Babalon 2.0
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
"Binah reflecfts into Netzach, as Chokmah reflects into Hod. Horizontally, 'control' is the intellectual function in Hod, not the vital, feeling aspect of Netzach."
Which also corresponds nicely to Chap. VII and VIII of MTP Part II, also being representative of Netzach (VII) and Hod (VIII) respectively. IMHO this is why elucidation of the Cup and the Sword are very necessary to Understanding, which is in Binah/Babalon.
"I'm wondering, in fact, if your real struggle here isn't with Babalon per se (though her name is as good a name as any other) - but, more particularly, to THAT in you which is the ever-receeding goal - the ideal that grows faster than capacity - the one that "goes ever before you, even when you saw it not." I'm not being vague - I'm just not giving a single name to something that is especially characterized by not being pinnable."
This reminds me of my reading today...
In most extant magical rituals the two operations are performed at once; or (at least) the banishing has the more important place, and greater pains seem to be taken with it; but as the student advances to Adeptship the banishing will diminish in importance, for it will no longer be so necessary. The Circle of the Magician will have been perfected by his habit of Magical work. In the truest sense of that word, he will never step outside the Circle during his whole life. But the consecration, being the application of a positive force, can always be raised to a closer approximation to perfection. Complete success in banishing is soon attained; but there can be no completeness in the advance to holiness.
-- MTP Part III, Chap XIV
Also:
"And, of course, one of her most effective "uses" is her MILF-hood."
That is hilarious! So true!!! I never heard it put quite so eloquently Jim!!! Love is the law, love under will.
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Not necessarily. One of the basic instructions we give initiates working through their projection drills deals with the false assessment, "That's not a projection, it's true! She really is a bitch!" (etc.) Projections are easier when there is a matching or similar external object onto which we can project."
"projection drills"...?
Do you mind sharing, or are those protected?
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@Aegis55 said
""projection drills"...?
Do you mind sharing, or are those protected?"
I'll give the basics, but not the details. All members of Temple of Thelema, beginning at a particular degree (and focussed especially in two particular degrees) are required to observe, record in their diary, and analyze all occassions of psychological projection they detect in themselves. Step one is to catch when you're looking in a mirror; step 2 is actually looking in that mirror, observing what you see, and doing certain work with it.
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"I'll give the basics, but not the details. All members of Temple of Thelema, beginning at a particular degree (and focussed especially in two particular degrees) are required to observe, record in their diary, and analyze all occassions of psychological projection they detect in themselves. Step one is to catch when you're looking in a mirror; step 2 is actually looking in that mirror, observing what you see, and doing certain work with it."
Thanks. It will be a little longer before I am ready to apply anywhere, but I need this kind of stuff right now regardless.
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a golden thread!
what an enjoyable read! the breaks... over. thanks!
93!
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Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I would like to ask something, if I could of course. In Visions & Voices, page 58 and talking about Weakness in Crowley's approach, it is written following:
"In the Second Order of the Golden Dawn, these tablets were created so that each square was a truncated pyramid, and Babalon is called "Queen of the City of Pyramids" - which is as much the forest of pyramids on these elemental tablets as anything else."
It is very usual opinion that Crowley "invented" Babalon. Is quote above means that Babalon was used in Golden Dawn as deity before Crowley?
Love is the law, love under will.
B.
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@HPK said
"It is very usual opinion that Crowley "invented" Babalon. Is quote above means that Babalon was used in Golden Dawn as deity before Crowley? "
She wasn't acknowledge anywhere in the GD system. The quote means that her Name comes to 156, and the number of squares on each of the Elemental Tablets is 156, and so there's a link.
Babalon, spelled this way, appears no place at all in the whole of the world's literature before The Vision & the Voice. However, it is broadly accepted that at least some of historic references to Babylon were slightly corrupt or mistaken references to her - e.g., "the whore of Babylon" in Revelations was perhaps meant to be "the whore Babalon."
There is also an Enochian word babalond, meaning "harlot," that is likely the etymological origin of her name.
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Just following up on my initial post.
Since starting thread I have been pondering and ruminating about how best to conceive and understand this concept.
She is illusive. No sooner than it seems I have another piece of the puzzle she seems to move on, and my attempt to spell out what I thought I understood seems dead and definitely not Babalon.
My mind has such an overwhelming tendency to try and reduce all things to that which is useful, and that which isn't. And it seems this effort is making it impossible to understand.
It seems the best I can do in this instance is just stop trying.
Love and Will
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You may want to consider removing the seperation between yourself and Babalon.
Also, consider where "meaning" is, Babalon isn't.
Lastly, you may also want to consider there is no such thing in life called Babalon.
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@Shadonis said
"You may want to consider removing the seperation between yourself and Babalon."
if you remove the separation, what's the fun?
"For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union" -
"if you remove the separation, what's the fun?"
The joy of dissolution
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"All saints revile her, and all sober men
Ruled by the God Apollo's golden mean—
In scorn of which I sailed to find her
In distant regions likeliest to hold her
Whom I desired above all things to know,
Sister of the mirage and echo."—Robert Graves, from the dedication to his book The White Goddess
Love and Will
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Thanks for that, Robert.
Today, I have been struggling with sense vs. non-sense. In that light, Babalon can seem just as abhorrent as Choronzon.
But that's the wrong light.
And that was a scandalous thought to me until I read that poem.
Duh. Of course."Some dance to remember.
Some dance to forget."Thanks.
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I just found this quote, I thought it was amusing, and fairly on target:
"The Harlot Babylon is preparing the nations to receive the antichrist. The Harlot Babylon will be a religion of affirmation, toleration, no absolutes, a counterfeit justice movement. They will feed the poor, have humanitarian projects, inspire acts of compassion for all the wrong reasons. They won't know it ... I believe that one of the main pastors as a forerunner to the Harlot movement is Oprah." ~ Mike Bickle, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)
America's own Taliban
A fast growing right-wing politico-religious presence plans to implement an end-times, Christian theocracy in the US.
english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/20117259426336524.html -
@AliceNui said
"I just found this quote, I thought it was amusing, and fairly on target:
"The Harlot Babylon is preparing the nations to receive the antichrist. The Harlot Babylon will be a religion of affirmation, toleration, no absolutes, a counterfeit justice movement. They will feed the poor, have humanitarian projects, inspire acts of compassion for all the wrong reasons. They won't know it ... I believe that one of the main pastors as a forerunner to the Harlot movement is Oprah." ~ Mike Bickle, New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)
America's own Taliban
A fast growing right-wing politico-religious presence plans to implement an end-times, Christian theocracy in the US.
english.aljazeera.net/indepth/opinion/2011/07/20117259426336524.html"Yes, this is pretty much what they think. I did a lot of original research into this movement a few years back for a piece I was creating called Playing the Rapture. It explored the relationship between religion and politics in the US. This research goes a long way to explain my total lack of sympathy and tolerance for a basic idea-set that is held by this militant branch of christian fundamentalist, but which is also becoming common outside of christian activist circles, and has become the basic reactionary-conservative play-book of ideas and arguments designed to create the kind of change they desire. I've even encountered people who self-identify as Thelemites, and who mouth essentially the same arguments.
But this is way OT! Sorry for the mini-rant, Mea Culpa!
Hmmmm, how to get back on track?
...hey Oprah, if you are Babalalon, well... would you like a foot massage?Love and Will