Do what you please. Telema basics. A brief excursion into history
Finding this place is not so easy: it is not indicated in guidebooks and maps, and the locals have not heard anything about Theleme Abbey. And yet this is a real Mecca for tourists: a hundred years ago, fans of magic and the occult from all over the world tried to get here.
"THE RULES DO NOT EXIST"
The abbey is located 20-30 minutes walk from the historic center of the medieval Italian city of Cefalu, which is an hour's drive from Palermo, the capital of Sicily. Now you can see here only an old house with a dilapidated tiled roof, boarded up doors and windows, and on the walls there are the remains of frescoes, partially painted over. Dirt, desolation, crumbling plaster all around... It is hard to imagine that this house was a real esoteric center, founded in 1920, when Aleister Crowley, an outstanding and very famous person in his time, came to the abbey.
Having been educated at Cambridge, Crowley was fond of painting and astrology, wrote poetry, went in for mountaineering, studied Freemasonry, and practiced white and black magic. The name of the abbey was borrowed by Aleister Crowley from the French writer François Rabelais, who described the Thelemic monastery (“thelema” from the Greek word “will”, “desire”) in the book “Gargantua and Pantagruel”. Rabelais called his monastery an abbey rather as a mockery: she threw down a daring challenge to the monastic order. Here they treated canonical religious paraphernalia and hypocrites with hostility, but they sang the nobility of human nature, the union of worthy, well-mannered and educated people. The "novices" of the modern Thelemic monastery lived, adhering to the only rule: "There are no rules", the motto of the abbey was Crowley's saying: "Do what thou wilt" (Do what you want). The abbey has become a kind of free love commune, a haven for people who reject moral and religious principles. Crowley's followers under his guidance studied black magic, held services in honor of the forces of darkness and demons, as well as Orphic mysteries. Practices for Thelemites were both individual and obligatory for all, depending on the degree of initiation.
STATE OF REVELATION AND ROOM OF NIGHTMARES
So, on April 14, 1920, at Theleme Abbey, Aleister Crowley and his followers, who were mostly women and children, held the first initiation ceremony. That day Crowley wrote: “We are high on the isthmus of the peninsula, in the west Palermo, in the east the sea, the great stones of Cefalodium in the north, and behind us in the south rise hills green with trees and grass. My garden is full of flowers and promises to be fruit.” In other words, this place was a real find for Crowley and his Thelemite "novices". A certain Betty May wrote down her impressions after visiting the abbey: “From the village of Cefalu, it was necessary to go up a narrow winding path for a long time. At the top of the hill there is a farm without any sanitary facilities: a one-story stone house with a tiled roof and plastered walls 18 inches thick ... ”She further says that from the central hall of the house - just there the Thelemic mysteries were held - doors led to five rooms. On the red-tiled floor, a magic circle was drawn with a pentagram superimposed on it, rays touching the circle. In the center of the circle stood a six-sided altar with a copy of the Stele of Revelation (a funerary monument to the ancient Egyptian priest Mont Ankhefenkhons, who lived around 680 BC), a copy of the Book of the Law (the main sacred text of Thelemites, written by Crowley himself), candles and other magical implements: a bell, a chisel, a seal, a sword, a chalice and an abbey record book... On the eastern part of the circumference stood the throne of the Beast with burning candles facing the altar. A burning coal brazier hung on ritual daggers between the throne and the altar. To the west stood the throne of the Scarlet Woman, and along the inner side of the circle were inscribed the Hebrew names of God. Crowley painted the walls of the abbey with magical frescoes. The insularity of residence, the presence of women, and the extravagance of the robes worn by Crowley gave rise to the most incredible rumors among the local population. So, it was said that newcomers here were drugged and forced to spend the night in the Room of Nightmares, and women were forced to prostitute on the streets of Palermo when there was not enough money in the abbey. It was also said that people were often sacrificed here. However
no reliable evidence was found for all these gloomy tales ...
THE END OF THELEMA
But the abbey was still closed. The reason was the scandal associated with the death of the famous English dandy Raoul Loveday, a student of Crowley. He died either due to typhoid fever, or from a drug overdose, but the most exotic version is due to poisoning with cat's blood, the cup with which the frantic Alistair allegedly brought him. Loveday's wife launched a press campaign against Crowley. As a result, on April 13, 1923, after a not so long police investigation, the Italian authorities closed the abbey and expelled the "hooligan" from Italy "for obscene behavior and sexual perversions." The women who remained in the monastery were forced to sell all their belongings to the inhabitants of the city to pay the debts left by Crowley, and slowly go home. But their indefatigable leader was not at all going to go into the shadows: he launched a stormy activity in Germany, where he became the ideological inspirer of many magicians, who later faithfully served the Third Reich...
In a word, the history of the abbey was very fascinating, so much so that in 1954 the American director Kenneth Anger made a film about Thelema, calling it very intriguingly - "The Grand Opening of the Temple of Pleasures." The picture, however, failed at the box office: film critics unanimously recognized it as “some kind of damned ritual”, and not a work of art. According to writer Robert Irwin, who attended the premiere, "... the film resembles a kind of psychedelic musical, which was filmed in a junk shop, where everything was pre-polished to a shine." In fairness, we note: even today this picture is often downloaded from the Internet and is widely known in narrow circles of the esoteric elite. And this means that Aleister Crowley's Abbey of Thelema, with its motto "Do what you will," is still an attractive, albeit utopian, model of spiritual brotherhood.
Aleister Crowley
Like any prominent representative of the world of magic, Aleister Crowley has earned himself an ambiguous reputation. Someone considered him one of the greatest philosophers of the last century, someone - the most that neither is a dark magician. And just as one cannot deny that Crowley was a charlatan, one cannot deny his magical power.
The Child Called The Beast
At the end of the 19th century, spiritualism was very popular in Europe - the evocation of the spirits of the dead with the help of a medium. It was considered a bonton to invite a ghost-seer to a dinner party and entertain the guests in such a simple way. Mysticism was generally in vogue, and the greatest people of the era for entertainment and impressions were fond of the occult and magic for the sake of it.
But in the Crowley family, the only way to see mysticism was through a keyhole. His parents belonged to a sect and adhered to an extremely strict interpretation of Christianity, according to which even Christmas was considered a pagan, unpleasing holiday. Aleister Crowley's father died early, and the child was left with his mother, who had learned nothing in her life but categorical dogmas. He had to diligently study the Bible and pray every day. After every innocent prank, his mother called him the Beast of the Apocalypse, and the quiet, withdrawn boy took this nickname for granted.
There is nothing surprising in the fact that as soon as Crowley left his father's house, he gave himself up to all the vices that only exist in this world.
After school - a closed educational institution with the already mentioned sect - Crowley ended up at Cambridge University. He studied psychology, philosophy and one day began to draw obvious parallels between science and mysticism. Psychology and magic had a related nature, originated in the human subconscious, and Crowley devoted his whole life to the study of the subconscious.
Disillusioned with the education system and the future profession of a diplomat, Aleister Crowley leaves the university. He enters the mystical order "Golden Dawn" and begins to hastily study everything related to Western and Eastern mysticism. Training is accompanied by constant scandals, and soon Crowley leaves the order.
There is nothing mystical about one indisputable ability of Crowley - the ability to turn everyone around him into his enemies in the shortest possible time. He took up arms against himself and the townsfolk, and magicians of all stripes. Throughout his life, Crowley was stupidly arrogant, cynical and theatrical, emulating, apparently, another "enfant terrible" Oscar Wilde.
In each of his steps, there was much less mysticism than posturing. General attention was much more important than any mystical experiences, so accusations of theatricality and constant "playing magician" are much more objective and plausible than accusations of fanatical occultism. Misanthropy and cynicism - this is the main reason for the controversial reputation.
It's no secret that Crowley was unaware of another human quality - modesty. He was a writer, a poet, an artist, a rock climber, a grandmaster, and in each of these areas achieved outstanding success. In this regard, Aleister Crowley without a shadow of a doubt called himself the greatest writer, poet, artist, climber and grandmaster. Throughout his life, he indulged his megalomania and focused exaggerated attention on his person, so that even his closest friends could not understand whether this behavior was a complete provocation or impenetrable conviction.
Having turned against himself all the members of the Golden Dawn, Aleister Crowley leaves alone for Mexico. There he studies yoga, meditation, writes poetry, novels and essays. Despite the fact that many magical experiments are very ambiguous, Crowley opens the approach to mysticism, which later formed the basis of almost all modern teachings: meditation is a means to an end, ceremonial magic is a way of training the will. All mysticism is looped on the subconscious, which means that it is initially contained in human nature.
Journey to Thelema
In Cairo, Aleister Crowley immerses himself in Egyptian mythology. Many experiments lead to the foundation of their own religious philosophy - Thelema. The stern magician named his doctrine after the utopian country in which the monk Gargantua built a fantastic abbey, and this gave Crowley's biographers the right to call him the last romantic who considered magic an escape from meaningless reality.
Frida Harris
The teaching itself was an explosive combination of ancient Egyptian, Indian, ancient cults, philosophy and psychology. The whole setting was extremely theatrical, and Aleister Crowley, following his habit, still attached more importance to form than to content.
In the first decade of the 20th century, Crowley wrote two works that were central to his system - The Book of the Law and The Book of the Sacred Magic of the Sage Abramelin. The result of hard work, in addition to the moral satisfaction of Crowley, was the insanity of his wife Rose Kelly. From now on, you can start counting his mistresses and wives (including the most famous women of that time), who sooner or later went crazy: Crowley's society was really dangerous to everyone except himself. Needless to say, Crowley himself was enjoying life and feeling great at the time.
"Do what you want - that's the whole Law"
The motto of Aleister Crowley and the central idea of the "Book of the Law" was a modified expression of Rabelais "Fay ce que vouldras" - "Do what you want - such is the whole Law." It is difficult to say what interpretation Crowley himself adhered to: the highly moral idea of \u200b\u200bliving in constant harmony with one's desires, or the ideas of impunity and permissiveness. In his biography there was a place for both.
Of course, when Nazi views seized Europe, Aleister Crowley supported Germany: not a single manifestation of rebellion and rebelliousness passed by his approval. However, Crowley soon became disillusioned with Hitler and fascist ideas, based, in his opinion, on a mixture of ineradicable German philistinism and unrelated mystical beliefs. It is foolish to hide behind the ancient mystical symbol - the swastika - if you do not possess even a thousandth of its power. Crowley followed the rest of the events with merciless irony, he also offered Winston Churchill the sign V (victory, victory) as opposed to the German swastika.
All philosophy, all Crowley's beliefs are reflected in his main brainchild - the deck of Tarot Thoth (Tarot Aleister Crowley). In 1937, he met the talented but not very successful artist Frieda Harris, and devoted five whole years to constant work on Tarot. The result is the most symbolic deck in the history of the Tarot, aimed at self-knowledge and introspection. In fairness, it is worth saying that the main merits for creating the deck belong to a talented artist, and many tarologists agree that the cards should have been called Tarot Harris.
Despite the fact that Crowley arrogated to himself all the laurels and honors of the author of the deck, despite the fact that he not only reduced the fee of Frida Harris, but also forced the artist to pay him extra for grandiose ideas in the course of work, their friendship remained surprisingly strong. Frieda Harris became the only woman in Aleister Crowley's life who was not harmed by his company and who did not become his mistress.
In the end, permissiveness, megalomania and hundreds of complexes that did not leave him from early childhood led the mystic and mystifier to a dead end. He went bankrupt and lived on the money of numerous girlfriends, who, as luck would have it, went crazy one after another. Having exchanged his seventh decade, he finally thought about public opinion and the fact that more than once he crossed all possible boundaries in his passion for the occult.
Trying to forget about his illnesses and relieve the pain, he began to use psychotropic substances, and on December 1, 1947, he died in the arms of Lady Frida Harris. Another alchemical experiment ended in nothing. From the combination of mercury and sulfur, a strong-smelling vermilion was again obtained, and a new victim fell in pursuit of the illusory philosopher's stone.
This man was known for his bizarre hobbies and frightening ideas. He was a black magician and Satanist, called himself "the most sinful man in the world" and appropriated the title of Beast 666. His name is Aleister Crowley.
The future poet and occultist was born in 1875 in Leamington, England. It is not known for certain whether this is true or fiction, but, according to his own description, at birth four intertwined hairs were found on his chest, which formed a swastika. However, Alistair’s childhood cannot be called extraordinary: he was loved and taken care of by his parents, he had a nanny, in the summer he rode horses during family trips to the west of England, and, like any inquisitive boy, he explored the world around him.
His family belonged to the Plymouth Brotherhood, and the child was brought up in the traditions of this religious community. However, it is not surprising that Crowley became anti-Christian at an older age: family religious practices had the opposite effect on his worldview - Aleister was more impressed by the horrors of hell and the sins described in the Bible than by the prophecies of the coming salvation. The Chempney school, where the future black magician studied and which he described as "a nest of decay and decadence, ... [where] hypocrisy and denunciation were considered the only virtues."
The death of his father in 1887 was a blow to Alistair, and at the same time allowed him to feel an unprecedented freedom until that moment. He freed himself from the religious influence of the head of the family, began to doubt the truth of the Bible, began to appreciate the "ideals" that his school offered, and at the same time became interested in writing obscene poetry. He blamed the Plymouth Brotherhood for the death of his father - as he believed, the members of the brotherhood were fanatics, inconsistent and hypocritical, preaching false truths. This time becomes decisive for Crowley in his later life: he embarks on the path of opposition to God.
In 1895 Crowley entered Trinity College, Cambridge. At this time, he receives the inheritance of his father, after which rumors about his enormous wealth begin to swarm around him. However, his lifestyle fully confirms them: he spends huge sums on clothes, books, a car. In college, Alistair expresses a desire to study English literature, he reads a lot, his idol during this period is Richard Francis Burton, an orientalist writer who opens the mysterious world of the East to Crowley. Two years later, Alistair goes to St. Petersburg to study Russian, but later recognizes this occupation as “boring” and returns to Cambridge.
A year later, Crowley is experiencing a major moment in his life, as evidenced by the following quote: “I realized that I have magical powers, the presence of which I can feel and satisfy that part of my being that until now has been hidden from me. It was a moment of horror and pain, and to a certain extent, spiritual violence, and at the same time it was the key to the purest and most godly spiritual ecstasy that can exist.. After some time, he becomes seriously ill, and, being almost at death's door, he realizes that he must definitely leave a mark on history. In his opinion, the only way to achieve fame was direct contact with the devil and passion for the world of magic.
After graduating from college, the occultist devotes himself entirely to his three hobbies: magic, mountaineering, and poetry, while giving preference to magical practices. However, his first attempts in this field were not crowned with success: there is a case when, intending to summon water spirits, he went to the lake, where he built an altar and burned incense, but attracted only a policeman who was surprised by the sight of a man jumping around a fire. However, Crowley's mentor saw his student's talent and suggested that he join the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn magical society, which was one of the most influential occult societies in England at the time. As a member of the order, Alistair began experimenting with drugs - he tried by any means to achieve a state of expanded consciousness. In 1900, a split occurs in the Golden Dawn, and Crowley has to leave the society.
The next stage in the life of the magician is his move to Mexico, where he works to create his own magical order. However, only one amusing incident describes his magic of this time: Crowley was preoccupied with the idea of how to distract mosquitoes from biting the human body. He imagined that they should be treated with love, recognizing the right to life. The method was to achieve such a mental concentration, in which the desire to kill the mosquito was suppressed.
When Crowley returns to England, he meets his future wife, Rose. Four of Alistair's most significant poems were dedicated to her, including the poem "The Rose of the World" ("Rosa Mundi"). He later writes: “I sing for her, I remember the circumstances under which our love was born, I hint at the expected fruit of this love and weave it all into a bright fabric of delight.” However, Crowley was not a model of morality in this relationship - his passion for other women did not disappear anywhere. He considered himself "too versatile a man to be limited to one woman". Rose gave birth to her husband two girls, moreover, she played a fateful role in his magical pursuits: during their journey to Egypt, she fell into a state of "spiritual awakening", came into contact with unknown forces and informed her husband that he was destined to become "a link between the solar-spiritual force and humanity".
At the same time, Crowley wrote his most famous work, The Book of the Law. Its creation is also shrouded in mysticism: Alistair visited the museum, where he communicated with a spirit named Aiwass, who dictated the book to him. The Book of the Law is a prose poem that heralds the advent of a new era on earth associated with the god Horus. The occultist was to become the preacher of a new religion. The book describes the Law of Thelema, which is characterized by the words: “Do your will, this will be the whole Law”, “Love is the Law, Love of good will”.
In 1908, Crowley set about creating a new order, which was called the Silver Star. Members of the order were engaged in magical practices in the "temple", located in a specially rented room. As Crowley later writes, the room acquired such a strong magical aura that the future tenant could not stand it during the inspection and ran out of the building in horror. The Order also published a magazine, The Equinox, which published the writings of Crowley and other members of the order.
With the outbreak of the First World War, Aleister Crowley moves to America, where he lives in an extremely difficult financial situation. Nevertheless, he continues to practice magic, which consists in working on the "elixir of life", and more and more plunges into the abyss of drug experiments. His main goal during this period of time was the creation of the "Abbey of Thelema" - a community where Crowley tried to bring his new religion to life. Some time later, he wrote the book "The Diary of a Drug Addict", which caused a significant resonance in society. The book has been described as "sinful yet compelling". However, after the publication, a wave of criticism from society fell upon him: the most heinous crimes, including cannibalism, were attributed to him.
The Second World War for Crowley was marked by the work on the "Book of Thoth", which was his interpretation of the doctrine of the Tarot cards. He attributed special importance to the so-called "major arcana", or trump cards. "I made sure he wrote, that these twenty-two cards represent an integral system of hieroglyphs, symbolizing all the energies of the Universe. He created a deck of cards with the help of artist Frieda Harris.
In the summer of 1947, Crowley's health deteriorated rapidly. He died on December 1 from chronic bronchitis complicated by heart failure. His last words were the phrase "I'm confused". An urn containing the ashes of an occultist is buried in Hampton, New Jersey.
Ekaterina Postnaya
Aleister Crowley
THE BOOK OF THE LAW
Formally called
Liber AL vel Legis
UNDER THE NUMBER
AS TRANSMITTED
THROUGH
XIII = 418
Part I. Nuit
1. Hud! Manifestation of Nuit.
2. The cover of the host of heaven is removed.
3. Every man and every woman is a star.
4. Every number is infinite; there is no difference.
5. Help me, O warrior-ruler of Thebes, to reveal myself to the children of men!
6. Be Hadit, my secret center, my heart and my tongue!
7. Look! This is revealed by Aiwass, the messenger of Gor-pa-krat.
8. Khabs is in Hu, not Hu is in Khabs.
9. Therefore, read Khabs, and see my light streaming over you!
10. Though my servants be few and hidden, they will rule over many and famous.
11. Fools worship the human race; fools and their gods and people.
12. Come out, O children, under the stars, and receive your share of love!
13. I am above you and within you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.
14. That precious azure is spilled at the top -
Behold the naked brilliance of Nuit;
She bowed in ecstasy
Kissing the secret heat of Hadit.
Winged ball and blue stars
O Ankh-af-na-khonsu, mine!
15. Know that the chosen priest and apostle of infinite space is the noble priest Beast, and in his woman, called the Scarlet Woman, all power is concentrated. They will gather my children into their fold, they will bring the radiance of the stars into the hearts of men.
16. For he is always the sun, and she is the moon. And to him - a winged secret flame, and to her - a streaming starlight.
17. However, you are not so chosen.
18. Rise above their brow, O shining serpent!
19. O azure-eyed woman, bend over them!
20. The key to the rituals is in the secret word that I gave him.
21. Together with God and the worshiper I am not: they do not see me. They remain on earth, but I am Heaven, and there is no other God here except me and my master, Hadit.
22. Therefore, therefore, I am known to you by the name of Nuit, and to him by the secret name, which I will reveal to him when at last he knows me.
For I am Infinite Space with its Innumerable Stars and you act accordingly. Don't limit anything! And do not distinguish one from the other, for this is harmful.
23. He who succeeds in this, let him be the head of everything!
24. I am Nuit, and my word is six and fifty.
25. Divide, add, multiply and understand.
26. And then the prophet and servant of the Most Beautiful said: Who am I, and what will be the sign? And she answered by bending down; playing blue flame, all-encompassing, all-pervading, her beautiful hands on the black earth, supple body curved for love, and tender feet did not even crush a small flower: You know! The sign will be my ecstasy, the consciousness of the continuity of being, the omnipresence of my body.
27. Then the priest answered and said to the Queen of Space, kissing her beautiful brows, and the dew of her light washed his whole body with the fragrant scent of sweat: O Nuit, stretching in the midst of Heaven, so be it forever; let them not say about you: Something, but say: Nothing; let them not talk about you at all, since you spread everywhere!
28. Nothing, a breath of shimmering and magical starlight, and two.
29. For I am divided for the sake of love, for the sake of the possibility of unity.
30. Such is the creation of the world: the pain of separation is nothing, but the joy of dissolution is everything.
31. Do not care at all about these foolish people and their sorrows! They feel little; what is, is proportionate only to sluggish joys; but you are my chosen ones.
32. Obey my prophet! Pass the test of my knowledge! Look only for me! Then the joys of my love will save you from all pain. This is true; I swear by the vault of my body, by my sacred heart and tongue, by all that I can give you, by all that I desire from you.
33. Then the priest fell into a deep trance or ecstasy, and said to the Queen of Heaven: Write us trials; write us rituals; write us a law!
34. But she said: I do not write tests, let the rituals be half known, half hidden, the Law is for everyone.
35. What you write down is the threefold book of the Law.
36. May my scribe Ankh-af-na-khonsu, a noble priest, not change a single letter in this book; so that thoughtlessness does not arise, let him comment on it with the help of the wisdom of Ra-Hoor-Khuit.
37. Also mantras and incantations, "obea" and "vanga"; the work of the wand and the work of the sword; let him learn and teach.
38. He must teach; moreover, he can make the test more severe.
39. Word of the Law - Θελημα.
40. He who calls us Thelemites will not be mistaken if he carefully considers this word. For there are Three Steps in it - the Hermit, the Lover and the Earthly Man. Do what you will - such is the whole Law.
41. Word of Sin - Restriction. O husband! Do not refuse your wife if she wants! O lover, if it be thy will, go away! There is no bond that can unite the divided, except love: everything else is a curse. Damn! Damn it for all eternity! In hell.
42. Let attachment and aversion be the lot of the majority. And in everything that is yours, you have no other right than to do your own will.
43. Do this and no one will say no.
44. For the pure will, unsatisfied by the end, free from the lust of the result, is perfect in every respect.
45. Perfect and Perfect are one Perfect, and not two; no, they are nothing!
46. Nothing is the secret key of this law. The Jews call it "sixty-one"; I call it: "eight", "eighty", "four hundred and eighteen".
47. But they have half; unite with the help of your art so that everything disappears.
48. My prophet is a fool with his "one, one, one"; are they not the Bull and nothing by the Book?
49. All rituals, all tests, all words and signs are cancelled. Ra-Hoor-Khuit took his place in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, for they too are one. But they are not from me. Let Asar be the one who worships, Isa the one who suffers; Horus, in his secret name and majesty, is the Lord who initiates.
50. It should be said about the task of the Hierophant. Look! There are three trials in one, and it can be given in three ways. The coarse must pass through the fire, let the refined be tested in intellect, and the exalted elect in the highest. Thus, you will have a star with a star, a system with a system; and let neither know the other completely!
51. Four gates lead to one palace; the floor in that palace of silver and gold; there is lapis lazuli and jasper and all kinds of rare perfumes, jasmine and rose, and emblems of death. Let him enter all four gates one by one or at the same time, let him stand on the floor of the palace. Will he fail? Amn. Hey warrior! Will your servant fail? However, there are means and means. Therefore, be beautiful: dress all in exquisite robes, eat delicious food, drink sweet wines and wines that foam! Also, receive your share and pleasure of love as you please, when, where and with whom you please! But always for me.
52. But if it be not so, if you confuse the signs of space, saying: They are all one, or saying: They are many; if the ritual is not always for my sake, - wait for the terrible punishments of Ra Gor Khuit!
53. This will revive the world, the world - my younger sister, my heart and my tongue, to whom I send this kiss. However, O scribe and prophet, although you are of a noble family, this will not bring you peace and will not free you from obligations. But ecstasy will be yours and earthly joy; always for me! For me!
54. Do not change even the outlines of the letters; because - look! You, O prophet, will not see all the mysteries hidden behind them.
55. Child of your womb, he will see them.
56. Do not expect him either from the East or from the West, for that child will not come from any known house. Aum! All words are sacred and all prophets are true, only now they understand little; Solve the first part of this equation, leave the second part untouched. After all, everything before you is in a clear light, although something, but not everything, is in darkness.
57. Call me under my stars! Love is the law, love according to will. Let the fools not err in love, for there is love and love. There is a dove and there is a snake. Choose right! He, my prophet, chose, knowing the law of the fortress and the great mystery of the House of God.
All these old letters of my Book are correct, but צ is not the Star. This is also a mystery; may my prophet reveal it to the wise.
58. I give unimaginable joys on earth: confidence, not faith, in life and in death; unspeakable peace, peace, ecstasy, and I do not demand anything in sacrifice.
59. My incense is made of resinous wood and gum, and there is no blood in it, because my hair is the trees of Eternity.
60. My number is 11, like all the numbers of those who are from us. Five-pointed Star with a Circle in the Middle, and this circle is Red. My color for the blind is black, but the sighted see blue and gold. I also have a secret radiance for those who love me.
61. After all, love me above all; if in the desert under the night stars now you burn my incense before me, calling me with a pure heart and the flame of the Serpent in it, you will go quite a bit to lie on my chest. You will be ready to give everything for one kiss, but he who gives even a grain of dust will lose everything in the same hour. Gather treasures, let there be an abundance of women and spices, wear precious jewelry; surpass all the peoples of the earth in luxury and splendor, but always with love for me, and thus you will come to my joy. I urgently demand to appear before me in only one robe, covered with a luxurious headdress. I love you! I want you! Pale or blushing, hidden or voluptuous, I who am all pleasure and royal purple and intoxication of the deepest feeling desire you. Spread your wings and awaken the coiled greatness within you; come to me!
62. At all my meetings with you, let the priestess speak - and let her eyes burn with desire, when she stands, naked and jubilant, in my secret temple, - To me! To me! - inflaming the hearts of all with his love singing.
63. Sing an enthusiastic song of love for me! Burn incense for me! Wear jewelry for me! Drink for me, for I love you! I love you!
64. I am the blue-eyed daughter of Sunset; I am the naked radiance of the voluptuous night sky.
65. Come to me! To me!
66. The manifestation of Nuit has ended.
Part II. Hadit
1. Nu! Hiding Hadit.
2. Come! All of you, and know the secret not yet revealed. I, Hadit, am the complement of Nu, my bride. Extent is not peculiar to me, and Khabs is the name of my House.
3. Inside the sphere, everywhere I am the center, while it, the circle, cannot be found anywhere.
4. And yet she will be known, but I never.
5. Look! The rituals of the old time are black. Let the harmful ones be discarded; let the useful ones be cleansed by the prophet! Then this Knowledge will become true.
6. I am the flame that burns in every human heart and in the core of every star. I am Life and the Lifegiver, and therefore to know me is to know death.
7. I am a Magician and an Exorcist. I am the axis of the wheel and the cube in the circle. "Come to me" sounds silly, for I am the one walking.
8. He who worshiped Heru-pa-krat worshiped me; not so, for it is I who worship.
9. Remember all that being is pure joy; that all sorrows are just shadows, they will pass and they are no more; but there is something that remains.
10. O prophet! You lack the will to study what is written.
11. I see you hate your hand and pen; but I'm stronger.
12. For I am in You, whom you do not know.
13. Why? Because you were the knower and me.
14. Now let this sanctuary be veiled: let the light now swallow the people and devour them with blindness!
15. For I am perfect in Non-Being; and my number among fools is nine, but for the righteous it is eight, and one in eight. And this is essential, for, in reality, I am nothing. The Empress and the Emperor are not from me, for there is still a mystery here.
16. I am the Empress and the Hierophant. So it's eleven, just like my fiancee is eleven.
17. Listen to me, you sighing people!
Repentance and pain sorrow
Leave the dead and the dying
For those who don't know me yet.
18. They are dead, these people; they don't feel. We are not for the unfortunate and dull: the rulers of the earth are our tribe.
19. Does God live in a dog? Not! But higher than us. They will rejoice, our chosen ones; he who mourns is not of us.
20. Beauty and strength, bursting laughter and sweet languor, power and flame from us.
21. We have nothing in common with pariahs and unfit people: let them die in their misery. Because they don't feel. Compassion is the vice of kings; trample on the unfortunate and weak - this is the law of the strong, this is our law and the joy of the world. Think not, O king, of the lie That You must die; Truly you will not die, but you will live. Let it now become clear: if the body of the King disintegrates, he will remain in pure ecstasy forever. Nuit! Hadit! Ra-Hoor-Khuit! The Sun, Strength and Clarity of Sight, Light - this is for the servants of the Star and the Serpent.
22. I am the Serpent, giving Knowledge and Delight, and shining glory, intoxicating the hearts of men. To worship me, take wine and unusual drugs, which I will tell my prophet about, and get drunk on them! They won't hurt you at all. All this stupidity, to its own detriment, is a lie. The innocence on display is a lie. Be strong, oh man! Lust, enjoy everything that is feeling and bliss; don't be afraid that any god will reject you for it.
23. I am alone; where I am, there is no God.
24. Look! These are important mysteries, for even among my friends there are hermits. And do not think now to find them in the forest or on the mountain, but in luxurious beds, caressed by magnificent females with wide hips, fire and light in their eyes, and waves of fiery hair around them; here's where you'll find them. You will see them in government, in victorious armies, in every joy; and they themselves will have joy a million times greater. Beware lest you turn your strength against each other, King against King! Love one another with burning hearts; trample on the lower in the violent passion of your pride, in the day of your wrath.
25. You resist people, my chosen ones!
26. I am the secret Serpent coiled, ready to throw: in my twisting is joy. If I raise my head, I and my Nuit are one. If I lower my head and spit out the poison, then the exultation of the Earth, then I and the Earth are one.
27. There is a great danger in me, for whoever does not understand these runes will make a huge mistake. He will fall into the pit called "Because", and there he will die from the dogs of Reason.
28. From now on, "Because" and his generation will be cursed!
29. Be "Because" cursed forever!
30. If the Will stops and cries "Why?", calling "Because", then the Will stops and does nothing.
31. If the Force asks "why?", then this is the weakness of the Force.
32. Reason is also a lie, for there is an infinite and unknown factor; all their words are false rumors.
33. Enough "Because"! Damn it to the dogs!
34. You, O my people, rise up and wake up!
35. Let the rituals be performed correctly, with joy and beauty!
36. There are rituals of the elements and festivals of the times.
37. Feast in honor of the first night of the Prophet and his Bride!
38. Feast in honor of the three days of writing the Book of the Law.
39. The feast in honor of Tahuti and the child of the Prophet is a mystery, O Prophet!
40. A feast in honor of the Highest Ritual and a feast in honor of the Equinox of the Gods.
41. A feast in honor of fire and a feast in honor of water; a feast in honor of life, and a greater feast in honor of death!
42. Daily feast in your hearts in the joy of my delight!
43. Nightly celebration for the sake of Nu and enjoyment of the greatest joy!
44. Yes! Celebrate! Have fun! No horror after. There is dissolution and eternal ecstasy in the kisses of Nu.
45. Dogs - death.
46. Failed? Are you sorry? Is there fear in your heart?
47. Where I am, this is not.
48. Do not spare the fallen! I never knew them. I'm not for them. I do not console: I hate those who are consoled and comforters.
49. I am the only one and I am the conqueror. I am not among the slaves that perish. Damn them and dead! Amen. (He is from 4; there is also a fifth, which is invisible, and I am in it like a baby in an egg.)
50. I am blue and golden in the radiance of my bride; but red is the reflection in my eyes, and I sparkle purple and green.
51. Purple beyond violet: This is the light that transcends sight.
52. Here is the cover: the cover is black. This is the cover of a good wife, the cover of sorrow and the cover of the grave; all this is not from me. Tear off this false ghost of centuries, do not cover your vices with words of virtue; these vices are my service - be diligent, and I will reward you here and after.
53. Do not be afraid, O prophet, when these words are spoken: you will not regret. You are my specially chosen one, and blessed are those eyes into which you look with joy. But I will hide you under a mask of sorrow; Those who see you will fear that you have fallen, but I will lift you up.
54. And let them not shout out of their stupidity that you are good for nothing; you will show that you are fit, and they are slaves "because". They are not from me. Arrange punctuation marks at will; letters? do not change their style or meaning!
55. You will comprehend the order and meaning of the English alphabet; you will find new symbols to relate to him.
56. Away, scoffers! Though you laugh in my honor, you won't laugh for long; when you grieve, know that I have abandoned you.
57. The righteous one still does the truth; let the unclean be defiled.
58. Yes! Do not count on change: you will remain the same as you are, and nothing else. Therefore, the kings of the earth will be kings forever, and the servants will serve. There is nothing that will be cast down or lifted up; everything is as it has always been. However, there are my servants under the mask: perhaps that beggar over there is the King. The king can choose his own attire as he pleases, there is no way to know for sure, but a beggar cannot hide his poverty.
59. Therefore, be vigilant! Love everyone, what if there is a hidden King among them?! So, you say? Fool! If he is a King, you cannot harm him.
60. So hit with all your strength and cunning, and let them roll into hell, the winner!
61. The light is before your eyes, O prophet, the light is unsolicited, but the most desired.
62. I have risen in your heart, and the kisses of the stars rain down on your body.
63. You were exhausted in the voluptuous fullness of the breath; the exhalation is sweeter than death, faster and more cheerful than the caress of their worm in Gehenna Fiery.
64. Oh! You are defeated: we are in you, our delight is everywhere in you; hello, hello, prophet Nu! Prophet of Hada! Prophet Ra-Hoor-Khu! Now rejoice! Now share our splendor and delight! Share our passionate peace, and write sweet words for the Kings!
65. I am the Master, you are the Holy Elect.
66. Write and find delight in writing! Work hard, and be our foundation in work! Tremble with the joy of life and death! Oh! Your death will be beautiful: everyone who sees it will rejoice. Your death will seal the vow of our eternal love. Come! Lift up your heart and rejoice! We are one; we are nothing.
67. Hold on! Hold on! Establish yourself in your pleasure, do not faint from delicious kisses!
68. Stronger! Hold on! Raise your head! Don't breathe so deeply - die!
69. Ah! Oh! What I feel? Is the word out already?
70. There is help and hope in other spells. Wisdom says: be strong! Then you can bear more joy. Don't be an animal, refine your pleasure! If you drink, drink according to the eight and ninety rules of art, if you love, be refined, and if you do something joyful, let there be skill in it!
71. And surpass! Surpass!
72. Always strive for more! And if you are truly mine, and do not doubt it, and if you are always joyful, then death is the crown of everything.
73. Ah! Oh! Death! Death! You will strive towards death. For you, O man, it is forbidden.
74. The duration of your striving will become the strength of its magnificence. Who lives long, longing for death, is always a King among Kings.
75. Yes! Pay attention to numbers and words:
76. 4 6 3 8 A B K 2 4 A L G M O R 3 Y X 24 89 R P S T O V A L. What does this mean, O prophet? You don't know and you never will. Who came to follow you, he will explain it. But remember, O chosen one, that you have to be me, to follow the love of Nu in the sky illuminated by stars, to look out for people in order to tell them this joyful word.
77. Be proud and powerful among people!
78. Rise up! For there is no one like you either among people or among the Gods! Rise up, O my prophet, you will become taller than the stars. They will honor your name, square, secret, wonderful, the number of a person, and the name of your house 418.
79. End of concealment of Hadit; blessing and honor to the prophet of the beautiful Star!
Part III. Ra-Hoor-Khuit
1. Abrahadabra! Ra Hor Hut award.
2. Here is a separation closer to home, here is an unknown word. There is no more spelling; everything is not good. Carefully! Stop! Cast the spell of Ra-Hoor-Khuit!
3. First you should understand: I am the god of War and Retribution. I will be merciless.
4. Choose an island!
5. Strengthen it!
6. Fertilize it around with war machines!
7. I will give you weapons of war.
8. You will crush the nations with it, and no one will stand before you.
9. Hide! Back off! Attack! This is the Law of the Battle of Conquest: such shall be my worship at my secret house.
10. Take the revelation stele itself, place it in your secret temple - and this temple is already located correctly - and may it be Kybla for you forever. She will not fade, but the wonderful color will return to her day by day. Put it under glass as proof to the world.
11. This will be your only proof. I forbid disputes. Conquer! It's enough. I will make it easy for you to get out of the ill-ordered house in the Victorious City. You yourself will deliver it with honors, O prophet, though it is not to your liking. Dangers and worries await you. Ra-Hoor-Khu is with you. Worship me with fire and blood; worship me with swords and lances. Let my wife gird herself with a sword before me, let blood flow in my name! Trample the Barbarians; attack them, O warrior, I will give you food from their flesh!
12. After the child, sacrifice cattle, small and large.
13. But not now.
14. You will see that hour, O blessed Beast and you, Scarlet Concubine of his desire!
15. And therefore you will be sad.
16. Do not look forward to the fulfillment of promises, do not be afraid to be cursed. For you, even you do not know the meaning of everything.
17. Do not be afraid at all; no people, no Fate, no gods, nothing. Do not be afraid of money, or the cackle of human thoughtlessness, and no other power in heaven, on earth or under the earth. Nu is your refuge, as Hadit is your light, and I am the strength, strength and power of your weapons.
18. Let mercy be forsaken: damn those who are compassionate! Kill and torture; do not spare, attack!
19. That stele will be called the Abomination of Desolation; count exactly her name, and it will be for you 718.
20. Why? Because "Because" has fallen, and there is no return to it.
21. Place my image in the east: you will buy yourself an image that I will show you, a special one, not too different from what you know. And it will be surprisingly easy for you to do it.
22. Gather other images around me to assist me; let there be worship to all, for they must unite to exalt me. I am a visible object of worship, others are hidden, they are for the Beast and his Bride and for those who have passed the Test x. What is it? You will know.
23. For incense, mix flour, honey and red wine sediment, then Abramelin oil and olive oil, and then soften and smooth with copious fresh blood.
24. The best blood is the blood of the moon, monthly, then the fresh blood of a child or shed from heaven, then the blood of enemies, then a priest or worshipers; last but not least, the blood of an animal, no matter what.
25. Burn part, make cookies from the other and eat for me. It can be used in another way: let it lie before me and be saturated with the fragrance of your prayer; it will be filled with bugs and crawling creatures dedicated to me.
26. Kill them, calling the names of your enemies, and they will fall before you.
27. And they will give rise to lust and the power of lust in you when you taste them.
28. And they will strengthen you for battle.
29. Moreover, let them lie down longer, so it is better, for they will be filled with my strength. Everything is in front of me.
30. My altar is made of bronze of fine workmanship; burn on it on silver or gold!
31. A rich man from the West is coming, who will shower you with his gold.
32. Forge steel from gold!
33. Be ready to run or smash!
34. Your sacred place will remain inviolable after centuries; although it will be burned and destroyed by fire and sword, an invisible house stands there and will stand until the fall of the Great Equinox, when Khrumachis rises, and the one who owns the double wand will take my throne and place. Another prophet will appear to bring fresh heat from heaven; another wife will awaken both lust and worship of the Serpent; from God and the beast, another soul will abide in the sovereign priest; another sacrifice will color the tomb; another king will reign; to the glory of the Lord, the Falcon-headed and secret, no more grace will be poured out!
35. Half of the word Heru-ra-ha, called Gor-pa-krat and Ra-Hoor-Khut.
36. And then the prophet said to God:
37. I praise you in a song -
I am the Lord of Thebes
And the inspired herald I am Mentu;
The veil of heaven is lifted before me;
I lost my life Ankh-af-na-khonsu,
Whose words are true.
Ra-Hoor-Khuit, I call you,
I welcome your presence!
And the ultimate unity is revealed!
I praise the power of your breath,
Great and terrible God,
Forcing the gods and death
All tremble before Himself -
I bow before you!
Appear on the throne of Ra!
Open the way Hu!
Illuminate the paths of Ka!
And Khabs paths will pierce me
To excite or soothe!
Aum! Let it fill me up!
38. So your light is in me, and its red flame is like a sword in my hand, to establish your order. Here is the secret door that I will make to pave the way for you in all directions of the world (these are the worships you described), as it is said:
my light; its rays will flood me:
I made a secret passage
To the House of Ra and Tuma,
Khepra, Ahathor.
And I am your Theban, Mentu,
I am a prophet, Ankh-af-na-khonsu!
Like Bes-na-Mot, I strike myself in the chest;
Like the wise Ta-Nesh, I weave a spell.
Show your star shine, Nuit!
And invite you to settle in your House,
winged light serpent, Hadit!
Stay with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit!
39. All this, and the book that tells how you came here, and the drawing of ink on paper, imprinted forever - for in it the word is secret, not only English - and your commentary on this Book of the Law, may they be printed beautifully, red and black ink, on beautiful handmade paper; and may this Law be given to all the men and women you meet, even if only at dinner or drink. So they will be given the opportunity to stay in this bliss or not - it does not matter. And hurry up with it!
40. And the work on the commentary? It is easy, and Hadit, burning in your heart, will make your pen quick and sure.
41. Set up an office in your Kaaba: everything should be done well and in a businesslike manner.
42. Follow the trials yourself, excluding only minor ones. Do not refuse anyone, but recognize and punish traitors. I am Ra-Hoor-Khuit, and it is in my power to protect my servant. Success is your proof; don't argue, don't convince, don't talk too much! Those who try to catch you, overthrow you, attack without pity or leniency, and completely exterminate. Turn around quickly, like a disturbed snake, and strike! Be even more merciless than him! Commit their souls to terrible torment, laugh at their fear, spit on them!
43. Let the Scarlet Woman beware! If pity, and compassion, and sensitivity visit her heart, if she leaves my work for the sake of playing with old sentiments, then you will know my retribution. I will kill her child for myself, I will harden her heart, I will make her an outcast among the people; she will crawl like a bent and despicable whore through the twilight damp streets and die in cold and hunger.
44. So let her rise in pride! May you follow me on my path! Let him work with the labor of vice! Let him take his heart! Let it be defiant and adulterous! Let him cover himself with jewels and rich robes, and let him not be ashamed before anyone!
45. Then I will raise her to the heights of power, then I will give her birth to a child more powerful than all the kings of the earth. I will fill her with joy; by my power she will become seeing and fighting in the service of Nu; she will reach Hadit.
46. I am the Lord-warrior of the forties: the eighties are humbled before me and humiliated. I will lead you to victory and joy, I will be your weapons in battle, and you will kill with pleasure. Success is your proof, courage is your armour; forward, forward, in my strength, and nothing will make you turn back!
47. This book must be translated into all languages, but always together with the original in the writing of the Beast, because in the accidental outline of the letters and their arrangement one after another, secrets are hidden in this that no Beast can guess. Let him not try; but another will come after him - from where, I will not say - who will find the Key to all this. Then this drawn line is the key; then this circle, in the impossibility of squaring it, is also the key. And Abrahadabra. It will be his child, oddly enough. Let him not seek after all that has been said, for this alone will be enough to bring about his downfall.
48. Now the sacrament of letters is completed, and I want to move on to a more sacred place.
49. I am in a secret four-part word - blasphemy against all human gods.
50. Curse them! Damn them! Damn them!
51. Hawk-headed, I peck at the eyes of Jesus that hangs on the cross.
52. With my wings I beat in the face of Muhammad and blind him.
53. With my claws I tear the flesh of Hindu and Buddhist, Mongol and Din.
54. Balasty! Ompeda! I spit on your hangover creeds.
55. May the immaculate Mary be torn apart on wheels; may all the chaste women among you be utterly despised in her honor!
56. And also in honor of beauty and love!
57. Despise also all cowards; the military in the service, able not to fight, but only to play; despise all fools!
58. But aspiring and proud, regal and noble - you are brothers!
59. Fight Like Brothers!
60. There is no higher law than "Do what you will."
61. This is the completion of the word of God, seated on the throne of Ra, illuminating the foundations of the soul.
62. Honor me! Come to me through the difficulties of trial, which is the essence of bliss.
64. Let him go through the first test, and she will become like silver for him.
65. Through the second - like gold.
66. Through the third - like precious stones of the purest water.
67. Through the fourth - as the original sparks of sacred fire.
68. And yet everyone will find her beautiful. Her enemies, who say otherwise, are just liars.
69. There is success.
70. I am the Falcon-headed Lord of Silence and Power; my nemmes covers the night blue sky.
71. Hail, O twin warriors at the pillars of the world! For your time is almost here.
72. I am the Lord of the Double Wand of Power, the wand of Power Kof Nia; my left hand is empty, for I have crushed the universe, and nothing remains.
73. Staple the sheets from right to left and from top to bottom, then look!
74. There is greatness in my name, hidden and glorious, like the midnight sun - always a son.
75. Completion of words - Word Abrahadabra.
The Book of the Law is Written
and Hidden.
Bill Heidrick IX°"Do what you will - such is the whole Law." -- Liber AL, I:40
"Love is the law, love according to will." -- Liber AL, I:57
Thus the Thelemite greets the Thelemite. With these words, they begin and end their letters, so they greet each other and say goodbye. Many have speculated about their meaning; but, some, contrary to the call of the "Book of the Law" ("do not change even the spelling of the letters"), found it possible for themselves to change them. What follows is a private opinion on this matter. There are no authorities in this matter, and no one can insist on being exclusively right. "Every man and every woman is a star."
Caliphate O.T.O. decided that no changes could be made to the text of the Book of the Law. Each initiate in the Order must confirm that he accepts these circumstances. It is another matter to accept the Book of the Law in whole or in part. However, how can you accept it or reject it if you do not have an authentic text before your eyes. In order to preserve our Holy Book, we must protect it from distortion.
Recently, this has been abused a lot, especially with respect to accepted greetings. In particular, Wiccans close to us also made their own changes: "If it does not harm anyone, do what you will - such is the whole Law." To the layman, this sounds normal. But did it make sense? Obviously not, as the original Thelemic greeting is: "Hi, take care of yourself and relax."
Each sound in our greeting is as important as in the phrase with which Christian monks meet each other: "Remember, brother, that You must die!" - but it sounds much more optimistic. This "what" (in the phrase "Do what you wish, this is the whole Law") is the meaning of your life, why you live. Even if this "what", dictated by your True Will, threatens an entire nation, do it anyway. And there is nothing to fear here. When you do what you received this incarnation for, it means that such actions of yours are necessary for the Great Work.
Another substitution often occurs: "Do as you please..." Crowley himself objected to this interpretation. But this is too free choice. To live in your own pleasure is not Thelema. Such a philosophy leads nowhere. It doesn't make any practical sense. "What" here means a very definite thing. It can be an action, an attitude, creativity, work in art or any other real embodiment. This may change from time to time, but the essence remains the same. This is the Law, the order of life in the Aeon of Horus. Such is the whole Law; without any exceptions or distortions.
And what do we do next? We declare that our tasks are priority in relation to others? No. First, understand what your True Desire is. The original says not "... such is the whole Law", but - "such will be the whole Law." These words cannot be used until you know what your True Desire is in this situation. Once you have realized the meaning of your Desire, everything will happen instantly.
"This is my Will," says the playboy. "It was done quickly and silently," says one who sees Thelema at work. What do you do until an angel appears? "Love is the law, love according to will." Follow your heart; Agape and Thelema together make 93.
There are too many pseudo-Thelemites who put their Desires at the forefront. Still, it's better to be a simple loving mortal for half your life than a half divine king and an ass at the same time. If you don't know what to do, always choose the path of love. Love is the gentle dream of Thelema, while the Great Work is vigilant labor.
Most often in the Book of the Law, capital letters are changed to lowercase. Changes in punctuation are also common. This is partly understandable. Many parts of the manuscript are ambiguous. Crowley's handwriting is far from perfect. However, what concerns greetings is beyond doubt. Everything is relatively clear here.
Where the sentence begins with capital letters, it can be considered as just grammar (in other words, the whole mystery lies in the spelling rules). And where a capital letter appears in an unusual place, a special meaning should be sought here. The word "Law" is capitalized in the first verse of the salutation, but not in the second. Actively in the first and passively in the second, or resolutely in the first and subtly in the second - the essence of such an interpretation is obvious.
Scattering capital letters at random is muddying the waters. Sometimes simple typos in the use of these greetings are to blame. Such errors can be ignored, but they can be noticed. The salutation of the first issue of this newsletter was out of the ordinary: "Do what thou will ..." Maybe someone corrected it in terms of simple grammar? Maybe, but I can talk about my own typos. When I have a person in the house whom I love, then, against my will, I can print: "Love is the law, lover under will". No doubt I would like to wishful thinking, but this has nothing to do with Thelema.
"So what if there is a small flaw in a book that has already been printed?" It doesn't matter to some extent, but books wear out and get reprinted. Members of the UTO do not tend to let matters take their course, and they take the Book of the Law seriously. However, some Thelemites are not too concerned about this. They are at the mercy of their Desires, and they don't read the Book of the Law very much either.
Those who come into contact with Thelema through Aleister Crowley's OTO understand how important it is to take good care of the Book of the Law. And some Thelemites stop at nothing to get the Book of the Law published, even with typos.
Some have rewritten or added to The Book of the Law with their own additions. Such things are good for these people and their followers; but we have Crowley's original, and it is important for us to preserve it for the Aeon of Horus. It's simple. Writing this article is just part of such work. Drawing attention to typos, omissions, misprints is also part of this work.
Due to carelessness in the use of greetings, their meaning is sometimes lost. Those who replace "Do as you please" with "Do as you please" usually think that the meaning of this phrase is freedom from all restrictions. This is true, but it has nothing to do with the true meaning of the Thelemic greeting.
When you consciously bind yourself to your True Will, you are truly completely free to realize your Desire. But how you do it does not mean that you are free from everything. If you want to lead the country like a president, you can shoot the current leader and take his place. But if you think you have such a right, you are crazy. Such actions may be justified by the circumstances, but are extremely rare.
From time to time it may seem that there are several ways to realize your Desire. However, in reality there is only one such way - the one that brings success. If you failed, then you chose the wrong way. In theory, it is always difficult, but in practice, everything is clear.
The worst use of these salutations comes perilously close to their best outward use. Many of us are teachers. Often we have the power and authority to lead others. When this power is used to suppress one's Will, it is the Limitation and the Word of Sin. When this power is exercised over those who expect you to guide them, it is the norm. If they listen to you, great. And if not, then it does not correspond to their Will. All this can create difficulties for those who are trying to work together.
In this case, it makes sense to periodically arrange a kind of test in order to understand who is a fool and a slacker, and who is a Thelemite who will not follow the same path as others. You can do without screaming and noise, just inviting a person to do something curious, but obviously stupid. If he refuses, great. If the offer is accepted, then it makes sense to think about what this person is doing in Thelema? On this point consult "Liber Jugorum," Chapter I, paragraph 2.
The second test may be to warn a person against doing things that are outwardly pleasant, but in fact - harmful. If he could not resist the temptation to do this, then obviously this person is still far from understanding his true Will.
However, such tests should not be abused. If the teacher uses them too often, then you can suspect him of a somewhat sadistic sense of humor.
Thelemic greetings have interesting parallels in other traditions. Consider the four rules of the Sphinx.
Do ---- know
what do you want ---- want
(that's the whole law)
Love ---- dare
(there is a law)
love according to will ---- keep silence
If you have realized your Will, this is, in essence, the knowledge of what to do. We are not talking about an indefinite inclination that does not involve active implementation. It's not about feeling the presence of an Angel. It's as clear and simple as a mechanic knowing which wrench to use to tighten a particular bolt. So the magician has a practical knowledge of what kind of energy or objects are needed in certain cases. Your Active Will is not a desire in itself, which may or may not come true. It is a mysterious energy that moves forces at the will of the magician.
Will has pressure and direction - similar to the unit vector concept as used in physics. The only difference is that the power does not come from a discrete cause, but from an energy field that is your Genius. The presence of this Genius is not in itself an active Will, but it is an essence prior to the manifestation of the Will.
Love always requires at least courage. Love cannot be effective if it is directed only at itself. It must be directed towards someone else. Inactive love, like the presence of Genius, precedes outward love. Until you love yourself, you cannot love another in any way. This active form of love is the giving of energy without the fear that you will lose something or someone will abuse your love. You are just selflessly adding it to the life force of another, in such a way that it works. This is not violence. The transfer of life energy must be in accordance with the True Will of the other, which must eventually come into harmony with your own. Sex may or may not be involved in all of this.
The advice to remain silent implies a lot. Without a doubt, first and foremost, it's about keeping someone's secret. This silence is the original respect for the Truth. If something is said or written, it is already half a lie. Do not try to explain every action by saying that you did it in accordance with the True Will. From time to time every Thelemite faced the question: "If you are so smart, why are you so poor?". If such a question or its derivatives offend you, then meditate for a while on greetings. If you do your Will and your Love is directed by Will, you are rich. Only those who are able to live like this understand what the meaning of these words is.
No Thelemite is perfect. At best, this is a compromise to protect against public opinion. At worst, it's the part of you that you have problems with. Let those who intend to take the Oath of the Abyss beware, for having reached the necessary level of knowledge, a person cannot remain alive in the lower world. Having achieved complete coincidence with the Will, a person completely completes his work - nothing remains unfinished in his life.
Contents Copyright (C) 1978, 1997 Bill Heidrick