Visions & Voices

Owl Tarot

Best of luck to you if you should decide to take a plunge into the visions. It's wild ride. :)

Now that the Book of the Law study has ended Liber 418 may be a worthy replacement. After all it is a major source of symbolism for the Thoth Tarot. I'm fairly sure there would be few people interested. But it would probably need the 'green light' from Grigori first.

Agreed. I have not worked up to now as much as I would like on the Visions, but my small experience gives me too big hints and more layers of light for each card. That's why a book with commentary, Liber 418 itself in paper, my trusty BoT and last but not least practical exercises to get me more familiar with Liber 418 is more that I was aiming for actually!
 

Grigori

Now that the Book of the Law study has ended Liber 418 may be a worthy replacement. After all it is a major source of symbolism for the Thoth Tarot. I'm fairly sure there would be few people interested. But it would probably need the 'green light' from Grigori first.

No need to get a green light from me, anyone can start a study group any time they'd like to :) But I'd certainly like to be involved in this study group myself, and am happy to set up the threads and such as with the BoL group if wanted.

I'm assuming we could sequentially do a thread for each aethyr, starting at 30 and working up to 1, and perhaps a thread or two for the introductory sections for context?
 

Owl Tarot

No need to get a green light from me, anyone can start a study group any time they'd like to :) But I'd certainly like to be involved in this study group myself, and am happy to set up the threads and such as with the BoL group if wanted.

I'm assuming we could sequentially do a thread for each aethyr, starting at 30 and working up to 1, and perhaps a thread or two for the introductory sections for context?

If you would like my opinion as someone who hasn't studied Liber 418 in depth as of today, I think making one or two introductory threads with the essential info necessary to be able to keep up with the Aethyrs would indeed be a good idea. I personally would not have a problem at all with helping out and researching if my help is needed.
 

Aeon418

I'm assuming we could sequentially do a thread for each aethyr, starting at 30 and working up to 1, and perhaps a thread or two for the introductory sections for context?

Sounds good to me. :)

What kind of introduction are thinking of? Historical?
I can confidently say that detailed knowledge of Enochian magick will not be required. So there's no need to go anywhere near all that complicated stuff about the Watchtowers and the various angelic names that can be extracted from it. The aethyrs are a different branch.

In the Enochian 'model' the physical universe is represented by a cube. This cube is surrounded by 30 concentric spheres. The closest sphere is TEX. The outermost is LIL. Each of these aethyrs is an aire, a heaven, a higher level of consciousness, etc. But for the purposes of the study you won't need to know how to use the 19th Key. (Although the text of the Key does appear in the 2nd aethyr.)

Crowley's synopsis and mini comment on the aethyrs might be useful. I'm sure it must be on the internet somewhere. I just took a quick look and only found the synopsis on it's own.
 

Aeon418

This might be a useful referrence. I've merged together Crowley's synopsis of the Aethyrs with his short comment (in italics).

30. TEX - Exordium of the Equinox of the Gods. - Without the cube — the material world — is the sphere-system of the spiritual world enfolding it. The Cry seems to be a sort of Exordium, and external showing forth of the coming of the new Æon, the Æon of Horus the crowned child.

29. RII - The Disruption of the Aeon of Osiris. - The disturbance of Equilibrium caused by the Coming of the Æon.

28. BAG - The Vision of the Dawn of the Aeon of Horus (Atu XVII) - Now is a further and clearer shadowing-forth of the Great Mystery of the Æon which is to be led up to by the Æthyrs. Note however that the King of the New Æon never appears until the very first Æthyr.

27. ZAA - The Vision of the Initiation of Hecate (Atu XIV) The Redemption of the Woman of Witchcraft by Love. - Hecate appears—her son, the son of a Virgin, a magus, is to bring the Æon to pass. And she, the herald, her function fulfilled, withdraws within her mystic veil.

26. DES - The Slave-Gods superseded (The Vision of Atu XX, the Stele) The Vision of the Stele of Revealing, abolishing the Aeon of the Slave-Gods. - The death of the past Æon, that of Jehovah and Jesus; ends with adumbration of the new, the vision of the Stele of Ankh-f-n-khonsu, whose discovery brought about in a human consciousness the knowledge of the Equinox of the Gods, 21.3.04.

25. VTI - The Path of Teth (Atu XI. The Fire-Kerub in the Initiation). The Vision of the Fruit of the Great Work of the Beast - 666. The Lion. - Appearance of the Lion God of Horus, the child of Leo that incarnates him. The first Angel is Isis its mother.

24. NIA - The Rose. (The Woman of Atu XIV. Minister of Babalon; The Water-Kerub in the Initiation.) The First Kiss Of the Lady of Initiation. - Now appears his mate, the heavenly Venus, the Scarlet Woman, who by men is thought of as Babalon as he is thought of as Chaos.

23. TOR - The Kerubim of Earth and Air (Minor officers in the Initiation to 8○ = 3□.) The Vision of the Interplay And Identity of Earth and Air. - Here appear the Cherubim, the other officers of the new Temple, the earth and water assistants of the fire and air Beast and Scarlet Woman.

22. LIN - The 49-fold Table (First appearance of the Crowned and Conquering Child to the Exempt Adept as in the Pastos) The Vision of the Rose, the Heart of BABALON and of The Birth of the Universe. - Here is the First Key to the formula of Horus, a sevenfold arrangement. A shadow of Horus declares his nature.

21. ASP - Kether. (The Hierophant prepares the Candidate). The Vision of the Ineluctable Destiny. - This seems to be the Vision of God face to face that is the necessary ordeal for him who would pass the Abyss, as it were. A commission to be the prophet of the Æon arising is given to the Seer. The God is the Hierophant in the Ceremony of Magister Templi.

20. KHR - The Path of Kaph (Atu X). The Hiereus prepares the Candidate). The Vision of the Wheel of Fortune. The Three Energies of the Universe. - A guide is given to the Seer, his Holy Guardian Angel. And this is attained by a mastery of the Universe conceived as a wheel. The Hiereus in the Ceremony of Magister Templi.

19. POP - The Path of Gimel (The Hegemone between the Pillars. Preliminary: The Vision of the Unguided Universe.) - Now cometh forth the Angel who giveth instruction, in the lowest form. The Hegemone in the Ceremony of Magister Templi which the Seer is about to undergo.

18. ZEN - Tiphereth. (The King's Chamber. The Vision of the holy Guardian Angel.) The Instruction concerning the Obtaining of the Vision and the Voice of the Thirty Aethyrs. The Preparation of the Candidate. - The Vault of preparation for the Ceremony of Magister Templi. The Veil is the Crucifixion, symbol of the dead Æon. The first ordeal is undergone.

17. TAN - The Path of Lamed. (The combination Gimel, Lamed, Samech. The Vision of the Justice or Balance of the Universe. - The symbol of the Balance is now given unto the Aspirant.

16. LEA - Keter. (Path of Pe.) The Overthrow of the Salve-Gods by The Beast 666. - The sacrifice is made. The High Priestess (image of Babalon) cometh forth upon her Beast and maketh this.

15. OXO - The Vision of the rose of 49 petals, and of the Holy 12-fold Table. Examination of the Candidate for Magister Templi. - The mystic dance by Salome. The new Temple, the signs of the grades are received and the Adeptus Exemptus rejected.

14. UTA - The Vision of the City of the Pyramids. The Reception Of the Master of the Temple. - The Shrine of Darkness. Final initiation into grade of Magister Templi.

13. ZIM - The Garden of Nemo. The Work of the Magister Templi. - The emergence of Nemo into the world; his work therein. This is the first mystery revealed to a Magister Templi.

12. LOE - The Path of Cheth. The Bearer of the Sangraal. The Black Brothers. - The Second Mystery: the cup-bearer of Babalon the beautiful. The Holy Grail manifested to the Magister Templi, with the first knowledge of the Black Brothers.

11. IKH - Yesod. The Frontier of the Abyss. - Now cometh the Frontier of the Holy City; the Magister Templi is taken into the Abyss.

10. ZAX - The Abyss. Choronzon, his Nature. - The Abyss.

9. ZIP - Malkuth. (The Pure Virgin.) The reward of the Magister Templi. - The Magister Templi hath passed the Abyss, and is led to the Palace of the Virgin redeemed from Malkuth unto Binah.

8. ZID - The Holy Guardian Angel. His instruction. - The fuller manifestation of the Holy Guardian Angel.

7. DEO - The Path of Daleth. The Black Brothers. - The Virgin become the Bride, the great Reward of the Ceremony. Also an adumbration of the Further Progress.

6. MAZ - The Vision of the Urn. The Magus 9○ = 2□. The Three Schools of Magick. - A shadowing-forth of the grade of Magus.

5. LIT - The Vision of the Middle Pillar. (Arrow). The Mystery Of Atheism. - The reception of the Magister Templi among the Brethren of the A.'. A.'.; the manifestation of the Arrow.

4. PAZ - The Marriage of Yod and He. (The common Tibetan Symbol.) The Seer identifies himself with it. - Further concerning the Magus. The marriage of Chaos with the purified Virgin.

3. ZOM - The Magus of the Tarot. (Atu 1). Mayan, the Maker of Illusion. The Seer in Illusion (Lilith). - The Magician. Exhibition of the Guards to the Higher Knowledge.

2. ARN - The Marriage of the Seer with BABALON. (Atu VI). - The understanding of the Curse, that is become a Blessing. The final reward of the Magister Templi, his marriage even with Babalon Herself. The paean thereof.

1. LIL - The Vision of The Crowned and Conquering Child, the Lord Of the Aeon. - The final manifestation. All leads up to the Crowned Child, Horus, the Lord of the New Æon.
 

Always Wondering

This is a wonderful turn of events. I must admit I haven't gotten very far on my own. I understand that in breaking it down it isn't so overwhelming. But everytime I open Visions & Voices I feel bombarded with information.
 

Aeon418

But I'd certainly like to be involved in this study group myself, and am happy to set up the threads and such as with the BoL group if wanted.

Grigori, do you have any ideas about how we might go about the study of each aethyr? Liber 418 isn't really conducive to the same verse-by-verse treatment we gave the Book of the Law. Maybe a simple solution would be to just post a link to each aethyr and then let us 'have at it' in a kind of free form way? Or maybe a more structured approach would be better? What do you think?
 

Grigori

What kind of introduction are thinking of? Historical?

Yeah, maybe something like that. I was mainly thinking a place to set the scene, relevance, background that would be useful to know. It would be good to refresh my memory at least, and maybe some folks new to this would like to get those basics clear before we start.

This might be a useful referrence. I've merged together Crowley's synopsis of the Aethyrs with his short comment (in italics).

Thanks, that is really useful :)

Grigori, do you have any ideas about how we might go about the study of each aethyr? Liber 418 isn't really conducive to the same verse-by-verse treatment we gave the Book of the Law. Maybe a simple solution would be to just post a link to each aethyr and then let us 'have at it' in a kind of free form way? Or maybe a more structured approach would be better? What do you think?

I guess so. I think you're right if we go aethyr by aethyr would be best. We could copy the full text into threads to assist with maintaining threads for future reference. I think a bit of a free form conversation would be the only real way, I can't see any more rigid structure that would help the conversation really, unless anyone has a suggestion. Much as with the BoL threads I guess we can each share our ideas and reflection, and discuss them with each other as they appeal to do so.
 

Owl Tarot

I guess so. I think you're right if we go aethyr by aethyr would be best. We could copy the full text into threads to assist with maintaining threads for future reference. I think a bit of a free form conversation would be the only real way, I can't see any more rigid structure that would help the conversation really, unless anyone has a suggestion. Much as with the BoL threads I guess we can each share our ideas and reflection, and discuss them with each other as they appeal to do so.

I think, however, that at least some paragraph to paragraph or sentence to sentence commentary might make it better organised and easier to work with from the OP, so that each poster focuses on parts he would like to add/work on rather then the whole text. Just a thought that may be useful to keep the OP more complete and easier to work from.
 

Aeon418

I think, however, that at least some paragraph to paragraph or sentence to sentence commentary might make it better organised and easier to work with from the OP, so that each poster focuses on parts he would like to add/work on rather then the whole text. Just a thought that may be useful to keep the OP more complete and easier to work from.

Maybe the text of each vision could be divided into numbered sections. It might make things easier and more manageable. That way we could still start off with the complete text of a vision and thereby take in the 'big picture', while at the same time providing common reference points to go back to. That is the approach that Eshelman took in his V&V book, and it works quite well. But of course the division of the text was organised to accomodate his commentary. We might have to settle for something a little more arbitrary.