LBRP question
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@Thelemic oz said
"In magick the vi point on pg 618 of the 2008 version (and probably in others, I didn't check ) it says 'turning east, make a pentergram etc. ' this alludes one is facing a different direction for the cabalistic cross? Which direction? I know it maybe picky, I have honestly never noticed this before and have always faced east when doing the cabalistic cross and gone straight into the pentergrams. Any opinions points of view greatly welcomed."
Excellent question. It's certainly obscure.
It's poorly worded. As you correctly discern, your body is already facing east. This may have been some editing quirk matching "turning" to the other three quarters, or it may be some phrasing like "go to the east" (vs. standing in the center - if one is working in a large room and now moves to the eastern edge) or "turning your attention to the east." Definitely quirky.
But you have the idea right. You're facing east while oriented pretty much internally; and now you direct your attention toward the eastern quarter (which you're already facing).
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Thanks for your input Jim. After all these years and I honestly just noticed it. I can see how in a large room you could do that.
Much thanks. 93Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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93!
Mr. Eshelman, please explain the meaning of The Cabalistic Cross
Why do Сabalistic Cross is used in the LRP?
Why it should be done twice during the ritual?
Is there any difference between first and second Qabalistic Cross?
Thank you in advance) -
@Quaestor Lucis said
"Mr. Eshelman, please explain the meaning of The Cabalistic Cross
Why do Сabalistic Cross is used in the LRP? "Whew! That's a question for a small book. I think you have some assumptions that make you think the QC doesn't belong, and I think you don't know the full range of what the Pentagram Ritual is doing.
Let's start with simple form, though: The QC starts by linking you to Divine Authority. All of magick depends on this, It also draws this through, helping establish the basic formula of governance you are establishing with this ritual.
"Why it should be done twice during the ritual?
Is there any difference between first and second Qabalistic Cross?"The ritual is bracketed by this for balance, among other things. The two feel different because you are different by the time you do the second one.
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Thank you very much for your answer!
I believe the practice will deepen my understanding of QC
So, I will continue it!)
One practical question: when I intone words in QC, should I hear and feel the vibration coming from the point I touch (Above head and at the feet in the case of "Atah" and "Malkuth" respectively)? -
Not necessarily. (Most people don't.) That would be more important in a Middle Pillar. I think it's important to visualize the energy movements, though, especially the descending shaft, to make sure to anchor yourself between the heights and the depth (from above you to the center of the earth).
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And I thought that the entire Cross must be fit within my aura
If the vertical shaft reaches the center of the earth, then should I (for symmetry) imagine a shaft descending from above and creating the sphere above my head? (BTW, this sphere above head - is it the only one spere I imagine in this Cross, right? I mean, is there no more "spheres" in QC?)"to visualize the energy movements, "
How exactly this energy moves here? From above to the heart then to the feet, then from my right to my left? Or, from four sides to the center?
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@Quaestor Lucis said
"And I thought that the entire Cross must be fit within my aura
If the vertical shaft reaches the center of the earth, then should I (for symmetry) imagine a shaft descending from above and creating the sphere above my head?"It's not about your aura, nor are the pentagrams (usually) anywhere near the physical vicinity of your space. Though I've never put it quite like this before, I'm inclined to say that the cross is about anchoring you at the center of, and in relation to, the universe.
Where does the vertical shaft begin? Functionally, it is in the sphere if white light above your head. Another theory / presentation, though, says it comes from an infinite distance above you. These variant theories can be integrated by understanding that it comes form an infinite distance, but generally disregarding that because it becomes perceptible and relevant to you when passing through the center above your head.
But the other end is clear: The vertical shaft passes through the center between your feet all the way to the center of the earth.
Similarly, the pentagrams are drawn as if on a theoretical surface at an infinite distance. This is why it is important to have your arm completely straight outward from the shoulder - no bent elbow, no bend wrist, the dagger extended straight out as a continuation of your unbent arm - because, if the drawing arm is perfectly straight, then a figure drawn at a short distance remains geometrically true at any infinite distance. (One might say they are drawn at this infinite distance, or that they are drawn by lines that are continuous from the end of your dagger to an infinite distance. Same thing, actually.)
The exception to this would be on those (relatively rarer) occasions where you are intentionally limiting the banishing to a contained physical space, such as a formally drawn circle. In that case, it is advisable to provide (as a preliminary, or simply with skilled and practiced imagination during the tracing) a specific surface on which these are drawn. To match the geometry of your drawing arm, it is preferable if this be spherical rather than a flat or uncurved surface.
"(BTW, this sphere above head - is it the only one spere I imagine in this Cross, right? I mean, is there no more "spheres" in QC?)"
That, and the one at the heart for "Aiwass." But not the one at the feet or those at the shoulders, as a rule.
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"to visualize the energy movements, "How exactly this energy moves here? From above to the heart then to the feet, then from my right to my left? Or, from four sides to the center?"
There is an intentional break between the vertical shaft and the horizontal, i.e., no diagonal from feet to shoulder. In the sentence above I was especially (but not exclusively) speaking of the vertical shaft.
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"In the sentence above I was especially (but not exclusively) speaking of the vertical shaft."
And yet, how about a horizontal one? Just to visualize the shaft following the motion of my hand? In this case the energy moves from Severity to Mercy, right? The meaning of this gesture - to anchor myself between the two polarities of the manifested world/my life (Malkuth), right?
Do I understand aright that the meaning of the entire phrase in Hebrew is something like this: "To Thee (Attah), o my Lord (Aiwass as HGA), I dedicate my life (Malkuth) in all its expressions (from Geburah to Gedulah)"?
"That, and the one at the heart for "Aiwass." But not the one at the feet or those at the shoulders, as a rule."
I have not seen anything like this in the instructions from your "Pearls of Wisdom"
Is it important? Should this one be the same size as the sphere above the head?(I just want to get sufficient instruction for the correct practice of this ritual. There are a lot of conflicting instructions that confused me!)
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@Quaestor Lucis said
"And yet, how about a horizontal one? Just to visualize the shaft following the motion of my hand? In this case the energy moves from Severity to Mercy, right? The meaning of this gesture - to anchor myself between the two polarities of the manifested world/my life (Malkuth), right?"
I wouldn't have put it that way AND I don't disagree with anything you said.
"Do I understand aright that the meaning of the entire phrase in Hebrew is something like this: "To Thee (Attah), o my Lord (Aiwass as HGA), I dedicate my life (Malkuth) in all its expressions (from Geburah to Gedulah)"?"
Literally (addressed to the HGA in the name Aiwass or its own name), "Thou, the Kingdom and the Strength and the Glory, world without end. So be it!" ("World without end" is a convention, dcode. L'olam literally means "toward the world," and functionally means, "through all the reaches of time and space.") There is no word for "dedicate," etc., though it's a nice thought
"I have not seen anything like this in the instructions from your "Pearls of Wisdom"
Is it important? Should this one be the same size as the sphere above the head?"That article was originally from a Beginners' column, and was meant to be tight, crisp, not burdening it with extra stuff other than literally how to do it. The next large block is best learned by months and years of doing the ritual. - In Temple of Thelema there are several papers that penetrate very deeply into the architecture, but these aren't public (though we talk about some of the content here and there, especially in response to direct questions).
The sphere at the feet may not register as a sphere - maybe usually it wouldn't - but energetically it's there. Small half-chakras (so to speak) exist in the instep of the each foot so that, when the feet are placed together - touching or nearly so - a full sphere snaps into place, the upper dome above the flood and the lower dome below. You don't need to know about it for this to happen, so it wasn't necessary to say anything about it (until you asked a specific question). - And the solar center at the heart (the Anahatta chakra) also is there whether you do anything about it or not.
Of course, one could argue that the same is true of Sahasrara, except that it is rarely all that obvious to most people, especially starting out. But we always mention it. I think the point is that getting that part right so important to the rest of the ritual that we need to make sure you know about it. The rest... mostly takes care of itself.