Announcements from
Lodge Members and Officers

    RITES NEWS:
    Saturn's Feast and Dress Rehearsal on the 22nd at 7 pm. All persons desiring to be Probationers for this Rite should attend.
    Jupiter practices every Thursday at 8 pm until the Rites. BOTH these events at Thelema Lodge.

    Crowley's Eleusian Rite of Saturn is open to public attendance on 8/27/88 e.v. at the Humanist Hall in Oakland. Doors open at 9 PM. This is the first of seven Rites continuing Crowley's original presentation at Caxton Hall in England in 1912 e.v. Call (415) 655-4942 for details. The Humanist Hall has asked us to remind our friends that no firearms or excessively intoxicated persons are allowed on the premises. Other groups (not O.T.O., thankfully) have made these rules necessary.

Other Events:
    Abrahadabra Oasis: II Degree workshop on the 19th at Horus Temple, 8 pm.
    A Ka Dua Camp: Degree class on the 5th at 6:30 PM, Ist Degree initiations on the 13th, Aura Class 7:30 PM on the 15th and Degree class on the 19th.

    One topic of frequent questions is that of the "Goetia". Many of these questions come from people who have just started experiment with the subject or who have contemplated it. To address this interest, I have decided to provide an account of my own first experience:

Edited from the unpublished manuscript:

The Road to the Sun: A Record of Self Initiation to Tipheret

    In the last quarter of 1970 e.v., I performed an experiment in old-style Ceremonial Magick. This was a summoning by the practice of Goetic Magick (use of Crowley's "k' for such stuff is debatable). The theory was clear to me and seemed safe. My sources were not very reliable, and my experience was slight. The whole thing would have gone well enough if my colleague hadn't ignored the simplest precautions.
    C. and I met over a glass of wine in his apartment. He and his wife occupied the rooms over mine for several months during the years I lived in Oakland. C's wife was celebrating her birthday, and she had invited me to the occasion. I had not met her husband before, but the fact that their bedroom was directly above mine made for something of an introduction.
    C. remarked proudly that he had managed to get a science fiction story published. We discussed that a bit, and I thought to pick up the lagging conversation with a few remarks about my occult interests. The wine was pleasant and slightly dulling to wits and judgment. When I mentioned that I possessed several rituals used in the Middle Ages and Renaissance for summoning the "devil," C. immediately became alert. He abruptly suggested that we try one. This startled me; but, to save face under the gentle persuasion of the wine, I slowly agreed. It would not be possible to do a full job of it on such short notice, I told him; but we could give it a try. I reasoned that the demons were only facets of the self, and that no possible harm could come through such an experiment. I was more than half convinced that C. was just making a joke and not really serious. That may have been the case at the start.
    We adjourned to my apartment.
    I assembled the necessary props and references. For a ritual we used A.E.Waite's Black Magic and Pacts (a stupidly blinded book) and Richard Cavendish's The Black Arts. I took a robe with a black lining and reversed it. I had an old masonic sword, quite elaborate and magical. This sword had a silver chain from guard to pommel. Where the chain joined the pommel, a tiny silver ring formed the last link. There was a fireplace with wooden mantle in the West wall of the room. The flue had long ago been closed and an electric heater filled the entire hearth opening. We placed our half empty glasses on the mantle and set to work.
    I showed C. the preparations and schooled him briefly in the ritual. We took up a stand in the center of the room, facing East. After passing the sword slowly about us both to define a magical circle, I moved the sword inside the circle to duplicate a design shown on page 238 of Cavendish's book. We went through the lesser pentagram banishment. The conjuration we used next is given on pages 241 and 242 of Waite's book. It is very poorly written, but it was enough to call something from the depths of C's mind. It even produced a few external results.
    Immediately after the conjuration, a loud and steady buzzing sound issued from the closed-up fireplace behind us. The sound persisted for several minutes and resembled the buzzing of a large fly trapped behind the grate. The sound had not been heard in that place before and it never occurred again. No material cause ever presented itself, but something physical could have caused it. I chose to interpret this sound as a warning from the demon Baalzebub, "Lord of Flys" (Actually, "Baalzebut" is derived from Syriac, not Hebrew, and signifies "Bridegroom"). The sound had come from the West while we were facing East. Even as East is the direction of the rising Sun, it is said in Christian mysticism (the conjuration was partly Christian) that Christ shall come from the East on Judgment day and the devils shall fly with the souls of the damned toward the West. Accordingly, I suggested that we should face the when summoning by this formula. We faced West and pronounced the following "discharge," also found in Waite's book, page 243:

    "Go in peace unto your places. May there be peace between us and You, and be ye ready to come when ye are called. In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen."

    We resumed the conjuration. This procedure was repeated many times during the night and into the early morning hours. We called in turn upon two "demons," Belial and Asmoday, and used the information and seals presented by Waite in Black Magic and Pacts.

    On page 175:

"Asmoday, a strong and powerful king, appears with three heads, the first like a bull, the second like a man, and the third like a ram. He has a serpent's tail, the webbed feet of a goose, and he vomits fire. He rides an infernal dragon, carries lance and pennon, and is the chief of the power of Amaymon. He must be invoked bareheaded, for otherwise he will deceive. He gives the ring of virtues, teaches arithmetic, geomancy, and all handicrafts, answers all questions, makes men invisible, indicates the places of concealed treasures and guards them if within the dominion of Amaymon."

    On page 187:

    "Belial, a mighty king created next after Lucifer, appears in the form of a beautiful angel seated in a chariot of fire, and speaking with a pleasant voice. He fell first amongst the superior angels who went before Michael and other heavenly angels. He distributes preferences of senatorships, causes favors of friends and foes, and gives excellent familiars. He must have offerings and sacrifices made to him.

    As we multiplied our conjurations, I grew gradually weary of the whole process. Nothing much happened beyond an occasional movement of a curtain or an odd sound from outside. Things were different for C. As I grew more bored, he grew more tense. Sweat broke out on his brow, and his body gradually became rigid. His breathing became audible and forced. He had the sword when he did a very foolish thing.
    We had just finished the conjuration of Asmoday and were waiting for the usual flop when he suddenly thrust the hilt beyond the circle and said: "I offer you the magic sword if you appear!"
    I uttered a warning, but it was too late. He had broken the circle with the chief instrument of protection. Nothing happened then beyond a minor mishap. When he passed the sword hilt through the circle, the chain from guard to pommel fell free of the pommel. After giving the discharge, we tried to rejoin the chain to the pommel; but the silver ring that formed the link was nowhere to be found. I reasoned that it had probably caught in his clothing when he thrust the hilt forward and that it must have fallen off. We continued.
    I became concerned about C's reactions. What he did was harmless as physical actions go; but this action was far from harmless in the ritual setting. To give up protection in the evocation of a harmful spirit is to ask that spirit to obsess you. Even if the ritual is nothing but a psychological game, that is a very odd thing to do. I resolved to participate in only one more try and then to stop.
    The next evocation proceeded as did the others, no trouble and no result. After it I told C. that I was growing tired (the dawn was breaking) and that I wished to cease the conjurations. He pleaded with me to do one more. I refused to help, but agreed that he could do it alone if he wished.
    At first he protested that I would be outside the circle and in danger. To quiet him, I showed him a large crucifix with a death's head at the base. This, I said, would be protection enough. He agreed.
    I seated myself at some distance from his workings. From my new position, I was able to get a better look at him. What I saw distressed me. He looked like a man intoxicated with fear. His clothes were wet with sweat, and he had a wild look. I began to have misgivings about the whole thing. Yet, he had begun; and I thought it best not to interrupt him.
    He quickly rushed through the conjuration. When it was finished, he stood for a moment with the book open at his feet. Suddenly he dropped to his knees and said in a clear voice; "Come and take me! You can have my soul if you appear!" That was a stupid thing to do!
    He immediately slumped forward on his knees at an unnatural angle and began recitation of the discharge. When he finished, he lowered himself closer to the Waite book, which was open to the seal of Asmoday, and said; "I don't want to go. Don't send me away." He froze in that position with all his muscles rigid.
    The first thing that crossed my mind was; "What am I going to do with the body?" Taking the initiative, I went up to C. and held the cross between his eyes and the book. Then I raised the cross to touch his forehead. He uttered an enormous sigh and relaxed.
    C. retrieved a wine glass from the mantle and went to my couch to sit down. Between sips of the wine he was telling me how harrowing his experience had been, when suddenly he uttered an inarticulate sound and stared at his glass. He brought the glass over to me, asking; "Do you see that? Do you see that? ..."
    I took the glass from his trembling fingers and inspected it. After a moment I saw on the bottom, beneath an inch or so of red wine, the silver ring that had fallen from the sword. I quickly drank the rest of the wine to reassure him. How did the link reach the glass? It would have had to travel an almost impossible path from the place where the chain broke free to the tiny opening of the glass on the mantle three feet above. Perhaps C. introduced it into the glass himself. I don't know. If he did it himself, he couldn't have been fully conscious of it. He was genuinely disturbed.
    When C. recovered enough to leave, he insisted on taking the sword up to bed with him as a protection against --- what? Later, as I lay in my bed, I heard gasping from the room above, like the sounds made by a person dying of a heart attack. A few days later, C. asked if we could do something like that again. I evaded the question. He later became a Jesus Freak of some kind, enlisted in the Armed Services and developed a neurotic fear of the honking of geese.
    The whole episode may be interpreted as a lesson in applied psychology from my own inward god to me. As for C., his inward god seems to need heavy handed tactics to teach him lessons. I hope he learned how to live more gently, but I have my doubts.

		The same Saturday afternoon. Hora 5.1
		: After that Mr. Edward Talbot2 had called Uriel, and I was come
		to the Stone, and had used a short speech of thanks to God.3 I then
		required some Instructions for the purposes of Soyga4.
		Uriel: Peace, you must use Michael.
		: I know no means or order to use in the invocation of Michael.
		[Note: - In this time there appeared in the stone a rich
		Chair and after a little while it was out of sight.]
		Uriel: He is to be invoked by certain of the psalms of David and
		prayers. The which psalms, are nothing else, but a means unto the
		seat and Majesty of God. Whereby you gather with yourselves due
		power to apply your natures to the holy Angels. I mean the psalms
		commonly called the Seven Psalms5. You must use pleasant savours,
		with hand and heart: whereby you shall allure him and win him
		(through God's favor) to attain unto the thing, you have long
		sought for.
		There must be a conjunction of minds in prayer betwixt you
		two, to God continually. It is the will of God, that you should
		jointly, have the knowledge of his Angels together.
		You had attained unto the sight of Michael, but for the
		imperfection of Saul6. Be of good comfort.
		[ - The chair came into the Stone again and I asked what it
		meant.]
		Uriel: This is a seat of perfection: from which, all things shall
		be showed unto thee, which thou hast long desired.
		[ - Then was there was a square Table brought unto the Stone:
		and I demanded, what that Table betokened.]
		Uriel: A Mystery not yet to be known. These two, shall remain in
		the stone; to the sight of all undefiled creatures.
		You must use a four-square Table, two Cubits7 square:
		whereupon must be set Sigillum Dei8 , which is already * perfected
i.		in a book9 of thine: Blessed be God in all his Mysteries, and Holy
		in all his works. This Seal must not be looked on without great
		Reverence and Devotion. This Seal is to be made of perfect wax
		which is clean purified: we have no respect of Colours10.
		This Seal must be 9 inches in Diameter: The roundness must be
		27 inches and somewhat more. The thickness of it must be an inches
		and half a quarter, and the figure of a Cross, must be on the back
		of it thus11;
		The Table is to be made of sweet wood12 and to be of two
		Cubits high, with 4 feet: with 4 of the former seals under the 4
		feet.
		[: The fashion of the 4 feet, standing upon the foresaid
		round Seals was shewed, so as the uttermost circle containing the
ii.		letters, did seem to be clean * without the compass the feet,
		equally round about the same feet. And these Seals were shewed much
		lesser than the principal Seal.
		Under the Table did seem to be laid red silk, two yards
		square. And over the Seal: did seem likewise red silk to lie four-
		square: somewhat broader than the Table, hanging down with 4 knops
		or tassels at the 4 corners thereof.
		Upon this uppermost red silk, did seem to be set the stone
		with the frame: right over, and upon the principal Seal: saving
		that the said silk was between the one and the other.
iii.		The Table was shewed to have on the 4 sides of it * Characters
		and Names, these, that are herein a schedule annexed, in diverse
		rows13.
		Uriel: The Characters and words on the sides of this Square Table,
		are to be written with yellow, made of perfect oil, used in the
		church14.
		: What oil is that?
		Uriel: Of That oil shall be opened unto you. The oil is perfect
	prayers: of other oil I have no respect.
	We sanctify, because we are holy: and you sanctify because of
	your holiness.
	Uriel: There is a spirit named Lundrumgutta using you. Who seeketh
	your destruction, in the hatred of men, in the hurt of thy goods.
	Discharge him tomorrow with Brimstone16. He haunteth thy house,
	and seeketh the destruction of thy daughter. His pretense was to have
	maimed thee in thy shoulder the last night and long ago. If thou do
	not discharge him tomorrow, he will hurt both thy wife and thy
	daughter.
iv.	He is here * now.
	Give him discharge from your and house. He will seek Saul's
	Death who is accursed.
	: I know no means or art too do this by. For I did burn in flame
	of Brimstone, Maherion his name and Character, when I found Saul
	privily dealing with him, (which manner of wicked dealing I had
	forbidden him) and yet he came after, and would have carried Saul
v.	away quick; as Robert Hilton, George; and other of my house can
	testify.
	Uriel: The Cursed will come to the Cursed.
	: I beseech you to discharge him and bind him some where far
	off, as Raphael did (for Tobias sake) with the wicked Spirit
	Asmodeus17.
	Uriel: But Tobias did his part. Art is vain, in respect of God his
	power. Brimstone is a means.
	: When shall I do this?
	Uriel: Tomorrow at the time of prayers.
	: Gloria patri et filio et spiritui sancto, sicut etc. Amen.

1. 5pm Saturday March 10, 1582 anno domini. 2. Dee gives E.T. 3. Most probably the Latin version of a prayer given by Abano in the Heptameron     vide pg.74. C. Agrippa, The Fourth Book... (Heptangle, 1984). 4. For a rather forced though interesting solution to the enigma of Soyga see     Appendix D pg. 117-123. R. Turner, The Heptarchia Mystica... (Aquarian 1986). 5. Psalms: IV, XI, XVI, XXIII, XXVII, LXII, CXXXI. 6. cf Thelema Lodge O.T.O. (Jun. & Jul. 1988 ev) 7. In biblical measurement a cubit is generally considered to be roughly equal     to 18 inches, but as the unit is actually measured from the point of the elbow     to the tips of the extended fingers, a cubit's actual length has varied greatly     throughout history. 8. i.e. the sign or signature of God, it is notable that Dee originally had here Sigillum     Divintas that is the Divine Sign or Holy Signature. 9. Dee makes a rather obscure notation in Latin with regard to this Angelic statement,     but the curious should examine pg. 11. of The Sworn Book Of Honorius, ed. &     trans. Daniel J. Driscoll (Gillette, NJ: Heptangle Books, 1983) 10. This Seal is one of the few relics of Dee still extant, and is on display in the British     Museum Collection. It is made from a very pure almost clear form of sealing     wax that has suffered only minimally from its great age. Originally in the     collection of John Cotton with the Holy Table and much of Dee's ceremonial     paraphernalia., it was miraculously saved from the Great Fire of London in     which the table and much else perished. For more detail see R. Turner op. cit.     pg.78-80. and The Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of London XXI (1906-7) 11. AGLA () is notariqon for Ateh Gebor Le-Olahm Adonai ()     Thou Art Mighty Forever, O Lard! 12. Probably cedar wood. 13. The construction of the table of practice and of the holy lamen is an involved and     interrelated problem. It is, as is noted here and elsewhere, discussed at great     length and depth in Libri Quinti Appendice, but even in that context the material     poses many complex and difficult problems. It is of some comfort that Dee and     Kelly were themselves quite confounded on the same points which presently cause     scholars difficulty, and it is unfortunate that these particular objects of     ceremonial furniture have all been lost through the course of time, but sufficient     instruction and evidence does exist to draw fairly concrete albeit still disputable     conclusions with regards to the important specifics of construction.            The October edition of this series will contain a special supplement discussing     in detail the furniture required preliminary, for the practice of Dee's system of     Angelic Magick. In it we shall reproduce all pertinent passages from Dee's own     MSS, provide and substantiate our own conclusions in these matters and provide     some practical guidelines to actual reproduction. Interested persons should     examine the various published studies of these matters:     M. Casaubon, A True & Faithful Relation... (London:1659). The twenty-fifth through     twenty-seventh, and the thirty-eighth through fifty-third pages of Dr. Casaubon's     preface as well as the plate immediately following the table of contents.     Aleister Crowley, Liber XXX Aervm vel saecvli sub figura CCCCXVIII. In particular     the 15th and 18th aires.                                       Liber LXXXIV vel Chanock. Part One section I.     G. James, The Enochian Evocation... (Heptangle, Gilette NJ: 1984). pg. 28-38,     178-182.     G. Schueler, Enochian Magic, A Practical Manual (Llewelyn, St.Paul Mn: 1984).     pg. 23-4.     R. Turner op. cit. pg.40-49, 76-97. 14. The Angel would seem to be referring to an oil based gilt used for Altar detail work. 15. In Fronte: Though this root begets the English 'In front,' in medieval and renaissance                  Latin usage this term almost universally means 'before the altar'.        A Sinistris: On the Left hand.        A Dextris: On the Right hand.        Juxta Pectus: At the Breast. 16. Native Sulfur. 17. Tobit III: 1-17 (note 8,17), VIII: 1-9 (note 2-4), XII: 1-22 (note 15-22). Asmodeus     () in some references rendered without the second aleph. Gk. Asmodeos,     -daus, or -daios. Lit. 'The Great Name of the Daemon'. One of the most prevalent devils     in western metaphysical literature; since being ascribed, in The Testament Of Solomon,     with the forced construction of the Temple, Asmodeus has made major appearances in     nearly every grimoire of the occult sciences.

Events Calendar for August 1988 e.v.

    The viewpoints and opinions expressed herein are the responsibility of the contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of OTO or its officers.

   Note to update: the addresses and phone numbers in these issues of the Thelema Lodge Calendars are obsolete since the closing of the Lodge. They are here for historic purposes only and should not be visited or called.