The Book of the Law Study Group 2.77

Yygdrasilian

ShakeSpeare

Rabelais said:
“Now, though we have in our mother-tongue several excellent works in verse and prose, and, heaven be praised! but little left of the trash and trumpery stuff of those duncical mumblers of ave-maries and the barbarous foregoing Gothic age, I have made bold to choose to chirrup and warble my plain ditty, or, as they say, to whistle like a goose among the swans, rather than be thought deaf among so many pretty poets and eloquent orators. And thus I am prouder acting the clown, or any other under-part, among the many ingenious actors in that noble play, than of herding among those mutes, who, like so many shadows and ciphers, only serve to fill up the house and make up a number, gaping and yawning at the flies, and pricking up their lugs, like so many Arcadian asses, at the striking up of the music; thus silently giving to understand that their fopships are tickled in the right place.”
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The cypher of Tarot, applied to the Hebrew Alphabet, is a Magickal Atlas for accessing the mandalic function of Letters & Numbers. Though we have adhered in ages past to the secrecy required of this Understanding, the Time is upon us when ‘the hidden truth will be revealed’.
The chains of the Laש have been broken...
 

Professor X

Another verse showing how empowering the Book of Law is. Thelema is not for those afraid to stand up for themselves and take charge. That is a big part of what I get out of the Book of Thoth.
 

Aeon418

77 - Oz, Strength, Goat.

O(Ayin) be thou proud(Sol/Ra) and mighty(Mars/Hoor) among men!

This verse stands in stark contrast to the typical Christian attitude to life of meekness, groveling subservience, and shame. The driving impulse of Thelemic life is graphically shown in Atu XI Lust. But before we get carried away by overblown hubris, it's worth bearing in mind that these are the "sweet words for the Kings". Through their own efforts the King/Adept has made themselves proud and mighty. This is a long way from the empty bluffer who merely thinks they are special, but has done nothing to prove it. I think we covered the essence of this issue in the "Is Thelema Elitist" thread. Yes! :D

There's also a symbolic side to this verse that ties in with the previous phallic themes. One meaning of the word proud is something that stands out or sticks up. Once again this is a reference to the Middle Pillar of initiation. Lift up thyself! :thumbsup:

But for what reason? 7x7=49, the mystic number of Venus - Love.
 

Aeon418

Who calls us Thelemites will do no wrong, if he look but close into the word. For there are therein Three Grades, the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
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The past dozen or so verses have been packed with sexual metaphors and symbolism. This suggests to me that the target audience is the Lover grade. (This doesn't exclude interpretations at other levels of course.)

So in this verse the Lover may be being encouraged to be proud and mighty among the (wo)men of Earth. The Lover has achieved 418. As such they are, in a certain sense, living avatars of Ra Hoor (RA HUUR = 418). A sun-like (666) Thelemic exemplar, shining like a beacon of light in the night for those who are trying to find their way through the darkness. :lightbulb

It's all starting to get a bit melodramatic, but it just popped in there. :laugh:
Liber 418. 13th Aethyr:
And he says to me, quite disconnectedly: The man of earth is the adherent. The lover giveth his life unto the work among men. The hermit goeth solitary, and giveth only of his light unto men.
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Always Wondering

Aeon418 said:
But for what reason? 7x7=49, the mystic number of Venus - Love.
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Lovely.

AW
 
how would the GD rules work for these? Sacrilege