical account, a reference to another son who chose not to enter the ark:
:So the Ark floated with them on the waves (towering) like mountains, and Nuh called out to his son, who had separated himself (from the rest): "O my son! embark with us, and be not with the unbelievers!" The son replied: "I will betake myself to some mountain: it will save me from the water." Nuh said: "This day nothing can save, from the command of Allah, any but those on whom He hath mercy!" And the waves came between them, and the son was among those overwhelmed in the Flood. (Surah Hud: 42-43)

Also, the Qur'anic account lacks several details of the Genesis account, including the crime of Noah's son [[Ham]] in seeing his father naked, and the resultant cursing of his grandson Canaan.

Some [[Islam|Muslims]] assert that the flood during Noah's time was a local event, in contrast to the Biblical account which asserts that it was global. They infer this from several Qur'anic verses, and their understanding that a global flood would be impossible. [http://www.jews-for-allah.com/the-Jewish-Bible/Quranic-corrections/noahs-flood.htm] Other Muslims, however, hold that the flood was indeed global. The Qur'an is not explicit on the point, allowing for some variety of interpretation.

==See also==
* [[Antediluvian]]
* [[Deluge (mythology)]]
* [[Epic of Gilgamesh]]
* [[Noahide Law]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/flood.asp Noah’s Flood Questions and Answers - Answers in Genesis]

==References==
*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noah Noah]''. Retrieved March 4, 2005.

Neptune (astrology)

2006-11-09T00:59:07Z

Alhazred: Discovery of Neptune was Sept. 23, 1846, not 1854.

{{thelema}}
{{stub}}

{{astrology}}
'''Neptune''' (♆) is the [[ruling planet]] of [[Pisces]] for most Western astrologers. Prior to the discovery of Neptune, [[Jupiter (astrology)|Jupiter]] was considered the ruler of Pisces. Some modern astrologers consider Jupiter a co-ruler of Pisces. Some astrologers do not believe that Neptune rules any particular sign, even though they may use the planet in chart interpretation.

Neptune is associated with illusion, deception, [[religion]]s, spirituality, mass media, music, [[drugs]], extreme sensitivity, psychic phenomena, and altered states of consciousness. The discovery of Neptune in 1846 coincided with the discovery of anesthetics and hypnotism.

==References==
*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planets_in_astrology Planets in Astrology].'' Retrieved March 2, 2005

[[Category:Planets]]

Athamas

2006-11-04T17:31:36Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

'''Athamas''' was the mythological king of the Greek city of Orchomenus. He had four children: Phrixus and Helle with his first wife Nephele, and Learches and Melicertes with Ino.

Through the machinations of the latter, Athamas was persuaded to sacrifice Phrixus and Helle to save Orchomenus from drought. Nephele, however, sent a flying golden ram to rescue her children. Phrixus was indeed saved, but Helle died after falling off the ram into the Hellespont.

Following this Athamas fled to Thessaly, where he took Themisto as his third wife.

==References==
*Enclycopedia Mythica (2006). ''[http://www.pantheon.org/articles/a/athamas.html Athamas]''. Consulted November 4, 2006.
*Wikipedia (2006). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Athamas Athamas]''. Consulted November 4, 2006.

Thelemic Holidays

2006-11-02T16:30:52Z

Alhazred: /* Explanations of the ''Liber Legis'' Holidays */ - added missing period

{{religion}}

The official holy days of [[Thelema]] are set forth in ''[[The Book of the Law]]'', Chapter II, v. 36-41.

:''There are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times. A feast for the first night of the Prophet and his Bride! A feast for the three days of the writing of the Book of the Law. A feast for Tahuti and the child of the Prophet—secret, O Prophet! A feast for the Supreme Ritual, and a feast for the Equinox of the Gods. A feast for fire and a feast for water; a feast for life and a greater feast for death!''

=== Explanations of the ''Liber Legis'' Holidays ===

*The [[Rituals of the Elements]] are observed at the [[Equinox]]es and [[Solstice]]s.
*The [[Feasts of the Times]] are observed as follows:
**The [[Feast for the First Night of the Prophet and His Bride]] is observed on August 12.
**The [[Feast for the Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law]] is observed on April 8, 9 and 10, beginning at noon on each day.
**The [[Feast for Tahuti and the child of the Prophet]]. This particular feast is of a character suited only to [[initiation|initiates]].
**The [[Feast for the Supreme Ritual]] (the [[Invocation of Horus]]) is observed on March 20.
**The [[Feast for the Equinox of the Gods]] is held on the [[Vernal Equinox]] of each year to commemorate the founding of Thelema in 1904 [[EV]], and represents the opening of the [[#Thelemic New Year|Thelemic New Year]].
**The [[Feast for Life or Lesser Feast]] is celebrated at the birth of an individual.
**The [[Feast for Water]] is celebrated at puberty for a girl.
**The [[Feast for Fire]] is celebrated at puberty of a boy.
**The [[Greater Feast|Feast for Death]] or [[Greater Feast]] is celebrated at the death of an individual.

== Thelemic New Year ==

According to Aleister Crowley (''777'', ''The Law is for All''), each Thelemic year starts on the [[Aries]] [[equinox]], coinciding with the Thelemic Holiday called the [[Feast for the Equinox of the Gods]]. There are, however, several different modes of observance among Thelemites today. These include:

*'''Strict Observance''': The '''Thelemic New Year''' is celebrated on the [[Aries]] [[equinox]].
*The [[Feast for the Supreme Ritual]]: This holiday is explicitly different trom the [[Feast for the Equinox of the Gods]], and Crowley states that the holiday is March 20 (''The Law is for All''). Since the [[Equinox of the Gods]] typically will be March 19, 20, or 21, this can be confusing. Quite often, in fact, the two holidays occur on the same day. Because of this, the two are sometimes conflated and the '''Thelemic New Year''' said to be March 20.
*[[Thelemic High Holy Season]]: This holiday is recognized as the period of twenty-two days falling between the common dates of March 20 ([[The Feast for the Supreme Ritual]]) and April 10 (the [[Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law|Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law]]). Thelemites observing this Season variously attribute the '''Thelemic New Year''' to the [[Aries]] [[equinox]], March 20, or the First or Third day of the [[Three Days of the Writing of the Book of the Law]]. Some have treated this Season as existing outside any "year," in the conventional sense, or as one long, twenty-two day '''Thelemic New Year'''. Some celebrate the Thelemic High Holy Season by conducting a 22-day [[Pathworking]].
*'''Convenience''': Due to the fact that Thelemites today live in a worldwide culture which does not use the [[Thelemic Calendar]], the Holidays are often translated to a date on the common calendar. When the [[Feast for the Equinox of the Gods]] is translated in this way, it is typically ascribed to March 20 as a matter of convenience. As another matter of convenience, '''Thelemic New Year''' is at times observed on the weekend, when the accepted date occurs on a weekday.

Many Thelemites combine two or more of the above approaches, and possibly others, sometimes varying from year to year.

== Other Holidays ==

Various other events in the career of [[Aleister Crowley]] are sometimes recognized with holidays. His birth on October 12 is "Crowleymas," an occasion often celebrated with comical rites. 18 November was the date of his first initiation, and is therefore "Perdurabo Day." His "Annihilation" or attainment to Mastery of the Temple was on December 3. The general feast in honor of ''To Mega Therion'' should be on the anniversary of his death, December 1.

The memories of historical individuals among the [[Gnostic Saints]] may be celebrated on the anniversaries of their deaths. Some legendary saints, such as [[Priapus]] and [[Tahuti]], have traditional festival dates (March 24 and August 6, respectively, for these examples).

Some Thelemites celebrate the midpoints between the [[equinox]]es and [[solstice]]s as seasonal festivals, replacing the old [[pagan]] and [[Christianity|Christian]] denominations for those dates. February 2 (formerly Imbolc and Candlemas) is the Feast of the Stars, with the sun in [[Aquarius]]. May 1 (former Beltane and Roodmas) is the Feast of Cattle, with the sun in [[Taurus]]. August 1 (formerly Lugnasadh and Lammas) is the Feast of the Lion-Serpent, with the sun in [[Leo]]. And October 31 (formerly Samhain and Hallowmas) is the Feast of the Dragon, with the sun in [[Scorpio]].

==Quotations==

*"The supreme ritual is the [[Invocation of Horus]], which brought about the opening of the [[New Aeon]]. The date is March 20. The Equinox of the Gods is the term used to describe the beginning of a new aeon, or a new magical formula. It should be celebrated at every equinox, in the manner known to Neophytes of the [[A.'.A.'.]]" -- Aleister Crowley, ''The Law is for All'' (1996)

*"[[Aries]] is scarlet, being the House of [[Mars (astrology)|Mars]] and the sign of the [[Spring Equinox]], where occurs the fiery outburst of the new year." -- Aleister Crowley, ''777 Revised'' (1993)

==See also==

*[[Thelemic Calendar]]
*[[Astrology]]
*[[Equinox]]
*[[Solstice]]

== References ==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1993). ''777: And Other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley Including Gematria & Sepher Sephiroth''. P. 67 in ''777 Revised'', ed. Israel Regardie. York Beach, ME: Samuel Weiser.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1996). ''The Law is for All.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Publications.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book Four.'' Edited, annotated, and introduced by Hymenaeus Beta. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*[http://www.billheidrick.com/tlc1987/tlc0487.htm Grand Lodge News: Historic Bylaws Meeting] (1987). ''Thelema Lodge Calendar''. April, 1987 e.v. Retrieved October 6, 2004 e.v.
*Thriambos, Dionysos. [http://hermetic.com/dionysos/xquart.htm Feasts of the Cross Quarters] ''The Exposed Adytum.''

[[Category:Thelema]]

Hebrew

2006-10-26T23:13:45Z

Alhazred:

'''Hebrew''' (Hebrew: ''Ivrit'' ) is a Semitic language whose ancestry goes back at least to 1700 BCE. There are principally two variants of Hebrew: '''Classical Hebrew''', the language in which the [[Torah]] (the five books of Moses) was written, and '''Modern Hebrew''', a somewhat artificial reconstruction and "modernization" of Classical Hebrew for use by Jews in Palestine after 1900 e.v.
{{hebrew}}
==Roots of Hebrew==

As a Semitic language, Hebrew shares roots with Aramaic and Arabic. Indeed, many similarities between the languages still exist. E.g., Class Heb. ''achad'', Mod. Heb. ''echat'', Arabic ''wahad'', "one;" Mod. Heb. ''shalom'', Arabic ''salaam'', "peace." It is also linguistically related to Caananite and Phoenician, two of the languages in use in Caanan at the time of the Exodus from Egypt to Palestine, having evolved from the same root language.

==Classical ("Biblical") Hebrew and the rise of Aramaic over Hebrew==

The first evidence of a distinct Hebrew language is the Gezer calendar, which dates to the 10th century BCE, believed to be about the time of King David and Solomon. This calendar was written in a Phoenician script (the ancestor of our modern Roman/English alphabet) but without vowels or indication of use of vowels, as Hebrew was written for centuries. There is no clear record of when the written Torah or the Tanakh (the complete "Old Testament") was first written; the eariest written texts come from the Dead Sea Scrolls and date to about 100 BCE.

In 586 BCE, Nebuchadnezzar I of Babylon captured Jerusalem and took the two tribes of Judah into captivity in Babylon as slaves. At that time, Aramaic was the language of Babylon; the Jews taken as captives quickly learned it as their '''lingua franca''' with their captors. (The "ten lost tribes of Israel" presumably were scattered and co-mingled with their Phoenician and other neighbors, unless one accepts the Mormon concept that they emigrated from Palestine to what is now modern-day New York State.)

Several decades after the capture of Jerusalem, Babylon was captured in turn by Darius of Persia. Darius had adopted Aramaic as his empire's language as well. Although Darius allowed the Jews to return to Palestine, by this time their everyday language had become Aramaic. Hebrew became a language of religion and scholarship, but even major religious works were written in Aramaic. Indeed, the Talmud, the second most important work in Judaism after the TNKH (Tanakh), is largely written in Aramaic.

==Hebrew as an academic and religious language==

After the Diaspora, when Jews were driven from Palestine after the destruction of the Second Temple in AD 70 e.v., Jews adopted the language of whatever country they lived in. But throughout that time, Hebrew remained the one language of scholarship and of the Torah (many of the books of the Prophets were written in Aramaic). Pronunciation of Hebrew differed widely among scholars, especially along the division between Asheknazy (Central European), Sephardic (Iberian and north African) rabbis, and rabbis from the Mesopotamian area. That division is still in evidence in modern Hebrew: speakers of Hebrew in Israel have been known to make fun of immigrants from central Europe for their "Ashkenazy"—meaning "hick" —accent.

Nevertheless, despite all differences in the pronunciation of the texts, the texts themselves remained a common bond for Jews. As noted above, Hebrew was originally written without vowels and little indication as to the vowels which might connect consonants. (This, of course, contributed to the confusion on pronunciation). About the eighth centure e.v., and thanks to the work of rabbis called ''masoretes'', a system of indicating vowels and stress on syllables arose. The modern written Hebrew language comes directly from the Masorete script.

==The birth of modern Hebrew==

Hebrew as a spoken, living language was dormant from the time of the Babylonian Exile until the end of the 19th century e.v. As Zionism arose, so did interest in reviving Hebrew as a distinct language unique to Jews. Rabbi Eliezer ben Yehuda (1858-1922 e.v.) led the movement to modernize Hebrew and to use it among Jews moving into Palestine after 1900 e.v. Modern Hebrew is a living language whose foundations are in the Torah, on which have been grafted transplants from every nation in which Jews have lived. Ironically enough, as Hebrew was being brought into the 20th century, its scholars often chose Arabic root stock for new words over European language bases.

Modern Hebrew is now one of the two official languages of the State of Israel, along with Arabic. New immigrants to Israel spend several months in a special school (the ''Ulpan'' ) where they learn fundamental modern Hebrew as well as the laws and customs of Israel.

==Hebrew for the Thelemite==

A knowledge of written Hebrew, or at least the pre-Masorete letters, is indispensable for understanding the [[Qabalah]]. While familiarity with grammar and long sentence construction is not absolutely necessary, one must be able to recognize the letters and put them together for words in order to apply [[Gematria]] properly. The more familiar one is with Hebrew and its vocabulary, the more connections one will recognize between words, and the more efficiently one can apply Gematria.

The Thelemite studying Hebrew in-depth will almost certainly want to study classical ("biblical") Hebrew rather than modern Hebrew. The Hebrew words and concepts that have worked their way into Thelema, Qabalah, and hermetic magick in general come from classical Hebrew; their modern spelling and pronunciation may be confusing.

==See also==
*[[Hebrew Alphabet]]
*[[Tree of Life]]
*[[Qabalah]]

==External sites==
*[http://www.scarletwoman.org/scarletletter/v7n2/v7n2_hebrew.html Hebrew Memorization Keypad]

==References==

*Wikipedia. ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hebrew_language Hebrew Language]''. Retrieved April 11, 2005.
*Low, Colin. ''[http://www.digital-brilliance.com/kab/nok/index.htm A Depth of Beginning].'' Retrieved April 11, 2005.
[[Category:Qabalah]]

The Star Ruby

2006-10-21T14:28:20Z

Alhazred:

{{MTP}}

'''The Star Ruby''' is a ritual written by [[Aleister Crowley]] who described it as a “new and more elaborate version of the [[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram|Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram]].” It is a [[Class D]] document (official ritual) of the [[A.'.A.'.]]

==History==
It first appeared in print with the publication of ''The Book of Lies'' in 1913 e.v. Disciples at the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalu performed the ritual as part of their daily practices, along with [[Saying Will|Will]] and [[Liber Resh]]. The ritual was later modified somewhat and released in 1929 e.v. as an appendix of ''Magick in Theory and Practice'' (''Magick, Book 4'', Part III).

Built up from the traditional Lesser Pentagram Ritual of the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], while similar in some aspects, the Star Ruby also has many significant differences in its structure; for example, using Greek instead of Hebrew intonations; similarly, while its predecessor is suitable for both invoking and banishing [[Elements|elemental]] forces, the Star Ruby is exclusively a [[banishing]] ritual.

==The ritual==

From ''Magick, Book 4:''

:Facing East, in the centre, draw deep deep deep thy breath closing thy mouth with thy right forefinger prest against thy lower lip. Then dashing down the hand with a great sweep back and out, expelling forcibly thy breath, cry '''APO PANTOS KAKODAIMONOS'''. ("Away every evil spirit")
:With the same forefinger touch thy forehead, and say '''SOI''', ("thy")
:thy member, and say '''O PHALLE''', ("[[phallus]]")
:thy right shoulder, and say '''ISCHUROS''', ("mighty")
:thy left shoulder, and say '''EUCHARISTOS'''; ("beneficient")
:then clasp thine hands, locking the fingers, and cry '''[[IAO]]'''.
:Advance to the East. Imagine strongly a [[Pentagram]], aright, in thy forehead. Drawing the hands to the eyes, fling it forth, making the [[Ritual Signs|sign of Horus]] and roar [[Therion|THERION]].
:Retire thine hand in the sign of [[Hoor-paar-Kraat]].

:Go round to the North and repeat; but say '''[[Nuit|NUIT]]'''.

:Go round to the West and repeat; but whisper '''[[Babalon|BABALON]]'''.

:Go round to the South and repeat; but bellow '''[[Hadit|HADIT]]'''.

:Completing the circle widdershins, retire to the centre and raise thy voice in the Paian, with these words '''IO PAN''', with the [[Ritual signs|signs of N.O.X.]]

:Extend the arms in the form of a Tau and say low but clear:
:'''PRO MOU IUNGES OPICHO MOU TELETARCHAI EPI DEXIA CHUNOCHES EPARISTERA DAIMONOS PHEG EI GAR PERI MOU O ASTER TON PENTE KAI EN TEI STELEI O ASTER TON EX ESTEXE.'''
:("Before me the Iynges, behind me the Teletarch(es), on my right hand the Synoches, on my left the daemons, for about me flame the Star of Five and in the pillar stands the Star of Six.")

:Repeat the Cross Qabalistic, as above, and end as thou didst begin.

===Original version===

In Crowley's ''The Book of Lies'' (#25), the ritual is essentially the same exept that in place of THERION, NUIT, BABALON, & HADIT, the text had (in Greek) CHAOS, BABALON, EROS, & PSYCHE (respectively).

In the commentary on this ritual, Crowley writes:

:25 is the square of 5, and the Pentagram has the red colour of Geburah. The chapter is a new and more elaborate version of the Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It would be improper to comment further upon an official ritual of the A.'.A.'.

: (footnote to the word "PHALLE") The secret sense of these words is to be sought in the numeration thereof.

==Crowley on The Star Ruby==

From ''Magick'' Ch. 13:
:“It is usually sufficient to perform a general banishing, and to rely upon the aid of the guardians invoked. Let the banishing therefore be short, but in no wise slurred—for it is useful as it tends to produce the proper attitutude of mind for the invocations.”

==Explication==

===Iynges, Synoches, Teletarches and Daemones===

According to Sabazius [http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/starruby_rit.htm]:

:The Iynges (singular "Iynx"), Synoches, Teletarches and Daemones are divine principles from the Second Order of the emanationist hierarchy of late Neoplatonism, based on the Chaldean Oracles of Zoroaster. Their position in the Neoplatonist hierarchy is intermediate between the "intelligible" world, or world of ideation, and the "sensible" world, or world of perception. Their functions are, respectively, as "initiators," "maintainers," "perfectors," and "executors" of the Divine Creative Impulse which originates in the intelligible world and ultimately manifests in the sensible world. Further information on them may be found in the published editions of the Chaldean Oracles edited by W. Wynn Wescott and G.R.S. Mead, and in the works of Proclus, Damascius, Michael Psellus, George Gemistos Plethon, and other late Neoplatonist philosophers.

==See also==

*[[Ritual Signs]]
*[[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram]]
*[[Magick in Theory & Practice]]

==External links==
*[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/starruby.htm Attributing the Elements to the Four Directions in Liber XXV, the Star Ruby], by Sabazius X°
*[http://lionserpent.com/xxvanalysis.html An Analysis of the Star Ruby Ritual], by Frater A.L.

==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1978). ''The Book of Lies.'' New York: S. Weiser.
[[Category:Ritual]] [[Category:Works of Aleister Crowley]]

Shri Gurudev Mahendranath

2006-10-20T23:31:04Z

Alhazred:

'''Shri Gurudev Mahendranath''' (April 29, 1911–August 30, 1991) was a British [[occultist]], [[mystic]], writer, poet, [[sannyasi]], [[sadhu]], [[tantra|tantric]] [[guru]], and [[Avadhut]]. He was introduced to [[Thelema]] by [[Aleister Crowley]] and espoused the [[tantra|tantric]] philosophy of [[Svecchachara]] which he considered the Sanskrit equivalent of [[Thelema]].

==Biography==
Born '''Lawrence Miles''' in London, England on April 29, 1911, his interests in the area of spiritual investigation and the [[Paganism|Pagan]] way of life began at an unusually early age. During his childhood, he had a number of unique experiences which began the course of his inner development and later led to his spiritual attainment and recognition by a vast public.

As a young man, Shri Mahendranath met and exchanged ideas with the advanced thinker and mystic, Aleister Crowley. Personal experiences and the advice of Mr. Crowley suggested that he might gain valuable insight by the deeper study of [[meditation]] and the [[I Ching]] oracle with Indian and other Asian Masters.

After some years, Shri Mahendranath arrived in [[Wikipedia:India|India]] on [[Guru Purnima]], July 14, 1953. On this auspicious date, he was given initiation as a [[sannyasi]] into the [[Adinath]] sampradaya by H.H. Shri Sadguru Lokanath, the [[Avadhut]] of the Himalayas. He was later given [[Tantra|Tantric]] initiation by Shri Pagala Baba of [[Wikipedia:Ranchi|Ranchi]] into the [[Uttara Kaula]] sect of Northern Tantrics and became his successor.

During his life as a [[sannyasi]], Shri Mahendranath traveled to Ceylon, Thailand, Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, and Australia. He also received initiations as a Bhutanese [[Tibetan Buddhism|Lama]], Meditation Master in [[Soto]] [[Zen]], [[Taoism]], and both [[Mahayana]] and [[Theravada]] [[Buddhism]].

He founded the ''International Nath Order'' (originally ''Western Nath Order'') to present and promote his own synthesis of the [[tantra|tantric]] teachings of the [[Adinath]] and [[Uttara Kaula]] lineages as a spiritual path for the western householder. Initiates of his ''International Nath Order'' are known as [[Nath]]s.

Shri Gurudev Mahendranath left his body and achieved [[Mahasamadhi]] on [[August 30]], [[1991]]. His last residence was his hermitage—[[Shambhala]] Tapowan—near the Vatrak river, in the state of [[Wikipedia:Gujarat|Gujarat]], [[Wikipedia:India|India]]. He was the last [[guru]] of both the Adi-Nath and Uttara Kaula [[tantra|tantric]] lineages, which became defunct with his passing.

==Writings==
Shri Gurudev Mahendranath wrote numerous articles and essays on [[tantra]] and the [[spiritual life]], including the ''Twilight Yoga Trilogy'', the ''Levogyrate Tantra'', and ''The Londinium Temple Strain'', subsequently collected under the title ''The Scrolls of Mahendranath''. These works present the essentials of spiritual life and the [[tantra|tantric]] path in a humorous, non-dogmatic and non-sectarian manner.

==External Links==
*[http://www.mahendranath.org/ The Scrolls of Mahendranath]
*[http://www.mahendranath.org/order.mhtml The International Nath Order]

[[Category:Gurus]]
[[Category:Mystics]]
[[Category:Occultists]]
[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:Tantrics]]
[[Category:Writers]]

Torah

2006-10-15T22:24:59Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

The '''Torah''', or Written Law, is defined by the Jewish Virtual Library as follows:

The narrowest definition of the Torah is a scroll of kosher animal parchment, on which is written the Five Books of Moses.

More often it refers to the Five Books of Moses in any medium, including digital.

It can also refer to the entirety of Jewish Law, including the various commentaries.

==References==
*Jewish Virtual Library: [http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/The_Written_Law.html The Written Law (Torah)]. Referenced on October 15, 2006.

Taoism

2006-10-07T15:31:59Z

Alhazred: Added link to Confucianism

{{religion}}

'''Taoism''' or '''Daoism''' is usually described as an Asian philosophy and religion, although it is also said to be neither but rather an aspect of Chinese wisdom. Translated literally, it means "the Teaching of Tao".

== The ''Tao'' of Taoism ==
In Taoist context, ''Tao'' can be understood as a space-time path — the order in which things happen. As a descriptive term, it can be taken to refer to the actual world in history — sometimes distinguished as "great Dao" — or prescriptively, as an order that should unfold — i.e., the moral way of Confucius or [[Lao-tzu|Lao Tzu]] or Christ, etc. A theme in early Chinese thought is Tian-dao or 'way of nature' (also translated as 'heaven', 'sky' and sometimes 'God'). This would correspond roughly to the order of things according to natural law. Both 'nature's way' and 'great way' can inspire the stereotypical Taoist detachment from moral or normative doctrines. Thus, thought of as the course by which everything comes to be what it is (the "Mother of everything") it seems hard to imagine that we have to select among any accounts of its normative content — it therefore can be seen as an efficient principle of "emptiness" that reliably underlies the operation of the universe.

Taoism is a tradition that has, with its traditional counterpart [[Confucianism]], shaped Chinese life for more than 2,000 years. Taoism places emphasis upon spontaneity and teaches that natural kinds follow ways appropriate to themselves. As humans are a natural kind, Taoism emphasises natural societies with no artificial institutions. Often sceptical and being ironic on human values as morality, benevolence and proper behavior, Taoist writers don't share the Confucean belief in civilisation as a way to build a better society, they rather share the will to leave alone in mountains with wild animals, or as simple peasants in small autarcic villages. For many Chinese educated people (the Literati), life was split unto a social part, where Confucean doctrine prevailed, and a private part with Taoist aspirations. At home, during the nights, being banned far away or after retiring where good occasions to cultivate Taoism and, say, reread [[Lao-tzu]]'s and [[Chuang Tzu]]'s books. This part of their life was often dedicated to arts like calligraphy, painting, poetry or personal researches on antiquities, médicine, folklore and so on.

== Sources of Taoism ==

Traditionally, Taoism has been attributed to three sources:
* The oldest, the mythical "Yellow Emperor";
* the most famous, the book of mystical aphorisms, the ''Dao De Jing'' (''[[Tao Teh Ching]]''), said to be written by [[Lao-tzu]] (Lao Zi), who, according to legend, was an older contemporary of Confucius;
* and the third, the works of the philosopher [[Chuang Tzu]] (Chuang Zi).
* Other books have developed Taoism, as the ''True Classic of Perfect Emptiness'', from [[Lieh-tzu]]; and the ''Huainanzi'' compilation.
* Additionally, an original source of Taoism is often said to be the ancient ''[[I Ching]]'', ''The Book Of Changes'' or related divinatory practises of prehistoric China.

=== The ''Tao Teh Ching'' ===

The [[Tao Teh Ching]] (or ''Dao De Jing'', ''The Book of the Way and its Power'') was written in a time of seemingly endless feudal warfare and constant conflict. According to tradition (largely rejected by modern scholars), the book's author, Lao Zi, was a minor court official for an emperor of the Zhou dynasty. He became disgusted with the petty intrigues of court life, and set off alone to travel the vast western wastelands. As he was about to pass through the gate at the last western outpost, a guard, having heard of his wisdom, asked Lao Zi to write down his philosophy, and the ''Dao De Jing'' was the result. Lao Zi was reflecting on a way for humanity to follow which would put an end to conflicts and strife. This is the original book of Taoism. The scholarly evidence (buttressed by a cluster of recent archeological finds of versions of the text) was that the text was taking shape over a long period of time in pre-Han China and circulated in many versions and edited collections until standardized shortly after the Han.

== Taoist philosophy ==

* From the Way arises '''one''' (that which is aware), from which awareness in turn arises the concept of '''two''' (''yin'' and ''yang''), from which the number '''three''' is implied (heaven, earth and humanity); finally producing by extension the entirety of the world as we know it, '''the ten thousand things''', through the harmony of the Five Wuxing. The Way as it cycles through the five elements of the Wuxing is also said to be circular, acting upon itself through change to affect a cycle of life and death in the ten thousand things of the phenomenal universe.
* Act in accordance with nature, and with finesse rather than force.
* The correct perspective should be found for one's mental activities until a deeper source is found for guiding one's interaction with the universe (see 'wu wei' below). Desire hinders one's ability to understand The Way (see also karma), and tempering desire breeds contentment. Taoists believe that when one desire is satisfied, another, more ambitious desire will simply spring up to replace it. In essence, most Taoists feel that life should be appreciated as it is, rather than forced to be something it is not. Ideally, one should not desire anything, ''not even non-desire''.
* Oneness: By realising that all things (including ourselves) are interdependent and constantly redefined as circumstances change, we come to see all things as they are, and ourselves as a simple part of the current moment. This understanding of oneness leads us to an appreciation of life's events and our place within them as simple miraculous moments which "simply are".
* Dualism, the opposition and combination of the Universe's two basic principles of Yin and Yang is a large part of the basic philosophy. Some of the common associations with Yang and Yin, respectively, are: male and female, light and dark, active and passive, motion and stillness. Taoists believe that neither side is more important or better than the other; indeed, neither can exist without the other, as they are equal aspects of the whole. They are ultimately an artificial distinction based on our perceptions of the ten thousand things, so it is only our perception of them that really changes. See taiji.

=== Wu Wei ===

Much of the essence of Tao is in the art of ''wu wei'' (action through inaction). However, this does not mean, "sit doing nothing and wait for everything to fall into your lap". It describes a practice of accomplishing things through minimal action. By studying the nature of life, you can affect it in the easiest and least disruptive way (using finesse rather than force). The practice of working with the stream rather than against it is an illustration; one progresses the most not by struggling against the stream and thrashing about, but by remaining still and letting the stream do all the work.

Wu Wei works once we trust our human "design," which is perfectly suited for our place within nature. In other words, by trusting our nature rather than our mental contrivances, we can find contentment without a life of constant striving against forces real and imagined.

One could apply this to political activism. Rather than appeal to others to take action for a certain cause--regardless of its importance or validity--one would instead understand that simply by believing in the cause, and letting their belief manifest itself in their actions, one is bearing their share of the burden of their social movement. Going with the flow, so to speak, with the river (which in this case is a societal mindset).

== The Taoist religion ==

Though specific religious aspects are not mentioned in the Dao De Jing or [[Chuang Tzu]], as Taoism spread through the population of China it became mixed with other, pre-existing beliefs, such as Five Elements theory, alchemy, ancestor worship, and magic spells. Chinese Chan Buddhism was also directly influenced by Taoist philosophies. Eventually elements of Taoism were combined with elements of Buddhism and Confucianism in the form of Neo-Confucianism. Attempts to procure greater longevity were a frequent theme in Taoist alchemy and magic, with many extant spells and potions for that purpose. Many early versions of Chinese medicine were rooted in Taoist thought, and modern Chinese medicine as well as Chinese martial arts are still in many ways concerned with Taoist concepts such as Tao, Qi, and the balance of Yin and Yang.

In addition, a Taoist church was formed, originally being established in the Eastern Han dynasty by Zhang Daoling. Many sects evolved over the years, but most trace their authority to Zhang Daoling, and most modern Taoist temples belong to one or another of these sects. The Taoist churches incorporated entire pantheons of deities, including Lao Zi, Zhang Daoling, the Yellow Emperor, the Jade Emperor, Lei Gong (The God of Thunder) and others. The two major Taoist churches today are the Zhengyi Sect (evolved from a sect founded by Zhang Daoling) and Quanzhen Taoism (founded by Wang Chongyang).

== Taoism outside China ==

The Taoist philosophy is practiced in various forms, in countries other than China. Kouk Sun Do in Korea is one of such variations.

Taoist philosophy has found a large following throughout the world, and several traditional Taoist lineages have set up teaching centers in countries outside China.

==References==
*Kaltenmark, Max. ''Lao Tzu and Taoism'', translated from French by Roger Greaves. Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1969.
* Maspero, Henri. ''Taoism and Chinese Religion'', translated from French by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. Amherst : University of Massachusetts Press, 1981.
*Wikipedia. (2004). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoism Taoism]. Retrieved Sept. 21, 2004.

== Further reading ==
* Benjamin Hoff's ''Tao of Pooh'' introduces a Westerner's perspective of the Taoist worldview using characters from ''Winnie the Pooh''
* Eric Yudelove's ''Dao and Tree of Life'' discusses perceived similarities between Taoism, Kabbalah, and shamanism
* Mantak Chia's books claim to cover some aspects of Taoist Alchemy practices
* Michael Saso has written books on the practice of Taoism.
* Thomas Cleary has translated several Taoist texts.

== External links ==
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/tao/index.htm Sacred Texts of Taoism Readable Online]
* [http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/gthursby/taoism/ Taoism Information Page]
* [http://www.acmuller.net Resources for East Asian Language and Thought] with *[http://www.hm.tyg.jp/~acmuller/contao/laotzu.htm Translation of the ''Daodejing''] by Charles Muller
* [http://www.synaptic.bc.ca/ejournal/laotse.htm Lao Tse & Daoism]
* [http://www.taorestore.org Taoist Restoration Society]
* [http://www.eng.taoism.org.hk Taoist Culture & Information Centre]
[[Category:Religion]][[Category:Taoism]]

Liber V vel Reguli

2006-08-30T12:59:30Z

Alhazred:

{{MTP}}

'''Liber V vel Reguli''', ''lit. Book Five of the Prince'', (sometimes just refered to as Reguli) is a ritual written by [[Aleister Crowley]] self-described as "Being the Ritual of the [[Mark of the Beast]]: an incantation proper to invoke the Energies of the [[Aeon of Horus]], adapted for the daily use of the Magician of whatever grade." It is an [[A.'.A.'.]] publication in [[Class D]].

==The ritual==

From ''Magick, Book 4:''

<blockquote>

===The First Gesture===

''The Oath of the Enchantment, which is called the Elevenfold Seal.''

====The Animadversion towards the Æon====

# Let the Magician, robed and armed as he may deem to be fit, turn to face towards [[Boleskine]], that is the House of the [[Aleister Crowley|Beast 666]].
# Let him strike the battery 1–3–3–3–1.
# Let him put the Thumb of his right hand between its index and medius, and make the gestures hereafter following.

====The Vertical Component of the Enchantment====

# Let him describe a circle about his head, crying [[Nuit|NUIT]]!
# Let him draw the Thumb vertically downward, and touch the [[Chakra|muladhara cakra]], crying [[Hadit|HADIT]]!
#Let him, retracing the line, touch the centre of his breast, and cry [[Ra-Hoor-Khuit|RA-HOOR-KHUIT]]!

====The Horizontal Component of the Enchantment====

#Let him touch the Centre of his Forehead, his mouth, and his larynx, crying [[Aiwass|AIWAZ]]!
#Let him draw his Thumb from right to left across his face at the level of the nostrils.
#Let him touch the Centre of his Breast, and his Solar Plexus, crying [[Therion|THERION]]!
#Let him draw his Thumb from left to right across his breast at the level of the sternum.
#Let him touch the [[Chakra|svadhisthana]], and the [[Chakra|muladhara cakra]], crying [[Babalon|BABALON]]!
#Let him draw his Thumb from right to left across his abdomen, at the level of the hips.

(Thus shall he formulate the Sigil of the Grand Hierophant, but dependent from the Circle.)

====The Asserveration of the Spells====

#Let the Magician clasp his hands upon his [[Magical weapons|Wand]], his fingers and thumbs interlaced, crying [[Magical Formulae|LAShTAL]]! [[Magical Formulae|THELEMA]]! [[Magical Formulae|FIAOF]]! [[Magical Formulae|AGAPÉ]]! [[Magical Formulae|AUMGN]]!

(Thus shall be declared the Words of Power whereby the Energies of the Æon of Horus work his Will in the world.)

====The Proclamation of the Accomplishment====

Let the Magician strike the Battery: 3–5–3, crying [[Magical Formulae|ABRAHADABRA]].

===The Second Gesture===

====The Enchantment====

#Let the Magician, still facing Boleskine, advance to the circumference of his Circle.
#Let him turn himself towards the left, and pace with the stealth and swiftness of a tiger the precincts of his circle, until he complete one revolution thereof.
#Let him give the [[Ritual Signs|sign of Horus]] (or the Enterer) as he passeth, so to project the Force that radiateth from Boleskine before him. <div style="float:right;margin-left:15px;">[[Image:Reguli_art.gif]]</div>
#Let him pace his Path until he comes to the North; there let him halt, and turn his face to the North.
#Let him trace with his Wand the Averse Pentagram proper to invoke [[Elements|Air]] ([[Aquarius]]).
#Let him bring the Wand to the Centre of the Pentagram and call upon NUIT!
#Let him make the sign called [[Ritual Signs|Puella]], standing with his feet together, head bowed, his left hand shielding the muladhara cakra, and his right hand shielding his breast (attitude of the Venus de Medici).
#Let him turn again to the Left, and pursue his Path as before, projecting the Force from Boleskine as he passeth; let him halt when he next cometh to the South, and face outward.
#Let him trace the Averse Pentagram that invoketh Fire ([[Leo]]).
#Let him point his Wand to the Centre of the Pentagram, and cry HADIT!
#Let him give the sign [[Ritual Signs|Puer]], standing with feet together and head erect. Let his right hand (the thumb extended at right angles to the fingers) be raised, the forearm vertical at a right angle with the upper arm, which is horizontally extended in the line joining the shoulders. Let his left hand, the thumb extended forwards, and the fingers clenched, rest at the junction of the thighs (attitudes of the gods [[Mentu]], [[Khem]], etc.).
#Let him proceed as before; then in the East, let him make the Averse Pentagram that invoketh Earth ([[Taurus]]).
#Let him point his Wand to the Centre of the Pentagram, and cry THERION!
#Let him give the sign called [[Ritual Signs|Vir]], the feet being together. The hands, with clenched fingers and thumbs thrust out forwards, are held to the temples; the head is then bowed and pushed out, as if to symbolize the butting of an horned beast (attitude of [[Pan]], [[Bacchus]], etc.).
#Proceding as before, let him make in the West the Averse Pentagram whereby Water is invoked.
#Pointing the Wand to the Centre of the Pentagram, let him call upon BABALON!
#Let him give the sign [[Ritual Signs|Mulier]]. The feet are widely separated, and the arms raised so as to suggest a crescent. The head is thrown back (attitude of [[Baphomet]], Isis in Welcome, the Microcosm of Vitruvius). (See Book 4, Part II).
#Let him break into the dance, tracing a centripetal spiral widdershins, enriched by revolutions upon his axis as he passeth each Quarter, until he come to the centre of the Circle. There let him halt, facing Boleskine.
#Let him raise the Wand, trace the Mark of the Beast, and cry AIWAZ!
#Let him trace the Invoking Hexagram of The Beast.
#Let him lower the Wand, striking the Earth therewith.
#Let him give the sign of [[Ritual Signs|Mater Triumphans]]. (The feet are together; the left arm is curved as if it supported a child; the thumb and index finger of the right hand pinch the nipple of the left breast, as if offering it to that child.) Let him utter the word THELEMA!
#Perform the Spiral Dance, moving deosil and whirling widdershins. Each time on passing the West extend the Wand to the Quarter in question, and bow:
::a) "Before me the powers of LA!" (to West.)
::b) "Behind me the powers of AL!" (to East.)
::c) "On my right hand the powers of LA!" (to North.)
::d) "On my left hand the powers of AL!" (to South.)
::e) "Above me the powers of ShT!" (leaping in the air.)
::f) "Beneath me the power of ShT!" (striking the ground.)
::g) "Within me the Powers!" (in the attitude of Ptah erect, the feet together, the hands clasped upon the vertical Wand.)
::h) "About me flames my Father's Face, the Star of Force and Fire!"
::i) "And in the Column stands his six-rayed Splendour!"

(This dance may be omitted, and the whole utterance chanted in the attitude of Ptah.)

===The Final Gesture===

This is identical with the first gesture.

</blockquote>

==Ritual components==

===The signs===

<table style="font-size:9px;line-height:11px;"><tr>

<td width=17%>[[Image:sign_enterer.gif]] '''The Enterer. Horus.''' 
Take a step forward with the left foot, and then leaning the body forward while thrusting out with both hands, fingers outstretched, as if reaching for something.</td>
<td width=16%>[[Image:sign_puella.gif]] '''Puella''' Standing upright, place open right hand over the breast, and the open left hand over the groin. </td>
<td width=17%>[[Image:sign_puer.gif]] '''Puer''' Right arm forms an "L", with closed hand, thumb pointing towards the head. Closed left hand rests at the base of the torso, thumb pointing away from the body.</td>
<td width=16%>[[Image:sign_vir.gif]] '''Vir''' Place closed hands at the temples with thumbs facing outwards, resembling horns.</td>
<td width=17%>[[Image:sign_mulier.gif]] '''Mulier''' Arms form a 90° angle above head, elbows bent slightly, with hands open. Feet are a little over shoulder width apart, facing forward. Head looks upwards.</td>
<td width=17%>[[Image:sign_isisrejoicing.gif]] '''Isis Rejoicing. Mater Triumphans.''' Head looking downwards, the right hand pinches the left nipple, while the left hand cradles just below solar plexus, as if holding a baby.</td>
</tr></table>

===Chakras===

At some points in the ritual, the rubric calls for gestures related to [[chakra]]s on the body. This is a basic diagram:

[[Image:Chakras.gif]]
==See also==
*[[Magick]]
*[[Magick in Theory & Practice]]
*[[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram]]
*[[Greater Ritual of the Pentagram]]
*[[Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram]]
*[[Greater Ritual of the Hexagram]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass|Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass]]
*[[The Star Ruby]]
*[[The Star Sapphire]]
*[[Liber Samekh]]
*[[Liber Resh]]
*[[Mass of the Phoenix]]
*[[The Great Invocation]]
*[[Liber Israfel]]

==External links==
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib5.html Liber V vel Reguli] on Hermetic.com
==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
[[Category:Magick]] [[Category:Ritual]] [[Category:Works of Aleister Crowley]]

Capricorn

2006-08-12T19:45:01Z

Alhazred: Fixed winter solstice link

{{thelema}}

{{astrology}}
'''Capricornus''' (♑), a name meaning ''Horned Goat'' in Latin, is one of the constellations of the [[zodiac]]. It is commonly called '''Capricorn''', especially in [[astrology]]. It is commonly called the sea-goat, as it is in an area of the sky known as the Sea. Capricornus is one of the 88 modern constellations, and was also one of the 48 constellations listed by [[Ptolemy]]. Under its modern boundaries it is bordered by Aquila, [[Sagittarius]], Microscopium, Piscis Austrinus and [[Aquarius]].

== History ==
This constellation is one of the oldest to have been identified, possibly the oldest, despite its dimness. Since it falls in an area of the sky known as the sea, it became considered a sea-goat (in the same sense as a [[mermaid|sea-maiden]]). Depictions of a goat or goat-fish have been found on Babylonian tablets dating back three thousand years. The constellation may owe its antiquity to the fact that at that time, the northern hemisphere's [[Winter solstice]] occurred while the sun was in Capricorn. The concern for the sun's rebirth might have rendered astronomical and astrological observation of this region of space very important.

For the same reason, the sun's most southerly position, which is attained at the northern hemisphere's winter solstice, is now called the [[Tropic of Capricorn]], a term which also applies to the line on earth where the sun is directly overhead at noon on that solstice.

Due to early Greek beliefs that [[sin]] accumulated throughout the year, causing the darkness to increase, together with the sun's descent and pause at the Solstice, the ancient Greeks referred to this area of sky as ''the Augean Stable'', where they considered the sun ''stabled'' during the year. The cause of the association with the location or name of ''Augeas'' is not currently known. However, during the classical period of Greek history, this name gradually fell out of use.

Due to the [[precession of the equinoxes]], the December solstice no longer takes place while the sun is in Capricorn, but the astrological period called Capricorn begins at approximately the same time as the solstice.

== Mythology ==
This constellation is sometimes identified as [[Amalthea]], the goat that suckled the infant [[Zeus]] after his mother [[Rhea]] saved him from being devoured by his father [[Cronos]] in [[Greek mythology]]. The goat's broken horn was transformed into the cornucopia, or horn of plenty. Some ancient sources claim that this derives from the sun "taking nourishment" while in the constellation, in preparation for its climb back northward.

However, the constellation is often depicted as a sea-goat, a goat with a fish's tail. One myth that deals with this says that when the goat-god [[Pan]] was attacked by the monster [[Typhon]], he dove into the Nile; the parts above the water remained a goat, but those under the water transformed into a fish.

In Sumeria, the constellation was associated with the god [[Ea]] or [[Enki]], who brought culture out of the sea to humankind.

The constellation, together with its early Greek name, associated ideas about sin, and the constellation of [[Aquarius]], who was said to have poured out a river, may represent the origin of the myth of the [[Augean Stable]], which forms one of [[The Twelve Labors]] of [[Heracles]].

The constellation is located in an area of sky called the Sea, consisting of many watery constellations such as [[Aquarius]], [[Pisces]], and Eridanus.

== Astrology ==
The [[Astrology|astrological sign]] Capricorn (December 22-January 19) is associated with the constellation. In some cosmologies, Capricorn is associated with the classical [[Elements|element]] [[Earth]], and thus called an Earth Sign (with [[Taurus]] and [[Virgo]]). It is also one of the four Cardinal signs (along with [[Aries]], [[Cancer]], and [[Libra]]). Its ruling planet is [[Saturn]]. Its polar opposite is [[Cancer]]. Each [[Astrology|astrological sign]] is assigned a part of the body, viewed as the seat of its power. Capricorn rules the knees, bones, and skin. The symbol for Capricorn has the front half of a goat joined with the back half of a fish. Capricornian qualities include an ability to earn and manage money, a strong sense of responsibility, reliability, steady, unflappable emotions, and cautious sensibilities.

==References==
*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capricornus Capricornus].'' Retrieved March 1, 2005

[[Category:Zodiac]]

Francis Barrett

2006-08-05T21:44:36Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

Francis Barrett (born c. [[1770]]) was a British writer and [[magician]] best known for his [[1801]] book ''[[The Magus]]''. He also seems to have organized a magical school of sorts.

Francis Barrett

2006-08-05T21:24:49Z

Alhazred:

Francis Barrett (born c. [[1770]]) was a British writer and [[magician]] best known for his [[1801]] book ''[[The Magus]]''. He also seems to have organized a magical school of sorts.

{{stub}}

Zeus

2006-08-01T13:42:43Z

Alhazred: Added hyperlink

{{greekgods}}
'''Zeus''' Krónios (descendant of [[Cronus]]), or simply Zeus or Zdeus (Greek Ζεύς) or Dias (Greek Δίας) ("divine king") is the leader of the gods and god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology.

==Etymology==

Zeus is the continuation of Dyeus, the supreme god in Indo-European religion, also continued as Vedic Dyaus Pitar (cf. Jupiter), and as Tyr (Ziu, Tiw, Tiwaz) in Germanic and Norse mythology. Tyr was however supplanted by Odin as the supreme god among the Germanic peoples and the Germanic tribes did not identify Zeus/Jupiter with either Tyr or Odin, but with Thor.

==Early Career==

==Birth==

Cronus sired several children by Rhea: Hestia, Demeter, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, but swallowed them all as soon as they were born, since he had learned from Gaia and Uranus that he was destined to be overcome by his own son as he had overthrown his own father. But when Zeus was about to be born, Rhea sought Uranus and Gaia to devise a plan to save him, so that Cronus would get his retribution for his acts against Uranus and his own children. Rhea gave birth to Zeus in Crete, handing Cronus a rock wrapped in swaddling clothes, which he promptly swallowed.

==Childhood==

Rhea hid Zeus in a cave on Mount Ida in Crete. According to varying versions of the story:

#He was then raised by Gaia.
#He was raised by a goat named Amalthea, while a company of Kouretes, soldiers, or smaller gods danced, shouted and clapped their hands to make noise so that Cronus would not hear the baby's cry. (See cornucopia.)
#He was raised by a nymph named Adamanthea. Since Cronus ruled over the Earth, the heavens and the sea, she hid him by dangling him on a rope from a tree so he was suspended between earth, sea and sky and thus, invisible to his father.
#He was raised by a nymph named Cynosura. In gratitude, Zeus placed her among the stars after her death.
#He was raised by Melissa, who nursed him with goat-milk

==Zeus becomes king of the gods==

After reaching manhood, Zeus forced Cronus to disgourge the other children in reverse order of swallowing: first the stone, which was set down at Pytho under the glens of Parnassus to be a sign to mortal men, then the rest. In some versions, Metis gave Cronus an emetic to force him to disgorge the babies, or Zeus cut Cronus' stomach open. Then Zeus released the brothers of Cronus, the Gigantes, the Hecatonchires and the Cyclopes, from their dungeon in Tartarus; he killed their guard, Campe. As gratitude, the Cyclopes gave him thunder and the thunderbolt and lightning, which had previously been hidden by Gaia. Together, Zeus and his brothers and sisters, along with the Gigantes, Hecatonchires and Cyclopes overthrew Cronus and the other Titans.

After the battle with the Titans, Zeus shared the world with his elder brothers, Poseidon and Hades by drawing lots: Zeus got the land, Poseidon the sea and Hades the world of the shadows (the dead). (See also: Penthus)

Gaia was upset that Zeus had killed the Titans, because they were her children. Soon after taking the throne as king of the gods, Zeus had to fight some of Gaia's other children, the monsters Typhon and Echidna. He killed Typhon, but left Echidna and their children alive as challenges for future heroes.

==The Joys of Married Life==

Zeus was brother and husband of Hera. Their children were Hephaistos, Eileithyia, Hebe and Ares. Zeus is famous for his many extramarital affairs with various goddesses — notably Demeter, Latona, Dione and Maia — and mortal women — notably Semele, Io, Europa and Leda (for more details, see "Seductions" below), as well as many nymphs. His wife, Hera, was very jealous and consistently tried to harm Zeus' mistresses and their children by him. For a time, a nymph named Echo had the job of distracting Hera from his affairs by incessantly talking. When Hera discovered the deception, she cursed Echo to only speak the words of others (hence our modern word "echo").

==Seductions==

A less squeamish age called these the "Rapes" of Zeus, for these were not love affairs but mythic events that in case after case record the localized cult of a water or wood nymph that has been supplanted by the conquering Olympian patrilineal order, effecting a cultural, social and religious revolution, or at the least a radical reform of ancient beliefs and reinterpreted readings for long-established cult practices.

It is notable that none of these liaisons involve any of the Olympian goddesses. Zeus may father upon the nymph the eponymous progenitor of a race of kings which may survive into heroic times or archaic history. In many cases "jealous" Hera, the goddess who represents conservative religious traditions, wreaks vengeance on the faithless "turncoat" who succumbs to the new order (see Io, etc.). Whenever the seduced female is human, the inquisitive reader soon finds that her mother was a nymph or demi-goddess.
[[Category:Greek Godforms]]
[[Category:Godforms]]

Class D

2006-07-30T23:12:13Z

Alhazred:

Within the official publications of [[A.'.A.'.]] and [[O.T.O.]], '''Class D''' documents are those that consist "of the Official Rituals and Instructions." (see Liber CCVII: A Syllabus of the Official Instructions of the A.'.A.'.)

Some examples of this class include [[Liber V vel Reguli|Liber V]] (Reguli), [[The Star Ruby|Liber XXV]] (The Star Ruby), and [[Liber Samekh|Liber DCCC]] (Samekh).

Liber Samekh

2006-07-30T23:00:43Z

Alhazred:

{{MTP}}

'''Liber Samekh''', fully titled ''Theurgia Goetia Summa, (Congressus Cum Daemone), Sub Figura DCCC'', is a ritual written by [[Aleister Crowley]] which he used for the purpose of attaining the "Knowledge and Conversation" of his [[Holy Guardian Angel]]. Within the [[A.'.A.'.]] (specifically for the Grade of Adeptus Minor) it is a [[Class D]] document (signifying "official rituals and instruction").

==The ritual==

From ''Magick, Book 4:''

===POINT I===

Evangelii Textus Redactus ''("Restored text of the Gospel")''

THE INVOCATION

''Magically restored, with the significance of the BARBAROUS NAMES Etymologically or Qabalistically determined and paraphrased in English.''

====Section A. The Oath====

'''Thee I invoke, the Bornless One.''' 
'''Thee, that didst create the Earth and the Heavens.''' 
'''Thee, that didst create the Night and the Day.''' 
'''Thee, that didst create the darkness and the Light.''' 
'''Thou art ASAR UN-NEFER''' ''("Myself made Perfect"):'' 
'''Whom no man hath seen at any time.''' 
'''Thou art IA-BESZ''' ''("the Truth in Matter").'' 
'''Thou art IA-APOPHRASZ''' ''("the Truth in Motion").'' 
'''Thou hast distinguished between the Just and the Unjust.''' 
'''Thou didst make the Female and the Male.''' 
'''Thou didst produce the Seeds and the Fruit.''' 
'''Thou didst form Men to love one another, and to hate one another.''' 

====Section Aa====

'''I am ANKH-F-N-KHONSU hy Prophet, unto Whom Thou didst commit Thy Mysteries, the Ceremonies of KHEM.'''

'''Thou didst produce the moist and the dry, and that which nourisheth all created Life.'''

'''Hear Thou Me, for I am the Angel of PTAH-APO-PHRASZ-RA''' ''(vide the Rubric):'' '''this is Thy True Name, handed down to the Prophets of KHEM.'''

====Section B. Air====

'''Hear Me''':—

'''AR''' ''("O breathing, flowing Sun!")'' 
'''ThIAF''' ''("O Sun IAF! O Lion-Serpent Sun, The Beast that whirlest forth, a thunder- bolt, begetter of Life!")'' 
'''RhEIBET''' ''("Thou that flowest! Thou that goest!")'' 
'''A-ThELE-BER-SET''' ''("Thou Satan-Sun Hadith that goest without Will!")'' 
'''A''' ''("Thou Air! Breath! Spirit! Thou without bound or bond!")'' 
'''BELAThA''' ''("Thou Essence, Air Swift-streaming, Elasticity!")'' 
'''ABEU''' ''("Thou Wanderer, Father of All!")'' 
'''EBEU''' ''("Thou Wanderer, Spirit of All!")'' 
'''PhI-ThETA-SOE''' ''("Thou Shining Force of Breath! Thou Lion-Serpent Sun! Thou Saviour, save!")'' 
'''IB''' ''("Thou Ibis, secret solitary Bird, inviolate Wisdom, whose Word in Truth, creating the World by its Magick!")'' 
'''ThIAF'''* ''("O Sun IAF! O Lion-Serpent Sun, The Beas that whirlest forth, a thunder- bolt, begetter of Life!")''

::::''[* The letter F is used to represent the Hebrew Vau and the Greek Digamma; its sound lies between those of the English long o and long oo, as in Rope and Tooth.]''

:''(The conception is of Air, glowing, inhabited by a Solar-Phallic Bird, "the Holy Ghost", of a Mercurial Nature.)''

'''Hear me, and make all Spirits subject unto Me; so that every Spirit of the Firmament and of the Ether: upon the Earth and under the Earth, on dry land and in the water; of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire, and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.'''

====Section C. Fire====

'''I invoke Thee, the Terrible and Invisible God: Who dwellest in the Void Place of the Spirit:'''

'''AR-O-GO-GO-RU-ABRAO''' ''("Thou spiritual Sun! Satan, Thou Eye, Thou Lust! Cry aloud! Cry aloud! Whirl the Wheel, O my Father, O Satan, O Sun!")'' 
'''SOTOU''' ''("Thou, the Saviour!")'' 
'''MUDORIO''' ''("Silence! Give me Thy Secret!")'' 
'''PhALARThAO''' ''("Give me suck, Thou Phallus, Thou Sun!")'' 
'''OOO''' ''("Satan, thou Eye, thou Lust!" Satan, thou Eye, thou Lust! Satan, thou Eye, thou Lust!)'' 
'''AEPE''' ''("Thou self-caused, self-determined, exalted, Most High!")'' 
'''The Bornless One.''' ''(Vide supra).''

:''(The conception is of Fire, glowing, inhabited by a Solar-Phallic Lion of a Uranian nature.)''

'''Hear Me, and make all Spirits subject unto Me: so that every Spirit of the Firmament and of the Ether: upon the Earth and under the Earth: on dry Land and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire, and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.'''

====Section D. Water====

'''Hear Me:'''

'''RU-ABRA-IAF*''' ''("Thou the Wheel, thou the Womb, that containeth the Father IAF!")'' 
'''MRIODOM''' ''("Thou the Sea, the Abode!")'' 
'''BABALON-BAL-BIN-ABAFT''' ''("Babalon! Thou Woman of Whoredom. Thou, Gate of the Great God ON! Thou Lady of the Understanding of the Ways!")'' 
'''ASAL-ON-AI''' ''("Hail Thou, the unstirred! Hail, sister and bride of ON, of the God that is all and is none, by the Power of Eleven!")'' 
'''APhEN-IAF''' ''("Thou Treasure of IAO!")'' 
'''I''' ''("Thou Virgin twin-sexed! Thou Secret Seed! Thou inviolate Wisdom!")'' 
'''PhOTETh''' ''("Abode of the Light ...")'' 
'''ABRASAX''' ''("... of the Father, the Sun, of Hadith, of the spell of the Aeon of Horus!")'' 
'''AEOOU''' ''("Our Lady of the Western Gate of Heaven!")'' 
'''ISChURE''' ''("Mighty art Thou!")'' 
'''Mighty and Bornless One!''' ''(Vide Supra)''

:''(The conception is of Water, glowing, inhabited by a Solar-Phallic Dragon-Serpent, of a Neptunian nature.)''

'''Hear Me: and make all Spirits subject unto Me: so that every Spirit of the Firmament and of the Ether: upon the Earth and under the Earth: on dry Land and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire: and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.'''

::::''[* See, for the formula of IAF, or rather FIAOF, Book 4 Part III, Chapter V. The form FIAOF will be found preferable in practice.]''

====Section E. Earth====

'''I invoke Thee:'''

'''MA''' ''("O Mother! O Truth!")'' 
'''BARRAIO''' ''("Thou Mass!"*)'' 
'''IOEL''' ''("Hail, Thou that art!")'' 
'''KOThA''' ''("Thou hollow one!")'' 
'''AThOR-e-BAL-O''' ''("Thou Goddess of Beauty and Love, whom Satan, beholding, desireth!")'' 
'''ABRAFT''' ''("The Fathers, male-female, desire Thee!")'' 

:''(The conception of of Earth, glowing, inhabited by a Solar-Phallic Hippopotamus** of a Venereal nature.)''

'''Hear Me: and make all Spirits subject unto Me: so that every Spirit of the Firmament, and of the Ether: upon The Earth and under the Earth: on dry land and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire: and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.'''

::::''[* "Mass", in the sense of the word which is used by physicists. The impossibility of defining it will not deter the intrepid initiate (in view of the fact that the fundamental conception is beyond the normal categories of reason.]''

::::''[** Sacred to AHAThOOR. The idea is that of the Female conceived as invulnerable, reposeful, of enormous swallowing capacity etc.]''

====Section F. Spirit====

'''Hear Me:'''

'''AFT''' ''("Male-Female Spirits!")'' 
'''ABAFT''' ''("Male-Female Sires!")'' 
'''BAS-AUMGN''' ''("Ye that are Gods, going forth, uttering AUMGN. The Word that goeth from (A) Free Breath. (U) through Willed Breath. (M) and stopped Breath. (GN) to Continuous Breath. thus symbolizing the whole course of spiritual life. A is the formless Hero; U is the six-fold solar sound of physical life, the triangle of Soul being entwined with that of Body; M is the silence of "death"; GN is the nasal sound of generation & knowledge.)'' 
'''ISAK''' ''("Identical Point!")'' 
'''SA-BA-FT''' ''("Nuith! Hadith! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! Hail, Great Wild Beast! Hail, IAO!")'' 

====Section Ff.====

1) '''This is the Lord of the Gods:''' 
2) '''This is the Lord of the Universe:''' 
3) '''This is He whom the Winds fear.''' 
4) '''This is He, Who having made Voice by His commandment is Lord of all Things; King, Ruler and Helper. '''

'''Hear Me, and make all Spirits subject unto Me: so that every Spirit of the Firmament and of the Ether: upon the Earth and under the Earth: on dry Land and in the Water: of Whirling Air, and of rushing Fire: and every Spell and Scourge of God may be obedient unto Me.'''

====Section G. Spirit====

'''Hear Me:'''

'''IEOU''' ''("Indwelling Sun of Myself")'' 
'''PUR''' ''("Thou Fire! Thou Sixfold Star initiator compassed about with Force and Fire!")'' 
'''IOU''' ''("Indwelling Soul of Myself")'' 
'''PUR''' ''(Vide Supra)'' 
'''IAFTh''' ''("Sun-lion Serpent, hail! All Hail, thou Great Wild Beast, thou I A O!")'' 
'''IAEO''' ''("Breaths of my soul, breaths of mine Angel.")'' 
'''IOOU''' ''("Lust of my soul, lust of mine Angel!")'' 
'''ABRASAX''' ''(Vide Supra)'' 
'''SABRIAM''' ''("Ho for the Sangraal! Ho for the Cup of Babalon! Ho for mine Angel pouring Himself forth within my Soul!")'' 
'''OO''' ''("The Eye! Satan, my Lord! The Lust of the goat!")'' 
'''FF''' ''("Mine Angel! Mine initiator! Thou one with me - the Sixfold Star!")'' 
'''AD-ON-A-I'''* ''("My Lord! My secret self beyond self, Hadith, All Father! Hail, ON, thou Sun, thou Life of Man, thou Fivefold Sword of Flame! Thou Goat exalted upon Earth in Lust, thou Snake extended upon Earth in Life! Spirit most holy! Seed most Wise! Innocent Babe. Inviolate Maid! Begetter of Being! Soul of all Souls! Word of all Words, Come forth, most hidden Light!")'' 
'''EDE''' ''("Devour thou me!")'' 
'''EDU''' ''("Thou dost devour Me!")'' 
'''ANGELOS TON ThEON''' ''("Thou Angel of the Gods!")'' 
'''ANLALA''' ''("Arise thou in Me, free flowing, Thou who art Naught, who art Naught, and utter thy Word!")'' 
'''LAI''' ''("I also am Naught! I Will Thee! I behold Thee! My nothingness!")'' 
'''GAIA''' ''("Leap up, thou Earth!" (This is also an agonising appeal to the Earth, the Mother; for at this point of the ceremony the Adept should be torn from his mortal attachments, and die to himself in the orgasm of his operation.**)'' 
'''AEPE''' ''("Thou Exalted One! It (i.e. the spritual 'semen', the Adept's secret ideas, drawn irresistibly from their 'Hell'*** by the love of his Angel) leaps up; it leaps forth!****)'' 
'''DIATHARNA THORON''' ''("Lo! the out-splashing of the seeds of Immortality")'' 

::::''[* In Hebrew, ADNI, 65. The Gnostic Initiates transliterated it to imply their own secret formulae; we follow so excellent an example. ON is an Arcanum of Arcana; its significance is taught, gradually, in the O.T.O. Also AD is the paternal formula, Hadit; ON is its complement NUIT; the final Yod signifies "mine" etymologically and essentially the Mercurial (transmitted) hermaphroditic virginal seed - The Hermit of the Taro - The use of the name is therefore to invoke one's own inmost secrecy, considered as the result of the conjunction of Nuit and Hadit. If the second A is included, its import is to affirm the operation of the Holy Ghost and the formulation of the Babe in the Egg, which precedes the appearance of the Hermit.]''

::::''[** A thorough comprehension of Psycho-analysis will contribute notably to the proper appreciation of this Ritual.]''

::::''[*** It is said among men that the word Hell deriveth from the word "helan", to hele or conceal, in the tongue of the Anglo-Saxons. That is, it is the concealed place, which since all things are in thine own self, is the unconscious, Liber CXI (Aleph) chap. Delta-Zeta]''

::::''[**** But compare the use of the same word in section C.]''

====Section Gg. The Attainment====

1) '''I am He! the Bornless Spirit! having sight in the feet: Strong, and the Immortal Fire!''' 
2) '''I am He! the Truth!''' 
3) '''I am He! Who hate that evil should be wrought in the World!''' 
4) '''I am He, that lighteneth and thundereth!''' 
5) '''I am He, from whom is the Shower of the Life of Earth!''' 
6) '''I am He, whose mouth ever flameth!''' 
7) '''I am He, the Begetter and Manifester unto the Light!''' 
8) '''I am He, The Grace of the Worlds!''' 
9) '''"The Heart Girt with a Serpent" is my name!'''

====Section H. The "Charge to the Spirit"====

'''Come thou forth, and follow me: and make all Spirits subject unto Me so that every Spirit of the Firmament, and of the Ether, upon the Earth and under the Earth: on dry Land, or in the Water: of Whirling Air or of rushing Fire, and every Spell and scourge of God, may be obedient unto me!'''

====Section J. The Proclamation of the Beast 666====

'''IAF:SABAF''' ''(See explanation in Point II)''

'''Such are the Words!'''

===Point II===

====Ars Congressus Cum Daemone====

[For full text of this section, which goes into great theoretical detail, see the full [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html Liber Samekh] text]

==See also==
*[[Magick]]
*[[Magick in Theory & Practice]]
*[[Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram]]
*[[Greater Ritual of the Pentagram]]
*[[Lesser Ritual of the Hexagram]]
*[[Greater Ritual of the Hexagram]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass|Liber XV, The Gnostic Mass]]
*[[The Star Ruby]]
*[[The Star Sapphire]]
*[[Liber V vel Reguli]]
*[[Liber Resh]]
*[[Mass of the Phoenix]]
*[[The Great Invocation]]
*[[Liber Israfel]]

==External links==
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html Liber Samekh] on Hermetic.com
==References==
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
[[Category:Magick]] [[Category:Ritual]] [[Category:Works of Aleister Crowley]]

User:Alhazred

2006-07-04T22:53:14Z

Alhazred:

[[Image:Award star.gif|frame|I, [[User:Thiebes|Joseph Thiebes]], award you this [[Thelemapedia:Awards#Star of Thelemapedia|Star of Thelemapedia]] for your regular contributions]]

Alhazred is the Thelemapedia nom de plume of Mick. He lives in Portland and is groovy.

===External Links===
[http://elmicko.blogspot.com Weblog] 
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/alhazred/ My photos on flickr.com]

Asteria

2006-07-04T22:50:59Z

Alhazred:

{{greekgods}}
In Greek Mythology, '''Asteria''' was a [[Goddess]] of [[astrology]], [[prophecy]], and the night. She was the mother of [[Hecate]].

{{stub}}

[[Category: Greek Gods]]

1915

2006-06-17T22:46:17Z

Alhazred:

The following significant events happened in 1915:

==Events==

January - [[Aleister Crowley]] meets George Viereck in New York in early January 1915. The meeting leads to Crowley writing for the pro-German magazine 'The Fatherland.'

June 10 - Crowley meets Jeanne Foster Roberts, who later becomes a magical partner.

October 12 - Crowley visits Agape Lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia.

==Births==

January 31 - Thomas Merton

March 29 - [[Kenneth Arnold]]

==Deaths==

1915

2006-06-17T22:46:00Z

Alhazred:

1915

2006-06-17T22:45:35Z

Alhazred:

The following significant events happened in 1915:

==Events==

January - [[Aleister Crowley]] meets George Viereck in New York in early January 1915. The meeting leads to Crowley writing for the pro-German magazine 'The Fatherland.'
June 10 - Crowley meets Jeanne Foster Roberts, who later becomes a magical partner.
October 12 - Crowley visits Agape Lodge in Vancouver, British Columbia.

==Births==

January 31 - Thomas Merton
March 29 - [[Kenneth Arnold]]

==Deaths==

Kenneth Arnold

2006-06-14T21:21:44Z

Alhazred:

Kenneth Arnold ([[1915]]-[[1984]]) was a pilot operating out of Boise, Idaho. It was his sighting of a number of Unidentified Flying Objects on the 24th of June, [[1947]], that would start a flap of similar reports.

User:Alhazred

2006-01-14T20:55:35Z

Alhazred:

Alhazred is the alias of Mick, an initiate of O.T.O., and Past Master of [http://www.sekhetmaat.com Sekhet-Maat Lodge] in Portland, Oregon, USA.

===External Links===
[http://elmicko.blogspot.com Weblog] 
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/alhazred/ My photos on flickr.com]

User:Alhazred

2006-01-14T20:55:09Z

Alhazred:

Alhazred is the alias of Mick, an initiate of O.T.O., and Past Master of [http://www.sekhetmaat.com Sekhet-Maat Lodge] in Portland, Oregon, USA.

===External Links===
[http://elmicko.blogspot.com Weblog]
[http://www.flickr.com/photos/alhazred/ My photos on flickr.com]

Udjat

2005-10-18T03:46:21Z

Alhazred: Removed excessive linking to Horus and Thoth pages.

[[Image:Udjat.jpg|right|frame|The Eye of Horus from Tutankhamen's Tomb, 18th Dynasty]]The '''udjat''' is a famous Ancient Egyptian symbol of a human eye and eyebrow, with extra markings to make it resemble a falcon's eye. It is also known as the Eye of [[Horus|Heru]] (Horus), wadjet, utchat, or sometimes the [[Eye of Ra]].

According to Egyptian mythology, during the contendings of Heru and [[Seth|Suti]] (Set/Seth) for [[Osiris]]' throne, [[Seth|Suti]] ripped out one Heru's eyes. The damage was later healed, depending on the myth, either by [[Hathor|Het-Hert]] (Hathor) by milking a gazelle and putting the milk into the empty socket, or by [[Thoth|Tehuti]] (Thoth) through his magic. Some myths state that Heru then gave the Eye to [[Osiris]] so that he may rule the underworld.

The healing of Heru's eye gave rise to the symbol being used as a healing and protective amulet. It was believed that placing it over an injury would magically heal it.

From the same myth, some Egyptians also believed that [[Seth|Suti]] tore the Eye up into sixty-four pieces. Fractions were assigned to each part of the Eye torn by [[Seth|Suti]], which only added up to 63/64. Tehuti restored the eye, compensating for the missing part with his magic, and established it as a symbol of the restoration of natural order.

Heru's right and left eye represent the sun and moon, respectively. Thus, when the udjat is shown as a left eye it is linked with Tehuti, and with [[Ra]] when as a right eye. Together, the two eyes represent the entire universe. There have been suggestions that the two eyes are of a dualist nature, acting much like the [[yin-yang]] symbol of [[Taoism]]; the right eye representing masculine energies, and the left representing female energies.

[[Category:Egyptian Culture]]

1947

2005-10-17T21:11:18Z

Alhazred: Fixed line break

The following magically significant events happened in 1947:

==Events==

June 24 - Pilot [[Kenneth Arnold]] sites 9 [[Unidentified Flying Objects]] near Mount Rainier, Washington. 
December 5 - Funeral of [[Aleister Crowley]] in Brighton.

[[Kenneth Anger]]'s short film ''Fireworks'' is distributed. 
[[Karl Germer]] becames OHO of O.T.O.

==Deaths==

December 1 - Aleister Crowley (b. [[1875]])

1947

2005-10-15T17:30:10Z

Alhazred:

The following magically significant events happened in 1947:

==Events==

June 24 - Pilot [[Kenneth Arnold]] sites 9 [[Unidentified Flying Objects]] near Mount Rainier, Washington. 
December 5 - Funeral of [[Aleister Crowley]] in Brighton.

[[Kenneth Anger]]'s short film ''Fireworks'' is distributed.
[[Karl Germer]] becames OHO of O.T.O.

==Deaths==

December 1 - Aleister Crowley (b. [[1875]])

1947

2005-10-15T17:29:39Z

Alhazred:

The following magically significant events happened in 1947:

==Events==

June 24 - Pilot [[Kenneth Arnold]] sites 9 [[Unidentified Flying Objects]] near Mount Rainier, Washington. 
December 5 - Funeral of Aleister Crowley in Brighton.

[[Kenneth Anger]]'s short film ''Fireworks'' is distributed.
[[Karl Germer]] becames OHO of O.T.O.

==Deaths==

December 1 - Aleister Crowley (b. [[1875]])

Aleister Crowley

2005-10-15T17:07:02Z

Alhazred:

{{partial}}
{{saint}}

'''Aleister Crowley''' (Oct. 12, 1875-Dec. 1, [[1947]]) — however one judges him — was a fascinating man who lived an amazing life. He is best known as being an infamous [[occult]]ist and the scribe of [[The Book of the Law]], which introduced [[Thelema]] to the world. Crowley was an influential member in several occult organizations, including the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|Golden Dawn]], the [[A.'.A.'.]], and [[Ordo Templi Orientis]]. He was a prolific writer and poet, a world traveler, mountaineer, chess master, artist, yogi, social provocateur, drug addict and sexual libertine. The press loved to demonize him and dubbed Crowley “The wickedest man in the world.”
[[Image:Crowley2.jpg|right|frame|Edward Alexander "Aleister" Crowley]]

==A brief summary of major events==

'''Edward Alexander Crowley''' was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire on October 12, 1875. His parents were members of the [[Plymouth Brethren]], an extremely devout Christian sect. It was in this Christian childhood that he came to refer to himself as [[The Beast]] [[666]]. He was also fortunate to be heir to a small brewing fortune, which he largely used for travel and publishing his works over his lifetime.

He entered Trinity College at Cambridge in 1895, and left just before finishing his degree. He was initiated into the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in 1898. The next year he purchased [[Boleskine|Boleskine House]] at Loch Ness in order to perform the ritual known as the [[Abramelin|Abra-Melin Operation]].
{{93}}
In 1900 Crowley traveled to Mexico where he was initiated as a 33° [[Freemasonry|Mason]].

In 1902 he began the practice of [[yoga]] in Ceylon with [[Allan Bennett]], an associate from the Golden Dawn. He returned to Boleskine in 1903 and married [[Edith Rose Kelly]], the sister of the painter Sir Gerald Kelly. On their honeymoon, they visited Cairo, Egypt in 1904. It is here that he came to write [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10.

In 1907 Crowley founded the Order he called the [[A.'.A.'.]] Two years later, he divorced Rose and traveled to the Sahara Desert with poet [[Victor Neuberg]], where they performed a series of rituals that resulted in the book ''[[The Vision and the Voice]]''.

In 1913 Crowley was initiated into [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] by [[Theodor Reuss]]. The following year Crowley was advanced to the X° and became head of O.T.O. in Great Britain and Ireland. That same year, while on a trip to Moscow, he wrote the [[Liber XV|Gnostic Mass]].

With the beginning of WWI, Crowley retired to America in 1914, where he began editing the publication ''The International''. He returned to Europe in 1919. The next year he founded the [[Abbey of Thelema]] in Cefalú, Sicily -- an experimental commune based on the principles of Thelema and inspired by the works of [[Rabelais]]. He was expelled from Italy by Mussolini in 1923. During his time at Cefalú, in 1922, Crowley proclaimed himself Outer Head of the Order of O.T.O.

In 1929 Crowley took his second wife, [[Maria de Miramar]] — a native of Nicaragua — although she eventually succumbed to mental delusions and died in an institution three decades later.

By 1935, largely because of his lifelong self-publishing efforts and a lost libel suit, Crowley had lost his personal fortune and settled into bankruptcy. For the next decade he kept himself afloat through publishing and occasional help from associates and students. His final years were characterized by poor health and heroin addiction alongside a continued zeal for promulgating Thelema. In 1945, he retired to [[Netherwood]], a boarding house in Hastings, England. On December 1, 1947, at the age of 71, and with his son [[Ataturk Crowley|Ataturk]] by his bed, Aleister Crowley good-spiritedly and quietly celebrated his [[The Feast for Death|Greater Feast]]. His ashes were later buried next to a tree in Hampton, New Jersey on the property of [[Karl Germer]] (Crowley’s successor to OHO).

==Occultism==

===Prophet of Thelema===

Perhaps Crowley's most significant contribution was bringing [[Thelema]] into the world with the [[Reception of Liber Legis|reception]] of [[The Book of the Law]] on April 8, 9, and 10, 1904. The writing occurred in Cairo, Egypt, where Crowley and his new wife, [[Rose Crowley|Rose]] were honeymooning. On March 16, Crowley had attempted a ritual to show his wife elemental beings called [[Sylphs]]. Although she didn't see them, she apparently did begin to channel a series message to Crowley over the next few days regarding [[Horus]] and "a child." Crowley is highly skeptical and questions the veracity of the message, finally becoming satisfied when Rose pointed out Horus to him on a funerary tablet in the Bulaq Museum (labeled "Stele [[666]]" and eventually becoming known as the [[Stele of Revealing]]). These events culminate in the actual three days of writing, each of which took place at noon in a chamber of their flat which was used as a temple. (See: [[Reception of Liber Legis]])

Initially, Crowley rejected this document. He writes of himself in ''Magick'' (p.444):

::[Crowley], to whom this revelation was made with so many signs and wonders, was himself unconvinced. He struggled against it for years. Not until the completion of His own initiation at the end of I909 did he understand how perfectly he was bound to carry out this work. Again and again He turned away from it, took it up for a few days or hours, then laid it aside. He even attempted to destroy its value, to nullify the result.

And

::I have fought this Book and fled it; I have defiled it and I have suffered for its sake.

Yet, after his acceptance of Liber Legis, Crowley was a tireless advocate of its teachings (as he interpreted them) and labored for the rest of his life to promulgate the Law of Thelema. He founded the [[A.'.A.'.]] in 1907 and he adapted the initiations rituals of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]], both of which were largely based on the principles of Thelema. He wrote countless letters, essays, and epistles regarding Thelema, including [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_message.html The Message of the Master Therion], [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_lege.html De Lege Libellum], and [http://www.scarletwoman.org/docs/docs_liberty.html The Law of Liberty]; and he wrote [[The Gnostic Mass]] in 1911 based on Liber AL as well.

Crowley was convinced of the objective truth of Liber Legis, and that its speaker, [[Aiwass]], was both his [[Holy Guardian Angel]] and in possession of knowledge completely unavailable to Crowley. He writes in ''Magick:'' "Man has no such fact recorded, by proof established in surety beyond cavil of critic, as this Book, to witness the existence of and Intelligence praeterhuman and articulate, purposefully interfering in the philosophy, religion, ethics, economics and politics of the Planet." This knowledge, as Crowley understood it, represented the formula of an entire age of mankind, which he referred to as the [[Aeon of Horus]], the Word of which is [[Thelema]], which had been ushered in by himself as its prophet.

Thelemites today hold a wide spectrum of beliefs regarding Crowley's status as prophet. Some view Crowley as he did himself—the literal messenger of a new spiritual Law for mankind. Others believe that "Aiwass" was simply an unconscious (or even fraudulent pseudonym) of Crowley, and that the merit of the Book rests solely on its content without need for objective verification. Yet others disregard Crowley altogether. However, it is reasonable to say that Crowley still plays a very large role in the understanding of Thelema, and his words are constantly used to promulgate its doctrines today.

===Mystic & yogi===

===Golden Dawn, A.'.A.'. and O.T.O.===

==Family==

Crowley's father was Edward Crowley (1834-1887)—a wealthy retired brewer (Crowley Ale) and lay preacher of the [[Plymouth Brethren]] sect—and his mother was Emily Bertha Bishop (d.1941). Crowley's paternal grandparents were Edward and Mary Sparrow (m. 1823) who also had uncle Jonathan (m. Agnes Pope), and aunts Mary and Sarah.

On the death of his father, Crowley was sent to live with his maternal uncle, Tom Bishop, who was by all accounts a bully towards young Alexander.

Crowley married twice in his lifetime. The first was to Rose Edith Kelly (July 23, 1874 - 1932). They were married in 1903 and divorced in 1909. Rose is considered to be Crowley's first [[Scarlet Woman]], and aided him in his finding of the [[Stele of Revealing]] and the writing of [[The Book of the Law]]. His second wife was [[Maria de Miramar|Maria Teresa de Miramar]]—born 1894 in Nicaragua. They were married in 1929. They never were divorced, although by 1930 their marriage had collapsed, largely due to Maria's worsening mental condition. She died sometime in the 1960s in the Colney Hatch Mental Hospital in New Southgate (Sutin, p.395).

Crowley had five children in his life:

* Nuit Ma Ahathoor Hecate Sappho Jezebel Lilith (July 1904-Spring 1906)—daughter of [[Rose Crowley]]
* Lola Zaza (b.1906)—daughter of Rose Crowley
* Anne Léa "Poupée" (Feb. 1920-Oct. 14, 1920)—daughter of [[Leah Hirsig]]
* Astarte Lulu Panthea (b. 1920)—daughter of [[Ninette Shumway]]
* Aleister Ataturk (b.1938)—son of [[Patricia MacAlpine|Patricia "Deidre" MacAlpine]]

==Author==

Crowley was an incredibly prolific writer, having left behind dozens of books, hundreds of essays, a host of rituals and ceremonies, and a countless number of personal letters and daily journal entries. He wrote poems, short stories, magazine articles, novels, criticism, plays, and more.

===Books===
Some of his best known books are:

*[[The Book of the Law]]
*Magick, Book 4
*The Book of Lies
*The Vision and the Voice
*777 and Other Qabalistic Writings
*Confessions of Aleister Crowley
*The Equinox (a series of publications in book format)
*Magick Without Tears

For a more complete listing of published books, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Books)]]

===Libers===

Most of Crowley's most influential work was in the form of "Libers" (lit. "books"), which were usually shorter items consisting of core teachings, methodologies, practices, or Thelemic scripture. All the libers are given a number in the Greek numbering system, and those that are part of the A.'.A.'. curriculum are assigned a "class" as follows:
*Class [A] consists of books of which may be changed not so much as the style of a letter: that is, they represent the utterance of an Adept entirely beyond the criticism of even the Visible Head of the Organization.
*Class [B] consists of books or essays which are the result of ordinary scholarship, enlightened and earnest.
*Class [C] consists of matter which is to be regarded rather as suggestive than anything else.
*Class [D] consists of the Official Rituals and Instructions.
*Class [E] consists of manifestos, broadsides, epistles and other public statements. Some publications are composite, and pertain to more than one class.

Many of his Libers appeared in published books, especially editions of ''The Equinox'' and ''The Holy Books of Thelema,'' although some Libers are books in their own right (such as ''Magick'', which is Liber 4).

For a complete listing of Crowley's Libers, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Libers)]]

===Fiction===

Many of his fiction works, such as the "Simon Iff" detective stories and ''Moonchild'' have not received significant notice outside of occult circles. However his work ''Diary Of A Drug Fiend'', while fictional, reflects his views about his own addictions to heroin and cocaine.

===Poetry===

Crowley was also a prolific poet.

For more on Crowley's poetry, see [[Works of Aleister Crowley (Poetry)]]

==Other aspects==
[[Image:Crowley_painting.jpg|right|frame|"Femme Dangereuse—Alice Appleton" (1935-1936)]]
===Artist===

Crowley was a gifted, if technically unsophisticated, artist and painter "in what might loosely be called the Expressionist mode" (Sutin, p.5). In 1931, an exhibition of his work was hosted at the Galerie Neumann-Nierendorf in Berlin which served to up his reputation in Germany, but it is not known if he actually sold any paintings.

A modern art show for Crowley's work was put on at the October Gallery in London in April of 1998. The show was facilitated by OHO [[Hymenaeus Beta]] and attended by [[Martin Starr]] and [[Kenneth Anger]]. By all accounts it was well attended and successful in renewing interest in Crowley as a painter.

====Quotes====
*"The average man cannot believe that an artist may be as serious and highminded an observer of life as the professed man of science." —''Confessions'', p.138

*"It is at least the case that I have no use for artists who have lost touch with tradition and see nature secondhand. I think I have kept my head pretty square on my shoulders in the turmoil of the recent revolutions. I find myself able to distinguish between the artist whose eccentricities and heresies interpret his individual peculiarities and the self-advertising quack who tries to be original by outdoing the most outrageous heresiarch of the moment."—''Confessions'', p.584

*" "Las Meninas" [by Goya] is worshiped in a room consecrated solely to itself, and I spent more of my mornings in that room and let it soak in. I decided then, and might concur still had I not learnt the absurdity of trying to ascribe an order to things which are each unique and absolute, that "Las Meninas" is the greatest picture in the world. It certainly taught me to know the one thing that I care to learn about painting: that the subject of a picture is merely an excuse for arranging forms and colours in such a way as to express the inmost self of the artist." —''Confessions'', p.585

===Mountaineer===
[[Image:Photo_k2.jpg|right|frame|The 1902 K2 party: Wesseley, Eckenstein, Guillarmod, Crowley, Pfannl, & Knowles]]
Crowley was an accomplished mountain climber is his time, and is still mentioned in mountaineering literature (although silly rumors and his reputation in the yellow press are often mentioned). He owed his ability to [[Oscar Eckenstein]], who was not only a highly skilled climber, but also had a great interest in Eastern philosophy (which had a distinct influence on Crowley).

Crowley made some significant climbs, including a 1902 attempt on Chogo Ri (or K2), the second tallest peak in the world. On that climb, the expedition achieved a record: "the greatest number of days spent on a glacier—65 days on the Baltoro" (''Equinox of the Gods'' Ch.1). He also had the record for "the greatest pace uphill over 16,000 feet—4,000 feet in 1 hour 23 minutes on Iztaccihuatl in 1900" (''Ibid'').

Crowley is also known for his 1905 attempt (and failure) on Kanchenjunga in the Himalayas—a peak that would not be successfully ascended until 1955. On the upward climb, a porter fell to his death in the process of leaving the expedition. More porters accused Crowley of beating them, and a general mutiny began among them and the other core climbers (namely Guillarmod and de Righi), based on Crowley's route (which was later vouched as a good one in 1954), his supposed ill-treatment of the porters, and the bad feelings between him and several of the climbers. Guillarmod took charge, leading the bulk of the men back down. On that descent, a porter's stumble triggered an avalanche that buried four men under ten feet of snow. It took three days of digging to recover their bodies. Crowley, remaining in the higher camp, did not respond to the cries for help when the avalanche began, a fact which later demonized him in mountaineering circles.

===Chess enthusiast===

Crowley learned to play chess at the age of six and first competed on the Eastbourne College chess team (where he was taking classes in 1892). He showed immediate competence, besting the adult champion in town and even editing [http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 a chess column for the local newspaper], the ''Eastbourne Gazette'' (Sutin, p.33), which he often used to criticize the Eastbourne team. He later joined the university chess club at Cambridge, where he beat the president in his freshman year and practiced two hours a day towards becoming a champion—"My one serious worldly ambition had been to become the champion of the world at chess" (''Confessions,'' p.193).

However, he gave up his chess aspirations in 1897 when attending a chess conference in Berlin:

::But I had hardly entered the room where the masters were playing when I was seized with what may justly be described as a mystical experience. I seemed to be looking on at the tournament from outside myself. I saw the masters—one, shabby, snuffy and blear-eyed; another, in badly fitting would-be respectable shoddy; a third, a mere parody of humanity, and so on for the rest. These were the people to whose ranks I was seeking admission. "There, but for the grace of God, goes Aleister Crowley," I exclaimed to myself with disgust, and there and then I registered a vow never to play another serious game of chess. I perceived with praeternatural lucidity that I had not alighted on this planet with the object of playing chess. (''Confessions,'' Ch.16).

Crowley wrote some brief notes of guidance on the playing chess and gave them, together with a "pocket chess set", to Grady McMurtry. Following the latter's death they were given by the OTO to one of Crowley's grandsons, a son of Aleister Ataturk. These notes are available for download from [http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/ LAShTAL.COM].

===Freemason===
====List of Crowley’s Masonic degrees====

*33° of the Scottish Rite in Mexico From Don Jesus Medina.
“Don Jesus Medina, a descendant of the great duke of Armada fame, and one of the highest chiefs of Scottish Rite free-masonry. My cabbalistic knowledge being already profound by current standards, he thought me worthy of the highest initiation in his power to confer; special powers were obtained in view of my limited sojourn, and I was pushed rapidly through and admitted to the thirty-third and last degree before I left the country.” - The Confessions of Aleister Crowley (1969), pp. 202-203.

*3° In France by the Anglo-Saxon Lodge No. 343, a Lodge chartered in 1899 by the Grande Loge de France, a body unrecognised by the United Grand Lodge of England, on 29 June 1904.

*33° of the irregular 'Cerneau' Scottish Rite From John Yarker

*90°/95° of the Rite of Memphis/Misraim. From John Yarker.

But as it turns out, The Grand Lodge Of England the official body of Freemasonry did not recognize any of the above bodies as being true Freemasonry. Thus Crowley never was an “official” Freemason and when he understood this he started to change the O.T.O. rituals to remove the Masonic content.

“Crowley quickly realized that the post-Yarker era meant change. He was not rebellious by reflex, at least where old British institutions were concerned. He undoubtedly believed O.T.O. had authority from Yarker to work the Ancient and Primitive Rite's equivalent to the Craft degrees in England, but once made aware of the issue of regularity when having his own French Masonic credentials declined, he was not defiant and on his own made changes to the O.T.O. to avoid conflict. He inserted notices into the last number of The Equinox to the effect that the O.T.O. did not infringe upon the just privileges of the Grand Lodge of England.

During WWI Crowley worked slightly revised English Craft rituals in America, but despite the absence of a central Grand Lodge, he met with objections from masonic authorities. He then rewrote the O.T.O. rituals for I° - III° so that they no longer resembled Craft masonry degrees in language, theme or intent.” - Frater Superior [[Hymenaeus Beta]] The Magical Link Vol. IX No. 1

==A counter culture icon==

==Name change, magical mottoes, and pseudonyms==

===Name change===

Crowley was born Edward Alexander Crowley, and was nicknamed "Aleck" by his mother. In ''Confessions'' (p.139-140), he explains his adoption of "Aleister":

::For many years I had loathed being called Alick, partly because of the unpleasant sound and sight of the word, partly because it was the name by which my mother called me. Edward did not seem to suit me and the diminutives Ted or Ned were even less appropriate. Alexander was too long and Sandy suggested tow hair and freckles. I had read in some book or other that the most favorable name for becoming famous was one consisting of a dactyl followed by a spondee, as at the end of a hexameter: like "Jeremy Taylor". Aleister Crowley fulfilled these conditions and Aleister is the Gaelic form of Alexander. To adopt it would satisfy my romantic ideals. The atrocious spelling A-L-E-I-S-T-E-R was suggested as the correct form by Cousin Gregor, who ought to have known better. In any case, A-L-A-I-S-D-A-I-R makes a very bad dactyl. For these reasons I saddled myself with my present nom-de-guerre—I can't say that I feel sure that I facilitated the process of becoming famous. I should doubtless have done so, whatever name I had chosen.

===Magical mottoes===

*'''[[Perdurabo]]''' ("I will endure til the end")—Neophyte
*'''[[Parzival]]''' —Adeptus Minor
*'''Ol Sonuf Vaoresaji''' ("I reign over ye")—Adeptus Major
*'''Ou Mh''' (O.M.—" No, definitely no! or Not Yet!")—Adeptus Exemptus
*'''Vi Veri Vniversum Vivus Vici''' (V.V.V.V.V.—"By the force of truth, I, while living, have conquered the Universe")—Magister Templi
*'''[[To Mega Therion]]''' ("The Great Beast")—Magus
*'''[[Baphomet]]''' as the X° in [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]]
*'''[[The Beast]] [[666]]'''
*'''[[Ankh-af-na-khonsu|Ankh-af-na-Khonsu]]'''
* '''Khaled Khan'''

=== Pseudonyms and aliases===

This is but a short list of his dozens of aliases he used for many magazine and newspaper articles:

<table><tr><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Abhavananda
*Herr Hermann Rudolph Von Alastor
*Ananda Vigga
*Gerard Aumont
*Francis Bendick
*George Archibald Bishop
*Reverend P. D. Carey
*Elaine Carr
*H. D. Carr
*Christeos Luciftias
*Cor Scorpionis
*Alex C. Crowley
*Alys Cusack
*O Dhammaloyu
*Fra. H. I. Edinburgh
*Michael Fairfax
*Comte De Fenix
*Percy Flage
*James Grahame
</td><td style="margin-right:10px;" valign=top>
*Arthur Grimble
*Cyril Gustance
*Oliver Haddo
*C. S. Hiller
*Lemuel S. Innocent
*Dost Achiha Khan
*Lavinia King
*Ko Hsuan
*Ko Yuen
*St. Maurice E. Kulm
*Maria Lavroff
*Lord Boleskine
*Major Lutiy
*Mahatma Guru Sri Paramahansa Shivaji
*Mahatma Sri Paramananda Guru Swamiji
*S. J. Mills
*Martial Nay
*Percy W. Newlands
*Hilda Norfolk
</td><td valign=top>
*Sheamus O'Brien
*G.H.S. Pinsent
*Katharine S. Prichard
*George Raffalovich
*Ethel Ramsay
*Barbey De Rochechouart
*John Roberts
*Mary Smith
*Edward Storer
*Count Vladimir Svareff
*Ta Dhuibh
*Alice Wesley Torr
*J. Turner
*Rev. C. Verey
*Leo Vincey
*Mark Wells
*Thomas Wentworth
</td></tr></table>

==See also==
*[[Thelema]]
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley]]
*[[The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]]
*[[Ordo Templi Orientis]]
*[[A.'.A.'.]]
*[[Magick]]
*[[The Gnostic Mass]]
*[[Reception of Liber Legis]]

==External links==
*[http://www.abrasax.net/timeline.htm A Crowley Timeline]
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke Contemporary media accounts and photographic portraits]
*[http://www.93current.de/crowley.shtml The 93 Current]—many links for Crowley resources
*[http://www.hrc.utexas.edu/research/fa/crowley.aleister.html The Aleister Crowley Collection] at the Harry Ransom Center, U.T., in Austin, TX
*[http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Red Flame Desk Reference]—A complete catalog of Crowley's published works
*[http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/modules.php?op=modload&name=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=3 Collection of chess columns written by Crowley]
* [http://www.aleistercrowleysociety.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=11 Gallery of Crowley's artwork]

==References==
*O.T.O. (2005). ''[http://oto-usa.org/crowley.html Aleister Crowley]''
*Red Flame. (2005). [http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html Aleister Crowley Desk Reference]
*Sutin, Lawrence. (2002). ''Do What Thou Wilt : A Life of Aleister Crowley.'' New York : St. Martin's Griffin.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1974). ''Equinox of the Gods.'' New York, NY : Gordon Press.
*____. (1979). The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Pa
*Hymenaeus Beta. (1998). "Good Show". ''The Magical Link.'' New Series #2, Spring-Fall 1998.
[[Category:Aleister Crowley]] [[Category:Thelema]] [[Category:Past Masters]] [[Category:A.'.A.'.]] [[Category:Golden Dawn]] [[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]] [[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

1831

2005-10-14T22:57:36Z

Alhazred:

The following magically significant events happened in '1831':

==Births==

August 12 - [[Helena Blavatsky]], founder of the [[Theosophical Society]] (d. [[1891]])

Helena Blavatsky

2005-10-14T22:53:11Z

Alhazred: added 1831 link

'''Helena Petrovna Hahn''' ([[1831]]-1891), better known as '''Madame Blavatsky''', the founder of [[Theosophy]].

She was born in Ekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk), Ukraine, the daughter of Col. Peter Alexeivich von Hahn and Elena Fadeev. Her mother, also known as Helena Andreyvna Fadeyev, was a novelist.

She married, on July 7, 1849, Nikifor Vassilievitch Blavatsky. He died several years later and she soon married her second husband, Michael C. Betanelly on April 3, 1875. She maintained that neither marriage was consummated. She separated from Betanelly after a few months.

Madame Blavatsky traveled throughout the world, and resided in New York City from 1873 to 1878.

She then founded, with Henry Steel Olcott, William Quan Judge and others, the [[Theosophical Society]] (T.S.), a new religious movement of the late nineteenth century that took its inspiration from [[Hinduism]] and [[Buddhism]]. Blavatsky claimed to have been given access to what she called a 'secret doctrine' that had been passed down the ages from ancient sages of a [[Great White Brotherhood|White Brotherhood]]. In this respect Blavatsky's ideas followed in the tradition of [[Freemasonry]] and [[Rosicrucians|Rosicrucianism]].

The difference was that Blavatsky's [[Esotericism|esoteric]] wisdom was supposed to be derived from Eastern sages, rather than from European esoteric currents. In particular, she pointed to the Mahatmas ("great souls") Morya and Koot Hoomi as her particular guides in the establishment of the T.S. In recent years, the scholarship of K. Paul Johnson has made important inroads on the historical identities of Blavatsky's "Masters," considering them as living human individuals (supernaturally empowered or not) of their period, rather than unearthly superbeings or legitimizing fabrications.

Furthermore, Blavatsy claimed that the ancient "Akashic" wisdom to which she had access was consistent with modern science, in particular with physics and evolutionary biology (for instance borrowing the name Lemuria from biologist P.L. Sclater as the name for the origin of her lost continent wich would serve as the origin for her third root race). This claim that esoteric spiritual knowledge is consistent with new science may be considered to be the first instance of what is now called New Age thinking. In fact, many researchers feel that much of New Age-thought started with Blavatsky.

[[Aleister Crowley]] recognized Blavatsky as a Sister of [[A.'.A.'.]] (i.e. a Master of the Temple 8°=3# in his system of spiritual grades), specifically pointing her out as his immediate predecessor in “The Temple of Truth,” published in The Heart of the Master through O.T.O. in 1938. He thought it especially noteworthy that he was born in the same year that the Theosophical Society was inaugurated. Crowley reissued Blavatsky’s ''Voice of the Silence'' (Extracts from the Book of the Golden Precepts, including “The Two Paths” and “The Seven Portals”) with his own commentary as Liber LXXI, a Class B publication of A.'.A.'.

Blavatsky died in London, England.

Her books included:
*''Isis Unveiled, a master key to the mysteries of ancient and modern science and theology'' - 1877
*''The Secret Doctrine, the synthesis of Science, Religion and Philisophy'' - 1888
*''The Voice of the Silence'' - 1889
*''The Key to Theosophy'' - 1889

Her many articles have been collected in the ''H.P. Blavatsky Collected Writings''. This series has 14 volumes including the index.

Books about her include:
*''H.P.B.'' by Sylvia Cranston
*''The Book of Dzyan'' by Tim Maroney ([http://www.scarletwoman.org/reviews/003g_bookofdzyan.html reviewed here])
*''The Masters Revealed: Madame Blavatsky and the Myth of the Great White Lodge'' by K. Paul Johnson
*''Madame Blavatsky's Baboon'', by Peter Washington
*''The Esoteric World of Madame Blavatsky'' by Daniel Caldwell

==References==

This article was originally adapted from [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helena_Petrovna_Blavatsky Wikipedia], June 10, 2004.

==External Links==
*[http://www.blavatskyarchives.com/ Blavatsky Study Center]
*[http://www.dmoz.org/Society/Religion_and_Spirituality/Esoteric_and_Occult/Personalities/Blavatsky,_Helena_Petrovna/ Dmoz Directory. H.P. Blavatsky online resources of her writings and descriptions of her life]

[[Category:Theosophy]]
[[Category:Theosophical Society]]

Talk:Places & Things

2005-10-13T22:23:45Z

Alhazred:

Think this page should be divided into two separate sections?

Places & Things

2005-10-13T22:23:03Z

Alhazred: Added geographical references

{{stub}}

==Places & things found in Thelema==
*[[Abbey of Thelema]] (Cefalu, Sicily)
*[[Boleskine]] (Foyers, Scotland)
*[[Stele of Revealing]]

[[Category:Thelema]]

Places & Things

2005-10-13T22:18:34Z

Alhazred: Added Abbey

{{stub}}

==Places & things found in Thelema==
*[[Abbey of Thelema]] (Cefalu)
*[[Boleskine]] (Scotland)
*[[Stele of Revealing]]

[[Category:Thelema]]

Bernard of Clairvaux

2005-10-12T23:18:25Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153, canonized 1174) was an influenced monk of the Cistercian Order. An influential writer, he was also a prolific founder of monasteries - in all, sixty-five were established under his direction.

In the context of Thelema, Bernard is best remembered as having written the original rules of the Knights Templar, which were based on those of the Cisterians. He was also the nephew of one of the original Knights, Andre de Montbard.

==External Links==
* [http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02498d.htm Catholic Encyclopedia: St. Bernard of Clairvaux]
* [http://www.templarhistory.com/stbernard.html The Knights Templar: Bernard of Clairvaux]

Theodor Reuss

2005-10-11T21:10:23Z

Alhazred:

Theodor Reuss (1855 - 1923 e.v.) Theodor Reuss was an Anglo-German tantric occultist, utopian socialist, journalist, singer, and promoter of Women's Liberation; and the successor to [[Carl Kellner]] as head of [[O.T.O.]]

Reuss was born the son of an innkeeper at Augsburg on June 28, 1855 e.v. He was a professional singer in his youth, and was privileged to work under [[Richard Wagner]], whom he first met, along with Wagner's patron, King [[Ludovicus Rex Bavariae|Ludwig II]] of Bavaria, in 1873. He took part in the first performance of Wagner's Parsifal at Bayreuth in 1882. He later became a newspaper correspondent, and travelled frequently as such to England, where he became a Mason in 1876. He also spent some time there as a journalist and as a music-hall singer under the stage name "Charles Theodore."

In 1880, in Munich, he participated in an attempt to revive [[Adam Weishaupt]]'s Bavarian Order of Illuminati. In 1885, in England, he joined the British Social League, which some say he joined to spy on Karl Marx's daughter for the German Secret Service. While in England, he became friends with [[William Wynn Westcott]], the Supreme Magus of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia and one of the founders of the [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn]]. Wescott provided Reuss with a charter dated July 26, 1901 for the Swedenborgian Rite of Masonry and a letter of authorization dated Feb. 24, 1902 to found a High Council in Germania of the Societas Rosicruciana in Anglia. Gérard Encausse provided him with a charter dated June 24, 1901 designating him Special Inspector for the Martinist Order in Germany. In 1888, in Berlin, he joined with Leopold Engel of Dresden, Max Rahn and August Weinholz in another effort to revive the Illuminati Order. In 1895, he began to discuss the formation of [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] with Carl Kellner.

The discussions between Reuss and Kellner did not lead to any positive results at the time, allegedly because Kellner disapproved with Reuss's connections with Engel. According to Reuss, upon his final separation with Engel in June of 1902, Kellner contacted him and the two agreed to proceed with the establishment of the Oriental Templar Order by seeking authorizations to work the various rites of high-grade Masonry. Wescott assisted Reuss to contact the English Masonic scholar, John Yarker (1833-1913). Along with his associates Franz Hartmann and Henry Klein, he activated the Masonic Rites of Memphis and Mizraim and a branch of the Scottish Rite in Germany with charters from Yarker. Reuss received letters-patent as a Sovereign Grand Inspector General 33° of the Cernau Scottish Rite from Yarker dated September 24, 1902. On the same date, Yarker appears to have issued a warrant to Reuss, Franz Hartmann and Henry Klein to operate a Sovereign Sanctuary 33°-95° of the Scottish, Memphis and Mizraim rites. The original document is not extant, but a transcript of this warrant was published in Reuss's newsletter, The Oriflamme in 1911, which commenced publication in 1902. Yarker issued a charter confirming Reuss's authority to operate said rites on July 1, 1904; and Reuss published a transcript of an additional confirming charter dated June 24, 1905. Reuss and Kellner together prepared a brief manifesto for their Order in 1903, which was published the next year in The Oriflamme.

When Carl Kellner died in 1905, the leadership of the Academia Masonica of O.T.O. fell upon Reuss's shoulders, and he incorporated all his other organizations under its banner, developing the three degrees of the Academia Masonica, available to Masons only, into a coherent, self-contained initiatory system, open to both men and women. He promulgated a constitution for this new, enlarged O.T.O. on June 21, 1906 in London (his place of residence since January 1906) and the next month proclaimed himself Outer Head of the Order (O.H.O.). That same year he published Lingham-Yoni, which was a German translation of Hargrave Jennings's work Phallism, and issued a warrant to Rudolph Steiner (1861-1925, who was at the time the Secretary General of the German branch of the [[Theosophical Society]]), making him Deputy Grand Master of a subordinate O.T.O./Memphis/Mizraim Chapter and Grand Council called "Mystica Aeterna" in Berlin. Steiner went on to found the Anthroposophical Society in 1912, and ended his association with Reuss in 1914.

On June 24, 1908, Reuss attended Encausse's "International Masonic and Spiritualist Conference" in Paris. At this conference, Reuss issued to Encausse a warrant to establish a "Supreme Grand Council General of the Unified Rites of Antient and Primitive Masonry for the Grand Orient of France and its Dependencies at Paris," and possibly received authority in Église Catholique Gnostique. He also appointed Dr. Arnold Krumm-Heller (Huiracocha, 1879-1949) as his official representative for Latin America.

While living in London, Reuss became acquainted with [[Aleister Crowley]]. In 1910, he made Crowley a VII° of O.T.O. (based on Crowley's previously held 33° in the Scottish Rite), and in 1912, he conferred upon him the IX° and appointed him National Grand Master General X° for the O.T.O. in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland by charter dated June 1, 1912. Crowley's appointment included authority over an English language rite of the lower (Masonic) degrees of O.T.O. which was given the name Mysteria Mystica Maxima, or M:.M:.M:. In 1913, Crowley issued a Constitution for the M:.M:.M:. and the Manifesto of the M:.M:.M:., which he subsequently redrafted and issued as Liber LII, the Manifesto of the O.T.O. In 1913, Crowley wrote [[Liber XV]], the Gnostic Mass for Reuss's Gnostic Catholic Church. Crowley also dedicated his Mystery Play The Ship (1913) and a collection of poetry, The Giant's Thumb (1915) to Reuss.

In 1914, at the outset of World War I, Reuss left England and returned to Germany. He worked briefly for the Red Cross in Berlin, then, in 1916, moved to Basle, Switzerland. While there, he established an "Anational Grand Lodge and Mystic Temple" of O.T.O. and the Hermetic Brotherhood of Light at Monte Verità, a utopian commune near Ascona founded in 1900 by Henri Oedenkoven and Ida Hofmann, which functioned as a center for the Progressive Underground. On January 22, 1917, Reuss published a manifesto for this Anational Grand Lodge, which was called "Verità Mystica." On the same date, he published a revised O.T.O. Constitution (based in a large part on Crowley's 1913 Constitution of the M:.M:.M:.), with a "Synopsis of Degrees" and an abridgment of The Message of the Master Therion appended. Reuss held an "Anational Congress for Organising the Reconstruction of Society on Practical Cooperative Lines" at Monte Verità from August 15-25, 1917. This Congress included readings of Crowley's poetry (on August 22) and a recitation of Crowley's Gnostic Mass (on August 24). On October 24, 1917, Reuss Chartered an O.T.O. Lodge, "Libertas et Fraternitas" in Zürich. This Lodge later placed itself under the Masonic jurisdiction of the Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina.

In 1918, Reuss published his German translation of Crowley's Gnostic Mass. In a note at the end of his translation of Liber XV, he referred to himself as, simultaneously, the Sovereign Patriarch and Primate of the Gnostic Catholic Church, and Gnostic Legate to Switzerland of the Église Gnostique Universelle, acknowledging Jean Bricaud (1881-1934 -- on left in photo) as Sovereign Patriarch of that church. The issuance of this document can be viewed as the birth of the Thelemic E.G.C. as an independent organization under the umbrella of O.T.O., with Reuss as its first Patriarch.

Reuss was clearly impressed with Thelema. Crowley's Gnostic Mass, which Reuss translated into German and had recited at his Anational Congress at Monte Verità, is an explicitly Thelemic ritual. In an undated letter to Crowley (received in 1917), Reuss reported exitedly that he had read The Message of the Master Therion to a gathering at Monte Verità, and that he was translating The Book of the Law into German. He added, "Let this new encourage you! We live in your Work!!!"

Reuss left Monte Verità some time before November 1918. On May 10, 1919, Reuss issued a "Gauge of Amity" document to Matthew McBlain Thomson, founder of the ill-fated "American Masonic Federation." On September 18, 1919, Reuss was reconsecrated by Bricaud, thus receiving the "Antioch Succession," and re-appointed as "Gnostic Legate" to Switzerland for Bricaud's Église Gnostique Universelle. In 1920, Oedenkoven and Hofmann abandoned Monte Verità in 1920 to establish a second colony in Brazil, and Reuss published a document titled The Program of Construction and the Guiding Principles of the Gnostic Neo-Christians: O.T.O.

On July 17, 1920, he attended the Congress of the "World Federation of Universal Freemasonry" in Zürich, which lasted several days. Reuss, with Bricaud's support, advocated the adoption of the religion of Crowley's Gnostic Mass as the "official religion for all members of the World Federation of Universal Freemasonry in possession of the 18° of the Scottish Rite." Reuss's efforts in this regard were a failure, and he left the Congress after the first day. On May 10, 1921, Reuss issued X° Charters to [[Charles Stansfeld Jones]] and [[Heinrich Tränker]] to serve as Grand Masters for the U.S.A. and Germany, respectively. On July 30, 1921, Reuss issued another "Gauge of Amity" document, this time to [[H. Spencer Lewis]], founder of A.M.O.R.C., the San Jose, California based Rosicrucian organization. Reuss returned to Germany in September of 1921, settling in Munich.

There is some reason to believe that Reuss suffered a stroke in the Spring of 1920, but this is not entirely certain. Crowley wrote to W.T. Smith in March of 1943: "the late O.H.O., after his first stroke of paralysis, got into a panic about the work being carried on... He hastily issued honorary diplomas of the Seventh Degree to various people, some of whom had no right to anything at all and some of whom were only cheap crooks." Shortly after appointing him his Viceroy for Australia, Crowley appears to have corresponded with his student Frank Bennett and discussed with him his doubts about Reuss's continuing ability to effectively govern the Order. It would appear that Reuss discovered the correspondence; he wrote Crowley an angry, defensive response on November 9, 1921, in which he appeared to distance himself and O.T.O. from Thelema, which, as shown above, he had previously embraced. Crowley replied to Reuss's letter on November 23, 1921, and stated in his letter, "It is my will to be O.H.O. and Frater Superior of the Order and avail myself of your abdication -- to proclaim myself as such." He signed the letter "Baphomet O.H.O." Reuss's response is not extant, but Crowley recounts in his Confessions that Reuss "resigned the office [of O.H.O.] in 1922 in my favour." However, it does not appear that Crowley waited for Reuss's response to assume his duties. In a diary entry for November 27, 1921, Crowley wrote: "I have proclaimed myself O.H.O. Frater Superior of the Order of Oriental Templars." Reuss died on October 28, 1923. In a letter to Heinrich Tränker dated February 14, 1925, Crowley stated the following: "Reuss was very uncertain in temper, and in many ways unreliable. In his last years he seems to have completely lost his grip, even accusing The Book of the Law of communistic tendencies, than which no statement could be more absurd. Yet it seems that he must have been to some extent correctly led, on account of his having made the appointments of yourself and Frater Achad, and designating me in his last letter as his successor." In a letter to Charles Stansfeld Jones dated Sun in Capricorn, Anno XX (Dec. 1924 - Jan. 1925), Crowley said, "in the O.H.O.'s last letter to me he invited me to become his successor as O.H.O. and Frater Superior." Reuss's letter designating Crowley his successor as O.H.O. has not been found, but no credible documentation has surfaced which would indicate that Reuss ever designated any alternative successor.

Reuss's writings include: The Matrimonial Question from an Anarchistic Point of View (1887); Die Mysterien der Illuminaten (1894); Geschichte des Illuminaten-Ordens (1896); Was muss man von der Freimauerei wissen? (1901); Was ist Okkultismus und wie erlangt man occulte Kräfte? (1903); Was muss man von Richard Wagner und seinen Ton-dramen wissen? (1903); Lingam-Yoni; oder die Mysterien des Geschlechts-Kultus (1906); Allgemeine Satzungen des Ordens der Orientalischem Templer O.T.O. (1906; Parsifal und das Enthüllte Grals-Geheimnis (1914); Constitution of the Ancient Order of Oriental Templars, O.T.O., Ordo Templi Orientis, with an Introduction and a Synopsis of the Degrees of the O.T.O. (1917); Die Gnostische Messe (1920); Das Aufbau-Programm und die Leitsätze der Gnostischen Neo-Christen (1920); and numerous articles published in his periodical Oriflamme (1902-1914).

==References==
*http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/reuss.htm The Invisible Basilica of Sabazius: Theodor Reuss. (c) Sabazius X. Used with grateful acknowledgement and by kind permission.
*Howe, Ellic; "Theodor Reuss: Irregular Freemasonry in Germany, 1900-23" in Ars Quatuor Coronati, Feb. 1978
*König, Peter-Robert; Das OTO-Phänomenon, A.R.W., München 1994
*Merlin Peregrinus (Theodor Reuss); I.N.R.I., O.T.O., Ecclesiae Gnosticae Catholicae, Canon Missae, Die Gnostische Messe [1918], privately published by the Oriflamme 1920, translated by Marcus M. Jungkurth
*Möller, Helmut and Ellic Howe; Merlin Peregrinus, vom Untergrund des Abendlandes, Königshausen & Neumann, Würtzburg 1986
*Reuss, Theodor; I.N.R.I. Constitution of the Ancient Order of Oriental Templars, O.T.O., Ordo Templi Orientis, with an Introduction and a Synopsis of the Degrees of the O.T.O., 1917
*Reuss, Theodor; Ordo Templi Orientis - Hermetic Brotherhood of Light. Anational Grand Lodge & Mystic Temple: "Verità Mystica", or Ascona. Manifesto., Ascona, Switzerland 1917
*Reuss, Theodor; I.N.R.I. The Programme of Construction and the Guiding Principles of the Gnostic Neo-Christians, O.T.O., 1920
*Reuss, Theodor; Introduction to Lingham-Yoni (Phallism, by Hargrave Jennings), Verlag Wilsson, Berlin 1906
*Shepard, Leslie (Ed.); Encyclopedia of Occultism and Parapsychology, 2nd. Ed., Gale Research Co., Detroit MI 1984
*Symonds, John and Kenneth Grant, eds.; The Magical Record of the Beast 666, Duckworth, London 1972

[[Category:Occultists]]
[[Category:Past Masters]]
[[Category:Tantrics]]
[[Category:Ordo Templi Orientis]]

Holy Ghost

2005-10-10T21:18:27Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}
{{Thelema}}
Within the context of Christianity, the Holy Ghost is seen as the third person of the Trinity.

==References==
*Wikipedia. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_ghost Holy Spirit]. Retrieved October 10, 2005.

Hadit

2005-10-10T21:00:55Z

Alhazred:

{{egyptiangods}}
{{stub}}

'''Hadit''', "the great god, the lord of the sky," is depicted on the [[Stele of Revealing]] in the form of the [[winged disk]] of the [[Sun]].

Hadit is the principal speaker of the second chapter of the [[Book of the Law]], where he identifies himself as the point in the center of the circle, the axle of the wheel, the cube in the circle, "the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star," and the worshipper's own self. Hadit has been interpreted as the inner spirit of man, the [[Holy Ghost]], the sperm in which the DNA of man is carried, the Elixir Vitae. When juxtaposed with [[Nuit]] in Liber Legis Hadit represents each unique point-experience. These point-experiences in aggregate comprise the sum of all possible experience, Nuit.

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Thelemic terms]]

Adonai

2005-10-09T16:48:57Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

'''Adonai''' is a [[Hebrew]] word meaning "Lord." It is sometimes used to refer to the [[Holy Guardian Angel]]. (See especially [[Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente vel LXV]] in this regard.)

[[Category:Hebrew Godforms]]
[[Category:Holy Guardian Angel]]

Adonai

2005-10-09T16:47:49Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

'''Adonai''' is a [[Hebrew]] word meaning "Lord." It is sometimes used to refer to the [[Holy Guardian Angel]]. (See especially Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente vel LXV in this regard.)

[[Category:Hebrew Godforms]]
[[Category:Holy Guardian Angel]]

Wolfram von Eschenbach

2005-10-08T18:13:35Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

Wolfram von Eschenbach (died c. 1220) was German poet. He was best known for his epic poem ''Parzifal'', which centers around the Grail legend.

==References==
*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolfram_von_Eschenbach Wolfram von Eschenbach].'' Retrieved October 8, 2005.

[[Category:Poets]]

Catullus

2005-10-08T18:13:01Z

Alhazred:

{{thelema}}

'''Gaius Valerius Catullus''' (c.84 B.C.- c.54 B.C.) was one of the most influential Roman poets of the first century B.C.

Of Catullus' life little is known for sure. He was born on the Palatine hill of Rome. He was an offspring of a leading family from Verona, but lived in Rome most of his life. In 57 B.C., he accompanied his friend Memmius to Bithynia, where Memmius had received a propraetor's post. Catullus himself, however, never held a political office.

His poetry was greatly influenced by the Greek neoteroi, especially by Callimachus, who propagated a new style of poetry, deliberately turning away from the classical epic poetry in the tradition of Homer. Their poems no longer described the feats of ancient heroes and gods but concentrated on small-scale personal themes. Although these poems sometimes seem quite superficial and their subject often are mere everyday concerns, they nevertheless are accomplished works of art.

The work of Catullus was handed down as an anthology of 116 ''carmina'' (presumably not arranged by the author), which can be divided into three formal parts: 60 short poems in varying metres, called ''polymetra'', 8 longer poems and 48 epigrams.

The longer poems differ from the ''polymetra'' and the epigrams not only in length but also in their subjects: They are hymns and one mini-epic.

The polymetra and the epigrams can be divided into three major thematical groups (ignoring a rather large number of poems eluding such categorization):

* poems to and about his friends (e.g. invitations)
* erotic poems: some of them imply homosexual penchants, but most are about women, especially about one he calls "Lesbia"; philologists have taken considerable efforts to discover her real identity, and many concluded that Lesbia was Clodia, sister of the infamous Publius Clodius Pulcher, a woman known for her generous sexuality, but this identification rests on some rather fragile assumptions
* invectives: some of these often quite rude or downrightly obscene poems are targeted towards ex-friends, but many well known poets, politicians (e.g. Julius Caesar) and rhetors get their thrashing, too

All these poems describe the rather Epicurean lifestyle of Catullus and his friends, who lived withdrawn from (though not oblivious to) politics. They were mainly interested in poetry and love, and the ancient Roman concept of ''virtus'' (i.e. of virtue that had to be proved either by a political career or by military valor), which Cicero propagated as the solution to the societal problems of the late Republic, meant nothing to them.

But it is not actually the traditional ''notions'' Catullus rejects, but merely their monopolized application to the ''vita activa'' of politics and war. Indeed, he tries to reinvent these notions from a personal point of view and to introduce them into human relationship. For example, he applies the word ''fides'', which traditionally meant faithfulness towards one's political allies, to his relationship to Lesbia and reinterprets it as unconditional faithfulness in love. So, despite his seemingly frivolous lifestyle Catullus measured himself and his friends by quite ambitious standards.

It isn't known for sure when Catullus died; some antique sources tell he died from exhaustion at the age of 30. Subsequently, his poems were appreciated by other poets and intellectuals, but politicians like Cicero despised them because of their ''amorality'', and Catullus was not considered one of the canonical school authors. Nevertheless, he greatly influenced later poets like Ovid, Horace and even [[Virgil]] and after his rediscovery in the Middle Ages, he again found admirers. Still his sometimes quite explicit writing style was shocking to many readers, antique and modern ones, and until recently it was not easy to find an equally explicit translation of some of his poems. Jacob Rabinowitz has since remedied this.

==External links==
* Catullus' work in Latin and over 25 other languages at ''Catullus Translations'': http://www.negenborn.net/catullus/
* The complete poems of Catullus at ''The Latin Library'': http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/catullus.html

==References==
A large portion of this article was taken from: Wikipedia. (2004). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catullus Catullus]''. Retrieved on Sept. 20, 2004.

[[Category:Roman Culture]]
[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

Wolfram von Eschenbach

2005-10-08T18:09:03Z

Alhazred:

Kamuret

2005-10-08T18:00:24Z

Alhazred:

{{stub}}

'''Kamuret'''—also known as Gamuret or Gahmuret—was the father of [[Parzival]], a character in the story of the same name written by the Bavarian poet, [[Wolfram von Eschenbach]] (c. 1170–c. 1220). Along with Parzival, he is a [[The Gnostic Saints|Gnostic Saint]] of [[Ecclessia Gnostica Catholica|E.G.C.]]

The name KAMURET has the value of [[666]].

==References==
*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/kamuret.htm Kamuret]'' on "The Invisible Basilica."
*Crowley, Aleister. (1991). ''The Equinox of the Gods.'' (Corrected facsimile edition.) New York : O.T.O./93 Publishing.

[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

Paul Gaugin

2005-10-07T22:44:10Z

Alhazred:

{{partial}}

'''Paul Gauguin''' (1848–1903), a renowned French painter of the post-impressionist period. He was especially known for his bold, colorful paintings from Tahiti (where he settled down and took a native girl as a wife). [[Sabazius]] (1995) says that Gauguin’s life “provides us with an example of a man who flouted convention and abandoned material success in order to pursue his true will; and in so doing, transformed western culture.”

==Early Life==

Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin was born on June 7, 1848 in Paris. For seven years he and his family lived in Lima, Peru—the birthplace of his mother. After a sailing adventure that took him around the world, Gauguin settled down to work for a Paris stockbroker. Soon after, he wed Mette Sophie Gad, a Dane. It was during this time that his interest in painting took hold, and he studied with Pissarro to master his drawing and painting techniques.

==His native life==

With the market crash of 1883, he lost his job and all his money. This led to his separation from his wife and five children. Although he was determined to succeed as a full time painter, he was a total failure.

Abandoning the “civilized” life, Gauguin left for the West Indies in 1887. It was here that he developed his new style of painting.

==References==
*Sabazius, The Invisible Basilica. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/gauguin.htm (Eugène Henri) Paul Gauguin]''. Retrieved on Sept. 21, 2004.
*The Columbia Encyclopedia. (2003). ''[http://www.bartleby.com/65/ga/Gauguin.html Paul Gauguin]''. Retrieved on Sept. 21, 2004.
*Britannica Student Encyclopedia. (2004). ''[http://80-search.eb.com.content.lib.utexas.edu:2048/ebi/article?tocId=9274509 Gauguin, Paul]''. Retrieved on Sept. 21, 2004.
*World Encyclopedia. (2002). ''[http://80-www.oxfordreference.com.content.lib.utexas.edu:2048/views/ENTRY.html?subview=Main&entry=t105.e4517 Gauguin, (Eugène Henri) Paul]''. Retrieved on Sept. 21, 2004.

[[Category:The Gnostic Saints]]

11

2005-10-06T21:50:28Z

Alhazred:

{{thelema}}
{{stub}}

The number 11 means, in the [[Tree of Life]], the Sphere of [[Daath]]. In the Hebraic Language [[Daath]] means "knowledge" or "Abyss", being the [[Sephira]] located in the limit between the Superior Triad ([[Kether]], [[Chokmah]] and [[Binah]]) and the [[Sephiroth]] located at the more manifested world. [[Daath]] is where takes place phenomenon usually known as the "[[Black Night of the Soul]]", when the adept stands at the mental state represented by the [[daemon]] [[Choronzon]]. Transpass this state of the mind is essential to reach the consecration of the [[Great Work]]. To reach [[Daath]] is necessary, first, to take contact with the [[Holy Guardian Angel]], who conducts the adept and helps him to reach the [[Abyss]] safely.

This number also have the symbolism of the union of the [[Microcosmos]] and the [[Macrocosmos]], as the sum of the 5 and the 6, being the 5 related to the [[Pentagram]] and the 6 related to the [[Hexagram]]. So, 11 joins the meanings of both the correlations and means the All.

[[Category:Numbers]]