Joining the A.'.A.'.
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Some quotes from Crowley from Confessions, concerning Babe of the Abyss:
@Ch. 58 said
"I cannot even say that I crossed the Abyss deliberately. I was hurled into it by the momentum of the forces which I had called up. For three years, save for spasmodic and half-hearted incidents, and the great moment in Cairo which took place in direct opposition to the united efforts of my skepticism, my cynicism, my disgust with everything, my idleness and my prejudices, I had been fighting against my destiny. I had been building up a great dam. My occasional return to Magick had been more in the nature of occasional sprees than anything else, as a man consumed by an over-mastering passion for a woman and determined to trample her under foot, might seek relief in occasional flirtations. . .
I found myself in a truly surprising state. . . I had all the innocence and helplessness of a child at the period when it gropes instinctively for someone to love it, someone whom it knows and trusts, who is infinitely strong, infinitely wise and infinitely kind. . .
The effect of my ordeal had been to remove all forces soever which had impinged on my normal direction. My star had been diverted from its proper orbit by, had been held back by, the attraction of other heavenly bodies. Their influence had been removed. For the first time in my life I was really free. I had no personality left."
Describing the time immediately following the 14th Æthyr:
@Ch. 66 said
"I remember nothing of my return to Bou Saâda. There was an animal in the wilderness, but it was not I. All things had become alike; all impressions were indistinguishable. I only remember finding myself on my bed, as if coming out of some catastrophe which had blotted out in utter blackness every trace of memory. As I came to myself, I found myself changed. I knew who I was and all the events of my life; but I no longer made myself the center of their sphere, or their sphere the standard by which I measured the universe. It was a repetition of my experience of 1905, but far more actual. I did not merely admit that I did not exist, and that all my ideas were illusions, inane and insane. I felt these facts as facts. It was the difference between book knowledge and experience. It seemed incredible that I should ever have fancied that I or anything else had any bearing on each other. All things were alike as shadows sweeping across the still surface of a lake – their images had no meaning for the water, no power to stir its silence.” "
And:
@Ch 67 said
"Part of the effect of crossing the Abyss is that it takes a long time to connect the Master with what is left below the Abyss. Deprived of their ego, the mind and body of the man are somewhat at sea until, as one may say, the ‘wireless control’ has been established. In the year 1910 Aleister Crowley was as a sheep not having a shepherd; the motives and controlling element had been removed and he was more or less cut off from the past. One thing seemed as good as another. He acted irresponsibly. He went on with his work more by force of habit than anything else, and the events of his life were, so to say, more chemical reactions between his character and his circumstances."
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@Jim Eshelman said
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@Wizardiaoan said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"The job of the Babe of the Abyss is primarily to abide in the Abyss."That doesn't sound like hard work, I did it for 9 months before I was even born!"
Well, no, I don't think you did. It requires a well-developed Ruach to abide in the Abyss, and you didn't even have the neurology for that during the nine months you mentioned."
Lol, it was a joke; I figured you would know I was joking. Anyway, your deadpan reply is funny.
@Jim Eshelman said
"If it's unexpected, someone hasn't been paying attention!
You're describing a Uranian type experience for perhaps the most Neptunian stage in all psychospiritual development."Heh, well in my defense it seems Crowley wasn't expecting it too much either, from what you quote above: "I cannot even say that I crossed the Abyss deliberately...I found myself in a truly surprising state..." I'm sorry, I don't get the Uranian/Neptune thing.
@Jim Eshelman said
"Summary of his 8=3 attainment? Do you mean the process or the consequences?"
I was just wondering the time frame when you thought he moved to babe of the abyss to Magister Templi, when his experience subsided, etc. It seems you think it was all during his 30 aethyrs working.
@Jim Eshelman said
"The main proactive task of 7=4 involves the higher Bhakti-Yoga (Para-Bhakti) and working the Paths of Zayin and Cheth before surrendering to the Abyss. Also bringing his Ruach structure and contents to its apical climax by his composition and publication of his thesis."
"Klīm, Krishnāya, Govindāya, Gopī-jana, Vallabhāya, Swāhā!" Why not work the path of Vau or Heh/Tzaddi also, and could you summarize you imply by working the paths of Zayin and Cheth out of curiosity?
Thanks for the quotes, Crowley comments well upon the 8=3 and above.
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@Wizardiaoan said
"I was just wondering the time frame when you thought he moved to babe of the abyss to Magister Templi, when his experience subsided, etc. It seems you think it was all during his 30 aethyrs working."
Babe of the Abyss was summer solstice 1909. Master of the Temple was December of the same year as documented in V&V.
That is, yes, he walked into the desert a six month old Babe of the Abyss, and walked out an 8=3.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"The main proactive task of 7=4 involves the higher Bhakti-Yoga (Para-Bhakti) and working the Paths of Zayin and Cheth before surrendering to the Abyss. Also bringing his Ruach structure and contents to its apical climax by his composition and publication of his thesis."Why not work the path of Vau or Heh/Tzaddi also, and could you summarize you imply by working the paths of Zayin and Cheth out of curiosity?"
Vav and Heh aren't open until after reaching 8=3, since they are Paths of "approach" to Chokmah. Just as a the task of the 3=8 (for example) substantially involves the three Paths opening to Netzach, the task of the 7=4 substantially involves the Paths opening to Binah.
I keep referring you to "One Star in Sight" and it is apparent that you haven't yet read it; otherwise, you'd know the answer regarding to work of Zayin and Cheth. Here is the concise presentation there: "To attain the Grade of Magister Templi, he must perform two tasks; the emancipation from thought by putting each idea against its opposite, and refusing to prefer either [that's Zayin]; and the consecration of himself as a pure vehicle for the influence of the order to which he aspires [that's Cheth]."
I elaborated on this in M&MAA. For Zayin, I noted that, in addition to the normal meditative methods of yoga, the practical instruction for the task is Liber Os Abysmi vel Da'ath: The Book of the Mouth of the Abyss or The Book of Da’ath (Knowledge). It provides a technique for employing the intellect, isolated from the intuitive faculty, to destroy its own compelling hold on the soul. For the Path of Cheth, I wrote in part:
"The task for this Path... is entirely clear. However, each person must discover his or her own method for its accomplishment. Cheth is the final Path traversed before admission of the Adept into the Third Order and the Grade of Magister Templi, even as Samekh was the last traversed within the Outer College. The step yet before the Adeptus Exemptus compares to adepthood (to the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel) as that Knowledge and Conversation compares to the Neophyte’s initial aspiration within the First Order.
A certain assistance is given to the Adept in these matters.
First, as Liber Viarum Viæ confirms, for this “Ritual of the Holy Grail” we are given the horrible-beautiful Class A document Liber Cheth vel Vallum Abiegni. ... Another document from the Adeptus Exemptus Syllabus also may be of assistance in the basic task of this Path, the self-consecration of the Adept as a pure vehicle for the influence of the Third Order to which she aspires. The document is Liber Thisharb Viæ Memoriæ (The Book of the Journey of the Memory)."
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Babe of the Abyss was summer solstice 1909. Master of the Temple was December of the same year as documented in V&V. That is, yes, he walked into the desert a six month old Babe of the Abyss, and walked out an 8=3."
Thanks. Do you accept Crowley's attainment timeline as printed on xvi of The Holy Books of Thelema? [This has him as a 6=5 when he has Liber Legis communicated to him which is interesting]. It has him a 7=4 in January of 1906. It has "Magi" at October of 1906, which it seems is when he took the Oath of Magister Templi; however you surmise the actual move from 7=4 to Babe was Summer Solstice, 1909, then Magister Templi six months later in December, correct?
@Jim Eshelman said
"I keep referring you to "One Star in Sight" and it is apparent that you haven't yet read it; otherwise, you'd know the answer regarding to work of Zayin and Cheth."
Lol I did read it again upon your suggestion, but never made the connection; I assumed the "putting each idea against its opposite" was always a general supernal formula of unity. Thanks for the clarification. I also see the pattern now of working the paths that connect to the sphere you are working towards.
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@Wizardiaoan said
"Do you accept Crowley's attainment timeline as printed on xvi of The Holy Books of Thelema? [This has him as a 6=5 when he has Liber Legis communicated to him which is interesting]."
Pretty much, though I don't have it in front of me right now and I'm going from memory.
But there was a shift along the way. aAt one point in time, these were being measured as Golden Dawn level grades; at another point, as A.'.A..'. grades. In John St. John, AC referred to this as having the grades the "natural" world vs. the "spiritual" world, by which he meant Yetzirah vs. Briah. IOW the G.D. 6=5 is an attainment corresponding to Geburah in Yetzirah (for one who is not necessarily open to Briah), while A.'.A.'. 6=5 is an attainment of Geburah in Briah.
So, yes, he was G.D. 6=5 by that time; and one could even easily justify that the reception marked his legitimate G.D. 7=4. But, in the sense understood by A.'.A.'., he wasn't 6=5 until he initiated himself thereto in the fall of 1908 as detailed in John St. John.
"It has him a 7=4 in January of 1906."
Then or earlier for the G.D. version of 7=4, reasonably. But his A.'.A.'. 7=4 couldn't have been earlier than the fall of 1908 when he went to 6=5. I tend to put his authentic 7=4 as commencing with his publication of The Equinox in March 1909.
"It has "Magi" at October of 1906, which it seems is when he took the Oath of Magister Templi; however you surmise the actual move from 7=4 to Babe was Summer Solstice, 1909, then Magister Templi six months later in December, correct?"
8=3 in December 1909, yes; and 9=2 was in October 1915 (well documented).
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ADMINISTRATIVE NOTE to AVV:
If you have something to say, and wish to enter into intelligent, participatory conversation, please feel free to do so.
But otherwise please stop the dribble-of-consciousness droolings. You're on notice: Next time you do this at all, your account is gone and all posts with it.
One more (that's even ONE more) and you're gone. Last warning. It's going to take me 15-20 minutes to clean up after you peed your pants this morning, and I really have other things I should be doing.
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very mature.
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You can't be warned, it looks like.
Good bye and good luck. You are going to need it.
In L.V.X.,
chrys333 -
@Frater_AVV said
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Join the club, baby...
And when I regain the simple discipline of being able to consistently meditate everyday and write in my silly little notebook again, I may just apply for 0=0 ...
after I get the balls to tell my girlfriend...
"Hahahahahaha!
That post alone had convinced me to join this forum. The 'sad but true' aspect is that's right where I am at this moment. Ah well, nowhere to go but forward...
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.
As far as 'Joining' the A.'.A.'., really, there are a couple of ways.
(These are my personal opinions:-)-
rretac.org Check out this link if you are looking to take the route of eventually becoming part of the A.'.A.'. that is of the C.O.T. and T.O.T.
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Find a mentor (Neophyte) and take it from there.
In my personal experience, Initiations can be useful, but the true A.'.A.'. work is within ones own personal being.
May I suggest reading, if you already haven't:
Commentaries on the Holy Books and other papers, and secondly The Vision and the Voice with commentaries and other papers.
Crowley, Blavatsky et al. / Crowley, Neuberg and Desti.
Also, a great book that I recommend, and again this is my own personal opinion:-) is: The shining paths by Delores Ashcroft Nowicki.
The latter book will cover all of the path workings on the Qabalistic Tree of Life, as well as the spheres. The next step is Starting and completing the Aethyr workings.
Of course, you want to have a mentor before attempting any of this without prior knowledge.
Hope this gives some insight.
Love is the law, love under Will.
James
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