Book of Law Study Group 1.8

[Grigori]

Originally Posted by Aiwass

8. The Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs.

http://www.sacred-texts.com/oto/index.htm
http://hermetic.com/crowley/index.html
http://lib.oto-usa.org/libri/liber0220.html

Other threads in this study group

[Abrac]

In Crowley's system, Khabs=Star, which is the "Inmost Light," or "God." It parallels what is often referred to as the Higher Self or True Self; what Crowley calls the True Will. The Khu Crolwey identifies as the "magical entity" or "magical garment" created by the Khabs as a vehicle for itself. In his New Comment, he describes it as "far subtler than mind or body," but also a "veil" and therefore interrelated with mind and body.

This is basically a repackaging of an occult doctrine that says, God is within you not "out there" somewhere, but with a twist. In most versions, the spiritual or "god" part of a person is imperfect to some extent and must undergo a series of incarnations in order to attain perfection before it can return to Source. In Crowley's version, the "god" (true will) within is already perfect and always has been. All that is necessary is to wake to the fact.

Crowley's Comment on this verse clarifies further what he intends by "Every man and every woman is a star." Every person is a free agent with no responsibility to a higher spiritual Authority; it really has nothing to do with equality. Actually, there seems to me to be an underlying current of us vs. them throughout most of the BoL. He draws a distinction between the initiated and the uninitiated; every man and every woman are indeed stars, but the uninitiated is a "dark star." Presumably, the dark star can become enlightened through indoctrination into his (Crowley's) teachings.

[Aeon418]

Originally Posted by Abrac

Crowley's Comment on this verse clarifies further what he intends by "Every man and every woman is a star." Every person is a free agent with no responsibility to a higher spiritual Authority;

No responsibility to a higher spiritual Authority ? How did you come to that conclusion, Abrac? Didn't you just say that God is within?

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

thou hast no right but to do thy will.

Originally Posted by Abrac

it really has nothing to do with equality.

Your Will is not my Will. They are the same in essence, but diverse in expression. But which of the two is more important or better? The answer is neither. Only the ego makes that kind of distinction.

Originally Posted by Abrac

Actually, there seems to me to be an underlying current of us vs. them throughout most of the BoL.

To Do or not to Do, that is the question.

Originally Posted by Abrac

He draws a distinction between the initiated and the uninitiated; every man and every woman are indeed stars, but the uninitiated is a "dark star." Presumably, the dark star can become enlightened through indoctrination into his (Crowley's) teachings.

What is initiation in the sense that Crowley is using the word here? It is the journey inward to "Know Thyself". The ways to self knowledge are countless. Crowley merely taught a way. Not the way.

[Abrac]

Originally Posted by Aeon418

How did you come to that conclusion, Abrac? Didn't you just say that God is within?

Sorry, I must be confused.

[Aeon418]

Originally Posted by Abrac

Sorry, I must be confused.

Or maybe the Emperor is still on the 15th path.

[ravenest]

This is one bit where the 'Thelemic meaning' is vastly different from the Egyptian terminology. But we have agreed (?) that we are following the Thelemic meaning ...

[Always Wondering]

Originally Posted by ravenest

This is one bit where the 'Thelemic meaning' is vastly different from the Egyptian terminology.

Okay, just so no one gets roasted alive by Crowley's ghost.
What is the Thelemic definition for Khu?

AW

[Abrac]

Khabs is Egyptian for "star." Crowley defines "khu" as "the magical entity of a man." He sees it as a "magical garment" which the Khabs creates for itself in order to experience self-consciousness. He calls it the "first veil."

What Crowley is talking about becomes a lot clearer when you understand that by "khu" he is talking about "akh." It was common in those days for translators to translate akh as khu. It seems clear from Crolwey's description of the Khu that he is talking about a spiritual body which is precisely the meaning of Akh. There is a lot of information online about the Akh.

For example, Crowley's translator translates this name as Ra-Hoor-"Khu"t but the hieroglyphics actually say Ra-Har-"Akh"t. I believe this largely accounts for Crowley's difficulty in understanding the true nature of "Ra-Hoor-Khuit."

[Aeon418]

Originally Posted by Always Wondering

What is the Thelemic definition for Khu?

Crowley defined the Khu as:
The Khu is the magical garment which it weaves for itself, a 'form' for its Being Beyond Form, by use of which it can gain experience through self-consciousness, as explained in the note to verses 2 and 3. This Khu is the first veil, far subtler than mind or body, and truer; for its symbolic shape depends on the nature of its Star.

The Thelemic Khu is the very root of self-identity and individuality. It's what we normally think of as "our-selves" behind the veils of mind and matter. It's commonly called the spirit or soul of a person. But this is only the first "magical garment" of the Khabs/Star. Soul or spirit is not our true inner essence, it is merely the shell of the Khabs/Star.

Our Star, in order to gain experience as a separte being from a unique perspective, has to clothe itself in the illusion of separate existence. The Khu is that first veil that creates the illusion of separateness.

It's got nothing to do with ghosts or surviving personalities after death.

Is that helpful or confusing?

[Aeon418]

I know that I posted this before, but here's a whole essay dedicated to explaining this verse. It's well worth reading.

http://www.erwinhessle.com/writings/...in_the_Khu.pdf