Prerequisites of the Book of Law?
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What is the suggested reading and fundamental concepts one should have a firm grasp on before reading the Book of Law, to further contemplate the hidden mysteries?
I understand the logic of the book, and am still learning the Qabalah, but some of the Gemetria I'm still learning.
I'd rather walk with a can, than stumble and crawl.
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Reading The Law Is For All, which is an analysis that Crowley did of Liber L can give an insight to many of the symbols. Some more of it is elucidated in The Vision and the Voice, but that has even more symbolism expounded upon it. In Magick in Theory and Practice, Crowley references Liber L at several points and in this matter, you can see how the lines of Liber L relate to magickal practice, which might give you some further insight.
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If at all possible I'd like to avoid any possible interpretation of the Book of Law, especially by Crowley. Several times it's stated that Crowley himself would never understand some of the points made, so it wouldn't make sense to ask for his interpretation.
I'm more interested in what type of background one should have educationally to understand the references, so as to make a proper self-analysis.
I can gather that one should understand Gemetria (which I'm currently trying to grasp) as well as symbols, latin, greek, and egyptian.
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No, Crowley was not to come to understand all of the symbolism, but to just toss off completely his thoughts, when the man spent his entire life studying the symbolism of various magickal and mystical systems (with an emphasis on those of Liber L) seems kind of... weird to me. You're intentionally handicapping yourself. I would add in my two cents that as the messenger, the message was probably "colored" by his conscious or subconscious. There's the fact that the message itself was in English of all languages.
Should you never ask your math teacher, who only has a BA in math, about math because he has never, nor will ever get a PhD? He is still a valuable resource at your disposal even if he doesn't have ALL of the answers.
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I agree with kuniggety, there's no reason to avoid Crowley's commentaries when the symbolism in Liber AL came through him. A number of books on mythology and religion listed in Course I of the A.'.A.'. Curriculum (as published in the Equinox) would be helpful prerequisites. Many of the Victorian era translations/transliterations are available online. For example, the series "Sacred Books of the East" (S.B.E) referenced in the list is available online.
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How about reading the commentaries on Liber AL?
How about reading the reading list that CROWLEY HIMSELF ASSIGNED - there is one that is several pages long in the appendix to Magick...
As for what I think you should read in addition to this:
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D.H. Lawrence's 'Apocalypse,'
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Carl Jung's works in their entirety, especially Collected Works vol.9-16 material,
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Herman Hesse's 'Demian,' and 'Siddhartha' and his other works.
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Timothy Leary's "Start Your Own Religion" and other works.
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Richard Alpert / Ram Dass' "Be Here Now".
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The Principia Discordia by Malaclypse hte Younger and some other person.
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Psychologists like Freud (his theory of unconscious, etc.), Jjung (already mentioned), and Carl Rogers, Abraham Maslow, Erich Fromm ("Art of Love") etc. all produced ideas that propagate Thelemic ideals.
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Don Miguel's "Four Agreements"
These were all written after Liber AL and are very Thelemic. Cheers.
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