Demons? everywhere? maybe
I think though for me either a psychological or external reality works, somehow…
Crowley does mention a Demon, Chorozon numbered 333 (feminine?) in his Vision and the Voice, described as dispersion. Which is interesting as it could mean, breaking up, fragmenting or light being split into different components. Similarly, like aspects of your own personality that might be split off, out of awareness, so able to act almost autonomously.
I agree, that seems exactly what it is, hence my comments about 'integration' and one becoming the 'king' of ones own domain, this is what the 'magic crown' represents.
Functioning parts of us (with various degrees of autonomy ) become 'dissociated' and seek identity. In a way, it is a bit like when an individual feels disassociated from society; they can go into a depressed funk, or actually start anti-social behaviour and become a disruptive element.
Maybe, Choronzon, being the 'demon of dispersion' is the 'basic force' behind these 'lesser manifestation' ?
Also, residing in the 'abyss' , his station is between where things form ( energy coming from the Supernal Triad into a more 'real' form and energy dissolving 'up' into the 'ideal forms' as it goes up the Tree from more more material forms.
Dissociated parts that can run amok… without you knowing. Little Goblins that you can’t exorcise, because they need to be integrated rather that got rid off, perhaps. Ravenest’s link I think for me relates to this.
You bought up a very valid point ! Integration. Crowley talks about the first practice being a 'banishing' the second and more advanced is an integration, a balanced absorption of opposites. Many beginners start magic with a circle and banishing ritual, threatening or unbalanced energies are pushed out and one remains in a safe bubble within. Later energies are 'bought in' , in polarity of type so they balance each other. After a while there is no need for a circle at all.
This could be a key component of 'regression' in psycho-therapy; some things were needed to suppressed in us ( to get by, or get to a certain stage ) , but unless dealt with, they can emerge later and cause trouble - sometimes in obscurely related ways. The therapists job is to bring them up to light in the consciousness and help re-integrate the person.
This is another link I put up a bit, you may not have seen it before ? I think it is an essential part of the puzzle, being based on empirical findings of a qualified psychiatrist that worked with people that were deemed 'incurable' with psychosis and other problems. Dr VanDusen decided to treat them, using considerations about demonic and angelic possession from Swedenborg and the 'internal hierarchy of spirits' theory ;
http://www.searchwithin.org/download/presence_spirits.pdf
Also I have a couple of articles / posts around here utilising these sources ( Crowley, Dr van Dusen, Jung, Israel Regardie - who was a trained psychiatrist) examining the idea of an internal hierarchy of spirits and how magical practice, in this area, can be useful for 'psychic integration'
It is also my contention that crowley put this up as an obvious teaching, its in his OTO constitution qute clearly, and given as advice in his OTO 2nd degree ritual - which he says is the key and central one.
One can see it laid out ( the internal hierarchy of forces and how they are SUPPOSED to interrelate within the self ) in the 'Constitution of the OTO' , which is an external reflection of an internal ordering - different levels and 'degrees' relating to aspects of the psyche, their responsibility and level of autonomy and/or control ;
http://lib.oto-usa.org/libri/liber0194.html
eg. " 24. The Supreme and Most Holy King is appointed by the O.H.O. His is the ultimate responsibility for all within his holy kingdom. "
This is the outer version of the internal 'king' I spoke of earlier. The O H O (outer head of the Order ) one can see as 'the king' - overall and 'lesser kings' ruling parts. Or the OHO as your connection with the 'outer' (as any internal process must be modifies to some extent, for sociocultural reasons )
Some say, this is my individual take on it ... even some senior OTO members seemed to think my view on this was 'novel' ....
.... yet point 1 states pretty clearly ;
" This is the Constitution and Government of our Holy Order; by the study of its Balance ***** you may yourself come to apprehension of how to rule your own life ****. For, in True Things, all are but images one of another; man is but a map of the universe, and Society is but the same on a larger scale. " ( my emphasis )
and at the end , " Such is a brief outline of the government of the O.T.O. It combines monarchy with democracy; it includes aristocracy, and conceals even the seeds of revolution, by which alone progress can be effected. Thus we balance the Triads, uniting the Three in One; thus we gather up all the threads of human passion and interest, and weave them into an harmonious tapestry, subtly and diligently with great art, that our Order may seem an ornament even to the Stars that are in the Heavens at Night. In our rainbow-coloured texture we set forth the glory of the whole Universe— See thou to it, brother Magician, that thine own thread be strong, and pure, and of a colour brilliant in itself, yet ready to mingle in all beauty with those of thy brethren! "
IMO - read a certain way, the OTO constitution is an excellent map for navigating and regulating the psyche .
In this scenario , Choronzon represents the breakdown of this , an internal anarchy. And with deep 'Id forces' boiling around in there, anarchy may not be beneficial to one's function purpose and stability.
So as you say, I guess if you liken these to demons they can be us, or rather hidden aspects. Which can also be projected out on to the big scapegoat- the Thoth Devil or other people. (I wouldn't rule out though autonomous beings or aspect fragments not being part of ourselves. We are beings and there are other ones that are not us).
Another interesting observation !
Traditional magicians that poo poo AC complain, he took magic out of the world and turned into pop-psychology. Real externalised forces exist. Modern one's poo poo the old - its all a psychological projection. That's why I like Harpur and middle position a 'third' or 'diamonic reality' where they can interpenetrate and effect each other..
Chorozon also seems to be mentioned as the ‘Lord of Hallucinations’.
Thats a relevant reminder for me !
Dr van Dusen speaks technically of good and bad possessing spirits in his patients as ' hallucinations of a good order' or 'hallucinations of a bad order' , the way he classified and noted their behavior and how they respond to certain things, is pretty close to the laws and processes of evocative magic.
I have been looking at Liber777 to see if there are any Thoth card attributions as they have titles like Lord of.. I couldn’t see anything. Maybe it is related just to the hidden Da’aath sephira at the Abyss or paralleled lower at Yesod. This sphere on the tree also seems to be a bridge or a crossing from material to planes, with the Moon (feminine) symbol and the Moon card on a nearby path. That’s a bit of a stretch although this card does have awful illusions too.
not too much of a stretch IMO. You probably already may know, but DuQuette's 'Tarot of magicians ' (I think it is called ) shows the 'demonic' forces associated with each card.
Dispersion also could suggest dispersing, as in seeding, with an initiatory feel, The Moon card seems to have awful illusions and dark night of the soul themes, a forerunner of crossing the Abyss higher up.
Interesting, as seed dispersion, first requires a 'seed' and a seed is the essential pattern of the plant, stripped from all its other functions - its 'archetypal form' .
Yes, I can see a similarity in both those positions on the Tree ... a big similarity.
Please excuse my rambling.. I had all ready written a reply, fairly lengthy and then must have got timed out as I had to sign in again and lost it)
Isnt that annoying !