College of Thelema: Thelemic Education

@Jim Eshelman said

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@Aegis55 said
"And, no, I haven't seen Crowley's "long, important" commentary, but I do appreciate a well-placed hint. "

Crowley's commentary on Liber LXV is probably one of the five most important things he ever wrote.

(I'm not counting any Class A document as having been written by him.)"

I second that. But the one i read was mottas commentary along with crowleys, which had him contesting everything crowley had to say.

As for the passage, because of the verticle theme of it I always saw it as an invoking of kundalini, I used to recite it before rituals and it always put me in a frenzy!

I've been trying to work from the perspective that the HGA is the true initiator.

@Narcissus said

"Hey well thank you all for your well thought out answers. To answer the question about atheism, I'm skeptical about everything. It's not so much that I think the rituals would work, its more that I'm hoping they will. And by proof, I mean a token or sign that these work. I don't mean it in any perverse manner and I apologize if it sounds that way. Even if he wasn't a rock star evil villain type, Crowley is interesting to me and my interest is becoming a spiritual person, I don't quite know if the prerequisite for that is a believe in Deity. In any case I want to give this a shot.

So start off with Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram? Can anyone tell me what exactly it's supposed to do. I think I understand the gist of it --clearing the area for magical work-- but I'm guessing that is just a glib generalization. Perhaps a deeper something I'm supposed to find?"

Crowley makes a declaration of atheism in john st john, where he likens magical phenomena to the formation of hoar frost and glacier tables.

Also in the quote:

w]hether you are a Christian or a Buddhist, a Theist or (as I am myself, thank God!) an Atheist, the attainment of this one state [of mystical realization] is as open to you as is nightmare, or madness, or intoxication.

And yes, the banishing ritual of the pentegram has a purifying function, but also invokes angelic guardians. It's a great way to practice visualization and vibration of names as well.

I started off using a lotr dagger then switched to finger. Much better.

@Jim Eshelman said

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@armedwithlunchboxes said
"Also, on the ciceros golden dawn website theres a letter from regardie using the thelemic greetings: do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, and love is the law, love under will. I never knew what to make of this."

It mostly means he was a teacher and had manners. He would use those greetings with Thelemites; and, if you were a Thelemite, he would stop and make a point of telling you that you should use those greetings "because you're a Thelemite.""

I found it interesting because it was in a letter to the H.O.G.D. GA temple discussing the building of the vault of the adepts and the alteration of certain rituals. And in the very next letter he dosent use the greetings.

It must have been a great privilege to know the man. His "the tree of life" has been invaluable to me.

@Ash said

"93.

Thank you for the response - exactly what I was looking for.

Jim and Regardie dueling with quotes from the Holy Books... fascinating image, that

I was always under the impression that Regardie had respect for Crowley and Thelema (enough to propagate it), but didn't consider himself actually part of a Thelemic movement in any way.

93, 93/93."

In the foreward to the golden dawn he is said to have used the holy books as a tool in bibliomancy during one of his therapy sessions. Also, on the ciceros golden dawn website theres a letter from regardie using the thelemic greetings: do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law, and love is the law, love under will. I never knew what to make of this.

thats very interesting. nice find

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law.

I really sympathise whith your problem. I don't know how much this will help but this page hermetic.com/crowley/ has all almost all of crowleys libers and other writings. and it realy helped me become familiar with his body of work. Good luck!

Love is the law, love under will.

I don't think theres a purely thelemic definition for this. But In qabalah which is the basis of western occultism, there are 3 parts of the soul which are Nephesh, Rauch , and neschamah. These can be broken down into further groups. I cant find good definitions right now because im not at home. But i think if you research this further you can find what your looking for.

@Jim Eshelman said

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@armedwithlunchboxes said
"Since i dont have access to one half of ingrediant x at the moment. Would it still be usefull to make the cakes with only my half or with out the fluids altogether, or does that defeat the whole purpose?"

You have many options: "The best blood is of the moon, monthly: then the fresh blood of a child, or dropping from the host of heaven: then of enemies; then of the priest or of the worshippers: last of some beast, no matter what.""

haha gotcha, ill study these verses more intimately.

Additional question:
Since i dont have access to one half of ingrediant x at the moment. Would it still be usefull to make the cakes with only my half or with out the fluids altogether, or does that defeat the whole purpose?

The only time I've seen abstinence specified( at least in the A.'.A.'. curriculum) is in the last 2 months of the probationary period. But that has more to do with the initiation into malkuth than into yesod.

I recieved mine yestersday
I have to say im really enjoying it and im learning so much! A book like this really needed to be written.

Congrats!
I took advantage of the pre-order, very excited to recieve my copy

Is it seen as inevitable that thelema will take root in one form or another no matter who messes up, because hoor was " let down into the animal soul of things"?

@Vlad said

"You have such a low voice.

Hello armedwithmetallicboxesthathurtlikehell. I like the song Lunchbox very much, it was in fact my fav a couple of years ago. But I do not know whether you know it. I hope you have a good one.

93's,

vellu"

yes thats where i got the name its a great song.

I own the version in lon milo's magick of thelema, which is from the book of lies i think, it says to roar therion, say nuit, whisper babalon and bellow hadit. Theres a great video on youtube of a woman performing it www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9AE9f6yQMcAlso there are illustrations of the Iynges, Teletarches, Synoches, and Daimons at thelema.org/home/art_gallery.html

oh my apologies haha. alrah must have sounded masculine to me yesterday.

philosophersgarden.com/node/32Im not sure how many people know of this but its pretty fun and a good way to learn the paths and their attributes. Also, a meditation is provided for each path.

Why thank you sir !