College of Thelema: Thelemic Education

@MQL said

"Of course 'Dark' does not have to be seen as Evil, or Negative etc. It is simply unknown, unseen, untraversed. Just a thought. "

Indeed. We may find that the "darkness" of such deities can be a brilliant and illuminating darkness.

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In DUTY, our Beast writes:

"Each being is, exactly as you are, the sole centre of a Universe in no wise identical with, or even assimilable to, your own. The impersonal Universe of "Nature" is only an abstraction, approximately true , of the factors which it is convenient to regard as common to all. The Universe of another is therefore necessarily unknown to, and unknowable by, you; but it induces currents of energy in yours by determining in part your reactions. Use men and women, therefore, with the absolute respect due to inviolable standards of measurement; verify your own observations by comparison with similar judgements made by them; and, studying the methods which determine their failure or success, acquire for yourself the wit and skill required to cope with your own problems."

(my bolds- perhaps this has some relavence to the current conversation?)
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Uni_Verse wrote:

"I agree that it is forbidden to discuss and study the Book. In the light that, you can never reveal the meaning of the Book, you can only seek it out on a personal level."

To Mega Therion Wrote:

"It is no use discussing the results of Yoga, whether that Yoga be the type recommended by Lao-tzu, or Patanjali, or St. Ignatius Loyola, because for our first postulate we have: that these subjects are incapable of discussion. To argue about them only causes us to fall into the pit of Because, and there to perish with the dogs of Reason."

Here Master Therion seems to be making a distinction between discussion and arguement: arguement being superfluos, and discussion being impossible. This seems to confirm what Uni_Verse wrote, yes?

(sorry that my comments arn't brilliant, I'm just attempting to get some outside perspective: I've found in my personal studies of serial killers and fascist dictators, that many of the worst folks in history were actually quite intelligent and well read, but the problem was that they had no external feedback, no intelligent sounding-boards, to steer them away from the most insane and diabolical interpretations of profound and transgressive literature: for example, Nietzsche...)

" am reading chapter I, verse 32, which says, "Obey my prophet! follow out the ordeals of my knowledge! seek me only! Then the joys of my love will redeem ye from all pain." This is a promise I'd like to cash in on. Fortunately for me, obeying AC's instructions does not appear to conflict with following my own weird."

w3rd! let us remember that the axiom is not "Do what you want is the only rule". The entire system of Thelema, as far as I understand it, is predicated on service... service to the order, service to mankind, service to all sentient beings, yes... even and especially service to the prophet.

The will is TRUE not free.

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"I think you are being unnecessarily harsh. Doing one's will can entail doing what one is told; for example, if it is your will to get a university degree, you'll do what your teachers and advisors tell you; if it your will to climb Mt. Everest, you'll consider doing what your Sherpa guide tells you. Suppose I decide it's my will to pursue the Great Work. How do I go about that? Well, the Book of the Law gives instructions, beginning with "Obey my prophet". From that perspective, it becomes reasonable to read what the prophet said and do what you're told."

I think this was very well said, for what a humble acolyte's opinion is worth. Integral to all thelemic systems that I have ever encountered is a strict Hierarchy, and my understanding of both Crowley and Nietzsche is that at the core of both their philosophies is the concept of the God-King-Guru around whom others cluster, as flowers in a garden, to partake of the life-giving light eminated by that brilliant Sun-Star.

It is a great truth that the Will is preeminantly True rather than free.

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