The Thelemic Mass
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Hi Jim – I was the one who disagreed with Babalon being compared to “our sanctuary in the sacred grove”. It sounds like an adaptation of wicca, with hints of JG Frazer’s Golden Bough or Robert Graves The White Goddess.
I agree gender energies in contemporary Thelema seem unbalanced when, in fact, a Thelemite should balance the masculine and feminine side in him or herself. So how does one accurately reflect the New Aeon in the Gnostic Mass without reverting back to the Aeon of Isis or being lulled into false security of what lies ahead? How do you reconcile Babalon being compared to “our sanctuary in the sacred grove” with the fact that She is mapped onto the Pillar of Severity?
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@he atlas itch said
"Hi Jim – I was the one who disagreed with Babalon being compared to “our sanctuary in the sacred grove”. It sounds like an adaptation of wicca, with hints of JG Frazer’s Golden Bough or Robert Graves The White Goddess. "
OK. Understood.
One specific goal in the rewrite was to make sure that each phrase in the Yod paragraph had a corresponding phrase in the Heh paragraph - hence more phrases. In this particular case (aside from other simultaneous levels of meaning), the last sentence of paragraph 1 explicitly refers to the penis. I matched it with a phrase explicitly referring to the vagina, and stylistically consistent with what else was there.
"I agree gender energies in contemporary Thelema seem unbalanced when, in fact, a Thelemite should balance the masculine and feminine side in him or herself. So how does one accurately reflect the New Aeon in the Gnostic Mass without reverting back to the Aeon of Isis or being lulled into false security of what lies ahead? How do you reconcile Babalon being compared to “our sanctuary in the sacred grove” with the fact that She is mapped onto the Pillar of Severity?"
She's mapped to Binah (and secondarily to Netzach). She is utterly "sanctuary," in the same sense that we say, "Nu is my refuge." She just isn't fluffy <vbg>.
I don't at all know what you mean about reversion to Isis Aeon. Are you using that to characterize any highly differentiated polarization in description? Or something else?
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I think all the changes work very well, don't think it sounds anything like Wicca.
I used to wonder why it was called The Gnostic Mass after doing some research on the Gnostics. This does fit better.
I'm looking forward to the new book.
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Thanks, 'Seph.
I don't think it sounds Wiccan either. It does, however, make an effort to speak feminine aspects of the Mysteries in their own 'native voice.'
Yes, "Gnostic" isn't accurate for the Mass in the sense it was supposed to mean, i.e., as a revitalization of the original Gnostic religion. But gnosticism was a hot topic when Crowley used this, and I think he intended to communicate at least a couple of other ideas with the word - and take advantage of the implications. Good marketing for the time.
But his real intention was to write a Mass based on The Book of the Law. Calling it The Thelemic Mass is, I think, a much better approach today.
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I've been celebrating Liber XV for a while as Priestess, and this intrigues me.
Is the script for The Thelemic Mass available anywhere online? -
@Jim Eshelman said
"I don't at all know what you mean about reversion to Isis Aeon. Are you using that to characterize any highly differentiated polarization in description? Or something else?"
By reversion to the Aeon of Isis, I mean using symbolism associated with that Aeon to correct imbalances in gender energies in contemporary Thelema. By doing so, there is a risk of occluding how the New Aeon might be “new”.
Frazer and Graves describe the sacred grove as sites guarded by female priestesses where the Goddess was worshipped in pre-Christian pagan Europe. This suggests the sacred grove is a symbol of the Aeon of Isis. Of course this interpretation can be debated. More importantly, when I think of all the accounts of Babalon, from Dee to Crowley to Parsons, She is far more than a return to Nature and cycle of generation.
Dee’s Daughter of Fortitude vision describes Her as Understanding and that “science dwells in Her”. Elsewhere Babalond is described as a harlot and wicked. Her name means Gate of God. By Crowley’s account She is the ultimate femme fatale who exacts a great price from the adept, and that only after crossing the Abyss. She symbolizes worldliness (cf. the description of the Scarlet Woman in TBOTL) - or more precisely, the strange attractor lying behind all great civilizations.
So I cannot help but wonder whether rendering Babalon as “sanctuary and sacred grove” to correct an imbalance in gender energies does not, inadvertently, create the opposite effect – that is, the initiatory power of the Feminine becoming reduced to an appealing and safe description?
Btw the problem of imbalance in gender energies in contemporary Thelema is a very interesting question. I believe this issue is already addressed in the Stele and TBOTL, but for some reason or another, Thelema seems predominantly a boys-only club.
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@TGoC said
"I've been celebrating Liber XV for a while as Priestess, and this intrigues me.
Is the script for The Thelemic Mass available anywhere online?"No, it woun't be made available online in the foreseeable future, but will be published (a version stripping out a few details confidential to the Order) in the next couple of months.
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@he atlas itch said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I don't at all know what you mean about reversion to Isis Aeon. Are you using that to characterize any highly differentiated polarization in description? Or something else?"By reversion to the Aeon of Isis, I mean using symbolism associated with that Aeon to correct imbalances in gender energies in contemporary Thelema. By doing so, there is a risk of occluding how the New Aeon might be “new”. "
It's new because it no longer supppressed the feminine to the exclusive hegemony of the masculine, and requires that both parents - the forces behind both of the last two aeons - be equally present to conceive and birth the child.
I don't think, on inspection, that you'll find the language inconsistent with much that is in Liber 7, for example.
"Dee’s Daughter of Fortitude vision describes Her as Understanding and that “science dwells in Her”."
And she is represented here as Binah as well. Binah is foremost the "root" idea of the Goddess, whatever her particular manifestation.
She is spoken of many ways throughout the ritual. The goal here was to match the tone, weight, and inference of the line in paragraph 1 identifying the Phallus (under the name Chaos) as vice-regent (now "ambassador") or the Sun, and name Babalon in a way that expressed a vaginal-themed parallel relating to the mysteries of the Earth. (Babalon as Gaea, essentially.)
"Elsewhere Babalond is described as a harlot and wicked."
She has that side - but not only that side. She is the highest "lower octave" of Nuit, and represents the entire range of woman across (more or less) all characteristics.
"Her name means Gate of God."
That's a semetic pun. But her name is Enochian, and means "harlot." Again, "our sanctuary in the Sacred Grove."
You seem to be only addressing her dark side. That's far too narrow. Her dark aspects are particular expressions of her broadly life-affirming, passionate expression.
"So I cannot help but wonder whether rendering Babalon as “sanctuary and sacred grove” to correct an imbalance in gender energies does not, inadvertently, create the opposite effect – that is, the initiatory power of the Feminine becoming reduced to an appealing and safe description?"
I hear your concern. I do suggest you look more deeply into it. It does seem that you are seeing "sanctuary" as somehow contradictory to her, despite the fact that it is completely consistent with Nuit (under the word "refuge"). Babalon as a more palpable expression of Nuit. (I'm completely ignoring thus far the CCXX explicit equation of Babalon with Isis <g>.)
BTW her initiatory power lies primarily in her capacity and tendency to absorb all things, to take in all, devour all, receive all. That's completely consistent with how this is being used here, as the vagina that hungrily receives and devours - that reception being an important form of deep sanctuary.
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"Her name means Gate of God."
... In other words, God's vagina...
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Just like at the top of the page...
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Thanks everyone for comments, the hints fell into place (I even tracked down that reference to "Groves" in Little Essays). Yes, that line from the TM works fine now..
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Quoting Jim E:
“With all praise to Lashtal, I found it strange that, if the OP's questions were sincere, they weren't posted here, on HeruRaHa.net where they would have more direct access to answers. “I posted my criticism on lashtal in response to their news item on the Thelemic Mass, with its link to the facebook page where was posted the Creed. I did first look on this current site to make a comment but found no announcement and no discussion of this Thelemic Mass.
I asked no questions but my criticism is sincere. I presume this ritual is intended to last for centuries or longer. If so, it really ought to be more perfectly worded. As I said, I don’t think you can have an inexpressible Lady. Even if what you are trying to say is that it is impossible to describe the Lady, the sentence becomes conflicted because you have just described her, as veiled. There must be a better word to express what you mean, or it could even be left out.
“and in one Earth, in whose womb we are begotten and in whose embrace we shall rest”
The Earth/Goddess link has not been established in this sentence portion, and so it reads as untrue. The complete sentence mentions three separate things – the Lady, the Earth and Babalon, but there is no explicit link expressed, as in Crowley “one Earth, the Mother of us all, in whose, etc”Your Creed reminds me of a funeral I went to recently, where the Priest said (twice!) that Jesus had bought us into the Kingdom of Heaven. I think getting the detail correct is important.
Also, I noticed in your brief history, above, you refer to the Gnostic Mass as A.:A.: Liber XV. As far as I am aware it is OTO Liber XV, written for the OTO and intended to function as the broad base of popular appeal for that Order.
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@VRST said
"I asked no questions but my criticism is sincere. I presume this ritual is intended to last for centuries or longer. If so, it really ought to be more perfectly worded."
It was never classified as Class A or invariable. Rituals evolve and shift for time and context. The underlying formula is likely to be more durable, but the language is a convenience in service to the formula.
It's entirely fair to compare it to the Catholic mass which was split into Eastern and Western churches with different threads of development, and then each of those, in turn, being in continuing evolution and contextual tweaking. Yet the essential formula is intact and barely changed across the last thousand years.
"As I said, I don’t think you can have an inexpressible Lady."
But you can have an "ineffable Lord"? "Ineffable" means "inexpressible."
"Even if what you are trying to say is that it is impossible to describe the Lady, the sentence becomes conflicted because you have just described her, as veiled."
Described, but not expressed. Her full reality remains Mystery.
"There must be a better word to express what you mean, or it could even be left out."
Not left out unless I delete "Ineffable Lord" immediately above it.
"“and in one Earth, in whose womb we are begotten and in whose embrace we shall rest”
The Earth/Goddess link has not been established in this sentence portion, and so it reads as untrue. The complete sentence mentions three separate things – the Lady, the Earth and Babalon, but there is no explicit link expressed, as in Crowley “one Earth, the Mother of us all, in whose, etc”"Are you approaching this as an English compoisition project, or as a symboligical ceremonial expression? - That aside, I disagree that they are any better connected syntactically in the one phrasing than in the other (aside from the fact that all of these ideas are inherently connected.)
"Also, I noticed in your brief history, above, you refer to the Gnostic Mass as A.:A.: Liber XV. As far as I am aware it is OTO Liber XV, written for the OTO and intended to function as the broad base of popular appeal for that Order."
It's Liber XV. Those numberings are A.'.A.'. numerations.PS - The preacher you quoted surely said exactly what he meant. "Redeem" means "to buy back," as in "redeeming a check." The idea is that Jesus bought you out of slavery and paid for it with his crucifixion. - My point isn't to defend Christianity but, rather, to point out that you were pretty snotty about his mistake when, in fact, he was right. You have documented some of your own limitations in understanding what is right in front of you.
We all have these limitations of course, which is why your engagement on this topic is welcome, although your snottiness and beligerence is not.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"It does seem that you are seeing "sanctuary" as somehow contradictory to her, despite the fact that it is completely consistent with Nuit (under the word "refuge"). Babalon as a more palpable expression of Nuit. (I'm completely ignoring thus far the CCXX explicit equation of Babalon with Isis <g>.)"
Hi Jim - can you clarify this sanctuary aspect of Babalon? I understand 1) how Nuit is our refuge and 2) how Babalon can be a more palpable or lower octave expression of Nuit and 3) the adept is to be reborn in the womb of Babalon.
What does Babalon offer sanctuary against? Premature exposure to the light of the Supernals?
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"in her Name BABALON, our sanctuary in the sacred grove. "
i wouldnt label it wiccan, more traditional celtic in a sense then this "modern wicca", like a Druids grove ring a bell? i like it, to me its a very powerfull northern european pagan symbol of earth, it complements my pagan beliefs.
" The complete sentence mentions three separate things – the Lady, the Earth and Babalon, but there is no explicit link expressed, as in Crowley “one Earth, the Mother of us all, in whose, etc” "
well the "Lady" came from the Scandinavian diety Freya. and ofcourse her counterpart (brother), is the "Lord", whose name is Frey, which wicca adopted, and both Frey and Freya are earth diety's (in Scandinavian they were part of the Vanir "the earth gods" as opposed to the Aesir "the sky gods") and of course the Earth is the Mother aspect, or the Rune Berkano, people would carve the runes outside on the doors and whatnot of temples and sanctuaries for protection, like the wiccan casting the circle and creating the sacred space. The Earth in celtic and wiccan beliefs is a powerfull symbol of the mother for she does just represent malkuth, the Earth represent the support and structure of the Universe both microcosmic and mascrocosmic, possibly a relation to Shu.
this is my personal take from what i know between the connection of the three, mabye crowley hinted at something completley different i dont know, but just thought i would share.
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@he atlas itch said
"Hi Jim - can you clarify this sanctuary aspect of Babalon? I understand 1) how Nuit is our refuge and 2) how Babalon can be a more palpable or lower octave expression of Nuit and 3) the adept is to be reborn in the womb of Babalon.
What does Babalon offer sanctuary against? Premature exposure to the light of the Supernals?"
Let's go back and center on the word. The conversation here has run down the lines of "sanctuary = protection, asylum," etc.
But that's a derived meaning. The primary meaning of "sanctuatry" is "a sacred place." Babalon is the inmost sacred place.
"Protection" is a secondary meaning. It's fair, though, to ask about it. I think the key idea here is "place of no harm."
But mostly it is: She IS my chapel!
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@Jim Eshelman said
""Protection" is a secondary meaning. It's fair, though, to ask about it. I think the key idea here is "place of no harm."
Then how do you reconcile this idea of "place of no harm" against Parson's terrifying vision of Babalon in Liber 49? Or the fact that after the Daughter of Fortitude vision Kelly ran off with Dee's wife and, similarly, after the Babalon Working in the Mojave LRH ran off with Parson's wife? Or Crowley's comparison of Babalon to the Dance of Seven Veils - mirroring Ishtar's dance of the seven veils in Her descent into the Underworld - where Salome ultimately collects the head of John the Baptist as payment? Revelations states that Babalon incites to lust and murders and Her aspects mirror Ishtar who is the goddess of love and war. Out of all my research into Babalon, the Babylonian goddess Ishtar is the closest to Her. If so, how do you reconcile your view of Babalon with the fact that Gilgamesh spurned the advances of Ishtar because Her reputation for destroying Her lovers was well-known. Ishtar retaliates by demanding the Bull of Heaven and then uses it to kill Gilgamesh, proving Her reputation...
These are the historical accounts of Babalon.
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@he atlas itch said
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@Jim Eshelman said
""Protection" is a secondary meaning. It's fair, though, to ask about it. I think the key idea here is "place of no harm."Then how do you reconcile this idea of "place of no harm" against Parson's terrifying vision of Babalon in Liber 49?"
That was Parson's ego. There was no real harm, except to the ego.
Jack BTW doesn't impress me as much as he impresses many others. (And I say this with an ego-gulp of my own since both of his ex-wives repeatedly insisted I reminded them of the best and, especially, worst sides of Jack <g>. Helen and Cameron were both worried for me.) But the key thing here is that the ego - a constructive and useful fiction - was being confronted.
To the Master, though, there is no resistence and, one recognizes, there is no harm. Nothing that is REAL is harmed.
I won't judge Kelly's sexual mores.
"Or Crowley's comparison of Babalon to the Dance of Seven Veils - mirroring Astarte's dance of the seven veils in Her descent into the Underworld - where Salome ultimately collects the head of John the Baptist as payment?"
See what I wrote above and note that it was the head. (This is a revelation even without the pun.)
The Apocalypse idea is absolutely an earlier stage unready to get what the non-Master was really seeing.
"These are the historical accounts of Babalon."
Well, no, actually. They aren't. But they are accounts of a particular goddess who, like all goddesses, is a subset of Babalon.
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@he atlas itch said
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@Jim Eshelman said
""Protection" is a secondary meaning. It's fair, though, to ask about it. I think the key idea here is "place of no harm."Then how do you reconcile this idea of "place of no harm" against Parson's terrifying vision of Babalon in Liber 49?"
That was Parson's ego. There was no real harm, except to the ego.
Jack BTW doesn't impress me as much as he impresses many others. (And I say this with an ego-gulp of my own since both of his ex-wives repeatedly insisted I reminded them of the best and, especially, worst sides of Jack <g>. Helen and Cameron were both worried for me.) But the key thing here is that the ego - a constructive and useful fiction - was being confronted.
To the Master, though, there is no resistence and, one recognizes, there is no harm. Nothing that is REAL is harmed.
I won't judge Kelly's sexual mores.
"Or Crowley's comparison of Babalon to the Dance of Seven Veils - mirroring Astarte's dance of the seven veils in Her descent into the Underworld - where Salome ultimately collects the head of John the Baptist as payment?"
See what I wrote above and note that it was the head. (This is a revelation even without the pun.)
The Apocalypse idea is absolutely an earlier stage unready to get what the non-Master was really seeing.
"These are the historical accounts of Babalon."
Well, no, actually. They aren't. But they are accounts of a particular goddess who, like all goddesses, is a subset of Babalon."
I think it is important to note that the "Sanctuary" is home to the "Holy of Holies" and can only be entered safely by the "High Priest". Things that are holy are not necessarily "safe" in any sense of the word. As C.S. Lewis says of Aslan:
""‘Course he isn’t safe," replies Mr. Beaver. "But he’s good.""
Remember also the notion of non-catastrophic nature which is a primary metaphysical element of the Thelemic Dispensation. In that sense all is safe.
"Remember all ye that existence is pure joy; that all the sorrows are but as shadows; they pass & are done; but there is that which remains. Liber al vel Legis 2:9
"We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: let them die in their misery. For they feel not. Compassion is the vice of kings: stamp down the wretched & the weak: this is the law of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world. Think not, o king, upon that lie: That Thou Must Die: verily thou shalt not die, but live. 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." Liber al vel Legis 2:21"
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@Jim Eshelman said
"The Apocalypse idea is absolutely an earlier stage unready to get what the non-Master was really seeing."
By "non-Master" are you referring to St. John on Patmos or Crowley in Bou Saada? And by "unready" do you mean for a full-blown kundalini awakening?
Can you describe the adept's difference in perception of the Daughter Malkuth and after the Daughter has been raised to the throne of the Mother Binah? Would it be fair to compare this "raising" of the Feminine to the alchemical concept of "volatilizing the fixed" - that is, spiritualizing matter?