by Frater Zephyros
"We are experiencing the initiation of the human race into a new level of consciousness, and that is a very terrifying experience. It does no good to turn and run from the terror of our darkness into light; we must sit it out: zazen. We must take our counsel from The Tibetan Book of the Dead and realize that these frightening projections of famines, economic disasters, ecological catastrophes, floods, earthquakes, and wars are all only the malevolent aspects of beneficent deities. If we sit and observe them, do not identify with them, but remember our Buddha-nature, we will not be dragged down by them into an incarnation of the hell they prefigure. If we run from them, we validate them; we give the projections the very psychic energy they need to overtake us. Then, as Jung has pointed out, the situation will happen outside as fate".
William Irwin Thompson, Evil and World Order
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
A general complaint made by some Thelemic instructors is that one should negate one's involvement in the lower astral plane and focus only on making contact with one's Holy Guardian Angel. That brings cause for consternation. By way of explanation, we first must note a few things. Dion Fortune in her work, brilliantly delineates the lower astral or electro-magnetic menstruum (as per Eliphas Levi) and its intimate though seemingly mystical connection to physical matter. For me this is the realm of Babalon as a lower expression of Nuit. Crowley recognized Fortune's brilliance in this regard; as well, Grant and Motta.
Our physical existence as Stars at liberty in matter…not trapped in matter…but doing our will amongst the living…is key to the Gnostic Renaissance that is the work of Liber AL. But of course, that's not all that AL is up to nor is Gnosis but half of the equation (I'll get back to that). The Physical Plane (Assiah) is as important as the highest spiritual plane (Atziluth) or to paraphrase Hermes Trismegistus: 'As above, so below'. I'm reminded of the verse in revelation that though mistranslated seems to say to bring the knowledge of John's revelation/visualization unto Asia and should probably read Assiah. I offer this as but a sidebar.
By virtue of this connection of the physical universe to the lower astral menstruum that formulates its shape, we are told to have a larger conception beyond our own individuality; the not-I that is Nuit (or Babalon in this case). And the Probationer of the A.'.A.'. is both directed to do follow all workings with an adoration unto Nuit and is directed specifically to banish the cursed religions of AL. Grant even writes of this; giving away the technique that the Probationer of the A.'.A.'. is directed to use to do this.
I told you I'd get back to the idea of Gnosis as half the equation. There is a difference between Asar Un Nefer and the Holy Guardian Angel. Asar Un Nefer is of course, 'myself made perfect'. And the Holy Guardian Angel is a seemingly distant, second self from a Vedantic point of view or even a praeter-human intelligence. The concept of praeter-human intelligence more than explains the existence of the Nephilim and the Sons of God. Remember, the Jews have the half…the historical connection that would continue to evolve through the ancient Gnostics and later the Rosicrucians (of which Crowley clearly indicates that Thelema is descendant).
The story of the Chaldean myth of Enlil and Enki is retold in the full Pyramid ritual that is partially revealed in the A.'.A.'.'s Liber Pyramidos and Liber Cadaveris…but clearly and fully delineated in Liber Mysteriorum. Crowley writes of Mysteriorum that it reveals to the Dominis Liminis (the next time in one's Magickal development after Zelator that the Aspirant is aligned with the center of the Tree-of-Life; though not specifically of Tiphareth and yet slightly above the intersection of Sameck and Peh), the full knowledge of Initiation. The full ritual is the full Pyramid ritual given unto the King of Egypt (and from which comes with Akhenaten to Israel as Akhenaten becomes Moses/Hermes/Melchizidek et al) at his initial journey to the Duat. This originates out of ancient Chaldea (and from which all the knowledge of the Stars or lower astral originates before the deluge). So Enlil and Enki become important in understanding the deepest roots of Thelema and the process of Initiation.
This lower astral and a fully reasoned comprehension of it (with reason itself being the quality that proves to us the existence of soul; indeed developing reason creates the soul…as per the works of Iamblichus, Plato et al) is part of the work of the outer college of the A.'.A.'.. It is why the Neophyte explores the astral plane and the Zelator masters the discipline of the body, mind and emotions. But on a not-I plane of thought, the caring for our planet is an important service unto Nuit ("Compassion is the vice of kings.") So the lower astral is important and should never be derided in instructing any Aspirant. Gnosis relegates itself only to the perfection of the individual that formulates the grade of Adeptus Minor (Within) and practices the formula of the Rosy Cross.
Adeptus Minor (Without) is the communication or Knowledge & Conversation of The Holy Guardian Angel. Crowley said that the phrase 'Holy Guardian Angel' is so ridiculous but makes apparent what he's trying to communicate. And he was never sure whether or not Aiwass was a praeter-human intelligence or his Holy Guardian Angel. It seems apparent that there's no difference. What he makes clear here is that full Adepthood is complete with both Asar un Nefer and The Holy Guardian Angel. The Holy Guardian Angel is perhaps, of the race of praeter-human intelligences (the Pleroma if you will) sometimes also referred to as the Secret Chiefs or Hidden Mahatmas. This race is that from which Enlil (Ialdabaoth) and Enki (Ra-Hoor-Khuit) as well as the Nephilim (or Theomorphs) belong to.
The Theists have taken the religions of all the great prophets throughout human history and perverted them by changing the message after the prophet has left the scene (so to speak). They are of the influence of Enlil who sought to destroy the human race in the Chaldean deluge myth. This is the demiurge of Gnosticism that seeks to control the human race by destroying one's self-awareness of one's true starry nature, ideas about which can be traced back to Chaldean times. The 'Messiah' of these ancient Gnostics was Enki or Ra-hoor-khuit of Liber AL. But its not this Christist Messiah that has a scarecrow Jesus (who's eyes are pecked out by Ra-Hoor-Khuit as he is a blind god), dying on a cross for our sins. But is the very L.V.X. itself or the Khabs (Hadit). In Christism, the idea of Messiah becomes this person that's going to save our Khabs…we ourselves are both at liberty and responsible for doing this.
But on the larger plane of that lower astral…composed of these Stars as Hadits (and of course forming the fabric of Nuit in its highest expression) we have shall we say, the 'civic' duty of the Rosicrucian, whom always wears the robe of his countrymen. That doesn't mean just hide yourself inside the culture of your society with the fourth power of the Sphinx teaching you to be Silent. But involve yourself in your responsibility to the world in which you live (as per Hindu Brahmanic instruction as well)…light doing its will amongst the living and not trapped but liberated in matter. That's why the arts and politics and human letters as well as the economy and war and raising a family and working a job are all so important.
So we have both the responsibility of our Aspiration unto the Knowledge & Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel and the perfection of ourselves or Asar Un Nefer. And note, the Angel speaks only to the 'Perfecti'…not unto the lower ego. But that lower ego being of this world is such that it is transformed in the Chemical Wedding…at least on the plane of Assiah. Yetzirah is a whole other design. The other Aspiration again is Asar Un Nefer within the fabric of Nuit without whom the attainment of Asar Un Nefer is even possible.
Yet Ra-Hoor-Khuit, this union of Nuit and Hadit, Sky and Earth, calls for this Initiation by way of bloodshed (Cf. Crowley's notes on the formula of Cheth and the Chariot Atu) as ecstatic union, a Eucharist. This war of competing Christist ideologies or WWIII is yet another in a series of wars and bloodshed (as per the Tower Atu) that shows the process of the bloody sacrifice, which pervades this Aeon unto the Aeon of Maat. That is why Liber AL is in a sense 'The Third Testament'. As the second testament of the Gnostics was perverted by Council of Nicea and the Roman Patriarchs…and as the first testament was perverted by the Rabbinical Egyptians. Aiwass comes to reveal it again and in a way suitable for the time in which it is being heard. And he does try to prevent its perversion with the command of changing not so much as the style of a letter.
"Now let it be first understood that I am a god of War and of Vengeance. I shall deal hardly with them." AL III.3
But Thelema has devolved and seems to have succumb to the Christist egregore of the Theists. This is what Motta was trying to warn us about. It explains what seems to many as his quite mad behavior. Now, I'm not trying to fully vouchsafe for him with some of the things he's written and done. But his actions can be interpreted as an attempt to thwart and get around a very subtle energy…Ialdabaoth or the demiurge. Ialdabaoth is still apparently quite clever; so much so that Ra-Hoor-Khuit manipulates these wars to shake up and destroy Theism and its superstitions by overthrowing the false kings of this earth. This is that love that we know nothing about as per Liber Cheth, vs. 20.
In the outer world and in the 'here and now', we are at war…Americans and Rosicrucians as much as we are Thelemites. It is our civic duty act as patriots. But as Rosicrucians, we have to point out the true and subtle nature of this war for 'those who have ears'. My amazement comes when seemingly no Thelemite can come to understand this. And any call I have for war not only falls on deaf ears…but like Motta, there's this knee-jerk reaction that pins me down as carrying ignoble intent. And this is caused by this fascistic political correctness ('PC') that we've conditioned into our psyche on a social level, which is of course characteristically subtle; seeming quite clearly like the work of the demiurge.
As a final note, this all makes sense when you consider the fact that there does exist a praeter-human race of beings and recognize their hand in human events. If you fail to consider this, you fail to fully understand the dynamic and ontological nature of human events in the present and are blinded by ignorance. Liber CCXXXI clearly shows both sides of the coin…Enlil's hierarchy and Enki's hierarchy. Full comprehension of this is the breaking of the seals and having once again access to the Tree-of-Knowledge (of good and evil) with the subsequent access to the Tree-of-Life (Immortality!).
In fact we live in an astral menstruum of hierarchically ordered intelligences the connection to which has been obscured by the teachings of Theists promising some vague notion of salvation (using fear tactics and other discordant affronts to the psyche) in return for worshipping them as they ceaselessly enslave us spiritually and materially. To achieve both the Asar Un Nefer and the Knowledge & Conversation of Thine Holy Guardian Angel, we must first spurn the teachings of these Christists. This is why Ra-Hoor-Khuit pecks at the eyes of Jesus as he hangs upon the cross and flaps his wings in the face of Mohammed. This is why he tears out the flesh of the Indian, Buddhist, Mongol and Din.
We as individuals are war engines, which produce a noetic energy that in its unrefined state (the first matter of the Alchemists) becomes by collectively, an egregore composing this demiurgic God, which then of course, continues to reproduce itself. The method of Alchemy is to enable us to take control of this process and refine the L.V.X. within us that we may fully partake in our true and starry nature. Indeed, in order to converse with our Holy Guardian Angels, we must first become our true selves as that is the only self that has the ability to make contact. We have this birth right but it is not guaranteed unless we take the responsibility to work for it; it only exists only as potential within us as a seed that we need learn how to germinate and nurture.
By bringing to the table the raw personality, that self righteous 'do what you want' that so many Thelemites practice in their decadent behaviors, one can only succeed in manufacturing qliphotic devils. It is why the central teaching of Hermes Trismegistus is 'Know Thyself'. This defies the self-indulgence that so many Thelemites mistake for the 'Great Work'. How sad it is to see even some Thelemites now proclaiming: "Do what you like, like what you do." Yes, the enemy is within as well as without.
Patrizia Norelli-Bachelet speaks poignantly to the necessity of war:
"Destruction and violence are necessary because the spiritual part of its being on a collective and individual scale has rejected the Earth, and as far as the planet is concerned, the way of sleep and escape has been preferred. This has created an imbalance of power, the result of which is a breakdown in the rhythm of evolution. The movement is 'out of time', as it were. In order to bring it back into time the process of destruction has become the only known way. There is a discrepancy with Time, which is the motor of the evolution, and in order to accelerate the march an explosive process becomes necessary to keep the movement within a certain harmony and rhythm. it is, in fact, a question of harmonization. When there is a disturbance of the balance, a disharmony that threatens to swing the scales of the planet's evolutionary equilibrium definitely in a direction which will throw it into complete imbalance, a means of rectification is required and destruction serves this purpose, with its issue of violence and waste. The best known of these methods is war. Large scale war is the outcome of a gap in the time rhythm, a sleep of certain energies, creating disunity and separation within the total movement. To restore the aspect of wholeness, though this be only for brief intervals, a violent measure is necessary. And then Mother Nature makes use of some insxturments upon Earth for this purpose–to carry out her designs."
Addendum 4-11-03ev:
It is sad to see several supposedly Thelemic bodies having set up their websites in opposition to the War in Iraq. Horus is a god of war and vengeance. And the toppling of a brutal dictator even worse than Hitler is part of the 'Manifest Destiny' of the United States of America. This Aeon of Horus is about War and despite other reasons that one might suspect is the actual intent of the Bush Administration, they don't necessarily see the forces acting behind and through them.
Not only have these Thelemics showed an ignorance of history, even though one of these websites is devoted to the history of the Western Mystery Tradition, but they show their knee-jerk, Hippie colors as infantile as these fools even were in the 60s and 70s. The Earth herself has called for this War (WWIII) as a rooting-out of the weak as per Crowley's commentaries to Liber AL vel Legis. The serious Student is referred to Crowley's novel: Moonchild for more on this. And to these Thelemics, we give the collective sigh: Oi Veh!
Love is the law, love under will.