achad.net

Thought I’d do a really quick analysis of this statement from Liber AL (III:30) as I always wondered about it. A quick Google search doesn’t pull up much that really describes “open brass work,” although I’m guessing it has to do with brass plating or something of the sort. We do have this interesting reference [source]:

In the middle was an altar, bearing a brass plate, upon which were engraved the letters, A. C. R. C; and the words, Hoc Universi Compendium vivus mihi Sepulchrum fec

. . .and of course Solomon’s Vessel of Brass.

So what is brass exactly? According to Wikipedia, “Brass is any alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.”
Continue Reading…

Due to the great difficulty of finding an easy to understand guide to Thelema which does not bore its readers back to whence they came, I have written this. With all due respect to Thelema 101, which does a decent job, I hope that this is something that allows for comprehension even by someone with no prior background knowledge on the subject. This is meant to be *very* general and basic, hopefully not at the expense of too much accuracy.

What is Thelema? Continue Reading…

This brief writeup was inspired by my OTO brethren at Pyramid Lodge yesterday, during a book discussion. Although the original idea for this interpretation is not mine, the line by line analysis that follows is. I have not come across this interpretation elsewhere online, and thus I think it is worthy of mention.

When asked about their opinion on the Tunis Comment, the Class A document found at the back of Liber CCXX, most Thelemites say something like “I ignore it, I think it was a joke” or “it was to prevent dogma” or “it was used to shut up an annoying pupil who kept asking Crowley questions” or “it is meant as a test — being Class A it represents ultimate authority, and to really be a king, you can’t let any outside authority take precedence over your own.” While these interpretations may be interesting, I will not cover them here as they are discussed at length in many places online. This interpretation sees The Comment as more of a warning than a command, contrary to the initial impression most get from reading it. Continue Reading…

I decided it was time to try making my own Cakes of Light, so as to enhance my Gnostic Mass experience and allow for performance of the Mass of the Phoenix, a daily Thelemic eucharist. At this stage in my life, I think I agree with Crowley’s emphasis on the importance of the daily consumption of a eucharist.

After checking Google, there seem to be two main recipes that can be easily found [note: I found a bunch more after writing this, by searching things like "thick leavings of red wine" and such as opposed to "cakes of light"]. I’m not sure of the origin of the first, but in depth instructions regarding it are given in Rodney Orpheus’ Abrahadabra: Understanding Aleister Crowley’s Thelemic Magick (ISBN 1-57863-326-5) The second is a recipe by someone who goes by the name “Aisha.” They can be found at these locations, respectively: Continue Reading…

Recently, I was initiated into the degree of Minerval in OTO. I obviously can’t say much about what happened, but I think it is worth mentioning, for those interested:

• It was not what I expected
• I *loved* it
• I believe it was effective

My stay at Pyramid Lodge, as always, was quite pleasant. The environment always carries an intellectual and hospitable feel. It is the kind of place where you can grow because there is constant intellectual stimulation, and no unnecessary bounds or groupthink (beyond the egregore — which is a good thing). After returning home, I feel like a lot of the creativity has stuck with me, and I am constantly coming up with new ideas and challenging old ones in much the same way as my brothers at the lodge were doing. This is certainly a welcome change from my current, stagnant environment wherein everybody spends their whole waking life watching TV when they’re not working.

For those considering OTO, I would definitely recommend you look into it first-hand, ignoring the internet drama and finding out for yourself. Isn’t this what the method of science is all about?

A few months ago I came across an article on Excommunicate.net entitled “Thelema, a destructive path?” It was clear from the article that the author had very little knowledge of the subject matter, and I found the information to be inaccurate. As a result, I took it upon myself to write a rebuttal, which was kindly posted on the same site.

I have received a bit of feedback on my rebuttal from various people, and decided I would like to rewrite/modify it to reflect new understandings. As always, I am open to comments and feedback, and to make it clear in advance: I do not claim to be any sort of authority on any subject matter, and as Thelemites do not always agree on various issues, these opinions are only my own. The bold text is from the original author’s article, and the plain text below it is my response.

For those who don’t know, Thelema acquired most of its notoriety from Aleister Crowley. The word had existed long before he but it was he who readopted it and gave it new purpose. Aleister sought to bring about a new religion something to replace the antiquated views of old. However his work came quite a bit after the appearance of the Golden Dawn, Rosicrucians, and even the Freemasons. Crowley’s religion was an adaptation of a new dogma.

This new path was revealed to him by a being called Aiwass. Aiwass was channeled through Crowley at first by his wife Rose and then later himself. This alleged being was Crowley’s Holy Guardian Angel. However the writing itself is very indicative of any style of automatic writing. Like many “channeled” works it is written in a very abstract and esoteric manner. Only those worthy to walk the path may understand type approach.

I’d like to begin by stating that I disagree with the last sentence in the above paragraph. The author is correct in asserting that some of Crowley’s channeled work is central to Thelema. This is especially true of the text “Liber AL vel Legis,” or “The Book of the Law.” According to AL I:34, “. . . the Law is for all.” Crowley even wrote an interpretation of Liber AL which was published under the name “The Law is For All.” The idea was to make the often obscure and disorganized Liber AL more accessible and comprehensible to anyone interested in study — not just some elite few who are “worthy.”

That said, I would like to note that the aforementioned commentary to Liber AL should not be seen as the be-all and end-all final word on the book. Although it is helpful in getting one to think about what the message and meaning may be, one’s relationship to AL can be highly personal — and as such, each person is encouraged to form their own continually evolving interpretation of the book, “each for himself.” Continue Reading…