Kiama
Hi all,
As suggested by Isthmus Nekoi, Firemaiden, Jema, and a few others, I am starting the first thread of a mini-study group. This study group will look at the Liber Legis (Book of the Law) by Aleister Crowley, in relation to his famous Thoth deck. I thought I'd begin with the Lust card, because that is the most obvious one to me, that I see in the book.
In Chapter One, the Star Goddess Nuit is speaking. She is the female side of Deity, and so she is the aspect of womanhood. In this part:
I see Crowley's Lust (Strength) card. The woman and her ecstacy, her love and lust, and the fact that for Crowley the Scarlet Woman and Whore of Babylon were the Goddess... The woman in the Lust card is like Nuit speaking in this passage.
Here, we get some taste of what Waite thought of the Strength card... The pure will and drive put to action to achieve something.
There is more in the Book of the Law relating to the Lust card, mostly Chapter 1. Personally, I see the whole of Chapter One as being spoen by the woman in the card: Crowley intended her to be the Whore of Babylon, and I think that this is the persona Nuit has taken on in this chapter.
I may be back with more later, but I'll leave everybody else to comment and say what they see in the book first.
Blessings,
Kiama
Edited to add: you can find the whole text of Liber Legis here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/oto/engccxx.htm
Thanks to Isthmus Nekoi for providing the link!
As suggested by Isthmus Nekoi, Firemaiden, Jema, and a few others, I am starting the first thread of a mini-study group. This study group will look at the Liber Legis (Book of the Law) by Aleister Crowley, in relation to his famous Thoth deck. I thought I'd begin with the Lust card, because that is the most obvious one to me, that I see in the book.
In Chapter One, the Star Goddess Nuit is speaking. She is the female side of Deity, and so she is the aspect of womanhood. In this part:
13. I am above you and in you. My ecstasy is in yours. My joy is to see your joy.
14. Above, the gemmed azure is
The naked splendour of Nuit;
She bends in ecstasy to kiss
The secret ardours of Hadit.
The winged globe, the starry blue,
Are mine, O Ankh-af-na-khonsu!
15. Now ye shall know that the chosen priest & apostle of infinite space is the prince-priest the Beast; and in his woman called the Scarlet Woman is all power given. They shall gather my children into their fold: they shall bring the glory of the stars into the hearts of men.
16. For he is ever a sun, and she a moon. But to him is the winged secret flame, and to her the stooping starlight.
17. But ye are not so chosen.
18. Burn upon their brows, o splendrous serpent!
19. O azure-lidded woman, bend upon them![/b]
I see Crowley's Lust (Strength) card. The woman and her ecstacy, her love and lust, and the fact that for Crowley the Scarlet Woman and Whore of Babylon were the Goddess... The woman in the Lust card is like Nuit speaking in this passage.
44. For pure will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is every way perfect.
Here, we get some taste of what Waite thought of the Strength card... The pure will and drive put to action to achieve something.
There is more in the Book of the Law relating to the Lust card, mostly Chapter 1. Personally, I see the whole of Chapter One as being spoen by the woman in the card: Crowley intended her to be the Whore of Babylon, and I think that this is the persona Nuit has taken on in this chapter.
I may be back with more later, but I'll leave everybody else to comment and say what they see in the book first.
Blessings,
Kiama
Edited to add: you can find the whole text of Liber Legis here:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/oto/engccxx.htm
Thanks to Isthmus Nekoi for providing the link!