'Love is the law, Love under will'

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 10 Apr 2003, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Kiama	10 Apr 2003
I attended a ritual reading of Crowley's Book of the Law last night (It's the anniversary of its reception) and realised that for all the times I have seen this phrase slung around, I'm not entirely sure what it means! 'Love is the Law, Love under Will'. What DOES it mean? Kiama

lunalafey	10 Apr 2003
well, like my sig. below.....Love is our soul purpose. "Love is the" law means, to me, that it is imperative to 'love' all. How can we be full beings without it? "Love under will" is this action of loving without feeling that it must be done because someone says so.

Astraea	10 Apr 2003
My understanding of the phrase is this: Love is the primary law of the universe. Will is not the faculty of choice, so much as it is the reality principle on any plane. Therefore, the most basic truth is love, expressed everywhere and at all times.

Major Tom	10 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea Will is not the faculty of choice, so much as it is the reality principle on any plane. I do understand what you're saying. :) Nonetheless, I must beg to disagree. Will = choice. This is absolutely the message of The Lovers. Everybody needs to believe in something. I believe I'll have another beer. :smoker: The secret here is: what you choose to believe. The secret is what you want. }) Therein lies your reality. ;)

jlbvt	10 Apr 2003
I never quite understood that either, and I have read a lot of Crowley! I get the "Love is the law" but why Love UNDER will? What significance does the under have? Oh- and how cool that you got to go to the reading! That sounds like a great experience! JOAN

Astraea	10 Apr 2003
Oops! Posted twice.

Astraea	10 Apr 2003
Major Tom -- my understanding is that will is the basis of choice, rather than the decisions we make, per se. Will on the human plane (as I understand it) reflects the Universal Will, and is thus an expression of What Is. Love is the supreme creative force, and as such is the whole of the law...so "love under will" means (to me) that Will is the ultimate reality, of which love is the highest and broadest expression. The Lovers card reflects this I believe. :)

Major Tom	10 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea The Lovers card reflects this I believe. :) I believe we're talking about the same thing. }) Near as I can tell, my will is Universal will. So is yours. And yours, and yours, and yours....

Astraea	10 Apr 2003
Quote: originally posted by Major Tom I believe we're talking about the same thing. Yes! We are all expressions of the Universal Will, and as such are manifestations of love. I think it might be valuable to note Crowley's complementary statement, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." To me, this means that it is imperative for each of us to be what we are and honor our potential as expressions of that loving will. (Sorry for all these edits, I'm learning how to do guotes for the first time.)

Icarus	10 Apr 2003
"The secret here is: what you choose to believe. The secret is what you want." major tom _____________________________________________ B-I-N-G-O

Ravenswing	13 Apr 2003
Quote: Originally posted by Astraea Yes! We are all expressions of the Universal Will, and as such are manifestations of love. I think it might be valuable to note Crowley's complementary statement, "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law." Yes, exactly. The big problem is learning what thou wilt.... Fly well love wilt Ravin'

The 'Love is the law, Love under will' thread was originally posted on 10 Apr 2003 in the Spirituality board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Spirituality, or read more archived threads.