Images of the Gods in Liber Resh vel Helios
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the four points of the day simply are the moments in time-space (for person on the earth) when the Sun is 'in focus' (angular, astrologicaly speaking) - it's easier to directly connect yourself to the solar principle in these moments.
the *meaning *of the four Egyptian Gods mentioned (and all the other related to that) change for you personally over time, as your own perspective evolves.
it's one of the most important practice (if not the sole most important ) - by performing it continually you are establishing and refining the connection to the H.G.A., so I would say: meditate upon the meaning of the Four (Gods, or four points of time-space, etc), but don't attach your mind strongly to the insights that come as if they convey some definite meaning. just write them down (blessed be the diary!) and keep going....
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danica beat me to the punch here, and is right on! Allow your understanding and philosophies to evolve over time and practice. It's helpful to explore what archetypes YOU'RE struck with, on a deeper-than-intellectual level when meditating on the gods of Resh; also, identifying yourself with the Sun is helpful, keeping in mind that morning, noon, evening & midnight are only "illusions" (so to speak) created by our perspective on the Earth as it turns -- the Sun is unaffected by any of them. (At least that's the approach I use -- take it or leave it!)
I've been doing Resh regularly for a couple of years now, and the visualizations and mental focuses continue to evolve
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@Al Ha-Shema said
"I've been doing Resh regularly for a couple of years now, and the visualizations and mental focuses continue to evolve
"On a non-philosophical note I'm curious what the cumulative effect of assuming these god forms over a significant period of time has on the body of light. Is this something that can be noted and does anyone have any related insights?
Love and Will
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I can only speak to my own experience (as if that weren't painfully obvious!), and I'll readily admit I'm no expert, but for my two cents:
I found when initially practicing any Magick or what-have-you that required visualizations, that my ability to visualize seemed weak and unfocused. It was very frustrating. Practicing Resh four-times-a-day over a couple of years has massively improved the situation, and if there were no other benefit to Resh I would continue practicing it for that reason. My visualizations, though they still stand to benefit from continued practice, have at least reached a point where I am able to sense how visualizations affect the Astral Light. And this has gotten me a sense of the Astral Light itself, which is a thrilling validation that I'm not just fooling myself into make-believe.
So for me, practicing Resh has been a bit like doing regular exercises on the guitar: it keeps the faculty of visualization in shape; but if the visualizations & mental focus are allowed to evolve (like changing up the exercises on guitar, keeping them challenging or at least engaging), progress is continually made a well. (You may not know initially why you need to learn scales on an instrument, but it becomes clearer in time and practice.)
All that being said, posting in this thread is causing me to realize that lately I might be getting a touch complacent with my Resh practice! Time for me to rejuvenate the experience!
@RobertAllen said
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On a non-philosophical note I'm curious what the cumulative effect of assuming these god forms over a significant period of time has on the body of light. Is this something that can be noted and does anyone have any related insights?"I'd love to hear input on your question from someone more experienced as well!
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Response to Jim's Post about the continuum article
93Jim, Im not sure if this is the article, but there is one written by Frater Iacchus.
its in Vol. IV, No.4 Page 6. Commentary on Liber Resh
helema.org/publications/itc/itc4a.pdf page 148 of this document. Oddly if I download the single document of this volume, its not the same.
Anyhow its a great article.
93 93/93
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Also here is another little commentary, not as detailed but has the imagery of Resh, and the adoration from the book of the law.
home.earthlink.net/~xristos/GoldenDawn/reshcomment.html
93 93/93
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AliceNuit, this is awesome! Thanks!
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My compilation:
solve-et-coagula.us/rituals/resh.html -
In visualizing Hathoor and Khepera, I tend to place them where the sun is at the moment: above and below me.
Is it wrong? -
@MMe said
"In visualizing Hathoor and Khepera, I tend to place them where the sun is at the moment: above and below me.
Is it wrong?"The main instruction is that you are wearing their god-form: "Also it is better if in these adorations thou assume the God-form of Whom thou adorest, as if thou didst unite with Him in the adoration of That which is beyond Him."
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@Jim Eshelman said
"The main instruction is that you are wearing their god-form"
Thanks for the reply.
In addition to assume the god-form, isn't there other visualization to do?
I understood that I had to visualize myself in the god-form and the god in the solar boat with Tahuti and Ra-Hoor in the various quarters... Is it wrong? -
That sounds right, assuming the god-forms of the four gods of the Helios quarters.
When you assume the god-form, it is like you are actually taking the active role of the god, as well as connecting to them standing in the solar barque.
Your consciousness connects to them in different places, so your mind's eye can be several places at once, aligning to the Sun and the places of the gods. It really provides a broader view of our planet, the sun, the space around us, and the movement of all of it, so you kind of aren't just in one place at one time.
When adoring the midnight sun, I can feel the active role of Khephra rolling the cashed ball of energy of the previous day, through the watery process of regeneration, into the new rising sun for the next day. I also am assuming his role in the barque that is more of an "overhead" view of everything I just explained.
Does this sound right, Jim?
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@MMe said
"I understood that I had to visualize myself in the god-form and the god in the solar boat with Tahuti and Ra-Hoor in the various quarters... Is it wrong?"
There's nothing else specified by Liber Resh itself. Of course, many things come spontaneously, but that's different from postulating that there is a further fixed standard to which you have to comply.
I'm certain I've never used that particular visualization in 30+ years of doing Liber Resh FWIW.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I'm certain I've never used that particular visualization in 30+ years of doing Liber Resh FWIW."
You "only" facing the quarter, greet the Sun, give the sign and assume the god-form, right?
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@MMe said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"I'm certain I've never used that particular visualization in 30+ years of doing Liber Resh FWIW."You "only" facing the quarter, greet the Sun, give the sign and assume the god-form, right?"
Going literally out of Liber Resh:
Face the direction of the Sun.
Assume "the God-form of Whom thou adorest."
Give the sign of my grade.
Recite the verse specified.
Give the Sign of Silence.
Recite the adoration handed "taught [me] by [my] Superior," which is Unity etc. while standing in the Sign of Osiris Risen, and concluding again with the Sign of Silence. -
I'd say whatever means most to you.
Whatever connects strongest with you. There's no wrong way to do this if the instructions are followed and the true will comes through for the adoration, seeing in yourself aspects of these different gods and what they truly mean to you.
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Ok!
Mr Eshelman and ThelemicMage, I am very grateful for the explanations. -
After a few days of practice, I'm back
@Jim Eshelman said
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Going literally out of Liber Resh:Face the direction of the Sun.
Assume "the God-form of Whom thou adorest."
Give the sign of my grade.
Recite the verse specified.
Give the Sign of Silence.
Recite the adoration handed "taught [me] by [my] Superior," which is Unity etc. while standing in the Sign of Osiris Risen, and concluding again with the Sign of Silence."Ok, I understand almost everything, but when I say, for e.g. at the dawn:
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[...] who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun.
Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm. [...]
"I don't have to visualize the sunboat with Tahuti and Ra-Hoor?
Or in the Adoration which follows, I don't have to visualize Ra, Tum, Khephra, Hathoor, Mentu, Ankh-af-na-khonsu, etc...
I just need to visualize the sun?Thanks.
Excuse me, but I'm a little confused...
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Already answered.
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@__THE_HERMIT__ said
"Liber Resh is a very significant ritual to me because it is directly related to the geometry of the cosmos, in this case the rotation of the earth on its axis, while other seasonal rituals are related to the orbit of the earth round the Sun i.e especially the equinoxes and the solstices, this culmulatively implies that being aware of one´s position in relation to the cosmos at all times is important. I postulate ultimately mutable things may be understood/categorized in terms of position and relative accelaration, and hence Liber Resh is one point of intersection possibly between a more secular and geometric perspective and Magick."
What he said.