hadgigegenraum: "Israel Regardie had a hand in The Vision and the Voice footnotes..."
As IR was AC's secretary from 1928 to 1932, my guesstimate is that (most of?) the notes (and comments) to The Vision & the Voice were added that late.
@wellreadwellbred Regardie was ordered to make a typescript of AC's comments and footnotes done in Cefalu, so those would have been written between 1920 and 1923. Unfortunately in Regardie's Sangreal Edition of 1972 it is not very clear (if at all) which comments and footnotes are AC's or Regardie's, or as he himself puts it: "All I am attempting here is to take such comments as Crowley has already written and elaborate them somewhat...". I therefore strongly recommend the Equinox Vol. IV No.2 for the commentaries on TVATV.
Yes, but with respect to his Thelema, in his most important book for it, AC does not claim himself only to be the 'conduit' via which, "... is all power given (BOTL 1:15.).", but simultaneously includes "his [replaceable] woman called the Scarlet Woman ... (BOTL 1:15.)".
Yes, yes, and okay. And what did he do with this all power that was given?
Everybody, after age 13 and before 65-85, is obsessed with sex, to a certain extent. Except for professional pornography writers, and probably all the gynecologists, AC is/was the most prolific writer on sexual matters that I ever encountered. Of course, as a magician, it was his duty to break up the Victorian sexual repression stuff. Okay. I have no problem with that.
But then he drifts into Sex and the Path of Liberation, etc. He claims that the reproductive organs and procedures are inextricably bound up a relationship with the Will. Well, yes, the is also true - according to Oriental Medicine. This zone is subject to speculation and rumor, as well.
Then he goes too far (in my opinion) and proclaims that the Ordo Templi has the ultimate, intimate, secret of Magick and the Brotherhood of Man. Uh-huh.
It is my conclusion, based on experience that well exceeds the timespan of AC's sexual career (and armed with the same "secret" that he proclaimed - while simultaneously occulting it) that Mr Crowley was endowed by God, or the genetic lottery, with excessive testosterone, and that this influenced his presentation of the mysteries to lean a bit toward hedonism.
She is seductive and deadly, being the Disturber of the Total Equilibrium of the Absolute Zero, which considered as a positive Idea, is Existence in perfect Peace, an immutable Essence. But He cannot truly exist without Her; and through Her therefore comes Change, which is Love and Death."
Right. Such an opinion justifies Perdurabo's point-of-view. There are other viewpoints.
Alice Bailey makes it very clear that the true sexual union is between the initiate and the Solar Angel [HGA].
Dr Jung tells us that we gotta get synced with our Anima [Animus for the girls], and that this "entity" [HGA] is always of opposite polarity.
Some traditions, including certain entries in 777, do not mention any feminie figure, but cite Saturn. Saturn is said to "eat his children." How disgusting. But how "devouring," as in Babalon who "drinks the blood of the Saints."
Frater Shiva sums all this up by saying, Oh Poo! These are all MODELS and METAPHORS that describe the dissolution of the separate self. Um, this is the goal of ALL our endeavors on The Path. Each description is based on what the founder of the concept experienced in his/her visions. NONE of them will be what you (anyone else) experiences as you (anyone) dissolve.
Period.
Oh, yeah. The journey isn't over one Saturn eats you, or Babalon drinks your blood (gory metaphors - this Shinola does not necessarily happen as described). There is still the Higher Self that requires extinction, which comes about at the period, the dot, the pointy "crown."
Yeah, that illusion must go away, too. But at this "highr" level, eating and drinking of your (anyone's) essence is set aside in favor of "dissolving in ecstasy," or "entering nirvana," or "How shall he destroy himself?" (Liber B). External, Saturnal, Babalonic figures are replaced with states such as Atmadarshana ("vision of God, face-to-face") and Shivatmadarshana ("vision of God is seen as illusion").
Now we (me and anyone else) are getting somewhere (nowhere?). The point is, Babalon, Saturn, and Baleniaga are all subjective manifestations. If your results do not vary, you are simply having a copycat experience - a good step forward, but not the end.
The End
You have inspired me to read Israel Regardie's 777 and other Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley.
Regardie just did a reprint of 777. Any version will do. Regardies "other" writings help to beef up the concept(s). However, the requirement is to memorize the Tables of 777. Of course, a Student (pre 0=0) would only need to read the stuff.
Crowley's 777
Let us be perfectly clear, here at the foundation level - in the basement, so to speak. 777 was Allan Bennett's work. Crowley gives him full credit, saying he wrote down 777 90% from memory (as taught to him by Bennett).
Much can be missed or simply not understood, given a systematic lack of instruction.
There is no systemic instruction at the higher levels. This stuff is so completely subjective that we see why Therion wanted everybody to cut their own way through the jungle. There is no "one size fits all" in practice or in interpretation.
Let us be perfectly clear, here at the foundation level - in the basement, so to speak. 777 was Allan Bennett's work. Crowley gives him full credit, saying he wrote down 777 90% from memory (as taught to him by Bennett).
I had heard of Allan Bennett from my readings on and about Crowley, I knew Crowley had visited Bennett in Ceylon, and that he was a practicing Buddhist. But until now, I did not realize how much Crowley was indebted to him and his teaching. Another layer is added.
toadstoolwe: "... I did not realize how much Crowley was indebted to him and his teaching."
Yes, among the three "Immortal Memories" Crowley's Confessions is dedicated to, is "Allan Bennett, who did what he could".
I feel like I'm dying.
Slowly.
I watched the world cup. It was carnal.
The thing is
Time.
All these things we talk about are in a way also fleeting because they are ideas in our heads.
Who says how long an idea will hold or last?
Is there something beyond pure objectianism?
Maybe the Abyss
All ideas are suspect and perhaps all emotions are too, therefore.
At ease
the_real_simon_iff: "I [...] strongly recommend the Equinox Vol. IV No.2 for the commentaries on TVATV."
Interesting, the_real_simon_iff, thanks.
I feel like I'm dying.
Slowly.
Your perception is correct.
You are dying. We all are.
Congrats on doing it slowly. We should all be so lucky.
Cheerfully yours,
ignant
I feel like I'm dying ... Slowly ..... The thing is ... Time.
Yes, we have been discussing that. You will be pleased to know that time compression is in effect. Faster and faster. You are dying more rapidly every hour.
Is there something beyond pure objectianism? Maybe the Abyss
Yes and yes.
All ideas are suspect and perhaps all emotions are too, therefore.
Your searching ramble comes to a fine conclusion.
Your perception is correct. You are dying. We all are.
In Oriental Medicine, a new-born baby is considered "Pure Yang." because it has nothing but growth ahead of it. After a year or two, it puts on weight (yin) and gains some knowledge (mostly yin). It is no longer"Pure Yang," and it has accumulated Yin (substance.
This goes on 'til mid-point (about 40), and then the tipping point is passed, and Yin Preponderates. Ageing and dying begin to accelerate.
At the far end of the spectrum, Yin really preponderates. A substantial, heavy body of Yin (Earth) is left, but the Yang (Heaven) has fled the coop.
Preponderance of Yin is not a "good" thing, so the hard-working common Chinese go out of their way to avoid Yinning and always chose the Yangly way.
"Gimme more Yang" they say
no different than Cali-forn-i-A
learn the 777 stuff first - that way you'll have common ground with everybody else who did this. Then be prepared to "build your own QBL" as Perdurabo told us must be done. Then Dr Jung's advice comes into play.
Exactly! Correspondence lists are there to teach the initiate how to make their own alignments.
While playing this game, it is generally unwise to "build your own QBL" and then reveal it publickly as a breakthrough.
Because it's YOUR system, for YOU. At best, it can help someone else find their own, but it's not universally valid.
Of course, anyone having proof of some kind, other than number juggling, may disregard any hesitancy - let the herald toot the trumpet.
UPG or SPG become VPG
Pardon me for agitating your feminine sensibilities, but AC wrote that a woman could not become a Magus
Maybe some day I'll get to prove him wrong. 😀
This quote is also similarly overlooke a lot.
I've noticed.
Everybody, after age 13 and before 65-85, is obsessed with sex, to a certain extent.
No comment 😉
Then he goes too far (in my opinion) and proclaims that the Ordo Templi has the ultimate, intimate, secret of Magick and the Brotherhood of Man
And yet multiple others were working with sex magick at the same time, partly due to the spread of PB Randolph's works.
that this influenced his presentation of the mysteries to lean a bit toward hedonism.
I see nothing wrong with that as long as it's directed towards practical ends. Indulgence can be a powerful too, but not a good master.
But He cannot truly exist without Her; and through Her therefore comes Change, which is Love and Death."
Sadly, though, too many people only pay token service to this idea and tend to view Babalon as more like the spiritual equivalent of an inflatable doll.
Alice Bailey makes it very clear that the true sexual union is between the initiate and the Solar Angel [HGA].
Ultimately, that is indeed true from an initiatory perspective
Saturn is said to "eat his children." How disgusting. But how "devouring," as in Babalon who "drinks the blood of the Saints."
Kali devours her children too. And the Abyss devours its babes. The orgasm is the little death. Meditation exposes the mind to nothingness, and the corrosive waters of alchemy devour. The womb is the tomb.
There is still the Higher Self that requires extinction, which comes about at the period, the dot, the pointy "crown."
Is it not ultimately a construct as well? Ultimately Daemonic Integration involves the dissolution of the distinction of the daemon as something separate.
At least according to my own limited understanding.
If your results do not vary, you are simply having a copycat experience - a good step forward, but not the end.
Exactly! Follow Crowley's map exactly only if you want to be Crowley. Personally, I think that's a rather sad goal.
UPG or SPG become VPG
I recently saw a Facebook which asked if Liber AL was UPG. Now, the first time I ever encountered the term "UPG" was here, with a post from Katrice. It's not a term I use, myself-and I tend to feel that (as the Lotus Sutra states) the Wisdom of the Buddhas can only be understood between Buddhas. This is a bit different than "UPG" becoming "VPG." It's not verified...it's not confirmed...it's recognized. And if my Buddha-being recognizes an expression of YOUR Buddha-being, this is no satisfactory demonstration to any single person outside that awareness.
But the question re: AL is worth discussing. Aside from AL rephrasing axioms which were set forward beforehand and number-noodlers coming up to "demonstrate" some encoded content indicative of a higher and discarnate intelligence, is AL, over a century later, just UPG, the coattails of which sundry souls have ridden for the sake of personal gain or the bolstering of ego?
Now, the first time I ever encountered the term "UPG" was here, with a post from Katrice. It's not a term I use, myself-and I tend to feel that (as the Lotus Sutra states) the Wisdom of the Buddhas can only be understood between Buddhas.
In all fairness, "UPG" tends to get used as a derogatory term, when it's not really meant to be. It only means that something is subjectively relevant to that individual and those who connect with it. It's not necessarily to make the gnosis invalid, it's just to put the gnosis in to perspective.
But could you make the case that other people have connected with Thelemic symbols and ideas without having been previously familiar with them? In that case, Thelema becomes SPG.
[some folks ... tend to view Babalon as more like the spiritual equivalent of an inflatable doll.
These folks have a "view." It is based on their imagination, and not on any face-to-face contact on the higher plane. The same may be said of Nuit, Enochial Angels, and the HGA.
Is it not ultimately a construct as well?
Um, yes. I went on to mention Shivatmadarshana, which dissolves the Crown (Atma - Hadit - Aiwass - etc) in some cosmic acid called Nothing.
Did Aleister Crowley ever discuss Einstein's Theory of Relativity? The faster we go, the slower time passes. I am no physicist, but the idea of bending the fabric of space and time is very appealing. Magic(K) is in a sense bending the same laws of nature.Yes, we have been discussing that. You will be pleased to know that time compression is in effect. Faster and faster. You are dying more rapidly every hour.
These folks have a "view." It is based on their imagination, and not on any face-to-face contact on the higher plane. The same may be said of Nuit, Enochial Angels, and the HGA.
Indeed, and the lack of direct contact shows. But a lot of people are attracted to Thelema as an excuse for empty indulgence in the name of religion.
Babalon is the Thelemic Mahavidya. She would fit right in with the other 10.
Um, yes. I went on to mention Shivatmadarshana, which dissolves the Crown (Atma - Hadit - Aiwass - etc) in some cosmic acid called Nothing.
I had meant that as kind of a rhetorical question. 😀
toadstoolwe: "Did Aleister Crowley ever discuss Einstein's Theory of Relativity?"
Not as far as I know.
toadstoolwe: "I am no physicist, but the idea of bending the fabric of space and time is very appealing. Magic(K) is in a sense bending the same laws of nature."
AC's Thelema is not about bending the laws of nature, to the contrary, it is more about adjusting one self in accordance with 'the laws of nature'.
With respect to more knowledge about AC's Thelema, you might find it useful to make yourself familiar with how many cards, (for example his Adjustment card verus the Rider-Waite Tarot deck's Justice card), have been amended in his Thoth tarot deck, to reflect the new era he claimed was instigated by it:
"... [Aleister Crowley's] Thoth Tarot is a visual representation of the Law of Thelema, and many cards have been amended to reflect the New Aeon. For example, Crowley concluded that Justice was purely a human invention, and did not accurately define the universal law of equilibrium."
( Source: Difference between Crowley's renamed cards and their Rider-Waite counterparts. - - - https://www.tarotforum.net/threads/difference-between-crowleys-renamed-cards-and-their-rider-waite-counterparts.231909/ )
"... to bend them [= other individuals] to your will.", and "... to bend the world to your will.", misunderstood as the purpose of the magick within AC's Thelema, underlies the TV series Strange Angel where a Thelemite is featured in a major Hollywood production:
( Source: Strange Angel - - - https://www.lashtal.com/forums/recommendations/strange-angel/ )
... to bend them [= other individuals] to your will.", and "... to bend the world to your will."
The Final Secret of the Illuminati
The mundane bankrolled one, not the inner journey.
misunderstood as the purpose of the magick within AC's Thelema, underlies the TV series Strange Angel ...
There is always the perverted view of the inner path by the outer crowd. This is because all things are subject to one's perception, and the crowd - if they had Magickal Power - would bend everyone to their Will wishes.
I herewith furnish Exhibit W = w as proof of this concept ...
https://mega.nz/file/1RBhiC6B#rgHzxbdCPlE7_Qsvl4mjWRErqdUwHbVYqlcUaJbjS_E
I have bolded the paragraph on pg 1 (of three) that pertains to proving some people are tie-rants. Pg 2 simply lists The Hierarchy of The Black lodge, as presented in the main text, which is not included, so some things will certainly be out-of-context, but you (any person) may be sure to get the picture. Pg 3 is merely vague reference material.
AC's Thelema is not about bending the laws of nature, to the contrary, it is more about adjusting one self in accordance with 'the laws of nature'.
Yes, you are correct. (After giving it some thought, even the theoretical phenomenon of bending the space-time fabric can only occur in accordance with the laws of nature. I notice you put quotation mark around the sentence the Law of nature, is that merely being grammatically correct, or are you casting doubt on the concept of The Law of Nature" If so, I would enjoy reading what you have to say on the concept as it relates to "Magic(K)".
"... [Aleister Crowley's] Thoth Tarot is a visual representation of the Law of Thelema, and many cards have been amended to reflect the New Aeon. For example, Crowley concluded that Justice was purely a human invention, and did not accurately define the universal law of equilibrium."
I agree. Doing a reading using the Thoth Tarot deck, as well as reading from Crowley's companion book The Book of Thoth is a time-consuming but rewarding experience. (Sometimes I get so caught up in reading his commentary on a particular card, I forget why I was reading the deck in the first place.) I guess Crowley wants us to use his cards for instruction, not as an oracle.
toadstoolwe: "I guess Crowley wants us to use his cards for instruction, not as an oracle."
Both, I guess:
"The Tarot [...] was designed as a practical instrument for Qabalistic calculations and for divination. [...]
[But AC also gives this warning:]
The abuse of divination has been responsible, more than any other cause, for the discredit into which the whole subject of Magick had fallen when the Master Therion undertook the task of its re habilitation. Those who neglect his warnings, and profane the Sanctuary of Transcendental Art, have no other than themselves to blame for the formidable and irremediable disasters which infallibly will destroy them. Prospero is Shakespeare's reply to Dr. Faustus."
(Source: Aleister Crowley's The Book of Thoth.)
I guess Crowley wants us to use his cards for instruction, not as an oracle.
The Atu and their associated lesser cards are suitable for divination as well as a guide to The Mysteries of the Path. The aspirant is required to pass muster in Divination, the Task of the Mooney Path, before being admitted to Netzach 4=7.
The Book of Thoth is indeed a tour of The Mysteries - hardly designed as a Divination Guide Book, which is like a Dream Interpretation text.
Note: Dreams and Divining are not being "interpreted" by consulting external texts. However, where else is one to start? Hopefully, after a short period, one will begin to get glimpses of direct perception. Not long after that, one doesn't need any texts or anything else - the message is right there in what one is seeing in the cards. There is no instruction as to how to do this, anywhere.
@shiva Admittedly I have not consulted the cards for quite a spell. It takes practice and repetition to study the images in the cards and the reading and re-reading the companion book. But you're right, eventually you will simple KNOW what the cards are trying to tell you. I did some digging, "resurrecting" as you call it and I found that lashtal had a discussion of the Book of Thoth and the significance of HRU. On a personal note, I use tobacco as Crowley wrote, it is the perfect incense for doing work.
The abuse of divination has been responsible, more than any other cause, for the discredit into which the whole subject of Magick had fallen when the Master Therion undertook the task of its re habilitation. Those who neglect his warnings, and profane the Sanctuary of Transcendental Art, have no other than themselves to blame for the formidable and irremediable disasters which infallibly will destroy them. Prospero is Shakespeare's reply to Dr. Faustus."
Excellent point. Marlowe's Tragical History of Dr. Faustus was published some 20 years before Shakespeare's The Tempest. Over weaning ambition is the downfall of any magician.
I like where this is going, Marlow and Shakespeare... I have been dabbling in Shadowplay, Claire Asquith's title to what she subtitles "The Hidden Beliefs and Coded Politics of William Shakespeare."which provides an interesting historical positioning of the plays of Shakespeare relative to the destruction of "merry olde England", an that Shakespeare represented actually a certain collective, to which through the theater a certain attempt was made to combat certain evils that had come to play, and thus through the plays, those engaged in such production and under guard of guise, did enter by metaphor and in the sense of multiple, stages of engagement, the mind into something intended to deal with the real world not entertainment, and when entertainment, well yes the full blast
Thus cheers to all stay warm and unto the Solstice Enjoy the long nights tour
@hadgigegenraum Thanks for the tip about Shadow play, I found an online edition on Internet Archive, it looks very interesting, and I will definitely be delving into it. I am always on the lookout for books suggested by the members of LashtaL. I haven't been given a bum steer yet.
It takes practice and repetition to study the images in the cards and the reading and re-reading the companion book.
Yes, it does. Doing the Work, as it is said and repeated, endlessly, without ebd. It is impossible to skip this (study) stage, unless be a natural clairvoyant. Once this tedious stage is pretty much fully completed, here is one way in which the reading may go ...
One no longer looks at a (any) card, no longer scanning the swords, crowns, lightning bolts, numbers, and people, but rather groking the whole impression while maintaining a link with the querant or situation under consideration, and simultaneously allowing the position of the card (past, future, goals, etc) to influence the result. That's three perspectives, dimensions, or reference points that must be merged into the single resulting picture that appears on the card. What result? How?
The result is that the card changes its focus, structure, and meaning, and the swami guru fortune-teller clairvoyant reader sees, instead of the Baphomet Devil Goat ... a mean male figure wielding a whip, and the swami says, "I see you were physically abused by your father," and the client's jaw drops as she says, "Well, yes - but how could you know that?"
This does not mean that Atu XV should be put in an Interpretation Guide with a nation reading "child abuse," because the next time, with a different client, Atu XV might well produce an image of a grumpy man who gives gold coins, without pain or persecution.
That's the way it's done, when one uses the wu-wei method of reading cards. It should be noted that the shift in the image is subtle (sometimes it is boisterously loud), and it is accompanied by an awareness of the shift. It is similar to passing from dharana to dhyana, except there is no flash of light ... and there is no click such as is heard upon exiting the physical body and entering the astral (the so-called pineal click).
No, neti-neti, none of these flash-bang indicators. Just a gentle fusion of 3 concepts (scene, querant, position), and the card changes to your perception, your inner vision. The "meaning" of the vision is always clear - do not muddle it by thinking of correspondences or by consulting some text. Just blurt it out, immediately, without restraint.
"Ooh, he's rally good at card-reading."
It might be noted that AC did not have a lot of diary readings that read: "Tarot Divination." No, but he immediately cast natal charts for any newcomer (even though he generally bunked astro), and his record leaves a long trail of Yi King inquiries (obviously his favorite format).
@shiva what do you call some one who doesn't care about divining anything and just goes with the flow?
A flower. Lol
what do you call some one who doesn't care about divining anything and just goes with the flow?
A person who will never get a parchment with "4=7" on it.
In an other paradigmatical visual adjustment (point-of-view):
A Flower Childe ain't no Fortune-teller
@shiva Time for me to dust-off the tarot cards and get back into the practice.
The Thoth Deck is one of Crowley's greatest workings, the Thelemic paradigm condensed in to a series of images.
I'd recommend Duqette's book on the Thoth deck, doing at least some kind of reading with them every day, and also pathworking through the entire deck. Let the cards teach you as much as they can on their own. Also remember that, like with books like 777, the established interpretations are just a base from which to discover your own.
@katrice While I appreciate the suggestion, what does Duquette's book have over Crowley's original Book of Thoth companion volume? Aside from recycling information that most students of Crowley are probably already familiar with. Crowley's text does take some practice in "Navigating" the chapters, but I don't see any valid reason not to use it. But that being said, I found an online edition (PDF) of Duquette's book, and I will read it.
Ask yourself this- could someone else's experiences,perspectives and ideas on a topic be potentially useful? Personally, I prefer to consult multiple sources and see what I can learn from them all rather than just trust one as holy writ. ymmv
@katrice I had a friend once complain that I was Pharaseeitic (Not a real word but I understood what he meant). I believe I did say I will read the suggested book; I found an outline edition on Internet Archive. What does "ymmv" mean?
What does "ymmv" mean?
"your mileage may vary" In other words, your ideas, experience, approach, etc may be different from mine in regards to the same thing.
ERRATUM: I meant to write "Online" not "Outline". So far, a very interesting read. I've always been curious about The Lady Freida Harris, artist and illustrator.
what does Duquette's book have over Crowley's original Book of Thoth
Oh, so you want to open that Can of Werms?
For decades, I have directed people to the works of AC, and rarely to authors who ride on his coat-tail. Many people have their favorite book about Crowley, but why not go to the Equine's Orum ("horse's mouth")?
I'll tell you why not - because Crowley is "too complex" for many people. This is because they rarely start at the beginning - Book 4, Confessions, Magick Without Tears.
Having set forth such a solid stance (and usually making fun of the tailcoat authors), i must admit that for decades, the entry-level book for the bigger Student Reading List, in my line of endeavor, was ...
Cosmic Trigger
Ask yourself this- could someone else's experiences,perspectives and ideas on a topic be potentially useful?
Yes, of course. It turned out that, in my own endeavors, that ALL of Crowley's works didn't bear "real" fruit 'til compared with another prolific author, who often said the opposite of Crowley, but described the same path exactly.
I'll tell you why not - because Crowley is "too complex" for many people. This is because they rarely start at the beginning - Book 4, Confessions, Magick Without Tears.
So, we are opening cans of worms again! Must be King Solomon's worm the Shamir. The first book for me was The Great Beast, a reference copy kept at the Hamilton County Public Library of Cincinnati. So intrigued by this book (Long out of Print by my time) I would take a bus downtown just to be able to read it. In a synchronistic world, a young man came up to me and asked me what I was reading. I told him, corrected his pronunciation of Crowley (Pronounced like "Holy") and that was that. Later I was employed by that same library as a librarian in the reference dept. (My first job before moving on to the Dept. of Mental Health. That young man I had met months before worked in the stacks and was an avid Crowleyite. He said he had purposely mispronounced Crowley's name as a sort of test of my sincerity. Anyway, he led me into further reading of Crowley, gave his opinions and basically kept me on the path to serious study and research. Yes, Crowley's writing is complex. That is as it should be. You don't learn anything by being talked down to. You should be challenged and forced out your intellectual safety zone, to seek and inquire is the aim of religion and science.
The first book for me was The Great Beast
Yup! For quite a while, that was the primary AC biography available. Not bad, but the author couldn't hide his disgust regarding the protagonist of the tale.
Later I was employed by that same library as a librarian in the reference dept.
An obvious example of black magic. But, wow, that's a good one.
My first job before moving on to the Dept. of Mental Health.
See/ Reading Crowley is bad for the mind.
That young man I had met months before worked in the stacks and was an avid Crowleyite.
Good Lord and his Minions! A living example of the Attractive Principle at work in an occult reference library. I see you had entered the chapel perilous.
He said he had purposely mispronounced Crowley's name as a sort of test of my sincerity.
Great Ball of Fire! You underwent an ordeal, complete with tests, synchnonicities, and mysterious strangers. What an adventure.
That was only the beginning.
I see.
Perhaps we should expect some epical extravaganza of a blockbuster adventure movie. Follow the Librarian into dark, musty, underground caverns where ancient tomes lie bound in black wool. Become intoxicated at the never-ending synchronicities and praeter-dimensional intervention. Wide screen, 3D, vibrating seats, smell-o-vision ... who needs Metaverse?
Perhaps we should expect some epical extravaganza of a blockbuster adventure movie. Follow the Librarian into dark, musty, underground caverns where ancient tomes lie bound in black wool. Become intoxicated at the never-ending synchronicities and praeter-dimensional intervention. Wide screen, 3D, vibrating seats, smell-o-vision ... who needs Metaverse?
We already have that https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Librarian_(franchise)
We already have that
OMG! This is reaching record-levels of synchronicity ...
"The Librarian is a series of original fantasy-adventure made-for-television films from Turner Network Television (TNT) starring Noah Wyle as the Librarian, who protects a secret collection of artifacts." - Wiki
Why, this is more personal (for Toadstool) than.
I see the Balenciage thread is getting a lot of hardly- or barely-related mileage. But then the original topic was so twisted and inaccurate that nobody cares.
Great Ball of Fire! You underwent an ordeal, complete with tests, synchnonicities, and mysterious strangers.
Don't get me started on comparing initiatory ordeals 😉
I didn't even realize it was an "ordeal" until Shiva pointed that out. For me, it was a just happy sequence of events. (Getting my first real job and making friends with a Thelemite all at the same time?) So, what WERE your initiatory ordeals? You sound like Seinfeld, "Don't get me started" Obviously you want to get started. I would like to hear about it.Great Ball of Fire! You underwent an ordeal, complete with tests, synchnonicities, and mysterious strangers.
Don't get me started on comparing initiatory ordeals 😉
That was only the beginning.
I see.
Perhaps we should expect some epical extravaganza of a blockbuster adventure movie. Follow the Librarian into dark, musty, underground caverns where ancient tomes lie bound in black wool. Become intoxicated at the never-ending synchronicities and praeter-dimensional intervention. Wide screen, 3D, vibrating seats, smell-o-vision ... who needs Metaverse?
Well sort of. It wasn't a dark, musty, underground cavern. They were the "Stacks" of the Library(For those not familiar with what "The stacks" are where the overflow of books go that don't fit the shelves anymore) My friend, the Thelemite had access to the stacks as that was his job, and he knew where everything was. He discovered a 17th century incunabula edition of Del Rio's Disquisitionum Magicarum Liber Sex on the shelves. Yes, he did what any good Thelemite would do, he lifted it and sold to me!
Other books I acquired legally, that same friend went to New York with money I gave him to search the Magickal Childe Bookstore for more forbidden tomes. He didn't disappoint! Among the texts, a 1936 ed. of the Equinox of the Gods, A 1948 hardbound edition of The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra-Melin the Mage, and an art book of Austin O. Spare. All other events were Lovecraftian nightmares, psychic vampires. (We all know who I am referring.)
The stacks" are where the overflow of books go
Narrow aisles, poor lighting, mixws-up books, mice, rats, zombies ... one might as well be in an underground dungeon ... suitable only for Indiana Jones or Batperson to enter.
Yes, he did what any good Thelemite would do, he lifted it and sold to me!
Now we come to the crux of how this Black Magic stuff works.
Lovecraftian nightmares, psychic vampires. (We all know who I am referring.
We all does not include me.
?
Narrow aisles, poor lighting, mixws-up books, mice, rats, zombies ... one might as well be in an underground dungeon ... suitable only for Indiana Jones or Batperson to enter.