Having trouble with the Hanged Man

Aeon418 said:

Maybe taking another look at the sephira Hod would be useful. Why is the sphere of the rational intellect (symbolically masculine) also attributed to the Cup of elemental water?
Intellect is not a force. It's a form-giver, a vehicle, and a vessel.

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Yes, I could indeed use a refresher. It's been at least a few months since I read anything theoretical like Wang. I'll reread him, shouldn't take me long, considering last time I studied it page by page.

Aeon418 said:

To really 'get' what he is saying about this card you need a different perspective.

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For example, hanging upside down? 'coz... I did that. kind of. You would be surprised how much you get of the HM like that.

Aeon418 said:

From the vantage point of K&C the path of Mem looks very different, but until that is achieved you only have the ego's p.o.v. which is flawed and incomplete. I think Crowley is merely trying to warn us that this card (attributed to Water - the element of illusion) is not what we think it is.

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I agree, and I still have a lot of work to do on this card.

Conforming consciously

Jim Eshelman makes a few good observations in his, The Mystical and Magical System of the A.'.A.'. (I believe you have a copy? Or a bootleg pdf? )

Page 136

Jim Eshelman said:

Overall, the symbolism of the Path of Mem pertains to the element Water, and to the XIIth Atu, The Hanged Man. This Trump is one of the most important symbols of adepthood. It symbolizes the condition of surrendering to the Inner Light, of conforming oneself to the Voice of the Holy Guardian Angel. It shows the complete "reversal" of perspective (one might better say, being turned inside out!) that accompanies the transition to adepthood.

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Jim Eshelman said:

Having discovered her True Will in the Voice of the Angel, the Adept now must fully conform herself, consciously, to that Will. There always will be resistances in the personality, especially at the beginning; but she must overcome this, as by an obligation, conforming her conscious choices to the Word of her Angel. This is an ongoing process, a Taoist way of living, which must grow in the Adept until, automatically and by intense conditioning, her personality - expressed in every thought, word, and deed - is a clear channel for that Holy Guardian who is her Light, her Life, her Love, and her Liberty.

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Aeon418 said:

Jim Eshelman makes a few good observations in his, The Mystical and Magical System of the A.'.A.'. (I believe you have a copy? Or a bootleg pdf? )

Page 136

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Interesting (and, "no comment"). I wonder, does he speak of the Adept in feminine because she takes the place of the Princess?

closrapexa said:

I wonder, does he speak of the Adept in feminine because she takes the place of the Princess?

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No, nothing like that. Eshelman merely wanted to use feminine pronouns throughout the text to balance the exclusively masculine pronouns found in the material he quotes from.

Yes, I often do the same other wise it does seem biased and when 'she' appears it often draws our attention more to the statement.

But

In some ways I see the adept as feminine generally. Many rites (Thelemic to Christian to Tibetan Buddhist) seem to be, at heart, an invocation by allurement ... sometimes with costume, dress, make up, perfume, dance, etc. to 'attract' 'Godhead'.

IMO it makes sense for nuns ... for me it makes sense with Nuit ... for male priesthoods that 'woo' a male deity ... that's fine for them (but one would think in their case they would allow same sex marriage ? )

I seem to remember one of the Thelemic Libers stating somewhere that the soul is female?

More reversals

closrapexa said:

I still have a lot of work to do on this card.

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And maybe Atu IV The Emperor. 40(Mem) = MIM = 90(Tzaddi). It's curious how the symbol formed by the Hanged Man - triangle surmounted by a cross - is practically the exact opposite of the posture of alchemical Sulphur formed by the Emperor. Just put the triangle at the top.

Consider also Liber Tzaddi verse 40.

Liber Tzaddi said:

40. My adepts stand upright; their head above the heavens, their feet below the hells.

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Another reversal. Could this indicate that the surrender implied by the Hanged Man actually has the opposite effect that transforms the aspirant into a King. The King is frequently mentioned in Liber Legis to indicate the Adept.

It's also interesting how Ra-Hoor-Khuit describes himself in Liber Legis III:46 as "the warrior Lord of the Forties". On the surface Atu XII The Hanged Man and Warrior Lords don't seem to mix. But maybe there's more going on than meets the eye.

The sixth column of Liber Tau contains the letters Vau, Mem, and Resh. If we use the potency, medium, and result model, then one simple interpretation might be:

Vau - V The Hierophant: Our connection with the Inner Teacher or Holy Guardian Angel...

Mem - XII The Hanged Man... through the act of surrender and conscious conformity with the Will...

Resh - XIX The Sun... results in the manifestation of Heru-Ra-Ha and "the new access of solar energy upon the earth."

It's interesting how the "complete freedom and emancipation" suggested by Atu XIX comes through the agency of a card that superficially appears to be the exact opposite - Atu XII.

ravenest said:

In some ways I see the adept as feminine generally. Many rites (Thelemic to Christian to Tibetan Buddhist) seem to be, at heart, an invocation by allurement ... sometimes with costume, dress, make up, perfume, dance, etc. to 'attract' 'Godhead'.

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Ahh, you just explained something big for me, Ravenest.

IMO it makes sense for nuns ... for me it makes sense with Nuit ... for male priesthoods that 'woo' a male deity ... that's fine for them (but one would think in their case they would allow same sex marriage ? )

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I always thought I had it a bit easier magically, being a straight female. Especially in the beginning; once I understood that indeed a male deity could be sexy as all get out.

AW

Always Wondering said:

I always thought I had it a bit easier magically, being a straight female. Especially in the beginning; once I understood that indeed a male deity could be sexy as all get out.

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You might be interested in Jim Eshelman's latest book, Pearls of Wisdom, due out next month. One part of the book is Jim's diary of his 5=6 operation. Jim describes himself as straight, but his diary often reflects gender and polarity flips (sometimes even trans-gender) throughout. You will love it.

Jumping in late, but enjoying this stimulating conversation, I have this naive view: Atu 10 and Atu 12, cyclicity and polarity, have their still centers in common--the power spot. And I so agree about the resistant ego's perception of suffering.