The Mystical and Magical System of the A .'. A .'. - The Spiritual System of Aleister Crowley & George Cecil Jones Step-by-Step

300 Pages·2008·17.78 MB·English

by  James A. Eshelman

THE MYSTICAL &.
MAGICAL SYSTEM
of the A.·.A.·.
The Spiritual System of
Meister Crowley &: George Cecil Jones
Step-by-Step
by James A. Eshelman
PUBL1SHED BY:
THE COLLEGE OF THELEMA
222 North Manhattan Place
Los Angeles, CA 90004-4018
Copyright © 2000 James A. Eshelman
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any
fonn or by any means. electronic or mechanical. including photocopy. without pennis
sion in writing from the author. Reviewers may quote brief passages.
All proceeds from the sale of this book are donated h,l' the author to the
College o/Thelema and its ceremonial and initiaton- vehicle. the Temple
of Thelema. in support of their ongoing work on behalf of the .4 .:. .4 ....
and its principles.
Fir;! Edition, December 1993
Second Revised Edmon. March 1995
Third Revised Edil!on. July ~ooo
FIRST HARDCOVER EDITION. October. ~ooo
ISBN 0-9704496-0-7 (Hardcover)
ISBN 0-9704496-1-5 (Paper)
The paper used in this book meets the minimum requirements for the
pennanence of paper for publications and documents in libraries and ar
chives (NISO Z39.48).
Published by: THE COLLEGE OF THELEMA
A Not-for-Profit Religious Corporation
Phyllis Seckler, Founder & Executive Director
(Donarions. legacies. and bequests made 10 the College o(The/erna
are to.'( deductible in the United Slates)
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THE COLLEGE OF THELEMA
Founded 1973 E. V.
as =
2
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Dedicated to
SOROR276
SOROR 341
SOROR 211
Love is the law, love under will.
He shall evelywhere proclaim his connec
open~v
tion l-1'ith the A . ·.A .'. and speak of It and Its prin
ciples (even so little as he understandeth) for that
lnystery is the enen1Y of Truth.
- Liber CLXXXV
Papers A, B, C, E, and F
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ABRA1-IADABRA
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B B
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R R
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1 A A
1 H H H
A HAD A
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R R
AERAHADABRA
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THE MYSTICAL {!t MAGICAL SYSTEM
OF THE A:.A:.
TABLE of CONTENTS
PRELIMINARJES
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ ix
FOREWORD to the THIRD REVISED EDITION ......................................................... xi
INTRODUCTION I
How it Works. 3
The Tree of Life. 5
Assiah. 6 • rel:irah. 6 • Briah. ~ • ..1I:illllh. - •
Sephirolh & Grades. 1\ • "Colleges "and "Orders ... <'I
A Brief History of the A:. A:. . 10
:Heisler Crowle\' (I875-I94iJ. If) • George Cecil jOl/t'S (18"13-19531. 16 •
The Hermetic Order of Ihe Golden Dalln 19
Light in Extension. ]::
::3
One SIal' ill Sigh I.
The Holy Seal of the A:.A: .. 24
Working the A:.A:. System. 25
On Using This Book. 27
English \'5 . .von-English Titles.::- • The Pronouns Problem.::8 •
SeniollS of Ihe Book. 3f) • Finding Ihe Books of Inslruction. 31
The Lion of Light. 3J
000. UBER PORT A LUCIS sub figura X .............................................................................. 34
00. POSTCARDS TO PROBATIONERS. by Aieisler CrOl1'iel ........................................... 36
O. EDITORIAL from The Ellulnox. \"01. I. No. :::. hl Alclsle/' C/'mrllT .............................. 39
THE ORDER G.D.
imerlude October Dawn. bl' James A. Esl1elmol1 ............................................................................ 44
Chaptt'r 1 THE A:.A:. STUDENT ................................................................................................ 45
An Open Door. 45
The Original A:. A:. Student Program. 45
A:. A:. Student Syllabus. 46
Raja raga. 47 • The Shil'a Sanhita & The Halha raga Pradipika. 48 •
The Spirilual Guide. 49 • Dogme el Ritllel de la Hallie Magie. 51 •
The Goelia. or The LemegefOn alS%man Ihe Aing. 5:: • 777. 54
Later Developments. 55
The College of Thelema & Temple ofThelema. 56
Student Options. 57
The Expanded Reading List. 57
Additional Grades of Srudentship, 58
Advancement to Probationer. 59
iv THE MYSTICAL & MAGICAL SYSTEM OF THE A .·.A .'.
Chapter 2 THE PROBATIONER GRADE (0°=0°) ...................................................................... 60
Admission to the Probationer Grade. 60
"The Book", 60 • The Robe. 61 • The Aspiration Name. 61
Overview of the Probationer Work. 61
The Probationer's Journey, 63
The Probationer Syllabus. 67
Advancement to Neophyte, 68
Chapter 3 THE NEOPHYTE GRADE ( 1°= I 0°) ............................................................................ 69
Symbols of the Neophyte Grade. 69
Advancement to the Neophyte Grade. 70
The Neophyte Initiation Ceremony. 70
Overview of the Neophyte Work. 74
The Neophyte Formllia. 75 • The Feasl ofrhe Equinox. 76
Liber 0.76
Building the Pantacle. 77
The Four Powers of the Sphinx. 78
Mastery of the Astral Plane (The Path o/Ta\,). 79
The Ordeal of the Nephesh. 81
.~
~. Liber HHH & Divination (The Parhs o.fShin & Qoph). 82
.'
The Neophyte Syllabus. 82
Advancement to Zelator. 83
Chapter 4 THE ZELA TOR GRADE (2°=9°) ...... , ......................................................................... 84
Symbols of the Zelator Grade. 85
Advancement to the ZelalOr Grade. 85
The Zelator iniriarion Ce remonL 86
Asana & Pranayama. 87
Forging the Magick Dagger. 88
Liber HHH (The Paths of Shin & Resh). 89
...
~ The Formula of the Rosy Cross. 90
Other Tasks of the Zelator. 92
The Zelator Syllabus, 92
Advancement to Practicus. 92
Chapter 5 THE PRACTlCUS GRADE (3°=8°) ............................................................................. 93
Symbols of the Practicus Grade. 93
Advancement to the Practicus Grade. 94
QabaJah.94
Gflana Yoga. 95
Control of Speech. 96
Casting the Magick Cup. 97
Expansion of Consciousness. 98
Di\'ination (The Path ofQoph). 99
Quickening of the Light (The Path ofT:addi). 99
Destruction of Thought (The Path of Peh). 100
Other Tasks of the Practicus. 100
The Practicus Syllabus. 100
Advancement to Philosophus. 100
Ta h/(' of COlUelflS \
Chapter 6 THE PHILOSOPHUS GRADE (4°=7°) ..................................................................... 103
Symbols of the Philosophus Grade. 103
Advancement to Philosophus. 104
Devotion. 104
Bhakti Yoga. 105
Control of Action. 106
Constructing the Magick Wand. 106
Evocation & Talismans (The Path ofA'ayin). 10-:
Meditation: Mahasatipanhana {The Path o(NullJ. 1O f!.
Rising on the Planes (The Path o{Samekh). 109
Class C Documents & the Philosophus Syllabus. 109
Other Tasks of the Philosophus. 109
Advancement to Dominus Liminis. 110
Chapter 7 THE DOMINUS L1MINIS GRADE ........................................................................... 11)
Liber Mysteriorum. 112
Pratyahara & Dharana: Control of Thought. 112
Equilibrium of Knowledge & Power. 113
Lighting the Magick Lamp. 114
Control oflntuition. 114
Lumen in Centrum. 115
The Dominus Liminis Syllabus. 115
Advancement to Adeptus Minor. 116
THE ORDER R.C.
11lferlude Thalia. by Jame5 A. Eshelman ....................................................................................... 1 ) 8
Chapter 8 THE ADEPTUS MINOR GRADE (Without) (5°=6°) ............................................... 119
The Dove & the Rose. 119
The Adeptus Minor Initiation. 1]0
The Holy Guardian Angel. 1]]
c
Chapter 9 THE ADEPTUS MINOR GRADE (Within) (5 =6D) .................................................. 127
The Voice m the Silence. 1]9
Symbols of the Adeptus Minor Grade. 132
The Adept as Mystic. 132
Specific Tasks of the Adeptus Minor Grade. 133
The Path ofMem. 134
The Path of Lamed. 13 i
The Adeptus Minor Syllabus. 137
c
Chapter 10 THE ADEPTUS MAJOR GRADE (6 =50) ................................................................. 139
Love Under WilL 140
Symbols of the Adeptus Major Grade. 141
Magick Power. 141
14: •
Samma\'Oyamo: Right Energr. Karma Yoga. 142
The Paths of Kaph. Yod & Teth. 145
K4PH: The Three GUllas. 145 • rOD: Se([-Reliance, 147 •
TETH- Baba/on & the Beast Conjomed. 148
\
vi THE MYSTICAL & MAGICAL SYSTEM OF THE A . '. .4 .'.
The Adeptus Major Syllabus. 15()
Advancement to Adeptus Exemptus. 152
Chapter 11 THE ADEPTUS EXEMPTUS GRADE (7°=4D) ......................................................... 153
Exemption From Incarnation? 153
Symbols of the Adeptus Exemptus Grade. 154
The Summit of Abiegnus. 156
Bhakti '{ oga. 156
The Adeptus Exemprus Thesis. 158
The Path of Zavin. 159
The Path of Cheth. 160
Beyond the Rosy Cross. 162
Conclusion. 164
Epilogue Daughter of the Lantern. hyJames A. Eshelman ........................................................... 167
ApPE~DlCES
Appendix A Liber XIII vel Graduum Montis Abiegni ...................................................................... 173
Appendix B Liber Collegii Sanctii sub figura CLXXX\'~ .............................................................. 179
Appendix C One Star in Sight .......................................................................................................... 199
Appendix D Syllabi of the Grades of FRAT ERNIT AS A:. A: ........................................................ ~09
Appendix E Catalogue of Official Documents FRA. TERNITAS A:. A: ......................................... ~~ I
Appendix F A :.A:. Robes. Grades Signs & Officers ...................................................................... 235
Roht'.I.:r • Sigl7S. :41 • Ojficers. :4.'
Appendix G Some Essential Documents ........................................................................................... 249
CLASS A: Liber L. vel Legis. 251
CLASS B: Liht?r E \'e/ Exercifiomm, 259 • Liher 01'1'>/ .\Janus ef Sagiflae. 263 •
Libel' Lihrae, 270
CLASS C: .-1n ACCOllnf ~tA .·.A .·. . 272
CLASS D: Liherlll vel JugorIlm, 273 • Liher Resh "e/ Helios. 277 •
Liher HHH. 2i8 • Ritual VlIl. 281
I .
Ust o(JlJllstratlOIlS & Sid.,n.Irs l'il
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS & SIDEBARS
FRO!"TISPI[C[
A solarfiare, the likes of lI'hich human sCientists had nel'cr prel'lollsh' seen, letr Oil!' 51111 011 April S, 199 - E.I·, <111.1
arriH:,d twO dars later 011 April /0. crosslIlg the 93 millIOn milt:' ahns heth'eell Sol and Earth dlll'lIIg til,' tilr.·,· .i.n"
that Here the 93"'1 allnhersan' of Thl! diCTaTioll of Liber Legis. The Book of the Law. 01/ April ,\-/11, 19(}-J E I, Tiw
hiSTOric STOrm II'QS the/irsT In' lI'ere cl'er ahle TO sTudy so care/ii/h', dll£' to rec('m/r deplored cXTra-LlTmu.lphen.--",lI
el/oc Tcclll1ologJ, The Frolllispiece il/u,HratlOI1 portrars thiS cosmic dram<l 115 (/ II1t'SS(,II!,!t'I' from thl' Or';,'/' 01 Til,'
Si/n'r Sial' 10 ,ht' Children oflhe Ughl dllellillp. on Earth
The Tree of Life. 4 The MyslIc Alelster Crowley. W5
Sephiroth of the Tree of Life. {, The Fire Wand. In-
Aleister Crowley. I I The MagICal Lamp. 11-1
Horus. I:; Frank Bennett. II {,
The Equinox. 13 The Lamen. I:; I
George Cecil Jones. 16 Adonai ha-Aretz. I ~3
Samuel &. Moina MacGregor Mathers. 1- The Sun of the Soul. J:4
\Villiam Wynn Westcott. Ie; Adept's Rosy Cross. l~S
Old G.D, Grades A:. A:. Grades. : I Torch-Bearers of Their Generallons. 130
The Ceiling of the Yault of the Adepti.:;4 Crucifixion. 13:
Greal \\'omen in ~Oi" Century Occultlsm.:;e; The Hexagram. J3 3
Classificalions of Official A:. A:. Instructions. An Invocation from Uher Silt),JII1. J3 6
311 The Cross &. Triangle. 136
Eliphas Levi. 5:; The bmen of Y:. H:. Fra. Christeos Luciftias.
A Magical Circle &. Triangle ofbocation. 53 Ir
A Pantacle of Jupiter. 54 The Pentagram. J4 1
~1athers' Protege. 55 The Floor of the Yault of the Adepti. l.J3
/mist &. Adept. 56 Graspmg the Currents. I -I"
-0:
"The Book." fl/ LlOn-Headed Serpent. 149
The Robe of the Probationer. 64 Liner IILJrlII1I lia. 150
Soror Estai' s Probationer C eniflcatc. 65 Chief Adept's Wand. J5 5
The ;':" ofi.:: Ponion of Z ~. -I Alelster Crowley. 15S
The Pantacle of Frater Achad. -8 The Pyramid of Initiation. 159
The Four-Headed Kerubim. "Y The Holy Grail. 1M
The MaglLian. 1m The Master Thenon. J6 3
A Flamm!,' Sword. 8~ The Slopes of Ablegnus. 176
The Serpent of \\·isdom. 85 William Nonham. Robe Maker. ':39
The ZelalOr Hood Ensign. 86 The Seal of the Cancellarius. ';44
The Magick Sword. 89 The Seal of the Imperator. 244
The Rosy Cross. 90 The Seal of the Praemonstrator. :;44
The Caduceus of Hermes. 90 Frater Satumus. HC=3CJ• 246
Frater O.M .. 94 The Sign of Silence. 247
The Cup of the Stolistes. 96 The Pentagrams of Spirit. 265
A Magick Cup. 98 The Pentagrams of Fire. ]M
Tarot. 99 The Pentagrams of Water. 266
The Four Great Watchtowers. or Enochlan Ele The Pentagrams of Air. 266
mental Tablets. 101 The Pentagrams of Eanh. 266
P:1hagoras. 103 The Hexagrams. 167
Equilibrating the Elements. 104 /\Iatrum Securum. 276