The Book of the Law Study Group 2.76

Aeon418

ravenest said:
Thats relating to the Book generally isnt it? Or do you see that line directly linked to II:76?
I think they are linked. The one that cometh after him in III:47 "shall discover the Key of it all." All includes II:76, yes?

But I'm not convinced that it only refers to a specific individual who will turn up at some later date. In III:47 the Beast is told not to try to solve the riddles of the book. But who is the Beast of chapter III?

In Chapter I the Beast is Chiah/Chokmah and the Scarlet Woman is Neshamah/Binah. But chapter III only begins to make sense when you realise that the Beast and Scarlet Woman represent something different. The Beast of chapter III is the Ruach-Mind, and the Scarlet Woman is the Nephesh-Instinctual nature.

I think it is the Beast-Ruach who is told that he won't be able to figure it out. In that sense I agree with you that it is 'an apple of discord'. Hadit, after all his rants against reason, offers a red rag to the Ruach-Bull. And off everyone goes thinking they can solve it like some sort of Thelemic Sudoku puzzle. So is it any wonder that this verse has spawned more tripe, cods-wallop, and clap-trap than any other?
 

Aeon418

II:76 .... There cometh one to follow thee: he shall expound it.

III:47 .... in these are mysteries that no Beast shall divine. Let him not seek to try: but one cometh after him, whence I say not, who shall discover the Key of it all.

One to follow? One cometh after?

667 follows 666. See the Ace of Disks chapter in the Book of Thoth.
 

Aeon418

I remember seeing a silly but funny solution a few years ago. It involved listening to the numbers and the words. I can't remember the whole thing though.

4 6 3 8 A B K

4 - For

6 - Sex

3-8 - Create

ABK - A book

R P S T O V A L

R- Arrr

PS - Peace

TO - To

V - You

AL - All
 

Always Wondering

Aeon418 said:
In Chapter I the Beast is Chiah/Chokmah and the Scarlet Woman is Neshamah/Binah. But chapter III only begins to make sense when you realise that the Beast and Scarlet Woman represent something different. The Beast of chapter III is the Ruach-Mind, and the Scarlet Woman is the Nephesh-Instinctual nature.
This is helpful. I'd worked it out that the Beast might be reason but was struggling with the Scarlet Woman. I'm going to take another look at Chapter Three with Nephesh in mind.

Aeon418 said:
Hadit, after all his rants against reason, offers a red rag to the Ruach-Bull.
I wondered about this also. It feels like some invocation to me.

As for the puzzel. ? :laugh: It doesn't do much for me. Yet.

AW
 

Aeon418

Off topic. Sorry Grigori

Always Wondering said:
I'd worked it out that the Beast might be reason but was struggling with the Scarlet Woman. I'm going to take another look at Chapter Three with Nephesh in mind.
I've already mentioned this before, but the Rider-Waite Lovers card is a perfect depiction of the relationship between the Neshamah(Angel), the Nephesh(Woman), and the Ruach(Man). The Ruach can't see the Neshamah directly, but the Nephesh can. Through the method of repeated ritual the ceremonial magician is attempting to imprint the Nephesh with a pattern which the Neshamah can use as a vehicle of communication. If we can permanently establish that pattern the result is K&C. Of course it's easier said than done. :laugh:

The Nephesh is the animal soul, the instinctual nature of humanity. It's nature is inertia. As such it just wants to be what it is. Getting it to cooperate in the Great Work is difficult. Given half a chance it will over-power a weak Ruach to "leave the work and toy with old sweetnesses". And that doesn't please RHK one little bit. ;)

Be not animal, refine thy rapture.

Here's the Ordeal of the Nephesh in Liber 65.
Liber LXV chp.3
3. Then the word of Adonai came unto me by the mouth of the Magister mine, saying: O heart that art girt about with the coils of the old serpent, lift up thyself unto the mountain of initiation!
4. But I remembered. Yea, Than, yea, Theli, yea, Lilith! these three were about me from of old. For they are one.
5. Beautiful wast thou, O Lilith, thou serpent-woman!
6. Thou wast lithe and delicious to the taste, and thy perfume was of musk mingled with ambergris.
7. Close didst thou cling with thy coils unto the heart, and it was as the joy of all the spring.
8. But I beheld in thee a certain taint, even in that wherein I delighted.
9. I beheld in thee the taint of thy father the ape, of thy grandsire the Blind Worm of Slime.
10. I gazed upon the Crystal of the Future, and I saw the horror of the End of thee.
11. Further, I destroyed the time Past, and the time to Come—had I not the Power of the Sand-glass?
12. But in the very hour I beheld corruption.
13. Then I said: O my beloved, O Lord Adonai, I pray thee to loosen the coils of the serpent!
14. But she was closed fast upon me, so that my Force was stayed in its inception.
 

Always Wondering

Aeon418 said:
I've already mentioned this before,
:laugh: I have been reading the Chapter One study and I did notice this pattern. Seems it takes a lot of repetition on my part.



Aeon418 said:
but the Rider-Waite Lovers card is a perfect depiction of the relationship between the Neshamah(Angel), the Nephesh(Woman), and the Ruach(Man). The Ruach can't see the Neshamah directly, but the Nephesh can. Through the method of repeated ritual the ceremonial magician is attempting to imprint the Nephesh with a pattern which the Neshamah can use as a vehicle of communication. If we can permanently establish that pattern the result is K&C. Of course it's easier said than done. :laugh
The Nephesh is the animal soul, the instinctual nature of humanity. It's nature is inertia. As such it just wants to be what it is. Getting it to cooperate in the Great Work is difficult. Given half a chance it will over-power a weak Ruach to "leave the work and toy with old sweetnesses". And that doesn't please RHK one little bit. ;)

Be not animal, refine thy rapture.

If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart
Be Hadit. Love Nu. Spread the Word.

be me - Hermit

follow the love of Nu - Lover


I loved this. But it seems contradictory to me.
I guess my struggle with this is the perception that these are good qualities to have. In the sense that compassion and tenderness might be how the Neshamah is perceived in the first place. But the old sweetness makes perfect sense. I'm working on it. It's my little puzzle. :laugh: I suppose it has something to do with where she has her eyes.


Aeon418 said:
Here's the Ordeal of the Nephesh in Liber 65.

Liber LXV takes a lot of repetition on my part also. But I will stick to it.

AW
 

Aeon418

Always Wondering said:
I loved this. But it seems contradictory to me.
I guess my struggle with this is the perception that these are good qualities to have.
Remember that the Scarlet Woman is primarily a personification of a particular level of consciousness and not a snap-shot of a person as a whole.

Yes those qualities, and many others, may seem right and good in themsleves, but anything that is not under the direction of the True Heart(HGA) is just a personal desire of the lower self. But who's calling the shots?

Let the Scarlet Woman beware! If pity and compassion and tenderness visit her heart; if she leave my work to toy with old sweetnesses; then shall my vengeance be known.

Vengeance - Atu VIII - self inflicted karma to bring us back to the Path. Sometimes what we mistakenly think is right and good has nothing to do with our True Selves. (3 of Swords ;))

Let her follow me in my way! Let her work the work of wickedness!
 

Aeon418

Always Wondering said:
I guess my struggle with this is the perception that these are good qualities to have.
A different angle.

Would these "good qualities" be helpful to someone if their goal was self development? To someone who was trying to push beyond their preconceived limitations, and manifest their True Self? Bearing in mind that most of us are prone to back-slidding, corner cutting, self deception, and taking the easy way out whenever possible.
AL III:18 Mercy let be off; damn them who pity! Kill and torture; spare not; be upon them!
 

Always Wondering

Ohhhh. I was limiting again. Valuing the good over the wicked. DuQuette has kind of thrown me with his Great G.

I'm still thinking about this though. It's kind of a topsy turvey concept.

AW
 

Aeon418

Let the Scarlet Woman beware!

Beware: to be cautious, wary, careful, on your guard.

I think the underlying message of those verses is something like this: Letting yourself be guided by emotions instead of the Will is fraught with danger. Beware!