A.A

[kingofkings380]

hi
where can i get more info on A.A and what are the procedures to get started ?
I live in india there is no A.A centers so do i have to travel to
US or Australia to get initiated ?
is it possible to buy books and start practicing by myself ?

thanks

[Takamba]

YES

[David]

Hello KoK380,

Jim Eshelman, who moderates this forum, wrote an authoritative work on the A.:A.:,which provides a good basis for self-study. You can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE.

93, 93/93

[MyrrdenVindex]

You should absolutely buy books, study, and practice by yourself. There's no sense in denying yourself experience of the magical world simply because there's nobody there to guide you through. When Crowley first published the Equinox, he insisted on a very high standard of quality so that the books would hopefully survive the coming cataclysms he believed were coming. He felt it was important to preserve the teachings so that future generations could pick up the pieces and revive the tradition after the dust settled. That means that there is sufficient material in published sources to get you quite far, if you study it carefully and practice it regularly and attentively.

That being said, do I think it best to do so? Only in the interim. My magical education results from many years of solitary study and practice, and I'm sure I'd be a lot further along if I'd had a guide to help me avoid many of the pitfalls and distractions which have befallen me. In any case, the A:.A:. sets the bar pretty high, so it would probably prove very advantageous to have some experience under your belt before beginning any formal work with them, the T.O.T., the C.O.T., or any other such group.

Also, beware that there is a lot that went unsaid in the published works of Crowley, the Golden Dawn, and numerous other sources. You may find that, when and if you begin work with the Order, the method your instructor teaches proves very different from what you develop on your own. As to if its better, that depends on your unique attunements, and the strength of your intuition to evolve magical rituals. Again, Crowley comes to mind; he once remarked that anyone with real aptitude for magick would find their own, crude rituals to be more effective than the highly polished rituals of others. (Of course, one must have a pretty good, deep understanding of magical formula in order to construct effective rituals, even crude ones, so it is wisest to practice with the highly polished rituals until one has sufficient understanding, or you'll never get anywhere.)