Liber Samekh: Widdershins?
-
Anyone have ideas or insights why AC says in the notes (Point II) of Liber Samekh that the magician should go Widdershins instead of deosil about the circle? Traditionally widdershins is for banishing, of course. Is Crowley turning the universe on its head again? Or is there something in the nature of the HGA which makes Crowley feel this is appropriate?
-
@sk4p said
"Anyone have ideas or insights why AC says in the notes (Point II) of Liber Samekh that the magician should go Widdershins instead of deosil about the circle? Traditionally widdershins is for banishing, of course. Is Crowley turning the universe on its head again? Or is there something in the nature of the HGA which makes Crowley feel this is appropriate?"
It's more complicated than just banishing. (For example, in the GD, the Reverse Circumambulation at the end is primarily undoing the deosil circumambulation at the beginning, not banishing per se.)
Left-hand circling (walking as if a pole were in the ground that you hold with your left hand) are most often considered lunar circles, with numerous psychological / symbolic significations from this.
And there's another variation of this, used an explained in the A.'.A.'. 2=9 initiation ceremony that I don't feel at liberty to detail here, though at least part of that is the lunar implication as well.
Bottom line, there are many different kinds of symbolism left-hand circling can have, depending on context and intent.