You had the opportunity to encounter one specific phenomenon, I think it is time to fully consider it. This subject we have already met in the first lesson and you asked me about it many times. In fact, everything has a certain quality, and we can not talk about one aspect, without mentioning the others. Everything as it is, contains a huge number of forces which manifest through it. In addition, there is a certain kind of force which, as a result of external influences, emanates from inside. It is very difficult to speak what precedes to what, and what was conditioned by what, so the wisest thing is to observe the whole thing as a homogenous whole. If you notice that something is characterized by the nature of water, this does not exclude the possibility of the presence of fire. Also, regardless of the elemental aspect, you will see some planetary attributes that act on the matter. The problem sometimes occurs when the nature of a planet is in contradiction with the element. But let this not worry you, the problem exists only within your knowledge of how to define relationships, as you must realize that the aspects are regulated according to the Planes, and the conflict of powers exists only if you look at it narrowly from a single point of view.
Watch the sphere of Hod; it is assigned to the element of water and the planet Mercury. You’ll see that our program in this Sphere implies the development of Thinking, as much as the development of Intuition. Mercury is of airy nature, and the nature of Harmonized and Right thinking is the nature of genius mind which is adaptable like air. In fact, mobile is perhaps a better word. Is, therefore, the nature of this Sphere water or air? I’ll give you a few guidelines to analyze the problem more easily.
The deity of Hod is characterized as Mercury, a god with winged sandals, the divine messenger. If we stick to this last characteristic, in it we can also find the idea of an intermediary between the Supreme and all that is under it, in a similar way as Metatron is in the Qabalistic oligarchy of consciousness. As Thoth, he is the master of wisdom, but more defined by wise Word and the importance of written records. Magician’s word is executed immediately and without delay, because within it is the embodied truth and nothing but the truth. But that wisdom is substantially different from the wisdom which is grounded in Chokmah, and you’ll have a chance to ponder it when the time comes. The word spreads through the air which is used by the winged Mercury to travel upon, so the air is the carrier of wisdom. Is it anything less than a perfect Magical link? If you bring the air in relationship to the human mind, you will realize that it is the only True Link, as only mind is capable and gifted to create a connection between things that seem totally unrelated.
If you turn your attention to other divine attributions, you will notice one another aspect of the divine that is, at first sight, different from the principles of Thoth and Mercury. You can clearly see that attributions of a jackal, which is Anubis, are equally attributed to Hod. As you already know they embody the function and role of a guide through the unknown parts of the Universe, as Duant, and they guide the soul through the afterworld, up to the heavenly fields of Amenti. The role of the guide is important thesis of any work that involves passing through strange astral planes, they are the true mediators between the mage and the unknown. I see from your records that you have already had experience of communication with them, which makes me very happy, as they seem to be completely separate beings from those residing in the higher planes. They are almost “in-between”; too close to us, but not too far from them. They can be viewed as a projection of our own Ruach, whatever, but I think it is important to experience this contact before you make a theory of the nature of those “beings”.
Let me give you an example of one of the most important and sublime practices, which in a simple and effective way sheds light on the role and nature of Ruach, Mage’s Thinking and Mind. By this method, all of these ideas are related to the nature of the guide, as well as to the nature of Wisdom, the one that lights the Mage’s way and keeps him not to deviate from it. Think about the following adorations which the mage performs during the day, in certain aspects:
Liber Resh vel Helios
sub figura CC
1. Dawn. East.
“Hail unto Thee who art Ra in Thy rising, even unto Thee who art Ra in Thy strength, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Uprising of the Sun.
Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Night!”
2. Noon. South.
“Hail unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy triumphing, even unto Thee who art Ahathoor in Thy beauty, who travellest over the heavens in thy bark at the Mid-course of the Sun.
Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Morning!”
3. Sunset. West.
“Hail unto Thee who art Tum in Thy setting, even unto Thee who art Tum in Thy joy, who travellest over the Heavens in Thy bark at the Down-going of the Sun.
Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Day!”
4. Midnight. North.
“Hail unto thee who art Khephra in Thy hiding, even unto Thee who art Khephra in Thy silence, who travellest over the heavens in Thy bark at the Midnight Hour of the Sun.
Tahuti standeth in His splendour at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm.
Hail unto Thee from the Abodes of Evening.”
5. And after each of these invocations thou shalt give the sign of silence, and afterward thou shalt perform the adoration.
6. Also it is better if in these adorations thou assume the God-form of Whom thou adorest, as if thou didst unite with Him in the adoration of That which is beyond Him.
Note well the part of the text that is repeated after every salutation. It is the following statement: “Tahuti standeth in His splendor at the prow, and Ra-Hoor abideth at the helm …” Tahuti is at the front, as an observer. He points to what he sees ahead and reports on all outside influences that Act on the Boat. Ra-Hoor, as Will, considers all Tahuti’s reports and then adopts the way of Action in accordance with which the boat sails.
It may be that the Wisdom and free, unbiased Thinking which is in accordance with Nature, is, in fact, the only true guide on the travel of your boat, dear brother. How will the boat travel at first, depends on what Tahuti saw at the bow. And once the true nature awakens, movements of the boat will depend on the Action of Ra-Hoor from the helm.
Ruach is “out” or ahead, Nature “pulled-in” or back; acting that way, the Magician sales safely upon the waters of Nun.
I also want to remind you of some things from the beginning of this discourse. One of the first things you tried stepping on this Plane, and quite successfully, was an assumption the Forms. You must always be aware that by taking on the Forms changes in consciousness occur. But beforehand you must distinguish between consciousness and awareness. Their relationship is similar to the relationship between the supporting beams and the foundation. Think about this, because here lies a very valuable lesson that is so needed to understand this sphere. In a healthy body, healthy spirit. We will adapt this saying to our need, saying: in a different body, a different spirit.
Our culture is apparently quite unsuccessful to clearly define and limit the regions of the Mind. Very often those concepts like brain, intelligence, wisdom, and discernment are today considered almost identical. You should not make such a mistake, but every aspect of your Ruach apparatus you must know and define as clearly as you can. In fact, you will be surprised that the mind seems much emptier than at first glance. There are processes going on in it, but by itself, without those processes, it is nothing more but an empty place. His essence is Prajna, his space is not more than Sunyata. I warmly suggest to you to study the eastern articles on this subject, they did not spare the time to get to know the essential apparatus of Thinking. Now you can understand why, among other things, water is attributed to Hod. The nature of Mind is water, because that is the great sea that is far away, on the “other shore,” over the Abyss. As such, it will perfectly fill the space of every form into which it flows and toward which your consciousness is focused.
Therefore, you are not what you think you Truly are, but you are what you Truly think.
For this reason, development of Thinking in this sphere is equally demanding as the development of Intuition. This topic is too boring to discuss it in this place, but we will include it into our Discussion when an appropriate time arrives.
Water is like Air, it is also an excellent Medium, but in its concept of mediumship it also entails one more abstract approach which is based on the idea of monotony and homogenization. In a specific way, you can view the Universe as Sea, and all things inside it as its waves. Therefore it seems that nothing is isolated by the quality of its nature, but only by movement and frequency of the waves. If you understand that, you will become the owner of the highest type of magic.
All you have to do being in this Place is to pick the proper method and, acting in accordance with it, accomplish appropriate Achievement. You must learn to Think properly, you certainly must be the fairest teacher and guide. A man is his own best Lord; the most merciful and the most severe. Of all things, you have to choose the One which is Right, even when the penalty for a wrong selection is Death and pain of that Death, and suffering and the repetition of that Death. You must choose One thing momentarily and without slightest hesitation. In fact, there is no relationship between the right and wrong choice. Your very consciousness which is unassuaged of purpose so much that it Acts momentarily and directly, will always be Right. Because that consciousness will Act from the one who is no other but a Star, so his way will be according to Will of the same Architect who chose and made the Ways of all the Worlds. And when you chose that One from among the many, ask yourself if all of things must be reduced to One thing, what would that one thing be?
Also, I am asking you, what you prefer:
Vacation at sea, or vacation on a mountain?
Chicken legs or white meat?
Tom or Jerry?
Rose or blue color?
Blond or brunette?
Bra or thongs?
My grandmother Gospava or Frieda Harris?
My grandmother Gospava or Frieda Harris’s grandmother?
You, of course, must know this perfectly. You must always choose.
Study all the columns in this table individually, I expect your conclusions and comments in the next two weeks.
Finally, and I know that you are already very impatient, I am arriving to the most difficult and least attractive part of our discourse. I am handing to you the most difficult part of this Work, by my opinion, the damn table. I work upon it for hours.
Frater Aureus 273∴
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Frater 273 | Reflections on Thelema 