19 August (Spirit) Liber LXV, 5:16-18
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16. For the Magistry of this Opus is a secret magistry; and the sign of the master thereof is a certain ring of lapis-lazuli with the name of my master, who am I, and the Eye in the Midst thereof.
17. Also He spake and said: This is a secret sign, and thou shall not disclose it unto the profane, nor unto the neophyte, nor unto the zelator, nor unto the practicus, nor unto the philosophus, nor unto the lesser adept, nor unto the greater adept.
18. But unto the exempt adept thou shalt disclose thyself if thou have need of him for the lesser operations of thine art. -
I gather there is here a dichotomy of the adept...a trichotomy...a quad...no that isn't a word. I remember reading, probably in AC's Confessions, that he would use a ring to signal a "switching on" or "switching off" of an aspect of his personality or possibly something completley outside of what he felt his personality was. What I see described here is the elevation of consciousness as one progresses through the Sephiroth on the Tree of Life. The secret sign of the Magister is only suitable for the Exempt Adept - and then only so if it is needed in order that the idea reach into the intellect to manifest in the physical world.
What I see here is that there is a purpose to this seperation of the parts of the soul. I'm used to doing it in the sense of being at home, work, with family, with friends, or with strangers. A different part of the personality is usually manifest at these different times. However, the verses today point out to me the differences in the soul.
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16. For the Magistry of this Opus is a secret magistry; and the sign of the master thereof is a certain ring of lapis-lazuli with the name of my master, who am I, and the Eye in the Midst thereof.
17. Also He spake and said: This is a secret sign, and thou shall not disclose it unto the profane, nor unto the neophyte, nor unto the zelator, nor unto the practicus, nor unto the philosophus, nor unto the lesser adept, nor unto the greater adept.
18. But unto the exempt adept thou shalt disclose thyself if thou have need of him for the lesser operations of thine art.Okay.
The Opus is Ararita?
Magistry is akin to a magical act, a healing power, and the alchemical manifestation of the whiteness...
Lapis-lazuli is a precious stone whose primary characteristic is its rich blueness.
The secret sign is something with an Eye in its midst, a ring of Lapis-lazuli, I gather...Adonai gives some details concerning what is appropriate in terms of who can know and use this sign to act in accordance with the will of the master...
But then we are still limited here because it is only in 'lesser' matters that this course of action is appropriate. Then, what is a greater operation?
Connect the dots! I feel like I am missing an essential part of the narrative. I start to think about the traditional powers of alleged incarnated masters and avatars. The ability to grant enlightenment, or remove karma, or impart desirable personalty traits, or even to grant understanding and spiritual insight.
When a person achieves the Exempt Adept grade it is because his/her adept-ship has been perfected—they are fully, safely under the guidance. And here the sign is identified with the master himself.
I don't understand in as much as I can't relate this meditation to anything in my world. The analysis seems dead. Maybe tomorrows' words will open something up so that the text will acquire significance.
Love and Will