~ August 1st - 10th 2009 ~
Monday August 10th 2009 – 5:30am For the history buffs: Edward Leedskalnin was born on this date in Riga, Latvia in 1887. When he was 26 years old he was engaged to be married to his one true love, a ‘sweet sixteen’ names Agnes Scuffs. However, she cancelled the wedding just one day before the ceremony which sent Leedskalnin on a lifelong quest to create a monument to his lost love that culminated in one of the world’s most remarkable accomplishments. His unusual creation is called the Coral Castle. What is remarkable is that Leedskalnin, without any outside assistance or large machinery, single-handedly carved and sculpted over 1,100 tons of coral rock. Incredibly, he cut and moved huge coral blocks using only hand tools. The question which has pondered people for years is “How did he move the stones?” As an example; the entrance stone-like door is fashioned from a single coral block weighing over nine tons. This miraculous monolith is approximately 80 inches wide, 92 inches tall, and 21 inches thick. It fits within a quarter of an inch of the walls on either side and pivots through an iron rod resting so perfectly balanced on its center of gravity that a visitor can easily push it open with only one finger. Modern engineers are at a total loss to explain how such a ponderous object could have been set with such a high level of precision, especially by a man who was only five foot tall and weighing 100 pounds. As for Leedskalnin, he ‘emphatically’ stated that Science was wrong in regards to electricity, that all matter consists of magnets and that electricity is not a one-pole phenomenon. Some have speculated that Leedskalnin some how figured out the ‘secret’ of how the pyramids of Egypt were built. In December 1951 Ed became ill. He put a sign on the door of his Castle saying “Going to the Hospital.” He then took a bus to Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami where three days later he died in his sleep at the age of 64. ….....…. Also, Fakir Musafar, shaman, artist, master piercer, and body modifier who was a depression era baby, was born on this date on an Indian Reservation near Aberdeen, South Dakota in 1930. A lot can be said about him but the truth is that Fakir has played one of the most significant roles in the revival of body piercing, body sculpting, branding and other body-related practices for personal expression and spiritual exploration as a rite-of-passage. …......…. And I should mention that on August 10, 1944 Alvah M. Reida of the 486th Bomber Group, 792nd Squadron, 20th Bomber Command, based at Kharagapur, India was on a mission from Ceylon to bomb Palembang, Sumatra. He was flying a B-29 Bomber at an altitude of 14,000 feet at an airspeed of 210 mph when reports came in of ‘Foo Fighters.’ The first two who saw the UFO was the right gunner and the copilot. He claimed it was a bright red or orange spherical object that seemingly paced the plane about 500 yards off the starboard wing. It was about 5 or 6 feet in diameter and seemed to vibrate constantly. Captain Reida claimed that he attempted evasive action, but the object followed every maneuver he did for about eight minutes, then it suddenly made an abrupt 90 degree turn and accelerated away rapidly. The official government explanation for the ‘Foo Fighters’ was that they were the effect of magnetic fields created across the wings of aircraft. ….....…. And finally, on August 10, 1948 Montague Summers died suddenly at his home in Dynevor Road, Richmond. That same year a new edition of his most notable work, the translation of “Malleus Maleficarum” was released. His contribution to the literature of witchcraft, vampirism and werewolves have been a most valuable and while many today might criticize his over-all views, no one can doubt the meticulous scholarship that Summer brought to bear on these subjects.
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Sunday August 9th 2009 – 3:50pm Mike wanted to know when I "thought things changed in regards to the old beliefs of the daimon." ..... Reply: Every historian will cite their favorite Christian pet peeves; mine began around 380AD when the Emperor Theodosius declared Christianity to be the Official Religion of the Roman Empire. Within tens years he had outlawed all Pagan sacrifices and in 394 the final death pang of ancient Roman philosophy occurred when Theodosius ordered the 'Eternal Flame of Rome' or its 'soul' to die-out after it had remained in the care of Vestal Virgins in their Temple for more than 1000 years. The following year, by Edict of Theodosius, it was mandated under pain of death that Christianity was to be the only religion of the Roman Empire. And from here, everything went down hill!
And speaking of 'Eternal Flames', in a totally unrelated subject ... the one in ancient Greece was kept burning in the sacred Temple of Delphi. It was extinguished by the Roman General Cornelius Sulla who sacked the Temple in 87 BC. ... Sulla's wife Caecilia Metella would later give birth to twins, a little boy named Faustus Cornelius and a girl named Fausta Cornelius. It was Faustus who put siege to and conquered Jerusalem in 64BC and sacked its Temple; deliberately extinguishing its 'sacred flames' ... And with a great big smile, I named my own son after him, Faustus Cornelius.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
12:20pm PUN: Robert had befriended Jerry years earlier ... but no matter how much he wanted to be like him, Jerry still refused to teach him the final secrets behind the Mysteries of VIIth Degree.Robert said that’s OK, as he put the Jerry Lewis and Robert DeNiro movie titled The Kingof Comedy into the DVD player. Jerry quietly thought to himself as the movie began, interesting plot ... I better watch myself.The rest cannot be discussed in a public forum; it wasn't pretty.[How secrets are exchanged between Jerry's Love's Sake Clerk House and Robert’s Aum HA]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10:43am PUN: And Jerry was ready to reveal the Secrets regarding the Mysteries behindVIIth Degree. Luis smiled and put on the Sacred Song - Great Balls of Fire.Jerry sat quietly; he was thankful ... the secrets use to be exchanged over the old JerryLewis movie, the The Nutty Professor. Jerry thought to himself, at least now we get to dance ...The rest cannot be discussed in a public forum; it wasn't pretty.[How secrets are exchanged between Jerry's Love's Sake Clerk House and Luis' Double Wanded One]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10:25am PUN: And the Sacred VIIth Degree talisman was revealed to both ... as they stood on either side of the altar.And Ben whispered to Jerry the 'Secret Word' summing up the Mysteries behind VIIthDegree - "Chunky"Jerry replied - "Monkey" Ben & Jerry both nodded, starring each other eye to eye as they gave the Secret HandSign in which they held their spoons. The rest cannot be discussed in a public forum; it wasn't pretty.[How secrets are exchanged between Ben's Leaping Laughter and Jerry's Love's Sake Clerk House]------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10:00am Mary wants to know how I "pick the topics that are discussed each week like the guidance from the Angel or the Demon." This is a very good question. The subject is rarely dictated by anyone outsider Grady McMurtry's A.'.A.'. lineage. In truth, most of our teachings are private, one on one with our teachers but if we see a particular subject or issue continually surfacing which we feel all our Clerk Houses and their student might benefit from, then we open the forum on the blog so that inspirational ideas and guidance may flow. This is why we have said, despite my own personal additions and babblings etc, that this blog is part of our arsenal of learning tools for our entire lineage. In other words, we can reach more students instantly ... and it is no secret that by using the Internet wisely we can give our students far more serious magickal theory than other lineages who simply tell their students to read books. This is why we're also against 'LiveJournals' where anyone can simply post a one-line psycho-babble for their fifteen seconds of fame. In our case the majority of incoming emails are not posted. They are either stupid, or confrontational and we will not allow our learning tool to be hijacked by outside chaosian idiots. We 'control' Malkuth for the sake of our students.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:45am Sorry everyone for not answer my emails quicker or responding as I might like. I'm not ignoring any of you. But I have had my thirteen year old son Faustus with me since Friday morning, will have him until tomorrow afternoon. He is the joy of my life but as my little Vampire, he sucks my energy dry. At least he stays up late, sleeps late and since I'm an early riser I can catch up on things before IT wakes! Still, I would have it no other way ... I love the little guy. Hope you all understand. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:00am On the Angel and the Demon, Joe writes - "93 – Jerry – I hope this email finds you WELL !hmmm – You ask: “can a magician distinguish between which one is giving him ‘guidance’?” I am thinking of experiences done with intent – especially the ones which exercise the “Will” - calling them “useless will exercises” – something I have explored and taught - after reading the classic book “The Dice Man” and from doing certain AA exercises as a young man. - seeing how long. I could remain awake without sleeping (could only get to day two without collapsing) and seeing how much I can drink and then finding that balance (This changes with time I am an expert drinker now at the young age of 42 and could USE a Guinness right about NOW)I feel that a WANT is something which arises out of the self which is in the Trance Of Life – and becomes an addiction - an addiction is always a sign and a way to see where one is at - to see who is in “control” the so called Demon or the so called Angel. If one’s position is that the Demon is not the genius but a distraction from ones “common sense” then it becomes like that third Martini or that really really inexpensive whore who shows up just when ones shoelace breaks – or if the Demon being a “distraction” or a “break” may manifest in order to give experience in order to know the difference, then it is of course up to the individual." I " know when I'm addicted to something - I know when there is imbalance - I know how I feel when I am deprived of something- like that after work cigarette, or the cold beer on a summer day due to lack of money or some other means of deprivation - If there is a craving for that thing - then I think that there is an imbalance going on and I have to realign myself to my self.It is interesting that one may not notice something until it is gone - that one does not see oneself or even manifest unless one hides from oneself.I have a difficult time thinking in terms of an ANGEL and a DEMON being these two separate things – but know full well we are stuck in Duality - and see both as the same part of ONE thing- but in order to understand the two there must be some form of comparison of what motivates the self to get up in the morning and what to do with that TIME.Therefore the idea of addiction - of being in a TRANCE - and knowing how to create and break Trances as a key to distinguish which ONE gives us guidance. I think both inform each other and are not at odds – but at evens.I hope you are HEALTHY and HAPPY – I can and will be drinking a BEER in One hour and seven minutes give or take a minute.AgapeJOE from Beverly 93 93/93Reply: Actually the Angel and the Demon are one and the same thing or as the Greeks called him - the 'daimon'. It was the advent of Christianity that saw this entity divided into two separate beings. Magicians like to refer to him as the Holy Guardian Angel; or the one whom we seek to place our lives under his guidance ... but also in The Sacred Magic of Abramelin it tells us how to 'control' his counterpart, the Demon, a part of the book which magicians usually tend to ignore. Anyway, by dividing the entity [he says with snicker] we can blame the 'demon' for corrupting us rather than taking any responsibility for our own actions; like having been the one who originally told the 'demon' to assist us in our Malkuthian wants; whether we did it consciously or unconsciously.Be that as it may, the daimon was simply a reference to that tenuous something which chatters guidance inside our head, which does not appear to anyone else, but only to the thinker himself. The Greeks believed the daimon is neutral; neither male, nor female but both at the same time; the seed of All possibilities of both good and evil. It was believed to be a totally independent entity from us which merely assumes the responsibility of helping our Soul accomplish the type of incarnation (i.e. True Will) that we had chosen; both before birth and of seeds planted prior to puberty. Still, although our general incarnation was said to be predetermined, by our own feeble actions we could clearly influence our incarnation to either occur as planned or curse ourselves for all eternity for the blunders we invoked through Free Choice. (i.e. 'blunders' always occur do to our Wants on Malkuth)Never forget, since the daimon is a neutral entity, it 'listens' to all our Wants and desires on Malkuth and whether they are bathed in a horizontal or vertical calling, the daimon will try to help us to fulfill them. But the daimon is below us on the evolutionary ladder. He has no spiritual authority to 'tell' us to do anything, anymore than we do to the Angels. The daimon is merely to assist us in fulfilling what we discern "between good and evil", this being the twin poles of his own nature. ... This is the problem and the question I've posed; how do we know if what we 'discern' is correct? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:50am Under the subject - "Angels et Demons", Ricky sends us this email - "Jerry 93, Interesting that you should post this question today. Over the past month or so I have been pondering this same question in regards to my past. And though I think there may be certain instance's where my Angel may have guided me or nudged me in the right direction it is nearly always preceded by an obvious yank in the other by the Demon. I think if we take an example this might be easier. People may be drawn to the path of scientific illuminism for may reasons but the true seekers nearly always have one thing in common, the drive to Know Thyself. This is the Great Work for us here in Malkuth and it is in line with the True Will of a person because it is the first necessary step to realizing it. This 'drive' then can be said to be the pull of the Angel. Adversely, anything that strays one away from this, all the 'wants' that are not necessary to, and in all likely hood distract one from, this 'drive' is in essence the pull of our Demon. So personally we must each of us harshly analyze what we do as either a hindrance (Demon) or helpful (Angel) to our current Work.93 93/93 Ricky ."Reply: I suspect that this will be a very interesting topic this week. Remember this clue; according to Aleister Crowley in Magick In Theory & Practice - "A man whose conscious will is at odds with his True Will is wasting his strength. He cannot hope to influence his environment efficiently." and "A man who is doing his True Will has the inertia of the Universe to assist him." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:45am For the history buffs: Vivian Hereward Rowden Deacon was born on this date in England in 1895. He was a noted herbalist and spiritual psychic. When he was seventeen he traveled to Australia where he fell in love ‘intimately’ with a twelve-year old girl name Eunice, whom he later married. He was a pupil of the Bishop Leadbeater, he knew Krishnamurti, joined Theosophy and later befriended Frank Bennett who ran the Ordo Templi Orientis in Australia. Deacon became an avid Crowleyite, reading as many of the Beast’s works as he could find, as well as practicing his brand of magick. Later Deacon moved back to England where he met Aleister Crowley. Deacon died on Saturday February 19, 1938 peacefully in his sleep. …...…. And how can I not forget to mention that William Emmet Heidrick was born on this date in Williams, California in 1943. He would take Minerval initiation into Aleister Crowley’s O.T.O. on April 19th 1977 at the house of Grady Louis McMurtry on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, California, with Lady Sharine acting as the Black Guard. Seven other people, besides Bill, were brought into the Minerval Degree on that day. He would become the first Grand Treasurer General of the O.T.O. under Grady McMurtry and would retain this position for almost 26 years. He retired on May 1st 2005. ……..… and I should point out that Harry Hibbard Kemp died on this date in 1960 after a long illness. It was the author Frank Harris who introduced Kemp to Aleister Crowley, the black magic occultist, at his studio on Fulham Road. Crowley accepted Kemp’s proposition that he attend a séance in order to write it up for the Sunday Magazine Section of The New York World but Crowley later complained about Kemp’s newspaper article in his autobiography, The Confessions, saying that Kemp exaggerated his magical exploits. Kemp, for his part, characterized his article on Crowley as a “turgid bit of sensational journalism.”------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday August 8th 2009 – 3:40pm Andy West sent in this email regarding "The Circle and Square." He writes - "Jerry 93! On thinking about the Circle and the Square "Love under Will" leaped out at me as the key to understanding this process. One submits to the Circle as the Love to it's Will. The part that submits in Love under Will is the Square. The Will is the Circle. In conjunction with what you said about even focusing on the circle exclusively will cause the square to come under control set this epiphany off for me and gave me a deeper understanding as to the how and why of the phrase "Love is the Law, Love under Will". Love is given the immediacy of "is the Law" (compared to Do what thou wilt's "shall be the whole of the Law") because when directed vertically, Love brings one under the True Will. Once you've submitted to the True Will in Love then "There is no law beyond do what thou wilt." Until you've done that though you're probably just wallowing in intellectually justified Wants. Love also seems to be important to the process of balancing and uniting the Spheres because "there is no bond that can unite the divided but love". Ultimately it seems that the personality will be transcended by this process in a kind of Samadhi where (using 1=10 as our example) Kether as Will and Malkuth as Love unite until there is no difference (they equal each other). Love and Will do both equal 93. It's one way to get 1 to equal 10. 93, 93/93 -Andy."
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6:15am Under the Subject: "On the Circle and the Square of 1=10.", Xhris writes this gem:93! Jerry. I had no idea about the implications of these numbers before and in reading everyone's posts and your comments, it has definitely made me realize that they weren't there mere signposts I thought they were.
The 1=10 resides in Malkuth and is responsible to take control of its demands upon our time and get these basics of survival in order. This then frees us to cultivate a spiritual practice so we may then open ourselves to the inspiration of the spirit. This can be seen in the symbolism of the magickal Circle as the fortification and channel that allows us to have a means to obtain the influence of the Crown, which is the final stage in our ascent of the Mountain (the journey of 1000 steps-the 1001 petals of the Sahasrara, begins with 1 step). In order to rule our Kingdom we must wear a Crown. We must discover that seed of the spirit deep in the darkness of the earth, and tend to its growth. I always think of it as the carrot dangled in front of the ass, using its appetites to drive it onwards and upwards.
By the cultivation and growth of the spirit are we are building our temple, the pyramid, which is essentially the triangle. The foundation of this structure must be broad enough to support a summit that has its lofty apex in the starry blue, and so all things in life must be chiseled to reach this goal, no matter how seemingly small and mundane. It is here where I see the concept of Chastity come into play as we must keep our heart and mind fixed upon this work, devoting everything through love to the Crown. If not, the ass will wander as the carrot sways to and fro in our distractions.
In the painting called ‘The Universe’ by the zen monk Sengai, depicts the three primal shapes: Circle, Triangle and Square. This shows the process of Manifestation (circle to square), and of Aspiration (square to circle). This idea is also seen in the engraving by Michael Maier called ‘The Squaring of the Circle’. This image shows an old square brick wall on which the alchemist has drawn a great circle, in which he has made a triangle. Within this is a square and this in turn contains another small circle. This innermost circle depicts a naked man (gesturing to his phallus) and a woman; ‘O’ and ‘N’ respectively. Our inner spirit (circle) is thus comprised of both forces and their union awakens us to come to know the infinite.
So the Work of the 1=10 I see as summed in the action of the triangle, the bridge between the two, which in 1=10 is the ‘=’. To cultivate this balanced duality of the spirit and through devotion and aspiration (Chastity) to the highest, brings us ever closer to the apex of the Pyramid, the Crown which is truly a Circle;
“45. The Perfect and the Perfect are one Perfect and not two; nay, are none!” The 2 pure forces unite and become 1 in Kether and so realize or Know 0, Not. Becoming Hadit as the Knower of Nuit.
-Xris. 93 93/93!p.s.: I was reading through the blog entry you made on Aug. 5th in reply to Jay, how ‘O’ is the formula of the square and the ‘N’ of the circle. I noticed that the shape of the latin letters shows that each then contains its opposite, just as the point of yin within yang and vice versa that forms the circular Tai-Chi.Reply: Very good. I like it when I learn things. Great info on the zen monk Gibon Sengai (1750-1837). His three primal shapes: Circle, Triangle and Square could also easily reflect the Hermit, the Lover and the man of Earth; especially considering how the 'Lover Grade' often uses a 'triangle' as its sacred symbol. ... Ah, yes, we can read so much into the Universe. ... I'm glad that these posting on the blog about the circle squared have helped you and others realize how intricate the seemingly simple symbol of the magickal degrees really is. This is one area of study which magicians must never stop reflecting upon in their pursuit of higher branches on the Tree. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:00am For the history buffs: Willian Henry Sleeman was born on this date in Stratton, Cornwall, England in 1788. He joined the Army in 1809 and was sent to India. Here he became fascinated by the peculiar practices of those who worshiped the goddess Kali, the dark consort of Shiva who it is said feeds on the blood of mortals. It was during his research that he came upon the accounts of the Thugs, or Thugees as they came to be known. He spent years studying their secret beliefs and practices and he was first person to make available to outsiders accurate information about this murderous religious cult which strangled and killed literally thousands of people every single year. Sleeman decided to dedicate his life to the detection and eradication of Thugee. He is credited with succeeding by sending over 1,400 Thugees either to the gallows or prison. After retiring in 1856, he decided to return to England. He died at sea on his way home on the 10th of February 1856. .............. And it was on August 8, 1887 that Rev. A. F. A. Woodford sent the infamous ‘cypher manuscript’ to Dr. William Wynn Westcott after obtaining it from the papers of Fred Hockley who had recently died. Westcott would then give the papers to Samuel L. MacGegor Mathers thus was the reported beginning of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. .............. And how can I not point out that Ed Gein, the man who inspired the making of both Psycho and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, was born on this date in LaCrose, Wisconsin in 1906 to a heavy-drinking father, George Gein, and a domineering mother named Augusta. After the death of his family, Ed Gein began his murderous traits. On January 6, 1958 he was officially ruled insane and therefore never stood trial for his crimes. It could be said that he was more than a cross-dresser who derived pleasure in wearing woman’s clothes, because he often danced in the moonlight his backyard wearing his victim’s face, breasts and hair, along with their vagina and underwear but now behind bars his proclivities were curbed to wearing the standard uniforms issued by the hospital. .............. And it was on August 8, 1918, during his magickal retreat on Esopus Island in New York with Charles Stansfeld Jones aka Frater Achad, that Aleister Crowley discovered through the use of ‘magical memory’ that he was the reincarnation of the French magician Eliphas Levi. .............. And speaking of Charles Stansfeld Jones, on this date in 1923 he sent Aleister Crowley a copy of his latest book, The Egyptian Revival.............. and finally; on August 8, 1968 Charles Manson recorded his first LP but it is not released for at least another year and it would be called ‘LIE’ It was originally produced during his trials using a take-off of the Life Magazine cover in which he had appeared on the cover. Some of Manson’s classic tunes on the album were Mechanical Man, People Say I’m No Good, Home Is Where You’re Happy, Garbage Dump and my personal favorite: I’ll Never Say Never To Always Always is always foreverAs one is one is oneInside yourself for your fatherAll is none all is none all is noneIt's time to drop all from behind usThe illusion has been just a dreamThe Valley of Death may not find usNow as then on a sunshine beamSo bring only your perfectionFor then life will surely beNo cold no fear no hungerYou can see you can see you can see------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Friday August 7th 2009 – 6:55am The OPEN HOUSE that is scheduled tonight has been cancelled. Please let others know that due to scheduling I will not be available. I will most likely be at Manny's, but who knows? However, we are planning an open talk on 'The Circle Squared' and Horizontal and Vertical Fraternities for next Friday's Open House on Aug.14th but we'll let people know as the date draws near if it is official.
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6:45am For the history buffs: A member of the Transylvanian royal family, Countess Elisabeth Bathory, was born on this date in 1560. She was known as the Bloody Lady of Cachtice, a Hungarian countess and probably the most famous serial killer in Slovak and Hungarian history. She spent most of her life at the Cachtice castle where she and four collaborators are said to have tortured and killed around two hundred girls and young women. In 1610 she was finally imprisoned while her collaborators were executed. Her guilt has never been proven. Various legends still circle about her life, including the idea that she bathed in or drank the blood of servant girls so that she could preserve her famous beauty. She is believed by some to have been the origin of numerous vampire myths. She died on August 21, 1614 at the age of 54 while still confined in prison, a prison which was her own castle Csejthe. As punishment for her crimes she was walled up in her bedroom with only a tiny slit to pass food through. Even the windows were walled up. ............ And it was on this date in 1876 that the worlds most infamous spy known as Mata Hari was born as Margaretha Geertruida Zelle in Leeuwarden, Netherlands. At her execution, on October 15, 1917, it was said that more than 6000 people made a ‘pilgrimage’ to the firing range to watch the spy Mata Hari shot. She was tied to a tree, refused a white bandage for her eyes and smiled as she heard the call, “Do your duty, gentlemen, Fire!” A total of twelve shots split the frosty air. ............ And the German occultist and Theosophist, Franz Hartmann, died on this date in 1912. He was the founder of the Order of the Esoteric Rose Croix and was briefly affiliated with the Ordo Templi Orientis. He, along with Theodore Reuss, started a magazine for the O.T.O. called The Oriflamme in 1902. One of his most famous books is Magic, Black and White. ............ And finally, on August 7, 1928 James Randi was born as Randall James Zwinge in Toronto, Ontario. He is a professional magician known as ‘The Amazing Randi’, as well as an author, lecturer, amateur archaeologist and amateur astronomer who is recognized internationally for his tireless and successful investigations of psychic, supernatural, and ‘magical’ claims. He has written eleven books, some being: The Magic of Uri Geller (1975), Houdini, His Life & Art (1978), Flim-Flam! - The Truth about Unicorns, Parapsychology & Other Delusions (1982), Test Your ESP Potential (1983), The Faith Healers (1987) and The Magic World of the Amazing Randi (1989), to name just a few.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thursday August 6th 2009 – 3:30pm John Hughes, the director of such movie classics as 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off', 'Weird Science', 'The Breakfast Club', 'National Lampoon's Vacation', 'Sixteen Candles', 'Pretty in Pink,' 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles,' and 'Home Alone 1 & 2', died today at the age of 59 of a heart attack.
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2:10pm Ah, on the 'circle squared' in the magickal symbols of each A.'.A.'. degree; here is a quote by James A. Eschelman from his classic book The Mystical & Magical System of the A.'.A.'. [The College of Thelema 2000, pg. 8]. He writes - "After each number, in these equations, is a special symbol. Following the first number is a small circle; following the second, a small square. The circle is not a degree symbol, as often thought, but rather, an emblem of eternity, of that which has neither beginning nor end. In contrast, the square symbolizes the temporal, material, and mundane. These figures refer to esoteric mysteries of "squaring the circle," a phrase that has many interpretations, all of which pertain, ultimately, to the spiritual and alchemical (transmutative) process called the Great Work, the quest for spritual attainment. Each represents an aspect of the union of the Macrocosm and the Microcosm, or of "heaven" and "earth." ..... Anybody want to send me any other quotes on this subject, no need to comment on them, just send me the quote. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00am John wrote me yesterday - "93 Jerry. I saw the photo of Obama that you have posted on the bottom right of you blog page. Funny, but I take it you don't like the man. We needed change. I voted for him. 93 93/93 John M" Reply: Obama got into office by bitching about the deficit left behind by the Republicans but within six months he and his Democratic cronies have tripled it; never in the entire history of our country has such stupidity been achieved under the pretenses that its good for us. It's hypocrisy, no? Then, he wants to raise taxes, raise taxes, raise taxes, so his pet programs can be funded; like giving all the illegal aliens free medical! Yes, that's right, the uninsured 'quantity' of Americans that he keeps mentioning to scare us into voting for his medical plans is padded by millions upon millions of illegal aliens in our country. Even worse, Obama is basing his medical plans almost entirely on what the Democrats already did in Massachusetts by making State Run Insurance mandatory. But what he's failing to tell everyone is that this system has bankrupted that state. Thousands of people were buying 'cheap' insurance to get medical procedures that they previously couldn’t afford and then dropping the insurance shortly after they had the surgery and stiffing the state of it revenue that was suppose to help pay for the State run program. A Catch 22 nobody thought about. Even worse, according to Obama's plan, if you or I, as American citizens, do not get his 'State Run' insurance and we're forced to go into the emergeancy room, we can be fined up to $1,000 but guess who is exempt from this 'Obama fine'? ALL illegal aliens! What!!! It doesn't pay to be an American under Democratic rule; you'll become a second rate citizen. Finally, in Massachusetts, where you once might have waited weeks to get a doctor's appointment in a hospital it can now take up to six months to a year because the system is swamped. Canada under its socialism has a similar waiting time for simple hospital procedures. I guess I'm just bitter because of all the governmental red tape I'm facing trying to get medical attention for my heart condition. We don't need more government! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:00am Ah, The City of Revelation and the 'Circle Squared' ! Not one person took the bait and ran with the topic in regards to Wednesday's posting at 6:05am. The 'circle' and 'square' shown in A.'.A.'. degrees is turning out to be more difficult than I guess all of you might have suspected. Doesn't anyone ever do serious research anymore, or do you all think that by simply assuming a particular 'degree' it automatically warrants the reception of its secrets through osmosis? ... Anyway, here are the verses from The Book of Revelations Chaper 21 which detail The City of Revelation, or the Kingdom of Heaven.Verse 16 - And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. Verse 17 - And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred forty four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. The primary thing to consider first is the measurement of a furlong and a cubit; both of which vary depending upon which ancient culture was doing the measuring. At the time and supposed place where The Book of Revelation was written a furlong was approx 606 Ft (1/8th mile), while a cubit was a little over a foot, or 1.728 to be exact. Now, if "the city lieth foursquare" as "twelve thousand furlongs" ancient Greek Qabalah equates this formula as 12 x 660 which equals 7,920. This ratio was used in varying degrees in ancient Temple building and what is interesting is that the diameter of the planet Earth is approximately 7,920 miles. How did they know? ... ah, foursquare - THIS IS THE SQUARE.Also, if you take the diameter of any square, like 7,920, and multiply it by Pi (3.1416) you'll get the circumference of the largest circle that is placed within its walls, which in this case is 24,861.As for the walls of this circle, a "hundred forty four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the angel" ... the math would reflect 144 x 1.728 (cubit) which equals 24,883 ... which , maybe just by coincidence, but this is the approximate circumference of the planet Earth - THIS IS THE CIRCLE.Hence the 'circle squared' ... which implies that the Earth will become the City of Revelation. But magick teaches us that the Great Work is the blending of the microcosm with the macrocosm which are identical or mirror images of each other. It is believed that God used the exact same blueprint to create everything from the most exalted to the infinitesimal and to study any part thereof on one will reveal, simply by analogy, an identical principle on the other; thus the fundamental Laws of all magick - As Above, So Below. And with that in mind, The City of Revelation is also within each and every one of us. As a side note, here are some others things to further consider in Greek Qabalah and the Universe:The number of an Angel = 144 x 12 Zodiac possibilities = 864 which reflects the Sun's diameter of 864900 miles which is 93 million miles from Earth. Also, the Moon's diameter is 2,160 miles. The duality of the human spirit, or Holy Ghost, once drawn below the Abyss is well documented in Qabalah and the phrase 'Holy Ghost' when written out in Greek, then using Greek Qabalah, adds to 1080. ... 1080 x 2 = 2160. We tend to think that because Jesus was Jewish, born in Israel, that the New Testament was written in Hebrew but this is not true; most of the books were written in ancient Greek and it is this language that much of the Greek Qabalah conceals its mysteries. For instance, consider this quote from The Book of Mark, chapter four = "And he said, Whereunto shall we liken the kingdom of God? or with what comparison shall we compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when it is sown in the earth, is less than all the seeds that be in the earth:" ..... In Ancient Greek the phrase 'Mustard Seed' adds numerically to 1746. This was taken to be the union of Sun and Moon; 666 (Sun) and 1080 (Moon) = 1746. I could easily go on and on with these mathematical ramblings but I think you all get the picture. Still, the question we must ask ourselves is whether or not the ancients were all that smart by knowing the mathematical measurements of Sun, Moon and Earth or was it all mere coincidence? To a magician, there is no coincidence. As magicians we have the ability to 'learn' things and draw down Gnosis (or Knowledge) if we build our Temple correctly and if so, the Holy Spirit will dwell therein; guide and teach us. But does this mean that we all will understand the knowledge that is coming down through us? In most cases, NO. Often what we 'wrestle from the hands of our Angel' will be beyond us. ... An example of this would be Liber AL vel Legis; yes Crowley wrote it with pen in hand but he's not the author ... it came through him. He would spend his whole life trying to figure it out and what distinguishes this as divine writing rather than the ramblings of a mad man is that Liber AL vel Legis contains mysteries that were beyond Crowley's understanding at the time of the books reception. The ancients were also obtaining 'Gnosis' which, in many cases, they were oblivious. Future generations took their Holy Books, studied them and slowly unraveled the Mysteries .... like the Mysteries of the 'Circle Squared.'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:00am For the history buff: On this date in 1848 in the Atlantic Ocean, seven men including the Captain on board the Daedalus reported seeing a huge creature which they estimated to be about 60 ft long and possibly 15 inches in diameter. It looked like it had a mane of a soft looking material flowing down the length of its back. The creature’s body was dark brown in color but its throat area was a yellowish white. The creature was swimming approximately 15mph with its head constantly above the water. ............ and on this date in 1890 William Kemmler became the first person to die in the electric chair. His death took place in Auburn Prison and was witnessed by two dozen people but thousands read about the experiment the next day. Kemmler was convicted of murdering his girlfriend, Tillie Ziegler, with an axe. He admitted the crime to police and said he would "take the rope" for it, but because he was the first person convicted after New York State changed the law, he went to the electric chair instead. ............ and on this date in 1937 Annie Horniman died in her sleep at Shere in Surrey. In the late 1880s she pursued her enduring interests in the occult by becoming deeply involved in The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, which was a secret occult society founded by Samuel Liddell Mathers in 1888. It was in this fraternity that Horniman first made the acquaintance of the Irish poet, W. B. Yeats and the actress, Florence Farr. She remained a member of the Order until 1903, known as Soror Fortiter Et Recte. ............ and I should also like to point out that on August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, a Boeing B-29 bomber named the Enola Gay dropped the Atomic Bomb called “Little Boy” on Hiroshima. ............ and finally, on August 6, 1993 Ron Rummel, the ex-air force intelligence agent and publisher of the UFO magazine titled The Alien Digest, allegedly shot himself in the mouth with a pistol. Although he wasn’t wearing any gloves the gun was miraculously free of fingerprints as were his hands of power residue. The suicide note was also determined not to be in Rummel’s handwriting. In fact, he was right handed, the note was written by a left-handed person. Prior to his death The Alien Digest had run only seven very limited issues but it touched on very controversial subjects such as the 'predator' aspect of the aliens and how they might be using humans as food and recyclable body parts. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday August 5th 2009 – 3:00pm An 'annonymous' entry wants to know more about the time frame of Aeonic progressions. Well, this is a difficult topic. Most scholars agree that an Aeon is a scientific fact of approximately 2,160 years but all admit that it is near impossible to pin-point when exactly any given Aeon began or ended. If this time frame is correct, and the age pf Pisces is considered to have begun around the birth of Christ, then in theory the Age of Aquarius should be emerging somewhere around 2,160AD ... and not, as Aleister Crowley claims, in 1904. ... Unless, Christ's birth did not signify the actual birth of the Aeon of Pisces as much as the starting point for Christianity, in which case the Age of Pisces (1904 minus 2,160 years) would have begun around 256 BC. ... Yes, it is a difficult topic.
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1:30pm Jay sent an email regarding his thoughts on the 'circle squared' under the email subject title: "All Lie Alongside Ally." ... He writes - "93 Jerry, I've been thinking about that rather nebulous concept, faith. My thoughts turn to The Book of the Law, I:58: "I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death." I'm going to start by treating faith as belief. Belief must precede all spiritual and magickal work; but magick, unlike religion which demands faith and offers nothing in return, will ultimately yield certainty through the experience of the magician. The fact that this passage is in the first chapter and refers to "unimaginable joys on earth" indicates to me that even the Man of Earth is capable of achieving some degree of certainty. One definition of faith offered by the Oxford English Disctionary is "The duty of fulfilling a trust or promise; allegiance." As initiates of the White Light, what have we allied ourselves with but godhead. Who do we claim to work for? For myself personally, the matter is pretty simple. To me the very existence of the Tree is it's validity. How could we formulate a concept like Malkuth, Yesod, like Chokmah or Binah without some experience of it? How could we draw a map of somewhere we've never been? for even a fictional map (that is, not locatable in time-space on this plane) indicates an experience congruous with the map itself.Of Kether, of course, it is very hard to speak, for it is the Hidden Intelligence. But it seems to me that faith in Kether is the recognition that all of existence is bathed in the Light of God. In allegiance to Kether, it is an aspiration to the godhead that resides in each one of us. There is no part of me that is not of the gods. If we are to make ourselves a proper vehicle for godhead, if we are to allow the Universal Will to move through us, certainly we must first recognize that god resides in us to begin with.Of Chokmah, I feel I could write tomes, for I've long been enamored by the mysteries of the Word. Here I feel I must quote Terence McKenna when he said "the Universe is composed of language." Certainly it is the first thing we see in regards to the formulation of the Universe, for it is the Illuminating Intelligence. And yet, how does the Word create a Universe? This is where the eternal mystery of the Word lies, for even in the microcosm we find it impossible to get to the bottom of hos words convey meaning. Without invoking a Wittgenstein or a Derrida in detail, it will suffice to say that philosophers, artists, lunguists and pranksters alike have bobbed and weaved around the issue always punching new holes in the precarious Theory of Language, always leaving the same miracle: that a seemingly arbitrary set of sounds (or marks on a page) can contain meaning. This is where faith in Chokmah comes in. As Qabalist I think we must conclude that the mystery of meaning is the Breath of Life that Chokmah received from Kether. Thus we see how faith in one sphere necessitates faith in the previous sphere (I have my thoughts on Binah, Chesed and Geburah, but will spare you.... this time!). Also, of the square I wanted to elaborate on Ricardo's thoughts about the convergence of the four elements. Here my thoughts turn to LIber AL I:51: "Let him enter in turn or at once the four gates." Certainly, the elements exist everywhere along the Tree and not just in Malkuth. I take this passage to be a reference to Liber Resh vel Helios. Whether the magician is Malkuth, in Yesod or in Kether he will always further benefit from the practice of Liber Resh, controlling and converging the elements within the sphere in which he resides. In other words, I think that Resh is a major factor in squaring the circle.One last thought. It occurs to me that one must never square Daath. For Daath, being 11, is complete in itself and has no corresponding sphere. It is a result of the circle squared. The rest of the spheres need to be completed to 11 (in 1 = 10, 1 + 10 = 11, in 2 =9, 2 +9 = 11 and so forth). It's when the magician attempts to square Daath, bringing out on this plane as proof of his attainment or superiority, that it becomes the false crown. Daath is the magician's certainty. He can't convey it to anyone else for each magician must find it for his/herself.Okay. Hopefully that's enough for now...Love,Jay 93 93/93Reply: I greatly enjoyed your thoughts; lots of tidbits to ponder or angles that I had not considered. I like it when I'm inspired to think by our students but I also believe that you're going off too much into odd areas of thought. Let me rope you in to focus on the obvious. ... Jerri sent me a great email discussing magickal theory; this being a subject which we've been discussing in private from a long time. Part of what I sent back to her today in an email might be of interest in regards to the 'circle squared.' I wrote:Both men and women have an internal side to compliment their outer. Both sexes utilize their full Tree of Life. Remember, the female is ‘negative’ in the outer while the male is ‘positive’; thus the Yin and Yang. This polarity reverses within. However, in both sexes, the formula of ON must be Balanced. For either the man or woman to study only their particular ‘charge’ or energy while ignoring the other half of the equation will inevitably create failure.The reason that I wanted to discuss the ‘circle squared’ on the blog is because it guides us as to the nature of how our Spirit descends and the type of Temple required for it to dwell. But what exactly is the magickal formula for us to achieve such? Yes, as a Neophyte whose particular magickal formula is 1=10, we can say that you are required to put your faith in the circle (1-Kether) while you learn to control the square (10=Malkuth) but what does this mean, how are we to achieve this?The Formula of ON teaches us this .... as an example; we know that according to Crowley the Left ‘descending’ Side of the Tree of Life is Cheth, Mem, Shin and Ayin which adds to 418 ... while the Right ‘ascending’ Side of Vau, Kaph, Nun and Phe adds to 156. If I were to tell you that the ‘Square’ always requires the formula taught by O regardless which Sephiroth (Chakra) that you’re working out of, it might puzzle you at first but simply put I’m saying that the Formula of O teaches us how to form a proper ‘Square’ or building block in our Temple; i.e. Body. If this is understood we obtain the descending Tongue of Grace as a Red Triangle. (The Book of Lies Chapter 69). To fully understand how to create this proper building block or ‘Square’ you need to study the opposite Thoth card of The Devil (Wants, Bondage, Illusions or Maya) which is the card of the Chariot (True Will, Spirit residing in a perfect vehicle) ... Both cards are also a path located in the Formula of O. Astrologically they also rule signs opposite each other; Capricorn and Cancer. The Right Hand Pillar, on the other hand, with the Formula of N, teaches us how to form a proper ‘Circle’ wherein we, as mortals, must learn the ‘ascending Tongue of Prayer as a Blue Triangle. To fully understand how to create a proper spiritual mode within our Temple (i.e. body) in order to ‘Hear’ our Angel you’ll need to look at the opposite card of Death which is the card of The Hierophant; which is also a path located in the Formula of N. Astrologically they rule signs that are opposite each other; Scorpio and Taurus. The location of both The Devil and Death are mirrored on the Tree of Life as are the paths of The Chariot and The Hierophant. This is not a coincidence.With this in mind we can say that the lessons of the Square on Malkuth implies the very essence of the Fomula of O, while the Circle that of N. Together, as ON, the Light of Tiphereth descends (via Temperance). The mysteries behind the word ON begin to unfold in the Minerval Initiation of OTO when Saladin asks the Black Guard why the candidate, who has been brought into his Tent, is traveling in the land of Egypt. The Black Guard informs Saladin that the ‘prisoner’ claims he is traveling to Heliopolis, the City of the Sun. Historically, Heliopolis is the Greek name for the Egyptian city of the Sun which is also called Annu or simply An. This city was originally founded on the right bank of the Nile just north of present day Cairo around 2443BC by Pharaoh Usertsen the Ist. It was the center of worship of RA, the Sun God. According to The Holy Bible, the Hebrews had their own name for this Solar community. They called the city ON (Genesis xli, 45, 50 and xlvi, 20).Thus the formula of ON is manifesting the City of the Sun on Earth; or in your body. This is part of the reason why both paths, Ayin and Nun, are connected to Tiphereth, the Sun. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1:05pm The headlines regarding a Charles Manson follower reads - "Squeaky Fromme to Be Released." ... Fromme was said to have joined the 'Family' in 1967 but she was not involved in the murders of Sharon Tate and others in August of 1969. These murders landed Charles Manson and some of his followers in prison and Squeaky was one of those who maintained a daily vigil outside the courthouse during his trial. However, Squeaky was convicted in 1975 of pointing a gun at President Gerald Ford in Sacramento, California but Secret Service agents prevented her from firing it. The CNN article states: "The president she tried to assassinate has been dead for nearly three years, and her longtime idol and leader, Charles Manson, remains in prison. However, Lynette "Squeaky" Fromme is about to get her first taste of freedom in more than three decades. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Fromme, now 60, is set to be released on parole Aug. 16." ... The article adds "For years, she was one of Manson's few remaining followers, as many other "Manson Family" members have shunned him. A prison spokeswoman would not say whether Fromme continues to correspond with Manson." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:00am Last night at Manny's, discussing the circle squared over a few pitchers of beer, Matt Marcus asked a very good question. "What does 0=0 imply?" Or basically: 0 (circle) = 0 (square); what do we control and what controls us in this formula?To understand you must remember that in magick the adorations to the Sun begin in the east in the morning which implies toward the rising Sun as if to imply birth. With the second adoration one faces south at noon, at the zenith of the Sun’s life. The third adoration is performed toward the west at Sunset, as if to imply death as the Sun sets beneath the horizon. The final adoration always occurs at midnight facing the north which is said to be the realm of the dead. In many ways the travels of the Sun mimics the warrior named Er’s journey in the afterlife [see Plato's The Republic]. In the myth, while in the land of the dead [North], Er is inevitably brought before Lachesis [who resides in the East] and it is she who teaches Er ‘what has been’ in regards to his past life and helps him chose a new Birth. After choosing his new incarnation he is brought before Klotho [in the South] who shows him ‘what is’ and ratifies the Life so chosen and finally, and in completing the cycle Er is then brought before Atropos [West] who unfolds ‘what shall be’ while also representing our Death. We can say that Er’s journey in the afterlife is part of our collective unconscious, which is also known as a reservoir of the experiences of our species. In this myth, like those told around the world, it forces us to reflect upon our past, present and future while teaching us the process of birth, life and death and inevitably rebirth. Within our A.'.A.'. 0=0 implies the north or the stage 'below' the Earth on The Tree of Life which is where we prepare for our new incarnation as a Neophyte (1=10). With that in mind, without a body (Malkuth) as yet, there is nothing to work on as far a place where our Spirit will dwell. Our Spirit is simply a 'seed' of all possibilities ... study the Thoth card The Fool and its relationship to being number '0'.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:50am Weiser Antiquarian Books Catalog #61 has now been posted on-line. It details The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, and its Successor Groups. It may be viewed at: www.weiserantiquarian.com/catalog and it is ok to drool. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:05am Ah, the 'Circle Squared' ... anyone want to comment on this in regard to The City of Revelations?Verse 16 - And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal. Verse 17 - And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred forty four cubits, the measure of a man, that is, of the angel. The Book of Revelations Chaper 21Hint: verse 16 = Square, verse 17 the Circle.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:03am Samuel Charles Salmon, my dear friend, noted tarot reader on Telegraph Avenue and muscician sent me this notice about his band Wingnut Breakfast. He writes -"WINGNUT BREAKFAST is playing at the CAFFE MEDITERRANEUM at 2475 TELEGRAPH AVE, on Thursday 5th with Alexa Cohan, Reco, and Prince Charles. The show starts at 8:00pm. BE THAR ARE DIE IN YOUR SLEEP!" .... Reply: Well, the wingnuts have spoken! I guess I'll have to be there! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:30am For the history buffs: Guy de Maupassant was a noted French writer who was born on this date in 1850 at the Chateau de Miromesnil, near Dieppe. Some of his short stories and novels are now considered to be classics of horror. In his latter years he developed an exaggerated love for solitude, a predilection for self-preservation, and a constant fear of death and mania of persecution, compounded by a ragging syphilis he had contracted in his early days. In 1891 he was certified insane, then on January 2, in 1892, he tried to commit suicide by cutting his throat. He was committed to the celebrated private asylum of Dr. Esprit Blanche at Passy, in Paris where he died, a month short of his 43rd birthday, on July 6, 1893 ............ also, Oswald Wirth was born on this date in Brienz, Switzerland in 1860. He was a 19th century Swiss occultist, writer and artist of such books as Introduction to the Study of Tarot and Tarot of the Magicians. He worked with the noted magician Eliphas Levi. He’ll probably be remembered for being the first artist to put the letters of the Hebrew alphabet on a Tarot deck. ........... and Joseph Carey Merrick was born on this date in 1862 at 50 Lee Street, Leicester, England to Mary Jane and Joseph Merrick. He became known as the ‘Elephant Man’ because of the abnormal masses of flesh which began growing on his face and body. Although his father didn’t want him; his Mother raised him until her death in 1873. When his father remarried his new wife gave him the ultimatum of “It’s either him or me.” Forced out of the home, Joseph was forced to work selling shoe-black on the streets, a menial job that left him an open target to scores of children who taunted him for amusement. Inevitably he found his way and was admitted to the Leicester Workhouse. For the most part, Joseph was unemployable, but he was prepared to do anything to earn money. Having pride that far outweighed his grotesque deformity, Joseph could write and speak eloquently and he could also read, a rarity amongst the poorer classes of the 19th century. Joseph Merrick left the workhouse in 1884 and took a job as a side-show freak.Merrick was later befriended by surgeon named Frederick Treves of London’s Whitechapel Hospital, a place which became Merrick’s permanent residence until he died at age 27, on April 11, 1890. ............. and it was on August 5, 1959 while dictating pages for a new script, Preston Struges began complaining of severe chest pains and shortness of breath. A doctor was immediately called but early the following morning around 2:15 A.M. he suffered a massive heart attack and quietly died. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, Preston Sturges was considered one of most successful writers and directors. He created such Oscar-winning classics as The Great McGintry (1940), The Palm Beach Story (1942) The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek (1944) and also The Lady Eve (1941) which starred Henry Fonda and Barbara Stanwyck. He is considered the first screenwriter in Hollywood to acquire directorship of his own films. Sturges was also an actor, playing the role of Serge Vitry in the Bob Hope movie titled Paris Holiday (1958). His mother, Mary D’Esti Sturges, was one of Aleister Crowley’s most infamous Scarlet Women. She adopted the magical name Soror Virakam which translates from Latin and Sanskrit as meaning ‘I will perform’. It was through her mediumship, while practicing magick with Crowley, that a spirit was contacted who called himself Ab-ul-Diz. However, years later, Preston would refer to the spirit simply as the “Babylonian pimp.” Generally, Crowley never mentions Preston by name. He refers to him only as “Virakam ‘s brat ... a most god-forsaken lout.” Preston would later write, “Mr. Crowley’s reference to me as ‘the brat’ doesn’t bother me because, compared to the way I refer to him, it is a compliment.” It was obvious that Preston did not enjoy the presence of Aleister Crowley and that actually disliked him. In later years he would call Crowley “a sinister buffoon ... depraved, vicious and revolting.” .......... and finally, on August 5, 1970 a bus load of miners being driven to work by Aimee Latreille near Cobalt, Ontario, nearly crashed when a huge Bigfoot walked out in front of them while trying to cross the road.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tuesday August 4th 2009 – 6:45pm Here is it, not even that late but I just got in the door after spending hours upon hours at Manny's bar, kidnapped by a bunch of Thelemites and forces to drink beer until I almost dropped. But I escaped. I'll most likely get to most of the many incoming emails tomorrow ... hope you all understand. :)
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3:20pm I’m getting a lot of ‘private’ emails these last few days from students who keep asking me not to post their views on the 'circle squared' ... most want to share info just between a 'student and teacher' harping upon confidentiality kinda stuff. You all know that I won't publish stuff if you ask me to ... but where is the fun in this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
8:45am I received an interesting email today from a student about the 'circle squared' wherein he argues, in regards to a previous statement where I doubted that he’s been guided by his Angel since childhood as he claims. But the words in his latest email, and his life in general, proves otherwise ... still he denies this adamantly. He IS guided! ... Personally, if his 'life' portrays guidance rather than a defensive ego babbling out of the Pit of Because, I think he needs to fire the lazy bastard of an Angel. ... However, more likely than not, this student has forgotten that the daimon is duel in nature. Our daimon guides us in both our Will and our Wants as an Angel and a Demon. A true magician cannot, for one single second, drop his guard and think that all ‘guidance’ is always from the Angelic side. Angelic guidance is always toward our spirituality; if you are deceitful, dishonest and hiding things under the pretenses that your 'Angel' told you to do this on Malkuth ... you’re being fooled; you're functioning horizontally. If this is where you want to wallow, there is no Law beyond do what thou wilt but if you're claiming to be functioning vertically in A.'.A.'. ... well, grasshopper, success is your proof. Who am I to argue? ... Another clue: the circle (Above) = our Angel ... and the square (Below) = our Demon. ... How can this be so you might ask? ... In ancient grimoires like that of The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage we clearly learn that it is the 'demons' under the guidance of the 'Angels' who are the true creators of Earth and all things on this plane; not God. ... so be careful with what you are building on Malkuth, the 'square' or building block of your Pyramid [i.e. Life] could easily collapse if it is not guided correctly from Above.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:50am As is usually the case, I have begun a special webpage which begins with the very first posting on the subject of the 'Circle Squared' while I'll be adding all future postings to the bottom so that my readers can easily go back and review this on-going discussion from its beginning to its end; devoid of all other subjects that are being posted on this blog. ... This webpage is titled AN OPEN EPISTLE ON THE CIRCLE SQUARED. I have made a link to this epistle on our CONTENTS page so that in the future all students and teachers can easily find it. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
6:30am It is time that I offered some of my own food for thought into this blog. To accomplish Malkuth (מלכות) or 1 (circle) = 10 (square), is so simple that most fail at it. Malkuth is simply our body (microcosm) and our surroundings (macrocosm) and the realization that there is no part of you that is not of God. Live it ... identify and put under control all earthly 'Wants'. ... The first great challenge comes in Yesod (יסוד), the seat of our animalistic desires, or libido. The magickal formula here is 2 (circle) = 9 (square). This tells us that bringing down our spirituality from Chochmah (2nd Sephiroth) will 'equal' a sound building block in Yesod (9th Sephiroth). As a clue how Crowley tried to unconsciously prepare 'horizontal' students in Ordo Templi Orientis to fulfill this senerio is seen within the Minerval initiation which is named after the Roman Goddess of Wisdom or Minerva. This initiation occurs in the 2nd Qabalistic sphere on the Tree of Life called Chockmah (חכםה); which means Wisdom. In this initiation, according to Aleister Crowley, both the Muladhara Chakra and Anja are activated simultaneously in order to prepare our Spirit to descend into Flesh. The Anja Chakra is Chockmah-2, the Muladhara is Yesod-9, ... thus 2=9. Often you’ll read in Tantric writings that above, in the Infinity before creation, the Goddess Sakti split Herself into 'two states' which are often referred to as ‘mind and body’ ... her mind (Spirit) remains above the Abyss (in the Anja) while her body (as Kundalini-Sakti) inevitably becomes at rest coiled in the Earth chakra or Muladhara (in Yesod). True magick begins by blending together 'mind and body' as an integral part of each other and in doing so it understands the relationship between what yoga refers to as the Anja and the Muladhara Chakras; this being a concept that Karl Jung was beginning to understand [about the importance of these two particular chakras working together] as far back as 1932. [see The Psychology of Kundalini Yoga, Notes of the Seminar Given in 1932 by C. G. Jung, Edited by Sonu Shamdasani; Princeton University Press, Bollingen Series XCIX 1996] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:30am Ricardo Flores writes this gem on the Circle Squared. You can always tell who the 'teachers' are in Grady's A.'.A.'. lineage; they articulate infinity in such a way that it becomes understandable to many. Anyway, he writes:Jerry, 93! I've found it useful to remember in the past that, when working in a vertical school, we are not only looking at the external when discussing magical principles. There might be a tendency to understand Malkuth as only the external physical world. While it is certainly that as well, we might overlook an important point about Malkuth: that it is also the point of union of the four elements. Therefore, the square in this level indicates more than the control over the physical reality, it also tells us that this control is over the four elements. Now, the circle being in Kether is also pointing to how this control is to take place. For example, the world "control" can mean many things, and the fact that Kether is the Crown, Sahasrara, the undivided ontological principle that is the seed before any manifestation has taken place points to the type of control over Malkuth. It is not, for example, saying that we must be tyrants, king of the hill, or "anal retentive" dictators of our surrounding. On the contrary, the circle suggest a type of influence that comes from a place of our highest aspiration that we don't yet grasp or realize, but stands nonetheless as the source above our highest level of understanding, an ephemeral and non-phenomenal pull from above. With this non-phenomenal influence from above we can proceed to exercise a type of "control" over the four elements that manifests itself more as "balance;" a balance and equilibrium that has nothing to do with the need to force one's way (over body or external reality) and everything to do with striving for balance and equanimity. Let's remember too that Kether holds the Aces of the Tarot, the unmanifested seeds of creation that come full circle in the next octave of creation as the 10's.Now, Yesod as the Moon is the basis for the dreaming and our desire nature. It is the Foundation. However, the term "foundation" can be seen as the platform over which our ascent is initiated, or the foundation of the manifestation of our seeds in Malkuth. In either case, left without any control, these forces will easily earth out and manifest in our reality all kinds of impulses, wants, and sprouts of the karmic seeds coming from our sexual wants and the fantasies of our mind (hence creating more chaos and imbalance in Malkuth). The circle in Chokmah reminds us of the application of Will to the foundation of our Work. To have Will direct the forces of our desire nature is important (taking into account that the desire nature is a lower octave of pure Will). One example in how this way of looking at the relation between the circle and the square is to think about the Kundry. She is a lower manifestation of Binah (a malkuthian manifestation of elemental pull) that comes to a Neophyte whenever he or she fails to direct the magical aspiration of higher love towards Babalon (the Goddess, the Queen). Now, Binah is of course in 3, not 2. However, 2 is the highest octave of the Male, the Father whose divine creative seed is given in an act of Love to the Mother Binah. In other words, the creative impulse as a manifestation of higher love is an important component when controlling the forces of Yesod. It is not enough to exercise a purely mental, barren will over our desire nature and our dreaming nature. We must exercise Will as an application of creativity. This can be simply manifested as the exercise of an art form that directs the sexual and subconscious impulses. Remember, too, that creativity in art requires that the artist does not simply plaster anything that crosses the mind, but that the creative impulse is directed and channeled with discipline, awareness, and will.Ricardo, 93 93/93Reply: I replied - "Ricardo 93. I really enjoyed what you wrote. I am hoping over time that all my readers will realize that the lack of spirituality (Kether) is the single most reason for initial failure in most magicians working out of Malkuth and, whether or not they see that the 'circle squared' guides us to fulfilling such in the body only time will tell. Always remember, each 'Square' that is obtained from each Sephiroth as you climb the Tree of Life is a building block in the Sacred Temple of God which we mortals call our body. Failure to keep balanced the circle-squared builds a Temple which not only will not last, but also one in which no God will dwell. Grady use to tell me that it is better to focus solely on our spirituality (Circle) and forget the Temple (Square) in each magickal degree than the other way around. Too often I see magicians on Malkuth trying to 'look' and 'study' the role hoping that some day a Light will shine from above. They forget that the formula is NOT a square then the circle, it's the circle FIRST, then the square! I wish more people would write as equally balanced with facts and Heart as you do.. Deepest respect ... 93 93/93 Jerry"------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:00am For the history buffs: On this date in 1892 in Fall River, Massachusetts Lizzie Borden took an axe, and gave her mother forty whacks. When the job was nicely done, she gave her father forty one! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monday August 3rd 2009 – 8:25am NEWS: Ah, shortly before midnight, or at 11:52pm Sunday night, there was a 2.1 earthquake that hit Piedmont or Berkeley’s neighboring city. I slept through it .... or maybe it might have unconsciously forced me to roll over, who knows.
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6:00am Regarding the Circle Squared, Jerri from Sacramento sent us these ideas:93 Jerry,
Ok…so here are a few of my thoughts so far on the circle and the square...I'm leaping a bit and it's still kind of fuzzy...tell me where I'm going wrong in some of my assumptions...they feel right though...close anyway...The Veil of Paroketh is like a veil of illusion between the Sun and the Shadow. It is the veil which I understand to be almost like the representation of our drinking from the River of Forgetfulness. Where Ego believes itself to be it's ultimate and sole identity. When the Soul, the little speck of Spirit which is our individual perspective, begins to experience the pull of it's Divinity rather than the pull of the Ego, the individual begins to rise on the planes...This, from the perspective of below the Sun is the goal of the circle and the square and the method in which to rise. Below the veil as Men of Earth we manifest as males which are active in Malkuth or as females which are active in Yesod. Will manifests upon the Earth. Love manifests in Yesod. Perhaps this concept becomes more obvious in Hod and Netzach?My Reply: Actually, it is below the Abyss that we all, both men and women, manifest as 'male' or positive manifested energy due to Malkuth or our bodies; see The Book of Lies, last line to The Oyster. ... Also, you should have clarifed what is meant by "perspective of below the Sun" as to why this important. I would have added how the numbers by the circle and the square have yet to reverse where the circle becomes the higher number than the square; below Tiphereth the number by the circle is always less than the square. Ah, Mysteries. Men generally are working out of Malkuth as bodily, intellectual type will. That is 10, the square. To conquer it to climb up the tree or to rise vertically upon the planes, they must put their faith in Kether or 1, the circle, the Crown, the All. Women, who are working out of Yesod as emotion and love (9) must put their faith in 2-Chokmah-Will. As Men of Earth though, we must conquer both the spheres, Malkuth and Yesod. Both the sexes have the entire tree within at all times, but our bodies which are our individual perspectives, manifest as either male or female, thus our perspectives (microcosms) are "opposite" one another. We are active and passive on different planes (at least down here...), while still existing on them all.My Reply: I understand what you are trying to say but admittedly I fear other students are going to read this and will either be confused or take it out of context. It could be clearer. It is important to add that both sexes must function out of Malkuth-10 and Yesod-9 all times, or die ... but where the man's 'positive' is Malkuth; his 'negative' is Yesod; this polarity of the Tao reverses in the woman. In some ways, what you are referring to is the point of view from the Ruach; which will confuse the Hell out of people who are still functioning 100% out of the man of Earth grade where the slaves shall serve or at least until they assume the role of a King whereby we'll move them into the Lovers grade. One number you put your faith in (circle), while you must conquer the other (square). Always a quest for opposites. There is nothing but this drive to unite opposites. It is the Libido, which operates on a horizontal and vertical level. This concept translates to every single plane. To focus on the square (or the plane upon which you reside) is horizontal. But to focus upon the circle, which the quest for our opposite within (the Great Work), is to rise vertically. It is the Libido which is the fuel, the creative spark, the Daemon and the Kundalini. My Reply: Very good, you've been paying attention. I would like you to elaborate on what you mean by 'faith' and 'focus upon the circle' ... how do you do this? Most individuals in the man of Earth grade are often oblivious to the actual needs or requirements of the circle and although they know 'what' to do, they often lack 'how.' You should think about this during the week. And then I would like to add another question; what role does the Square play in receiving the energies of the 'circle' ? Is not the square four-fold, elemental, almost a symbolic building block in the Pyramid from the point-of-view of Malkuth. And is not the square a foundation stone in the Sacred Temple ... and is not the Temple the human body? How does the circle and square then relate? I watched a snippet of a Joseph Campbell lecture the other night and I started tripping out at his description of the Libido. He called it: "Libido as the experience of object." Hmm…just when I thought that it was Love that was the glue…I think it’s our Libido, rather. It is the force that drives us toward our opposite, horizontally and vertically. Always, always, always. Perhaps we could even call it the = portion of the circle/square, the unifying point? It represents that unquenchable drive to unite ‘subject’ (the Microcosm) and ‘object’ (Macrocosm).93 93/93JerriReply: I like the idea of the "Libido as the experience of object." We know that our libido is rooted in Yesod (Muladhara chakra) which is our Soul. Yesod also refers to the animalistic nature which we require in order for our Spirit to gain an 'experience' while in this incarnation. Sexuality is the 'glue' but whether or not we 'sell our Soul' for a piece of ass driven by Malkuthian or bodily desires depends upon the control we learn in Malkuth (which is our body). As you know, men more often than not, will lose it before the woman. There is a reason for this ... otherwise the species dies out. We tend to forget that humans are still driven by 'instinct' and like other species, when the man gets a hard-on, he becomes blinded, driven by the need to get laid and he will throw out his spirituality in a heart beat. Study history. It's filled with men who screw up while on spiritual quests and then try to dance and defend their ego as to why they didn't. As for woman's screw-ups, its the opposite. ... Remember what I previously wrote you:A woman’s biggest danger is a man. Simply through the formula of ON; man is the phallic WILL and woman LOVE. Now don’t mistake what I’m saying to think that either sex is devoid of its opposite because we both have Will & Love in our constitution but one is always more dynamic than the other and it is reversed in the sexes. When the scales of Will/Love are tipped in either sex we have our magickal blow-outs and by their ‘words and actions’ a good teacher will know how. Men, more often than not, because they are functioning on the Left Hand ‘descending’ Pillar which takes energy ‘downward’ and they will resort to psycho-babble in a pit of Because as their Will becomes an obstinate driving factor to ‘prove’ a defensive ego. Woman, because they function on the Right Hand Pillar which is an ascending current, tend to go within or crazy, mad and psycho and again, by their ‘words and actions’ a good teacher will recognize the dangers. Where men lose it with Will, women lose it in Love. ... Understand? If you tip the scales in Love your Will became subservient. Remember – “Love is the law, love under will.” Contrary to what magickal idiots want us to believe; this does NOT mean that women are to subservient to men, it simply is informing us a clue to each of our own constitutions. Read that whole verse: A: I:57. Do you remember all the paths in the Formula of ON. ... Men have a downward connection to Malkuth via the Formula of O-418. It is through the path of Shin, or Judgment which contains the Fires that consume them in Judgment. It forces the man to put up, or shut up and it often ‘earths-them-out’ in times of trouble. But where in the woman’s Formula of N-156 is there a connection to Yesod and Malkuth? There isn’t any. You should ponder upon that or why you work solely out of the Ruach. Jerri, all in All, what you wrote is a very good start. As with my other students, I'll tell you to continue to think on this subject and throw any and all tidbits my way as you think upon them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5:45am For the history buffs: On this date in 1918, while on his Magical Retirement on Esopus Island in the Hudson River, Crowley wrote, “Having been trying to get into dhyana for half an hour: not the least use. What’s wrong? If this goes on, I shall be eligible for membership in the Theosophical Society.” .............. Chuck Furnace was born on this date in 1952. He studied with Lubavitch Rabbis as a child, then continued his spiritual studies with the Brocken Mountain Lodge of the OTO with a specific interest in Qabalah. Although never a Minerval, he was a member of the Caliphate OTO who ferreted out obscure Crowley and Spare books and articles from the Rare Book Libraries of various Universities and put them into general circulation through the (then) miracle of Xerox. He owned BOOK WORLD, a 24 hour bookstore in New Haven, CT and spread Magick through his international mail order catalog A World of Magick (1984). He belongs to Ouroborous Isis Gnosis, (a coven begun in 1980); The Star Lodge (Qabalistic Ceremonial Magick group begun in 1982) and works with The Temple of the Serpent Flame OTO in New Haven. Besides various articles, he is the author of 3 small books: The Process of Magick (1977), The Holy Guardian Angel (1986) and Al Shem Shaddai (2004). He had a heart transplant in 2002.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday August 2nd 2009 – 4:20pm Matt writes - "93 Jerry, ... I finally had the time to sit down uninterrupted and go through your blog for the last few weeks, armed with my own copies of "Little Essays" and "The Book of Lies." I have to say that I've gotten a great deal out of the interactive dialogue between yourself and everyone else's postings. Very stimulating. And very enlightening. I see that people have been submitting their own thoughts on what the VII word. If I submit mine, what happens if I'm right? :) 93 93/93 Matt.”
Reply: I'll buy a pitcher of beer at Manny's ........ [like I need an excuse] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2:40pm And Jay sent in a good piece, under the Subject title "Circles Aren't Square, Just Misunderstood" ... he writes:93 Jerry,
Well my first thoughts on the circle and the square are along the lines of an overview. Of course, at the grade of 1 = 10 we're putting our faith in Kether (1) while putting Malkuth under control (10); at 9 =2 we're putting our faith in Chokmah (2) while putting Yesod (9) under control and so forth. The process of forming the squares from sphere to to sphere as we work up the Tree is the process of building our pyramid brick by brick; at the same time we're bringing spirit down from Kether sphere by sphere until it comes to dwell within our pyramid. This seems to happen at the grade of 6 = 5 where the magician is forming a square in Geburah while receiving spirit internally from Tipareth. I'm also thinking that this process is represented in part by the symbol of Baphomet: the right hand, which usually earths out in Malkuth, is pointed up, bringing the practical four-elemental nature into the higher spheres while the left hand, usually taking energy upward into the Macrocosm, is now bringing spirit down into the temple.So what does all this amount to in practical terms? The sphere that we're squaring should be where we're currently residing. The square indicates a Malkuthian four-elemental quality. So when we're squaring a sphere we're studying it, bringing into our consciousness the affect that it has on us so we can learn to put it under control. In a sense we need to bring it out onto this plane, into the light of day so we can see it clearly. Otherwise it's stirring about in the unconsious and affecting us in a manner in which we aren't fully cognizant. The sphere in which the circle resides is where we need to learn to be receptive. This is where the spiritual subtleties enter in. How exactly do we allow Kether or Chokmah etc. to move through us? I think this is where Chastity and the True Will enter in. One you control, the other controls you. Being receptive is learning not to argue with the gods. This is learning to collect those dewdrops; once they come below the Abyss they represent nothing less than your individual Will (above the Abyss they are the Universal Will). Will and personality may be seemingly at odds-- that is, if by personality we mean the ego that intellectualizes our wants claiming them to be our Will. We must receive gnosis from the sphere we're circling and do our Will accordingly. For pure will, unnassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result is every way perfect.Love, Jay93 93/93Reply: I like it when students pay attention to my lectures. We'll folks, we got two great foundational pieces sent in today so far ... let's keep the ball rolling.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2:30pm I received a very interesting package from a gentleman which contained a booklet with one page after another of charts dissecting the grid that is found in the third Chapter of Liber AL vel Legis. What it lacks is an explanation, or the scientific approach detailing how and why he designed these charts or came to a specific conclusion. I sent him an email; lessons which we can all learn from. I wrote:" ... here is some advice; I hope you take it more fatherly that as negative criticism. One of the most difficult things for a magician to achieve is the ability to articulate the symbols and imagery which roams around in their Ruach. Like Grady, I have little patience to interpret some of the papers which people send to me which may, in their mind, hold vast importance because, without proper explanation of what they mean and why, I am often left with problem as to how I should reply. I once sent Grady a similar piece and later he commented on my ‘pretty pictures.’ When I asked what he thought about them he replied that obviously I didn’t, otherwise I would have included ‘words’ to explain them. He was right. We communicate by ‘language’ on Malkuth; ‘pictures’ on Malkuth are interpretational by each individual and unless I wanted him to understand them, I should have add a sentence or two.Since your entire booklet dealt with Liber AL III:47 let us consider the verse itself : “This book shall be translated into all tongues: but always with the original in the writing of the Beast; for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. Let him not seek to try: but one cometh after him, whence I say not, who shall discover the Key of it all. Then this line drawn is a key: then this circle squared in its failure is a key also. And Abrahadabra. It shall be his child & that strangely. Let him not seek after this; for thereby alone can he fall from it.” .... Aleister Crowley begins his commentary to this verse by writing - “These mysteries are inscrutable to me, as stated in the text.” ..... With this in mind most people are unfamiliar with the fact that grid which appears in the manuscript of Liber AL vel Legis of Chapter Three, beginning with this verse was not part of what was received in 1904.. Of Note; the facsimile of the original handwritten manuscript which appeared in original 1912 edition of The Equinox Vol.I No.7 does not contain the grid. Only two modern editions faithful reproduce the facsimile of Liber AL without the grid as it appeared in 1912. The first facsimile appears in The Law is For All, edited by Israel Regardie (only the 1975 edition) and the second appears in the Mandrake Press Ltd/Holmes Publishing edition of Equinox I No.7 (1992). All editions of The Equinox published by Samuel Weiser Inc use the version of the manuscript taken from The Equinox of the Gods (1936) which has the grid, rather than using the 1912 original. We know that the grid first appeared in the Tunis edition of Liber AL vel Legis published in 1925 which suggest that it was added to the manuscript sometime between 1912 and 1925. .... So the question remains – when Crowley was trying to solve the ‘mysteries’ should he have been drawing on the original manuscript when doing it? Next, consider the fact that the verse (written in 1904) clearly states that every future edition should be published– “always with the original in the writing of the Beast” ... but at no times does this verse state that later ‘additions’ to the manuscript hold any mysteries. Second, the mere fact that Aleister Crowley added the grid means that he ignored the most important part of this verse which states “for in the chance shape of the letters and their position to one another: in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine.” The key words being “no Beast” as if to unmistakably imply that this verse will not be understood by any man ... but by a woman ... and thus, with this in mind, Crowley’s grid is meaningless. As is the ‘interpretations’ by all men.Now do you see my problem with what you sent to me ..."------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2:20pm Ricky writes a very interesting email about the 'Circle Squared' : Jerry 93!
This is an interesting concept and admittedly I've never really given much thought as to why the grades were labeled this way. The first thing that comes to mind with the Neophytr 1=10 equation is "Malkuth is in Kether and Kether is in Malkuth, but after another, manner." But I think we must work up to this axiom especially when viewing it from Malkuth. You've said that the square refers to the energy the magician is experiencing or where he stands on the Sacred mountain and the circle on the other hand is where control is possible or where we must strive to let our Spirit guide us from. In the Neophyte stage we are charged to 'get a hold on Malkuth' or become comfortable in our physical vehicle. So the obvious square in this stage is the 'outer' and this is what we must control. If we look at AC's layout for what the 1=10 was supposed to accomplish it is clear that asana and the 'perfect control of the Astral plane' is meant to establish or at least allow the free flow of energy from above. The circle on the other hand seems not so simple. Here we are charged to let our spirit guide us in the Nature of Kether??? The first step to this as you have pointed out is to get the square 100% under controll so that we may obtain a foundation to 'recieve' the blessings of our circle. Maybe this is what is meant by collom XLV in 777. The 'Magical Power' associated with Malkuth the 1=10 grade is the vision of the HGA or of Adonai. Could this be squaring the circle in Malkuth? Seeing that this Vision is the first inkling that the magician gets into his own Spirit?? But maybe we are suposed to look within to the 'core' of our being Hadit. Since Hadit is both Kether and Malkuth the idea could be to, in a sense, level these on there own respective planes??Also there seems to be a certain polar oposite with these degrees.. On one hand Malkuth could be seen as the lowest octave of Kether being that they both contain the whole of the Tree in themselves. It is interesting to look at the 2=9 grade in this light to. Here we see that Yesod is the sphere of the Moon with all her illusory attributations and Chokmah's attributation to Maya who speeks Truth but sends forth illusion.. 93 93/93RickyReply: Very good; the first stone has been laid in the discussion. Anyone want to take it from here, to agree with, disagree or elaborate upon?------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:20am The noted author Richard T. Cole responded to my July 30th 12:20pm posting about receiving his latest book of Crowley parodies which is titled A Post Card From Hell, Revised Materials Towards a Cartoon History of the Life, Loves & Legacy of Aleister Crowley [Orange Box Books 2009]; which also contained my review. He writes:Jerry,I'm (almost) speechless! Many, many thanks for your kind words about Postcards. Hearing that those naughty little grotesqueatures put a smile on your face makes all the kerfuffle and effort required to create them so worthwhile - You've made an old man very happy!Sorry for the delay in getting back to you. The missus decided that the best to celebrate the book's release was to spend most of the weekend scraping various slimy stuff from the wet bit of a fifty-foot long, money-gobbling, paint peeling lump of rusting iron she lovingly refers to as a canal boat. Mmmm, barnacle and seaweed chowder for supper - Yum yum.Take the very bestest care of yourself.Yours,RTC.Reply: Kind words? I only called it as I saw it. Your book is fantastic. Over a dozen people already saw it and all (and this is true) immediately asked how can I get a copy? ... I do have only one complaint. One person laughed so much I think he pee'd himself a little while sitting in my recliner; I didn't enjoy cleaning it up after he left but, if that's the worse I have to deal with in life, I really shouldn't be upset. ... You are a man to rival my own laughing insanity; I love creating parodies but I find that few people know how to do it with as much flare as yourself and for that I am humbled.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7:00am For the history buffs: Henry Steel Olcott was born on this date into a pious Presbyterian household in Orange, New Jersey in 1832. After the Civil War he returned to New York City, where he supported himself by being a journalist and an insurance lawyer. In 1874, while covering reports of spirits materializing at a farmhouse in Chittenden, Vermont, he struck up a friendship with a Russian occultist named Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. One year later, he and Blavatsky co-founded the Theosophical Society in New York, an organization that would soon play a major role in introducing Americans to the ancient wisdom of the East. Ironically, there was not one single representative of the Eastern Mystical Tradition among the founders of the Theosophical Society. At this stage they all claimed, including Madame Blavatsky, that their ‘Inner Contacts’ were non-physical masters from an Egyptian Order that was carrying on the work of Zoroaster and Solomon. It was years later after Blavatsky and Olcott had converted to Buddhism that The Theosophical Society shifted its beliefs from the western concept of ‘Secret Chiefs’ to communicating with three oriental Masters named Koot Hoomi, Morya, and Djwal Khul. Olcott died on February 17, 1907 in Adyar, Madras, India. …....…. On this date in 1920 the noted author Louis Pauwels was born in Paris, France. In 1960 he collaborated with Jacques Bergier to write Le Matin des Magiciens, or The Morning of the Magicians. The book is a rambling classic interpretation of occultism and anomalous phenomena in ancient history and prehistory which is distinct from that expounded by run of the mill historians. It delves deeply into our world’s historical development, the existence of technologically advanced civilizations now forgotten, of aliens, the use of occult forces, telepathy and the possibility of human mutants. …....…. Also, on August 2, 1939, at 3:15pm, Dr. Herbert Spencer Lewis, the founder of AMORC, gave up his earthly vehicle and died. He had been called many things during his life but some believe that he should be remembered by this quote which called him “a boastful, pilfering Imperator with Black Magic connections!” …........….. and how can we not mention the birthday of Wes Craven? He was born on this date in Cleveland, Ohio in 1939. He is a veteran of over thirty films, and has invented some of the most memorable horror films ever to grace theatres; like The House on the Left (1972), The Hills Have Eyes (1977), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), The Serpent and The Rainbow (1988), Shocker (1989), The People Under The Stairs (1991) and Scream (1996). ……. And finally, Gerald Suster, the esteemed British writer, occultist and historian was born on August 2, 1951. He died suddenly of a heart attack on February 4, 2001 in London at the age of 49. His body was cremated. He over thirty-one books such books as Hitler: The Occult Messiah (1981), The Legacy of the Beast: The Life, Work and Influence of Aleister Crowley (1984) and John Dee, Essential Readings (1986), to name but a few.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saturday August 1st 2008 – 6:30am For the history buffs: The most prolific of John Dee’s skryers and one of Aleister Crowley’s earlier incarnations, Edward ‘Talbot’ Kelly was born on this date in Worcester, England in 1555. Almost nothing is known about his life and much of what is, is a fabrication. There has been great confusion over his death, especially considering that John Dee’s private diaries recorded in 1595 on November 25: “News that Sir Edward Kelly was Slain.” This turned out to be only gossip because in 1596 Kelly, who was apparently still alive, was imprisoned for debt at the castle in Brux, western Bohemia. It was in the following year of 1597 while trying to escape over the wall that Kelly slipped, fell and broke his leg. He died shortly afterward due to complications. ……...... also Ida Craddock was born in Philadelphia on this date in 1857. When she was only two years old her father died. After this, her mother who had always been very interested in spiritualism and the occult, became a fundamentalist Christian. She raised young Ida with an extremely puritanical discipline and armed with this intense religious training, this repressed young woman inevitably grew up to be deeply interested in the very subjects which were most forbidden to her in childhood: namely, sexuality, occultism, and all aspects of freedom in general. She published a book on her ideas in 1893 titled Heavenly Bridegrooms. Aleister Crowley reviewed this book in his Equinox Vol. III No.1 and wrote, “This book is of incalculable value to every student of occult matters. No Magick library is complete without it.” ……. And to continue with birthdays; Montague Rhodes James was born on this date in 1862. He was a brilliant scholar and antiquary who is generally considered to be the best, or scariest, writer of supernatural fiction that England has ever produced. He authored some of the greatest and most influential ghost stories in the English language. There are approximately forty of his supernatural tales, most of which were published in Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904), More Ghost Stories (1911), A Thin Ghost and Others (1919), A Warning to the Curious (1925) and The Collected Ghost Stories of M. R. James (1931). Among them are famous titles such as Casting the Runes which has an evil character named Karswell who is loosely based on Aleister Crowley and he also wrote a short supernatural fantasy novel for children called The Five Jars (1922). M. R. James died in 1936. …… and there are more; Raymond A. Palmer, the editor of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories and the co-founder of FATE magazine, was born on this date in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1910. Tragedy struck when he was only seven. He was run over by a truck and one of his vertebra was cracked. The operation to remove the pressure on his spine was almost a success but in the end, due to many complications, Palmer was left permanently disabled; a hunchback. As an adult he stood only four feet eight inches tall. It can be said that Palmer was the P. T. Barnum of the occult world. He championed some of the most bizarre stories about UFOs, monsters and the Hollow Earth imaginable and some say that he even single-handedly created the ‘myth’ about Flying Saucers. His friend and colleague, P. W. Fairman, once wrote to him saying, “In these times of drab and unconvincing falsehood, there is still something to be thankful for. A Palmer promotion has the touch of genius. It has zing, sparkle, and true showmanship. It can be spotted a mile away by the bright lights. The thing to do is sit back and enjoy it.” Ray Palmer died in August of 1977 at this home in Florida on this date. …....…. And I should also point out that on August 1, 1912 Iona de Forrest, the mistress of Victor Neuburg, committed suicide by shooting herself. Neuburg was convinced that Aleister Crowley had put a spell upon her as a ‘Circe’ and had actually murdered her. Crowley implies his own guilt in Magick in Theory & Practice. …....…. And finally, on August, 1, 1978 Walter Ernest Butler, born in 1898 in East Yorkshire, died in England. The world simply knew of him as W. E. Butler. He spent some years with the British army in India and tried many times to get into the Theosophical Society but was always turned down. While in India he studied among Hindu spiritual teachers and with the renowned mystic Annie Besant. After returning to England he became a member of Dion Fortune’s Fraternity of the Inner Light, and was also a pupil of the psychic Robert King, an archbishop in the Liberal Catholic Church. In 1965, W. E. Butler founded Servants of the Light School of Occult Science. He was SOL’s first Director of Studies up until a few years before his death. His books, classics in the field, are well-known for their readability and no-nonsense approach to occultism.
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