@Jim Eshelman said
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@Non_Sequitur said
"This topic has been brewing in my mind for the last few days. I have read the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage translated by S.L Mathers several times, now on my third. I did an internet search and found another version of the Abramelin translation called Abraham of Worms translated from a purported older german manuscript. Dehn claims this is the more complete work and that Mathers was working from, basically a shitty French translation. I'm ok with that, but the stuff that bugs the hell out of me is this."
I got the more recently released translation, and I'm glad the work was done, but I'm not overly concerned about it. I've had students (usually in a great frenzy) ask me about the fact that the time periods differ (among other things) - all quite concerned and worried. I point out, first, that my own operation was neither 6 nor 18 months, but rather 93 days, and it was successful.
Most importantly, I'm not concerned about the differences in the translations for practical reasons because they were both superceded in 1909. Crowley received from Aiwass, on the evening of December 8, 1909, a quintessentialized version of the entire operation. This became A.'.A.'. ritual VIII.
Of course, the earlier works are valuable for background reading and historic depth of understanding (and for whatever else the aspirant can get from them). But IMHO one need not worry about discrepancies between them and Thelemic philosophy; one simply has to understand that RItual VIII supercedes them.
BTW, you can find it in three of my books, and also here: ordoaa.org/liber8.htm
"Lastly, and I am curious what others think, the Abramelin operation on the one hand implores the fear of God as a basis for the work. On the other, any religion can attain to the operation which would include Pagan and Thelema, obviously. How does one reconcile the need for religious prostration and fear of God with the law of thelema which abhors fear as being failure and the forerunner of failure. "
A few things to remark upon.
First, the description of fear as "failure, and the forerunner of failure," is not from Thelemic sources but from the Golden Dawn rituals. Nonetheless, similar messages are in the Thelemic scriptures (and, in the GD, were delivered by an officer embodying the god Horus).
Second, I've mostly answered this above with regard to Ritual VIII.
Third, "religious prostration" isn't anti-Thelemic per se, and, in practice, is the abasement of the ego. The ego needs some abasement, particularly in this operation (in the general case). Nonetheless, how one prays and invokes will vary with each aspirant.
I've skipped past such technicalities as the real meaning of "fear" in the Biblical passaes to which you allude."
Thank you, I appeciate your comments greatly.