~ November 17th - 30th 2009 ~
Monday November 30th 2009 – 4:00pm I checked my email; Ed Novem Grey commented on my FOSK webpage, he writes – “Jerry, yer sooo seasonal...*grin*” ... Reply: I try. ... and Ray Curtis also commented on FOSK, he writes – “good to see that fosk is still going strong after all these years" ... Reply: Glad you enjoy FOSK, it'll never die :)
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9:20am To answer a question - Ah, Bahkti yoga. It is a must in A.'.A.'. training and immediately upon entering the Qabalistic Sphere of Netzach-7; or the feminine Venus, all initiates have their 'Intent' for entering this Sphere weighed in the scales of Justicia. It is here that we shall discover if the initiate truly understands what One Star in Sight states, or that the Philosophus "Is expected to complete his moral training. He is tested in Devotion to the Order." ... If an initiate enters Netzach with a false Heart, a Heart who is not willing to learn the nature of the journey that will inevitably make them a vehicle for SHE; Binah-3 [Goddess] then her lower counterpart within the Ruach, or Venus, will make severe the Ordeals and with her sword she shall slay them and cast them out. For record; Bahkti yoga does not imply kissing ass, or becoming subservient to anyone. However, the word 'devotion' does mean that an initiates begins an earnest attachment to a cause, but it is not 'THEIR' cause as something defined by themselves or what they want the Order to be ... it implies the need for an initiate to begin shedding the quest for 'Self' or the ego and replacing it with the quest for 'She." She who is known as Babalon in the outer. But it is no secret that most men have issues with the 'feminine' and are unable to even approach the task of the Philosophus in regards to the Great Work - which is "to obtain control of the attractions and repulsions of my own being" ... and for those individuals, both male and female, who have unconscious 'female' issues on the mundane plane, they will be unable to stay in Netzach and the path of Death (Nun) shall see to it as the Tower (Phe) crumbles and their words become confounded into babble forcing them back into Hod-8.Bahkti yoga is very important to learn ... again, the first test to devotion begins in Netzach. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:10am I have uploaded the next installment of the series which Frater Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (Grady Louis McMurtry) wrote on magick and philosophy. The series is titled FROM THE CALIPH. The first article appeared in The Magickal Link in October of 1981. The latest installment was originally published in The Magickal Link, Volume IV No.1 January 1984e.v. and is titled ON THE XXX AETHYRS part 2. ... I wish to thank Frater Petros for making this page possible by scanning the original and computer entering it into a Word file. ... Click HERE for details.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:00am For the history buffs: Urbain Grandier, the parish priest of St.-Pierre-du-Marché of Loudun in France, was accused of witchcraft and arrested and thrown into prison on this date in 1633. ............... on November 30, 1900 the illustrious and noble Oscar Wilde, Irish dramatist, novelist, & poet, died of cerebral meningitis. His last words, as he lay dying in a drab Paris bedroom, were: “Either that wallpaper goes, or I do.” ............... and Oberon Zell-Ravenheart (aka Timothy Zell) was born on this date in St. Louis, Missouri in 1942. He wrote the Grimoire for the Apprentice Wizard. He was also the co-founder of the Church of All Worlds in 1962. He has published Green Egg magazine since 1968. In 1970, Oberon formulated and published the theology of deep ecology which has become known scientifically as The Gaia Thesis. He also co-founded the Ecosophical Research Association. He is married to Morning Glory and they both are part of the expanded family called the Ravenhearts, all living together in Sonoma County, California. ............... and on November 30, 1951 Christian Bernard was born in France. He would later join the Rosicrucian order of AMORC; become its Grand Secretary in France and finally Imperator on April 12, 1990. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday November 29th 2009 – 11:00am I uploaded the twenty-seventh installment of FROM THE CALIPH, the series which Frater Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (Grady Louis McMurtry) wrote on magick and philosophy. The first article appeared in The Magickal Link in October of 1981. The latest installment was originally published in The Magickal Link, Volume III No.12 December 1983e.v., titled ON THE XXX AETHYRS part I, which is a Brief Synopsis of the Contents of the Thirty Aires or Aethyrs. Grady has written – “In my recent tour of Europe I was surprised to find no available Table of Contents for Crowley’s The 30 Aethyrs so here is one, supplied by Karl Germer, courtesy his THE VISION AND THE VOICE (LIBER XXX AERUM): Barstow CA, Thelema Pub. Co. Oct 12 ‘52ev You can’t very well index your 30 Aethyrs without a table of Contents!” ... I wish to thank Frater Petros for making this page possible by scanning the original and computer entering it into a Word file. ... Click HERE for details.
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8:05am Well, it was my son Faustus' sleep-over weekend and predictably, we had to buy a bad Asian video to pass the night away. We decided upon the South Korean monster movied title GWOEMUL which was released here in America as THE HOST (2006). About other monster movies, the director of the film, Bong Joon-Ho stated – “I really hated to wait more than one hour to see just the tip of the monster's tail in other creature films. So I decided to show the monster just 13 minutes after the opening of the film in broad daylight.” And show it he does! ... Anyway, this film is in English, not subtitled and it portrays the Korean’s psyche in regards to their views about America's military presence in their country. It begins at an American Military base where an American pathologist commands a reluctant Korean assistant to violate protocol by dumping hundreds of bottles of chemicals down the drain, which leads to the Han River. Needless to say, it is bound to create a monster. Six years later a gigantic mutant squid-like monster with legs leaves the water, attacks people and runs havoc and destruction on the banks of the river. Yes, it kills, eats and runs amuck and then it carries off a young thirteen year old girl as it vanishes back in the river. Her family, who are obviously very dysfunctional, operates a small snack bar for the tourists and natives who socialize by the park on the river and thinking she is dead, they mourn her loss. That is, until they receive a late-night phone call from her on her cell-phone telling them otherwise. It seems the monster hasn't killed her yet and the little girl is really cute with weepy, whiny, please-don’t-eat-my-head-off-looks. Knowing she is alive, the family bands together to find and rescue her before it is too late. The movie contains the family’s desperate search bathed in elements of drama and comedy as they are thrust into the middle of extraordinary events. ... Action packed from the beginning to end with lots of twists and turn, it utilizes state-of-the-art special effects for the monster, and there are even a few moments which had me jump. If you see this movie in the stores, I’d recommend renting it. As for the end ... I didn’t see it coming. Wow!Check out my other movie reviews ...
like my recently added VAMPIRE EFFECT (Chinese 2003) review.
Click HERE.
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7:00am For the history buffs: the sweet Louisa May Alcott was born on this date in Germantown, Pennsylvania in 1832. She is considered historically as being one of the first great American writers of ‘juvenile’ books and short stories. Oddly, in many of her earlier writings she wrote using a pseudonym and most of these stories feature a mysterious, vengeful woman bent on manipulation and destruction; stories bathed in ghosts, opium eaters, and mercenaries. These melodramatic stories were extremely popular and provided Alcott with a steady income as she worked on lengthier pieces, like Little Woman, but few people in this day and age realize the extent that she wrote about and advocated the use of ‘hashish.’ One of her classic stories titled Perilous Play (1869) is about a group of young people who find themselves bored and seeking entertainment. A young doctor in their midst obliges their lust for something different by introducing them to hashish. However, one boy and girl refuses to try the drug but it is later learned, that they did so secretly. In the end, the drug helps them confess their ‘love for each other.’ All in all, the article is a classic boy gets girl story; clearly implying that if a shy young person wants to win their true love they definitely ought to try hashish! As one point in the story, when they are discussing the drug, Alcott writes, “About three hours after you take your dose, though the time varies with different people. Your pulse will rise, heart beat quickly, eyes darken and dilate, and an uplifted sensation will pervade you generally. Then these symptoms change, and the bliss begins. I’ve seen people sit or lie in one position for hours, rapt in a delicious dream, and wake from it as tranquil as if they had not a nerve in their bodies.” Alcott died on March 6, 1888 in Boston, Massachusetts. ................... and on November 20, 1910 the Rite of Luna was performed at Caxton Hall by Aleister Crowley who would later state, regarding this particular ritual, that “... the historic incompetence of the officers was mercifully concealed from (the audience) by the gloom.” ............. and it was on November 29, 1925 that the German Edda Society was founded by Rudolf Gorsleben, as an ‘Aryan’ study group, at Dinkelsbühl, in Franconia. Grand Master of the group was Werner von Bülow, its Treasurer Friedrich Schaefer from Mühlhausen, whose wife, Käthe, kept open house for other occult groups which had gathered themselves around Karl Maria Wiligut in the early 1930s. Rudolf Gorsleben was Chancellor of the Edda Society and published its periodical German Freedom, later Aryan Freedom. ............ and the UFO expert and noted author, Donald E. Keyhoe died on this date in 1989 at the age of 91. He was born on June 20, 1897. He was Director of the National Investigations Committee on Aerial Phenomena (NICAP) in Washington, D.C. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday November 28th 2009 – 6:15am For the history buffs: William Blake was born on this date in London in 1757. He was a romantic poet and mystic Christian artist. The majority of his works, of both words and pictures, he engraved on copper plates, which was a method he claimed to have received in a dream. However, unlike most artists, Blake worked always on a tiny scale; most of his engravings are little more than inches in height, yet the detail that is rendered is magnificent and unbelievably exact. Some of the series of copperplate engravings, for which he is most noted are to Milton, of Jerusalem and The Book of Job. William Blake died on August 12, 1827, and is buried in an unmarked grave at Bunhill Fields, London. ............. and it was on November 28, 1911 that Aleister Crowley and Soror Virakam had their second ‘interview’ with Ab-ul-Diz, which had begun earlier in the month.
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Friday November 27th 2009 – 7:40am To answer a question regarding the spheres of Kether, Chockmah and Binah. ... Aleister Crowley believed that the true seeker on the Tree of Life has only two real steps to take. As he wrote to Grady McMurtry, he defined these as: “(1. to achieve 5=6 which means bringing your Energy up to your Heart Chakra Tiphereth where you meet your HGA [i.e. Holy Guardian Angel] & then ‘under that divine guidance’ to (2. assay the adventure of the Abyss.”
So, the three spheres on the Tree of Life above the Abyss are imperative in the New Aeon. The question is how do 'assay' or 'attempt' the crossing? First, it must be remembered that most members of the Golden Dawn, even MacGregor Mathers himself, achieved only 7=4 (Adeptus Exemptus) or into the sphere of Chesed. It is believed that not many individuals completely assayed the Abyss until Aleister Crowley in 1909. Afterwards he formed the AA and opened up these spheres for humanity. This was one of his greatest legacies. However, what must be stressed is that the AA is only the first, possibly of many Orders in this New Aeon, which will work these spheres. It has not cornered the market on this accomplishment. The AA, like every Order functioning above the Abyss, only dictates certain teachings which it believes will help students accomplish these last three degrees. Also, the methods of every branch may not work for everyone and, in fact, it's a contradiction, if not anti-Thelemic, for anyone to claim otherwise. ... Yes, I mentioned the controversial word - 'branch' ... in truth, the AA, as a Tree, has grown into many branches below the Abyss to accommodate many new ideas. However, if anyone claims that they are the only true AA it proves beyond a shred of doubt that they are and I stress, are ONLY working below the Abyss; with no upper connection. Even Crowley warns us that "Each Exempt Adept must choose between the Crossing of the Abyss to become a Master of the Temple, or the building of a false tower of egoism therein." ... So buyer beware, simply because certain individuals can legitimately claim that they have been given AA initiations does not mean that they are acting on behalf of AA above the Abyss. Dear students, learn quick that by their WORDS the Black Brothers shall be known for it is said, 'on the plane of Malkuth they want to rule.' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:45am A big Happy Birthday goes out to my old friend Mick Roche. Ah, let me guess, 43? :)--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:30am For the history buffs: Françoise d’ Aubigné, marquise de Maintenon, the second wife of Louis XIV, was born on this date in a prison at Niort in 1635. As an aduly she had an unbelievable thirst for magic and Satanism which she saw as a means of obtaining youth and beauty. She died on April 15, 1719. ............. also, the author Lyon Sprague de Camp was born on this date in New York in 1907 . He is the author of well over 120 science fiction and fantasy books, several hundred short stories, and is also well-known for many non-fiction works in history, science, and biography with such works as Lost Continents: The Atlantis Theme in History, Science, and Literature (1970) and H. P. Lovecraft, A Biography (1975). He died on November 6, 2000.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday November 26th 2009 – 6:20am For the history buffs: Astarte Lulu Panthea was born to Ninette Shumway on this date in 1920 at 2:00am in Palermo, Sicily. She died in 1928. ............. and it was on November 26, 1922 that Raoul Loveday and his wife Betty May arrived at the Abbey of Thelema on Cefalu date. She would later bitterly leave after Raoul died at the Abbey. He was buried in an unhallowed grave just outside the walls of the Catholic cemetary. ............. and the quote of the day comes from a letter to Grady Louis McMurtry from Aleister Crowley dated November 26th 1946 where Crowley writes - “The Difference between myself and the Pope is that his definition of the word Sin is different than mine.”
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Wednesday November 25th 2009 – 6:55am For the history buffs: Reuben Swinburne Clymer was born on this date in 1878. He would later be the co-founder of FUDOFSI, which later recognized the Fraternitas as the authentic Fraternitas Rosae Crucis (FRC), or Rosicrucians, in Quakertown, PA in 1912. He viciously fought most his life against AMORC which he saw as a bogus and fraudulent Order. He published several volumes pointing out AMORC’s connections to the evils of Aleister Crowley and the Ordo Templi Orientis. He died on June 3, 1966. ............. and as if irony was smiling, Herbert Spencer Lewis the founder of AMORC was born on the same date in 1883 as Reuben Swinburne Clymer, but in Frenchtown, New Jersey. ............ and on November 25, 1909 Aleister Crowley assumed the Oath of Dominus Liminis in the AA. The initiatory ‘area’ on the Qabalistic Tree of Life which is symbolically attributed to this grade is found between Netzach (7) and Tiphereth (6). It is called a ‘Portal Degree’ which is the bridge used for leaving the First Order and entering into the Second. ........... and how can I not mention that on this date in 1994 it was announced by church leaders that David Berg had died at the age of 75 - “a few days ago.” The church has never given an exact time or place of his death, or what exactly caused his death; although rumors persist that it was allegedly due to a sexually transmitted disease which ravished his body and had kept him in hiding for years. Berg was originally born in 1919 in Oakland, California. The mid 1960's produced many counter-culture movements in this state. It was a time when the youth of America was questioning the ‘establishment.’ Out of this hippie flower child era came a loosely connected group collectively known as the Jesus People. In Huntington Beach, in 1968, Berg solidified this movement into a church known as The Children of God. He proclaimed himself to be God's end time prophet and he drew from the Bible in order to prove that the Old Testament spoke directly to him and that he was to play a major role in the Second Coming, the long anticipated return to earth of Jesus Christ. He adopted various names including ‘Moses David,’ ‘Mo,’ ‘Father David,’ and simply ‘Dad.’ It is no secret that Berg exploited everyone sexually, both males and females and he even sent his followers out to become quite literally “hookers for Christ.”
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Tuesday November 24th 2009 – 10:00am Newly released by The Teitan Press:
Thorn in the Flesh, A Grim-memoire by Rosaleen Norton
With an Introduction by Keith Richmond.
Exclusive LIMITED Launch Special, Free Audio CD With Book Purchase.
Rosaleen Norton, Thorn in the Flesh: Teitan Press, York Beach, ME. 2009. First Edition. Hardcover. 8vo. xxiv + 128pp. Red cloth with gilt titling to spine. Frontispiece & 8 pages of color & black and white illustrations. Printed on library quality paper. Full color dustjacket. Edition limited to 880 numbered copies.Rosaleen Norton, the so-called "Witch of Kings Cross," was a natural rebel whose bohemian lifestyle, outspoken occultism, and unusual and often sexually-charged artwork attracted widespread condemnation from the conservative establishment in twentieth century Australia. She suffered frequent arrests, her art exhibitions were raided, a book of her art banned in both Australia and the USA, and in one notorious case, her paintings were burned at the censor's order. She died in relative obscurity in 1979, yet left the world a rich and unusual artistic legacy. Some of this was hidden away in two battered metal trunks which contained fragments of her unfinished autobiography, Thorn in the Flesh, various occult writings, letters, drawings, poems, photographs, small paintings, and scrapbooks. It was Norton's wish that one day a selection would be made from this material, and it would be published. This book is that selection. It comprises poetry (often humorous), reminiscences, and various occult jottings, with reproductions of two stunning photographs of Norton, as well as some half-a-dozen examples of her art (mainly in color). Most of this material has never been publicly seen before. Although by definition fragmentary, the texts combine to give a very personal introduction to the magical world of this truly remarkable woman. The book includes an Introduction by Keith Richmond, who has previously edited a collection of Norton's short stories: Three Macabre Stories, and played a key role in organizing the "Occult Visions of Rosaleen Norton" retrospective of her art that was held in Sydney in 2000. ISBN: 9780933429161 NEW book. $50.00Special launch-week offer!Exclusive to Weiser Antiquarian BooksFor two weeks only – or until supplies run out – Weiser Antiquarian Books will include a free CD of Rosaleen Norton reading from her own work with each copy of Thorn in the Flesh that is sold. This offer is exclusive to Weiser Antiquarian Books, and is limited to one CD only per copy of Thorn in the Flesh purchased, with a maximum of two books with CDs per-customer (there is no limit on the purchase of extra copies without CDs). This offer is only open to retail customers ordering direct from Weiser Antiquarian Books, via our website, or by phone, email, or mail - it does not apply to books purchased from us through other sites. Shipping within the US for one book:Priority Mail - $7.50Media Mail - $5.00Shipping outside the US for one book:Canada - $10.50All other international destinations: $ 12.50.(The shipping cost for multiple-copy orders varies according to quantity anddestination.)Place your order direct via our secure website at:--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:05am I uploaded the next installment of the series which Frater Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (Grady Louis McMurtry) wrote on magick and philosophy. The series is titled FROM THE CALIPH. The first installment appeared in The Magickal Link in October of 1981. I wish to thank Frater Petros for making this page possible by scanning the original and computer entering it into a Word file. The latest installment was originally published in The Magickal Link, Volume III No.11 November 1983 e.v. and is titled ON THELEMIC VIBRATIONS. It is Part 2. Click HERE for details.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:00am For the history buffs: Aleister Crowley took the Oath of a Philosophus, 4=7, in the AA on this date in 1905. The initiatory sphere on the Qabalistic Tree of Life symbolically attributed to this grade is that of Netzach, the seventh sphere of Venus. Like his last degree, he kept the magical motto of Frater OY MH. .......... and on this date in 1909 Aleister Crowley divorced his first wife, Rose Kelly. He wrote, “...my domestic tragedy was coming to a crisis.” ............ and how can I not mention that Forrest J. Ackerman was born on this date in 1916. He is the founder the classic publication Famous Monsters of Filmland magazine and he helped establish the Los Angeles Science Fiction Society back in thirties. In the beginning, when ‘scientifiction’ evolved to the phrase of Science Fiction, Ackerman when a step further and coined the now infamous term “sci-fi.”--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday November 23rd 2009 – 11:35am Carl wants to know - "How many more articles are there in the series From The Caliph? It seems like you guys have been adding them onto your website forever."
Reply: This is a good question. I'm not quite sure but I think there are about eighteen. They have all been scanned and computer entered by Frater Petros and they are just waiting for me to get off my ass and format them onto the website but life, for me, of late, has been a bit distracting. I have been swamped with work. ... Anyway, the last article Grady wrote was titled 'On The God Bez: A Mystery' and it appeared in The Magickal Link Vol. 5 No.5 June 1985. ... It should be noted that Bill Heidrick accidental mis-labeled the next issue or July 1985 as Vol. 5 No.7 and so there is no Vol.5 No.6. The article written by Heidrick titled 'The Caliph's Health' which appeared in the July issue dealt with Grady McMurtry's declining health but before most people received this issue, Grady McMurtry passed away. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10:00am It has been awhile since I uploaded a new installment of the series which Frater Hymenaeus Alpha 777 (Grady Louis McMurtry) wrote on magick and philosophy. The series is titled FROM THE CALIPH. The first installment appeared in The Magickal Link in October of 1981. I wish to thank Frater Petros for making this page possible by scanning the original and computer entering it into a Word file. The latest installment was originally published in The Magickal Link, Volume III No.10 October 1983e.v. and is titled ON THELEMIC VIBRATIONS. It is Part I. It details some of Grady McMurtry’s views on his ‘Magickal Thesis’ ... In this article he tells us that “Crowley’s dictum that the Adept only has 2 real steps to take: (1) to achieve 5=6 which means bringing your Energy up to your Heart Chakra Tiphereth where you meet your HGA & then “under that divine guidance” to (2) “essay” (no guarantees) the “adventure” of “the Abyss,” I named it The Angel and the Abyss.” ... But, as Grady clearly points out; the archetypal paper, or Thesis, does not guarantee a person’s success at crossing the Abyss. It is not an automatic thing as so many believe; otherwise everyone who takes the Oath and creates a Thesis would simply become a Magister Templi. ... If you want to read Grady’s article; Click HERE for details. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:15am For the history buffs: Boris Karloff was born on this date as William Henry Pratt in London, England in 1887. He starred in over a hundred and seventy movies but is most likely remembered for being in Frankenstein (1931). Of all his movies, from an Aleister Crowleyean point-of-view, The Black Cat (1934) carries the most significance. The plots centers around two newlyweds Joan and Peter Allison who meet Dr Vitus Verdegast (Bela Lugosi). On the way to the hotel, their bus crashes and Joan is injured. They take refuge in a house belonging to Hjalmar Poelzig (Boris Karloff), a character loosely based on Crowley. Needless to say, the twisted Satanic ritual which follows is rather amusing. However, although the title is ‘suggestive’ of an the Edgar Allan Poe story, in reality has nothing to do with Poe’s original story. A black cat does make a few brief appearances throughout the movie, seemingly to justify the title, but its only memoriable scene is when Bela Lugosi throws a knife at it. Sadly, Boris Karloff died on February 2, 1969 after battling emphysema for a number of years, he was 81. ........... and on November 23, 1905 Aleister Crowley assumed the Grade of Practicus, 3=8, in the AA. The initiatory sphere on the Qabalistic Tree of Life symbolically attributed to this grade is that of Hod, the eighth sphere of Mercury. .......... also, Aleister Crowley, along with Victor Neuburg, evoked the twenty-eighth Enochian Aethyr known as BAB on this date in 1909 between 8:00-9:00pm at the village of Aumale in the Algerian desert. There are a total of Thirty Aethyrs according to the magickal structure laid out by John Dee. Crowley had previously evoked the twenty-ninth and Thirtieth Aethyrs in Mexico. To look into these invisible realms, known as Aethyrs, one often uses a crystal and once one has obtained the ‘vision’ the angels will appear and communicate messages by pointing to one letter at a time on huge boards of letters. After Crowley finished going through all Thirty Aethyrs he titled his findings The Vision & The Voice. .......... and finally, it was on November 23, 1963 that Raymond Buckland was initiated into Wicca by Gerald Gardner’s High Priestess Lady Olwen.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday November 22nd 2009 – 6:50pm David writes - “So given that I noticed that the Cornelia stopped about the time of the Practicus disastrous, under the circumstances .. with your health, concerns etc and being busy with the books its understandable but I was curious if you expected there to be more to come.” .... I replied - "... ah, the Cornelias. Actually we initially planned on releasing just 20 issues as learning tools for our A.’.A.’.. We completed all that we set out to do in regards to content ... although there is always room for more issues in the future. Right now I’m just too swamped with work to take on another few issues. Ah, such is life."
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5:10pm My friend Greig writes - “Hi Jerry, 93 I have been assuming that when Crowley switched the positions of Aries and Aquarius in the zodiac belt (page 11 in The Book of Thoth) that the paths of these 2 would also swap positions on the tree. ie. that Aries/Tzaddi would be the 15th path from Chokmah to Tiphareth and that Aquarius/Heh would be the 28th path from Netzach to Yesod. This is my question - The zodiac signs were switched, so do the paths switch on the tree? If not, could you explain why that is? I have read on some forums that there is quite a bit of uncertainty about where exactly the paths of Tzaddi and Heh sit on the tree and, having read the passage i sent you quoting Crowley about the Emperor's definite place on the tree, i assumed that Tzaddi and all of it's correspondences (including The Emperor tarot card) sit on the path between Chokmah and Tiphareth. This whole question was triggered by the fact that "Tzaddi is not the Star" in Liber Al. I realise i may be totally wrong here, but why did Crowley say in The Book of Thoth (page 78 no less!) that The Emperor's "authority is derived from Chokmah,...... and is exerted upon Tiphareth" if The Emperor sits on the path joining Netzach and Yesod? I really hope this is more clear now. I might just be making Life unnecessarily difficult for myself, but i do need some clarification on this subject. Thanks for taking the time to answer my question, hope all is well! 93 93/93 Greig." Reply: Damn, an entire book can be written on this topic and, as a matter of fact, I sat this morning at the Mediterranean Café with friends discussing this very subject! It is a complicated one and there is no real rhyme or reason to justify his switching of cards but I tend to agree with Crowley with some of his logic. But for starters, as much as some people might argue that Crowley's The Book of Thoth is one of his greatest achievements, I would argue otherwise. It truly has an unbelievable amount of gems but it also has numerous and obvious errors. The one that you cite on pg.78 is a classic example. He cites the Emperor's authority as if it were still a path lying between Chockmah & Tiphereth. Did he forget that he moved it? ... As for your other questions; there is no really easy answers; I created a web page trying to explain some them. Click HERE and to all my readers, if you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to write. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:20am For the history buffs: Aleister Crowley assumed the Oath of a Zelator, 2=9, on this date in the AA in 1905. He took the magical motto of Frater OY MH. Most initiatory systems within magickal fraternities like the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Ordo Templi Orientis, or even Aleister Crowley’s AA, deal with spiritual self-transformation on the Qabalistic Tree of Life and titles like ‘Zelator’ are symbolically attributed to one of the ten sphere on this glyph. In this case, a Zelator works out of Yesod, the ninth Sphere of the Moon. Its purpose is to establish a suitable Foundation. ........... and Aldous Huxley, the man whom Aleister Crowley turned onto peyote, died on this date in 1963. There is story worth mentioning. In 1930, at the Porzo Galleries in Berlin, Aleister Crowley had an exhibition of seventy-three of his paintings and drawings. One portrait hanging on the walls was that of Aldous Huxley. It is said to have been a hasty sketch or drawing of Huxley, about which Aleister Crowley stated, “I thought he had a lot of money and painted him like this to flatter him.” There is no record as to what ever happened to this particular painting, or if Huxley even bought it, although it is presumed to have been destroyed by the Nazis shortly before World War II. It appears the entire Crowley collection was seized from Martha Kuntzel who was living in Leipzig. She had been storing them for Crowley at the time. It was truly a great loss. .......... and on November 22, 1985 Maria Sabina died at the age of 91; she was a Mazatec healer, curandera, and Shaman, a native of Huautla de Jimenez, in the State of Oaxaca, Mexico. She is famous for the role she played introducing the sacred mushroom ceremony velada to the world. In 1955, Gordon Wasson and Allan Richardson, made history by becoming some of the first white men known to have participated officially in the nocturnal mushroom ceremony. Under the guidance of Maria Sabina, Wasson and Richardson each consumed six pairs of the mushroom Psilocybe caerulescens var. mazatecorum after which they began to feel the effects, manifesting visions of geometric patterns, palaces, and architectural vistas. The results of that experience was published in Life Magazine, May 13 1957, in an article titled "Seeking the Magic Mushroom." That article is considered the inspiration for Dr. Timothy Leary and others to try similar mushrooms and hallucinogens.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday November 21st 2009 – 6:00am For the history buffs: Jacob Bohme the German philosopher and alchemist died on this date in 1624. He spent his life as a cobbler in the town of Gorlitz, Silesia and he published none of his writings during his lifetime. …...…. And the author Arthur Machen was initiated into the Golden Dawn on this date in 1899. He assumed the magical motto of Frater Avallaunius. …..…. And it was on November 21, 1911 that the spirit Ab-ul-Diz first appeared before Crowley’s Scarlet Woman Mary d’Este Sturges who was also known as Soror Virakam (Sanskrit for ‘I-Perform’) in Zurich. She was the secretary to Isadora Duncan. The spirit claimed the number 78 and offered a book to Aleister Crowley called ABA to Crowley. …….... and finally, on November 21, 1920 the young American Cecil Frederick Russell (1897-1987), also known as Frater Genesthai, arrived at Aleister Crowley’s infamous Abbey of Thelema in Cefalu. He had met Crowley in July of 1917, in New York, while working as an attendant at the Annapolis Naval Hospital.
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Friday November 20th 2009 – Yes, I am having an 'Open House' tonight at Love's Sake Clerk House here in Berkeley starting at 6:30pm; rain permitting. In other words, if its raining, call ahead to see if we are meeting tonight. ... Also, the meeting being near supper time, feel free to bring something to eat and drink and don't feel obligated to bring enough for anyone other than yourself. ... and finally, I must again remind people of two things. First, we are not a 'horizontal' school where visitors or non-A.'.A.'. initiates can babble dribble and endlessly interrupt classes. We are an Inner School where the primary directive is toward guiding our students; outsiders are welcomedto sit quietly in the hopes of learning things but we ask to please keep semi-quiet; these classes are not about 'you'. If you fail to understand this rule then you'll be asked to leave. .. And second; if you come in late, please try not to disrupt the class. ... Thank you.
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5:30am For the history buffs: Samuel Liddell Mathers died in his apartment in the Rue Rivera in Paris on this date in 1918 at the age of 64, in the world-wide post-war Spanish influenza epidemic. In 1904 Aleister Crowley issued an unauthorized edition of Mather’s translation of the Goetia where he not only credited the work to “a dead man” but prefixed an elaborate curse against Mathers in Greek. A translation of which concludes - “... the whole assemblage (of Demons evoked) calls to me and marches and throws down the terrible Mathers. He shivers in the coad, he has wronged someone ... and he has poured the blood of Nature upon himself.” …...….. also, Mary Anne Maclean De Grimston was born on this date in 1931. She was the co-founder, along with her husband Robert of The Process Church which gained infamous notoriety by appearing in the book about Charles Manson titled The Family. …...…. And equally important on November 20, 1952 George Adamski made contact with beings from the planet Venus. They arrived in a UFO in the desert of California. …….... and finally, on November 20, 1952, Roy Leffingwell died in his California home. He had taken Minerval and First Degree initiation into the OTO back on February 24th 1938, and he later became the Lodge Master of Agape Lodge after Jack Parsons had resigned. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday November 19th 2009 – 5:40am I received an email from my old friend James. In part he writes - "How are you Brother? I hope you're feeling better these days. I've been checking in on your blog now and then. Seems like we share the same problem with the ol' ticker! Sounds like you're situation is a little more on the edge. Sucks getting older, eh? Please take care Brother. I love take out Chinese food too, but that shit ain't worth dyin' for. : D All the best to you. Stay healthy. Your friend in Thelema, James."
Reply : It is good to hear from you, it’s been awhile. Yes, getting old sucks. I’m 58 and the way I see it, since most men in my family die long before 50-55, my life style seems to work the best! Anyway, I have always lived by the old adage from one of my favorite movies titled Cabaret, where the songs goes - "Start by admitting, From cradle to tomb, It isn't that long a stay. Life is a Cabaret, old chum, It's only a Cabaret, old chum, And I love a Cabaret!" ... and I have always virtually lived to the fullest as I want; every day, every week and eat and drink what I want and do what I want. Is it worth dying for? Hell ya! When I finally passed over I don’t want to look back and think of all the things I gave up in the last few years of my life hoping to ‘extend it’ ... no one gets out of this world alive. Life is a Cabaret and I have always enjoyed it fully! Have since my teens and if I give it all up now ... that's what will kill me! And speaking of health; I go back to the hospital today; not for any more tests or surgery but a follow-up visit with the cardiologist to see how I’m doing. Personally, I think I’m doing OK. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:30am For the history buffs: Grady Louis McMurtry received a letter, on this date in 1943, from Aleister Crowley in request to help him come up with a magickal motto. In this letter Crowley wrote, “... Ah! United. Yes: Sometimes I sat and thunk, and sometimes I just sat. But no nearer to your motto. Then a flash! Well, yes, I think it may do. Hymenaeus Alpha (=Aleph) (You know the Greek Alphabet & its values of course?) Hymenaeus, the Graeco-Roman God of Marriage; and Alpha (Aleph) with all its meanings - see Essay on Atu O in the Tarot. And the whole show adds up to 777. Good enough?” Grady immediately sent Crowley back a letter, which was dated November 25th, “Is 777 good enough? I should argue with Jack Pot! This Alpha business. A bi-lingual pun asserts itself, i.e. ‘Liber Aleph’ which could mean anything from ‘Greetings, o perfect Fool’ to ‘Hi, Chump’. Yes, I think that it will do. And I think that I am the boy for the job.” Thus, Frater Hymenaeus Alpha 777 was born. ............ and it was on November 19, 1995 in Puerto Rico the Chupacabra, or “goat sucker,” was blamed for a killing spree that caused the death of dozens of turkeys, rabbits, goats, cats, dogs and even horses and cows. It was even said to have ripped open the bedroom window of a house in the north-central city of Caguas, destroyed a stuffed teddy bear, and left a puddle of slime and a piece of rancid white meat on the windowsill. Witnesses said that it had hairy arms and huge red eyes. Witnesses to another attack claimed, “It just showed up and -- poof -- it vanished.” In Canovanas, Puerto Rico on this date, a man saw the Chupacabra in the afternoon in his back yard. It had come out of the brush and attacked the family dog. He later commented, “I think it belongs to the monkey family, but it isn’t a monkey exactly,” adding, “It ran like a monkey and was about four feet tall, but it didn’t have a tail.” Over the next month it was sighted almost thirty-five times in Canovanas, most agreed that it is not a humanoid, it’s small and has large oval alien type eyes. Others described the creature as being about four feet tall when standing erect, having huge red elongated eyes, grey skin that was part fur and part feathers, short arms with claws, legs like a kangaroo, and a line of sharp spikes down the middle of its back. It is reportedly a very powerful animal. Some report that the Chupacabra had wings and could fly. ............. and on November 19, 1996 in La Barra, Caguas, Puerto Rico, the Concepcion family heard a loud ruckus in their chicken coop. Upon investigating they found several of their animals wounded. While waiting for the police to respond one of the family members looked out the window and saw a strange creature about five feet tall. It had an oval shaped head with two bright red elongated eyes. The creature was dark gray in color; it had large hind legs resembling those of a kangaroo, and small arms and hands. It seemed to be searching for something, maybe the rest of the chickens. The frightened witness screamed that it was the Chupacabra and the creature quickly turned and appeared to jump out of sight at very high speed.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday November 18th 2009 – 1:20pm In regards to my 7:45am posting, Ed Wormuth, who took Minerval initiation with me and Dale Gowin back in 1977 writes - " 93 Jerry and Dale, Happy Anniversary. Can it really be that long ago that we struggled up those stairs? Onward and upward--thru the fog! 93 93/93, Ed." ..... Reply: It has been a long time. But who says we ever got thru the fog?
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7:50am The most important thing about today is that November 18th is officially listed in the world calendar as 'MARRIED TO A SCORPIO SUPPORT DAY' ... This is, and I quote - "A worldwide day of remembrance to honor all those married to Scorpios and who suffer greatly." ... This is the only Zodiac sign to be called out specifically during the year and, having been married to a Scorpio and having two other Scorpio girlfriends previously, I humbly bow my head, lightly pound my chest three times and light a candle as an affirmation of luckily still being alive. My heart goes out to those who are still in a Scorpio relationship. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:45am And I should point out that thirty-two years ago on November 18th 1977 I joined the Ordo Templi Orientis as a Minerval under Grady Louis McMurtry. And it seems like just yesterday. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:40am For the history buffs; last year I listed just a few items, today there is far more. Enjoy : Adam Weishaupt was born at Ingoldstadt in 1748. He was later educated by the Jesuits and appointed Professor of Natural and Canon Law at the University of Ingoldstadt in 1775. He is the founder of the Order of the Illuminati. He died on this date in 1811. ........... and on November 18, 1896 The Sacramento Bee in California reported in its newspaper of the strange appearance in the sky of an unidentified object “huge and cigar-shaped and had four large wings attached to an aluminum body.” There were quite a few sightings throughout the later half of this year up and down Northern and Central California. What it was, has remained a mystery. ........... and shortly after turning twenty three years old, on November 18th 1898, Aleister Crowley joined the organization known as The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn at Mark Masons' Hall in London and took the magical motto of Perdurabo. ........... also on November 18, 1939 Isaac Fuld, who with his brother William, was a co-owner of the original Ouija Board Company in Baltimore, Maryland, died at the age of seventy-four. His brother died twelve years earlier, in February of 1927, when he accidentally fell off the roof and plunged three stories to his death. He was only 54. ........... and Clifford Bax, born in 1886, in Knightsbridge, London who was the co-editor of an art & literature magazine titled The Golden Hind, founded by Austin Osman Spare between 1922-24 and who also wrote numerous books like Some I Knew Well which contains sixteen chapters about various famous people whom he had met over the years. The fifth chapter is titled, “Aleister Crowley: Black Magician.” He met Crowley at the Kulm Hotel in St. Moritz, Switzerland, in the late winter of 1904. Crowley and his wife Rose were vacationing there after recently returning from Egypt where Crowley had received The Book of the Law. Clifford Bax remained one of Crowley’s friend throughout his life. Bax died on this date in his London home at the age of 76 in 1962. ........... and how can I not mention that on this date in 1975 the Lutz family bought the Amityville house on Long Island, New York and some might argue that they perpetrated one of the most famous modern hoaxes which would later inspire the movie, The Amityville Horror. ........... and finally, to continue with today’s flavor; on November 18, 1978 the mass suicide of 900 people at the direction of their pastor, the Rev. Jim Jones, in the People’s Temple at Jonestown, Guyana occurred. His congregation stood in line for poisoned grape-flavored Kool-Aide. As for Jones, he died of a gun shot wound. Sadly, there are not many good Jim Jones jokes. Maybe its because they always make the punch lines too long?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday November 17th 2009 – 5:25am While talking with Ben Hance yesterday about November 15th's 3:40pm posting he reminded me of another reason which I should have mentioned in regards to the dangers of working the lower Ruach. It is the first area where a magician has to deal with unfamiliar ground or with the Left Hand and Right Hand Pillars, both unBalanced in contrast to the Middle Pillar. And I might add that while in one of these outer Pillars you can easily 'tip the scales' and for this reason, all magicians warn their students, it is better to seek solely the Middle Path than take lightly the 'Snaking the Tree.'
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5:12am Happy Birthday JAY! Don't Leap and Laugh too hard today. .... He replied - "Thanks! But "don't Leap and Laugh too hard"? Now I've got to cancel my plans. What about delicious langour? Force and Fire? Fire! Fire! Fire!"------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:10am For the history buffs: On November 17, 1900 Aleister Crowley evoked the 29th Aethyr in Mexico although Israel Regardie wrote, “... the seer here is obviously unskilled and untrained relatively speaking, and had not overcome the effects of his early upbringing and conditioning.” .………. And Francis Israel Regudy, better known as Israel Regardie, was born on this date in London, England in 1907. His parents were poor Jewish immigrants and during the course of WWI, when his older brother joined the army, his name was accidentally written down as “Regardie.” Rather than change it, it was adopted as the family name when they moved to America. Later Regardie also dropped the use of Francis, preferring to be known simply as Israel Regardie. He would become the short lived personal secretary to Aleister Crowley. Upon meeting Crowley he was ordered to lose his ‘virginity’ as quickly as possible with the visit to a ‘local prostitute!’ Regardie was also a member of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, known as Frater Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam. He died on March 10, 1985 of a heart attack while having dinner with friends at one of his favorite restaurants in Sedona, Arizona. …….… And on November 17, 1979 Immanuel Velikovsky, the author of Worlds in Collision, died at the age of 84 in Princeton, New Jersey. He often stated that, “... science is proving I was right all along.” He implied that his theories that questioned the knowledge of Earth’s history, which he based upon cosmic catastrophes involving our planet and its influence on the course of civilization, were being proven true time and time again. ……..… and finally, on November 17, 1996 near East Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada the area suffered a blackout. One witness who was leaving the Skytrain Station claimed that she saw a large black square shaped UFO moving low over nearby Slocan Park. Arriving at her daughter’s residence she heard a “whoo” sound outside and upon investigating the two women saw a tennis ball size blue light maneuvering over the area. At one point it dropped close to the ground near the trees. Later, the woman and her daughter went over to the area to investigate and found strange marks on the ground. Upon leaving the park the two women saw two short humanoids wearing jeans with rolled cuffs, pointy ears and glassy eyes. The humanoids then smiled and the woman claimed to have then received a ‘telepathic message.’ She closed her eyes only briefly but when she turned around to look at the little men they had disappeared.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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