College of Thelema: Thelemic Education

@zeph said

"Therefore the literal translation of the word can only mean something to the effect of "that which binds a person more tightly to the Universe"
...
it is a seed of meditation that creates pathways to related ideas, leading to a greater understanding of the interrelationship of things."

Rather like the rope binds the foot of the Hanged Man to the framework of the Universe, so that His meditation will lead to greater understanding of the relationship between personal and Universal.

~*~

@bethata418 said

"but this has really shown to me, not that i ever doubted it, how infinitely wonderful and complex the tree of life really is!!!"

I painted a Tree of Life with no letters or numbers or Tarot on it, so that one can just gaze at the geometry of it and listen to the deep secrets it tells without words. Check it out in the 'Tools & Toys' section of this forum.

~*~

@Forever93 said

"I would, however, like to hear Jim's (and perhaps others') reflections on all of this, and in particular how OTO could be reformed to (a) resolve these inner (seeming) contradictions, (b) transform it into a "truer" initiatory Order --"

(a) Why does OTO need to be reformed just to resolve what you see as contradictions? Perhaps the contradictions will resolve themselves within you, as you meditate on them further.
(b) Why does OTO need to be reformed when it will always be up to you to transform yourself? You are the only initiator.

~*~

@bethata418 said

"i was experimenting yesterday with looking at the trump cards as:
0.fool=spiritual wander
1.magus=getting on the path of magick and balencing the 4 elements."

If I understand your reasoning, you mean Key 0 to be the beginning of the Spiritual Path.

In a way this is very accurate, but it is also the end of the Spiritual Path. See, on the Tree of Life, how it is the first path coming 'down' the Tree from Kether, but also the last path going 'up' the Tree from below.

The Fool represents the descent of Spirit into form, but it also represents the 'goal' of Spirit, to return to its origin.

It is this 'return to its origin' that is the Spiritual Path we are drawn to follow. It is our identification with Spirit that makes our individual goal the same as the universal goal, that leads us along the "Path of Return."

Theophiles

Here's a really good site for Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

wamij.com/index-yoga-meditation-yoga-sutras.htm

Check it out.

theophiles

@Jim Eshelman said

"According to Phyllis, the dimensions of that altar are those of
the sarcophagus in the King's Chamber of the Great Pyramid."

Depending on the source of your measurements,
the sarcophagus is about:

L = 2.276 meter = 7.4671916 feet = 89.6062992 inch
W= 0.978 meter = 3.2086614 feet = 38.5039370 inch
H = 1.049 meter = 3.4416010 feet = 41.2992126 inch

The length and width are supposed to be in a 7/3 ratio, but
I only get an aproximate 7/3 ratio with these numbers.

The use of the 7 feet x 3 feet for the altar of the gnostic mass
is no doubt meant to relate it to the length and width of the
sarcophagus, but the 44 inch height is too tall to match the
ratio of the sarcophagus.

theophiles