College of Thelema: Thelemic Education

I've never had the interesting experience of seeing visual images while doing Resh but I often "see" the images you described (and others) while meditating.

What I have exprienced while doing Resh are similar fade in/fade out sensations and, sometimes, "twinkles" or pulses of light at different areas in the periphery of my vision. When I looked this up on webmd.com the suggestion was to call 911 or immediately head to the emergency room. Needless to say, I did not take their "medical" advice and I'm still alive and kicking.

I'm pretty convinced that it had everything to do with my diet and food/water intake or lack thereof at the time and nothing to do with life-threatening illness or stroke. I'm not saying you should not look into it medically. I just wanted to share my experience for the sake of a balanced perspective.

This may be a bit off your intended topic but I'm wondering if you are referring to the same Merkaba/Merkabah which Drunvalo Melchizedek discusses in his Flower of Life books. As far as I understand it the Merkaba is associated with the formation and strengthening of the star tetrahedron energy field, which is used to transport one's consciousness to "higher dimensions", through specific pranayama and meditative techniques. I've read different techniques on accomplishing this and none of them mention anything about the lion, calf/ox, man/cherub, eagle images from Ezekiel. Where/how would the images and the four cardinal points (2-dimensional) correspond on the star tetrahedron (3-dimensional)? Are there specific Thelemic rituals that accomplish this same goal in a different way than Melchizedek describes?

"The last thing good gurus want is others shaped in their image."

• J. Jennings (emphasis added)

So, is the method you use to enumerate English words accomplished with the following values?

A=1
B=2
C=3
D=4
E=5
F=6
G=7
H=8
I=9
J=10=1
K=11=2
L=12=3
M=13=4
N=14=5
O=15=6
P=16=7
Q=17=8
R=18=9
S=19=10=1
T=20=2
U=21=3
V=22=4
W=23=5
X=24=6
Y=25=7
Z=26=8

I couldn't agree more, Bryan. While I have thoroughly enjoyed reading each post (albeit, some time after they were originally posted) your words are the wise thirst-quenching water needed in this type of "fight fire with fire"-dominated discussion.

I find it interesting how, to me, some peoples' interpretations of things seem completely off-base. Then again, that's only my judgemental view and I, undoubtedly, come off as having misinterpreted things myself when judged from someone else's narrow viewpoint.

"We may have philosophy and science, criticism and culture in perfection... and still have no life in us" -H. Gwatkin

"Resistance to tyrants is obedience to God." -Thomas Jefferson

"If you cannot be present even in normal circumstances, such as when you are sitting alone in a room, walking in the woods, or listening to someone (or responding to an Internet message board post) then you certainly won't be able to stay conscious when something "goes wrong" or you are faced with difficult people or situations, with loss or the threat of loss (or the threat of losing an arguement). You will be taken over by a reaction, which ultimately is always some form of fear, and pulled into deep unconsciousness. Those challenges are your tests. Only the way in which you deal with them will show you and others where you are at as far as your state of consciousness is concerned, not how long you can sit with your eyes closed or what visions you see." -Eckhart Tolle [parentheses added]

“Indeed, there is truth in the Hebrew fable, that the knowledge of Good and Evil brings forth Death. To regain Innocence is to regain Eden. We must learn to live without the murderous consciousness that every breath we draw swells the sails which bear our frail vessels to the Port of the Grave. We must cast out Fear by Love; seeing that every Act is an Orgasm, their total issue cannot be but Birth. Also, Love is the law: thus every act must be Righteousness and Truth. By certain meditations this may be understood and established; and this ought to be done so thoroughly that we become unconscious of our Sanctification, for only then is Innocence made perfect. This state is, in fact, a necessary condition of any proper contemplation of what we are accustomed to consider the first task of the Aspirant, the solution of the question: “What is my True Will?” For until we become innocent, we are certain to try to judge our Will from the outside, whereas True Will should spring, a Fountain of Light, from within, and flow unchecked, seething with Love, into the Ocean of Life.” – The Master Therion, The Book of Thoth

“The law of the Lord Chancellor will not serve; the law-giver may be an epileptic camel-driver like Mohammed, a megalomaniac provincial upstart like Napoleon, or even an exile, three-parts learned, one-part crazy, an attic dweller in Soho, like Karl Marx. There is only one thing in common among such persons; they are all mad, that is, inspired. Nearly all primitive people possess this tradition, at least in a diluted form. They respect the wandering lunatic, for it may be that he is the messenger of the Most High. “This queer stranger? Let us entreat him kindly. It may be that we entertain an angel unawares.” -The Master Therion, The Book of Thoth

Does this not demonstrate that Liber Legis could not be calling us to literally and physically attack any/every stranger, striking them hard and low, so that he may prove his worth and if he is a king he will not be harmed??? That will catch you a court case very quickly. Trust me.

Call me a crazy hippie-commie-bastard or whatever. Call me a fool [Liber CCXX, II:59] if that is your Will. I must be a king because you can't hurt my feelings.

Although, I do fancy the idea of pecking at the eyes of Jesus and I'd totally flap my wings in the face of Mohammed if I had the chance.

I've come across multiple versions of what is claimed to be the English Qabalah Simplex floating around the Internet. Has this actually ever been done irrefutably? Is there an "official" EQS accepted and enlisted by TOT? If so, will someone point me in that direction?

"I would recommend, therefore (consistent with your above stated approach), that you schedule this on a fixed rhythm - once a week, every other week, once a month, whatever you find is necessary - on a particular point of the calendar or lunar cycle, and that you regard it as a firm date with a religious worship."

Is this approach something that could benefit a couple as well? What I'm referring to is the systematic scheduling of sex coupled with a religious worship on a calculated point of the calendar or lunar cycle.

Obviously this takes away from the spontaneity factor, which many women particularly enjoy.

There is so much to organize and keep track of! (I don't mean sexually, I'm talking TOT-wise) Should we be taking our fill of love as we will or fumbling around for our "sex journals" in order to see if it's the appropriate time for coitus???

I guess that notion of opposing forces constantly jockying for position in order to acheive that perfect delicate balance is the inherent structure of Liber Legis: Had! The Manifestation of Nuit and Nu! The hiding of Hadit culminating in the Reward of Ra Hoor Khut.

Has anyone ever able to attain that sublime merged state signified by the 6-pointed star (the red and blue triangels meeting) and remain there? Or are there only glimpses of this available? Is this life defined by the dance between the pillars as the very human personification of the ever-evolving Middle Pillar of Equilibrium? (Woo! L.A. Confidential!)

At a certain point the futility of it all overcomes me. Still, I see too many instances where caution and humility are encouraged:

"Yet, oh aspirant, let thy victories bring thee not Vanity, for with increase of Knowledge should come increase of Wisdom. He who knoweth little, thinketh he knoweth much; but he who knoweth much hath learned his own ignorance. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool, than of him.

"Be not hasty to condemn others; how knowest thou that in their place, thou couldst have resisted the temptation? And even were it so, why shouldest thou despise one who is weaker than thyself?

"Thou therefore who desirest Magical Gifts, be sure that thy soul is firm and steadfast; for it is by flattering thy weaknesses that the Weak Ones will gain power over thee. Humble thyself before they Self, yet fear neither man nor spirit. Fear is failure, and the forerunner of failure; and courage is the begining of virture."

One major issue I find confusing is that there seems to be this mixed message being “preached” in Liber Legis. On one hand you have, “Come forth, o children, under the stars, & take your fill of love! I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.” At the same time you find, “We have nothing with the outcast and the unfit: let them die in their misery. For they feel not. Compassion is the vice of kings: stamp down the wretched & the weak: this is the law of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world.” You find, “Love one another with burning hearts” as opposed to, “Mercy let be of: damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!”. It seems painfully obvious, despite what some clowns my like to think, that such passages are not condoning rampant murder, at least to me. Is this a display of the nature of dualism, an Eastern yin-yang thing or some Crowley mind-fuck? Interestingly enough, you often find people generally fall into one of the two broad categories when it comes to their personal interpretations of Thelema: “hippie“ or “hater“. Liber Legis even makes an effort to warn those who have ears to hear, “There is great danger in me; for who doth not understand these runes shall make a great miss.” Any more sage advice out there?

Do What Thou Wilt Shall Be The Whole Of The Law.

My initial impression of the Heruraha site was that there was way too much testosterone for my liking. Most of what I read was a lot of “male dominant monkey mother f@#kers” (for lack of a better term) doing their best at some verbal jousting. It got tiresome stepping back in time and wading through the halls of Anytown High School U.S.A. to gain some nugget of wisdom alluded to in the title of the post, three pages prior. So, I began analyzing the personalities of certain colorful enthusiastic posters to pass the time. Generally speaking, I found that it seems as if there are two prominent archetypes/personalities on this message board: [1] the “average” Thelemite (from which myriad sub-classifications can be made) and [2] the sadly misinformed, Pseudo-Pop Culture “Evil Satanist”; a lycanthropic wanna-be who still plots the revenge of some second grade slight which robbed him/her of his/her self-confidence.

Since the latter types are stereotypically less physically developed (abnormalities being the unfortunate exception) they often turn inward, training and focusing on the brain; the result being the usual “pompous windbag” who attempts to impose his/her own will on others through verbal intimidation and intellectual dominance. You know the type: constantly vomiting out random bits of information as to appear worldly and knowledgeable. They usually exude the casual attitude that they’ve “got it all figured out” and an array of cleverly crafted come-backs are often at-the-ready. It seems like these nerds of newfound power have already forgotten what it is like to be ridiculed and bullied, themselves. The oppressed has become the oppressor. They have become the personification of the very thing through which they undoubtedly suffered.

Being a hard-headed, know-it-all, verbally abusive bully is not only ignorant but pointless for anything other than ego gratification. Confirmed graduation from this drowsy state should be a prerequisite for temple initiation. It’s one thing to have a strong opinion from which you will not allow yourself to be moved without a fight. However, when it crosses the line and degrades into blatant disrespect and flat out name-calling, haven’t you lost hold of the message of Thelema? Is not Love the Law? If you agree with the tenet that “Every man and every woman is a star” then shouldn't we all strive to acknowledge the God within each other; that Divine Spark that is the heart of life in every star? **“All words are sacred and all prophets true; save only that they understand a little.” ** Therefore shouldn't everyone’s word be, at least, respected? I do also recognize that Do What Thou Wilt is The Whole of The Law. So, if it IS anyone’s true will simply to be an A$$h@le, let no one say nay. I guess.

At the same time, I believe that there shouldn’t be any gold standard or one “approved” way to do or interpret things. I just don’t understand the relentless compulsion to force your opinion on others. That is the ultimate losing battle. Once this is truly understood, you can relax and liberate the energy you have invested in perpetuating that paradigm. You won’t feel the need to constantly overcompensate for your perceived short-comings through arrogant abusive verbiage while safe in the comfy confines of your computer chair. Beer-goggles’ pesky cousin Internet-balls is probably often the contributor to many a late night Heruraha retort. In which case, Thelema could definitely benefit from an increased female presence. As a female friend of mine put it, ‘There are just way too many guys who are getting laid way too little with way too much time on their hands and they’re all arguing on that site.’ (Paraphrased) “Nor let the fools mistake love; for there are love and love”.

I’m just saying, enough with the “No. You’re wrong because I know THIS…” never ending arguments. They are completely ego-driven and most often pointless in multiple contexts. One viewpoint is that true strength is rarely abusive or oppressive. As Rumi wrote, Why boast of your strength? The same wind that can topple a tree, Caresses the grass. Strength can be having the courage and confidence to entirely express the True Self that you know is deep within but also successfully express it without, extending to all aspects of your life; in the darkness and in the light. Then again, maybe it is one’s true will to be dominant and oppressive? Who knows!? In the meantime, why not stop the bickering and stick to contributing to the community with constructive and mature exchanges and not dominating or distracting from the originally intended purpose for the website and message boards. It'll be good for your will, regardless.

Comments and criticism welcomed and encouraged.

Love Is The Law, Love Under Will.

I'm new to the LQS and Latin in general. I am aware that the letter V is used in place of U and pronounced as W in most cases. Vini Vidi Vici, correctly pronounced, sounding something like Weenie-Weedy-Weaky. This explains the omission of letters U and W from the LQS. I'm assuming that any hard K sounds will be given the value of the letter C? What about the letter J as in Deus Meumque Jus? Does one simply ignore the letter (like vowels in Hebrew) or should one give the value of the closest equivalent? I would guess Y could be substituted for the missing J but I think H could be another possibility. Am I totally off the mark?