Liber 418 study group - 30th Aethyr: TEX

Aeon418

Aleister Crowley said:
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, an external shewing-forth of the coming of the new Æon, the Æon of Horus the crowned child.

The Cry of the 30th Æthyr
Which is Called TEX


1. I AM in a vast crystal cube in the form of the Great God Harpocrates. This cube is surrounded by a sphere. About me are four archangels in black robes, their wings and armour lined out in white.

2. In the North is a book on whose back and front are A.M.B.Z. in Enochian characters.

3. Within it is written:

4. I AM, the surrounding of the four.

5. Lift up your heads, O Houses of Eternity: for my Father goeth forth to judge the World. One Light, let it become a thousand, and one sword ten thousand, that no man hide him from my Father's eye in the Day of Judgment of my God. Let the Gods hide themselves: let the Angels be troubled and flee away: for the Eye of My Father is open, and the Book of the Aeons is fallen.

6. Arise! Arise! Arise! Let the Light of the Sight of Time be extinguished: let the Darkness cover all things: for my Father goeth forth to seek a spouse to replace her who is fallen and defiled.

7. Seal the book with the seals of the Stars Concealed: for the Rivers have rushed together and the Name הוהי is broken in a thousand pieces (against the Cubic Stone).

8. Tremble ye, O Pillars of the Universe, for Eternity is in travail of a Terrible Child; she shall bring forth an universe of Darkness, whence shall leap forth a spark that shall put his father to flight.

9. The Obelisks are broken; the stars have rushed together: the Light hath plunged into the Abyss: the Heavens are mixed with Hell.

10. My Father shall not hear their Noise: His ears are closed: His eyes are covered with the clouds of Night.

11. The End! the End! the End: For the Eye of Shiva He hath opened: the Universe is naked before Him: for the Aeon of Saturn leaneth toward the Bosom of Death.


[Figure:] See link to PDF below.

12. The Angel of the East hath a book of red written in letters of Blue A.B.F.M.A. in Enochian. The Book grows before my eyes and filleth the Whole Heaven.

13. Within: "It is Written, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord Thy God."

14. I see above the Book a multitude of white-robed Ones from whom droppeth a great rain of Blood; but above them is a Golden Sun, having an eye, whence a great Light.

15. I turned me to the South: and read therein:

16. Seal up the Book! Speak not that which thou seest and reveal it unto none: for the ear is not framed that shall hear it: nor the tongue that can speak it!

17. O Lord God, blessed, blessed, blessed be Thou for ever!

18. Thy Shadow is as great Light.

19. Thy Name is as the Breath of Love across all Worlds.


[Figure:] See link to PDF below.

20. (A vast Svastika is shewn unto me behind the Angel with the Book.)

21. Rend your garments, O ye clouds! Uncover yourselves! for the Love of My Son!

22. Who are they that trouble thee?

23. Who are they that slew thee?

24. O Light! Come thou, who art joined with me to bruise the Dragon's head. We, who are wedded, and the Earth perceiveth it not!

25. O that Our Bed were seen of Men, that they might rejoice in My Fertility: that My Sister might partake of My Great Light.

26. O Light of God, when wilt thou find the heart of man — write not! I would not that men know the Sorrow of my Heart, Amen!

27. I turned me to the West, and the Archangel bore a flaming Book, on which was written AN in Enochian. Within was drawn a fiery scorpion, yet cold withal.

28. Until the Book of the East be opened!
Until the hour sound!
Until the Voice vibrate!
Until it pierce my Depth;
Look not on High!
Look not Beneath!

29. For thou wilt find a life which is as Death: or a Death which should be infinite.

30. For Thou art submitted to the Four: Five thou shalt find, but Seven is lone and far.

31. O Lord God, let Thy Spirit hither unto me!

32. For I am lost in the night of infinite pain: no hope: no God: no resurrection: no end: I fall: I fear.

33. O Saviour of the World, bruise Thou my Head with Thy foot to save the world, that once again I touch Him whom I slew, that in my death I feel the radiance and the heat of the moving of Thy Robes!

34. Let us alone! What have we to do with Thee, Thou Jesus of Nazareth?

35. Go! Go!

36. If I keep silence — Or if I speak each word is anguish without hope.

37. And I heard the Aethyr cry aloud "Return! Return! Return! For the work is ended; and the Book is shut; and let the glory be to God the Blessed for ever in the Aeons, Amen." Thus far is the voice of TEX and no more.

Plain text versions of Liber 418 with Crowley's footnotes:

http://www.sacred-texts.com/oto/418/418.htm
http://hermetic.com/crowley/the-vision-and-the-voice/

Liber 418 in PDF format with images:

http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/crowley/liber/libers/Liber418.pdf
 

Aeon418

Without going into too much detail here are some general observations on the vision of TEX.

This vision and the one that follows were received in 1900. Instead of being dictated they were written down by Crowley afterwards. Also Crowley was still nominally Christian at that time. The Book of the Law wasn't received until 1904, and not accepted until 1909. For this reason the first two visions have a Christian flavour to them.

Line 1 sets the scene for this vision and seems to confirm it's attribution to Malkuth in Yetzirah. The physical universe is represented by a crystal cube with black robed angels at the four quarters. The Aethyr itself is a sphere surrounding the cube. At the center of all this stands Crowley in the form of Harpocrates.

Lines 2 to 11. The voice is the voice of the Aethyr. The delivery of it's message begins in the North. The quarter that symbolically represents the greatest darkness. Crowley relates this to the past and the destruction of the old aeon. From a more individual perspective Eshelman (JAE) interprets this as a message for subconsciousness framed in suitably apocalyptic language. The old is to be destroyed. Something new is about to be born.

Lines 12 to 14. The East is the quarter of the rising light, the new dawn. The message of the book in this quarter indicates the new way ahead. JAE interprets this as a message for the Ruach, the normal conscious, the intellect, the rational mind.

Lines 15 to 26. The South is the quarter of greatest light. The sun in it's strength. The message delivered here emanates from the Neshamah, the Supernal consciousness. It is the new influence of the breath of spirit, the new seed of the divine to be planted in the darkness of the subconcious of Crowley/humanity. The approach of the New Aeon. The initial effects of this new light are described in the dark, subconscious Northern quarter.

Lines 27 to 30. The Western quarter closes the sequence. Crowley terms this quarter as "refusing initiation". An alternative might be the effect of resistance to the new current. This quarters opposition to the East is a clue to where this resistance lies. These four quarters may also have a link to the first four angels mentioned in Revelation 8:7-12.

Lines 31 to 36 appear to be Crowley himself (or humanity in general). He invokes the highest and thereby formulates himself as the lowest. This initial 'Dark Night of the Soul' appears bleak and hopeless.

Line 37 is the voice of Aethyr closing the vision.
 

Always Wondering

In general...

After reading the earlier link to Confessions, I opted to try and feel my way through this rather than try to organize it into something at first. That was kind of hard because it feels chaotic to me. I wanted to say dualistic but that isn't enough. I want to say it has the feel of The Universe card, but that isn't enough.

I want to say it feels like the early verses of Book of Law, Chapter 2, but instead of "Yet she shall be known & I never." Its more like I shall be known & I never." :bugeyed:

That's the way it feels this morning, but I've had that kind of week. So I would love to hear what others think. Talk me down. LOL.

Aeon418 said:
Also Crowley was still nominally Christian at that time.

I didn't know this, it helps to understand that.

AW
 

Aeon418

I wanted to say dualistic but that isn't enough. I want to say it has the feel of The Universe card, but that isn't enough.

I want to say it feels like the early verses of Book of Law, Chapter 2, but instead of "Yet she shall be known & I never." Its more like I shall be known & I never." :bugeyed:

Maybe you're picking up on the dual current of the serpent/dragon. From one perspective it is represents the blind force of nature that powers mundane animal existence, directs our daily lives and perpetuates the species. But that same force harnessed and directed is also the force behind spiritual awakening. The Tempter-Serpent is the Messiah.

On the XXI Universe card this is represented by the Woman 'bruising' the head of the serpent with her heel. She has 'fixed the volatile' and completed the circuit between Spirit and Matter. But lines 24 to 26 of this vision suggests that there is still a perception of duality and sorrow until the 'light' finds the heart of humanity. K&C ?

Hadit said:
For I am perfect, being Not; and my number is nine by the fools; but with the just I am eight, and one in eight: Which is vital, for I am none indeed.
 

Owl Tarot

The Tempter-Serpent is the Messiah.

This is a Gnostic belief, that the Serpent in the Garden of Eve and Messiah-Christ (God the Son) are one and the same. This also explains why Christ suggests:

Matthew 10:16 said:
be wise as serpents and innocent as doves

Liber AL vel Legis, anyone?

About the Aethyr itself, I was also at a loss of words the few days before and this is why I haven't posted. It sounds more beautiful than I could express! I have not yet studied about the Aethyrs (my next focus for study with my recent book purchases!), so from a "newbs" perspective, I find it beautiful! I think it wants to "reveal" the Point (Kether, Hadit, the First Matter, God the Father etc) to Crowley in the sense of the axiom "As above, so below" but he doesn't have the perspective necessary yet to accept it.

In lines 2 to 11, the North, I think that suggests to Crowley the Judgment of the last Aeon and the entrance into the new viewpoint of the Aeon of Horus. A reference which I find really relative here is "The Last Judgment" by Michangelo. The "lies" of the previous Aeon are going to be re-presented in a more "accurate" way, by the power of the Fifth Element entering matter (line 7). (pretty relative to the destruction of the old Aeon me thinks)

Lines 12 to 14 I would relate to the "damage" the "rational" mind caused to the messages, twisting them. This also points back to line 10. The destruction of the "delusions" human intellect caused is coming.

Lines 15 to 26 suggest to me strong Kether-Hadit (the Swastiga is a symbol of Kether) influences foreshadowing the Law (Love is the Law, Love under Will) and the connection between Matter and Spirit, the original function of Tiphareth to marry the Daughter and "redeem" Matter. Line 26 I find pretty interesting because Sorrow here I think refers to the Magickal Vision of Binah-Babalon (the Vision of Sorrow), connecting the whole book neatly. Amen is a name of Hadit-Kether, working harmoniously.

Lines 27 to 30 I think refer to Death in the sense of Atu XIII, connecting with the Fifth Element, thus "killing" the traditional sense of the 4 Elements, which leads to 7 (I connect that to Babalon, the Sevenfold Star).

In the end, where Crowley invokes, I think he "refuses" in a sense what was revealed to him, which becomes clearer in line 34, where he wants to drive the notion of the new Aeon away with God the Son (Tiphareth-Jesus-Horus etc), thus not accepting the Vision fully.

I know I may sound foolish and sorry if I don't get this properly, but I unfortunately haven't yet studied the Aethyrs as I said, so I apologize if I am entirely off topic. Also, really helpful post Aeon, I think it would be great if you wrote a navigating post such as this one for the rest.
 

Aeon418

What's in a name?

TEX. Pronounced 'tayx' in the Golden Dawn's Enochian dialect.

Correspondences to the letters according to GD:

T = Caput Draconis, Dragons Head.
E = Virgo.
X = Earth.

Caput Draconis is Atu II. The Priestess is the Spouse. In this vision she represents the Old Aeon 'fallen and defiled'. She is also the New Aeon, the new spouse required for the begetting of a new universe.
Crowley later had difficulty distinguishing between his hand written Caput Draconis and the sign for Leo. But interpreted both as emblems of the Beast.

Virgo is Atu IX. The Hermit is the Yod-Father who judges the world and 'goeth forth' to seek a new spouse to plant the seed of a new universe.
At the time of this vision there was an error in the Golden Dawn attributions. Although copied from Harley MS. 6282 the attributions for the Enochian letters E(Virgo) and S(Gemini) were switched. Crowley did correct this error later on. But it may account for the phrasing in line 24.

Earth is Atu XXI. The Universe provides the setting for this vision. Four archangels with four books. It marks the birthing place of the Terrible Child and the destruction of the old order. There is also the dark and brooding aspect of Saturn here indicating the outer face of Binah.
 

Owl Tarot

TEX. Pronounced 'tayx' in the Golden Dawn's Enochian dialect.

Correspondences to the letters according to GD:

T = Caput Draconis, Dragons Head.
E = Virgo.
X = Earth.

Caput Draconis is Atu II. The Priestess is the Spouse. In this vision she represents the Old Aeon 'fallen and defiled'. She is also the New Aeon, the new spouse required for the begetting of a new universe.
Crowley later had difficulty distinguishing between his hand written Caput Draconis and the sign for Leo. But interpreted both as emblems of the Beast.

Virgo is Atu IX. The Hermit is the Yod-Father who judges the world and 'goeth forth' to seek a new spouse to plant the seed of a new universe.
At the time of this vision there was an error in the Golden Dawn attributions. Although copied from Harley MS. 6282 the attributions for the Enochian letters E(Virgo) and S(Gemini) were switched. Crowley did correct this error later on. But it may account for the phrasing in line 24.

Earth is Atu XXI. The Universe provides the setting for this vision. Four archangels with four books. It marks the birthing place of the Terrible Child and the destruction of the old order. There is also the dark and brooding aspect of Saturn here indicating the outer face of Binah.

This is also a nice addition. You could post in the OP the Aethyr, in the commentary post the name amalysis (really helpful) and some guidance through the Vision as a standard template.

Thank you Aeon, I think I can work it out and combine things far better now! The duality mentioned above could be actually referring to the duality of Babalon-Binah, Ama and Aima. It is put into perspective though under the authority of Hadit-Kether, which seems to me to be present here. He plants a new secret seed of Life, which follows the Judgement of the world by his Son to reset the values and grow new "wheat".

The Trumps themselves here are really telling their own story. The Hermit explains why Hadit-Kether is so strongly present in the Vision and why there is such a strong Mercurial energy here (as above, so below). The Earth card further illuminates the presence of the Son-Tiphareth-Jesus-Hoor in this particular Vision and the Great Work being further analyzed. The Vision of Sorrow ignited from the marriage of the Son and the Daughter leads to seeing both aspects of Binah and not only one of her sides, the Terrible Mother.
 

Aeon418

Books!

Four angels bearing four books with four messages. Very square. :laugh:

Book of the North. A.M.B.Z. (in enochian).

A = Taurus, The Hierophant.
M = Aquarius, The Star.
B = Aries, The Emperor.
Z = Leo, Lust.

Crowley describes the message of this book as the "Forthsaying of the New Aeon" and Tarot cards are very suggestive of that interpretation.
Substituting Hebrew letters for Enochian we get Aleph, Mem, Beth, Zain.
AMBZ = 50 which is Nun and Atu XIII, Death. A message of transformation?

Line 7 is very interesting in this context. It relates to the Star and the Emperor. The two cards involved in the Thelemic Tarot switch.

Book of the East. A.B.F.M.A. (in enochian).

A = Taurus, The Hierophant.
B = Aries, The Emperor.
F = Cauda Draconis, The Priestess.
M = Aquarius, The Star.
A = Taurus, The Hierophant.

Crowley calls this the "Opening of the New Aeon". The Hierophant acting like a pair of bookends certainly suggests this. The quote from the bible in line 13 seems to be a warning to the Ruach-intellect to know it's limits. The symbolic image suggests the giving up of life-blood. For this to occur the Ruach must open itself to something higher - Atu II?
Again the two switched cards, Emperor and Star, appear. The Star on the Path of Heh is symbolic of the new river gushing forth. The way to the Supernals is open in this Aeon.
The old attribution of the Emperor to the Path of Heh represents the sealing of the Pylon (Daleth) with the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus). It keeps the Angel of Death at bay and preserves the ego. It is the formula of the Black Brothers who hold back their own blood from the cup.
Interestingly ABFMA translitered into Hebrew, ABVMA, totals 50. It's another message of Nun, XIII Death.

The Book of the South has nothing on the cover. But it's message is symbolised by the Swastika. This is the thunderbolt that the woman of Atu XVII is said to make. The Terrible Child? By shape it is the letter Aleph, the "Breath of Love across all Worlds." But the birth of this Terrible Child brings destruction to the old order.
Liber LXV. V:5 said:
5. Now is the Pillar established in the Void; now is Asi fulfilled of Asar; now is Hoor let down into the Animal Soul of Things like a fiery star that falleth upon the darkness of the earth.
From above the Abyss the birth of the Child is a gentle process. The Breath of Love is merely 'let down'. But below the Abyss his appearance is perceived more like the destructive star, Wormwood. })

In the Book of the West there is a cold but fiery Scorpion. This suggests a union of opposites in the process of Scorpionic-Death.
The book bears the letters A.N. (in enochian). These letters correspond to the signs Taurus and Scorpio. In Tarot they are Vau and Nun. Union through Death? Interestingly these letters also spell Nu, the short form of Nuit.

AN in Hebrew has the value of 51. There's a little something extra this time. Has the letter Aleph from the southern book now been added to the message of Death-Nun in the other two books?

51 = AN, Pain. NA, Failure.
Liber LVX. V:51 said:
51. Let not the failure and the pain turn aside the worshippers. The foundations of the pyramid were hewn in the living rock ere sunset; did the king weep at dawn that the crown of the pyramid was yet unquarried in the distant land?
Also 51 = 3 x 17, The Star. Nuit: "To me, to me".
 

Owl Tarot

Crowley calls this the "Opening of the New Aeon". The Hierophant acting like a pair of bookends certainly suggests this. The quote from the bible in line 13 seems to be a warning to the Ruach-intellect to know it's limits. The symbolic image suggests the giving up of life-blood. For this to occur the Ruach must open itself to something higher - Atu II?
Again the two switched cards, Emperor and Star, appear. The Star on the Path of Heh is symbolic of the new river gushing forth. The way to the Supernals is open in this Aeon.
The old attribution of the Emperor to the Path of Heh represents the sealing of the Pylon (Daleth) with the Blood of the Lamb (Jesus). It keeps the Angel of Death at bay and preserves the ego. It is the formula of the Black Brothers who hold back their own blood from the cup.
Interestingly ABFMA translitered into Hebrew, ABVMA, totals 50. It's another message of Nun, XIII Death.

Along the same lines we are suggesting up to now, I think this part is pretty much in coordination:

Liber 418-12th Aethyr said:
And this is the meaning of the Supper of the Passover, the spilling of the blood of the Lamb being a ritual of the Dark Brothers, for they have sealed up the Pylon with blood, lest the Angel of Death should enter therein. Thus do they shut themselves off from the company of the saints. Thus do they keep themselves from compassion and from understanding. Accurséd are they, for they shut up their blood in their heart.

They keep themselves from the kisses of my Mother Babylon, and in their lonely fortresses they pray to the false moon. And they bind themselves together with an oath, and with a great curse. And of their malice they conspire together, and they have power, and mastery, and in their cauldrons do they brew the harsh wine of delusion, mingled with the poison of their selfishness.

Thus they make war upon the Holy One, sending forth their delusion upon men, and upon everything that liveth. So that their false compassion is called compassion, and their false understanding is called understanding, for this is their most potent spell.

Yet of their own poison do they perish, and in their lonely fortresses shall they be eaten up by Time that hath cheated them to serve him, and by the mighty devil Choronzon, their master, whose name is the Second Death, for the blood that they have sprinkled on their Pylon, that is a bar against the Angel Death, is the key by which he entereth in.

The Dark Brothers translated the spilling of the blood of the Lamp to a different act then what it was meant to be, thus keeping their blood to themselves and forming illusions fitting their ways, I think is one of the things we are getting at.

It is also interesting to note that, in a certain sense (keeping in mind the suggestion that The Emperor does double-duty for a while), the letters from the book of the East cross the Abyss. The new Aeon presents the context in a different way, and so I think the paths to the Supernals (as you mentioned) is now easier to see then what it was with the old Aeon's "lies", where the "truth" was twisted as seen fit.
 

Aeon418

I know I may sound foolish and sorry if I don't get this properly, but I unfortunately haven't yet studied the Aethyrs as I said, so I apologize if I am entirely off topic.

There's no need to apologize. Liber 418 is a very evocative work that is capable of stirring up all manner of images, feelings, and chains of thought. Just go with the flow. No one is going to shoot you down for sharing an opinion. :)

Also, really helpful post Aeon, I think it would be great if you wrote a navigating post such as this one for the rest.

I will keep that in mind. I thought it would be helpful to highlight the basic skeleton of this vision. As you can see it's not all that complicated if you gain an overview of the vision as a whole. But if you dive into the minutia straight away it's very easy to get lost. A map, even if it's just an outline sketch, is very useful sometimes.