Thelemapedia - User contributions [en]

User talk:Frater C.U.G.

2006-05-23T12:36:17Z

Karma:

Doing a little cleaning moved old posts to [[User_talk:Frater_C.U.G._older_posts]]

----

== Order of Udjat ==

Frater C.U.G., welcome to the Order of Udjat. As you may be aware, this means that you also may confer induction to others. Thanks for your continued and tireless work on Thelemapedia. I was surprised to find that you were not already an Udjatarian; it seems overdue. --[[User:Thiebes|Thiebes]] 02:39, 4 Aug 2005 (CDT)

== Isopsephy ==

Thank you for the suggestion, I'll get right on that! --[[User:Morningstar2651|Morningstar2651]] 10:46, 8 Aug 2005 (CDT)

== Do you Yahoo? ==

Hey are you on Yahoo IM or some other chat thing? [[User:Thiebes|Joseph Thiebes]] 02:57, 19 Nov 2005 (CST)

== Help? ==

I can't find the page that lists the links to articles bearing the "Needs editing" template. I found an article with it by accident but I'd thought there was a list for me to follow up? Confused, [[User:Karma|Karma]] 19:29, 22 May 2006 (CDT)

EDIT: I figured it out, sorry about that! [[User:Karma|Karma]] 07:36, 23 May 2006 (CDT)

User:Karma

2006-05-23T12:32:58Z

Karma:

[[Image:Award star.gif|frame|Aug. 4, 2005 ev: I, [[User:Thiebes|Thiebes]], award you this [[Thelemapedia:Awards#Star of Thelemapedia|Star of Thelemapedia]] for the excellent editorial contributions you have made in your brief time here.]]

[[Image:Award_thoth.jpg|frame|I, [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 19:02, 6 Nov 2005 (CST), award you this [[Thelemapedia:Awards#Thoth Award for Excellence in Writing|Thoth Award]] for your "amazing talent for stringing words together in a way that makes a topic clear, easy to understand, and enjoyable to read."]]

Karma is a writer, editor, teacher of college English and composition, Thelemite, martial artist, graduate student in English Literature, worrywart, and rootworker. She has been an initiate of the OTO for twelve years and a student of magick, yoga, religion, and mythology since childhood (hippie parents). She is currently researching the EGC saint Swinburne's influences on the figure of the Victorian Poetess, and has recently begun inquiries into occult hurricane propitiation rituals involving the orisha Oya and small tins of Spam (tm).

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Ahem. See the bit above about being an editor? I mean that in the comma and gerund sense rather than the "writing articles for Thelemapedia" sense. So if spelling isn't your thing, slap that "needs editing" template on your article, and I'll go fix it up, 'cause that is what I do for fun on Wednesday nights.

Here's the template:
''This article needs copy- and line-editing. For other articles like this, see: '''[http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=Template%3AEditing_required Editing required.]'''''

User talk:Karma

2006-05-23T12:29:54Z

Karma: /* re: your note */

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Karma, you are off to a good start. I'd like to recommend the article [[Thelemapedia:How_to_Contribute|How to Contribute]]...I think it might help you. The [[Thelemapedia:Really_Simple_Tutorial|Really Simple Tutorial]] can help out with formatting issues. Keep up the great work! [[User:Ash|Fr. Ash]] 21:56, 8 Jul 2005 (CDT)
----

93 Karma,

It's good to see someone new jumping in and fixing things. Good Job. :)
93 93/93 [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 17:05, 7 Jul 2005 (CDT)

----

Thelemapedia:Projects

2006-05-23T01:26:20Z

Karma: /* Works of Crowley */ fixed typo

The following '''Thelemapedia projects''' are in special need of attention. If you are looking for something specific to work on, look no further than this page. If you add a full article from the list, please come back to this page and delete the listing. If you begin one, or add something small, then come back and list what is still needed.

Everyone is welcome to add to this page. If you think there are some pages that need attention, by all means add them.

==Glossaries==
I thought it would be useful to begin some glossaries of the major site topics. They are designed to be single pages with a list of common terms and jargon with brief definitions. Please consider adding to them. Also, there could be many other glossaries, especially for astrology, alchemy, and yoga.

*[[Glossary of Thelema]]
*[[Glossary of Magick]]
*[[Glossary of Astrology]]
*[[Glossary of Alchemy]]
*[[Glossary of Yoga]]
*[[Glossary of Tarot]]
*[[Glossary of Qabalah]]

==Thoth Tarot==
This is off to a good start, so help see it through.

* [[Thoth Tarot]] (needs history and general description and theory)
* [[Lady Frieda Harris]] (still a stub)
* All the Major Arcana need help: [[The Fool (tarot)]], [[The Magus (tarot)]], [[The Priestess (tarot)]], [[The Empress (tarot)]], [[The Emperor (tarot)]], [[The Hierophant (tarot)]], [[The Lovers (tarot)]], [[The Chariot (tarot)]], [[Adjustment (tarot)]], [[The Hermit (tarot)]], [[Fortune (tarot)]], [[Lust (tarot)]], [[The Hanged Man (tarot)]], [[Death (tarot)]], [[Art (tarot)]], [[The Devil (tarot)]], [[The Tower (tarot)]], [[The Star (tarot)]], [[The Moon (tarot)]], [[The Sun (tarot)]], [[The Aeon (tarot)]], [[The Universe (tarot)]]

==Project: Scarlet Women==

The women of Thelema need a voice...give it to them!
*[[Mary Butts]] (1892-1937) author, acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, resident at Cefalù
*[[Rose Edith Crowley]] (1874-1932) (still needs lots of work)
*[[Leah Hirsig]] (1883–1951) (more! more!)
*[[Regina Kahl]] (1891-1945) member of Agape Lodge #2 O.T.O., first priestess in a public Gnostic Mass
*[[Maria de Miramar]] (1894-196?) The second wife of Aleister Crowley
*[[Dorothy Olsen]] Sr. Astrid, a Scarlet Woman; student and companion of Crowley
*[[Phyllis Seckler]] (1917-2004) Sr. Meral IXº O.T.O., 5=6 A.'.A.'., founder College of Thelema.
*[[Leila Waddell]] (1880–1932) LAYLAH, companion of Crowley, inspiration for The Book of Lies, accomplished violinist
*[[Jane Wolfe]] (1875-1958) Sr. Estai, acquaintance of Aleister Crowley, resident at Cefalù, actress in silent films

==Project: Sex!==

C'mon now, are we "evil black sex magicians" or not?? Let's hear about that Good Stuff:

*[[Sex magick]]
*[[Phallus]]
*[[Kundalini]]
*[[Sex]]
*[[Erotica]]
*[[BDSM]]
*[[Love spells]]
*[[Orgone]]
*[[Polyamory]]
*[[Sacred prostitution]]
*[[Virginity]]
*[[Chastity]]
*[[Homosexuality]]
*[[Puberty]]
*[[Masturbation]]
*[[Semen]]
*[[Kama Sutra]]

==Project: Crowley's Major Operations==
Please try to keep technical jargon down to a minimum, or explain it when necessary. Remember, the object is to educate—do not assume knowledge.

*[[The Cairo Working]]
*[[The John St. John Operation]]
*[[The Abuldiz Working]]
*[[The Paris Working]]
*[[The Amalantrah Working]]

==Project: Astrology==

* [[Natal chart]]
* [[Qualities (astrology)]] (i.e. cardinal, fixed, & mutable...please make one page for all three)
* [[Motion (astrology)]] (e.g. retrograde, returns, transits, etc)
* [[Orb (astrology)]]
* [[Heavenly bodies]] (e.g. asteroids, fixed stars, & moons, etc.)
* All of the signs could use some help: [[Aries]], [[Taurus]], [[Gemini]], [[Cancer]], [[Leo]], [[Virgo]], [[Libra]], [[Scorpio]], [[Sagittarius]], [[Capricorn]], [[Aquarius]], [[Pisces]]
* All of the planets could use some help: [[Sun (astrology)|Sun]], [[Mercury (astrology)|Mercury]], [[Venus (astrology)|Venus]], [[Luna (astrology)|Luna]], [[Mars (astrology)|Mars]], [[Jupiter (astrology)|Jupiter]], [[Saturn (astrology)|Saturn]], [[Uranus (astrology)|Uranus]], [[Neptune (astrology)|Neptune]], [[Pluto (astrology)|Pluto]].
* Feel free to add items that are missing
* A lot of the entries in this project could use some information from Thelema. ''The General Principles of Astrology'' by Crowley may be a good source to use.

==Works of Crowley==

For the truly insane:

*[[Works of Aleister Crowley (Books)]] (each book needs a description)
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley %28Poetry%29]] (needs a far more complete list, preferrably broken up by some catagorical system, such as by theme or period. Also, we could certainly host some of his poems, many of which are in the public domain (pre-1924 I believe).
*[[Works of Aleister Crowley (Other)]] (Other stuff, like essays, magazine articles, newspaper columns, etc.)
*''[http://www.redflame93.com/DeskReference.html The Desk Reference] is a great reference''

==Where to go from here==
{{help}}

[[Category:Thelemapedia]]

Thelemapedia:Templates

2006-05-23T01:23:34Z

Karma: fixed typo

Templates provide a very simple way to add boilerplate messages by using the <nowiki>{{template}}</nowiki> format. For example, if in the edit page you type <nowiki>{{stub}}</nowiki>, the article will display the "Stub" boilerplate message:

{{stub}}

The following is a list of current templates. '''If you create one, please list it here.'''

==Incomplete articles==
*'''[[Template:Stub|Stub]]''': put at the top of pages that are stubs (i.e. very short articles)
*'''[[Template:Partial|Partial]]''': put at the top of articles that have substantial chunks missing
*'''[[Template:Thelema|Thelema]]''': for articles that need more information in the context of Thelema
*'''[[Template:Editing required|Editing required]]''': for articles that need further copy- or line-editing.

==Series==

*[[Template:MTP|'''MTP''']]: for articles that are part of the ''Magick in Theory and Practice'' series
*[[Template:Religion|'''Religion''']]: for articles in the [[Thelema & Religion]] series
*[[Template:Numbers|'''Numbers''']]: for articles that have a number as the topic (e.g. [[93]])
*[[Template:Saint|'''Saint''']]: for [[The Gnostic Saints]]
*[[Template:Tree|'''Tree''']]: for articles in the [[Tree of Life]] series
*[[Template:greekgods|'''Greekgods''']]: List for pages of [[Greek Godforms]]
*[[Template:romangods|'''Romangods''']]: List for pages of [[Roman Godforms]]
*[[Template:Astrology|'''Astrology''']]: List for [[Astrology]] pages

==Misc.==

*[[Template:Cite|'''Cite''']]: a quick "discussion" message for users who don't cite sources
*[[Template:Help|'''Help''']]: Current list of help articles
*[[Template:Disambiguation|'''Disambiguation''']]: For disambiguation pages

*[http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php?title=Template:Deletion '''Deletion'''] : For pages that are off-topic or otherwise don't belong

==Variable==

*<nowiki>{{SITENAME}}</nowiki> : {{SITENAME}}
*<nowiki>{{SERVER}}</nowiki> : {{SERVER}}
*<nowiki>{{localurl:pagename}}</nowiki> : {{localurl:pagename}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTH}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTMONTH}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTHNAME}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTMONTHNAME}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTMONTHNAMEGEN}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTMONTHNAMEGEN}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTDAY}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTDAY}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTDAYNAME}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTDAYNAME}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTYEAR}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTYEAR}}
*<nowiki>{{CURRENTTIME}}</nowiki> : {{CURRENTTIME}}
*<nowiki>{{NUMBEROFARTICLES}}</nowiki> : {{NUMBEROFARTICLES}}
*<nowiki>{{NAMESPACE}}</nowiki> : {{NAMESPACE}}
*<nowiki>{{PAGENAME}}</nowiki> : {{PAGENAME}}
*<nowiki>{{PAGENAMEE}}</nowiki> : {{PAGENAMEE}}

==Section Editors==

*[[Template:Se freemasonry|'''Freemasonry''']]: <nowiki>{{se_freemasonry}}</nowiki>

==Where to go from here==
{{help}}
[[Category:Thelemapedia]]

Talk:Frater QVIF

2006-05-23T00:56:16Z

Karma: further comment on relevance

Why?

This page needs to be anchored to something. I'm at a loss, I confess, for what that might be. Suggestions?
[[User:Karma|Karma]]

Ok, here's what I took out:
Frater QVIF (aka Marcos Pagani) a brazilian occultist was a Probationer under isntruction of Marcelo Motta (http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta) in 80's. After Motta's death QVIF asks instruction to Soror Estai lineage and reach the grade 1°=10#. Later, his instructor Frater Leny leave him and QVIF contacts Frater Thor (Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida) becoming his chela.

Today QVIF is under instruction of a another superior in the A∴A∴ and divulges Thelema (http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Thelema) in Brazil. See http://www.astrumargentum.org.br and Frater Keron-E (http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/User:Keron-e).

In attempting to anchor this article to the history of Thelema in Brazil, I confess I don't see its relevance as a separate entry. Am I missing something? There's hardly enough here to warrant a standalone entry and I'm unable to find any more info on this person -- maybe Keron E can help?

[[User:Karma|Karma]] 19:56, 22 May 2006 (CDT)

Talk:Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida

2006-05-23T00:52:52Z

Karma:

This is what I heavily revised and/or removed:

''Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida''' (Frater Thor) was the first [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta Marcelo Motta's] student. In 1962, Almeida finds a Motta's book "'''Chamando os Filhos do Sol''' (Calling the Children of the Sun)" e writes to him becoming his chela, first in O.T.O later in A∴A∴.

[[User:Karma|Karma]] 19:52, 22 May 2006 (CDT)

User talk:Frater C.U.G.

2006-05-23T00:29:51Z

Karma: /* Help? */

User talk:Frater C.U.G.

2006-05-23T00:29:28Z

Karma: hello, I'm lost

Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida

2006-05-23T00:25:25Z

Karma: fixed factual error (deleted statement that almeida was Motta's student in O.T.O.

'''Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida''' (Frater Thor) was [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta Marcelo Motta's] first student. He founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil, the Ordem dos Cavaleiros de Thelema (Order of Knights of Thelema) and the Sociedade Novo Aeon (New Aeon Society).

Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida

2006-05-23T00:22:48Z

Karma: removed editing template

'''Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida''' (Frater Thor) was [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta Marcelo Motta's] first student. In 1962, Almeida discovered Motta's book "'''Chamando os Filhos do Sol''' (Calling the Children of the Sun)" and writes to him becoming his chela, first in O.T.O later in A∴A∴.

He founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil, the Ordem dos Cavaleiros de Thelema (Order of Knights of Thelema) and the Sociedade Novo Aeon (New Aeon Society).

Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida

2006-05-23T00:22:29Z

Karma: huh? factual errors, check and come back

''This article needs copy- and line-editing. For other articles like this, see: '''[http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php?title=Special:Whatlinkshere&target=Template%3AEditing_required Editing required.]'''''

'''Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida''' (Frater Thor) was [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta Marcelo Motta's] first student. In 1962, Almeida discovered Motta's book "'''Chamando os Filhos do Sol''' (Calling the Children of the Sun)" and writes to him becoming his chela, first in O.T.O later in A∴A∴.

He founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil, the Ordem dos Cavaleiros de Thelema (Order of Knights of Thelema) and the Sociedade Novo Aeon (New Aeon Society).

Marcelo Ramos Motta

2006-05-23T00:19:28Z

Karma: removed link to Sasha Germer's first name, need to figure out how to redirect or fix

Marcelo Ramos Motta (Jul 27th, 1931 [[EV|e.v.]] - Aug 26th, 1987 [[EV|e.v.]]) was the first Thelemic writer in Brazil, a member of [[A.'.A.'.|Astrum Argentum]], and founder of the Brazilian [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis]].

Marcelo Motta was born in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Very little is known about his childhood, only that he was born into a German family and received a very strict education, amplified by his admission to the Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro. His father was a follower of the doctrine of Allan Kardec and his mother was Catholic. According to Motta, by the age of 11 he had read the books of [[Alphonse Louis Constant|Eliphas Levi]], [[Gerard Encausse|Papus]], [[Helena Blavatsky|Blavatsky]], [[Edward Bulwer-Lytton]], [[Patânjali]], [[Paraclesus]] and [[Arnold Krumm-Heller]]. Through Krumm-Heller's work, he became interested in the [[Rosicrucians|Rosicrucian]] mysteries. But his first contact with a true Rosicrucian society, the Brazilian branch of [[Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis|AMORC]], did not satisfy him, and he started his search for an initiatory school of the sort he found in Krumm-Heller's novel "Rose-Croix."

Motta had a deep disgust for Catholicism (the predominant religion in Brazil), which he saw as the disruption of the will to live. For the rest of his life, he was occupied with a vision of the [[Anti-Christ]] as he perceived it, extant in Rome.

During his time at the military academy, he became interested in Astrology and Tarot, among other esoteric topics. At the age of 17 he made contact with the [[Fraternitas Rosacruciana Antiqua]], Krumm-Heller's Rosicrucian order where Motta took his first initiations in 1948, at the age of 17. Local political tension impelled him to move to Europe and then to the United States. His mission on this voyage, given by the Brazilian leadership of the FRA, was to meet Parsival Krumm-Heller (son of Arnond Krumm-Heller and then legal leader of FRA) and mediate the contacts between the Brazilian group and the international leadership.

Motta's first contact with Thelema was through J. Symond's book ''The Great Beast''. Later, in the USA, P. Krumm-Heller introduced Motta to [[Karl Germer]], leader of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] at that time. Germer gave to Motta the choice between [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]] and [[A.'.A.'.]] and Motta chose the latter.

Returning to Brazil in 1962, Motta translated and published Crowley's ''Liber Aleph'' and "Calling the Sons of the Sun," the first Thelemic writings published in Brazil. From this year to 1987, Motta had numerous A.'.A.'. students under his tutelage, and tried to establish an O.T.O. Lodge in Brazil, though he was never a member of Ordo Templi Orientis.

Marcelo Motta was the instructor of two very well known A.'. A.'. probationers, [[Paulo Coelho]] and [[Raul Seixas]]. Another famous student of Motta's was [[Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida]], who later founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil, the Ordem dos Cavaleiros de Thelema ([[Order of Knights of Thelema]]) and the Sociedade Novo Aeon ([[New Aeon Society]]).

In 1978 Motta tried a take-over of the leadership of O.T.O. from [[Grady McMurtry]]. According to some sources, Germer told his wife, Sasha, that he left the control of O.T.O. to Motta. Sasha wrote a letter to Motta to this effect, but he never received it. Nevertheless, Motta tried to assume O.T.O. leadership. But in legal proceedings that took place in the US, his claim to the leadership and copyrights of Crowley's Order and work were dismissed. He then founded [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis|S.-O.T.O.]], a group wholly separate from the O.T.O.

Motta never had any kind of economic stability, jumping from job to job and making a living as an English teacher, aided by the help of his followers at S.-O.T.O.. He died on August 26th, 1987, at the city of Teresópolis (Brazil) at the age of 53. Motta was, allegedly and by his own admission, an alcoholic who suffered from extreme paranoid delusions (for example, he reportedly believed that he was the real target of the JFK assassination, that the CIA and Israeli secret service were targeting him for decades, etc.).

Today, in Brazil, Frater Thor ( [[Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida]]) and [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Qvif Frater QVIF] keep his memory with A.'.A.'. .

==Motta Groups==

Marcelo Motta founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil:

* Ordem de Thelema ([[Order of Thelema]])
* [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis]]

Marcelo Ramos Motta

2006-05-23T00:17:56Z

Karma: major editing for clarity and pertinence

Marcelo Ramos Motta (Jul 27th, 1931 [[EV|e.v.]] - Aug 26th, 1987 [[EV|e.v.]]) was the first Thelemic writer in Brazil, a member of [[A.'.A.'.|Astrum Argentum]], and founder of the Brazilian [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis]].

Marcelo Motta was born in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). Very little is known about his childhood, only that he was born into a German family and received a very strict education, amplified by his admission to the Military Academy of Rio de Janeiro. His father was a follower of the doctrine of Allan Kardec and his mother was Catholic. According to Motta, by the age of 11 he had read the books of [[Alphonse Louis Constant|Eliphas Levi]], [[Gerard Encausse|Papus]], [[Helena Blavatsky|Blavatsky]], [[Edward Bulwer-Lytton]], [[Patânjali]], [[Paraclesus]] and [[Arnold Krumm-Heller]]. Through Krumm-Heller's work, he became interested in the [[Rosicrucians|Rosicrucian]] mysteries. But his first contact with a true Rosicrucian society, the Brazilian branch of [[Ancient Mystical Order Rosae Crucis|AMORC]], did not satisfy him, and he started his search for an initiatory school of the sort he found in Krumm-Heller's novel "Rose-Croix."

Motta had a deep disgust for Catholicism (the predominant religion in Brazil), which he saw as the disruption of the will to live. For the rest of his life, he was occupied with a vision of the [[Anti-Christ]] as he perceived it, extant in Rome.

During his time at the military academy, he became interested in Astrology and Tarot, among other esoteric topics. At the age of 17 he made contact with the [[Fraternitas Rosacruciana Antiqua]], Krumm-Heller's Rosicrucian order where Motta took his first initiations in 1948, at the age of 17. Local political tension impelled him to move to Europe and then to the United States. His mission on this voyage, given by the Brazilian leadership of the FRA, was to meet Parsival Krumm-Heller (son of Arnond Krumm-Heller and then legal leader of FRA) and mediate the contacts between the Brazilian group and the international leadership.

Motta's first contact with Thelema was through J. Symond's book ''The Great Beast''. Later, in the USA, P. Krumm-Heller introduced Motta to [[Karl Germer]], leader of the [[Ordo Templi Orientis]] at that time. Germer gave to Motta the choice between [[Ordo Templi Orientis|O.T.O.]] and [[A.'.A.'.]] and Motta chose the latter.

Returning to Brazil in 1962, Motta translated and published Crowley's ''Liber Aleph'' and "Calling the Sons of the Sun," the first Thelemic writings published in Brazil. From this year to 1987, Motta had numerous A.'.A.'. students under his tutelage, and tried to establish an O.T.O. Lodge in Brazil, though he was never a member of Ordo Templi Orientis.

Marcelo Motta was the instructor of two very well known A.'. A.'. probationers, [[Paulo Coelho]] and [[Raul Seixas]]. Another famous student of Motta's was [[Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida]], who later founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil, the Ordem dos Cavaleiros de Thelema ([[Order of Knights of Thelema]]) and the Sociedade Novo Aeon ([[New Aeon Society]]).

In 1978 Motta tried a take-over of the leadership of O.T.O. from [[Grady McMurtry]]. According to some sources, Germer told his wife, [[Sasha Germer|Sasha]], that he left the control of O.T.O. to Motta. Sasha wrote a letter to Motta to this effect, but he never received it. Nevertheless, Motta tried to assume O.T.O. leadership. But in legal proceedings that took place in the US, his claim to the leadership and copyrights of Crowley's Order and work were dismissed. He then founded [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis|S.-O.T.O.]], a group wholly separate from the O.T.O.

Motta never had any kind of economic stability, jumping from job to job and making a living as an English teacher, aided by the help of his followers at S.-O.T.O.. He died on August 26th, 1987, at the city of Teresópolis (Brazil) at the age of 53. Motta was, allegedly and by his own admission, an alcoholic who suffered from extreme paranoid delusions (for example, he reportedly believed that he was the real target of the JFK assassination, that the CIA and Israeli secret service were targeting him for decades, etc.).

Today, in Brazil, Frater Thor ( [[Euclydes Lacerda de Almeida]]) and [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Qvif Frater QVIF] keep his memory with A.'.A.'. .

==Motta Groups==

Marcelo Motta founded two Thelemic groups in Brazil:

* Ordem de Thelema ([[Order of Thelema]])
* [[Society Ordo Templi Orientis]]

Frater QVIF

2006-05-23T00:06:07Z

Karma:

'''Frater QVIF''' (aka Marcos Pagani), a Brazilian occultist, was a Probationer under instruction of [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Marcelo_Ramos_Motta Marcelo Motta] in the 1980s.

Today QVIF promulgates [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Thelema Thelema] in Brazil. See http://www.astrumargentum.org.br and [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/User:Keron-e Frater Keron-E].

Talk:Frater QVIF

2006-05-23T00:04:27Z

Karma:

Why?

This page needs to be anchored to something. I'm at a loss, I confess, for what that might be. Suggestions?
[[User:Karma|Karma]]

Maria de Miramar

2006-05-11T15:02:37Z

Karma: Maria de Miramar

{{stub}}

'''Maria de Miramar''', a native of Nicaragua and Crowley's second wife, was married to Crowley in Leipzig on August 16, 1929. Though they had separated by 1930, they were never divorced.

==References==

* Lashtal.com. [http:http://www.lashtal.com/nuke/module-subjects-viewpage-pageid-29.phtml]. Retrieved May 11, 2006.

Thelemic mysticism

2006-05-11T14:30:26Z

Karma: /* Crossing the Abyss */ punctuation

{{93}}
Within the modern system of [[Thelema]], developed by [[Aleister Crowley]] in the first half of the 20th century, is a complex '''mystical path''' designed to do two interrelated things: to learn one's unique [[True Will]] and to achieve union with the All. The set of techniques for doing so falls under Crowley's term [[Magick]], which draws upon various existing disciplines and mystical models, including [[Yoga]], Western ceremonial ritual (especially [[invocation]]s and [[eucharist]]ic ceremony), the [[Qabalah]], and several [[divination]] systems, especially the [[Thoth Tarot|tarot]] and [[astrology]].

The path to mystical attainment or [[enlightenment]] was initially developed by Crowley largely based on the meditation/mystical techniques found in [[Buddhism]] and also the [[Tree of Life]], especially as it was examined by [[Eliphas Levi]] in the 19th century and later by various members in the occult society, [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|the Golden Dawn]]. In 1904, Crowley wrote [[The Book of the Law]], which was eventually considered to be the central sacred text of [[Thelema]], heralding a new [[Aeon]] for mankind. Between 1907 and 1911, Crowley wrote a series of small texts which he considered to be "inspired" in that they were written ''through'' him rather than ''by'' him, which were afterwards collected together and termed the [[Holy Books of Thelema|Holy Books]]. The final text added to the list was ''The Vision and the Voice'', a vivid account of Crowley's astral travels through the thirty [[Enochian]] Aethyrs. These texts formed the final mystical backbone of Crowley's system.

==Essential practices==

The system developed by Crowley is at once incredibly simple and complex. The core task for the adept is the discovery and manifestation of [[True Will|Will]], defined at times as a grand destiny and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony with Nature. This Will does not spring from conscious intent, but from the interplay between the deepest Self and the entire Universe. Therefore, the enlightened Thelemite is one who is able to eliminate or bypass the consciousness-created desires, conflicts, and habits, and tap directly into the Self/Universe nexus. Theoretically, at this point, the Thelemite acts in alignment with Nature, just as the stream flows downhill, with neither resistance nor "lust of result."

The ability to accomplish this [[Great Work]] requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The program consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the [[Qabalah]] (especially the [[Tree of Life]]), disciplined concentratration (i.e. [[meditation]]), the development of one's Body of Light (or astral body) in order to experience other spiritual realms, and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings.

===Learning the Tree of Life===

The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Crowley's [[Liber 777]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].

The path of attainment is largely defined by the Tree of Life. The adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All. Through various exercises and practices, he or she attains certain spiritual and mental states that are characterized by the various sephiroth. Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Qabalah to be essential to the Thelemite:
:"The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears'', ch. IV) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_04.html]

And,

:"The art of using it consists principally in referring all our ideas to it, discovering thus the common nature of certain things and the essential differences between others, so that ultimately one obtains a simple view of the incalculably vast complexity of the Universe.

:The whole subject must be studied in the Book 777, and the main attributions committed to memory: then when by constant use the system is at last understood—as opposed to being merely memorised—the student will find fresh light break in on him at every turn as he continues to measure every item of new knowledge that he attains by this Standard. For to him the Universe will then begin to appear as a coherent and a necessary Whole." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth,'' "Man").[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

Part of the reason why the Qabalah is so important is that it is the key to understanding the Holy Books. Most of them, including [[The Book of the Law]], are written in abstract, poetic, and ofttimes obscure language. Through the use of the Qabalah, and especially the function of [[gematria]] (a form of numerology), the normally opaque meaning of the texts can be made clear. Thelemites can also make use of gematria to link words and concepts and to validate revelations given to them in magical operations, such as in visions during astral travel.

===Concentration===

Another key element to Thelemic mysticism is the ability to concentrate. This skill has two modalities: the first is the rapid, accurate, and efficient movement of thought (which is the realm of magick) and the other is the stopping of thought altogether (which is accomplished in Yoga). In the first, it is the manipulation of all ideas into one idea, and in the second is the taking of that one thought and reducing it to nothing. Of this skill, Crowley writes:

:"For concentration does indeed unlock all doors; it lies at the heart of every practice as it is of the essence of all theory; and almost all the various rules and regulations are aimed at securing adeptship in this matter. All the subsidiary work—awareness, one-pointedness, mindfulness and the rest—is intended to train you to this" (''Magick Without Tears,'' ch. XVI) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_16.html]

Concentration is essenially the prerequisite for all sustained success, not only in spiritual practices, but in day to day life as well. The general program for developing concentration is borrowed almost completely from the practice of Yoga within the [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] systems. Crowley gives a general overview of the techniques in two books: ''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/yoga/] and in the section called "Mysticism" in his opus, ''Magick, Book 4.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba1.html]

===Body of Light and astral travel===

The Body of Light—Crowley's term for the [[subtle body]]—is the theoretical part of a person that can leave the corporeal body and carry one's senses and consciousness during [[Astral_projection|astral travels]]. Crowley writes of it in ''Book 4'': "The work of the Body of Light—with the technique of [[Yoga]]—is the foundation of [Magick]." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] In the same book (ch. 21):

:"[The Body of Light] must be developed and trained with exactly the same rigid discipline as the brain in the case of mysticism. The essence of the technique of Magick is the development of the Body of Light, which must be extended to include all members of the organism, and indeed of the cosmos [...] The object is to possess a Body which is capable of doing easily any particular task that may lie before it. There must be no selection of special experience which appeals to one's immediate desire. One must go steadily through all possible pylons." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

Crowley explains that the most important practices for developing the Body of Light are:

# The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, by the assumption of god-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.
# The purification, consecration, and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals of invocation.
# The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane, and to break down every obstacle which may confront it.

The benefit of astral travel is essentially one of education; it is akin to exploring one's own spiritual universe ("Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself" [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]) and understanding the fundamental components, so that the adept can eventually master it. The general object is the "control of the Astral Plane, the ability to find one's way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, [and] to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]. Also, "one's apprehension of the Astral Plane must be accurate, for Angels, Archangels, and Gods are derived therefrom by analysis. One must have pure materials if one wishes to brew pure beer." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] It is vital to understand that all this must be in service to the [[Great Work]] of discovering one's [[True Will]]:

:"Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings such as are able to instruct and fortify him, also to prove their identity by testimony beyond rebuttal. All explanations other than these are of value only as extending and equilibrating Knowledge, or possibly as supplying Energy to such Magicians as may have found their way to the Sources of Strength. In all cases, naught is worth an obol save as it serve to help the One Great Work" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3).[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html].

Crowley was also willing to admit that what was experienced during "astral travel" was not relevant in terms of what is "real" or "unreal." Ultimately, the only value to this practice is in the utility it provides to the adept. Again from ''Book 4'' (Apx. 3):

:"The 'reality' or 'objectivity' of these symbols is not pertinent to the discussion. [...] The Magician must not accept [my] account of the Astral Plane, [my] Qabalistic discoveries, [my] instructions in Magick. They may be correct in the main for most men; yet they cannot be wholly true for any save [myself], even as no two artists can make identical pictures of the same subject [...] What one sees and hears is 'real' in its way, whether it be itself, or distorted by one's desires, or created by one's personality [...] The true, the final test, of the Truth of one's visions is their Value. The most glorious experience on the Astral plane, let it dazzle and thrill as it may, is not necessarily in accordance with the True Will of the seer; if not, though it be never so true objectively, it is not true for him, because not useful for him." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]

Finally, the Body of Light is more important than simply for astral travel—it is the storehouse of all experiences. From ''Magick Without Tears'' (Ch. 81):

:"In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the Body of Light; this one develops and controls; it gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called 'initiation': finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_81.html]

===Magick ritual===

According to Crowley, there is only one ethical purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap1.html] Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's Body of Light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowey include (all quotes are from ''Book 4''):

# '''Banishing'''—the elimination of unwanted forces. "The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instruments, thirdly, of the place of working."
# '''Invocation''', where the magician identifies with the Deity invoked. There are three methods:
#* ''Devotion'' —where "identity with the God is attained by love and by surrender, by giving up or suppressing all irrelevant (and illusionary) parts of yourself." (e.g. Liber Astarte [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib175.html])
#* ''Calling forth''—where "identity is attained by paying special attention to the desired part of yourself: positive, as the first method is negative." (e.g. assumption of god-forms)
#* ''Drama''—where "identity is attained by sympathy. It is very difficult for the ordinary man to lose himself completely in the subject of a play or of a novel; but for those who can do so, this method is unquestionably the best." (e.g. many [[initiation]]s and the [[Gnostic Mass]])
# '''Evocation'''—which is bringing a spiritual being ''before'', not ''into'', the magician (e.g. [[Goetia]])
# '''Eucharistic ritual'''—which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them." (e.g. The Mass of the Phoenix [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib44.html])
# '''Consecration'''—"the active dedication of a thing to a single purpose."
# '''Divination'''—such as the use of the [[Thoth Tarot|Tarot]] or other tools used to gather information.

==Mystical milestones==

Although Crowley often wrote that every adept's path will be unique, he did insist on some major milestones that are fundamental to Thelemic mysticism. Aruguably the two most important are achieving what Crowley called knowledge and conversion with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the crossing of the Abyss, thereafter taking a place in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan.

===The Holy Guardian Angel===

Even though the Holy Guardian Angel (or HGA) is, in a sense, the “higher self”, it is often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In the system of Thelema, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA, a process termed “Knowledge and Conversation.” By doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of his own [[True Will]]. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:

:"It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to the further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears,'' Ch.83) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_83.html]

In most of his writings, Crowley described the HGA as one's "Silent Self," at times equitable with one's deepest unconscious. In later writings, he insisted that the HGA is an entirely separate and objective being. Whichever position is taken, the object remains the same--to gain an intimate spiritual connection so that one's True Will can become fully known and manifested. When using the Tree of Life as a guide, this event occurs in the Sphere of [[Tiphareth]].

Crowley wrote Liber Samekh [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html], a ritual designed specifically for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation with one’s HGA. In his notes to this ritual, Crowley sums up the key to success: “INVOKE OFTEN.” Another detailed description of the general operation is given in ''The Vision and the Voice,'' Aethyr 8 [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib8.html].

===Crossing the Abyss===

After one attains Knowledge and Conversation of the HGA, the adept may choose to then reach the next major milestone: the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery.

:"This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least ''in posse'', but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus ''Insane Delusions''." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth'') [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

[[Choronzon]] is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation. Both Choronzon and the Abyss are discussed in Crowley's ''Confessions'' (ch. 66):

:"The name of the Dweller in the Abyss is Choronzon, but he is not really an individual. The Abyss is empty of being; it is filled with all possible forms, each equally inane, each therefore evil in the only true sense of the word—that is, meaningless but malignant, in so far as it craves to become real. These forms swirl senselessly into haphazard heaps like dust devils, and each such chance aggregation asserts itself to be an individual and shrieks, "I am I!" though aware all the time that its elements have no true bond; so that the slightest disturbance dissipates the delusion just as a horseman, meeting a dust devil, brings it in showers of sand to the earth." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

However, just on the other side of the Abyss awaits [[Babalon]]. She calls the adept to surrender completely, so that he or she may cross over.

===Babalon, the City of the Pyramids, and the Night of Pan===

Choronzon is the dweller within the Abyss, and his job is to trap the traveler in his meaningless world of illusion. However, '''[[Babalon]]''' is on just the other side, beckoning (in the sphere of [[Binah]] on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her [[graal]]—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then to be reborn as a master and a saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids.

The '''City of the Pyramids''' is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great [[Abyss (Thelema)|Abyss]], having spilled all their blood in the [[Graal]] of [[Babalon]]. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). Within, they take on the name or title of Saint or Nemo (Latin for ''No-Man''). In the system of [[A.'.A.'.]] they are called Masters of the Temple. It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.

Of these adepts, it is written in ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Aethyr 14):

:''These adepts seem like Pyramids—their hoods and robes are like Pyramids [...] And the Beatific Vision is no more, and the glory of the Most High is no more. There is no more knowledge. There is no more bliss. There is no more power. There is no more beauty. For this is the Palace of Understanding: for thou art one with the Primeval things.'' [http://www.ehostarea.com/liber/L_418.txt]

And in ''Confessions'' (ch.21):

:"The Master of the Temple accordingly interferes not with the scheme of things except just so far as he is doing the Work which he is sent to do. Why should he struggle against imprisonment, banishment, death? [...] The Master of the Temple is so far from the man in whom He manifests that all these matters are of no importance to Him. It may be of importance to His Work that man shall sit upon a throne, or be hanged." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

In his ''Confessions'' (ch. 66), Crowley describes his vision of entering the City of the Pyramids:

:''I was instantly blotted in blackness. Mine Angel whispered the secret words whereby one partakes of the Mysteries of the Masters of the Temple. Presently my eyes beheld (what first seemed shapes of rocks) the Masters, veiled in motionless majesty, shrouded in silence. Each one was exactly like the other. Then the Angel bade me understand whereto my aspiration led: all powers, all ecstasies, ended in this—I understood. He then told me that now my name was Nemo, seated among the other silent shapes in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan; those other parts of me that I had left for ever below the Abyss must serve as a vehicle for the energies which had been created by my act. My mind and body, deprived of the ego which they had hitherto obeyed, were now free to manifest according to their nature in the world, to devote themselves to aid mankind in its evolution. In my case I was to be cast out into the [[Chesed|Sphere of Jupiter]]. My mortal part was to help humanity by Jupiterian work, such a governing, teaching, creating, exhorting men to aspire to become nobler, holier, worthier, kinglier, kindlier and more generous.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

The City exists under the '''Night of Pan''', or N.O.X. The playful and lecherous [[Pan]] is the [[Greek god]] of nature, lust, and the masculine generative power. The Greek word ''Pan'' also translates as ''All'', and so he is “a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995). Therefore, Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a more general sense, it is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.

===Magus and Ipsissimus===

The final two milestones are reached only by a very few. The penultimate is the becoming of a Magus (symbolized by entering [[Chokmah]] on the Tree of Life), whose essential duty is to communicate a new Truth to mankind. Of the Magi, Crowley writes:
:"There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had a dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha—''Anatta'' (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word ''Allah'' [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word ''Thelema'' (with all its implications), destroys completely the formula of the Dying God." (''Confessions,'' ch. 49) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter49.html]

The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's ''Liber B vel Magi''. [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html]

The state of Ipsissimus is the very highest possible (symbolized by the sphere of [[Kether]] on the Tree of Life). Relatively little is openly written of this grade of attainment, but Crowley does touch on it in ''Book 4'' (apx. II):
:"The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations soever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it is with or without conditions."

:"He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order.

:"The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta)."

:"The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and the Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'."[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html]

==References==

*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/pan.htm Pan]''. Retrieved on Sept. 27, 2004.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*___. (1998). ''The Vision & the Voice : the Equinox, IV(2).'' York Beach, Me. : Samuel Weiser.
*___. (1995). ''The Book of Lies.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1982). ''Magick Without Tears.'' Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press
*___. (1996). ''Little Essays Towards Truth.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Pub.
*___. (1982). ''777 and Other Qabalistic Writings.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

==External links==

* [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Thelemapedia, the encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick]
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/ The Libri of Aleister Crowley], including ''Book 4'', ''Magick Without Tears'', and others
* [http://outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Magick]]

Thelemic mysticism

2006-05-11T14:25:24Z

Karma: /* Mystical milestones */ punctuation, spelling out acronyms

{{93}}
Within the modern system of [[Thelema]], developed by [[Aleister Crowley]] in the first half of the 20th century, is a complex '''mystical path''' designed to do two interrelated things: to learn one's unique [[True Will]] and to achieve union with the All. The set of techniques for doing so falls under Crowley's term [[Magick]], which draws upon various existing disciplines and mystical models, including [[Yoga]], Western ceremonial ritual (especially [[invocation]]s and [[eucharist]]ic ceremony), the [[Qabalah]], and several [[divination]] systems, especially the [[Thoth Tarot|tarot]] and [[astrology]].

The path to mystical attainment or [[enlightenment]] was initially developed by Crowley largely based on the meditation/mystical techniques found in [[Buddhism]] and also the [[Tree of Life]], especially as it was examined by [[Eliphas Levi]] in the 19th century and later by various members in the occult society, [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|the Golden Dawn]]. In 1904, Crowley wrote [[The Book of the Law]], which was eventually considered to be the central sacred text of [[Thelema]], heralding a new [[Aeon]] for mankind. Between 1907 and 1911, Crowley wrote a series of small texts which he considered to be "inspired" in that they were written ''through'' him rather than ''by'' him, which were afterwards collected together and termed the [[Holy Books of Thelema|Holy Books]]. The final text added to the list was ''The Vision and the Voice'', a vivid account of Crowley's astral travels through the thirty [[Enochian]] Aethyrs. These texts formed the final mystical backbone of Crowley's system.

==Essential practices==

The system developed by Crowley is at once incredibly simple and complex. The core task for the adept is the discovery and manifestation of [[True Will|Will]], defined at times as a grand destiny and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony with Nature. This Will does not spring from conscious intent, but from the interplay between the deepest Self and the entire Universe. Therefore, the enlightened Thelemite is one who is able to eliminate or bypass the consciousness-created desires, conflicts, and habits, and tap directly into the Self/Universe nexus. Theoretically, at this point, the Thelemite acts in alignment with Nature, just as the stream flows downhill, with neither resistance nor "lust of result."

The ability to accomplish this [[Great Work]] requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The program consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the [[Qabalah]] (especially the [[Tree of Life]]), disciplined concentratration (i.e. [[meditation]]), the development of one's Body of Light (or astral body) in order to experience other spiritual realms, and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings.

===Learning the Tree of Life===

The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Crowley's [[Liber 777]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].

The path of attainment is largely defined by the Tree of Life. The adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All. Through various exercises and practices, he or she attains certain spiritual and mental states that are characterized by the various sephiroth. Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Qabalah to be essential to the Thelemite:
:"The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears'', ch. IV) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_04.html]

And,

:"The art of using it consists principally in referring all our ideas to it, discovering thus the common nature of certain things and the essential differences between others, so that ultimately one obtains a simple view of the incalculably vast complexity of the Universe.

:The whole subject must be studied in the Book 777, and the main attributions committed to memory: then when by constant use the system is at last understood—as opposed to being merely memorised—the student will find fresh light break in on him at every turn as he continues to measure every item of new knowledge that he attains by this Standard. For to him the Universe will then begin to appear as a coherent and a necessary Whole." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth,'' "Man").[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

Part of the reason why the Qabalah is so important is that it is the key to understanding the Holy Books. Most of them, including [[The Book of the Law]], are written in abstract, poetic, and ofttimes obscure language. Through the use of the Qabalah, and especially the function of [[gematria]] (a form of numerology), the normally opaque meaning of the texts can be made clear. Thelemites can also make use of gematria to link words and concepts and to validate revelations given to them in magical operations, such as in visions during astral travel.

===Concentration===

Another key element to Thelemic mysticism is the ability to concentrate. This skill has two modalities: the first is the rapid, accurate, and efficient movement of thought (which is the realm of magick) and the other is the stopping of thought altogether (which is accomplished in Yoga). In the first, it is the manipulation of all ideas into one idea, and in the second is the taking of that one thought and reducing it to nothing. Of this skill, Crowley writes:

:"For concentration does indeed unlock all doors; it lies at the heart of every practice as it is of the essence of all theory; and almost all the various rules and regulations are aimed at securing adeptship in this matter. All the subsidiary work—awareness, one-pointedness, mindfulness and the rest—is intended to train you to this" (''Magick Without Tears,'' ch. XVI) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_16.html]

Concentration is essenially the prerequisite for all sustained success, not only in spiritual practices, but in day to day life as well. The general program for developing concentration is borrowed almost completely from the practice of Yoga within the [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] systems. Crowley gives a general overview of the techniques in two books: ''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/yoga/] and in the section called "Mysticism" in his opus, ''Magick, Book 4.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba1.html]

===Body of Light and astral travel===

The Body of Light—Crowley's term for the [[subtle body]]—is the theoretical part of a person that can leave the corporeal body and carry one's senses and consciousness during [[Astral_projection|astral travels]]. Crowley writes of it in ''Book 4'': "The work of the Body of Light—with the technique of [[Yoga]]—is the foundation of [Magick]." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] In the same book (ch. 21):

:"[The Body of Light] must be developed and trained with exactly the same rigid discipline as the brain in the case of mysticism. The essence of the technique of Magick is the development of the Body of Light, which must be extended to include all members of the organism, and indeed of the cosmos [...] The object is to possess a Body which is capable of doing easily any particular task that may lie before it. There must be no selection of special experience which appeals to one's immediate desire. One must go steadily through all possible pylons." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

Crowley explains that the most important practices for developing the Body of Light are:

# The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, by the assumption of god-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.
# The purification, consecration, and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals of invocation.
# The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane, and to break down every obstacle which may confront it.

The benefit of astral travel is essentially one of education; it is akin to exploring one's own spiritual universe ("Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself" [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]) and understanding the fundamental components, so that the adept can eventually master it. The general object is the "control of the Astral Plane, the ability to find one's way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, [and] to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]. Also, "one's apprehension of the Astral Plane must be accurate, for Angels, Archangels, and Gods are derived therefrom by analysis. One must have pure materials if one wishes to brew pure beer." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] It is vital to understand that all this must be in service to the [[Great Work]] of discovering one's [[True Will]]:

:"Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings such as are able to instruct and fortify him, also to prove their identity by testimony beyond rebuttal. All explanations other than these are of value only as extending and equilibrating Knowledge, or possibly as supplying Energy to such Magicians as may have found their way to the Sources of Strength. In all cases, naught is worth an obol save as it serve to help the One Great Work" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3).[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html].

Crowley was also willing to admit that what was experienced during "astral travel" was not relevant in terms of what is "real" or "unreal." Ultimately, the only value to this practice is in the utility it provides to the adept. Again from ''Book 4'' (Apx. 3):

:"The 'reality' or 'objectivity' of these symbols is not pertinent to the discussion. [...] The Magician must not accept [my] account of the Astral Plane, [my] Qabalistic discoveries, [my] instructions in Magick. They may be correct in the main for most men; yet they cannot be wholly true for any save [myself], even as no two artists can make identical pictures of the same subject [...] What one sees and hears is 'real' in its way, whether it be itself, or distorted by one's desires, or created by one's personality [...] The true, the final test, of the Truth of one's visions is their Value. The most glorious experience on the Astral plane, let it dazzle and thrill as it may, is not necessarily in accordance with the True Will of the seer; if not, though it be never so true objectively, it is not true for him, because not useful for him." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]

Finally, the Body of Light is more important than simply for astral travel—it is the storehouse of all experiences. From ''Magick Without Tears'' (Ch. 81):

:"In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the Body of Light; this one develops and controls; it gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called 'initiation': finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_81.html]

===Magick ritual===

According to Crowley, there is only one ethical purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap1.html] Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's Body of Light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowey include (all quotes are from ''Book 4''):

# '''Banishing'''—the elimination of unwanted forces. "The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instruments, thirdly, of the place of working."
# '''Invocation''', where the magician identifies with the Deity invoked. There are three methods:
#* ''Devotion'' —where "identity with the God is attained by love and by surrender, by giving up or suppressing all irrelevant (and illusionary) parts of yourself." (e.g. Liber Astarte [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib175.html])
#* ''Calling forth''—where "identity is attained by paying special attention to the desired part of yourself: positive, as the first method is negative." (e.g. assumption of god-forms)
#* ''Drama''—where "identity is attained by sympathy. It is very difficult for the ordinary man to lose himself completely in the subject of a play or of a novel; but for those who can do so, this method is unquestionably the best." (e.g. many [[initiation]]s and the [[Gnostic Mass]])
# '''Evocation'''—which is bringing a spiritual being ''before'', not ''into'', the magician (e.g. [[Goetia]])
# '''Eucharistic ritual'''—which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them." (e.g. The Mass of the Phoenix [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib44.html])
# '''Consecration'''—"the active dedication of a thing to a single purpose."
# '''Divination'''—such as the use of the [[Thoth Tarot|Tarot]] or other tools used to gather information.

==Mystical milestones==

Although Crowley often wrote that every adept's path will be unique, he did insist on some major milestones that are fundamental to Thelemic mysticism. Aruguably the two most important are achieving what Crowley called knowledge and conversion with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the crossing of the Abyss, thereafter taking a place in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan.

===The Holy Guardian Angel===

Even though the Holy Guardian Angel (or HGA) is, in a sense, the “higher self”, it is often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In the system of Thelema, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA, a process termed “Knowledge and Conversation.” By doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of his own [[True Will]]. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:

:"It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to the further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears,'' Ch.83) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_83.html]

In most of his writings, Crowley described the HGA as one's "Silent Self," at times equitable with one's deepest unconscious. In later writings, he insisted that the HGA is an entirely separate and objective being. Whichever position is taken, the object remains the same--to gain an intimate spiritual connection so that one's True Will can become fully known and manifested. When using the Tree of Life as a guide, this event occurs in the Sphere of [[Tiphareth]].

Crowley wrote Liber Samekh [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html], a ritual designed specifically for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation with one’s HGA. In his notes to this ritual, Crowley sums up the key to success: “INVOKE OFTEN.” Another detailed description of the general operation is given in ''The Vision and the Voice,'' Aethyr 8 [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib8.html].

===Crossing the Abyss===

After one attains Knowledge and Conversation of the HGA, the adept may choose to then reach the next major milestone: the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery.

:This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least ''in posse'', but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus ''Insane Delusions''. (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth'') [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

[[Choronzon]] is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation. Both Choronzon and the Abyss are discussed in Crowley's ''Confessions'' (ch. 66):

:"The name of the Dweller in the Abyss is Choronzon, but he is not really an individual. The Abyss is empty of being; it is filled with all possible forms, each equally inane, each therefore evil in the only true sense of the word—that is, meaningless but malignant, in so far as it craves to become real. These forms swirl senselessly into haphazard heaps like dust devils, and each such chance aggregation asserts itself to be an individual and shrieks, "I am I!" though aware all the time that its elements have no true bond; so that the slightest disturbance dissipates the delusion just as a horseman, meeting a dust devil, brings it in showers of sand to the earth." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

However, just on the other side of the Abyss awaits [[Babalon]]. She calls the adept to surrender completely, so that he or she may cross over.

===Babalon, the City of the Pyramids, and the Night of Pan===

Choronzon is the dweller within the Abyss, and his job is to trap the traveler in his meaningless world of illusion. However, '''[[Babalon]]''' is on just the other side, beckoning (in the sphere of [[Binah]] on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her [[graal]]—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then to be reborn as a master and a saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids.

The '''City of the Pyramids''' is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great [[Abyss (Thelema)|Abyss]], having spilled all their blood in the [[Graal]] of [[Babalon]]. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). Within, they take on the name or title of Saint or Nemo (Latin for ''No-Man''). In the system of [[A.'.A.'.]] they are called Masters of the Temple. It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.

Of these adepts, it is written in ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Aethyr 14):

:''These adepts seem like Pyramids—their hoods and robes are like Pyramids [...] And the Beatific Vision is no more, and the glory of the Most High is no more. There is no more knowledge. There is no more bliss. There is no more power. There is no more beauty. For this is the Palace of Understanding: for thou art one with the Primeval things.'' [http://www.ehostarea.com/liber/L_418.txt]

And in ''Confessions'' (ch.21):

:"The Master of the Temple accordingly interferes not with the scheme of things except just so far as he is doing the Work which he is sent to do. Why should he struggle against imprisonment, banishment, death? [...] The Master of the Temple is so far from the man in whom He manifests that all these matters are of no importance to Him. It may be of importance to His Work that man shall sit upon a throne, or be hanged." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

In his ''Confessions'' (ch. 66), Crowley describes his vision of entering the City of the Pyramids:

:''I was instantly blotted in blackness. Mine Angel whispered the secret words whereby one partakes of the Mysteries of the Masters of the Temple. Presently my eyes beheld (what first seemed shapes of rocks) the Masters, veiled in motionless majesty, shrouded in silence. Each one was exactly like the other. Then the Angel bade me understand whereto my aspiration led: all powers, all ecstasies, ended in this—I understood. He then told me that now my name was Nemo, seated among the other silent shapes in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan; those other parts of me that I had left for ever below the Abyss must serve as a vehicle for the energies which had been created by my act. My mind and body, deprived of the ego which they had hitherto obeyed, were now free to manifest according to their nature in the world, to devote themselves to aid mankind in its evolution. In my case I was to be cast out into the [[Chesed|Sphere of Jupiter]]. My mortal part was to help humanity by Jupiterian work, such a governing, teaching, creating, exhorting men to aspire to become nobler, holier, worthier, kinglier, kindlier and more generous.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

The City exists under the '''Night of Pan''', or N.O.X. The playful and lecherous [[Pan]] is the [[Greek god]] of nature, lust, and the masculine generative power. The Greek word ''Pan'' also translates as ''All'', and so he is “a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995). Therefore, Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a more general sense, it is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.

===Magus and Ipsissimus===

The final two milestones are reached only by a very few. The penultimate is the becoming of a Magus (symbolized by entering [[Chokmah]] on the Tree of Life), whose essential duty is to communicate a new Truth to mankind. Of the Magi, Crowley writes:
:"There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had a dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha—''Anatta'' (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word ''Allah'' [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word ''Thelema'' (with all its implications), destroys completely the formula of the Dying God." (''Confessions,'' ch. 49) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter49.html]

The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's ''Liber B vel Magi''. [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html]

The state of Ipsissimus is the very highest possible (symbolized by the sphere of [[Kether]] on the Tree of Life). Relatively little is openly written of this grade of attainment, but Crowley does touch on it in ''Book 4'' (apx. II):
:"The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations soever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it is with or without conditions."

:"He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order.

:"The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta)."

:"The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and the Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'."[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html]

==References==

*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/pan.htm Pan]''. Retrieved on Sept. 27, 2004.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*___. (1998). ''The Vision & the Voice : the Equinox, IV(2).'' York Beach, Me. : Samuel Weiser.
*___. (1995). ''The Book of Lies.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1982). ''Magick Without Tears.'' Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press
*___. (1996). ''Little Essays Towards Truth.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Pub.
*___. (1982). ''777 and Other Qabalistic Writings.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

==External links==

* [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Thelemapedia, the encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick]
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/ The Libri of Aleister Crowley], including ''Book 4'', ''Magick Without Tears'', and others
* [http://outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Magick]]

Thelemic mysticism

2006-05-11T14:22:14Z

Karma: /* Magick ritual */ grammar for consistency

{{93}}
Within the modern system of [[Thelema]], developed by [[Aleister Crowley]] in the first half of the 20th century, is a complex '''mystical path''' designed to do two interrelated things: to learn one's unique [[True Will]] and to achieve union with the All. The set of techniques for doing so falls under Crowley's term [[Magick]], which draws upon various existing disciplines and mystical models, including [[Yoga]], Western ceremonial ritual (especially [[invocation]]s and [[eucharist]]ic ceremony), the [[Qabalah]], and several [[divination]] systems, especially the [[Thoth Tarot|tarot]] and [[astrology]].

The path to mystical attainment or [[enlightenment]] was initially developed by Crowley largely based on the meditation/mystical techniques found in [[Buddhism]] and also the [[Tree of Life]], especially as it was examined by [[Eliphas Levi]] in the 19th century and later by various members in the occult society, [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|the Golden Dawn]]. In 1904, Crowley wrote [[The Book of the Law]], which was eventually considered to be the central sacred text of [[Thelema]], heralding a new [[Aeon]] for mankind. Between 1907 and 1911, Crowley wrote a series of small texts which he considered to be "inspired" in that they were written ''through'' him rather than ''by'' him, which were afterwards collected together and termed the [[Holy Books of Thelema|Holy Books]]. The final text added to the list was ''The Vision and the Voice'', a vivid account of Crowley's astral travels through the thirty [[Enochian]] Aethyrs. These texts formed the final mystical backbone of Crowley's system.

==Essential practices==

The system developed by Crowley is at once incredibly simple and complex. The core task for the adept is the discovery and manifestation of [[True Will|Will]], defined at times as a grand destiny and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony with Nature. This Will does not spring from conscious intent, but from the interplay between the deepest Self and the entire Universe. Therefore, the enlightened Thelemite is one who is able to eliminate or bypass the consciousness-created desires, conflicts, and habits, and tap directly into the Self/Universe nexus. Theoretically, at this point, the Thelemite acts in alignment with Nature, just as the stream flows downhill, with neither resistance nor "lust of result."

The ability to accomplish this [[Great Work]] requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The program consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the [[Qabalah]] (especially the [[Tree of Life]]), disciplined concentratration (i.e. [[meditation]]), the development of one's Body of Light (or astral body) in order to experience other spiritual realms, and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings.

===Learning the Tree of Life===

The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Crowley's [[Liber 777]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].

The path of attainment is largely defined by the Tree of Life. The adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All. Through various exercises and practices, he or she attains certain spiritual and mental states that are characterized by the various sephiroth. Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Qabalah to be essential to the Thelemite:
:"The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears'', ch. IV) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_04.html]

And,

:"The art of using it consists principally in referring all our ideas to it, discovering thus the common nature of certain things and the essential differences between others, so that ultimately one obtains a simple view of the incalculably vast complexity of the Universe.

:The whole subject must be studied in the Book 777, and the main attributions committed to memory: then when by constant use the system is at last understood—as opposed to being merely memorised—the student will find fresh light break in on him at every turn as he continues to measure every item of new knowledge that he attains by this Standard. For to him the Universe will then begin to appear as a coherent and a necessary Whole." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth,'' "Man").[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

Part of the reason why the Qabalah is so important is that it is the key to understanding the Holy Books. Most of them, including [[The Book of the Law]], are written in abstract, poetic, and ofttimes obscure language. Through the use of the Qabalah, and especially the function of [[gematria]] (a form of numerology), the normally opaque meaning of the texts can be made clear. Thelemites can also make use of gematria to link words and concepts and to validate revelations given to them in magical operations, such as in visions during astral travel.

===Concentration===

Another key element to Thelemic mysticism is the ability to concentrate. This skill has two modalities: the first is the rapid, accurate, and efficient movement of thought (which is the realm of magick) and the other is the stopping of thought altogether (which is accomplished in Yoga). In the first, it is the manipulation of all ideas into one idea, and in the second is the taking of that one thought and reducing it to nothing. Of this skill, Crowley writes:

:"For concentration does indeed unlock all doors; it lies at the heart of every practice as it is of the essence of all theory; and almost all the various rules and regulations are aimed at securing adeptship in this matter. All the subsidiary work—awareness, one-pointedness, mindfulness and the rest—is intended to train you to this" (''Magick Without Tears,'' ch. XVI) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_16.html]

Concentration is essenially the prerequisite for all sustained success, not only in spiritual practices, but in day to day life as well. The general program for developing concentration is borrowed almost completely from the practice of Yoga within the [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] systems. Crowley gives a general overview of the techniques in two books: ''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/yoga/] and in the section called "Mysticism" in his opus, ''Magick, Book 4.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba1.html]

===Body of Light and astral travel===

The Body of Light—Crowley's term for the [[subtle body]]—is the theoretical part of a person that can leave the corporeal body and carry one's senses and consciousness during [[Astral_projection|astral travels]]. Crowley writes of it in ''Book 4'': "The work of the Body of Light—with the technique of [[Yoga]]—is the foundation of [Magick]." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] In the same book (ch. 21):

:"[The Body of Light] must be developed and trained with exactly the same rigid discipline as the brain in the case of mysticism. The essence of the technique of Magick is the development of the Body of Light, which must be extended to include all members of the organism, and indeed of the cosmos [...] The object is to possess a Body which is capable of doing easily any particular task that may lie before it. There must be no selection of special experience which appeals to one's immediate desire. One must go steadily through all possible pylons." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

Crowley explains that the most important practices for developing the Body of Light are:

# The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, by the assumption of god-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.
# The purification, consecration, and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals of invocation.
# The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane, and to break down every obstacle which may confront it.

The benefit of astral travel is essentially one of education; it is akin to exploring one's own spiritual universe ("Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself" [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]) and understanding the fundamental components, so that the adept can eventually master it. The general object is the "control of the Astral Plane, the ability to find one's way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, [and] to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]. Also, "one's apprehension of the Astral Plane must be accurate, for Angels, Archangels, and Gods are derived therefrom by analysis. One must have pure materials if one wishes to brew pure beer." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] It is vital to understand that all this must be in service to the [[Great Work]] of discovering one's [[True Will]]:

:"Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings such as are able to instruct and fortify him, also to prove their identity by testimony beyond rebuttal. All explanations other than these are of value only as extending and equilibrating Knowledge, or possibly as supplying Energy to such Magicians as may have found their way to the Sources of Strength. In all cases, naught is worth an obol save as it serve to help the One Great Work" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3).[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html].

Crowley was also willing to admit that what was experienced during "astral travel" was not relevant in terms of what is "real" or "unreal." Ultimately, the only value to this practice is in the utility it provides to the adept. Again from ''Book 4'' (Apx. 3):

:"The 'reality' or 'objectivity' of these symbols is not pertinent to the discussion. [...] The Magician must not accept [my] account of the Astral Plane, [my] Qabalistic discoveries, [my] instructions in Magick. They may be correct in the main for most men; yet they cannot be wholly true for any save [myself], even as no two artists can make identical pictures of the same subject [...] What one sees and hears is 'real' in its way, whether it be itself, or distorted by one's desires, or created by one's personality [...] The true, the final test, of the Truth of one's visions is their Value. The most glorious experience on the Astral plane, let it dazzle and thrill as it may, is not necessarily in accordance with the True Will of the seer; if not, though it be never so true objectively, it is not true for him, because not useful for him." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]

Finally, the Body of Light is more important than simply for astral travel—it is the storehouse of all experiences. From ''Magick Without Tears'' (Ch. 81):

:"In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the Body of Light; this one develops and controls; it gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called 'initiation': finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_81.html]

===Magick ritual===

According to Crowley, there is only one ethical purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap1.html] Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's Body of Light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowey include (all quotes are from ''Book 4''):

# '''Banishing'''—the elimination of unwanted forces. "The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instruments, thirdly, of the place of working."
# '''Invocation''', where the magician identifies with the Deity invoked. There are three methods:
#* ''Devotion'' —where "identity with the God is attained by love and by surrender, by giving up or suppressing all irrelevant (and illusionary) parts of yourself." (e.g. Liber Astarte [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib175.html])
#* ''Calling forth''—where "identity is attained by paying special attention to the desired part of yourself: positive, as the first method is negative." (e.g. assumption of god-forms)
#* ''Drama''—where "identity is attained by sympathy. It is very difficult for the ordinary man to lose himself completely in the subject of a play or of a novel; but for those who can do so, this method is unquestionably the best." (e.g. many [[initiation]]s and the [[Gnostic Mass]])
# '''Evocation'''—which is bringing a spiritual being ''before'', not ''into'', the magician (e.g. [[Goetia]])
# '''Eucharistic ritual'''—which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them." (e.g. The Mass of the Phoenix [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib44.html])
# '''Consecration'''—"the active dedication of a thing to a single purpose."
# '''Divination'''—such as the use of the [[Thoth Tarot|Tarot]] or other tools used to gather information.

==Mystical milestones==

Although Crowley often wrote that every adept's path will be unique, he did insist on some major milestones that are fundamental to Thelemic mysticism. Aruguably the two most important are achieving what Crowley called knowledge and conversion with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the crossing of the Abyss, thereafter taking a place in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan.

===The Holy Guardian Angel===

Even though the Holy Guardian Angel (or HGA) is, in a sense, the “higher self”, it is often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In the system of Thelema, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA, a process termed “Knowledge and Conversation.” By doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of his own [[True Will]]. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:

:"It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to the further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple" (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears,'' Ch.83) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_83.html]

In most of his writings, Crowley described the HGA as one's "Silent Self", at times equitable with one's deepest unconscious. In later writings, he insisted that the HGA is an entirely separate and objective being. Whichever position is taken, the object remains the same—to gain an intimate spiritual connection so that one's True Will can become fully known and manifested. When using the Tree of Life as a guide, this event occurs in the Sphere of [[Tiphareth]].

Crowley wrote Liber Samekh [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html], a ritual designed specifically for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation with one’s HGA. In his notes to this ritual, Crowley sums up the key to success: “INVOKE OFTEN.” Another detailed description of the general operation is given in ''The Vision and the Voice,'' Aethyr 8 [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib8.html].

===Crossing the Abyss===

After one attains K&C of the HGA, the adept may choose to then reach the next major milestone: the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery.

:This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least ''in posse'', but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus ''Insane Delusions''. (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth'') [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

[[Choronzon]] is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation. Both Choronzon and the Abyss are discussed in Crowley's ''Confessions'' (ch. 66):

:"The name of the Dweller in the Abyss is Choronzon, but he is not really an individual. The Abyss is empty of being; it is filled with all possible forms, each equally inane, each therefore evil in the only true sense of the word—that is, meaningless but malignant, in so far as it craves to become real. These forms swirl senselessly into haphazard heaps like dust devils, and each such chance aggregation asserts itself to be an individual and shrieks, "I am I!" though aware all the time that its elements have no true bond; so that the slightest disturbance dissipates the delusion just as a horseman, meeting a dust devil, brings it in showers of sand to the earth." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

However, just on the other side of the Abyss awaits [[Babalon]]. She calls the adept to surrender completely, so that he or she may cross over.

===Babalon, the City of the Pyramids, and the Night of Pan===

Choronzon is the dweller within the Abyss, and his job is to trap the traveler in his meaningless world of illusion. However, '''[[Babalon]]''' is on just the other side, beckoning (in the sphere of [[Binah]] on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her [[graal]]—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then to be reborn as a master and a saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids.

The '''City of the Pyramids''' is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great [[Abyss (Thelema)|Abyss]], having spilled all their blood in the [[Graal]] of [[Babalon]]. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). Within, they take on the name or title of Saint or Nemo (Latin for ''No-Man''). In the system of [[A.'.A.'.]] they are called Masters of the Temple. It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.

Of these adepts, it is written in ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Aethyr 14):

:''These adepts seem like Pyramids—their hoods and robes are like Pyramids [...] And the Beatific Vision is no more, and the glory of the Most High is no more. There is no more knowledge. There is no more bliss. There is no more power. There is no more beauty. For this is the Palace of Understanding: for thou art one with the Primeval things.'' [http://www.ehostarea.com/liber/L_418.txt]

And in ''Confessions'' (ch.21):

:"The Master of the Temple accordingly interferes not with the scheme of things except just so far as he is doing the Work which he is sent to do. Why should he struggle against imprisonment, banishment, death? [...] The Master of the Temple is so far from the man in whom He manifests that all these matters are of no importance to Him. It may be of importance to His Work that man shall sit upon a throne, or be hanged." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

In his ''Confessions'' (ch. 66), Crowley describes his vision of entering the City of the Pyramids:

:''I was instantly blotted in blackness. Mine Angel whispered the secret words whereby one partakes of the Mysteries of the Masters of the Temple. Presently my eyes beheld (what first seemed shapes of rocks) the Masters, veiled in motionless majesty, shrouded in silence. Each one was exactly like the other. Then the Angel bade me understand whereto my aspiration led: all powers, all ecstasies, ended in this—I understood. He then told me that now my name was Nemo, seated among the other silent shapes in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan; those other parts of me that I had left for ever below the Abyss must serve as a vehicle for the energies which had been created by my act. My mind and body, deprived of the ego which they had hitherto obeyed, were now free to manifest according to their nature in the world, to devote themselves to aid mankind in its evolution. In my case I was to be cast out into the [[Chesed|Sphere of Jupiter]]. My mortal part was to help humanity by Jupiterian work, such a governing, teaching, creating, exhorting men to aspire to become nobler, holier, worthier, kinglier, kindlier and more generous.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

The City exists under the '''Night of Pan''', or N.O.X. The playful and lecherous [[Pan]] is the [[Greek god]] of nature, lust, and the masculine generative power. The Greek word ''Pan'' also translates as ''All'', and so he is “a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995). Therefore, Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a more general sense, it is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.

===Magus and Ipsissimus===

The final two milestones are reached only by a very few. The penultimate is the becoming of a Magus (symbolized by entering [[Chokmah]] on the Tree of Life), whose essential duty is to communicate a new Truth to mankind. Of the Magi, Crowley writes:
:"There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had a dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha—''Anatta'' (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word ''Allah'' [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word ''Thelema'' (with all its implications), destroys completely the formula of the Dying God." (''Confessions,'' ch. 49) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter49.html]

The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's ''Liber B vel Magi''. [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html]

The state of Ipsissimus is the very highest possible (symbolized by the sphere of [[Kether]] on the Tree of Life). Relatively little is openly written of this grade of attainment, but Crowley does touch on it in ''Book 4'' (apx. II):
:"The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations soever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it is with or without conditions."

:"He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order.

:"The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta)."

:"The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and the Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'."[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html]

==References==

*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/pan.htm Pan]''. Retrieved on Sept. 27, 2004.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*___. (1998). ''The Vision & the Voice : the Equinox, IV(2).'' York Beach, Me. : Samuel Weiser.
*___. (1995). ''The Book of Lies.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1982). ''Magick Without Tears.'' Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press
*___. (1996). ''Little Essays Towards Truth.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Pub.
*___. (1982). ''777 and Other Qabalistic Writings.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

==External links==

* [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Thelemapedia, the encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick]
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/ The Libri of Aleister Crowley], including ''Book 4'', ''Magick Without Tears'', and others
* [http://outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Magick]]

Thelemic mysticism

2006-05-11T14:20:40Z

Karma: /* Body of Light and astral travel */ punctuation

{{93}}
Within the modern system of [[Thelema]], developed by [[Aleister Crowley]] in the first half of the 20th century, is a complex '''mystical path''' designed to do two interrelated things: to learn one's unique [[True Will]] and to achieve union with the All. The set of techniques for doing so falls under Crowley's term [[Magick]], which draws upon various existing disciplines and mystical models, including [[Yoga]], Western ceremonial ritual (especially [[invocation]]s and [[eucharist]]ic ceremony), the [[Qabalah]], and several [[divination]] systems, especially the [[Thoth Tarot|tarot]] and [[astrology]].

The path to mystical attainment or [[enlightenment]] was initially developed by Crowley largely based on the meditation/mystical techniques found in [[Buddhism]] and also the [[Tree of Life]], especially as it was examined by [[Eliphas Levi]] in the 19th century and later by various members in the occult society, [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|the Golden Dawn]]. In 1904, Crowley wrote [[The Book of the Law]], which was eventually considered to be the central sacred text of [[Thelema]], heralding a new [[Aeon]] for mankind. Between 1907 and 1911, Crowley wrote a series of small texts which he considered to be "inspired" in that they were written ''through'' him rather than ''by'' him, which were afterwards collected together and termed the [[Holy Books of Thelema|Holy Books]]. The final text added to the list was ''The Vision and the Voice'', a vivid account of Crowley's astral travels through the thirty [[Enochian]] Aethyrs. These texts formed the final mystical backbone of Crowley's system.

==Essential practices==

The system developed by Crowley is at once incredibly simple and complex. The core task for the adept is the discovery and manifestation of [[True Will|Will]], defined at times as a grand destiny and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony with Nature. This Will does not spring from conscious intent, but from the interplay between the deepest Self and the entire Universe. Therefore, the enlightened Thelemite is one who is able to eliminate or bypass the consciousness-created desires, conflicts, and habits, and tap directly into the Self/Universe nexus. Theoretically, at this point, the Thelemite acts in alignment with Nature, just as the stream flows downhill, with neither resistance nor "lust of result."

The ability to accomplish this [[Great Work]] requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The program consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the [[Qabalah]] (especially the [[Tree of Life]]), disciplined concentratration (i.e. [[meditation]]), the development of one's Body of Light (or astral body) in order to experience other spiritual realms, and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings.

===Learning the Tree of Life===

The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Crowley's [[Liber 777]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].

The path of attainment is largely defined by the Tree of Life. The adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All. Through various exercises and practices, he or she attains certain spiritual and mental states that are characterized by the various sephiroth. Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Qabalah to be essential to the Thelemite:
:"The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears'', ch. IV) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_04.html]

And,

:"The art of using it consists principally in referring all our ideas to it, discovering thus the common nature of certain things and the essential differences between others, so that ultimately one obtains a simple view of the incalculably vast complexity of the Universe.

:The whole subject must be studied in the Book 777, and the main attributions committed to memory: then when by constant use the system is at last understood—as opposed to being merely memorised—the student will find fresh light break in on him at every turn as he continues to measure every item of new knowledge that he attains by this Standard. For to him the Universe will then begin to appear as a coherent and a necessary Whole." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth,'' "Man").[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

Part of the reason why the Qabalah is so important is that it is the key to understanding the Holy Books. Most of them, including [[The Book of the Law]], are written in abstract, poetic, and ofttimes obscure language. Through the use of the Qabalah, and especially the function of [[gematria]] (a form of numerology), the normally opaque meaning of the texts can be made clear. Thelemites can also make use of gematria to link words and concepts and to validate revelations given to them in magical operations, such as in visions during astral travel.

===Concentration===

Another key element to Thelemic mysticism is the ability to concentrate. This skill has two modalities: the first is the rapid, accurate, and efficient movement of thought (which is the realm of magick) and the other is the stopping of thought altogether (which is accomplished in Yoga). In the first, it is the manipulation of all ideas into one idea, and in the second is the taking of that one thought and reducing it to nothing. Of this skill, Crowley writes:

:"For concentration does indeed unlock all doors; it lies at the heart of every practice as it is of the essence of all theory; and almost all the various rules and regulations are aimed at securing adeptship in this matter. All the subsidiary work—awareness, one-pointedness, mindfulness and the rest—is intended to train you to this" (''Magick Without Tears,'' ch. XVI) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_16.html]

Concentration is essenially the prerequisite for all sustained success, not only in spiritual practices, but in day to day life as well. The general program for developing concentration is borrowed almost completely from the practice of Yoga within the [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] systems. Crowley gives a general overview of the techniques in two books: ''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/yoga/] and in the section called "Mysticism" in his opus, ''Magick, Book 4.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba1.html]

===Body of Light and astral travel===

The Body of Light—Crowley's term for the [[subtle body]]—is the theoretical part of a person that can leave the corporeal body and carry one's senses and consciousness during [[Astral_projection|astral travels]]. Crowley writes of it in ''Book 4'': "The work of the Body of Light—with the technique of [[Yoga]]—is the foundation of [Magick]." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] In the same book (ch. 21):

:"[The Body of Light] must be developed and trained with exactly the same rigid discipline as the brain in the case of mysticism. The essence of the technique of Magick is the development of the Body of Light, which must be extended to include all members of the organism, and indeed of the cosmos [...] The object is to possess a Body which is capable of doing easily any particular task that may lie before it. There must be no selection of special experience which appeals to one's immediate desire. One must go steadily through all possible pylons." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

Crowley explains that the most important practices for developing the Body of Light are:

# The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, by the assumption of god-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.
# The purification, consecration, and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals of invocation.
# The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane, and to break down every obstacle which may confront it.

The benefit of astral travel is essentially one of education; it is akin to exploring one's own spiritual universe ("Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself" [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]) and understanding the fundamental components, so that the adept can eventually master it. The general object is the "control of the Astral Plane, the ability to find one's way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, [and] to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]. Also, "one's apprehension of the Astral Plane must be accurate, for Angels, Archangels, and Gods are derived therefrom by analysis. One must have pure materials if one wishes to brew pure beer." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] It is vital to understand that all this must be in service to the [[Great Work]] of discovering one's [[True Will]]:

:"Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings such as are able to instruct and fortify him, also to prove their identity by testimony beyond rebuttal. All explanations other than these are of value only as extending and equilibrating Knowledge, or possibly as supplying Energy to such Magicians as may have found their way to the Sources of Strength. In all cases, naught is worth an obol save as it serve to help the One Great Work" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3).[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html].

Crowley was also willing to admit that what was experienced during "astral travel" was not relevant in terms of what is "real" or "unreal." Ultimately, the only value to this practice is in the utility it provides to the adept. Again from ''Book 4'' (Apx. 3):

:"The 'reality' or 'objectivity' of these symbols is not pertinent to the discussion. [...] The Magician must not accept [my] account of the Astral Plane, [my] Qabalistic discoveries, [my] instructions in Magick. They may be correct in the main for most men; yet they cannot be wholly true for any save [myself], even as no two artists can make identical pictures of the same subject [...] What one sees and hears is 'real' in its way, whether it be itself, or distorted by one's desires, or created by one's personality [...] The true, the final test, of the Truth of one's visions is their Value. The most glorious experience on the Astral plane, let it dazzle and thrill as it may, is not necessarily in accordance with the True Will of the seer; if not, though it be never so true objectively, it is not true for him, because not useful for him." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]

Finally, the Body of Light is more important than simply for astral travel—it is the storehouse of all experiences. From ''Magick Without Tears'' (Ch. 81):

:"In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the Body of Light; this one develops and controls; it gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called 'initiation': finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_81.html]

===Magick ritual===

According to Crowley, there is only one ethical purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap1.html] Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's Body of Light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowey include (all quotes are from ''Book 4''):

# '''Banishing'''—the elimination of unwanted forces. "The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instruments, thirdly, of the place of working."
# '''Invocation''', where the magician identifies with the Deity invoked. There are three methods:
#* ''Devotion'' —where "identity with the God is attained by love and by surrender, by giving up or suppressing all irrelevant (and illusionary) parts of yourself." (e.g. Liber Astarte [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib175.html])
#* ''Calling forth''—where "identity is attained by paying special attention to the desired part of yourself: positive, as the first method is negative." (e.g. assumption of god-forms)
#* ''Drama''—where "identity is attained by sympathy. It is very difficult for the ordinary man to lose himself completely in the subject of a play or of a novel; but for those who can do so, this method is unquestionably the best." (e.g. many [[initiation]]s and the [[Gnostic Mass]])
# '''Evocation'''—which is bringing a spiritual being ''before'', not ''into'', the magician (e.g. [[Goetia]])
# '''Eucharistic ritual'''—which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them." (e.g. The Mass of the Phoenix [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib44.html])
# '''Consecration'''—"the active dedication of a thing to a single purpose."
# '''Divinations'''—such as the use of the [[Thoth Tarot|Tarot]] or other tools used to gather information.

==Mystical milestones==

Although Crowley often wrote that every adept's path will be unique, he did insist on some major milestones that are fundamental to Thelemic mysticism. Aruguably the two most important are achieving what Crowley called knowledge and conversion with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the crossing of the Abyss, thereafter taking a place in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan.

===The Holy Guardian Angel===

Even though the Holy Guardian Angel (or HGA) is, in a sense, the “higher self”, it is often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In the system of Thelema, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA, a process termed “Knowledge and Conversation.” By doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of his own [[True Will]]. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:

:"It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to the further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple" (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears,'' Ch.83) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_83.html]

In most of his writings, Crowley described the HGA as one's "Silent Self", at times equitable with one's deepest unconscious. In later writings, he insisted that the HGA is an entirely separate and objective being. Whichever position is taken, the object remains the same—to gain an intimate spiritual connection so that one's True Will can become fully known and manifested. When using the Tree of Life as a guide, this event occurs in the Sphere of [[Tiphareth]].

Crowley wrote Liber Samekh [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html], a ritual designed specifically for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation with one’s HGA. In his notes to this ritual, Crowley sums up the key to success: “INVOKE OFTEN.” Another detailed description of the general operation is given in ''The Vision and the Voice,'' Aethyr 8 [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib8.html].

===Crossing the Abyss===

After one attains K&C of the HGA, the adept may choose to then reach the next major milestone: the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery.

:This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least ''in posse'', but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus ''Insane Delusions''. (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth'') [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

[[Choronzon]] is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation. Both Choronzon and the Abyss are discussed in Crowley's ''Confessions'' (ch. 66):

:"The name of the Dweller in the Abyss is Choronzon, but he is not really an individual. The Abyss is empty of being; it is filled with all possible forms, each equally inane, each therefore evil in the only true sense of the word—that is, meaningless but malignant, in so far as it craves to become real. These forms swirl senselessly into haphazard heaps like dust devils, and each such chance aggregation asserts itself to be an individual and shrieks, "I am I!" though aware all the time that its elements have no true bond; so that the slightest disturbance dissipates the delusion just as a horseman, meeting a dust devil, brings it in showers of sand to the earth." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

However, just on the other side of the Abyss awaits [[Babalon]]. She calls the adept to surrender completely, so that he or she may cross over.

===Babalon, the City of the Pyramids, and the Night of Pan===

Choronzon is the dweller within the Abyss, and his job is to trap the traveler in his meaningless world of illusion. However, '''[[Babalon]]''' is on just the other side, beckoning (in the sphere of [[Binah]] on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her [[graal]]—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then to be reborn as a master and a saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids.

The '''City of the Pyramids''' is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great [[Abyss (Thelema)|Abyss]], having spilled all their blood in the [[Graal]] of [[Babalon]]. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). Within, they take on the name or title of Saint or Nemo (Latin for ''No-Man''). In the system of [[A.'.A.'.]] they are called Masters of the Temple. It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.

Of these adepts, it is written in ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Aethyr 14):

:''These adepts seem like Pyramids—their hoods and robes are like Pyramids [...] And the Beatific Vision is no more, and the glory of the Most High is no more. There is no more knowledge. There is no more bliss. There is no more power. There is no more beauty. For this is the Palace of Understanding: for thou art one with the Primeval things.'' [http://www.ehostarea.com/liber/L_418.txt]

And in ''Confessions'' (ch.21):

:"The Master of the Temple accordingly interferes not with the scheme of things except just so far as he is doing the Work which he is sent to do. Why should he struggle against imprisonment, banishment, death? [...] The Master of the Temple is so far from the man in whom He manifests that all these matters are of no importance to Him. It may be of importance to His Work that man shall sit upon a throne, or be hanged." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

In his ''Confessions'' (ch. 66), Crowley describes his vision of entering the City of the Pyramids:

:''I was instantly blotted in blackness. Mine Angel whispered the secret words whereby one partakes of the Mysteries of the Masters of the Temple. Presently my eyes beheld (what first seemed shapes of rocks) the Masters, veiled in motionless majesty, shrouded in silence. Each one was exactly like the other. Then the Angel bade me understand whereto my aspiration led: all powers, all ecstasies, ended in this—I understood. He then told me that now my name was Nemo, seated among the other silent shapes in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan; those other parts of me that I had left for ever below the Abyss must serve as a vehicle for the energies which had been created by my act. My mind and body, deprived of the ego which they had hitherto obeyed, were now free to manifest according to their nature in the world, to devote themselves to aid mankind in its evolution. In my case I was to be cast out into the [[Chesed|Sphere of Jupiter]]. My mortal part was to help humanity by Jupiterian work, such a governing, teaching, creating, exhorting men to aspire to become nobler, holier, worthier, kinglier, kindlier and more generous.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

The City exists under the '''Night of Pan''', or N.O.X. The playful and lecherous [[Pan]] is the [[Greek god]] of nature, lust, and the masculine generative power. The Greek word ''Pan'' also translates as ''All'', and so he is “a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995). Therefore, Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a more general sense, it is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.

===Magus and Ipsissimus===

The final two milestones are reached only by a very few. The penultimate is the becoming of a Magus (symbolized by entering [[Chokmah]] on the Tree of Life), whose essential duty is to communicate a new Truth to mankind. Of the Magi, Crowley writes:
:"There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had a dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha—''Anatta'' (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word ''Allah'' [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word ''Thelema'' (with all its implications), destroys completely the formula of the Dying God." (''Confessions,'' ch. 49) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter49.html]

The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's ''Liber B vel Magi''. [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html]

The state of Ipsissimus is the very highest possible (symbolized by the sphere of [[Kether]] on the Tree of Life). Relatively little is openly written of this grade of attainment, but Crowley does touch on it in ''Book 4'' (apx. II):
:"The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations soever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it is with or without conditions."

:"He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order.

:"The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta)."

:"The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and the Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'."[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html]

==References==

*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/pan.htm Pan]''. Retrieved on Sept. 27, 2004.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*___. (1998). ''The Vision & the Voice : the Equinox, IV(2).'' York Beach, Me. : Samuel Weiser.
*___. (1995). ''The Book of Lies.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1982). ''Magick Without Tears.'' Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press
*___. (1996). ''Little Essays Towards Truth.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Pub.
*___. (1982). ''777 and Other Qabalistic Writings.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

==External links==

* [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Thelemapedia, the encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick]
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/ The Libri of Aleister Crowley], including ''Book 4'', ''Magick Without Tears'', and others
* [http://outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Magick]]

Thelemic mysticism

2006-05-11T14:18:42Z

Karma: /* Body of Light and astral travel */ punctuation

{{93}}
Within the modern system of [[Thelema]], developed by [[Aleister Crowley]] in the first half of the 20th century, is a complex '''mystical path''' designed to do two interrelated things: to learn one's unique [[True Will]] and to achieve union with the All. The set of techniques for doing so falls under Crowley's term [[Magick]], which draws upon various existing disciplines and mystical models, including [[Yoga]], Western ceremonial ritual (especially [[invocation]]s and [[eucharist]]ic ceremony), the [[Qabalah]], and several [[divination]] systems, especially the [[Thoth Tarot|tarot]] and [[astrology]].

The path to mystical attainment or [[enlightenment]] was initially developed by Crowley largely based on the meditation/mystical techniques found in [[Buddhism]] and also the [[Tree of Life]], especially as it was examined by [[Eliphas Levi]] in the 19th century and later by various members in the occult society, [[Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn|the Golden Dawn]]. In 1904, Crowley wrote [[The Book of the Law]], which was eventually considered to be the central sacred text of [[Thelema]], heralding a new [[Aeon]] for mankind. Between 1907 and 1911, Crowley wrote a series of small texts which he considered to be "inspired" in that they were written ''through'' him rather than ''by'' him, which were afterwards collected together and termed the [[Holy Books of Thelema|Holy Books]]. The final text added to the list was ''The Vision and the Voice'', a vivid account of Crowley's astral travels through the thirty [[Enochian]] Aethyrs. These texts formed the final mystical backbone of Crowley's system.

==Essential practices==

The system developed by Crowley is at once incredibly simple and complex. The core task for the adept is the discovery and manifestation of [[True Will|Will]], defined at times as a grand destiny and at other times as a moment to moment path of action that operates in perfect harmony with Nature. This Will does not spring from conscious intent, but from the interplay between the deepest Self and the entire Universe. Therefore, the enlightened Thelemite is one who is able to eliminate or bypass the consciousness-created desires, conflicts, and habits, and tap directly into the Self/Universe nexus. Theoretically, at this point, the Thelemite acts in alignment with Nature, just as the stream flows downhill, with neither resistance nor "lust of result."

The ability to accomplish this [[Great Work]] requires a great deal of preparation and effort, according to Crowley's system. The program consists of several key elements, including a thorough knowledge of the [[Qabalah]] (especially the [[Tree of Life]]), disciplined concentratration (i.e. [[meditation]]), the development of one's Body of Light (or astral body) in order to experience other spiritual realms, and the consistent and regular invocation of certain deities or spiritual beings.

===Learning the Tree of Life===

The Tree of Life is a tool used to categorize and organize various mystical concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the five elements, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]].

Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc. Within Thelema, the seminal book which defines all these correspondences is Crowley's [[Liber 777]], although there have been other influential writers on the topic, including [[Israel Regardie]] and [[Eliphas Levi]].

The path of attainment is largely defined by the Tree of Life. The adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All. Through various exercises and practices, he or she attains certain spiritual and mental states that are characterized by the various sephiroth. Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Qabalah to be essential to the Thelemite:
:"The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough." (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears'', ch. IV) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_04.html]

And,

:"The art of using it consists principally in referring all our ideas to it, discovering thus the common nature of certain things and the essential differences between others, so that ultimately one obtains a simple view of the incalculably vast complexity of the Universe.

:The whole subject must be studied in the Book 777, and the main attributions committed to memory: then when by constant use the system is at last understood—as opposed to being merely memorised—the student will find fresh light break in on him at every turn as he continues to measure every item of new knowledge that he attains by this Standard. For to him the Universe will then begin to appear as a coherent and a necessary Whole." (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth,'' "Man").[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

Part of the reason why the Qabalah is so important is that it is the key to understanding the Holy Books. Most of them, including [[The Book of the Law]], are written in abstract, poetic, and ofttimes obscure language. Through the use of the Qabalah, and especially the function of [[gematria]] (a form of numerology), the normally opaque meaning of the texts can be made clear. Thelemites can also make use of gematria to link words and concepts and to validate revelations given to them in magical operations, such as in visions during astral travel.

===Concentration===

Another key element to Thelemic mysticism is the ability to concentrate. This skill has two modalities: the first is the rapid, accurate, and efficient movement of thought (which is the realm of magick) and the other is the stopping of thought altogether (which is accomplished in Yoga). In the first, it is the manipulation of all ideas into one idea, and in the second is the taking of that one thought and reducing it to nothing. Of this skill, Crowley writes:

:"For concentration does indeed unlock all doors; it lies at the heart of every practice as it is of the essence of all theory; and almost all the various rules and regulations are aimed at securing adeptship in this matter. All the subsidiary work—awareness, one-pointedness, mindfulness and the rest—is intended to train you to this" (''Magick Without Tears,'' ch. XVI) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_16.html]

Concentration is essenially the prerequisite for all sustained success, not only in spiritual practices, but in day to day life as well. The general program for developing concentration is borrowed almost completely from the practice of Yoga within the [[Hindu]] and [[Buddhist]] systems. Crowley gives a general overview of the techniques in two books: ''Eight Lectures on Yoga'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/yoga/] and in the section called "Mysticism" in his opus, ''Magick, Book 4.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/aba1.html]

===Body of Light and astral travel===

The Body of Light—Crowley's term for the [[subtle body]]—is the theoretical part of a person that can leave the corporeal body and carry one's senses and consciousness during [[Astral_projection|astral travels]]. Crowley writes of it in ''Book 4'': "The work of the Body of Light—with the technique of [[Yoga]]—is the foundation of [Magick]." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] In the same book (ch. 21):

:"[The Body of Light] must be developed and trained with exactly the same rigid discipline as the brain in the case of mysticism. The essence of the technique of Magick is the development of the Body of Light, which must be extended to include all members of the organism, and indeed of the cosmos [...] The object is to possess a Body which is capable of doing easily any particular task that may lie before it. There must be no selection of special experience which appeals to one's immediate desire. One must go steadily through all possible pylons." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

Crowley explains that the most important practices for developing the Body of Light are:

# The fortification of the Body of Light by the constant use of rituals, by the assumption of god-forms, and by the right use of the Eucharist.
# The purification, consecration, and exaltation of that Body by the use of rituals of invocation.
# The education of that Body by experience. It must learn to travel on every plane, and to break down every obstacle which may confront it.

The benefit of astral travel is essentially one of education...it is akin to exploring one's own spiritual universe ("Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself" [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]) and understanding the fundamental components, so that the adept can eventually master it. The general object is the "control of the Astral Plane, the ability to find one's way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, [and] to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]. Also, "one's apprehension of the Astral Plane must be accurate, for Angels, Archangels, and Gods are derived therefrom by analysis. One must have pure materials if one wishes to brew pure beer." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html] It is vital to understand that all this must be in service to the [[Great Work]] of discovering one's [[True Will]]:

:"Let the Magician therefore adventure himself upon the Astral Plane with the declared design to penetrate to a sanctuary of discarnate Beings such as are able to instruct and fortify him, also to prove their identity by testimony beyond rebuttal. All explanations other than these are of value only as extending and equilibrating Knowledge, or possibly as supplying Energy to such Magicians as may have found their way to the Sources of Strength. In all cases, naught is worth an obol save as it serve to help the One Great Work" (''Book 4,'' Apx. 3).[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html].

Crowley was also willing to admit that what was experienced during "astral travel" was not relevant in terms of what is "real" or "unreal." Ultimately, the only value to this practice is in the utility it provides to the adept. Again from ''Book 4'' (Apx. 3):

:"The 'reality' or 'objectivity' of these symbols is not pertinent to the discussion. [...] The Magician must not accept [my] account of the Astral Plane, [my] Qabalistic discoveries, [my] instructions in Magick. They may be correct in the main for most men; yet they cannot be wholly true for any save [myself], even as no two artists can make identical pictures of the same subject [...] What one sees and hears is 'real' in its way, whether it be itself, or distorted by one's desires, or created by one's personality [...] The true, the final test, of the Truth of one's visions is their Value. The most glorious experience on the Astral plane, let it dazzle and thrill as it may, is not necessarily in accordance with the True Will of the seer; if not, though it be never so true objectively, it is not true for him, because not useful for him." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app3.html]

Finally, the Body of Light is more important than simply for astral travel—it is the storehouse of all experiences. From ''Magick Without Tears'' (Ch. 81):

:"In Magick, on the contrary, one passes through the veil of the exterior world (which, as in Yoga, but in another sense, becomes "unreal" by comparison as one passes beyond) one creates a subtle body (instrument is a better term) called the Body of Light; this one develops and controls; it gains new powers as one progresses, usually by means of what is called 'initiation': finally, one carries on almost one's whole life in this Body of Light, and achieves in its own way the mastery of the Universe." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_81.html]

===Magick ritual===

According to Crowley, there is only one ethical purpose for ritual magick: to achieve Union with God through "the uniting of the Microcosm with the Macrocosm." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap1.html] Since this process is so arduous, it is also acceptable to use magick to develop the self (i.e. one's Body of Light) or to create ideal circumstances for the Work (e.g. having access to a place in which to do ritual undisturbed). There are many kinds of magick, but the categories of ritual that are recommended by Crowey include (all quotes are from ''Book 4''):

# '''Banishing'''—the elimination of unwanted forces. "The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instruments, thirdly, of the place of working."
# '''Invocation''', where the magician identifies with the Deity invoked. There are three methods:
#* ''Devotion'' —where "identity with the God is attained by love and by surrender, by giving up or suppressing all irrelevant (and illusionary) parts of yourself." (e.g. Liber Astarte [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib175.html])
#* ''Calling forth''—where "identity is attained by paying special attention to the desired part of yourself: positive, as the first method is negative." (e.g. assumption of god-forms)
#* ''Drama''—where "identity is attained by sympathy. It is very difficult for the ordinary man to lose himself completely in the subject of a play or of a novel; but for those who can do so, this method is unquestionably the best." (e.g. many [[initiation]]s and the [[Gnostic Mass]])
# '''Evocation'''—which is bringing a spiritual being ''before'', not ''into'', the magician (e.g. [[Goetia]])
# '''Eucharistic ritual'''—which "consists in taking common things, transmuting them into things divine, and consuming them." (e.g. The Mass of the Phoenix [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib44.html])
# '''Consecration'''—"the active dedication of a thing to a single purpose."
# '''Divinations'''—such as the use of the [[Thoth Tarot|Tarot]] or other tools used to gather information.

==Mystical milestones==

Although Crowley often wrote that every adept's path will be unique, he did insist on some major milestones that are fundamental to Thelemic mysticism. Aruguably the two most important are achieving what Crowley called knowledge and conversion with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the crossing of the Abyss, thereafter taking a place in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan.

===The Holy Guardian Angel===

Even though the Holy Guardian Angel (or HGA) is, in a sense, the “higher self”, it is often experienced as a separate being, independent from the adept. In the system of Thelema, the single most important goal is to consciously connect with one’s HGA, a process termed “Knowledge and Conversation.” By doing so, the magician becomes fully aware of his own [[True Will]]. For Crowley, this event was the single most important goal of any adept:

:"It should never be forgotten for a single moment that the central and essential work of the Magician is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. Once he has achieved this he must of course be left entirely in the hands of that Angel, who can be invariably and inevitably relied upon to lead him to the further great step—crossing of the Abyss and the attainment of the grade of Master of the Temple" (Crowley, ''Magick Without Tears,'' Ch.83) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/mwt/mwt_83.html]

In most of his writings, Crowley described the HGA as one's "Silent Self", at times equitable with one's deepest unconscious. In later writings, he insisted that the HGA is an entirely separate and objective being. Whichever position is taken, the object remains the same—to gain an intimate spiritual connection so that one's True Will can become fully known and manifested. When using the Tree of Life as a guide, this event occurs in the Sphere of [[Tiphareth]].

Crowley wrote Liber Samekh [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib800.html], a ritual designed specifically for attaining the Knowledge and Conversation with one’s HGA. In his notes to this ritual, Crowley sums up the key to success: “INVOKE OFTEN.” Another detailed description of the general operation is given in ''The Vision and the Voice,'' Aethyr 8 [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib8.html].

===Crossing the Abyss===

After one attains K&C of the HGA, the adept may choose to then reach the next major milestone: the crossing of the Abyss, the great gulf or void between the phenomenal world of manifestation and its noumenal source, that great spiritual wilderness which must be crossed by the adept to attain mastery.

:This doctrine is extremely difficult to explain; but it corresponds more or less to the gap in thought between the Real, which is ideal, and the Unreal, which is actual. In the Abyss all things exist, indeed, at least ''in posse'', but are without any possible meaning; for they lack the substratum of spiritual Reality. They are appearances without Law. They are thus ''Insane Delusions''. (Crowley, ''Little Essays Towards Truth'') [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/littleessays/man.html]

[[Choronzon]] is the Dweller in the Abyss; he is there as the final obstruction. If he is met with the proper preparation, then he is there to destroy the ego, which allows the adept to move beyond the Abyss. If unprepared, then the unfortunate traveller will be utterly dispersed into annihilation. Both Choronzon and the Abyss are discussed in Crowley's ''Confessions'' (ch. 66):

:"The name of the Dweller in the Abyss is Choronzon, but he is not really an individual. The Abyss is empty of being; it is filled with all possible forms, each equally inane, each therefore evil in the only true sense of the word—that is, meaningless but malignant, in so far as it craves to become real. These forms swirl senselessly into haphazard heaps like dust devils, and each such chance aggregation asserts itself to be an individual and shrieks, "I am I!" though aware all the time that its elements have no true bond; so that the slightest disturbance dissipates the delusion just as a horseman, meeting a dust devil, brings it in showers of sand to the earth." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

However, just on the other side of the Abyss awaits [[Babalon]]. She calls the adept to surrender completely, so that he or she may cross over.

===Babalon, the City of the Pyramids, and the Night of Pan===

Choronzon is the dweller within the Abyss, and his job is to trap the traveler in his meaningless world of illusion. However, '''[[Babalon]]''' is on just the other side, beckoning (in the sphere of [[Binah]] on the Tree of Life). If the adept gives himself to her—the symbol of this act is the pouring of the adept’s blood into her [[graal]]—he becomes impregnated in her (a state called "Babe of the Abyss"), then to be reborn as a master and a saint that dwells in the City of the Pyramids.

The '''City of the Pyramids''' is the home to those adepts that have crossed the great [[Abyss (Thelema)|Abyss]], having spilled all their blood in the [[Graal]] of [[Babalon]]. They have destroyed their earthly ego-identities, becoming nothing more than piles of dust (i.e. the remaining aspects of their True Selves without the self-sense of "I"). Within, they take on the name or title of Saint or Nemo (Latin for ''No-Man''). In the system of [[A.'.A.'.]] they are called Masters of the Temple. It is a step along the path of spiritual purification, and a spiritual resting place for those who have successfully shed their attachments to the mundane world.

Of these adepts, it is written in ''The Vision and the Voice'' (Aethyr 14):

:''These adepts seem like Pyramids—their hoods and robes are like Pyramids [...] And the Beatific Vision is no more, and the glory of the Most High is no more. There is no more knowledge. There is no more bliss. There is no more power. There is no more beauty. For this is the Palace of Understanding: for thou art one with the Primeval things.'' [http://www.ehostarea.com/liber/L_418.txt]

And in ''Confessions'' (ch.21):

:"The Master of the Temple accordingly interferes not with the scheme of things except just so far as he is doing the Work which he is sent to do. Why should he struggle against imprisonment, banishment, death? [...] The Master of the Temple is so far from the man in whom He manifests that all these matters are of no importance to Him. It may be of importance to His Work that man shall sit upon a throne, or be hanged." [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/chap21.html]

In his ''Confessions'' (ch. 66), Crowley describes his vision of entering the City of the Pyramids:

:''I was instantly blotted in blackness. Mine Angel whispered the secret words whereby one partakes of the Mysteries of the Masters of the Temple. Presently my eyes beheld (what first seemed shapes of rocks) the Masters, veiled in motionless majesty, shrouded in silence. Each one was exactly like the other. Then the Angel bade me understand whereto my aspiration led: all powers, all ecstasies, ended in this—I understood. He then told me that now my name was Nemo, seated among the other silent shapes in the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan; those other parts of me that I had left for ever below the Abyss must serve as a vehicle for the energies which had been created by my act. My mind and body, deprived of the ego which they had hitherto obeyed, were now free to manifest according to their nature in the world, to devote themselves to aid mankind in its evolution. In my case I was to be cast out into the [[Chesed|Sphere of Jupiter]]. My mortal part was to help humanity by Jupiterian work, such a governing, teaching, creating, exhorting men to aspire to become nobler, holier, worthier, kinglier, kindlier and more generous.'' [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter66.html]

The City exists under the '''Night of Pan''', or N.O.X. The playful and lecherous [[Pan]] is the [[Greek god]] of nature, lust, and the masculine generative power. The Greek word ''Pan'' also translates as ''All'', and so he is “a symbol of the Universal, a personification of Nature; both Pangenetor, "all-begetter," and Panphage, "all-devourer" (Sabazius, 1995). Therefore, Pan is both the giver and the taker of life, and his Night is that time of symbolic death where the adept experiences unification with the All through the ecstatic destruction of the ego-self. In a more general sense, it is the state where one transcends all limitations and experiences oneness with the universe.

===Magus and Ipsissimus===

The final two milestones are reached only by a very few. The penultimate is the becoming of a Magus (symbolized by entering [[Chokmah]] on the Tree of Life), whose essential duty is to communicate a new Truth to mankind. Of the Magi, Crowley writes:
:"There are many magical teachers but in recorded history we have scarcely had a dozen Magi in the technical sense of the word. They may be recognized by the fact that their message may be formulated as a single word, which word must be such that it overturns all existing beliefs and codes. We may take as instances the Word of Buddha—''Anatta'' (absence of an atman or soul) [...] Mohammed, again, with the single word ''Allah'' [...] Similarly, Aiwass, uttering the word ''Thelema'' (with all its implications), destroys completely the formula of the Dying God." (''Confessions,'' ch. 49) [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/confess/chapter49.html]

The state of being a Magus is described in Crowley's ''Liber B vel Magi''. [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/libers/lib1.html]

The state of Ipsissimus is the very highest possible (symbolized by the sphere of [[Kether]] on the Tree of Life). Relatively little is openly written of this grade of attainment, but Crowley does touch on it in ''Book 4'' (apx. II):
:"The Ipsissimus is wholly free from all limitations soever, existing in the nature of all things without discriminations of quantity or quality between them. He has identified Being and not-Being and Becoming, action and non-action and tendency to action, with all other such triplicities, not distinguishing between them in respect of any conditions, or between any one thing and any other thing as to whether it is with or without conditions."

:"He is sworn to accept this Grade in the presence of a witness, and to express its nature in word and deed, but to withdraw Himself at once within the veils of his natural manifestation as a man, and to keep silence during his human life as to the fact of his attainment, even to the other members of the Order.

:"The Ipsissimus is pre-eminently the Master of all modes of existence; that is, his being is entirely free from internal or external necessity. His work is to destroy all tendencies to construct or to cancel such necessities. He is the Master of the Law of Unsubstantiality (Anatta)."

:"The Ipsissimus has no relation as such with any Being: He has no will in any direction, and no Consciousness of any kind involving duality, for in Him all is accomplished; as it is written 'beyond the Word and the Fool, yea, beyond the Word and the Fool'."[http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/aba/app2.html]

==References==

*Sabazius. (1995). ''[http://www.hermetic.com/sabazius/pan.htm Pan]''. Retrieved on Sept. 27, 2004.
*Crowley, Aleister. (1997). ''Magick: Book 4.'' 2nd ed. York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1979). ''The Confessions of Aleister Crowley.'' London;Boston : Routledge & Kegan Paul.
*___. (1998). ''The Vision & the Voice : the Equinox, IV(2).'' York Beach, Me. : Samuel Weiser.
*___. (1995). ''The Book of Lies.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.
*___. (1982). ''Magick Without Tears.'' Phoenix, AZ : Falcon Press
*___. (1996). ''Little Essays Towards Truth.'' Tempe, AZ : New Falcon Pub.
*___. (1982). ''777 and Other Qabalistic Writings.'' York Beach, Me. : S. Weiser.

==External links==

* [http://www.thelemapedia.org/index.php/Main_Page Thelemapedia, the encyclopedia of Thelema and Magick]
* [http://www.hermetic.com/crowley/ The Libri of Aleister Crowley], including ''Book 4'', ''Magick Without Tears'', and others
* [http://outercol.org/ The A.'.A.'.]

[[Category:Thelema]]
[[Category:Magick]]

User talk:Ash

2005-12-28T19:25:18Z

Karma:

Please feel free to leave me a note if you have any comments or questions about Thelemapedia or myself. [[User:Ash|Fr. Ash]]

----
==page removal==
I'd like your input on the deletion idea here [[Talk:Christopher_Knight]]. I'm leaning to removing the 3 pages in question as way off topic. Thanks, [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 23:54, 9 Jul 2005 (CDT)

----

The awards are great, love the names! [[User:Frater C.U.G.|Frater C.U.G.]] 00:14, 6 Jul 2005 (CDT)

== re: your note ==

I read the "how to contribute" and the tutorial before I attempted to mess with anything -- I just process stuff like that *really* slowly, unfortunately, so I'm making lots of mistakes. I'm used to working with pen on paper and I'm easily intimidated by brackets and the like :-). I hope to be up to speed on getting stuff to look good very soon. I friended you on lj btw -- I'm karma_sue.

== (note to self -- tilda) ==

"Please don't take what I said as criticism."

Oh, it's cool, sorry if I sounded defensive. I appreciate your comments, and the more I explore the site the more astounded I am by 1. the idea itself, 2. the way it's growing, 3. the amount of work you have done and continue to do, and 4. the encouraging attitude/tone of the other editors and the "approachable" feel of the tutorials. This is just an amazing site. I have been a geographically isolated Thelemite for over a decade now, and on top of that I'm a geek about spelling and grammar and a crappy ceremonial magickian, so I'm excited to finally be able to put what I *am* good at in service to the promulgation of the Law and the Order, since long-distance grammar Nazis are not in high demand in most bodies in my geographical area. ;-p

[[User:Karma|Karma]]

woohoo, I remembered!

----

Hey Ash -- I can't find your comment now, but you said something about using some specific place to leave messages. I wasn't clear if you were referring to this discussion page, so you would receive notice, or somewhere else. Please let me know if this is the right place for you to get notification of messages. Obviously no rush :)

::Yeah, this is the place :)

Regarding the religion article... I guess it just seems to me that given the intense scrutiny that topic has been under, perhaps some warning and discussion about the change you intended to make would have been useful. I am not all pissed off about it, and your explanation made sense, but I just had wished that the explanation could have been found in the discussion page of the article, rather than having to pry it forth from you. FWIW, YMMV.

::You're right, it would have been better of me. I guess I didn't because at the time, there was almost no activity on the site at all. I had started to believe that none of the original authors were paying attention at all. I was obviously in error, and won't make that mistake again.

Hey thanks for the award and the honor of the Order of Udjat!

::You've totally earned them. You are now qualified to induct members into the Order.
::[[User:Ash|Fr. Ash]] 03:35, 18 Jul 2005 (CDT)

Thanks for the corrections brother, I've kept them in mind for future edits. :) [[User:Jachin|Jachin]] 15:16, 19 Jul 2005 (CDT)

----
The Wicca article -- if I'm reading the history thing right (and I may not be), you wrote/imported that article? The citations fell off and it's screaming for them imho. Advice? [[User:Karma|Karma]] 03:52, 26 Dec 2005 (CST)

:Yeah, I did a straight import, although the refences must have fell off. By all means go pick them up from the Wikipedia article...be sure to go the the history version that coresponds to the date of the import. Thanks for keeping an eye open...you're doing great work. [[User:Ash|Fr. Ash]] 23:29, 27 Dec 2005 (CST)

::Ok, cool. Now I have to go figure out what a history version mumble import is. Loving the technology lol [[User:Karma|Karma]] 13:25, 28 Dec 2005 (CST)Karma

Serpent

2005-12-28T05:08:31Z

Karma: added some links; this page needs work

{{partial}}

The figure of the '''serpent''' carries symbolic significance in many religions and cultures, from the protective uraeus serpent depicted on the Egyptian pharoah's double crown, to the serpent who achieved and came to represent immortality in the Sumerian ''[[Epic of Gilgamesh]]'', to the crafty serpent in the Garden of [[Eden]]. While some cultures revere the serpent as an emblem of life, healing, or even immortality, others revile it as a symbol of temptation, evil, or the devil himself. Thus the serpent is a ubiquitous and ambivalent symbol.

In Thelema, the serpent is linked to [[Baphomet]] in the [[Gnostic Creed]]: "And I believe in the Serpent and the Lion, Mystery of Mystery, in His name Baphomet."

The [[Thoth]] Tarot depicts the serpent in Key XI, [[Lust]], in which [[Babalon]] rides on the back of the [[Beast]]. In the ''Book of Thoth'', Crowley writes, "At the top of the card is shown an emblem of the new light, with ten horns of the Beast, which are serpents, sent forth in every direction to destroy and re-create the world" (p. 95). In Key XVI, The [[Tower]], the serpent is depicted as the lion-headed, crowned serpent familiar from Key XI, who shares the top of the card with a dove bearing an olive branch. According to Crowley, "[t]hese represent the two forms of desire; what [[Schopenhauer]] would have called the Will to Live and the Will to Die" (pp. 108-109).

The Book of the Law contains numerous references to the serpent or snake:

* "Now let it be understood: If the body of the King dissolve, he shall remain in pure ecstasy for ever. Nuit! Hadit! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! The Sun, Strength & Sight, Light; these are for the servants of the Star & the Snake" (II: 21).

* "I am the Snake that giveth Knowledge & Delight and bright glory, and stir the hearts of men with drunkenness" (II: 22).

* "winged snake of light," here linked with Hadit (III: 38)

* "I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: in my coiling there is joy" (II: 26).

* "Swift as a trodden serpent turn and strike!" (III: 42)

* "But to love me is better than all things: if under the night stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me, invoking me with a pure heart, and the Serpent flame therein, thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom" (I: 61).

* "Invoke me under my stars! Love is the law, love under will. Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love. There is the dove, and there is the serpent. Choose ye well! He, my prophet, hath chosen, knowing the law of the fortress, and the great mystery of the House of God" (I: 57).

* "Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!" (I: 18)

References
* Crowley, Aleister. (1993). ''The Book of Thoth''. York Beach, Maine: Samuel Weiser.

Regina Kahl

2005-12-28T04:14:15Z

Karma:

{{stub}}

'''Regina Kahl''' (1891-1945) participated in the first public performance of the [[Gnostic Mass]] in 1933 at [[Agape Lodge]].

==References==

T Apiryon (1995). [[http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/1896/egc.html History of the Gnostic Catholic Church]] Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Lilith

2005-12-28T03:59:40Z

Karma: removed ref to de arte magica

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

'''Lilith''' is a female Mesopotamian night demon believed to harm male children. In Isaiah 34:14, Lilith is a kind of night-demon or animal, translated as ''onokentauros''; in the [[Septuagint]], as [[lamia]]; "[[witch]]" by Hieronymus of Cardia; and as screech owl in the [[King James]] Version of the [[Bible]]. In the [[Talmud]] and [[Midrash]], Lilith appears as a night demon. The idea of Lilith as the first wife of [[Adam]] arose in the Middle Ages.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith Lilith]] Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Lilith

2005-12-28T03:56:34Z

Karma:

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

'''Lilith''' is a female Mesopotamian night demon believed to harm male children. In Isaiah 34:14, Lilith is a kind of night-demon or animal, translated as ''onokentauros''; in the [[Septuagint]], as [[lamia]]; "[[witch]]" by Hieronymus of Cardia; and as screech owl in the [[King James]] Version of the [[Bible]]. In the [[Talmud]] and [[Midrash]], Lilith appears as a night demon. The idea of Lilith as the first wife of [[Adam]] arose in the Middle Ages.

Lilith appears as a succubus in Aleister Crowley's [[De Arte Magica]].

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lilith Lilith]] Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Teh

2005-12-28T03:50:41Z

Karma: added "virtue" and "power"

'''Teh''' is a spelling variation from the Wade-Giles romanization format of the Chinese name or word Te/Teh/De/Dé ( 德 ). Teh can be translated as virtue or power. See the [[Tao Teh Ching]] article for more information.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TE Te].'' Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Tao Teh Ching

2005-12-28T03:48:13Z

Karma: still needs info and thelema

{{thelema}}

The Tao Teh Ching (Chinese: 道德經, Dào dé jīng), roughly translated as ''The Book of the Way and its Virtue'' (see below on translating the title), is an ancient Chinese scripture. Tradition has it that the book was written around 600 BCE by a sage called Laozi (also spelled Lao Tzu, Lao Tse, Laotse, "Old Master"), a record-keeper in the Emperor's Court of the Zhou Dynasty. A careful reading of the text, however, suggests that it is a compilation of maxims sharing similar themes. The authenticity of the date of composition/compilation and the authorship are still debated.

This short work is one of the most important in Chinese philosophy and religion, especially in [[Taoism]], but also in [[Buddhism]], because the latter – an Indian religion – shared many Taoist words and concepts before developing into Chinese Buddhism. (Indeed, upon first encountering it, Chinese scholars regarded Buddhism as merely a foreign equivalent of Taoism.) Many Chinese artists, including poets, painters, calligraphers and even gardeners have used the book as a source of inspiration. Its influence has also spread widely outside the Far East, aided by many different translations of the text into western languages.

== Interpretation ==

Many believe that the Tao Teh Ching contains some universal truths which have since been independently recognized in other philosophies, both religious and secular. Each modern language interpretation (including even interpretation of the three-character title, of which there are dozens) differs at least slightly and occasionally profoundly from the next. Depending on how one reads them, some chapters could have three or more interpretations, ranging from practical wisdom for the common man to advice intended for kings to even the odd medical recipe.

There is also an interpretation of this Chinese classic by Aleister Crowley out there.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tao_Te_Ching Tao Te Ching]] Retrieved December 27, 2005.

[[Category:Chinese Culture]]
[[Category:Sacred Texts]]

Teh

2005-12-28T03:37:32Z

Karma: added link to tao teh ching page

'''Teh''' is a spelling variation from the Wade-Giles romanization format of the Chinese name or word Te/Teh/De/Dé ( 德 ). See the [[Tao Teh Ching]] article for more information.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TE Te].'' Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Teh

2005-12-28T03:36:55Z

Karma:

'''Teh''' is a spelling variation from the Wade-Giles romanization format of the Chinese name or word Te/Teh/De/Dé ( 德 ). See the [[Tao Te Ching]] article for more information.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TE Te].'' Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Dictionnaire Infernal

2005-12-28T02:50:35Z

Karma:

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

The '''Dictionnaire Infernal''' is a book on [[demonology]] that includes the names and descriptions of many demons, organised in hierarchies. It was written by [[Collin de Plancy]] and first published in 1818. There were several editions of the book, but perhaps the most famous is that of 1863, in which sixty-nine illustrations were added to the book. These illustrations portray the descriptions of several demons made in earlier works like [[The Lesser Key of Solomon]].

==References==

*Adapted from:
Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dictionnaire_Infernal Dictionnaire Infernal].'' Retrieved December 27, 2005.

Talk:Hadith

2005-12-28T02:29:35Z

Karma:

Is this what a redirect is supposed to look like?! [[User:Karma|Karma]] 20:29, 27 Dec 2005 (CST)

Hadith

2005-12-28T02:29:07Z

Karma: redirect for Hadit

REDIRECT [[Hadit]]

Aethyr

2005-12-28T02:26:48Z

Karma: once more with feeling

REDIRECT [[Aether]]

Aethyr

2005-12-28T02:26:18Z

Karma: redirect to aether

#REDIRECT [[Aether]]

Aether

2005-12-28T02:20:56Z

Karma: added link to Aires

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

* In Greek mythology, '''Aether''' was the personification of the "upper sky," space and heaven.

* In philosophy and [[alchemy]], aether is the classical fifth element or quintessence.

* In physics, the luminiferous aether was once considered to be the medium through which light propagates.

* Sometimes spelled Aethyr, the term as encountered in magic usually refers to one of the [[Enochian]] worlds, or [[Aire|Aires]]. Many [[Wicca|Wiccans]] and magicians also employ this spelling to refer to the fifth element of spirit.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia. (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether Aether]''. Retrieved on December 27, 2005.

Aether

2005-12-27T19:19:06Z

Karma: fixed reference

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

* In Greek mythology, '''Aether''' was the personification of the "upper sky," space and heaven.

* In philosophy and [[alchemy]], aether is the classical fifth element or quintessence.

* In physics, the luminiferous aether was once considered to be the medium through which light propagates.

* Spelled Aethyr, the term as encountered in magic usually refers to one of the [[Enochian]] worlds. Many [[Wicca|Wiccans]] and magicians also employ this spelling to refer to the fifth element of spirit.

==References==

*Adapted from: Wikipedia. (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aether Aether]''. Retrieved on December 27, 2005.

Aether

2005-12-27T19:16:58Z

Karma: started article on aether/aethyr, needs lots more info

{{stub}}
{{thelema}}

# In Greek mythology, '''Aether''' was the personification of the "upper sky," space and heaven.

# In philosophy and [[alchemy]], aether is the classical fifth element or quintessence.

# In physics, the luminiferous aether was once considered to be the medium through which light propagates.

# Spelled Aethyr, the term as encountered in magic usually refers to one of the [[Enochian]] worlds. Many [[Wicca|Wiccans]] and magicians also employ this spelling to refer to the fifth element of spirit.

Talk:Aethyr

2005-12-27T19:07:32Z

Karma: aether/aethyr

Can this page be linked or redirected to the page "Aether"? Or vice versa?

Heresy

2005-12-27T05:00:04Z

Karma: /* Religious heresy */ fixed link

{{thelema}}

'''Heresy''', according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a "theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the catholic or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. By extension, [heresy is an] opinion or doctrine in philosophy, politics, science, art, etc., at variance with those generally accepted as authoritative."

== Etymology ==

The word "heresy" comes from the Greek αιρεσις, hairesis (from αιρεομαι, haireomai, "choose"), which means either a choice of beliefs or a faction of dissident believers. It was given wide currency by Irenaeus in his tract ''Contra Haereses'' (Against Heresies) to describe and discredit his opponents in the early Christian Church. He described his own position as orthodox (from ortho- "straight" + doxa "thinking") and his position eventually evolved into the position of the early Christian Church.

Thus it will be perceived that "heresy" has no purely objective meaning: the category exists only from the point-of-view of a position within a sect that has been previously defined as "orthodox". Thus, too, any nonconformist view within any field may be perceived as "heretical" by others within that field who are convinced that their view is "orthodox"; in the sciences this extension is made tongue-in-cheek.

Heretics usually do not define their own beliefs as heretical. Heresy is a value-judgment and the expression of a view from within an established belief system. For instance, [[Roman Catholic|Roman Catholics]] held Protestantism as a heresy while some non-Catholics considered Catholicism the "Great Apostasy."

For a heresy to exist there must be an authoritative system of dogma designated as orthodox, such as those proposed by Catholicism. The term orthodox is used in Eastern Orthodoxy, some Protestant churches, in [[Islam]], some Jewish denominations, and to a lesser extent in other religions. Variance from orthodox Marxism-Leninism is described as "right" or "left deviationism." The Church of [[Scientology]] uses the term "squirreling" to refer to unauthorized alterations of its teachings or methods.

== Religious heresy ==

'''Christianity'''

Popular imagination relegates "heresy" to the Middle Ages, when the Church's power in Europe was at its height, but the case of the scholar and humanist [[Giordano Bruno]] was not the last execution for heresy. Heresy remained an officially punishable offense in Roman Catholic nations until the late 18th century. In Spain, heretics were prosecuted and punished during the [[Counter-Enlightenment]] there after the Napoleonic Era.

'''Roman background'''

A concern for uniform practice of ritual, which Romans conceived as a duty entirely of a civic and public nature, distinguished the Roman approach to religion from the Greeks', where each locality preserved its archaic characteristics. [[Plutarch]], in his ''Life of Numa Pompilius'', ascribes to the legendary King of Rome the institution of pontifex maximus which, from Plutarch's 2nd century AD point of view "was to declare and interpret the divine law, or, rather, to preside over sacred rites; he not only prescribed rules for public ceremony, but regulated the sacrifices of private persons, not suffering them to vary from established custom, and giving information to every one of what was requisite for purposes of worship or supplication." The Romans welcomed new gods in to the pantheon; it did not matter if one believed in some or none of the gods, so long as one took part in Roman rituals. For example, Christians were persecuted not for believing in one God, nor for disbelieving in the Roman pantheon of gods, but because they refused to participate in civic and public rituals and duty, such as their refusal to burn incense to the Roman emperor. Deviation from the official norm amounted to impiety, but heresy was foreign to the pagan worldview.

'''Early Christian heresies'''

Urgent concerns with the uniformity of belief and practice have characterized Christianity from the outset. The process of establishing orthodox Christianity was set in full swing when [[St. Paul|Paul]] wrote the epistles that comprise a large part of the [[New Testament]]. On many occasions in Paul's epistles, he defends his own apostleship and urges Christians in various places to beware of false teachers, or of anything contrary to what was handed to them by him. The epistles of John and [[St. Jude|Jude]] also warn of false teachers, as does the writer of the ''[[Book of Revelation]]''.

In the middle of the 2nd century, three unorthodox groups of Christians adhered to a range of doctrines that divided the Christian communities of Rome: the teacher Marcion; the pentecostal outpourings of ecstatic Christian prophets of a continuing revelation, in a movement that was called "Montanism" because it had been initiated by Montanus and his female disciples; and the gnostic teachings of [[Valentinus]]. Early attacks upon alleged heresies formed the matter of Tertullian's ''Prescription Against Heretics'' (in 44 chapters, written from Rome), and of Irenaeus' ''Against Heresies'' (ca 180, in five volumes), written in Lyon after his return from a visit to Rome. The letters of Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna to various churches warned against false teachers, and the Epistle of Barnabas, accepted by many Christians as part of Scripture in the 2nd century, warned about mixing Judaism with Christianity. Other writers made similar warnings, leading to decisions reached in the first ecumenical council, which was convoked by the Emperor Constantine at Nicaea in 325.

During those first three centuries, Christianity was effectively outlawed by requirements to venerate the Roman emperor and Roman gods. Consequently, when the Church labeled its enemies as heretics and cast them out of its congregations or severed ties with dissident churches, it remained without the power to persecute them. However, those called "heretics" were also called a number of other things (e.g. "fools," "wild dogs," "servants of Satan"), so the word "heretic" had negative associations from the beginning, and intentionally so.

Before 325 AD, the "heretical" nature of some beliefs was a matter of much debate within the churches. After 325 AD, some opinion was formulated as dogma through the canons promulgated by the councils. Each phrase in the [[Nicene Creed]], which was hammered out at the Council of Nicaea, addresses some aspect that had been under passionate discussion and closes the books on the argument, with the weight of the agreement of over 300 carefully selected bishops from around the empire. However, that did not prevent the [[Arians]] who were defeated at the council of 325 from dominating most of the church for the greater part of the fourth century, often with the aid of Roman emperors who favored them. In the East, the successful party of Cyril cast out Nestorius and his followers as heretics and collected and burned his writings.

Irenaeus was the first to argue that his "proto-orthodox" position was the same faith that Jesus gave to the apostles, and that the identity of the apostles, their successors, and the teachings of the same were all well-known public knowledge. This was therefore an early argument supported by [[apostolic succession]]. Irenaeus first established the doctrine of four gospels and no more, with the synoptic gospels interpreted in the light of [[St. John|John]]. Irenaeus' opponents, however, claimed to have received secret teachings from Jesus via other apostles which were not publicly known. ([[Gnosticism]] is predicated on the existence of such hidden knowledge, but brief references to private teachings of Jesus have also survived in the canonic Scripture.) Irenaeus' opponents also claimed that the wellsprings of divine inspiration were not dried up, the doctrines of continuing revelation.

The Hispanic ascetic Priscillian of Avila was the first person to be executed for heresy, only sixty years after the First Council of Nicaea, in 385. He was executed at the orders of Emperor Magnus Maximus, over the procedural objections of bishops Ambrose of Milan and Martin of Tours, who claimed the Churches' right to punish its own.

A number of the beliefs the Catholic Church has come to regard as heretical have to do with Christology, that is, with the nature of Jesus Christ and the relationship between Christ and God the Father. The orthodox teaching, as it developed, is that Christ was fully divine and at the same time fully human, and that the three persons of the Trinity are equal and eternal. This position, it should be noted, was not formally established as the orthodox position until it was challenged in the fourth century by Arius (Nicene creed in 325); nor was the New Testament put into its present form until the end of the 4th century.

Over the years, numerous Christian scholars and preachers have disagreed with the Church on various issues or doctrines. When the Church has become aware of these beliefs, they have been condemned as heretical, and with the East-West [[Schism]] finalized in the 11th century, and the split in the Western Church in the 16th, each section has identified the others as "heretical". Historically, this often happened when the belief challenged, or was seen to challenge, Church authority, or drew a movement of followers who challenged the established order socially. For entirely secular reasons, some influential people have had an interest in maintaining the status quo or condemning a group they wished to be removed. The Church's internal explanations for its actions were based purely on objection to beliefs and philosophies that ran contrary to its interpretation of the holy scriptures and its official interpretation of holy tradition.

* Adoptionism
* Antinomianism
* Apollinarism
* Arianism
* Audianism
* Bogomils
* Bosnian Church
* Caesaro-papism
* Catharism
* Chiliasm
* Docetism
* Donatism
* Euchites
* Gallicanism
* Gnosticism
* Henry the monk
* Jansenism
* Luciferians
* Lollardry / Lollardy / Lollardism
* Marcionism
* Monarchianism
* Monophysitism
* Monothelitism
* Montanism
* Nestorianism
* Patripassianism
* Pelagianism/Semipelagianism
* Peter of Bruis
* Priscillianism
* Psilanthropism
* Sabellianism
* Socianism
* Waldensians

See also [[Manichaeism]], a pre-Christian religion that influenced early Christians, notably Augustine, often in ways held to be heretical.

==References==

*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy Heresy].'' Retrieved December 26, 2005

Collin de Plancy

2005-12-27T04:01:11Z

Karma: correcting errors in links

Jacques-Albin-Simon '''Collin de Plancy''' (1793-1887) was a French occultist, demonologist and writer; he published several works on occultism and demonology.

In 1818 his most well-known work, ''[[Dictionnaire Infernal]]'', was published for the first time.

Collin de Plancy followed the tradition of many previous demonologists, cataloguing demons by name and title of nobility, as can be seen with grimoires like ''[[Pseudomonarchia Daemonum]]'' and ''[[The Lesser Key of Solomon]]'', among others.

==References==

* Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collin_de_Plancy Collin de Plancy]. Retrieved December 26, 2005.

Collin de Plancy

2005-12-27T04:00:19Z

Karma: trying to fix italicizing a link, grrrrr

Jacques-Albin-Simon '''Collin de Plancy''' (1793-1887) was a French occultist, demonologist and writer; he published several works on occultism and demonology.

In 1818 his most well-known work, ''[[Dictionnaire Infernal]]'', was published for the first time.

Collin de Plancy followed the tradition of many previous demonologists, cataloguing demons by name and title of nobility, as can be seen with grimoires like [[''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'']] and [[''The Lesser Key of Solomon'']], among others.

==References==

* Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collin_de_Plancy Collin de Plancy]. Retrieved December 26, 2005.

Collin de Plancy

2005-12-27T03:59:20Z

Karma: started article on collin de plancy -- needs links to extant pages on goetic stuff that references him/his drawings

Jacques-Albin-Simon '''Collin de Plancy''' (1793-1887) was a French occultist, demonologist and writer; he published several works on occultism and demonology.

In 1818 his most well-known work, [[''Dictionnaire Infernal'']], was published for the first time.

Collin de Plancy followed the tradition of many previous demonologists, cataloguing demons by name and title of nobility, as can be seen with grimoires like [[''Pseudomonarchia Daemonum'']] and [[''The Lesser Key of Solomon'']], among others.

==References==

* Adapted from: Wikipedia (2005). [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Collin_de_Plancy Collin de Plancy]. Retrieved December 26, 2005.

Talk:Cathars

2005-12-27T03:49:05Z

Karma:

There's a page called Cathar too -- somebody ought to integrate these two articles and fix some links. I have a feeling I just volunteered. [[User:Karma|Karma]] 21:49, 26 Dec 2005 (CST)

Talk:Cathar

2005-12-27T03:48:39Z

Karma:

There's a page called Cathars too -- somebody ought to integrate these two articles and fix some links. I have a feeling I just volunteered. [[User:Karma|Karma]] 21:48, 26 Dec 2005 (CST)

Giordano Bruno

2005-12-27T03:44:49Z

Karma: /* References */ fixed botched citations

'''Giordano Bruno''' (1548, Nola, Italy – February 17, 1600, Rome), a.k.a. Bruno Nolano or Bruno the Nolan, was an Italian philosopher, astronomer/astrologer, and occultist burned at the stake as a heretic, popularly regarded as a martyr to the cause of freedom of thought because his ideas went against the Church doctrine.

== Life ==

He was born named Filippo in Nola, in Campania, the son of Giovanni Bruno, a soldier. In 1565 he took the name Giordano on becoming a Dominican friar at the Monastery of Saint Domenico near Naples. In 1572 he was ordained a priest.

He was interested in philosophy and was an expert on the art of memory; he wrote books on mnemonic technique, which Frances Yates contends may have been disguised [[Hermetic]] tracts. The writings attributed to [[Hermes Trismegistus]] were, in Bruno's time, recently rediscovered and at that time were thought to date uniformly to the earliest days of ancient Egypt. They are now believed to date mostly from about 300 A.D. and to be associated with [[Neoplatonism]]. Bruno embraced a sort of [[pantheism|pantheistic]] [[hylozoism]], and not the [[Trinity]].

In 1576 he left Naples to avoid the attention of the [[Inquisition]]. He left Rome for the same reason and abandoned the Dominican order. He travelled to Geneva and briefly joined the [[Calvinism|Calvinists]], before he was excommunicated for his adherence to Copernicanism and forced to leave for France.

In 1579 he arrived in Toulouse, where he briefly had a teaching position. At this time, he began to gain fame for his prodigious memory. Bruno's feats of memory were apparently based, at least in part, on an elaborate system of mnemonics, but many of his contemporaries found it easier to attribute them to magical powers.

For seven years, he enjoyed the protection of powerful French patrons, including Henry III. During this period, he published 20 books, including several on memory training, such as ''Cena de le Ceneri'' (The Ash Wednesday Supper, 1584), and ''De l'Infinito, Universo e Mondi'' (On the Infinite Universe and Worlds, 1584). In ''Cena de le Ceneri'' he defended the theories of Copernicus, albeit rather poorly. In ''De l'Infinito, Universo e Mondi'', he argued that the stars we see at night were just like our Sun, that the universe was infinite, with a "Plurality of Worlds", and that all were inhabited by intelligent beings (see the Drake equation). These two works are jointly known as his "Italian dialogues." In 1582, Bruno penned a play summarizing some of his cosmological positions, titled ''Il Candelaio'' ("The Torchbearer").

In 1583, he went to England with letters of recommendation from Henry III. In 1585 he returned to Paris. However, his 120 theses against Aristotelian natural science and his pamphlet against the Roman Catholic mathematician Fabrizio Mordente soon put him in ill favor. In 1586, following a violent quarrel about "a scientific instrument", he left France for Germany, where he taught on [[Aristotle]] at Wittenburg. After moving to Prague in 1588, he was excommunicated by the [[Lutheran|Lutherans]], whereupon he traveled to Frankfurt and then Italy. He was turned over to the Inquisition, arrested May 22, 1592, and extradited for trial in Rome in 1593.

He was declared a heretic and handed over to secular authorities on January 8, 1600 and burned at the stake on February 17 1600 in Campo de' Fiori, a popular Roman square. Since 1889, there has been a monument to Bruno on the site of his execution.

The world of science has long claimed Bruno as a martyr. It is said that, like Galileo Galilei, his Copernicanism was a factor in his heresy trial, but, unlike Galileo, some of his theological beliefs were also a factor. Also, unlike Galileo, he refused to renounce his beliefs.

In fact, the precise charges of heresy on which Bruno was condemned are unknown, as the official record has long been lost. In Galileo's case we have the formal judgment of the Inquisition declaring that "The proposition that the Sun is the center of the world and does not move from its place is absurd and false philosophically and formally heretical". In Bruno's, the role (if any) of his [[heliocentric]] teachings and belief in an infinite unverse is not a matter that can be conclusively proved on either side.

== Bruno's Cosmology ==

Bruno affirmed that the universe was homogeneous, made up everywhere of the four [[elements]] (water, earth, fire, and air), rather than having the stars be composed of a separate quintessence. Essentially, the same physical laws would operate everywhere, although the use of that term is anachronistic. Space and time were both conceived as infinite. There was no room in his stable and permanent universe for the Christian notions of divine Creation and Last Judgement.

Under this model, the Sun was simply one more star, and the stars all suns, each with its own planets. Bruno saw a solar system of a sun/star with planets as the fundamental unit of the universe. According to Bruno, infinite God necessarily created an infinite universe, formed of an infinite number of solar systems, separated by vast regions full of [[Aether]], because empty space could not exist. (Bruno did not arrive at the concept of a galaxy.)

Bruno's cosmology is marked by infinitude, homogeneity, and isotropy, with planetary systems distributed evenly throughout. Matter follows an active [[animism|animistic]] principle: it is intelligent and discontinuous in structure, made up of discrete atoms. This animism (and a corresponding disdain for mathematics as a means to understanding) is the most dramatic respect in which Bruno's cosmology differs from what today passes for a common-sense picture of the universe.

==References==

*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno Giordano Bruno].'' Retrieved December 26, 2005.

* Couliano, Ioan. ''Eros and Magic in the Renaissance''. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987.

* Yates, Frances. ''Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Traditio''n. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991.

Giordano Bruno

2005-12-27T03:38:22Z

Karma: started article with edits from wikipedia on giordano bruno, martyr to science; check animism link

'''Giordano Bruno''' (1548, Nola, Italy – February 17, 1600, Rome), a.k.a. Bruno Nolano or Bruno the Nolan, was an Italian philosopher, astronomer/astrologer, and occultist burned at the stake as a heretic, popularly regarded as a martyr to the cause of freedom of thought because his ideas went against the Church doctrine.

== Life ==

He was born named Filippo in Nola, in Campania, the son of Giovanni Bruno, a soldier. In 1565 he took the name Giordano on becoming a Dominican friar at the Monastery of Saint Domenico near Naples. In 1572 he was ordained a priest.

He was interested in philosophy and was an expert on the art of memory; he wrote books on mnemonic technique, which Frances Yates contends may have been disguised [[Hermetic]] tracts. The writings attributed to [[Hermes Trismegistus]] were, in Bruno's time, recently rediscovered and at that time were thought to date uniformly to the earliest days of ancient Egypt. They are now believed to date mostly from about 300 A.D. and to be associated with [[Neoplatonism]]. Bruno embraced a sort of [[pantheism|pantheistic]] [[hylozoism]], and not the [[Trinity]].

In 1576 he left Naples to avoid the attention of the [[Inquisition]]. He left Rome for the same reason and abandoned the Dominican order. He travelled to Geneva and briefly joined the [[Calvinism|Calvinists]], before he was excommunicated for his adherence to Copernicanism and forced to leave for France.

In 1579 he arrived in Toulouse, where he briefly had a teaching position. At this time, he began to gain fame for his prodigious memory. Bruno's feats of memory were apparently based, at least in part, on an elaborate system of mnemonics, but many of his contemporaries found it easier to attribute them to magical powers.

For seven years, he enjoyed the protection of powerful French patrons, including Henry III. During this period, he published 20 books, including several on memory training, such as ''Cena de le Ceneri'' (The Ash Wednesday Supper, 1584), and ''De l'Infinito, Universo e Mondi'' (On the Infinite Universe and Worlds, 1584). In ''Cena de le Ceneri'' he defended the theories of Copernicus, albeit rather poorly. In ''De l'Infinito, Universo e Mondi'', he argued that the stars we see at night were just like our Sun, that the universe was infinite, with a "Plurality of Worlds", and that all were inhabited by intelligent beings (see the Drake equation). These two works are jointly known as his "Italian dialogues." In 1582, Bruno penned a play summarizing some of his cosmological positions, titled ''Il Candelaio'' ("The Torchbearer").

In 1583, he went to England with letters of recommendation from Henry III. In 1585 he returned to Paris. However, his 120 theses against Aristotelian natural science and his pamphlet against the Roman Catholic mathematician Fabrizio Mordente soon put him in ill favor. In 1586, following a violent quarrel about "a scientific instrument", he left France for Germany, where he taught on [[Aristotle]] at Wittenburg. After moving to Prague in 1588, he was excommunicated by the [[Lutheran|Lutherans]], whereupon he traveled to Frankfurt and then Italy. He was turned over to the Inquisition, arrested May 22, 1592, and extradited for trial in Rome in 1593.

He was declared a heretic and handed over to secular authorities on January 8, 1600 and burned at the stake on February 17 1600 in Campo de' Fiori, a popular Roman square. Since 1889, there has been a monument to Bruno on the site of his execution.

The world of science has long claimed Bruno as a martyr. It is said that, like Galileo Galilei, his Copernicanism was a factor in his heresy trial, but, unlike Galileo, some of his theological beliefs were also a factor. Also, unlike Galileo, he refused to renounce his beliefs.

In fact, the precise charges of heresy on which Bruno was condemned are unknown, as the official record has long been lost. In Galileo's case we have the formal judgment of the Inquisition declaring that "The proposition that the Sun is the center of the world and does not move from its place is absurd and false philosophically and formally heretical". In Bruno's, the role (if any) of his [[heliocentric]] teachings and belief in an infinite unverse is not a matter that can be conclusively proved on either side.

== Bruno's Cosmology ==

Bruno affirmed that the universe was homogeneous, made up everywhere of the four [[elements]] (water, earth, fire, and air), rather than having the stars be composed of a separate quintessence. Essentially, the same physical laws would operate everywhere, although the use of that term is anachronistic. Space and time were both conceived as infinite. There was no room in his stable and permanent universe for the Christian notions of divine Creation and Last Judgement.

Under this model, the Sun was simply one more star, and the stars all suns, each with its own planets. Bruno saw a solar system of a sun/star with planets as the fundamental unit of the universe. According to Bruno, infinite God necessarily created an infinite universe, formed of an infinite number of solar systems, separated by vast regions full of [[Aether]], because empty space could not exist. (Bruno did not arrive at the concept of a galaxy.)

Bruno's cosmology is marked by infinitude, homogeneity, and isotropy, with planetary systems distributed evenly throughout. Matter follows an active [[animism|animistic]] principle: it is intelligent and discontinuous in structure, made up of discrete atoms. This animism (and a corresponding disdain for mathematics as a means to understanding) is the most dramatic respect in which Bruno's cosmology differs from what today passes for a common-sense picture of the universe.

==References==

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giordano_Bruno
* Eros and Magic in the Renaissance, Ioan P. Couliano, ISBN 0226123154.
* Giordano Bruno and the Hermetic Tradition, Frances Yates, ISBN 0226950077
* "Giordano Bruno", The Catholic Encyclopedia (1908)

Heresy

2005-12-27T03:18:38Z

Karma: /* Religious heresy */ added links, cleaned up punctuation anomalies from wikipedia paste, minor rewording

{{thelema}}

'''Heresy''', according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a "theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the catholic or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. By extension, [heresy is an] opinion or doctrine in philosophy, politics, science, art, etc., at variance with those generally accepted as authoritative."

== Etymology ==

The word "heresy" comes from the Greek αιρεσις, hairesis (from αιρεομαι, haireomai, "choose"), which means either a choice of beliefs or a faction of dissident believers. It was given wide currency by Irenaeus in his tract ''Contra Haereses'' (Against Heresies) to describe and discredit his opponents in the early Christian Church. He described his own position as orthodox (from ortho- "straight" + doxa "thinking") and his position eventually evolved into the position of the early Christian Church.

Thus it will be perceived that "heresy" has no purely objective meaning: the category exists only from the point-of-view of a position within a sect that has been previously defined as "orthodox". Thus, too, any nonconformist view within any field may be perceived as "heretical" by others within that field who are convinced that their view is "orthodox"; in the sciences this extension is made tongue-in-cheek.

Heretics usually do not define their own beliefs as heretical. Heresy is a value-judgment and the expression of a view from within an established belief system. For instance, [[Roman Catholic|Roman Catholics]] held Protestantism as a heresy while some non-Catholics considered Catholicism the "Great Apostasy."

For a heresy to exist there must be an authoritative system of dogma designated as orthodox, such as those proposed by Catholicism. The term orthodox is used in Eastern Orthodoxy, some Protestant churches, in [[Islam]], some Jewish denominations, and to a lesser extent in other religions. Variance from orthodox Marxism-Leninism is described as "right" or "left deviationism." The Church of [[Scientology]] uses the term "squirreling" to refer to unauthorized alterations of its teachings or methods.

== Religious heresy ==

'''Christianity'''

Popular imagination relegates "heresy" to the Middle Ages, when the Church's power in Europe was at its height, but the case of the scholar and humanist [[Giordano Bruno]] was not the last execution for heresy. Heresy remained an officially punishable offense in Roman Catholic nations until the late 18th century. In Spain, heretics were prosecuted and punished during the [[Counter-Enlightenment]] there after the Napoleonic Era.

'''Roman background'''

A concern for uniform practice of ritual, which Romans conceived as a duty entirely of a civic and public nature, distinguished the Roman approach to religion from the Greeks', where each locality preserved its archaic characteristics. [[Plutarch]], in his ''Life of Numa Pompilius'', ascribes to the legendary King of Rome the institution of pontifex maximus which, from Plutarch's 2nd century AD point of view "was to declare and interpret the divine law, or, rather, to preside over sacred rites; he not only prescribed rules for public ceremony, but regulated the sacrifices of private persons, not suffering them to vary from established custom, and giving information to every one of what was requisite for purposes of worship or supplication." The Romans welcomed new gods in to the pantheon; it did not matter if one believed in some or none of the gods, so long as one took part in Roman rituals. For example, Christians were persecuted not for believing in one God, nor for disbelieving in the Roman pantheon of gods, but because they refused to participate in civic and public rituals and duty, such as their refusal to burn incense to the Roman emperor. Deviation from the official norm amounted to impiety, but heresy was foreign to the pagan worldview.

'''Early Christian heresies'''

Urgent concerns with the uniformity of belief and practice have characterized Christianity from the outset. The process of establishing orthodox Christianity was set in full swing when [[St. Paul|Paul]] wrote the epistles that comprise a large part of the [[New Testament]]. On many occasions in Paul's epistles, he defends his own apostleship and urges Christians in various places to beware of false teachers, or of anything contrary to what was handed to them by him. The epistles of John and [[St. Jude|Jude]] also warn of false teachers, as does the writer of the [[''Book of Revelation'']].

In the middle of the 2nd century, three unorthodox groups of Christians adhered to a range of doctrines that divided the Christian communities of Rome: the teacher Marcion; the pentecostal outpourings of ecstatic Christian prophets of a continuing revelation, in a movement that was called "Montanism" because it had been initiated by Montanus and his female disciples; and the gnostic teachings of [[Valentinus]]. Early attacks upon alleged heresies formed the matter of Tertullian's ''Prescription Against Heretics'' (in 44 chapters, written from Rome), and of Irenaeus' ''Against Heresies'' (ca 180, in five volumes), written in Lyon after his return from a visit to Rome. The letters of Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna to various churches warned against false teachers, and the Epistle of Barnabas, accepted by many Christians as part of Scripture in the 2nd century, warned about mixing Judaism with Christianity. Other writers made similar warnings, leading to decisions reached in the first ecumenical council, which was convoked by the Emperor Constantine at Nicaea in 325.

During those first three centuries, Christianity was effectively outlawed by requirements to venerate the Roman emperor and Roman gods. Consequently, when the Church labeled its enemies as heretics and cast them out of its congregations or severed ties with dissident churches, it remained without the power to persecute them. However, those called "heretics" were also called a number of other things (e.g. "fools," "wild dogs," "servants of Satan"), so the word "heretic" had negative associations from the beginning, and intentionally so.

Before 325 AD, the "heretical" nature of some beliefs was a matter of much debate within the churches. After 325 AD, some opinion was formulated as dogma through the canons promulgated by the councils. Each phrase in the [[Nicene Creed]], which was hammered out at the Council of Nicaea, addresses some aspect that had been under passionate discussion and closes the books on the argument, with the weight of the agreement of over 300 carefully selected bishops from around the empire. However, that did not prevent the [[Arians]] who were defeated at the council of 325 from dominating most of the church for the greater part of the fourth century, often with the aid of Roman emperors who favored them. In the East, the successful party of Cyril cast out Nestorius and his followers as heretics and collected and burned his writings.

Irenaeus was the first to argue that his "proto-orthodox" position was the same faith that Jesus gave to the apostles, and that the identity of the apostles, their successors, and the teachings of the same were all well-known public knowledge. This was therefore an early argument supported by [[apostolic succession]]. Irenaeus first established the doctrine of four gospels and no more, with the synoptic gospels interpreted in the light of [[St. John|John]]. Irenaeus' opponents, however, claimed to have received secret teachings from Jesus via other apostles which were not publicly known. ([[Gnosticism]] is predicated on the existence of such hidden knowledge, but brief references to private teachings of Jesus have also survived in the canonic Scripture.) Irenaeus' opponents also claimed that the wellsprings of divine inspiration were not dried up, the doctrines of continuing revelation.

The Hispanic ascetic Priscillian of Avila was the first person to be executed for heresy, only sixty years after the First Council of Nicaea, in 385. He was executed at the orders of Emperor Magnus Maximus, over the procedural objections of bishops Ambrose of Milan and Martin of Tours, who claimed the Churches' right to punish its own.

A number of the beliefs the Catholic Church has come to regard as heretical have to do with Christology, that is, with the nature of Jesus Christ and the relationship between Christ and God the Father. The orthodox teaching, as it developed, is that Christ was fully divine and at the same time fully human, and that the three persons of the Trinity are equal and eternal. This position, it should be noted, was not formally established as the orthodox position until it was challenged in the fourth century by Arius (Nicene creed in 325); nor was the New Testament put into its present form until the end of the 4th century.

Over the years, numerous Christian scholars and preachers have disagreed with the Church on various issues or doctrines. When the Church has become aware of these beliefs, they have been condemned as heretical, and with the East-West [[Schism]] finalized in the 11th century, and the split in the Western Church in the 16th, each section has identified the others as "heretical". Historically, this often happened when the belief challenged, or was seen to challenge, Church authority, or drew a movement of followers who challenged the established order socially. For entirely secular reasons, some influential people have had an interest in maintaining the status quo or condemning a group they wished to be removed. The Church's internal explanations for its actions were based purely on objection to beliefs and philosophies that ran contrary to its interpretation of the holy scriptures and its official interpretation of holy tradition.

* Adoptionism
* Antinomianism
* Apollinarism
* Arianism
* Audianism
* Bogomils
* Bosnian Church
* Caesaro-papism
* Catharism
* Chiliasm
* Docetism
* Donatism
* Euchites
* Gallicanism
* Gnosticism
* Henry the monk
* Jansenism
* Luciferians
* Lollardry / Lollardy / Lollardism
* Marcionism
* Monarchianism
* Monophysitism
* Monothelitism
* Montanism
* Nestorianism
* Patripassianism
* Pelagianism/Semipelagianism
* Peter of Bruis
* Priscillianism
* Psilanthropism
* Sabellianism
* Socianism
* Waldensians

See also [[Manichaeism]], a pre-Christian religion that influenced early Christians, notably Augustine, often in ways held to be heretical.

==References==

*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy Heresy].'' Retrieved December 26, 2005

Heresy

2005-12-27T03:00:23Z

Karma: /* Etymology */ added links, still needs some

{{thelema}}

'''Heresy''', according to the Oxford English Dictionary, is a "theological or religious opinion or doctrine maintained in opposition, or held to be contrary, to the catholic or orthodox doctrine of the Christian Church, or, by extension, to that of any church, creed, or religious system, considered as orthodox. By extension, [heresy is an] opinion or doctrine in philosophy, politics, science, art, etc., at variance with those generally accepted as authoritative."

== Etymology ==

The word "heresy" comes from the Greek αιρεσις, hairesis (from αιρεομαι, haireomai, "choose"), which means either a choice of beliefs or a faction of dissident believers. It was given wide currency by Irenaeus in his tract ''Contra Haereses'' (Against Heresies) to describe and discredit his opponents in the early Christian Church. He described his own position as orthodox (from ortho- "straight" + doxa "thinking") and his position eventually evolved into the position of the early Christian Church.

Thus it will be perceived that "heresy" has no purely objective meaning: the category exists only from the point-of-view of a position within a sect that has been previously defined as "orthodox". Thus, too, any nonconformist view within any field may be perceived as "heretical" by others within that field who are convinced that their view is "orthodox"; in the sciences this extension is made tongue-in-cheek.

Heretics usually do not define their own beliefs as heretical. Heresy is a value-judgment and the expression of a view from within an established belief system. For instance, [[Roman Catholic|Roman Catholics]] held Protestantism as a heresy while some non-Catholics considered Catholicism the "Great Apostasy."

For a heresy to exist there must be an authoritative system of dogma designated as orthodox, such as those proposed by Catholicism. The term orthodox is used in Eastern Orthodoxy, some Protestant churches, in [[Islam]], some Jewish denominations, and to a lesser extent in other religions. Variance from orthodox Marxism-Leninism is described as "right" or "left deviationism." The Church of [[Scientology]] uses the term "squirreling" to refer to unauthorized alterations of its teachings or methods.

== Religious heresy ==

'''Christianity'''

The use of the term heresy in the context of Christianity is less common today, with some notable exceptions: see for example Rudolf Bultmann and the character of debates over ordaining women and gay priests. Popular imagination relegates "heresy" to the Middle Ages, when the Church's power in Europe was at its height, but the case of the scholar and humanist Giordano Bruno was not the last execution for heresy. Heresy remained an officially punishable offense in Roman Catholic nations until the late 18th century. In Spain, heretics were prosecuted and punished during the Counter-Enlightenment there after the Napoleonic Era.

'''Roman background'''

A concern for uniform practice of ritual, which Romans conceived as a duty entirely of a civic and public nature, distinguished the Roman approach to religion from the Greeks', where each locality preserved its archaic characteristics. Plutarch, in his Life of Numa Pompilius ascribes to the legendary King of Rome the institution of pontifex maximus which, from Plutarch's 2nd century AD point of view "was to declare and interpret the divine law, or, rather, to preside over sacred rites; he not only prescribed rules for public ceremony, but regulated the sacrifices of private persons, not suffering them to vary from established custom, and giving information to every one of what was requisite for purposes of worship or supplication." The Romans welcomed new gods in to the pantheon, it did not matter if one believed in some or none of the gods, so long as one took part in Roman rituals. For example Christians were persecuted not for believing in one God, not for disbelieving in the Roman pantheon of gods, all perfectly acceptable, but because they refused to participate in civic and public rituals and duty, such as their refusal to burn incense to the Roman emperor. Deviation from the official norm amounted to impiety: heresy was foreign to the pagan worldview.

'''Early Christian heresies'''

Urgent concerns with the uniformity of belief and practice have characterized Christianity from the outset. The process of establishing orthodox Christianity was set in full swing when Paul wrote the epistles that comprise a large part of the New Testament. On many occasions in Paul's epistles, he defends his own apostleship, and urges Christians in various places to beware of false teachers, or of anything contrary to what was handed to them by him. The epistles of John and Jude also warn of false teachers, as does the writer of the Book of Revelation.

In the middle of the 2nd century, three unorthodox groups of Christians adhered to a range of doctrines that divided the Christian communities of Rome: the teacher Marcion, the pentecostal outpourings of ecstatic Christian prophets of a continuing revelation, in a movement that was called "Montanism" because it had been initiated by Montanus and his female disciples, and the gnostic teachings of Valentinus. Early attacks upon alleged heresies formed the matter of Tertullian's Prescription Against Heretics (in 44 chapters, written from Rome), and of Irenaeus' Against Heresies (ca 180, in five volumes), written in Lyon after his return from a visit to Rome. The letters of Ignatius of Antioch and Polycarp of Smyrna to various churches warned against false teachers, and the Epistle of Barnabas accepted by many Christians as part of Scripture in the 2nd century, warned about mixing Judaism with Christianity, as did other writers, leading to decisions reached in the first ecumenical council, which was convoked by the Emperor Constantine at Nicaea in 325, in response to further disruptive polemical controversy within the Christian community, in that case Arianist disputes over the nature of the Trinity.

During those first three centuries, Christianity was effectively outlawed by requirements to venerate the Roman emperor and Roman gods. Consequently, when the Church labeled its enemies as heretics and cast them out of its congregations or severed ties with dissident churches, it remained without the power to persecute them. However, those called "heretics" were also called a number of other things (e.g. "fools," "wild dogs," "servants of Satan"), so the word "heretic" had negative associations from the beginning, and intentionally so.

Before 325 AD, the "heretical" nature of some beliefs was a matter of much debate within the churches. After 325 AD, some opinion was formulated as dogma through the canons promulgated by the councils. Each phrase in the Nicene Creed, which was hammered out at the Council of Nicaea, addresses some aspect that had been under passionate discussion and closes the books on the argument, with the weight of the agreement of over 300 carefully selected bishops from around the empire. However, that did not prevent the Arians who were defeated at the council of 325 from dominating most of the church for the greater part of the fourth century, often with the aid of Roman emperors who favored them. In the East, the successful party of Cyril cast out Nestorius and his followers as heretics and collected and burned his writings.

Irenaeus was the first to argue that his "proto-orthodox" position was the same faith that Jesus gave to the apostles, and that the identity of the apostles, their successors, and the teachings of the same were all well-known public knowledge. This was therefore an early argument supported by apostolic succession. Irenaeus first established the doctrine of four gospels and no more, with the synoptic gospels interpreted in the light of John. Irenaeus' opponents, however, claimed to have received secret teachings from Jesus via other apostles which were not publicly known. (Gnosticism is predicated on the existence of such hidden knowledge, but brief references to private teachings of Jesus have also survived in the canonic Scripture.) Irenaeus' opponents also claimed that the wellsprings of divine inspiration were not dried up, the doctrines of continuing revelation.

The Hispanic ascetic Priscillian of Avila was the first person to be executed for heresy, only sixty years after the First Council of Nicaea, in 385. He was executed at the orders of Emperor Magnus Maximus, over the procedural objections of bishops Ambrose of Milan and Martin of Tours, who claimed the Churches' right to punish its own.

A number of the beliefs the Catholic Church has come to regard as heretical have to do with Christology, that is, with the nature of Jesus Christ and the relationship between Christ and God the Father. The orthodox teaching, as it developed, is that Christ was fully divine and at the same time fully human, and that the three persons of the Trinity are equal and eternal. This position, it should be noted, was not formally established as the orthodox position until it was challenged in the fourth century by Arius (Nicene creed in 325); nor was the New Testament put into its present form until the end of the 4th century (Athanasius first lists the 27 books we have in the current New Testament in 367(?), but disputes continued; see Biblical Canon).

Over the years, numerous Christian scholars and preachers have disagreed with the Church on various issues or doctrines. When the Church has become aware of these beliefs, they have been condemned as heretical, and with the East-West Schism finalized in the 11th century, and the split in the Western Church in the 16th, each section has identified the others as "heretical". Historically, this often happened when the belief challenged, or was seen to challenge, Church authority, or drew a movement of followers who challenged the established order socially. For entirely secular reasons, some influential people have had an interest in maintaining the status quo or condemning a group they wished to be removed. The Church's internal explanations for its actions were based purely on objection to beliefs and philosophies that ran contrary to its interpretation of the holy scriptures and its official interpretation of holy tradition.

* Adoptionism
* Antinomianism
* Apollinarism
* Arianism
* Audianism
* Bogomils
* Bosnian Church
* Caesaro-papism
* Catharism
* Chiliasm
* Docetism
* Donatism
* Euchites
* Gallicanism
* Gnosticism
* Henry the monk
* Jansenism
* Luciferians
* Lollardry / Lollardy / Lollardism
* Marcionism
* Monarchianism
* Monophysitism
* Monothelitism
* Montanism
* Nestorianism
* Patripassianism
* Pelagianism/Semipelagianism
* Peter of Bruis
* Priscillianism
* Psilanthropism
* Sabellianism
* Socianism
* Waldensians

See also Manichaeism, a pre-Christian religion that influenced early Christians, notably Augustine, often in ways held to be heretical.

==References==

*Wikipedia (2005). ''[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heresy Heresy].'' Retrieved December 26, 2005