Death and Life:

 

Death and Life:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

The first two Hymns are dedicated to the Goddesses of Death and Life, these are Hecate and Prothyrlsea, the latter is the Persian Diana and the Great Mother. She is the gate keeper of life, or that part of the creation story that makes us look away. What is interesting is how these two hymns correspond to the 13^th path of the Tree of Life attributed to Gimel and links Kether to Tiphareth , Gimel is also the path of the Moon, thus it is in perfect harmony with these goddesses. Da-ath can then be considered the gate and womb wherein new life gestates and is finally born into the phenomenal world. This is a great way to symbolize the evolution of being and clearly what these hymns were intended to affirm was the divinity of being itself and not some outwardly projected god. But if the ordeal of birth was overcome, life itself was a celebration of the divine. Interesting too, is that these opposites were symbolized in the form of the goddess. These are emanations of The One, which is easily associated with Kether, however we are presented with a problem considering the sequence wherein these goddesses where worshipped, although it makes sense, Chokmah and Binah are not easily attributable to them within the contexts of these hymns. They are better represented as the path of Gimel, as going from above to below the Abyss. Traditionally the paths are representative of the Microcosm and the sephiroth to the Macrocosm and so qabalistically this analogy makes sense. It is also useful to note the correspondence that this theology shares with the path of Samekh. Samekh is a womb and the path that links Tiphareth to Yesod, it is within this path that the Magickal Childe experiences birth and thus congruent with the path of Gimel. Just like with the path of Gimel where it harmonizes the different parts of being. While within Samekh it takes the Universal Solvent to raise the aspirant to adepthood, being the ingredient needed to congeal the Soul and accomplish the Great Work. Tiphareth as per the triad described by Thomas Taylor, which is Being, Life and Intellect is associated with the Intellect and the congruence between the path of Gimel and Samekh clearly illustrates this part of creation as uniting Heaven and Earth, Phanes who is the God of Light's birth creates Heaven and Earth, which accordingly correspond to Briah and Atziluth.

“And to the herdsman with a fav’ring mind draws near.”

Last line of the Hymn to Hecate:

The herdsman is associated with the Cyclops who were said to be the first herdsmen and they are attributed to Heaven as the LVX which permeates creation, this is analogous to life and consciousness and in the above quote, the favour of the herdsman is what may bring the ordeal to pass. The favour of whom would harmonize the different parts of being into a workable whole, as stated in my previous essay about Nox, the Cyclops symbolize the Astral Light. The Astral Light is the Azoth or the Universal Solvent. It seems that these ancient Greeks were mostly concerned with man’s place in the celestial hierarchy and saw being and life as the most venerable. This may explain the nature of their worship, wherein they acknowledged struggle and celebrated life, as divine.

TO THE GODDESS PROTHYRLSEA

Goddess, hear my pray'r,

For labour pains are thy peculiar care.

 In thee, when stretch'd upon the bed of grief, 

 The sex, as in a mirror, view relief.

Guard of the race, endued vith gentle mind, 

 To helpless youth benevolent and kind; 

 Benignant nourisher; great Nature's key Belongs to no divinity but thee. 

 Thou dwell'st with all irnmanifest to sight, 

 And solemn festivals are thy delight. 

 Thine is the task to loose the virgin's zone, 

 And thou in ev'ry work art seen and known. 

 With births you sympathise, tho' pleas'd to see 

 The numerous offspring of fertility. 

 When rack'd with labour pangs, and sore distress'd, 

 The sex invoke thee, as the soul's sure rest; 

 For thou alone canst give relief to pain, 

 Which art attempts to ease, but tries in vain. 

 Assisting Goddess, venerable pow'r, 

 Who bring'st relief in labour's dreadful hour; 

 Hear, blessed Dian, and accept my pray'r, 

 And make the infant race thy constant care.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if mankind could do away with hatred and superstition as the foundation of western religions? Instead giving worship to those things that are truly venerable, such as the miracle of childbirth and life, and the Goddess' undeniable place within this phenomenal miracle.

 TO HECATE. 

 EINODIAN Hecate, Trivia, lovely dame, 

 Of earthly, wat'ry, and celestial frame, 

 Sepulchral, in a saffron veil array'd, 

 Pleas'd with dark ghosts that wander thro' the shade; 

 Perszea, solitary goddess, hail! 

 The world's key-bearer, never doom'd to fail; 

 In stags rejoicing, huntress, nightly seen, 

 And drawn by bulls, unconquerable queen;

It is noteworthy that the Not-I or Naught, Thelemically associated with either Nuit or in her lower form Babalon as attributed to Bihah is associated with death in these hymns, and that all life comes from death. However, the primitive nature of Orphic theology is also very recognizable in the fact that the symbolism and their associations with the Tree of Life are often very confused. As in this hymn to Hecate, wherein death and the unconscious is seen as the same thing. However primitive the symbolism though, the Moon's association with the unconscious has remained, as symbolized by the sphere of Yesod, also known as The Gate and the sphere on the Tree of Life that leads to the path of Samekh, which shares a remarkable correspondence with the theology presented in these two hymns. This becomes a complete rendering of the Microcosm and the Macrocosm, which could be understood as reflecting both the way of evolution of creation and involution of being, as it illustrates the nature of creation, as seen from above and below. So, we could consider these two hymns as an attempt to illustrate this connection between Heaven and Earth, via the seemingly contradicting symbolism, although there may exist no such contradiction, when we view life in terms of these opposites, as already joined within the light of creation.                                                                                                  

“Love is the law, love under will.”

N.O.X.

 

N.O.X.

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

“For the Goddess Night is superior to certain orders, but inferior to others; and as the first principle of things superessential, so Night is supercelestial [i.e. is above that intellectual order which is denominated Heaven]. Why, however, are souls not said to see Heaven, but to become situated in, and be conjoined with it, yet are not conjoined with the natures above Heaven, but perceive them only? In answer to this it may be said, that it is necessary contact should exist, as far a to a certain thing. Why, therefore, as far as to this? Because neither are the gods under Jupiter said to be united to Phanes; but this is alone asserted of Jupiter, and he is said to be united through Night as a medium.”

According to the qabalah the highest intellectual attainment is Chesed, which is the sphere of Jupiter and directly below the Abyss. One of the tasks for an Adept occupying Chesed is making contact with the world above the Abyss known as the Supernal Triad, as I stated in a previous essay, this world can be likened to Devachan which is the world between life and death. Night or Nox is associated with Da-ath according to the above quote and it is Nox which establishes a link between consciousness and the world above the Abyss. Jupiter becomes a medium for the most direct expression of the Supernal Light being united through Night (Nox) as a medium. Heaven is illuminated by the light that is brought into the phenomenal world by Phanes, this can be seen as consciousness, and Phanes is the creator of Heaven and Earth. Heaven then is LVX, wherein all is united, but it is, the principle which connects everything in Heaven and Earth, and so Jupiter is united to the rest of the gods within the Light but becomes an expression of the Supernal Light. Jupiter is thus separated from the Light via this distinction, the light which is always changing and in continual motion throughout eternity, such as a great ocean wherein life is created, and a metaphor for man's conscious evolution, from which Jupiter represents the highest attainment. Here then we have established man’s constitution via the symbolism of the primordial Orphic deities, whereby Nox is being, Phanes is consciousness or life and Heaven is likened to intellect, Earth accordingly corresponds to the physical body, or even the senses and emotions. Thus, Earth and Heaven are united by the Light with the gods, but Jupiter is joined to the Forms, through his connection with Nox which is the potential for creation, and indeed the source of creation to the lower worlds and everything in it. This establishes Nox’s connection with the Forms, which are made visible by the Supernal Light.

[..] Plato manifests that the place of the Nights is above the kingdom of the Heaven; but through the privation of figure, that it is above the order of the Cyclops. For theology says, that figure is first unfolded into the light in these, and that the divinities, the Cyclops, are the first principles and causes of figures which subsist every where.”

The Cyclops correspond quite perfectly with the Watchers in the Book of Enoch, who gave life to the Nephilim, as they share the same office, as the Nephilim were teachers to mankind and so are the Cyclops. They are the medium through which the supercelestial forms may be understood and communication between man and them is likened to preternatural communication.

“We must not therefore wonder on hearing that Vulcan and Minerva are the cause of figures. For Vulcan is the cause of corporeal figures, and of every mundane figure; but Minerva, of the psychical and intellectual figure, and the Cyclops of divine, and every where existing figure.”

The figures are the forms that are interpreted by the different faculties of the psyche and correspond accordingly to Vulcan, Minerva and the Cyclops, the latter is the highest and are said to be the first divinities. In Hermetic parlance, the Cyclops are likened to the Astral Light as distinguished from the LVX and the Supernal Light, which is the medium for inspiration from the former, as they serve to render the supercelestial figures intelligible. This difference is indicative of what the LVX, Astral Light and Supernal Light indicate, with regards to man’s psyche. For instance, LVX and the Supernal Light are linked to intellect and Spirit, however the Astral Light is representative of the archetypes of the collective unconscious and the lowest incorporeal manifestation of the supercelestial figures, which are beyond the scope of intellectual contemplation. It is only after the decent into the lower worlds or Heaven (LVX), that the Light becomes intelligible and the Astral Light is made manifest, which is here associated with the Cyclops.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Hermit:

 

The Hermit:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

The Hermit ATU corresponds to the letter Yod and connects Chesed to Tiphareth, the card is associated with Virgo and is attributed to the 20^th path on the Tree of Life. This path symbolizes creativity at its peak manifestation. This creativity is the result of Chokmah’s influence on Chesed, the influence of which is carried to Tiphareth and reflected into the Astral Triad. Thus, it is from Chesed’s influence that the force of the Logos may be brought into balance and its influence manifested as creativity. Crowley writes: “the letter Yod is the highest form of Mercury”. The Mercurial nature of Yod is in this card representative of the Azoth, another term for the Astral Light and the source of The Great Work. We can think of the Astral Light as Jung’s Collective Unconscious, wherein we find the archetypes that manifested with humanity's first creative impulses as symbols, symbols that will keep evolving until the end of time. I like to think of it as the realm of the Gods, that influences the course of human evolution, thus the creative potential for the entire human race. This also indicates the card’s relationship to the Logos, which is a term describing the procreative force in the universe. Crowley writes: “The highest symbolism of this card is, therefore, Fertility in its most exalted sense.” Without quoting Crowley again, he goes on to state that, Virgo is associated with corn and thus Persephone, who in Greek mythology is the Goddess of Earth and Fertility. Virgo is also ruled by Mercury and Mercury is exalted in the sign of Virgo, so the influence of Mercury is very great along this path and therefore, a card indicating divine inspiration, it is that state of being when creativity flows naturally, the work becomes easy, and one is at his most productive. Not hindered by influences from the world at large, but rather making a baby, in perfect harmony with one’s surroundings. Another name for this card is The Magus of the Voice of Power, in this name, the Voice of Power expresses the creative influence of the Logos upon the Adept, who then becomes the Word, which serves to inspire the lower. It is also said that The Hermit brings the Light to the College of Adepts, again drawing attention to the card's distinct connection with the Astral Light, as representing an Adept’s office, or as his work with the Azoth. The rebirth that is necessitated by The Hanged Man ATU is in need of the Universal Solvent to establish union between the three worlds and it is via this path that this union may be affected, hence the saying, The Hermit brings the Light to the College of Adepts. So, it is a multifaceted path in this respect, that not only is the Adept inspired here. But it is the path wherein the essential nature of the work in the Ethical Triad is established, and the Adept is raised to perfect union with his Angel.

Virgo is associated with the myth of Persephone who was the goddess of the underworld, vegetation and fertility. One day she was abducted by Hades and taken to the underworld, while she was there, she had eaten a pomegranate and as a result of eating food from Hades, she was unable to go back to the world. This made her sad and she wept unconsolably for which Zeus took pity on her and said that she would be allowed out of Hades for six months a year. Her release from Hades became celebrated as the first day of spring and she became synonymous with the spirit of fertility symbolized by the changing of the seasons. Crowley writes: “In this Trump is shewn the entire mystery of Life in its most secret workings. Yod Phallus Spermatozoon Hand Logos Virgin. There is perfect Identity, not merely Equivalence, of the Extremes, the Manifestation, and the Method.”

“Love is the law, love under will.”

Fortune:

 

Fortune:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

Fortune represented by the Hebrew letter Kaph joins Chesed to Netzach and it is the twenty-first path on the Tree of Life. The card is associated with Jupiter, this card used to be called the Wheel of Fortune in the old Tarot decks and is the literal interpretation of the card, as it means luck or chance. Kaph means the palm of a hand or a grasping hand, which entails control. Or, seeming control over external circumstances which as most people probably know is nonsense, that one cannot truly control external events and circumstances, hence this fact is reflected in the card. As the card in a sense symbolizes the appearance of control and is an auspicious card to draw, however this appearance is the result of the adaptability of the querant’s perspective and the flexibility of his actions. The card according to Crowley suggests The Eye of Shiva as the destroyer of the universe and so the destruction and renewal of things which is an unavoidable part of existence, again stability is found in this changing of circumstances and one’s ability to adapt to these changes. Another name for this card is The Lord of the Forces of Life, indicating the nature of the card with more exactitude.

This card reflects mastery of the Powers of the Sphinx, to Know, to Will, to Dare and to Keep Silent. Once these powers have been brought under the control of the magician, they serve to fortify the work and balance life, so that the magician can focus on the Great Work without interference from the outside world. They teach us the proper way to conduct ourselves for success to be attained along the path, without these powers the magician doesn’t have a sure foundation or any foundation. The fifth power is to Go and associated with Spirit, thus completing the pentagram and a symbol of mastery and the ability to affirm our wills upon the world, this is indicated in the card, with the Sphinx’s position at the top of the wheel. The three beasts depicted on the wheel are the Sphinx, Typhon and Hermanubis, they also symbolize the Gunas and are indicative of the nature of the universe, which as mentioned is in a state of constant change. These are accordingly associated to the three alchemical elements, salt, sulfur and mercury. So, perhaps the Gunas on a micro and macrocosmic level is indicated and our need to harmonize with the environment, which leads to control.

The lightning at the top of the card is to symbolize the card’s relationship with Zeus, wherefrom the card is associated with inspired action. Divine inspiration is symbolized by the fact that according to myth, Zeus fathered many children with mortal women, most of whom became heroes. This influence can only truly be made use of, if the above-mentioned equilibrium has been attained, otherwise a person is subject to external circumstances and not a master of life.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

Who Knows?

 

Who Knows?

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

True Will is a particularly sketchy subject to approach, especially with so many people claiming that all ideas written on the subject are useless, if it wasn’t written by Aleister Crowley. Be that as it may, in Thelema we talk about three different types of will, and these three types of will are free will, True Will and Pure Will. I think any rational person would agree that these three are not the same thing. I have always thought that Pure Will is the will of the Spirit and should be seen as the Logos or the will of the Demiurge, which basically means the laws that govern the universe and especially the laws that govern spiritual attainment, which has to do with the collective interpretation and understanding of the symbols by humanity as a whole. Once a magician becomes an adept he unites with the Demiurge and establishes a perfect union with the Logos and lives life in harmony with the laws that govern the universe. Thus, the Pure Will could be described as the Will of the Spirit, at least this is my interpretation of the term. That being said, anyone is well within his or her right to dispute what I think it is, if he or she validates it with his or her own opinion. The idea is that once the adept is awakened, he becomes a perfect reflection of the Logos, but on the level of Spirit not with concern to his ego, but in the deepest part of himself, he is guided by the spirit that permeates the entire universe. This spirit is that same Spirit with which Hadit seeks reunion, and this may only occur after physical death, so it is Hadit’s will to expand into the eternal body of Nuit, perhaps in a sense it could be called Anatta or even Pure Consciousness, however I am not sure.

I am constantly trying to come up with new ways to understand what the True Will is and all I can think, is that nobody knows, not even one who is doing his True Will. I think the closest we can come to understanding the True Will is by studying our unconscious impulses. I believe the True Will really ties into the soul’s karma and can only be described as that which a person was born to do. Obviously, it makes sense, but nobody has the first inkling what he or she was born to do. I am not saying that past lives are a real thing, I do not think past life memories say anything to me about who I was in any past life, as I don’t think I have inherited some individual soul that has the capacity for conscious reflection, which is a brain thing and brains are physical organs. To tell you the truth, I think past life memories are conjured in the imagination as representative of feelings that cannot be intellectually understood and the only way for the mind to cope with something as ecstatic as the revelation of the spirit. I think such feelings can only be understood through archetypal imagery that take on an historical character on account of the constitution of man, being three-fold. Whereby through symbolic imagery this experience is perceived by the intellect and absorbed by the ego, so that equilibrium may be re-established. So, in my opinion, it is more apt to describe these visions as coping mechanisms rather than memories. Be that as it may, they are spiritual phenomena and happen within the context of spiritual training, so that these ‘memories’ have the character of the unique school of thought which they are associated with, and so we may conclude, that they are a means of establishing a magickal link with tradition, as between the ego and the spirit. Thus, I would have to conclude, that the ego is the driving force of the True Will, the person who I become in life and what makes me unique, along with my interpretation of the Logos is my True Will and so everyone’s True Will is different. But then, everyone also has a responsibility to himself or herself to find out what his or her True Will is, in order to avoid wasting their lives.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

Lust:

 

Lust:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

The next card we’ll look at is the Lust ATU which corresponds to the path of Teth (Lamed). Now, anyone familiar with the Tree of Life will notice that this card is seemingly in the wrong place. However, it is not! In the old deck, Judgement (Adjustment) took the place of this card, but the revelation in the Book of the Law concerning the Tarot, has flipped the whole tree upside down and Lust has become the 11^th ATU, although it is still associated with the 19^th path. It is all quite confusing, I know… Lust is a martial card and corresponds to the path leading from Geburah to Tiphareth, or Mars and the Sun respectively.

This card represents strength and conquest for the sake of conquest, one may say this card represents Will, as moving forward unhampered by feelings that may stop it from acting. Being the path between Geburah and Tiphareth, it is associated with the Great Work of an Adept, once having attained and is working in accordance with his True Will, he has the inertia of the universe supporting him. The Royal Wedding is in the process of being consummated, and this is a celebration of marriage, thus the card is sometimes referred to as The Daughter of the Flaming Sword. There is great joy and confidence in the knowledge that one is doing exactly what he or she is supposed to and the only way to fail is to stop, there is beauty in such confidence and so this card corresponds to the sign of Leo. Therefore, when drawing this card, it is symbolic of the momentum of inertia, the current course has all the pieces in place for success, and the only requisite for achieving this, would be to stay the course.

The sign of Leo is associated with the Herculean Tasks and hence the Great Work. The lion that is representative of the sign is the lion that Heracles slayed as his first task called the Nemean Lion. It was believed that the lion was invulnerable and impossible to kill, the lion was so terrifying that even Heracles was unsure whether or not he was able to defeat the beast. In the end, Heracles did kill the lion and was immortalized for his feats of heroism, and this is the myth’s connection to the Great Work. One interpretation of the Great Work, within the Western Esoteric Tradition, is the work which has been accomplished by all the great mages, artists, alchemists, philosophers, poets and writers, wherein those who have accomplished it, have been recognized and immortalized for their contributions to humanity. This is represented by the fact that in ancient Greek artwork, Heracles is always depicted with the Nemean Lion’s pelt around his waist. This was done so that he was instantly recognized by everyone and remembered for the Great Work he achieved, known as the Herculean Tasks.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Hanged Man:

 

The Hanged Man:

“Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.”

The 23^rd path on the Tree of Life is associated to the letter Mem and the element of Water, the Tarot card corresponding to this path is The Hanged Man and is sometimes called The Drowned Man. This card is symbolic of initiation and death, it represents the necessity for accepting the current circumstances and urges introspection, which is about all that would yield results under such circumstances. The Yetziratic attribution for this path is Stable Intelligence, it is the path leading from Geburah to Hod, this indicates a need for change as Mem is Water and the path connects Mars and Mercury, this reminds us of Aleph, Mem and Shin, which are the three Mother Letters of the Hebrew alphabet and the Primordial Elements of the universe from which stems creation. Hod is Water and Mem is Water, but the Fire of Geburah serves to condense Water along this path and is thus symbolic of the transmutation of the Soul. The paralyzed depiction of the Hanged Man illustrates this state of disunion that need to be overcome, as it indicates the loss of control which is indicative of the will. This would indicate the nature of the path of return as leading towards the initial union, and the card's association with death and disunion, and the card being a representation of the ordeal of attainment. Therefore, this card symbolizes quite a struggle and there is noticeable disunion along this path, and a need to bring the situation into balance, if possible. Fire turns Water into steam or Air, wherefrom as it cools it is crystallized into Matter (Earth), this is the way these elements correspond to the ineffable name. But for The Hanged Man, who experiences this as a Microcosm, it is a terrible ordeal, as it is a breaking away from Matter, which is the place from whence he came. So, it becomes a great struggle to bring the elements back into union and bring balance back into the world of matter, whereby the Soul is congealed. Thus, in the sense that it is associated with the Stone of the Wise, it symbolizes either the transformation or the complete loss of Ego. If the subject is unable to establish himself in the Ethical Triad and reintegrate the Self, he will remain in this state and perish. These elements are also associated with the three alchemical elements, Salt, Sulfur and Mercury and so the initiation clearly presented in the symbolism of the card, is the transmutation of the Philosopher’s Stone. It is only by achieving this, that rebirth is possible and the only way out of the paralyzing condition, which the card is indicative of.

The card has the figure of a man hanging upside down and about to be submerged in water, above we see a brilliant light shining down on him, the light has within it a green hue that represents the redeeming quality of Love, known as Grace. The figure is symbolic of the paralysis mentioned above which is caused by disunion and the water is symbolic of the unconscious elements within the psyche that need to be raised into perfect congruence with the Spirit and Intellect (Ego) before the ordeal may pass. The Ankh from which the figure is hanging is another symbol of the Rosy Cross, it must however be kept in mind that this card is symbolic of the old formula of the dying god of the Aeon of Osiris, a formula which has now been corrected in the Aeon of the Crowned and Conquering Child and the attainment no longer depends on the doctrine of self-sacrifice or self-denial as martyrdom. His body is contorted in the shape of the alchemical symbol of sulfur, as the soul, which is in disunion, that through this process is being transmuted and congealed, these unconscious elements of the psyche are also indicated by the water beneath him. The serpent below him is symbolic of the intellect and a new awareness, as the adept is reintegrating the ego and establishing himself in Tiphareth. It is only by uniting these two elements that the Magickal Childe may be born. This is only possible as the result of the influence of the Spirit shining down on the victim, whereby all these elements are united in Love, symbolized by the green that permeates the entire card, serving as the connection between Man and Spirit, whereby the Great Work is brought to completion and union is attained.

“It is notable that there is an apparent increase of darkness and solidity in proportion as the redeeming element manifests itself; but the colour of green is the colour of Venus, of the hope that lies in love. That depends upon the formulation of the Rose and Cross, of the annihilation of self in the Beloved, the condition of progress. In this inferior darkness of death, the serpent of new life begins to stir.”

Aleister Crowley: The Book of Thoth

“Love is the law, love under will.”