For the second post on this blog I am going to jump around a bit, and cover the three chapters of the book of the law, and each of their philosophical implications. Since each chapter is voiced from a different "God", they correspond to three aspects of existentialism.So, here we go.
The book of the law
is written in a poetic style of verse. It is written in relation to Egyptian
symbols and Gods. Although this can immediately strike one as “pagan” or
“heathenish” (for lack of a better word), it is these symbols and ideas that
can convey complex ideas very simply. The book is written in three sections,
three different voices. These can be taken as the three fundamental aspects of
existence.
1.)The infinite. The all. The universe. The first chapter is
the voice of Nuit. Great goddess of the starry heavens. She is the
manifestation of the ocean of possibility. Everything is not only in her, but
she is everything. That is to say that the sum of everything is the infinite.
This is similar to the idea of the En-Soph in Kabbalism, and of the Shekinah.
The feminine counter part to the creator God. She is the canvass of existence,
waiting to be painted by experience.
Nuit is often shown arched over the earth, such as this, since she represents the night sky.
2.)Energy, experience, life, substance, the concentrated point in space (Nuit). The second chapter
is the voice of Hadit. The eternal divine experience of Nuit. Hadit is the
masculine counterpart of Nuit. Or, said another way, the love between Nuit and Hadit crystallizes into substance. It is the constant marriage of these two
things that constitute our experience of existence.
Hadit is referred to as the "Winged snake of light." Symbolized here as a disc of light with wing. Note Nuit surrounding him.
I feel compelled to elucidate this idea of “Gods.” Nuit and
Hadit are not beings living in another realm. They are the representation of
the fundamental ideas of existence. Without the experience of energy and
the plane to experience it on, there would be no life, no death, no existence.
Without these two things there could be nothing.
3.) The ever coming child. Ra-Hoor-Khuit. The third chapter
of the book is the most controversial, but it is also the most accurate
representation of the human psyche. He is commanding, proud, noble, and strong.
He is the personification of all the qualities that make up the individual.
Although it can be a little hard to swallow at first, this chapter of the book
is a great source of philosophical wisdom.
Ra Hoor Khuit also symbolizes the divine self, and is pictured here offering a bounty of spiritual gifts.
I digress to discuss the Book any further, since it is clearly stated in the Book that each seeker of wisdom is to decipher for himself its personal meaning to him. I will however point the seeker to the comments written by Crowley himself with this hyper-link.
http://hermetic.com/legis/new-comment/
Until next time, 93.
Love is the Law, Love Under Will.
I respect that everybody is entitled to their own opinion and right to believe in what they want. Personally for me the Bible says not to worship or idol another God. In class I heard you mention about people telling you what to do. To me that is the difference between religion and being spiritual. I believe that religion set rules for people but that Jesus is who sets you free. The Bible might be a guidleline of how we are suppossed to live but none of us our perfect,regardless Jesus, he loves us either way. Some people that claim to be very religous have a tendency to be extreme, and it turns people away. So i do believe that you have the right to believe in whatever you choose even if i do not agree with it, but that I could never personally be a part of although that doesnt mean i would treat someone different.
ReplyDeleteMeg Mcg-
ReplyDeleteThanks for the comment, it seems like you got the point I was trying to make. I appreciate the Christian viewpoint on the blog since I would like to incorporate as many viewpoints as possible, and I hope that you comment on future posts. One of my next posts will be about how Thelema can enhance Christianity ( or any other religion for that matter) and look forward to your views on that post as well. Thanks again for the input, feel free to post more comments as you see fit.
93,
ReplyDeleteYou use the term "existentialism," which often refers to the philosophical tradition of Existentialism, but you appear to be referring simply to "existence." If you are, in fact, referring to existentialism, I think you would be hard-pressed to relate these 3 ideas to "3 principles of existentialism," since I am unaware of such foundational principles shared by existentalists and there appears to be no specifically "existential" language in your post. Either way, one would think that the accurate and concise use of language is crucial in communicating one's point, especially in a blog geared toward a certain end like this.
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93.
ReplyDeleteYes, I did mean "existence" and not "existentialism." Thank you for pointing it out to me, and thank you so much for your input. You are absolutely correct about the use of language, and I can admit that I am still learning a lot about conveying lucidity to an audience, especially about a subject as deep as Thelema.
Thanks again.
93.
Thomas