This post was made by a former forum participant. As it is a reference to a source I have maintained the post for posterity.
augur
Posts
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Liber L with J.A.E. comments -
Soror Meral on Success(ion)..."But I needed a person with similar goals and interests to monitor my progress and confirm if I had done the work as thoroughly as possible. It was with great good fortune that James Eshelman was taking an O.T.O. grade when I was visiting a fine O.T.O. person in Southern California. Jim immediately found an interest in what I was doing and opted to travel to my home in Dublin in Northern California for instructions and conferences. He was visiting only for about the third time when I knew he was to be my successor. In the many years that followed we helped each other to do the mandated A:.A:. work and, here was the person to monitor what I was working on and to give me encouragement and also advice. I did the same for him, of course. In our work, I had the assistance of the H.G.A. when needed."
—In the Continuum Vol. V, No. 10
https://www.limitlesslight.org/ITCarchive/ITCvol5.zip
May Light Be Extended Upon All.
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For Posterity, Soror Meral Rebukes Hymaneus Beta's power grab for the A∴A∴Date: Sun, 23 Jul 2000 13:22:13 EDT
From: JGraeb at aol dot com
Subject: Fwd: Soror Meral speaks up! (Again)In a message dated 7/21/00 6:54:18 AM Pacific Daylight Time, alice814 at hotmail dot com writes:
A little bird asked me to include the following language which was at the end of Soror Mera'l's letter (Scroll down to below):
----- Original Message -----
From: <Cornelius93 at aol dot com>
To: <jl.hoogeweij at quicknet dot nl>
Sent: Thursday, July 20, 2000 11:08 PM
Subject: (no subject)93
To all whom it may concern,The Following is the letter to Bill Breeze from Phyllis Seckler
dated June 22nd, 2000. Distribute freely,Dear Bill,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
There is now quite a crisis in the O.T.O. and in my 61 years of membership this seems to be the worst one yet.
What has happened to you? You used to believe in religious freedom and now you are acting with religious intolerance and suppression.
Crowley wrote that the AA and the O.T.O. were two separate Orders. I enclose copies of this letters [These are not included in this epistle. - JEC] and remarks written to clarify matters.
These were printed in I.T.C. Vol I, No. 2. You seem to believe that you should be the head of the AA as well as the head of the O.T.O. Why? I am inclined to ask where are your credentials?
The AA is guide by V.V.V.V.V. He wrote the tasks for each grade with George Cecil Jones. This is clear in LIBER 61.
V.V.V.V.V. is ever the head of the AA and there can be no other. He is still at work to guide his Order. He does not necessarily need a physical body to do this. Intelligences on the inner planes can make use of all sorts of persons. One of their easiest vehicles is a person of unbalanced or insane mind. Why do you think you were the victim of a stalker? Would it not be good policy to heed what ill fortune besets you?
You have been showing that you can't allow any divergence of view from you own. Why can't you take criticism?
Thelemites should be able to express a diversity of opinion without fear of reprisal. Perhaps if you had two revolutionaries to oppose your every decision and move you would not now be in so precarious a position.
The two revolutionaries were specified in Crowley's original constitution and their function was to strengthen a Supreme and Holy King, causing him to review his character and behaviour so that he could remain well balanced and so that he did not become an ego-maniac. You have not benefited from this provision and it makes one wonder if you have been afraid of criticism and opposition all along.
According to all accounts, you behaved in an unfair manner when Jerry Cornelius criticized your behaviour in claiming head of the AA. Your actions seem to point to the fact that you wish to bring every AA person under your leadership and jurisdiction.
Actually he was correct in his views on this matter. Crowley's instructions are clear enough for each grade of AA and presumably any person could accomplish a great deal in the work and studies on their own. The only catch is that when a person claims a grade in the Order, and there is no person in a higher grade to monitor his work and issue a paper upon completion, that his claims are hard to believe.
But you expelled Jerry for his opinion and also with some ferocity, for you gave him no chance to defend himself. This was unfair and also goes against O.T.O. procedures. Do what thou wilt means that one gives every other person a right to do what he/she wills without interference. Jerry was not hurting you in any way. He merely had an opinion. Is no opinion valid but your own? Have you forgotten LIBER OZ?"3. Man has the right to think as he will:
to speak what he will
to write what he will ----"You owe Jerry and apology and full reinstatement in the O.T.O.
You even threatened me with a lawsuit because I use the name of AA in my work. Do you think you should be the only one to use this name? That is, you and those of whom you approve?
I have been a part of V.V.V.V.V.'s AA since 1940 when Jane Wolfe inducted me into this Order and gave me a paper for Probationer. In her turn, she was inducted into this Order by Crowley while residing in Cefalu and studying under him.
Also, as everyone knows, Karl Germer was an 8°=3* in this Order due to Crowley's knowledge and word of his true grade.
Before that, Karl achieved the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel while in a prison camp in Nazi Germany.
When Crowley knew of this attainment, he recognised Karl as 5°=6* of AA Germer later recognised my own experience with the H.G.A. and wrote to me and to Jane that I was 5°=6* AA At the present with H.G.A. guidance I have founded a College of Thelema and one of my successors has founded the Temple of Thelema under the College. We have classes and college work which aids a student to enter the more difficult work laid out in LIBER 185 (to be found in the last section of GEMS FROM THE EQUINOX.)When a student enters the AA, we work with strict compliance to the guidelines set out in LIBER 185. No one gets a paper from us for each grade unless they have completed the tasks set forth. If any one of our students is ever challenged, the papers show good, solid work which is overseen and checked by those of higher grades and by adepts if need be. According to Crowley's instructions, only Neophytes or those of higher grades may take on a student but if anything goes wrong, there is always help from our adepts. The work is private and secret and should remain thus as that is the way the AA is supposed to operate. With us there are no imaginary or false claims as to grades, no lies, no pretense and no frauds in all of this work, whether of C.O.T. or of the AA In our studies at all levels we give a background in Psychology and Astrology so that each person can know the self and can guide his work and choices according to his true nature.
Agreed, this is a difficult time, but as a IX* O.T.O. I would like to ask; does the O.T.O. intend to sue any publisher in the world who publishes Crowley writings, either in English or in translations?
The present suit seems also to very nearly impoverish the O.T.O.
Are all such lawsuits in the best interests of the spread of Thelema?
The O.T.O. is supposed to aid in the spread of Thelema world wide, but copyright restrictions could work thoroughly against this aim.
I am also concerned about this policy of lawsuits, as I think Crowley's work will not get a wide enough distribution due to publishers being afraid to publish. There is a good deal of merit in Jim Graeb's work on this matter. I do not see his exploration of other options as a threat to the final settlement of the Naylor, et al lawsuit.
A vast majority of lawsuits are settled out of court. By mutual agreement neither Naylor nor O.T.O. is to be affected by this preliminary exploration.
But you can't seem to view this effort in a balanced way and you want Graeb expelled immediately. How do you know how the lawsuit will turn out? What if O.T.O. should lose? Would not Graeb's suggestions then have been a better course to follow? You don't even wait to find out if he was right after all.
Jim Graeb is also fighting for religious and personal freedom and tolerance supposed to be taught in the higher grades of O.T.O.
But you are exhibiting intolerance and suppression of the freedom of religion of an AA person. Graeb is doing the work of a revolutionary and you react with haste and fear. Of what are you afraid? Your behaviour makes many others in O.T.O. wonder who will be expelled next. This leads to a lack of independent action on the part of others who hold high positions.
Are you intent on making them rubber stamps of yourself?
Yes, you really do need the ideas, the votes and the independent thoughts and work of the IX* O.T.O. and also of the VIII*. They must act so that the O.T.O. does not become a petty dictatorship.
In our telephone conversation of May 21, I told you that what you and others did with the AA was none of my business and that I hoped for the same courtesy from you. But when you offered to sue me instead because I work with the name of AA, I replied that if you interfered with me, I would have to fight. This is part of my fight.As a IX* of O.T.O., I request you to reinstate Jerry in the O.T.O. with his full degree restored.
As a IX* of O.T.O., I request that you allow Jim Graeb to act as the present revolutionary without fear of retribution.
As an AA I request that you do not sue either me or my successors over the use of the name of the AA
If you intend to remedy your present actions with suggestions 1 and 2, please let me know by July 15. As for request No. 3, I request a written statement that you will not sue us over the name of AA This signed paper should be in my hands by July 15.
Of course you may ignore these requests and say nothing. But in that case, copies of this letter shall have a wider distribution.
It is my policy to give a copy of any letter which I write of a serious nature in which I have mentioned a person's name.
Therefore both Jerry and Jim Graeb shall have a copy and I ask that they exert extreme discretion in not showing it or reading from it to anyone else. Since your actions also included the Secretary and Treasurer, a copy goes to Marcus Jungkurth and Bill Heidrick. Finally, a copy of this letter shall go to David Scriven because he is head of the U.S.A. O.T.O. and should know of anything that goes on.
Finally, I have always praised you for your fine work with the publications. Also you have done a great deal of good work with the O.T.O. When you were elected to the headship of O.T.O., we believed in you and we would again like to believe in your intelligence, you spirit of fair play and your tolerance. Dear brother, please reconsider some of you present actions.Love is the law, love under will
Fraternally with much love
Phyllis Seckler (Soror Meral)The letter then goes on to quote:
SYSTEM O F THE O.T.O.
Cara Soror:
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
You inform me that the Earnest Inquirer of your ambit has been asking you to explain the difference between the A:.A:. and the OTO; and that although your own mind is perfectly clear about it, you find it impossible to induce a similar lucidity in his. You add that he is not (as one might at first suppose) a moron. And will I please do what I can about it?
Well, here's the essential difference between OTO and the A:.A:. concerns the individual, his development, his inititiation, his passage form "Student" to "Ipsissimus"; he has no contact of any kind with any other person except the Neophyte who introduces him and any Student or Students whom he may, after becoming a Neophyte, introduce.
The details of this "Pilgrim's Progress" are very fully set forth in "One Star in Sight"'; and I should indeed be stupid and presumptuous to try to do better than that. But it is true that with regard to the OTO there is no similar manuel of instruction. In the Manifesto and other Official Prounciamenti, there are, it is true, what ought to be adequate data; but I quite understand that they are not ordered and classified as one would wish; there is certainly room for a simple elementary account of the origins of the Order, of its principles, of its account of the origins of the Order, of its principles, of its methods, of its design, o fhte Virtue of its successive grades. This I will now try to supply, at least in brief outline.
Let us begin at the beginning. What is a Dramatic Ritual? It is a celebration of the Adventures of the God whom it is intended to invoke. (The Bacchae of Euripes is a perfect example of this). Now, in the OTO the object of the ceremonies being the Initiation of the Candidate, it is he whose Path in Eternity is displayed in dramatic form.
What is the Path?
The Ego is attracted to the Solar System
The Child experiences Birth
The Man experiences Life.
He experiences Death
He experiences the World beyond Death.
This entier cycle of Point-Events is withdrawn into Annhilation.
In the OTO these successive stages are represented as follows:0* (Minerval)
I* (Inititiation)
II* (Consecration)
III* (Devotion)
IV* (Perfection or Exaltation)
P.I. (Perfect Initiate)
Of these Events or Stations upon the Path all bud three (ii*) are single critical experiences. We, however, hare mostly concerned with the very varied experiences of Life.All subsequent Degrees in the OTO are accordingly elaborations of the II*, since in a single ceremony it is hardly possible to sketch even in the briefest outline the Teaching of Initiates with regard to Life. The Rituals V* - IX* are then instructions to the candidate how he should conduct himself; and they may confer upon him, gradually, the Magical Secrets which make him Master of Life.
To return for a moment to that question of Secrecey; there is no rule to prevent you from quoting against me such of my brighter remarks such as "Mystery is the Enemy of Truth"; but for one thing, I am, and always have been, the leader of the Extreme Left in the Council Chamber of the City of the Pyramids, so that if I acquiesce at all in the system of the OTO so far as the "secret of secrets" of the IX* is concerned, it is really on a point of personal honour. My pleadge given to the late Frater Superior and OHO, Dr. Theodor Reuss. For all that, in this particular instance it is beyond questions a point of common prudence, both because the abuse of the
secret is, at least, on the surface, so easy and tempting, and because, if it became a matter of general knowledge the Order itself might be indanger of calumny and persecution; for the secret is even easier to misinterpret than to profane.Lege! Judica! Tace!
Love is the law, love under will,
Fraternally,
666
There is also a letter from 666 to Karl Germer, but I am too tired typing to include it at this time. It is dated September 16, 1946. I will type it in under separate cover. - JTG.
On Wednesday July12th, Bill Heidrick and Bill Breeze both visited Phyllis Seckler. I will not go into the details but I can say, Phyllis got her letter! It's in Bill Breeze handwriting and is very brief. It simply say:
"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
This is to affirm that neither the Ordo Templi Orientis, nor myself in any other capacity, will ever contest in a court of Law the use of the name or Lamen of the August Fraternity A∴A∴
Love is the law, love under will.
Frater Hymenaeus Beta Frater Superior OTO."
July 12th was the 15th Anniversary of Grady McMurtry's death.
93 93/93 J. Edward Cornelius
From:
rahoorkhuit dot net /library/groups/aa/soror_meral_speaks_up_again.html -
Polytheism or monotheism?From my POV, Thelema is Pantheistic, which is a form of Monotheism. Considering Thelema with the lens of Spinoza's ethics makes a lot of sense.
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New York City group for women - Babalon SalonIt lives on:::: Thanks @AliceKnewIt @Marion @Hannah @BillieA93
https://babalonsalon.org -
Locations of Temple of Thelema bodiesHarpocrates Temple No. 1
PO BOX 1433
Hawthorne, CA 90251Hathor Pronaos No. 7
P. O. Box 81535
1057 Steeles Ave West
North York ON M2R 2S0
hathor@thelema.orgAiwass Temple No. 8
PO Box 156
New York, NY 10185Burning Hearts Pronaos No. 9
195 41st St PO BOX 11194
Oakland, CA 94611-9991 -
The making of a probationers robe.I have found it useful to know what I am good at, develop areas where the skills are useful for my life, and employ professionals where neither of those things are true.
Jim's instructions on how to make simple Tau Robe are solid, I have used the methodology. I now pay professionals when there is a need for a Robe.
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No longer interested in ritual magic?"I'm not being negative but, at present, although I agree with doing ritualistic hygiene work, drawing energy in, I am no longer interested in using "magic" ritual to try to "make things happen" i.e. manifest things in Assiah anymore. Believe you me, when I was younger it was important for me to try that and it gave me a thrill when I magically manifested events and circumstances."
This is an age old "argument" in magic. Making [censored] happen in Assiah is a "lust of results," or phenomenal magic and phenomenal magic is not magick per se.
This desire for externalized results is naive and is informed by a desire for power. Very likely you have evolved and are more mature than when it was important to you to manifest events and circumstances.
Ritual in the more mature individual is directed internally and is a form of discipline applied to the accomplishment union with the Divine/Knowlege and Conversation/etc...
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Can Masters reincarnate? Do they?I think it really depends on what you mean by "masters" and what you mean by "reincarnation."
The "divine" (One Thing) is eternal, as such does not die, and thereby there is no need for reincarnation in the common western sense.
The idea of self most people have is misaligned with the reality of Self. There is only One Thing, and humans are a reflection of the One Thing, an expression of it. Our particular "personality" is transient in life, and thereby there is no reason to consider the extension of such beyond physical death. Eventually our attachment to it becomes a stumbling block on the path.
Masters have largely overcome this misalignment of Self and are consciously at one with the "divine" (One Thing). Personality and its various trappings no longer present a condition of separateness to them. Thereby the transition to death is a shedding of "physical form," and "there is that which remains" with which the "master" has found conscious union.
Expression of the divine is constant and expanding, and thereby continuously manifesting. In this sense once a "master" has passed from the physical form, the conscious union formed in life is extended as the divine constantly expresses and expands.
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Liber PyramidosI nominate this interaction as a shining example of what can be accomplished on this forum. The question and the answer, and the stuff in between were all very elucidating. It may actually encourage me to participate here a little more. I am pretty bored of Facebook anyway.
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gematria of 262 and 912billheidrick.com/works/hgemat.htm
Very useful.
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As brothers fight ye!We are to fight a war against restriction, it is a war against the internal restrictions that we allow to dominate our lives.
The only way that our Will can be truly restricted is if we subjugate ourselves as slaves to others, false desires or fears.
By overcoming these failings of the psyche and putting them in line with our Will we stand as the Conquering Child.
This is a continuous battle and it must be fought vigilantly. Peace is found in every moment of the struggle, as it is the struggle itself that will bring us to our true desire.
Too much time is spent worrying about externalities when we do not have our own [censored] together. As "brothers" and "sisters" we should stand beside each other, giving each other strength and focus toward the one goal, the arrow of our aspirations. How does it benefit us individually or collectively to have infighting? How does it benefit us to give our energy to pettiness and avarice when the whole of creation lies within?
"I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice." NUIT from Liber DCCCXXXVII
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Phenomenal Fascination@Ankh said
"I sat down last night, reread your post and typed a lengthy point by point response. But, on the way in to work this morning it occurred to me; what do you expect from humanity? What standards are you holding everyone up too?"
I am not holding humanity at large to any standard, the opening line was directed at people who approach this path. Everyone else is held to the standards of their oaths and the direction of their Angel. All of this could be completely presumptuous, however my point was to bring up the unhealthy fascination that many people have with strictly phenomenal magic. I would love to see more holes poked in what I have said, do not hold back.
@Uni_Verse said
"Would you say: it is our ego that makes the distinction between masturbation and union with Kether conciousness, God, whatever label it is that you prefer?"
How long did it take you to think that one up? There is no necessary distinction that needs to be made here. It was a descriptor that my ego choose to discuss vice.
"Always unto me" would be the standard that I would view my own vices by, and yes it would be my ego doing so as I am still caught up in many of the trappings that I have mentioned; as I still experience myself as separate. And perhaps, its words that are my vice. So now I will shut up...
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Phenomenal Fascination"1. To clarify my first question: your initial post said "An Adepts role is to call these independent forces of destruction into an organizational methodology in order to serve the singularity of existence"...
and I was bringing up the idea that everyone "organizes" differently, so isn't that "Way" that each of us "organizes" an extension of our particular personality?
Couldn't it be said that "all roads lead to rome" and all personalities lead to kether... something like that. And I guess I'm bringing up the further point that there may not be One path, but many suited to each person, and it's only by acknowledging our personalities that we might better understand our personal path... "
Uniqueness is accounted for just as every positional point on a sphere has a unique perspective while not being separate from the sphere itself. The body, the personality, the methodologies aforementioned are mechanisms. They are necessary and actual. There is no one way of doing anything, nor is there any one way of seeing something from infinite unique positional points. Everyone has a name for the Angel, however the Angel is unchanging.
My main point in this diatribe is to point out a perspective in which a particular base phenomenological ability or experience becomes the
sole fascination of an individual. To bring a realism to what we are in our base existence, and what that base existence supports when directed in a course of Will, or what that base existence creates when one particular aspect becomes more important than it really is.For instance an empath can become so caught up in their ability to intuit other people's emotional states that they lose themselves in a world of confusion and mania. Attempting to experience other uniqueness persistently in order to avoid the opening of these abilities to observe their own uniqueness. Failing to direct these abilities in conformity with Will, failing to hear the voice of the Angel, the encouragement of the divine, the voice of silence. And in the end failing to fulfill the purpose of this unique perspective.
This is not really an extension of personality or phenomenology in-and-of-themselves it is the alignment of all these mentioned mechanisms. Which I believe does not result in the expansion the individual ego, yet instead it results in the fine tuning of a unique and efficient system that informs and is informed by the divine. Each particular mechanism is necessary in this sort of system, and yet serves only its particular role in the greater system. If one or the other of these mechanisms is oversized or overpowered, the system itself fails.
"2. I disagree... and I think what's throwing me for the loop is the nirvana you added to your lists of Gods... I understand Nirvana as the blowing out of a candle, and God as the supreme candle... ultimately I believe these are archetypes of different things... "
Ultimately like I said intellectually I would agree with you. Nirvana is more akin to the state of being. However, it does also represent in the sense that I am speaking, unification with the divine. It is the wholeness of consciousness idea that I am pointing to. Nirvana is not the absence of existence it can be equated to the Great Sea.
"3. Can a person ever be truly free from "the trappings of seperatness"... maybe glimpses of that experience... but do you believe it's a state of mind that you can hold onto?"
This may be romanticized, but yes, I think that it is possible. It is unproven and untested from my end where only the smallest glimpses have ever been revealed. However the more I find myself as being connected to everything else, the less separate I feel. So yes I think it is possible.
"4. My "I will make myself perfect" can be changed to "I will make myself worthy of kether consciousness" and the general idea of my question still stands... how does becomming an adept or climbing the tree of life differ from an egotistical pursuit..."
Maybe it is not any different, except that perhaps it is the only pursuit worthy of the ego. I will need to think more about this question.
Thanks this is engaging.
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Phenomenal FascinationI do greatly appreciate these questions, they make the conversation more interesting.
"Within how one organizes, aren't we exploring the extension of a particular personality?"
Not sure what this question is.
" What does extending the cause of God mean? And don't God, Allah, etc. especially Nirvana all have different meanings / goals?"
In a practical intellectual sense I would say yes these are all different constructs with potentially different purposes. Beyond that these differences are mostly culturally based in a group mind and the ultimate purpose that these archetypes serve is the same.
"You use the lead -> gold metaphor but call gold conquering... do we say that the butterfly conquered the caterpillar? What do you mean by conquering?"
In both metaphors the restrictions that bind are removed. The trappings of separateness are cast away and the full potential of the individual is brought in line with Will. In man these are the entrapments of Blind Faith, Self Importance, Fear and all its related manifestations. The conquering child puts these forces into alignment with their true purpose and places them in their origin.
" How is your idea of "unification with the triune singularity" any different from any other phenomenal result?"
It is the result, not a particular phenomenal result. This is a selfless act the personality, as we know it, must be shed to accomplish this unification, the individual ego ceases to exist. Thus it is a realization of potential versus the perpetuation of the base.
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First I strike down these methodologies as having any value in-and-of-themselves. I recognize them as base human abilities, that like the personality must be brought in line with Will. I suggest that there is nothing inherently special about anyone of them as they are all practices that you and I unconsciously participate in on a daily basis. I also suggest that fascination or focus on anyone of these particular methodologies is a vice that will drag the individual away from their purpose. The second half of this question is a bit more nuanced. I will simply give my point of view as relating to the answer to the last question. I believe that it is a matter of intention and focus. If an individual reaches that point of union and still is concerned with "I will make myself perfect" well I believe there is a classification for that.
Thank you so much for these questions, and I hope that this discussion can continue.
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Phenomenal FascinationPhenomenal results seem to be of high interest to many who approach this path. Aetheric manifestation, channeling, NLP, scrying, goetia, and even the finest aspects of psychism, are all simply tools that in-and-of-themselves have no independent value whatsoever. Unless of course it is to drag down the magician into a pit of egomaniacal self-interest which will ultimately be their end.
The truth about these techniques or methodologies is that each represents an inherently human ability. In actuality, we employ them in our base daily existence with no conscious effort whatsoever. Our untrained thoughts, emotions and words are all mechanisms that accomplish the results of phenomenal magic without the effort of false intention. We manifest demons and angels to aid us. We succeed and fail based on the language of our thoughts, words and deeds. Our imaginations have created the world as we know it. Our muses inspire us to productive and unproductive ends on an ongoing basis. We communicate with the mass of humanity continually while unaware of the influence this vast group mind; let alone, the more narrow group minds with which we interact. We communicate with each other directly on even deeper levels sharing energetic particles. This is who we are and what we do without adding to, studying about or understanding any of it.
So what is special about enhancing one particular ability in-and-of-itself to serve slave to the personality? What is the point putting more negation into the world? What is the value of self importance? How is one benefitted by depleting oneself of the very force of life?
I Am came forth from the Not. There is simply that which is unique while nothing is different. 2=0 is the algorithm of all existence.
Since these are particularly human abilities, them like our personalities must be brought into conformity with Will. If one is not healthy and cannot keep a roof over their head, what does it matter that they are scrying with great success, or that they just did Liber Tzaddi, or that they figured out how to throw their energy around in order to serve some personal and perverse end. If one cannot interact with others, is shunned by others, what benefit is gained?
Any phenomenal fascination is no different than my last cigarette, or bong rip, or the last line you did, or the last drink you had, or the last time you masturbated for pure pleasure's sake. They are all vices, misdirections of a more pure force. I am not chastising myself or anyone else, just factually stating the nature of our vices.
An Adepts role is to call these independent forces of destruction into an organizational methodology in order to serve the singularity of existence. Not to extend the cause of a particular personality; instead to extend the cause of God, Allah, Ahuru Mazda, Kether, the Angel, Nirvana... It is to elevate the leaden state of base existence into the conquering golden state of the divine child. To nurture that child into a form worthy of unification with the triune singularity.
So I am not sure where this goes from here, but I have been inspired to put this forth, your responses are welcome, hoped for and encouraged.
Life Love Liberty Light
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FaithThis discussion of faith grew out of an earlier discussion on Christianity. And there I was peeling some personal layers in regards to that system. This is not so much to discuss the principles of faith itself, but to show them in a description of my beliefs in general about Thelema. Why I find it viable.
Now to address my "faith" in this system of thought. I have "confidence" that Thelema is not something external to me. No organization is Thelema. No person the head thereof. It is mine. It is my Life, Love, Liberty, Light. It is about my relationship with the divine within me. I am a Thelemite by the nature of my existence. Self exploring, Self actualizing, Self realizing.
Historically, or possibly archaeologically, Thelema as a system of thought, or as a religion, is everything that went before it. As my adaptations and experiences of it are built upon those foundations and all that has happened since 1904. So on and so forth, ad infinitum. It is a movement, a current, a shift, a birth right. It is tangible and accessible, because it is "personal".
Now words like mine and me and I, are simply problematic in that they refer to a personality that is not me, and thus part or our understanding of the spiritual path is shaded by the limits of the personality and language. In redefining or properly understanding self referential or personal singular pronouns we can better understand the nature of OUR position within Self.
Every Man and Every Women is a Star. Every number infinite....
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What happens if we reach Kether?Jim,
I knew it, a masochist.
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Can one get far with just the "big blue book"?Yeah, I have heard of such things. I just have not experienced them. I suppose things are a bit different here in California. You had to sign a waiver to visit, WOW. I do not think that gives them free reign, it would just cover their [censored], I see that as being two different things. What I think one should consider is that the OTO is not technically group work. The OTO is a social/political order that does have initiation and magic going on, and a number of factions that have differing ideas of how things should be. The focus is not on building group mind or a particular group process, it is about the fabric of a Thelemic community; that is different.
I can tell you there is a group of people doing good safe group work in the NY area.
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Can one get far with just the "big blue book"?"I don't want to join anything, get abused by weirdos or have [censored] magic with other thelemites as part of any advancement rites (or whatever)."
Wow, while understanding why this perspective maybe out there, I am not too sure why it is perpetuated. Fear mongering I say. Group work is a very effective way of walking the path, especially in the early stages. I have been doing it for a long time and none of your fears have ever been present in any group that I have worked in.
Laziness is a whole other thing.