Thelemic Qabalah Volume II Publication in Class C by Frater Apollonius 4°=7□ ATAT Preface The first volume of this set addressed the theoretical approach to qabalistic practice. The very study of qabalistic theory in itself is not only absorbing, but all by itself can lead to an exultant state of consciousness. And of course, qabalistic theory is so much more than was presented in this first volume. From a Thelemic perspective, we have covered this topic in a wider sense in works like: Scientific Illuminism The Starry Gnosis: An American Revelation Liber Loagaeth: Leaf 1A And though these tomes expand the theoretical corpus, they still barely hold a skeletal representation of the enormity of the Greater and Lesser Mysteries that together make the Holy Qabalah…the holy and antient study that still then, must lead us to the present volume; that of praxis. Again, the study itself, that should that be all one ever does with the Qabalah in this life, can provide its own exultation of the Soul; that even then, a more intimate connection with one’s own life on this planet is deepened to a wondrous and wholesome degree. But in praxis, the soul takes yet a stronger step towards the congealing (discussed in Congealing the Soul in Volume I) that is the perfection of the self. Praxis is both the practice and the approach to practice and it does not occur in a vacuum. Every master needs his or her apprentice…why? Because as we explained in the first volume, the energy of the creator flows to the individualized ends that we are and then must extend from us in imitation of the creative force…we are essentially, re-creative creatures. This is why culture is the vital key that both congeals and moves the Soul. And so even as we intellectually study the metaphysical construct of the Universe; of Creation, we are building an internal field of vision. This internal construct is the whole of the Body of Light. We can further fortify this Body of Light as an island that the egoic structure becomes self-reliant and though a hologram of the physical body, its substance becomes that of the etheric plane by virtue of the dynamic link between mind and brain and Eucharistic practices that are alchemical (transformative) in nature. This is one avenue of practical work in the Holy Qabalah that builds an internal vision in the same way the godhead manifests the dream of life. It is exhibited to us in the body of work of every great artist our culture has produced; from Van Gogh to Dali, Woodie Guthrie to Patti Smith, Bill Evans to Beethoven, Plato to Nietszche. Of note: there is a difference between the male and female approach to the Holy Qabalah that is essentially indescribable and can only be hinted at through parables; such as the excellent works of Dion Fortune: The Sea Priestess & Moon Magick. And so the body of work for the female mage has its own many forms and is indeed more connected with love and the act of love as the male is connected more with will and willful action. The balance in this is what makes for a proper functioning magickal lodge and why it is said that the wife of an alchemist is his co-conspirator. The Sun and the Moon together make the whole of the work; each gender in a mystical marriage with the other. Now this is not to say that the structure of formal study is the reserve of men (as if women don’t have intellects); but more that it was mostly evolved by men over the centuries and is a specter that needs to be torn down to the point that we can begin to understand the separate role of women and get out of the male-nerd trap that has become the domain of ‘armchair mages.’ And certainly, women need to also make the same theoretical study of the metaphysical construct of the Universe that men have to make in their study of Qabalah. It’s just that women take this to an altogether different praxis in their half of the formula of ON (cf. The Formula of ON & Liber Laiad). The armchair mage can, of course, make a thorough enough study of the theoretical Qabalah and even to the point of a study of the theoretical approach to praxis that is the start of the current volume of Thelemic Qabalah. But then he or she must ultimately get up and to work; each gender preparing the temple space and internal elements of their particular end of the craft. And in this regard, both require a properly setup temple in which to practice; both in the physical area set aside as ‘sacred space’ and that they are both prepared ‘in heart, verily’—both with their passion for the art and science of Qabalistic Magick and a proper moral maturity and philosophical sophistication. Prophecy is another part of the practicum and has its own vital importance; though right off, we need to understand that prophecy is not about predicting the future, that’s divination. Prophecy is that which adds great insight into the nature of the divinity and creation and the self. Indeed, prophecy is a divine vision that appeals to the human imagination as much as to its intellect. It is that ‘fresh fever from the skies’ that unlocks our hearts emotionally as well; in that we are moved to those profound moments of apprehending both the vastness and even the infinite nature of the Universe with a profound sense of awe and wonder. It then becomes important that we learn to write and speak, dance and sing and find even new ways to manufacture culture. Culture in the arts, sciences, mores and communications is the perfect expression of the divine in us at any given time in history. It matters not whether a people or an individual recognizes a godhead or causeless cause as in the West or simply the Tao as in the East. The creative impulse in humanity in intrinsically connected to that divine energy flow that flows out from the godhead or the Tao to each of us and hence to lodge, lineage and church. Volume II Table of Contents Practical Qabalah Preface Table of Contents The Structure of the Universe The Science of Awareness The Science of Religion Oral Qabalah Establishing an Oral Tradition Ethical Gnosis The Practice of Being Qabalistic Praxis The Initiatory Structure of the Astron Argon Symbolic Qabalah The Practical Application of Symbols On the Veil of Qesheh; IT's Nature and IT's Ordeal Words of Power Prophetic Qabalah Pretenders to Prophecy The Word of the Aeon Structure of the Universe Qabalah is the most complex system used by those who’ve attempted to map the distance that separates the mortal life from that mystery of mysteries often referred to as ‘God’. However, when mastered, the sublime simplicity of mathematical and symbolical concepts reveals a multi-layered and inter-connected space/time continuum that moves in both a linear and non-linear fashion. The mathematics of pure number and the four-dimensional geometry of modern collective consciousness and derived from the ten-dimensional model of the Qabalah, combine with a system of symbol correspondences that directly affect the thought processes of the mind. The response from the aspirant who takes on the study of this science is found in the deepening of awareness of heart and mind and the direct perception of what to most are called the invisible or angelic realm. Literally, the word Qabalah means tradition and refers specifically to an oral tradition that was handed down from father to son for ages before it was finally recorded in written form during the middle ages. From this time and up to the late nineteenth century and early twentieth centuries, many refinements were made as the scientific method used by its builders revealed deeper and deeper insight into the mystery of the nature of the universe. At this time, all the cultural facets of the religion of the Hebrews has been stripped from the work; with the core exception of the Hebrew alphabet which forms an integral component of the system. This is not to say that some of the other Hebraic technologies are no longer employed or that other cultural elements from the Egyptians and others do not also remain somewhat inclusive. Yet all these are still somewhat set aside so that what remains is a pure structure that forms a concise map of the human body and soul (or microcosm) as a direct reflection of the structure of the larger universe referred to as the macrocosm. All in all, the modern Qabalah is the product of 3000 years of scientific inquiry into the nature of life built upon a structure of ten major paths interconnected by twenty-two minor paths; reflected so accurately in the composition of the Holy Tarot. These paths are assimilated into a structural form referred to as the Tree-of-Life. Language of the Universe Again, the Hebrew alphabet is essential to a introductory understanding of the Qabalah. Each letter does a double duty as both a letter and a number. The study of correspondences between words of identical numerical value is called Gematria. Here, words or phrases of identical numerical value are considered to be explanatory of each other. Two examples will make this more apparent: 1. The Hebrew letter “Shin” equals 300; which is also the same value as the phrase “Ruach Elohim” or spirit of the highest God.