Liber Arcanorum and the Tunnels of Set
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93, everyone -
Though I have not read the book, I've been aware of Kenneth Grant's "The Nightside of Eden" for sometime. This is the book where he 'reveals' the existence of the 'tunnels' (as opposed to the paths) connecting the Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. If I understand the theory correctly, the tunnels are supposed to be the 'prisons' of the CARCERORUM QLIPPOTH, or the demons of Liber 231. Is there any validity to this theory? Do these tunnels exist? Does anyone know of anything like a commentary on Liber 231 by AC? This class A book has always intrigued me, but it's meaning has largely escaped me.93, 93/93
Dan -
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
It's a very pure teaching. Specifically, it's pure bullshit and malarky!
You asked for opinion - opinion is what you will get.
As usual, almost nothing Kenneth Grant has to say is of any value other than in the laudable and acknowledged sense of rousing enthusiasm (at which he is very good - he is also strong when he sticks to pure history which he directly witnessed). This book is about as low as can be.
I have a copy of the book annotated as I read it. I keep it around just so that if someone shows up asking for my views, I can hand them the book and let them thumb through page-by-page comments. When you're in L.A. again, let me know in advance and I can dig it out and show it to you.
On the other hand, the information is dangerous because he gives just enough to let a bright beginner - armed with talent and negligible experience or discrimination - stir up something toxic and hurtful.
Looking at my note on page 1 - referring to the first sentence of the last paragraph, "Full magical initiation is not possible without an understanding of the so-called qliphotic paths which are, in practice, as real as the shadow of any object illumined by the sun." - I gave one of my few remarks agreeing with him: "In this essential premise, Grant is absolutely correct. There is, of course, the question of where and how the data should be introduced to support the essential purpose of initiation. (HOrus, of course, travels the nightways as clearly as the dayways.)"
I noted in response to the middle paragraph on page 2: "What he misses here is that - in real progress, such as in the A.'.A.'. system - the shadow side emerges and must be dealt with (and with some degree of "finality" - an unfortunate term) at every stage. The serpent/hydra parallels our advancement, our shadow stickes fast to us There is no way to avoid this!"
On p. 3, Grant wrote, "...only by projecting consciousness through Daath, the Gate of the Abyss, can one enter the Kingdom of infernal spaces that is under the dominion of Choronzon." In the left margin I wrote, "He's nuts!" In the right margin I wrote, "It is interesting, however, to contemplate what this really means. Grand doesn't understand Daath. If he did..."
And so forth. That's just Chapter 1.
My true affection for him personally was marked in this note at the bottom of p. 19: "The very worst part of all this crap is that, when Grant occasionally has someting of at least minor value, it is devilishly hard to resist the habit or reflex of ignoring hnim. This kind of drooling is terribly strenuous to read and requires extraordinary concentration."
One of his very best sentences is on p. 26: "The exaltation of the ego in Daath and its claim to be the Crown is the blasphemy against godhead...."
There are a number of errors - quite bountiful - from misattributions to the wrong reference, to historic errors, to numerous mathematical errors.
One place we differ in statement (but possibly not, once one gets past the words) - Grant wrote on p. 129, "Beyond the Abyss, sexuality or polarity loses all meaning." I annotated: "Actually, its meaning changes dramatically; yet it remains intensely meaningful."
At the end of the Beth chapter I wrote: "Another way to articulate Grant's Folly is to say he is entraptured with duality. The classical system showed the Worlds in continuity, even unto the Qlippoth. He has needed, however, to divide this into a 'front' and 'back,' two halves, two universes I believe he really is a Black Brother (or one in the making) if this is his real vision of things. I also note that nowhere in all of this is there a discussion of the Holy Guardian Angel."
On p. 203 I opined: "Most of this book would be pure crap, not worth a bother, if some of the most dangerous information were not correct This goes beyond the ordeals of discrimination that are planted for the unwary."
FWIW.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
@Jim Eshelman said
"You asked for opinion - opinion is what you will get."
Thank you!
@Jim Eshelman said
"I have a copy of the book annotated as I read it. I keep it around just so that if someone shows up asking for my views, I can hand them the book and let them thumb through page-by-page comments. When you're in L.A. again, let me know in advance and I can dig it out and show it to you."
I'll try to remember that; I'd love to read it.
@Jim Eshelman said
"...the information is dangerous because he gives just enough to let a bright beginner...stir up something toxic and hurtful."
I've read (online) glowing, almost fawning, reviews of Grant's work from people who claim to have visited these regions. Their descriptions of the methods they used impressed me as being dangerous, in and of themselves. Now, I shudder to think of what they must have done to themselves.
@Jim Eshelman said
"...I believe he really is a Black Brother (or one in the making) if this is his real vision of things. I also note that nowhere in all of this is there a discussion of the Holy Guardian Angel.""
Do you mean one who has actually been lost in the Abyss? Could Grant ever have claimed 7=4?
@Jim Eshelman said
"On p. 203 I opined: "Most of this book would be pure crap, not worth a bother, if some of the most dangerous information were not correct This goes beyond the ordeals of discrimination that are planted for the unwary.""
This brings me back to one of the other points in my last entry. Is there any reliable information available on the nature of the beings named in Liber 231?
Love is the law, love under will.
Dan
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@ar said
"This brings me back to one of the other points in my last entry. Is there any reliable information available on the nature of the beings named in Liber 231?"
I know of nothing in print, other than what is in 231 itself. The book is part of the curriculum of the 3=8 (Practicus) Grade of A.'.A.'. and at least the textual portion is "true up to 7=4" -- though there is no exam in it, I have always considered its exploration part of the work of the Practicus.
I listed these spirits in 776 1/2 simply as another set of spirits - the same variety of being as, say, the Olympic Planetary Sprits or the various intelligences of the zodical signs. The Genii of Liber Arcanorum are listed in Col. 38 in the primary Yetziratic Hierarchy. The Qlippothic spirits of Liber Carcerorum are in Col. 73 in the normal Qlippothic hierachical positions. In general, the Practicus (or, for that matter, a solidly established Neophyte) would have no more difficulty making contact than they would have in making instant oatmeal - having the name, the sigil, and the Qabalistic attribution, knowing the color scales, and having the exact hierarchical "tree," they may be summoned as any other spirits of like kind.
In fact, I'm going to move this thread from the Qabalah forum to the Magick forum since the line of questioning has actually been of a more practical nature.
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Rereading the above, I'm moved to add that the bigest problem with Grant's theory is a total lack of scale. The idea that one has to be able to attain to Da'ath before confronting the Qlippoth is ridiculous.
There is so much gross misunderstanding in magical circles of contemporary subjects such as The Abyss that one hardly knows to begin in commenting on it. There actually is an occasional rare gem of value in the various things written, but these are so rare that one is much closer to the truth to toss the whole batch of it out the window at once with an indignant flatulence and be done with it!
It's madness! But then (one might rightly respond), in The Abyss is madness. And Da'ath itself, being (in its outer aspect) intellect to the infinite degree, is most definitely madness!! But at least in The Abyss it is a sublime madness, whereas nearly everything one finds scattered on the subject around the Internet is marked, at best, by a petty, shallow, and even sallow madness. One has to be suspicious of too much self-importance on the subject of egolessness.
The Abyss is a subject dear to many contemporary writers trying to push their limits and get out of their own box, and all of this is admirable. But we live in nested boxes. There is always a wall just outside our present limits To call it "crossing The Abyss" everytime somebody breaks through one of these walls is to toss away a term that has a very specific meaning, and to coopt it for a different purpose.
I used to say, when I was Master of Baphomet Lodge and questions about crossing the abyss, sex magick, and Enochian would come up (usually together), that one usually has to "cross the abyss" many times before one makes one way up to beginner.
We have no difficulty making contact with Qlippoth. We all carry shells both of our personal psyches and lives, and of the collective life, and respond to them constantly. Confronting these often takes a bit more work and readiness, but every Neophyte 1=10 does a certain amount of this as part of a standard examination before moving to Zelator 2=9. It doesn't take a 7=4 to do it! It doesn't even take a 5=6 to do it. A Neophyte can do it and does do it, usually using fairly ordinary magical methodology and hopefully using standard magical precautions.
But to suggest this to people without those precautions is criminal. And to make the recommendation of exploring the Qlippoth to even very informed people while correlating it to The Abyss either (a) destroys all meaning of the terms or (b) presuming, as I think is usually the case, that the majority take this statement seriously, it can fry a brain. (Commercial: "One more time: This is your mind. This is your mind on Grant.") Badly cut hallucinogens in a war zone are probably safer!
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@Jim Eshelman said
"The book is part of the curriculum of the 3=8 (Practicus) Grade of A.'.A.'. and at least the textual portion is "true up to 7=4" -- though there is no exam in it, I have always considered its exploration part of the work of the Practicus.
I listed these spirits in 776 1/2 simply as another set of spirits - the same variety of being as, say, the Olympic Planetary Sprits or the various intelligences of the zodical signs. The Genii of Liber Arcanorum are listed in Col. 38 in the primary Yetziratic Hierarchy. The Qlippothic spirits of Liber Carcerorum are in Col. 73 in the normal Qlippothic hierachical positions. In general, the Practicus (or, for that matter, a solidly established Neophyte) would have no more difficulty making contact than they would have in making instant oatmeal - having the name, the sigil, and the Qabalistic attribution, knowing the color scales, and having the exact hierarchical "tree," they may be summoned as any other spirits of like kind."
Fair enough. When I get to Neophyte, I'll give it a go. Thanks for your input, Jim
93s
Dan -
My only encounter with Grant was reading "Outside The Circles of Time", which, in fact, I never finished reading because it's---well---unreadable.
I am thinking of endowing the "Grant Prize" for "most relentless and pointlessly obscure use of the word 'reify' in English."
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How and when should one go about learning about and dealing with the Klipphoth? Is there any connection between Da'ath and the Klipphoth?
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@Frater56 said
"How and when should one go about learning about and dealing with the Klipphoth? Is there any connection between Da'ath and the Klipphoth?"
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
There is no more connection between the Q'lippoth and Da'ath than between them and any other part of the Tree. The Q'lippoth are sometimes diagrammed as a "5th Tree" extending downward from Malkuth, as if it were the sub-basement of the Four Worlds. Alternately, when the Q'lippothic Tree is identical with the Tree we already know, but (again) simply a lower vibratory rate (below Assiah). Thirdly, it is sometimes expressed as at the same level as our current experience of the Tree but in a way that emphasizes duality by being the pathologized counterpoint to whatever else we are encountering.
How to go about learning about them? Well, intellectually there are some quite fine books such as Gray's Tree of Evil (going from memory on the title). Their essential natures, also, are related to the 'vices' and similar attributes of the Sephiroth as in 777.
I emphatically discourage anyone from getting into much experiential exploration of them until they have some real initiation and some substantial skill under their belts. (Of course, everyone is entitled to ignore my emphatic discouragement.) In the A.'.A.'., examination in this is usually the last examination before the Neophyte 1=10 is advanced to Zelator 2=9. This is a very appropriate level for that. Then, deeper instruction is given in the 3=8 grade of Practicus - a level roughly equal to the 6=5 in the old G.D.
In any case, the student at the beginning should be focussed one-pointedly on the Light, not the shadow aspect. The shadow needs to be acknowledged and admitted, etc., but the focus needs to be on the Light. This is one of the main reasons that Liber LXV is given to the Probationer, who must memorize at least one chapter of it. In time, when one is stronger and one's link to the H.G.A. is strengthening, there will be plenty of time to get oneself dropped down a well on a thin rope.
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Thanks! I have one more question that (in my mind) relates to this... During one of the initiations (5*=6*?) you are raised as Osiris Risen... But what if you change this and use Set Triumphant instead?
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@Frater56 said
"Thanks! I have one more question that (in my mind) relates to this... During one of the initiations (5*=6*?) you are raised as Osiris Risen... But what if you change this and use Set Triumphant instead?"
I can't think of any of the traditional rituals where one is raised in the Sign of Osiris Risen.
It's hard to give a generaliszed answer, therefore - out of context - as to what the difference would be substituting the Sign of Apophis (which is what the Sign of Set Triumphant is) for the Sign of Osiris Risen. Both are partial expressions of the multi-part 5=6 sign.
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This was supposedly done by an independant adept... They had undergone the origional ritual within the framework of the OTO, and later wanted to be free from the solar/phallic influence of the OTO, and as a result re-did the initiation to keep Osiris Slain.