Hierophantic task
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While doing some meditation using the Book of the Law, one verse stood out:
"There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! There are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!" Liber al vel Legis 1:50
I always thought that the Hierophant here refers to the HGA and his task is to test but also to guide. Or by testing s/he is guiding. But then I found this:
erdurabo10.tripod.com/id379.html
In this interpretation the Hierophant is not the HGA but the Prophet of the Aeon or the Beast . The people that follow his teachings, the Beast itself/himself as well as the concept of Thelema will be tested.
What is your take?
I'm curious... -
@Metzareph said
""There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! "
O' Ye Centre O' Pestilence, My friend!
But since You brought it up...
Why not take it literally!
Perhaps the word to be said IS "Behold!"
This hit me when I discovered that in Greek the word for "Behold" had the same enumeration as the word for "Wheat".... which coincidentally is the exact object a Hierophant of the mysteries would hold aloft at the culmination of the rites!:Cough: :Cough: Don't mind me its just my TB acting up!
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93,
First off, I followed the link you posted. I don’t understand it.
I am no expert on The Book of The Law" Liber al vel Legis" I am just an aspiring Thelemite.But, from what I have read, I am under the firm belief that The Book of the Law speaks of consciousness and the attainment of a higher state of consciousness. Hence, The Book of the law is a Qabalistic text to be read by Qabalistic symbols. IMHO.
"There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold!"
The key word for me in the above quote is the Hierophant =ATU-5-- Hebrew letter Vav=6.
The Hierophant on the tree of life is the path that connects Chokmah to Chesed. This could be represented by placing the Tarot Atus in this arrangement. The Shin card Aeon= Chokmah. The Hierophant= the Vav card. The Jupiter card the Wheel of Fortune= Chesed.
I would read this arrangement of the Atu’s as The Hierophant is the teacher of the law of fire.
I have always understood this to be the idea that there is no such thing as matter. Everything is light/fire and amenable to consciousness. 5=Geburah, 6=Tiphareth, 5+6=11 and then 1+1=2 which is Chokmah Wisdom from within.
Then if you swap the two numbers on The Hierophant and you get 65. L.V.X. Light. The Hierophant is associated with Inner Hearing, The Inner Teacher of the Mysteries of life. For many years, I found it difficult to accept that there is Light, Guidance and Wisdom from within and accepting that I didn’t have all the answers. A real Hierophantic task!"There are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways."
The Hierophant is the teacher of the three alchemical principals or Gunas. The so called matter which everything is made of. Mercury, Sulpher & Salt (Atu-10).
I would read this thus, do not be deceived by appearances. Everything is amenable to consciousness.
This is as far as I got with it.
Love is the Law Love under Will.
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@DeoAdjuvante said
"
Perhaps the word to be said IS "Behold!"
This hit me when I discovered that in Greek the word for "Behold" had the same enumeration as the word for "Wheat".... which coincidentally is the exact object a Hierophant of the mysteries would hold aloft at the culmination of the rites!
"Interesting! What kind of rites are you talking about? Is this some old druid type of ceremony?
I've been thinking about this quote and the other thing that pokes my curiosity is the fact that there are three ways one is "tested."
"The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest."
It sounds like an alchemical transformation. If you let me be a center of pestilence for a few minutes and ramble lots of nonsense... I'd say that you have to understand the passage in an alchemical way, therefore these are 3 stages in which a gross substance will be transmuted. You start with calcination or incineration (The conversion of a substance to ashes by means of a powerful fire), then the "fine has to be tried in intellect" by adding the symbolic "water" or intellect and stir. This has to be either filtered or evaporated to comply with the last part of the process. It is always regarded as either a Sublimation or Elixeration (The conversion of a substance into an elixir).
Why I like this? Because as the Emerald Tablet says, "As above so below, as within so without." Alchemical exercises are exercises in meditation and also practical experiments that reflect the inner workings of the initiate. By entering the path of transformation, the initiate will undergo dramatic changes.
Please keep in mind that this is just my inner alchemist having fun.
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@Frater Deen said
"93,
First off, I followed the link you posted. I don’t understand it. I am no expert on The Book of The Law Liber al vel Legis, I am just an aspiring Thelemite."You seem very much a thelemite to me!
@Frater Deen said
"But, from what I have read, I am under the firm belief that The Book of the Law speaks of consciousness and the attainment of a higher state of consciousness. Hence, The Book of the law is a Qabalistic text to be read by Qabalistic symbols. IMHO."
Yes, agreed!
@Frater Deen said
"There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold!
The key word for me in the above quote is the Hierophant =ATU-5 Hebrew letter Vav=6.
The Hierophant on the tree of life is the path that connects Chokmah to Chesed. This could be represented by placing the Tarot Atus in this arrangement. The Aeon= Chokmah The Hierophant The Wheel of Fortune= Chesed. I would read this arrangement of the Atu’s as the Hierophant is the teacher of the law of fire. "How? please tell me how did you place the the Aeon next to the Hierophant. I like your conclusion "the Hierophant is the teacher of the law of fire...!
@Frater Deen said
"I have always understood this to be the idea that there is no such thing as matter. Everything is light/fire and amenable to consciousness. 5 equals Geburah, 6 equals Tiphareth, 5 plus 6 equals 11 and then 1 plus 1 equal 2 which is Chokmah Wisdom from within. Then if you swap the two numbers on The Hierophant and you get 65. L.V.X. Light. "
65=Adonai and Adonai is the HGA...
@Frater Deen said
"The Hierophant is associated with Inner Hearing, The Inner Teacher of the Mysteries of life. For many years, I found it difficult to accept that there is Light, Guidance and Wisdom from within and accepting that I didn’t have all the answers. A real Hierophantic task!"
Yes!
@Frater Deen said
"There are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways.
The Hierophant is the teacher of the three alchemical principals or gunas. The so called matter which everything is made of. Mercury, Sulpher & Salt (Atu-10).
I would read this thus, do not be deceived by appearances. The light of earth and heaven are one. Everything is amenable to consciousness.
This is as far as I got with it.
Love is the Law Love under Will."
Cool! Thanks for your insights!
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@Metzareph said
"
"The key word for me in the above quote is the Hierophant =ATU-5 Hebrew letter Vav=6.
The Hierophant on the tree of life is the path that connects Chokmah to Chesed. This could be represented by placing the Tarot Atus in this arrangement. The Aeon= Chokmah The Hierophant The Wheel of Fortune= Chesed. I would read this arrangement of the Atu’s as the Hierophant is the teacher of the law of fire. "How? please tell me how did you place the the Aeon next to the Hierophant."
He's lining up Chokmah-Vav-Chesed (as on the Tree) by letting Aeon (for Fire) represent Chokmah, and Fortune (for Jupiter) represent Chesed.
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@Metzareph said
"
@DeoAdjuvante said
"
Perhaps the word to be said IS "Behold!"
This hit me when I discovered that in Greek the word for "Behold" had the same enumeration as the word for "Wheat".... which coincidentally is the exact object a Hierophant of the mysteries would hold aloft at the culmination of the rites!
"Interesting! What kind of rites are you talking about? Is this some old druid type of ceremony?
"
The Greater Mysteries of Eleusis!
Here's a quick snip from one of their critics -"Hippolytus provides further information in his anti-Gnostic Philosophumena or Refutation of All Heresies (5.8.39): "The Athenians, when they initiate in the Eleusinia, exhibit in silence to the epoptai the mighty and marvelous and most complete epoptic mystery, an ear of cut-wheat. But this ear of wheat is also considered among the Athenians to constitute the perfect enormous illumination that has descended from the ineffable one, just as the hierophant himself declares." "
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93 All,
@Metzareph said
"You seem very much a Thelemite to me!"
Thank you for the complement Metzareph. I have never met a Thelemite outside of this forum. It's just been me and my little red book (The Book of The Law) for years now.
@Jim said
"He's lining up Chokmah-Vav-Chesed (as on the Tree) by letting Aeon (for Fire) represent Chokmah, and Fortune (for Jupiter) represent Chesed."
Correct, Jim hit the nail on the head. I do this with all the Major Atus.
@DeoAdjuvante said
"The Greater Mysteries of Eleusis!
Here's a quick snip from one of their critics -"Hippolytus provides further information in his anti-Gnostic Philosophumena or Refutation of All Heresies (5.8.39): "The Athenians, when they initiate in the Eleusinia, exhibit in silence to the epoptai the mighty and marvelous and most complete epoptic mystery, an ear of cut-wheat. But this ear of wheat is also considered among the Athenians to constitute the perfect enormous illumination that has descended from the ineffable one, just as the hierophant himself declares.""
Interesting! I wonder why a High Priest would show a basic ingredient for food as a mystery?
Isn’t wheat associated with Virgo the virgin or The Hermit Atu-9? -
@Frater Deen said
"Interesting! I wonder why a High Priest would show a basic ingredient for food as a mystery?"
It was the symbol of the complete life-cycle - an "outcome" which produces seed, which... etc.
Presumably (and apparently) there was a setup for this earlier in the rites. "Plot points" were developed such that the final revelation of their highest symbol would trigger an integration experience.
This overall approach is still used in the intiatic mysteries. Aspirants are encouraged to identify themselves deeply with the particular symbol-set of their Mystery. This is introjection (the opposite of projection). Subconsciousness sets up an association between parts of self and the symbols. Then, when something occurs that ceremonially integrates all of the symbols into a more complex or higher-level synthesis, subconsciousness pulls off the same alchemy on the parts of self. (Alternately, the aspirant may have the task of undertaking to work outwardly - the basic technique of alchemy - and bring about an integration of various symbols or ideas for himself or herself. This, too, when timed right, triggers an internal integration of the elements of self.)
"Isn’t wheat associated with Virgo the virgin or The Hermit Atu-9?"
Wheat is sacred to Demeter and, yes, the ancient Greeks understood Virgo to be ruled by Demeter.
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Thank you for your response Jim,
I am still taking everything in that you wrote!Please allow me to say, it is a Real Pleasure and Privilege to be able to communicate with such warm and intelligent initiates, such as your self and others on this forum.
Again thank you all.
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@Metzareph said
"It sounds like an alchemical transformation.
You start with calcination or incineration (The conversion of a substance to ashes by means of a powerful fire), then the "fine has to be tried in intellect" by adding the symbolic "water" or intellect and stir. This has to be either filtered or evaporated to comply with the last part of the process. It is always regarded as either a Sublimation or Elixeration (The conversion of a substance into an elixir). "
Thanks so much for this, Metzareph. I absolutely love the symbolism. Now you're going to have me buzzing over my alchemy books with a new eye.
Has anyone suggested that the "3 ordeals in 1" of AL I:50 are related to the three grades of AL I:40 ? Whether these three grades are interpreted as the 3 orders of the A.'.A.'. (or other Golden Dawnish orders), the three triads of the O.T.O, or whatever, these are 3 progressive stages where the "materium" (the candidate) is transformed.
Very nice.
Steve
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@Steven Cranmer said
"Has anyone suggested that the "3 ordeals in 1" of AL I:50 are related to the three grades of AL I:40 ? Whether these three grades are interpreted as the 3 orders of the A.'.A.'. (or other Golden Dawnish orders), the three triads of the O.T.O, or whatever, these are 3 progressive stages where the "materium" (the candidate) is transformed."
That's roughly the usual understanding.
Or, to put it differently: The three ordeals refer to the three parts of the psyche (Nefesh, Ruach, Neshamah), and the three grades are expressions of attainments relevant to those parts of the psyche.
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Bit of a necropost but...
“50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!”
Ordeals = 370
3 x 370 + 1 = 1111First Way:
One Gross = 144
Ash (HB: Fire) = 301
301 + 144 = 445
445 + 666 = 1111.I'm stuck on the other 2 ways though...
93's.
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Don't have a real answer yet but, following along with your pun interpretation of "the gross", if we take "the fine" to mean "the end" (le fin), English gematria tabulates to 56. Since Nuit is that foxy French lady in the sky, it seems like a potentially fruitful path to me.
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The Heirophant, or expounder of the mysteries maintains the sanctity of the Word
Behold !( the revelation)"There are three ordeals in one" speaks to me of the Supernal Triad - which is Unity yet has three aspects.
"and it may be given in three ways" and there are three paths (Left, Right, Middle) to approach this Unity.The following lines speak of the trans-formative process:
(1) One begins the path "gross" and must be "cleaned by fire"
(2) The intellect must be then honed so it can be focused entirely on Unity
(3) These "lofty ones" must then be chosen by the highestThus purification is completed, which entails certain general markers but an over all individual experience.