A Note on the Value of the Study of Astrology for the Neophyte as it expands Consciousness to the Astral Level

by Frater Zephyros

Using Egyptian Dynasties as a summation of the ancient Mesopotamian region that was also known as the 'Fertile Crescent'; that was home to the civilizations of Babylon, Chaldea and Sumeria, we observe the acceptance of the idea that the earth was the place of immortality and the ‘Afterlife’. There were several levels to this singular plane revealed by their acceptance of the theory of the Astral Double; referred to as Ba and Ka. And so the 'Astral Plane' is seen as being intimately fused with the apparent reality of the physical or material plane. This of course, was the exclusive domain of the priestly and royal classes; being in modern terms the Adepts of our Order.

The Greco-Roman period that would later follow had on the other hand, Olympus and Heaven along with Hades & Hell; without the idea of any Astral Plane by theorizing the resurrection of the physical body. During the Aeon of Pisces man was limited to this earthy perspective by inheriting the Greco-Roman current and incorporating it into a political Christianity. And while Astrology-Astronomy began in the hey day of the Mesopotamian period; being 600 years before inauguration of the Aeon of Pisces (or at least as seen by the calendar of the resulting Christist heresy), humanity still relied on terrestrial points of reference for the foundation of their physical and metaphysical sciences. This continued even though by this time, Astrology would now be an highly evolved and well accepted practice.

The Middle Ages, with all its emerging sciences, could be said to be an amalgamation of European, Arabic and Eastern research as it would culminate in the Renaissance (which focused on the surviving remnants of the Greco-Roman period). The Renaissance clearly proves to be the resurrection of a culture that had all but died after the fall of Rome. And even here, the points of reference for immortality were still earth-bound; being based within the Christian current that was the sole, predominant expression of the Piscean formula. But the Astral Menstruum was theorized by the inner school of Adepts, along with other such mysterious energies, such as electricity and magnetism as postulated by Eliphas Levi in the 19th century ev and even much later into the present aeon, by Mezmer and Tesla.

In the Age of Horus, Crowley opened the field of vision through the mediumship of Aiwass. The initial contact is Nuit—Infinite Space and the Infinite Stars thereof. Much of this would be validated by the scientific community with the theories of Albert Einstein. And Crowley's scientific observations of the Astral Plane (along with those of the Golden Dawn) form the core of modern thought on the subject. Even Frater Achad and Kenneth Grant have developed theories of extra-terrestrial planes that are somehow validated by grimoires such as the Necronomicon and various workings by Crowley (Amalantra, Abuldiz, et al). As well, the work of artists from Arthur Rimbaud and Charles Baudelaire to Jim Morrison and Patti Smith and even the unique work of Austin Osman Spare, Carlos Cansteneda and Madame Helena Petrovna Blavatsky can somehow make this area of investigation quite compelling.

Indeed, the terrestrial paradigm has been transcended with the suspected uncertainty of a possible immortality of the human soul. Crowley and Marcelo Motta would deliberate the very mysterious process of actual, physical death. The soul is described as an aggregate component of spiritual atoms that must be congealed (the work of the Adept) to prevent the dispersion upon death of its various elements. And the first step in this very special or 'Great Work' is to master the Astral Menstruum with an Aspiration to this most sacred Alchemy. This is indeed, the focus of the Neophyte.

With this in mind, note that Liber AL is commonly interpreted to contain the prophecy which describes the Aeon of Horus as an age of bloodshed and vengeance; blood being an essential ingredient in the Alchemical formula of the 'integration' of the elements of the soul. This important evolutionary achievement results in the ability to communicate with that most essential praeter-human agent, known as the Holy Guardian Angel. Only Ra-Hoor-Khuit (known in the old aeon as Asar-Un-Nefer or 'myself made perfect') has this unique capacity. And even then such communication is ordained by virtue of a grace that descends from 'above'!…the greater astral universe then, is known Qabalistically as the 'Macroprosopus'.

And on another level, the Age of Horus can be said to be a purging in a sort of Darwinian evolutionary process that releases humanity from the bondage of what can now be said to be the 'restriction' of the Piscean Age. A good interpretation of this seems to be in the discerning between going with or against the ‘Astral Tide’ that is influencing and merging with human consciousness as it sweeps over the surface of the Earth. These are the brushings of the wings of the avatar of the human race that is the greater, collective Holy Guardian Angel; known as Aiwaz. This is indeed the initiation that is the arousal of astral consciousness in the psyche of humanity; eventually, as an whole. From this vantage-point are other even more subtle realms of consciousness possible.

The Probationer proceeds from Malkuth principally, along the path of Tav—the Universe of which man first gained apprehension by viewing the night sky. When walking one day, a certain Aspirant had a vision by which every planet in the sky could be directly felt by him. And he felt as if he could draw an accurate chart of the sky—so strong did this connection with these planets seem to him. It was as if for a moment, he had woken from a dream having until then been so immersed in the elemental world of Malkuth; just barely beyond mundane reality. It was viewed as no less than the complete immersion of consciousness on the astral plane while simultaneously being fully functional on the material plane.

Of course, there were ordeals that created great trials that are so well explained by the working theory of the astral entity known as the 'Vampire' and taught in the program of our Order. This Aspirant being male, has had no problem interpreting Crowley 's theory of the Vampire appearing as a woman and is quite impressed by Grant's investigation of the Tunnels of Set which involves the Carcer Atus of Liber CCXXXI. However, the work is still onesided when considering the need to integrate the Cancer Atus into this system. Yet, a comparable theory for the female needs to be investiged; which strongly suggests that there is so more research needed, and aso much more theurgy in the creative and living Magick that is known as Thelema.