Bornless Ritual / Samekh technical questions
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(I do hope it's not a problem to start yet another thread regarding questions on aspects of this ritual, I wasn't sure about posting on the existing threads regarding Liber Samekh).
I have studied Crowley's scholion on Liber Samekh, but I am a little unclear on the exact nature of the "appropriate pentagrams, sigils, and signs". Looking at the 1997 edition of the Goetia (it is this version called here the "Preliminary Invocation" that I am using as the basis), for the section relating to the element of Air, at the start is listed:
Aleph
<(Air symbol) East Golden Glory.
Tahaoeloj (sigil)
(pentagram of air) Yod He Vav He
Shu supporting sky 2=9>I presume the Aleph (like the Shin for the fire section and the Mem for water) is a title and not to be pronounced / vibrated. But I could be wrong on this?
Is the name Tahaoeloj to be vibrated when the sigil is drawn?
Is the Pentagram of Air to be preceeded by the drawing of the Pentagram of Spirit Active and vibration of Ehiehe?
(Likewise in the Water section the Water Pentagram to be preceeded by the drawing of that of Spirit Passive and the vibration of A.G.L.A). I know the more ornate Golden Dawn Bornless Ritual for the Invocation of the Higher Genius uses the Spirit pentagram and vibration in this version, as does the version of Samekh published in DuQuette's books. However it isn't listened in the 1997 Goetia, and Crowley's scholion doesn't make this point clear to me.And at the start of section F:
Aleph Mem Nun
< (Wheel)
(Sigil of To Mega Therion)
(Spirit Active Pentagram) Aleph Heh Yod Heh
+. O[siris] Slain. L. I[sis] Mourning. V. T[yphon]. X. O[siris] R*>Is "Amen" to be pronounced / vibrated at the start of this?
Crowley's scolion (apparently) switches the order of the sigil and the Pentagram, saying "invokes Spirit... by the active Pentagrams, the sigil called the Mark of the Beast, and the Signs of L.V.X."
So should the sigil be traced before or after the Spirit Pentagram?
And is the Sigil of To Mega Therion (sun and moon conjoined with the two witnesses) a blind for the N.O.X. sigil (which is actually the Mark of the Beast)?
DuQuette says one is to "Fall prostrate in adoration" at this point, and to resume standing at the start of section G, yet Crowley does not state to do so. Is this correct or not?
The above signs are to be repeated at the start of section G, but with the one change of the Pentagram to that of Spirit Passive. I presume Atah Gibbor Le Olam Adonai is to be vibrated in this case rather than Eheieh?I am aware that all these questions regard the performance of this ritual physically, and that Crowley advised that it is to be performed entirely astrally, but I would like to get the exact physical performance down first.
Many thanks for tolerating these many questions!
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@bdc said
"Aleph
<(Air symbol) East Golden Glory.
Tahaoeloj (sigil)
(pentagram of air) Yod He Vav He
Shu supporting sky 2=9>I presume the Aleph (like the Shin for the fire section and the Mem for water) is a title and not to be pronounced / vibrated. But I could be wrong on this?"
You're correct.
"Is the name Tahaoeloj to be vibrated when the sigil is drawn?"
Use this name if you're using the Enochian sigils. The best technique is probably to treat it just the way you'd treat a pentagram etc., vibrating the name after drawing it.
"Is the Pentagram of Air to be preceeded by the drawing of the Pentagram of Spirit Active and vibration of Ehiehe?"
I can't think of a single note that suggests that this is structured like a Supreme Ritual of the Pentagram. In fact, it follows the Portal Opening formula more: Spirit pentagrams are done in the fifth section, at the center, after the four elemental pentagrams are balanced.
"And at the start of section F:
Aleph Mem Nun
< (Wheel)
(Sigil of To Mega Therion)
(Spirit Active Pentagram) Aleph Heh Yod Heh
+. O[siris] Slain. L. I[sis] Mourning. V. T[yphon]. X. O[siris] R*>Is "Amen" to be pronounced / vibrated at the start of this?"
No. It's a label.
"Crowley's scolion (apparently) switches the order of the sigil and the Pentagram, saying "invokes Spirit... by the active Pentagrams, the sigil called the Mark of the Beast, and the Signs of L.V.X."
So should the sigil be traced before or after the Spirit Pentagram?"I think the Goetia notes are confusing you. You'd be in much better shape ignoring them. They show how the G.D. adept Aleister Crowley did things in his own practice in 1906 vs. how the A.'.A.'. Magus Aleister Crowley wrote the instructions almost 20 years later as an official instruction. - Just go with what Samekh says. [NB - This presumes you're following the ritual as written. I'm not telling you that you're stuck on the formula "as written." I'm answering in what I think is the spirit or your inquiry.]
I take "by the active Pentagrams, the sigil called the Mark of the Beast, and the Signs of L.V.X." to mean: trace the Pentagram and vibrate its divine name; then trace the Mark of the Beast; then give the Signs of L.V.X.
"And is the Sigil of To Mega Therion (sun and moon conjoined with the two witnesses) a blind for the N.O.X. sigil (which is actually the Mark of the Beast)?"
I think (based on his notes) that he actually meant the Sun-Moon "Sigil of T.M.T." for this. However, as the N.O.X. sign (officially designated Mark of the Beast in the A.'.A.'. 2=9 manuscript) is a form of the Rosy Cross, I would hardly be averse to it as a personalization. Sun + Moon, Rose + Cross, X + O ... they're all basically the same symbol.
"DuQuette says one is to "Fall prostrate in adoration" at this point, and to resume standing at the start of section G, yet Crowley does not state to do so. Is this correct or not?"
I'd take that as Lon's interpretation or suggestion.
"The above signs are to be repeated at the start of section G, but with the one change of the Pentagram to that of Spirit Passive. I presume Atah Gibbor Le Olam Adonai is to be vibrated in this case rather than Eheieh?"
Yes.