The Hierophant:

 

The Hierophant:

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

The 16^th path on the Tree of Life corresponds to The Hierophant ATU, Taurus and the Hebrew letter Vau. The card depicts a priest holding a wand, at the foot of the card is a maiden holding a sword in her right hand and the moon in her left, around them are the powers of the sphinx symbolized by the four heads in the corners of the card.

The Hierophant ATU is symbolic of initiation, the card’s connection to initiation within the Thelemic framework may be understood by understanding the Orphic idea of Phanes and Protogonus. It is said that Phanes is hidden in Jupiter and Protogonus is associated with Malkuth. Phanes is the god of light, symbolic of pure consciousness and the unfoldment of pure consciousness is indicated in his character. Protogonus is Phanes and thus in Orphic theology these names are sometimes used interchangeably, however the significance of this god having two names, may be understood within the symbolism of the Tree of Life especially the Adam Qadmon, as representing the evolution of consciousness. Phanes is pure light and hints at being’s complete unfoldment, thus he is attributed to Chesed. Phanes via his direct connection to the Demiurge and his connection to Protogonus is the Hierophant depicted in the card. Phanes is also Hadit in Thelemic parlance and so is Protogonus, this god is as a result of his nature as positioned auspiciously, always connected to the Supernal Triad as being that which is most sympathetic to the Spirit and as we understand in Thelema; it is Hadit’s nature to unite with the infinite body of Nuit. This card is an artistic rendering of the Tree of Life and the evolution of consciousness mentioned above. At the bottom of the card, we see a maiden who Crowley calls the Scarlett Woman hence Babalon holding a sword and the moon, the moon symbolizes the unconscious that is illuminated by intellect, which is symbolized by the sword, she is the Shekinah and establishes Protogonus’ connection to the Forms. This initiation is dramatically enacted every-day in the Thelemic Greater Ritual of the Pentagram called Liber H and is given to Neophytes of the A.'.A.'. for the purpose of illuminating the unconscious, thus establishing an intellectual connection between the magician and the sphere of Yesod. The card is symbolic then of Protogonus’ climb toward complete realization in Chesed, this is symbolically depicted by the union between the hexagram and pentagram in front of the hierophant and symbolic of the Ethical Triad, also seen within the card is the light from this union shining down on the maiden, again expressing Tiphareth’s relationship to Yesod. The child dancing at the centre of the pentagram is the Magickal Childe, which results from union between the lower and the higher or joining heaven and earth. This union is symbolized by the number 65 and presents the idea of the five-pointed star uniting with the six-pointed star, thus raising the microcosm (pentagram) to unite with the macrocosm (hexagram). The powers of the sphinx are there to guard a magician and facilitate his journey towards realization.

 I:49. Abrogate are all rituals, all ordeals, all words and signs. Ra-Hoor-Khuit hath taken his seat in the East at the Equinox of the Gods; and let Asar be with Isa, who also are one. But they are not of me. Let Asar be the adorant, Isa the sufferer; Hoor in his secret name and splendour is the Lord initiating.

I:50. There is a word to say about the Hierophantic task. Behold! there are three ordeals in one, and it may be given in three ways. The gross must pass through fire; let the fine be tried in intellect, and the lofty chosen ones in the highest. Thus ye have star & star, system & system; let not one know well the other!

Liber AL vel Legis 

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Star:

 

The Star:

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

The Star is attributed to the 15^th path on The Tree of Life and connects Chokmah to Tiphareth and is associated with the letter Heh of the Hebrew alphabet. This path used to be attributed to The Emperor but again, as per the prophesy in The Book of the Law it has changed from corresponding to Aries and the Emperor, to Aquarius and The Star.  

The Star is a path that carries the influence from the Supernal Triad which is what is looked to for the awakening of Hadit. The sephiroth below the abyss on the tree are entirely reliant on Jupiter's influence, although Chesed's influence is most directly experienced at this point, obviously as every lower sephirah on the tree embodies the influence received from the higher, although the influence is masked, as per one’s unique relationship to that which is above. However, Jupiter is the Demiurge and once direct contact with this sphere has been established, being is unveiled, as the Logos. It is along this path that one’s starry nature becomes the object of obsession and its unique dealings with the universal Logos are revealed and sought. Hadit has three notable abstract manifestations along the path of return. The first of these is the acknowledgement of self as having a unique and important part to play within the cosmic unity, the second is the totality of this realization and the unveiling of being itself, the last must then be the realization of the complete unfoldment of being into the eternal body of the goddess Nuit. These are rightly associated with Malkuth, Tiphareth and Kether. The path of The Star is the realization that occurs as the totality of Hadit’s realization and the realization of selfhood’s need for expression. According to the Orphic theology this stage of development is when the invisible Apollo receives direct inspiration from the Muses who are metaphysically conjoined with the Bacchuses which represent the planets described as orbs within said theology and revolve around the sun. The invisible Apollo is a term describing Hadit and it is the awakening of Hadit which through the unveiling of the Logos finds direction to inspire the lower. Hence, The Star in this card refers to this translation from receiving and interpreting that divine message, that via one’s heritage is given a means of expression. The heritage spoken of is that which has been fostered by one’s established connection to the universe, which may be termed the universal Logos or in this case Thelema. This obviously doesn’t refer to the complete unfoldment of being but does give the impression that one at this stage of realization has a unique and important part to play. This part is expressed via the Logos, which is the soul of a magician, and means the entire person working as a single unit towards the goal. The goal then is working in accordance with the universe, being the only medium that may unveil this realization. Hereby, we can also see the confusion and folly of The Emperor once having been attributed to this path, which left little room for expression on part of the magician.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Lovers:

 

The Lovers:

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

This card is associated with Gemini and the Hebrew letter Zain, the card corresponds to the 17^th path on the Tree of Life and connects Binah to Tiphareth, or the sphere of Saturn to the sphere of the Sun. The card depicts a wedding ceremony, at the top of the card above the bride and groom is Eros, descending with the light upon the bride and groom. In the background is the Hermit assuming the sign of the enterer, there are two children standing at the foot of the card, who Crowley writes represent Cane and Abel, the one child is holding the Holy Grail and the other the Sacred Lance, these represent the Yoni and the Lingam and sexual magick. In fact, the whole card is full of masculine and feminine symbolism and suggests a method of sex magick. At the top of the card there are two statues, one of a naked man and the other a naked woman and at the bottom of the card we can see a red lion and white eagle, also symbolic of the dichotomy of male and female, or rather opposites in general. These opposites are all united in love and forms the Orphic Egg at the bottom and shows its relationship to Eros, thus symbolizing Love, as the means to this particular attainment. The swords in the background, forming what looks like a gate, seem to present the idea of entering the Ethical Triad, which is symbolic of the intellect and associated with the Ruach, it is also symbolic of a womb.

The nature of this path is Love or Agape, not merely a sentimental love but universal love, as this path represents the Shekinah’s first influence on an adept and so it reflects the nature of their union. It is along this path that the essence and mode of creation is unveiled, and an adept is raised via his connection to the Supernal Triad, to this realization. Thus, it symbolizes transformation, as it is this step that alters his constitution and raises him to a new level of understanding himself and his relationship with the world around him. Thus, he must cultivate his new perspective, and this may be done by employing the above stated formula. As Liber AL states: "Now, therefore, I am known to ye by my name Nuit, and to him by a secret name which I will give him when at last he knoweth me. Since I am Infinite Space, and the Infinite Stars thereof, do ye also thus. Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.”  Liber AL I,22: This path is one’s first direct experience with the Shekinah, which is an aspect of the Great Mother and therefore also Nuit, the universe itself, the nature of which is Love, wherein all is united in L.V.X. This inbreathing of the Shekinah seems then to be what draws an adept toward Binah through the following grades, as imprinting upon the soul of a magician the significance of such an experience. It is by uniting with the Shekinah that the magician joins Heaven and Earth via Tiphareth, this may be what is indicated by the wedding ceremony depicted in the card. While union with the Shekinah is certainly indicated, the card also speaks of the formula of Agape, that is realized at Tiphareth, which is the nature of union itself and indicated in the formula of 0=2. The above-described method seems to become an imperative for even maintaining balance at this stage of the magician’s development, as indicated by the above quote as well. “Bind nothing! Let there be no difference made among you between any one thing & any other thing; for thereby there cometh hurt.” Crowley writes of this principle in The Book of Thoth: One may now consider the Hermetic marriage itself. This part of the Card has been simplified from “the Chymical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreutz”, a masterpiece too lengthy and diffuse to quote usefully in this place. But the essence of the analysis is the continuous see-saw of contradictory ideas. It is a glyph of duality. The attainment symbolized in this card then, seems to show a means to progress and continued development, rather than being an end in itself.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Chariot:

 

The Chariot:

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

The Chariot is associated to the 18^th path on the Tree of Life connecting Geburah to Binah and corresponds to the Hebrew letter Cheth and is ruled by Cancer. The numerical value of this letter is 418 and is the number of the Aeon, however it is the number of every Aeon, and currently as things stand, we are entering the Aeon of Horus. The association with the number corresponding to this card is the result of the path leading from Binah to Geburah and represents the Shekinah, which carries the Logos into the World of Formation. It is the mother that connects us to the Aeon via her influence and in this card her influence is symbolic of the manifestation of the True Will. The martial aspect of this card indicates the dedication inherent along this path, as meaning has been realized as something worth dedicating a tremendous amount of energy towards. The dedication here referred to is nothing less than the inherent need of a child to please its mother. It is interesting that the influence of the Great Mother is to a great extent attributable to the sentimental inclinations of an Adept, as being those inclinations that inspire one to wholeness, within a traditional frame of being, thus 418 is the number of every Aeon and is general and not necessarily Thelemic. Although, at this time, this number's propriety is with Thelema, as Thelema is in perfect harmony with the path of Cheth in the Aeon of Horus.  

There is a struggle between self and the universe experienced at this point, wherein balance means the realization of the True Will, so in a sense the Adept is expected to submit to the influence already established by the higher and not just his higher nature, as this integration had already been experienced in Tiphareth. Conversely then, this card refers to divine communion in the literal sense of the word as uniting the will of the magician with something greater than himself and becoming the expression thereof. Only via accomplishing this union is the foundation laid to further the work, which is the task of the Major Adept in Geburah. Although there is certainly a martial aspect inherent in this card via its connection to Mars, wherefrom the focus is on the nurturing nature of the Great Mother, although the stern nature of her is also something that needs to be factored into the interpretation of this card, from which uncertainty or perhaps stubbornness may lead to failure. But this uncertainty would stem from an inability to integrate one’s individual will or inclinations with the presiding current and would result in tremendous conflict. Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “He is throned in the chariot rather than conducting it, because the whole system of progression is perfectly balanced. His only function is to bear the Holy Grail.” This quote refers to the passenger having given himself over to the divine and his will is thus perfectly aligned to that of the universe. Hereby he has become the perfect expression of the divine on earth and only needs at this point to follow the guidance of his Angel.

“Love is the law, love under will.”

Adjustment:

 

Adjustment:

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

Adjustment corresponds to the 19^th path on the Tree of Life and connects the Pillar of Severity to the Pillar of Mercy by joining Geburah to Chesed along this path. The path is associated to Libra and the Hebrew letter Lamed. On the card there is a female figure who represents Maat holding a sword, in front of her hangs the scales of justice and everything in the picture is in perfect balance. She is surrounded by four pyramids, with one half of each pointing up and the other halves all pointing down. These pyramids are symbolic of the elements associated to the four directions, which she has perfect control over. She is surrounded by eight orbs, and she is standing on a big black one, with a small one on her head, these orbs seem to represent the Sephiroth, and probably indicates the marriage of Heaven and Earth. 

The Adjustment card symbolizes integration or re-equilibration, it seems to indicate re-establishing the Kingdom on a higher plateau, which means reconfiguring self and the world around it. This demands honest critical self-analysis, hence the symbolism of judgement, although Adjustment more aptly supports this idea. The old card was Justice, but justice presumes a self-favoring end is implied, however reality demands adaptation and compromise, so that sometimes we do not get our way. Henceforth, the four Powers of the Sphinx's significance is also implied in the symbolism of the card, these powers give the magician the ability to work harmoniously within the world of contending forces. As Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “This card in the old Tarot pack was called Justice. This word has none but a purely human and therefore relative sense; so it is not to be considered as one of the facts of Nature. Nature is not just, according to any theological or ethical idea; but Nature is exact.”  This quote indicates the need to harmonize the internal and external circumstances of life, and this is the way the daughter may find herself on the throne of the mother. As Crowley writes: “It is the final adjustment in the formula of Tetragrammaton,…” The card suggests equilibrating the elements on a higher level of awareness, as through transmutation complete transfiguration is necessitated. Along this path, it becomes paramount to harmonize oneself with external circumstances, by accurately evaluating one’s limitations and prejudices in relationship to the world around him or her and to act accordingly, by conforming to such conditions to establish control. The sword that the female figure in the card is holding, is symbolic of the intellect (Ruach) and symbolizes the importance of the Ruach for harmonizing with the objective world. The Ruach is also symbolic of the ego, and as a new self-awareness has been experienced through the act of piercing the Veil of Paroketh, the ego was shattered and now finds itself in need of viewing the world and itself through a new lens of reality. So, all that which has been attained is here united into a functioning whole and symbolized by the daughter taking the place of the mother. Or as Crowley writes in The Book of Thoth: “She is masked, and her expression shows her secret intimate satisfaction in her domination of every element of dis-equilibrium in the Universe. This condition is symbolized by the Magic Sword which she holds in both hands, and the balances of spheres in which she weighs the Universe.” Thus, this card represents the final step in establishing oneself within the conditions that correspond to the enquiry and although the task may seem daunting, it is a beneficent card as all the elements necessary for success are already in place. 

“Love is the law, love under will.”

The Relationship between the Shekinah and Orphic Theology:

The Relationship between the Shekinah and Orphic Theology:

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law."

TO SATURN.

ETHERIAL father, mighty Titan, hear,

Great sire of Gods and men, whom all revere;

Endu'd with various counsel, pure and strong,

To whom increase and decrement belong.

Hence matter's flowing forms thro' thee that die,

By thee restor'd, their former place supply.

The world immense in everlasting chains,

Strong and ineffable thy pow'r contains;

Father of vast eternity, divine,

0 mighty Saturn, various speech is thine;

Blossom of earth and of the starry skies,

Husband of Rhea, and Prometheus wise.

Obsteteric pow'r and venerable root,

From which the various forms of being shoot;

No parts peculiar can thy pow'r enclose,

Diffus'd thro' all, from which the world arose.

0 best of beings, of a subtle mind,

Propitious hear, to suppliant pray'rs inclin'd;

The sacred rites benevolent attend,

And grant a blameless life, a blessed end.

It is said that Rhea and Saturn abide within the Intellectual Heaven and Earth, this must be seen as the Supernal Triad and the world of Ideal Forms, where all perfection is perceived; and the inspiration of man’s need for establishing perfection is derived from. Therefore, the Forms are associated via this relationship to Saturn and Rhea, who are the progenitors of Jupiter, who is the Demiurge and creates the world of duality. It is thus between Jupiter and the Intellectual Heaven and Earth that Rhea’s office is established as the Great Mother but as we look up, we are experiencing her as the Great Whore, as she is willing to impart this enthusiasm to anyone who is willing to look for her. She is therefore associated to Binah and Babalon, as understood within Thelemic theology and her office as the Shekinah is thus established via her association to Phanes, wherefrom it becomes apparent that Life, is the Shekinah in its fully realized manifestation and included within this rationale is found the mythos of the Daughter placed upon the throne of the Mother. As Thomas Taylor writes “Since this Goddess then is a medium between the two intellectual parents of the universe, Saturn and Jupiter, the former of which collects intellectual multitude into one, but the latter scatters and divides it; hence, says Proclus (in Plat. Theol. p. 266), this Goddess produces in herself the demiurgic causes of the universe; but imparts her diffusive power abundantly to secondary natures.” And in the next quote: "Hence, as Rhea is one of the progeny of the intellectual Earth resident in Phanes, as we have before observed, the reason is obvious why she is said in this hymn to be the daughter of Protogonus. The Phanes, however, and Earth, from which Rhea proceeds, subsist in that divine order which is denominated by the Chaldean theologists[...], intelligible and at the same time intellectual, and is celebrated by Plato in the Phaedrus under the appellation of Heaven. This order, as subsisting between the intelligible and intellectual orders, [...] Hence it is primarily intellectual." What is stated above is that our connection to Rhea and the Intellectual Heaven and Earth is primarily intellectual by our contemplating the perfection of the Forms, this leads to being filled with the Shekinah or making contact with Juno, when one falls in love with Vesta. It becomes quite clear, that this grace that fills us with aspiration for the work, stems from our will to perfection, that is awakened by the contemplation of that which is eternal and perfect, although unique to every individual, its abiding influence may be experienced by all. That she is said to be the "progeny of the intellectual Earth resident in Phanes" establishes clearly her connection to the Shekinah. Through this quote a noticeable sophistication is also displayed, which certainly, monotheistic religions are still struggling to catch up to.

TO RHEA.

ILLUSTRIOUS Rhea, to my pray'r incline,

Daughter of various-form'd Protogonus divine,

Who driv'st thy sacred car with speed along,

Drawn by fierce lions, terrible and strong.

Mother of Jove, whose mighty arm can wield

Th' avenging bolt and shake the clreadful shield.

Brass-sounding, honour'd, Saturn's blessed queen,

Drum-beating, fury-loving, of a splendid mien.

Thou joy'st in mountains and tulnultuous fight,

And mankind's horrid howlings thee delight.

War's parent, mighty, of majestic frame,

Deceitful saviour, liberating dame.

Mother of Gods and men, from whom the earth

And spacious heav'ns derive their glorious birth.

Th' etherial gales, the deeply spreading sea,

Goddess, aerial-form'd, proceed from thee.

Come, pleas'd with wand'rings, blessed and divine,

With peace attended on our labours shine;

Bring rich abundance ; and, wherever found,

Drive dire disease to earth's remotest bound.

The Mother’s lowest manifestation as experienced by an initiate is Juno, who through her influence on an initiate, conceives the Daughter who is known as Vesta. Vesta and Juno are the daughters of Rhea, the former corresponding to the Ethical Triad and the latter to Earth, or Malkuth on the Tree of Life. Rhea as understood does not subsist in the world of duality and Vesta becomes her embodiment in the universe as we experience it and thus the Demiurge and all the gods following, owe their subsistence to her influence. Phanes is hidden in Jupiter and thus connects consciousness to the Logos via this relationship and this establishes our connection to Rhea, and as Phanes in the world of matter is Protogonous, Rhea’s connection to Earth is established as embodied by Juno. As consciousness having descended from Phanes’s more direct interaction with the Mother of the Gods. We can hereby see a very exact ontology explained, that takes us all the way to the summit of experience. "Saturn (says Proclus, in Cratyl, p. 83) in conjunction with Rhea, produced Vesta and Juno, who are coordinate with the demiurgic causes. For Vesta imparts from herself to the Gods an uninclining permanency and seat in themselves, and an indissoluble essence. But Juno imparts progression, and a multiplication into things secondary. She is also the vivifying fountain of wholes, and the mother of prolific powers; and on this account she is said to have proceeded together with Jupiter the Demiurgus; and through this communion she generates maternally such things as Jupiter generates paternally. But Vesta abides in herself, possessing an undefiled virginity, and being the cause of sameness to all things. Each of these divinities, however, together with her own proper perfection, possesses according to participation the power of the other." Vesta is described in the above quote as Spirit, and corresponds to Hadit or even Atman, as imparting an uninclining, indissoluble essence to the Gods, so certainly as Phanes is included in this hierarchy as being one of the Gods. She shares this essence with Protogonous/Phanes also, where the former can be understood as Malkuth and the latter Jupiter. Thus, Juno is the influence that leads to Asar-un-nefer, the achievement of which may result in Knowledge and Conversation with one's Holy Guardian Angel and the unfoldment of the Logos. However, our first contact must be with Juno, as our relationship with Rhea is that which inspires one's courtship with Vesta, who possesses undefiled virginity, as stated in the above quote and likens her to the daughter. Although, they are equally the Daughter and the Mother and equally Babalon and the Shekinah, the confusion comes from the archaic nature of these hymns, and that these three Goddesses are essentially three aspects of the same phenomenon. Thus, our meeting with the Shekinah, as symbolized by Vesta is credited to a person's initial connection with the Intellectual Heaven and Earth, which is first symbolized as Rhea, then Juno and culminating in union with Vesta.  

The aim of spiritual pursuit is not to avoid incarnation as realizing a greater summit in some illusory reality, for the material world is the summit. It is realizing the perfection in that which we initially perceive as imperfect, that raises us to the peak of human experience. Hence Vesta is known to subsist in self and Juno is known as subsisting in another, these terms indicate the initiate's relationship to the Shekinah from one’s first interaction with the Goddess that leads to union. The summit as it has been referred to is in a sense unattainable and it is that which drives man to more, striving ever to greater insights. This idea is also inherent in the symbolism of the Mother and the Daughter, for as soon as union is attained and the Daughter takes the throne, she becomes Juno, representing this continual climbing upwards toward ever greater inspired heights. It is by filling one's consciousness with divine imagery and constant contemplation of the Forms, that this union is made possible. 

8. The Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs.

9. Worship then the Khabs, and behold my light shed over you!

Liber AL vel Legis

Phanes is Hadit and the Shekinah may aptly be considered as the Holy Spirit symbolized by the Dove, although Hadit is sometimes seen as Spirit. I think according to what is presented here, Hadit’s true nature is more closely associated to Atman or more accurately Parabrahman and not Annata, as representing our complete nature as fully realized with the unfoldment of Phanes and associated to Tiphareth, Geburah and Chesed. It is through inner dialogue with the Shekinah that this unfoldment is made possible, as at its essence, Hadit precedes incarnation and may be seen as united with the Shekinah. It then follows that Hadit is the potential of a fully actualized Soul and not merely Spirit, but the individuated Soul itself. This again brings us back to the formula of the Daughter and the striving for greater insights, gained through experience, ever raising the bar to higher summits. It hereby also establishes the revered nature of the material world, as showing the importance of our connection to it for accomplishing the Great Work, through its inherent perfection, which, via the relationship between Protogonous and Rhea, this point is beautifully illustrated.

From these hymns, we may conclude an almost perfect harmony with Thelema and even the Qabalah, wherein both the aim of the practice is the unfolding of Being and the realization of potential, or the True Will, found through direct experience of one’s divine nature. As far as the theology is concerned within the Thelemic framework, Babalon is considered to be everywhere present along the path of return and has been admirably illustrated in these hymns as Rhea, Vesta and Juno’s relationship to Phanes and Protogonous, and everywhere present as different aspects of the Great Mother. The Ideal Forms that are perceived via one’s connection to Rhea are continually re-experienced, as if for the first time, thus insights are reformulated to new heights, as our experiences, that are linked to the sensual world serve to restore the initial aspiration responsible for inspiration and expands consciousness to greater heights and establishes the Formula of the Daughter and the Mother. All of which are owed to Balalon and Hadit’s relationship to Nuit and the nature of existence itself, the formula of “Love under Will” and perpetual evolution.

TO JUNO.

0 ROYAL Juno, of majestic mien,

Aerial-form'd, divine, Jove's blessed queen,

Thron'd in the bosom of cerulean air,

The race of mortals is thy constant care.

The cooling gales thy pow'r alone inspires,

Which nourish life, which ev'ry life desires.

Mother of show'rs and winds, from thee alone,

Producing all things, mortal life is known:

All natures share thy temp'rament divine,

And universal sway alone is thine,

With sounding blasts of wind, the swelling sea

And rolling rivers roar when shook by thee.

Come, blessed Goddess, fam'd almighty queen,

With aspect kind, rejoicing and serene.

"Proclus also in Plat. Theol. p. 483, says, that Juno is the source of the procreation of the soul." From this quote by Proclus, Juno’s office as mother is perhaps best expressed, as being the source of the procreation as her connection to an initiate may be seen as the act of conceiving the Daughter. This conception results in a burning aspiration and a yearning for divine union, which later results in the fully actualized Soul and the realization of the True Will, once union with the Daughter is attained.

TO VESTA.

DAUGHTER of Saturn, venerable dame,

Who dwell'st amidst great fire's eternal flame;

In sacred rites these ministers are thine,

Mystics much blessed, holy, and divine.

In thee the Gods have fix'd their dwelling place,

Strong, stable basis of the mortal race.

Eternal, much form'd, ever florid queen,

Laughing and blessed, and of lovely mien;

Accept these rites, accord each just desire,

And gentle health and needful good inspire.

"Love is the law, love under will."

Hercules:

 

Hercules:

 

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

TO HERCULES.

HEAR, strenuous Hercules, untam'd and strong,

To whom grand works and powerful hands belong,

Titan untam'd, rejoicing and benign,

Of various forms, eternal and divine.

Father of Time, the theme of gen'ral praise,

Ineffable, adored in various ways,

Magnanimous, in divination skill'd,

And in thy athletic labours of the field.

'Tis thine, strong archer, all things to devour,

Supreme, all-helping, all-producing pow'r.

To thee mankind as their deliv'rer pray,

Whose arm can chase the savage tribes away.

Unweary'd, earth's best blossom, offspring fair,

To whom calm peace and peaceful works are dear.

Self-born, with primogenial fires you shine,

And various names, and strength of heart are thine:

Thy mighty head supports the morning light,

And bears, untam'd, the silent gloomy night;

From east to west, endu'd with strength divine,

Twelve glorious labours to absolve is thine;

Supremely skill'd, thou reign'st in heav'n's abodes,

Thyself a God, amidst thy immortal Gods.

With arms unshaken, infinite, divine,

Come, blessed pow'r, and to our rites incline;

The mitigations of disease convey,

And drive disastrous maladies away.

Come, shake the branch with thy almighty arm,

Dismiss thy darts, and noxious fate disarm.

Hercules is the most well-known of all the Greek heroes and he symbolizes the struggle of the Great Work, via the Herculean tasks. Although he is associated with the Holy Guardian Angel, he is not, the Angel. Heroes should rather be equated to Demigods for convenience, indeed they are in a certain respect, more venerable, than the Gods themselves. The reason for this is, that they are more real, and communication or union with the Gods and their offices only serve to prepare one for encountering these Heroes. Hercules is thus symbolic of divine inspiration, as representing the True Will, the True Will is realized in Tiphareth, however the influence of the Heroes is established via the connection between an adept and Binah along with Jupiter, hence Chesed being the Sphere of the Devas. The Devas are gods who may choose to incarnate, similar to the Secret Chiefs or the Bodhisatvas and these gods are the equivalent of the Orphic idea of Heroes in relation to the planetary orbs, and Madam Blavatsky’s idea of the Hidden Mahatmas. So, as Iamblichus taught, once K&C is attained, the Theurgist must give his Soul over to the superintendence of a God, by this, I believe he meant the Secret Chiefs or Heroes. 

These Heroes are present in all magickal traditions and this has in the past been noted, it suggests to me, that they present an individual’s connection to tradition. As, what they represent, is the unfolding of Being, the individual’s relationship to the divine is the vehicle for this unfoldment, which they render the expression of. Thus, they become, in a sense, that which is manifested on Earth through an adept’s connection to Heaven via Binah, this is understood in Thelemic parlance as the True Will. The True Will is what orders the Great Work but cannot do so, unless it has been grounded in tradition, and this is where these entities come in as being symbolic of Phanes' relationship with Aether, who, it’s said created Heaven and Earth. Therefore, these Heroes, are indicative of the Daughter, having taken the place of the Mother, as representing the cycle of creation, thus evolution. Contact with Demigods ensures that the evolution is guided in a specific direction, via the Will of a magician. The importance of the Heroes is thus, that they are the expression of the Soul's will.

Tiphareth is said to be the first summit, where an adept gets a glimpse at the Unity, although we could say that it is also at Tiphareth, that he gets a proper look at Phanes. The impression from an adept's encounter with his True Self is what summons the Heroes, which equates to the True Will. As Tiphareth joins the Astral and Ethical Triads and Chesed joins the Supernal and Ethical Triads, interaction with the Demigods is what joins Heaven and Earth and becomes the means by which equilibrium is re-established. This expresses the difficulty of the task and how the story of the Herculean task has been formulated, to express this idea. 

“Since, according to Orpheus, there is an intellectual which is the source of the sensible world; the former containing in a primary and causal manner what the latter comprehends secondarily and sensibly; hence the former contains an intellectual heaven and earth, not like the material existing in place, and conversant with the circulations of time; but subsisting immaterially in the stable essence of eternity.”

The above quote is concerned with the creative influence from the Supernal Triad, as in this Theology, Saturn is also called Intellectual Heaven and Earth and is establishing that the influence from the Heroes proceeds from this Triad. Thus, the Heroes are clearly established as Gods, but more than that, they link the sensible to the intellectual and are said to subsist within “the stable essence of eternity” establishing their connection with the Spirit, hence we can see the connection between these Heroes and the Holy Guardian Angel. "Now as Hercules is celebrated in this hymn as the Sun, and the Sun is the same with Hyperion, the reason is obvious why Hercules is called " Earth's best blossom.""  However, they are of an inspirational quality and still don’t form part of the Soul, in the strict sense of the word. Deducing from the above expressed nature and asking the question, what is immortality? I conclude that their relevance, is only expressed within the framework of tradition, and gives us the reason for their diverse natures, as being universally present. Therefore, once dialogue with the Heroes has been established, a person is integrating their influence, which becomes an expression of the dialogue between the individual Soul and the All-Soul. Their influence becomes prophetic, as it is interpreted by a Soul that has harmonized with the Gods and is grounded in having an affinity with the Demigods, who are guiding this influence. "In this divine world another sun and moon and stars shine with intellectual light; for every thing there is perfectly lucid, light continually mingling with light. From this heaven and earth resident in the intellectual Phanes, Orpheus, according to Proclus, derives the sublunary orders of the Gods;..." 

“Phanes, as we are informed by Athenagoras, is denominated by Orpheus Hercules and Time. Hence, we see the reason why Hercules in this hymn is said "to shine with primogenial fires;" since he is no other than Protogonus in the intelligible and intellectual worlds, and the Sun in the sensible world.”

Once the 'Vision of Beauty' is experienced, a person gets a look at Phanes, who is said to be absorbed and revealed by Chesed. It is this vision that unfolds the true nature of the All and can only be expressed by one’s direct relationship to the Supernal Light, both of which are unconsciously perceived at this point, as the True Will and symbolically represented in the subject of this essay. The above quote is a perfect representation of The Hermit ATU in the Thoth Tarot, which is a visual depiction of Jupiter’s influence. Wherein the card, the Hermit is holding the World Egg, which is symbolic of Phanes, in his right hand and the lamp he carries in his left is the Sun and symbolic of Tiphareth, thus, the Hermit himself reflects the connection between Jupiter and the Sun and the unfolding of Being for an adept.

“Love under will, love under will.”