Thelema Lodge Calendar for September 1990 e.v.

Thelema Lodge Calendar

for September 1990 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.

Copyright © O.T.O. and the Individual Authors, 1990 e.v.

Thelema Lodge
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O.Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA

September 1990 e.v. at Thelema Lodge

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

Announcements from
Lodge Members and Officers


September 1990 e.v. at Thelema Lodge

Happy Equinox! Thelema Lodge will celebrate September 22nd in a place and manner to be announced...watch the Lodge "bulletin board", or give a call- 654-3580 for more info...leave a message if the Box answers.
Gnostic Masses will be at 8 pm Sundays - please attend the 9/27 Lodgemeeting to schedule November Masses, talk about CROWLEYMAS, etc...The Lodge of Perfection meets September 20th. We'll clean the Lodge on the 16th starting at 2:22 pm; all help is welcome.
Bill's Magick and Qabalah series continues on September 12th and 19th.
The Lodgemaster's Initiation Workshop continues on the 7th (Second Degree) and 21st (Third Degree) at 8 pm in Horus Temple. For more info about this and our schedule, call Mordecai at 647-8147. "Introduction to Trance" is in the same place (and time!) on the 28th.
The Magick Theater reads Crowley's play "Jephthah" at Horus Temple on Tuesday evening September 18, beginning at 7:30. Written in the autumn of 1898 when he was making his initial contacts with the Golden Dawn, this poetical tragedy follows the military exploits of the Gileadite judge of Israel (from the eleventh chapter of the Book of Judges). "I stuck to the Hebrew legend accurately enough," Crowley confessed, "merely introducing a certain amount of Cabbalistic knowledge." Copies of this rare work will be available for all comers.
There's another Rites '90 meeting on the 14th at Thelema Lodge, 8 pm - since I called it, if anyone would like to do/be in a particular Rite and can't make it then, call me at the Lodge - I shall take notes and attend. At presstime: Jupiter, Sol, Venus, and Luna are spoken for, but this may change before the meeting.
All you Librans - your party is at 4:18 on the 30th... but we'll still celebrate some of our favourite Librans in October. -C-


from the Grady Project:

AN APISH GOD

Were I a high and mighty God
Who never had to pant and plod
Along one straight and narrow way,
I'm sure I'd want to run and play
Across the ordered fields of stars
And scatter them with jolts and jars,
Then swing upon the chandeliers
Of clustered suns, to tweak the ears
Of other Gods who might be nigh
Within the vast and empty sky.

Then where these chandeliers are hung
Down from the arching rafters swung
That roof the curving universe
I'd stop awhile and then converse;
With much ado and apish wit
I'd seat myself and there I'd sit
To state my views and eloquize
With those who would philosophize
Upon the broad celestial view--
Or pitch a bit of apish woo.

7/20/1941 e.v.

First published in The Grady Project #2 (December 1987 e.v.)

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The Orators 'ration

OF CALENDARS & KINGS

For most Thelemites this new aeon began on March 20, 1904 e.v. The "e.v." refers to Crowley's designation for the old calendar, era vulgaris, which is Latin for "common era" (an English phrase which many non-Christians use in preference to a.nno d.omini - year of our lord). It is only natural that Thelemites would take this date as the beginning point for a new calendar with its year running from one spring equinox to the next. Logically this first year (1904-5 e.v.) would be dated 1; however, Crowley was victorious over simple logic and called this year "0". In the e.ra n.ova (or a.eon of H.orus) the year number "1" is 1905-6 e.v.
This system makes a good deal of sense when we think of the new aeon as if it were a child; until a child is one year old its age is given as 0 years and so many months. Also this approach makes the mathematics of conversion from the old chronology to the new one much easier; just subtract 1904 from the standard year to arrive at the year of the aeon which begins at spring equinox of the standard year in question. Crowley's use of Roman numerals to designate the years of the new aeon sometimes serves to confuse those who declare, "But there isn't any zero in Roman numerals!". The Prophet refused to let any such small-minded hair-splitting dissuade him from blithely combining the Arabian cypher with his Latin lettering.
AC developed an ingenious method of notation for what might be called Thoth-years. Year "xxi" is succeeded not by "xxii", but by "Io", "Ii", and so on down to "Ixxi" which is followed by "IIo", and so on. The present year (1990-91 e.v.) in this system is IIIxx a.H. (for symmetry, and to avoid confusion, the first 22-year cycle may also be written 0o, 0i,...0xxi). In working with some of the larger numbers, Roman numerals can be incredibly cumbersome to use, but still, the worst the aeon of Horus has to offer is LXXXVIIIxviii, and at least we have almost 1900 years to wait for it! As you may have noted, these numerical designations for the years conform admirably to the Tarot Trumps; while the capital letter Roman numerals refer to the number of 22-year cycles thus far completed in the new aeon, the small letter Roman numerals correspond to the Atu numbers of the Trumps. Thus 1904-5 e.v. might be called the Year of the Fool, 1947-8 e.v. the Year of the Universe, and this year the Year of the Aeon. A cycle like this may be used along the same lines as Chinese astrology. "Those people born in the Year of the Hierophant are prone to write pedantic articles like this" comes to mind as an example of what such a system might spawn.
Here is a chart of the first five Thoth-years, with their corresponding common era dates. Remember that the years start at vernal equinox:

                   Year of:
the Fool'04-05,'26-27,'48-49,'70-71,'92-93
the Magus'05-06,'27-28,'49-50,'71-72,'93-94
the Priestess'06-07,'28-29,'50-51,'72-73,'94-95
the Empress'07-08,'29-30,'51-52,'73-74,'95-96
the Emperor'08-09,'30-31,'52-53,'74-75,'96-97
the Hierophant'09-10,'31-32,'53-54,'75-76,'97-98
the Lovers'10-11,'32-33,'54-55,'76-77,'98-99
the Chariot'11-12,'33-34,'55-56,'77-78,'99-00
Adjustment'12-13,'34-35,'56-57,'78-79,'00-01
the Hermit'13-14,'35-36,'57-58,'79-80,'01-02
Fortune'14-15,'36-37,'58-59,'80-81,'02-03
Lust'15-16,'37-38,'59-60,'81-82,'03-04
the Hanged Man'16-17,'38-39,'60-61,'82-83,'04-05
Death'17-18,'39-40,'61-62,'83-84, '05-06
Art'18-19,'40-41,'62-63,'84-85,'06-07
the Devil'19-20,'41-42,'63-64,'85-86,'07-08
the Tower'20-21,'42-43,'64-65,'86-87,'08-09
the Star'21-22,'43-44,'65-66,'87-88,'09-10
the Moon'22-23,'44-45,'66-67,'88-89,'10-11
the Sun'23-24,'45-46,'67-68,'89-90,'11-12
the Aeon'24-25,'46-47,'68-69,'90-91,'12-13
the Universe'25-26,'47-48,'69-70,'91-92,'13-14

*(it's interesting to note that WWI started in the Year of Fortune and ended in the Year of Art while WWII started in the Year of Death and ended in the Year of the Sun)*

Beside the question of year numbering there are other, perhaps less obvious, issues in Thelemic calendar reform. A calendar itself may be defined as a method of measuring time based on one or more recurrent cycles, usually natural cycles like the sun through its seasons or the moon through its phases. Calendars have existed as long as history; some of the earliest written records are calendars. Two of the most common types are the solar (year = 365 days 5 hr 48 min 46 sec) and lunar (year = 354 days 8 hr 48 min). Since ancient times Western calendarmakers have attempted to reconcile these different cycles. The month is roughly one full round of phases; the seven day week roughly approximates the length of a lunar quarter. Our present Western system of leap years (an extra day every four years) was widely adopted four hundred years ago under the authority of Pope Gregory, although Britain didn't adopt it till some 170 years later, and the Russians finally forsook the old Julian calendar only in this century. Thelemite practice has been to use the internationally popular Gregorian system for months and days while numbering the years of the new aeon as described above. New Year's Day is spring equinox, a different date from year to year in this system, instead of the first day of the first month. This alone might incline us to institute a calendar reform; however, there are other clumsy aspects to the Gregorian system which call for a new Thelemic calendar for keeping track of months and days as well as merely years.
The twelve months of the old calendar harmonize between the solar and lunar rhythms of the year; therefore there is no reason not to retain this numerical symbolism in a new calendar, though under new names (my own nominees are derived from the Tree of Life: Kingdom, Foundation, Splendor, Endurance, Glory, Might, Benevolence, Mind, Understanding, Wisdom, Crown, Light). The seven days of the old aeon week harmonize the Sun (Tiphereth) with Venus (Netzach); the path of the Death Trump runs between them. This symbolism is no longer the most appropriate. The new aeon week must harmonize the Sun (Tiphereth) and Mars (Geburah), just as Ra Hoor Khuit does. The path is of Adjustment, and the simplest number of Geburah is five. Thus a Thelemic week could consist of five days instead of seven.
Of course the five day week is better for more than just symbolic reasons. Its adoption would end all struggles to figure out what day of the week the 31st falls on this year, or what's the date of the last Friday of the month, or any similar time-waster. No longer would it be necessary to throw out last year's unused calendar; just change the year number and use it, because every year's dates are the same. Here's how it works: in a 365-day year there are 73 five day weeks (73 is a number of Chokhmah, hence Crowley's use of 5 Chokhmah-days to a year in some of his diaries). Twelve months of six weeks (30 days) = 360 days; the extra week, which is six days long in leap years, could be added to one of the months or placed by itself somewhere in the year.
I have worked out one possible system in detail. The twelve months follow the names and order listed above; they represent the ten Sephiroth along with Da'at and the Ain Soph Aur. The extra week is called the Shells and is placed at the end of the year. The leap years are every four years, the first of the aeon being year "iii" and the most recent year "IIIxiii" (placing the first leap year in the fourth year of the aeon rather than in the first puts our leap years in closer correspondence with the Gregorian system of our troglodyte brethren). By this particular Thelemite system of dating the Equinox of the Gods was on Kingdom 1, 0o a.H.; the three days of the writing of the Book of the Law were Kingdom 20, 21, 22, 0o a.H.; Crowley died on Understanding 17, Ixxi a.H.; Grady McMurtry was born on Mind 3, 0xiv a.H. and died on Endurance 25, IIIxv a.H.; the author of this essay was born on Endurance 8, IIv a.H. and died on Kingdom 27, IIIxv a.H.
In practical terms the concept of Thelemic calendar reform is entirely workable, whichever of the various possible manifestations turns out to be favored by most Thelemites; however, it can only remain at most an odd religious custom, a mere intellectual curiousity, unless the political authority to institute it can somewhere and somewhen be exercised. That time may be never, tomorrow, or it may be far in the future, but in any event we may as well be prepared for it in every possible way, even down to our wall calendars!

--- Frater Faustus

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Presenting a song lyric without the music, that is,

THE HALF LYRE:

THE MUSIC LESSON

You went looking for a voice,
but you found this song instead
You keep hoping for a choice,
but you sing these words with dread
of revealing the feelings you know that you feel,
of unsealing the dealings of gods with your soul,
of repeating the meeting of halves in a whole,
of decoding the meaning of what you're all for

You keep striving for your goal,
but it slips and slides away,
and you never gained control
of the lips that silence pays
It's a heartache to wake up and look in the mirror
Sets you reeling when feelings are suddenly clear,
and you're able to open the door without fear
of decoding the meaning of what you're all for

You've been working so many years
at imbalancing your brain
Who can see that all those tears
you've been storing up like grain
are for tomorrow's sowing time
when you'll start the same new game?
You don't know You can't know
exactly where I've been,
but if you'll
take chances
you just might let me in


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From the Outbasket

Magick has as its goal union with the Divine. This is also true of Merkabah Qabalah, and many of the Hebrew Names used by the Golden Dawn derive from Merkabah tradition. In the modern ritual presented below, the Golden Dawn pantheon has been taken together with surviving Hekhaloth fragments to reconstruct an ancient method for crossing the Abyss.

From Magick & Qabalah # 1, copyright © 1976 & 1980 by Bill Heidrick, pp. 20-29.


RITUAL ALEPH

Aleph

This ritual is to be performed in conjunction with a study of the Tree of Life. It should be used once a day in the evening or just before bed. In addition to the powers noted and a general attainment of the Merkabah vision, this ritual is particularly suited to the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.

First Part

Face East, compose yourself, and say aloud and in a manner as though speaking to a King with the Power of Life and Death:

"May the Holy Angel Raziel (Resh-Zain-Yod-Aleph-Lamed) grant a safe and fruitful fulfillment of this Ritual."
"May the fifteen abilities that change Abdach (Aleph-Bet-Dalet-Hay) into Abgadach (Aleph-Bet-Gimel-Dalet-Hay) be freely given and received."

Best viewed with middle size Times New Roman font.

Pause and consider what has just been said. If these powers are sought in their own right, they will not come. These powers are only granted for the attainment of higher purpose: This is the "Discovery of the True Will and the Completion of the Great Work" as Crowley put it; and for leading "the Creator back to His (Her) Throne again" in the words of the Sepher Yetzirah --- in plain terms, Enlightenment. The magical powers are a gift along the way and an aid to attainment. Only LAShTAL, freedom from lust of result, can be the way of doing this Work.

Second Part.

For Purification.
Perform the Lesser Pentagram Earth Banishing Ritual. Make one change in this ritual. For the purpose of Ritual Aleph, the positions of the Archangels must be given in this manner:

Before is Raphael
Behind is Uriel
At Right is Michael
At Left is Gabriel

This change is made to align the ARCHangels in the pattern as Angels of the ARK, or Throne Angels. The usual attribution of the ritual is to the prevailing winds, and changes depending on East or West coast location and position North or South of the Equator. This allocation is to the Kerubic Signs and is less geographically dependent.
The pentagram ritual should be well learned in its usual form before applying it in this fashion.
In this use, the banishment is directed toward all earthly things.

Third Part.

This is the ascension up the Tree to Chesed with invocation of the blessings of Binah, Chokmah and Keter --- this manifests as a reception of Da'at preliminary to the completion of the Great Work.
Read aloud each of these statements in a manner of announcing your intentions to all beings physical and spiritual.

10. "I invoke Da'at in Malkut that my senses fail me not. May the

Aishim (Aleph-Shin-Yod-Memfinal), the flames, foundations, the angels of existence,
bring me to ride in the Chariot of Shabbatai (Shin-Bet-Taw-Aleph-Yod), Saturn in
this world."
9. "I invoke Da'at in Yesod that my imagination deceive me not. May the
Kerubim (Kaf-Resh-Vau-Bet-Yod-Memfinal), the angelic Cherubs of four ways, winds and forms,
bring me to ride in the Chariot of Lebanah (Lamed-Bet-Nun-Hay), the Moon in
this world of Yesod."
8. "I invoke Da'at in Hod that my intellect guide me well. May the
Beni Elohim (Bet-Nun-Yod Aleph-Lamed-Hay-Yod-Memfinal), the angelic sons of the gods and goddesses
                                          who followed after the children of Adam,
bring me to ride in the Chariot of Kokab (Kaf-Vau-Kaf-Bet) Mercury in
this world of Hod."
7. "I invoke Da'at in Netzach that my emotions bear me up. May the
Elohim (Aleph-Lamed-Hay-Yod-Memfinal), the angelic gods and goddesses who formed the world,
bring me to ride in the Chariot of Nogah (Nun-Vau-Gimel-Hay), Venus in
this world of Netzach."
6. "I invoke Da'at in Tipheret that my life be fulfilled. May the
Melakim (Mem-Lamed-Kaf-Yod-Memfinal), the royal angels of the middle place,
bring me to ride in the Chariot of Schemesh (Shin-Mem-Shin), the Sun in
this world of Tipheret."
5. "I invoke Da'at in Geburah that my life be ordered. May the
Seraphim (Shin-Resh-Peh-Yod-Memfinal), the burning ones, the exalted angels of wrath,
permit me to ride in the Chariot of Madim (Mem-Aleph-Dalet-Yod-Memfinal), Mars in
this world of Geburah."
4. "I invoke Da'at in Chesed that my life be blessed. May the
Chashmalim (Chet-Shin-Mem-Lamed-Memfinal), the shining angels of divine love,
carry me to ride in the Chariot of Tzedeq (Tzaddi-Dalet-Qof), Jupiter
in this world of Chesed."

Continue with these statements. Project positive feeling that the angels named are your friends and companions.

"Through the aid of the great angels of the lesser chariots who are my friends and companions"
Cassiel (Kaf-Samekh-Aleph-Lamed) above my reach (Saturn).
Sachiel (Samekh-Kay-Aleph-Lamed) the tabernacle (Jupiter).
Samael (Samekh-Mem-Aleph-Lamed) the spice (Mars).
Michael (Mem-Yod-Kaf-Aleph-Lamed) the likeness (Sun).
Anael (Aleph-Nun-Yod-Aleph-Lamed) the ship (Venus).
Raphael (Resh-Peh-Aleph-Lamed) the healing (Mercury).
Gabriel (Gimel-Bet-Resh-Yod-Aleph-Lamed) the mighty (Moon).
Cassiel (Kaf-Samekh-Aleph-Lamed) the throne as it appears below (Saturn as Earth).
"I shall become worthy of the great Vision of the Merkabah (Mem-Resh-Kaf-Bet-Hay) in Binah beyond Proket Zohar (Peh-Resh-Kaf-Taw Zain-Hay-Resh), the veil of Splendour, when Da'at (Abdah) becomes Abgadah."
"From the Vision I shall pass to the Throne's Voice, the voice of the one who wears the pure linen garment in Chokmah, --- by the gift of dew."
"In hearing the Voice, may it be granted that I dwell with the Crown in Keter and yet know the Kingdom in Malkut."

Note: as a death prayer or prayer at the moment of death, the words "and yet know..." are not used unless the person dying wishes to reincarnate with conscious memory of the previous life --- a most painful event.

(To be concluded next issue.)

-- TSG (Bill Heidrick)


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Events Calendar for September 1990 e.v.

9/2/90Gnostic Mass 8 PMThelema Ldg
9/7/90Initiations Workshop 2nd Deg 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/9/90Gnostic Mass 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/12/90Magick & Qabalah #7 with Bill 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/14/90Rites of Eleusis '90 meeting 8PM
9/16/90Gnostic Mass 8 PM & Clean-upThelema Ldg.
9/18/90Magick Theatre reads: Jephthah
by Crowley 7:30 PM		Thelema Ldg.
9/19/90Magick & Qabalah #8 with Bill 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/20/90Lodge of PerfectionLOP
9/21/90Initiations Workshop 3rd Deg 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/22/90Atumnal Equinox (call for info)Thelema Ldg.
9/23/90Gnostic Mass 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/27/90Thelema Lodge Meeting 8 PMThelema Ldg.
9/28/90"Introduction to Trance" 8PM
with Mordecai		Thelema Ldg.
9/30/90Libra Birthday party 4:18 PMThelema Ldg.
9/30/90Gnostic Mass 8 PMThelema Ldg.

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.

Thelema Lodge
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA

Phone: (510) 652-3171 (for events info and contact to Lodge)

Production and Circulation:
OTO-TLC
P.O.Box 430
Fairfax, CA 94978 USA

Internet: heidrick@well.com (Submissions and circulation only)

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