From Beyond: cessation trance: nirodha-samāpatti

 

“…niroda-samapatti or ‘attainment of extinction’, also called saññā-vedayita-nirodha, ‘extinction of feeling and perception’, is the temporary suspension of all consciousness and mental activity, following immediately upon the semi-conscious state called ‘sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception’ (s. jhāna, 8).

The absolutely necessary pre-conditions to its attainment are said to be perfect mastery of all the 8 absorptions (jhāna), as well as the previous attainment of Anāgāmī or Arahantship…”
(Nyanatiloka 2021, amazon >>)

After 'entering' the Nondual more or less at will for one year or so, profound anatta insight has manifested, as I have shared in the previous post (blog on anatta >>). A month and a half later, a thought about experiencing nirodha-samāpatti arose.

And it happened soon after that:

While lying in my bed, with closed eyes (no visual input), “entering” into Nondual and on to anatta using the entry of thoughts and feelings (just thoughts/feelings cognized, no observer, self, or witness), it happened.

Slowly, body awareness 'turned off', feelings of so-called tiredness just dissipated, and thoughts vanished one by one. Consciousness manifested as thoughts/feelings (anatta level insight) just gently and slowly faded to a complete cessation. Total silence or stillness and swoon-like absence of everything and anything. Beyond perception and non-perception. No saying; I can’t adequately describe it, I admit.

I don’t know how long this state lasted, but afterward, everything instigated itself; everything became active again: thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Eyes were closed still, so the visual cortex was inactive throughout the event.

It was like a natural thing, an element of arising and ceasing of events. Only this time, there was no event, no perception, and no not-perception. It was the total absence of anything and everything. I cannot remember what was going on in this state, as there was no I to remember anything.

Now, silent joy arises here as I share this; there is nothing overly special, extraordinarily mystical, or magical about the experience, just naturally unfolding events or non-events. 

Now, however, there is nothing I could possibly base my existence or awareness on, not even the consciousness itself. 

Everything is impermanent, arising and fading away, independently liberated and interdependent simultaneously, and free of inherent qualities with no center, self, god forms, angels, spirits, elements, energy, symbols, numbers, souls, etc.

The experience completely rewired existing cognitive maps in the brain and altered cell memory: there was no issue (after the experience) with letting go of anything from the past. Everything I still identified with (through attachment or aversion) just lost meaning and substantiality. Freedom beyond form.

So why am I sharing this?

In his detailed book on Buddhist sadhana, Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, Daniel Ingram shares the following on the topic:

“I mention this attainment because it is one more of those things that are found today but has often been relegated to the realm of myth and legend or has been forgotten entirely. It is not that Nirodha is necessary, but it definitely is a good and useful thing to be able to attain. In fact, I have not yet spoken with anyone who had attained it and who didn’t consider it among the absolute King Daddy of meditation attainments other than arahatship, as the depth of its afterglow never fails to impress and amaze. Hopefully, mentioning it will raise the standard to which people feel they can reasonably aspire, which is basically the whole goal of this book.”
(Ingram, 2020, amazon >>)

Daniel’s words resonate with my current reality very much.

Interestingly enough, while this “non-state” manifested once or twice after the event described above, I completely forgot about it after entering the Vajrayana path. And it never manifested again.

My current understanding is that there is no need for that level of withdrawal as the Mahamudra, the apex of the Vajrayana path, the Land of no more Learning and the State of non-effort, is not some trance but a natural living and breathing ground reality, Nuit, the naked brilliance and beautiful void.

Gone, gone, gone beyond: anatta

It is written that Vajrayana or Tantric Buddhism is the third and last stage of the Buddhist path (not known to Crowley, at least not at the time of writing the 'Science and Buddhism'). 

The entry-level Buddhist path is Theravada, also known as the Sutrayana or the Small Vehicle. It focuses on renunciation of worldly existence and studying sutras.

The middle path is Mahayana Buddhism, the Great Vehicle. It focuses on compassionate transformation and helping other beings.

The exit-level Buddist path is Vajrayana or the Diamond Vehicle. It is the most direct and fast path as it does not entertain renunciation (it actually doesn’t have to, despite what monks and nuns are practicing). It takes worldly existence not as something to be renounced; it uses it as a path. In Vajrayana, the goal is the path (under the guidance of a true Tantric or Mahamudra Master).

In my experiences, there is one attainment that is of paramount importance, no matter what Buddhist path one travels on:

anatta or non-atma insight.

And it really takes direct empirical knowledge. No amount of sacred texts learned by heart, no mental acrobatics, and no symbolic interpretations will do, not even in a million years.

Without such direct attainment, all one is left with are the Thelemic, Vedic, or Advaita level philosophical discussions or various levels of Advaita or Rasa samadhi…

Empirical knowledge

The apex of transpersonal insights into Absolute reality as per Vedanta awareness teachings are sabikalpa, kevala nirbikalpa, and sahaja nirbikalpa samadhi (Ramana Maharshi has elaborated upon these levels of samadhi extensively from his own empirical knowledge, of course; Crowley refers to nirbikalpa samadhi briefly in his 'Science and Buddhism').

There is more to be realized, however.

In the realm of so-called Emptiness teachings or teachings of the kind Buddha, there is no self, no center, no agency, no God involved in the natural ground Reality: anatta or an-atma. In Thelemic Holy and other Libri, this ground Reality is referred to as Nuit.

It was thus:

“I was sitting on a bench in a park, and it was a warm, lovely autumn day. I was browsing through a book on integral psychotherapy and transpersonal identity development (Forman 2010, amazon >>, a new page opens up), and the insight started to manifest while reading the information about the Nondual (the Nondual in this context refers to Reality beyond Advaita oneness, the I am presence and beyond any kind of identity, human or divine)

But before sharing the anatta insight, certain notions are worth mentioning.

In Kashmir Shivaism, ancient guidelines about obstacles to ultimate reality are outlined, so-called malas or impurities (Forman 2010, p.158, see link above):

– anava mala (the belief that any given person occupies a particular space, i.e. I am here, not there, and certainly not everywhere),

– mayiya mala (the belief that there are other objects outside of us, i.e. Angelina is out there, not here where I am located). Basically, that is the root perception of false ego, the illusory center of reference.

By the time I got through reading this, Nondual was already 'present' (only seeing the seen, hearing the sound, etc…); it seems the first two malas were recognized as false straight away: with the Kindle reader in hands, boundaries just vanished, and the little ego and also the well established and stable "I am presence" realization was gone, gone beyond and what remained was seeing only images, hearing only sounds. It, the “I am Presence” (the Causal Self, the Brahman, the Paramatma), became only what five aggregates or skandhas, according to Buddhism (Form, Sensation, Perception, Mental Formation, and Consciousness) were offering from moment to moment, arising and ceasing.

It is important to note that I was, at that point, still able to return to the “I am” presence, perceiving the well-known impersonal presence of the “True self”, or "Star". For years, I entered that state of oneness at will; that is why returning back to the “I am” presence was happening so easily.

It was different this time, however: I realized with the aha! moment that the “I am” presence as the center of consciousness is exactly the same as the arising and ceasing manifestation which was being intimately experienced. The seen, sensed, cognized was experienced AS the “I am” presence – only that “I am” presence was not there anymore.

What instigated further insight was comprehension of the third mala (or impurity) as defined in Kasmir Shivaism:

– karma mala – the belief that a person must perform an action, do something to remedy any given situation, say, “I need to meditate to get enlightened”.

It happened a few moments after I read those words (I was using the entry of mental formations and consciousness); everything just became crystal clear, no returning back to “I am” presence, for there was no one here, there, anywhere to return to!

And I am not talking only about the little false ego (which, in my opinion, may also be called the Authentic Self from Centuar or Authentic level as per Wilber map); I am not talking about the Ego, the Atma, Jivatma, the Soul; I am talking about the “I am” presence, The Witness Itself, the Star ("I am alone: there is no God where I am." Liber AL II:23).

For years (prior to and after the Ordeal x), I was grateful to abide as a Witness, Omnipresent and liberated, as it were, relatively free from mental/emotional/physical impressions, laughing at the human drama I was continually witnessing. But now, the “I am” presence itself, or the One Witness, was gone! Even the Pure abstract potential or the so-called Unmanifested “I am” (higher Causal level, the Impersonal Brahman) was nowhere to be found! It seems that after years of entering samādhi at will, I was allowed to move on.

Only there is no one to give permission to or anyone to be allowed to move on or do anything else. No one is here; it never was, and it cannot and does not exist because events unfold on their own. No center is needed. Phenomena are free, each one separated from every other phenomenon, not touching and yet interconnected but liberated as they come and go!
("...For the interplay of the parts hath no action upon the whole..." Liber B vel Magi, 16 

Gone (leaving little ego or the authentic self behind), gone (beyond the atma and/or HGA), gone  beyond (the I am presence).”

Next:
From Beyond: cessation trance: nirodha-samāpatti 

On Redemption as a Woman

 

Relating to Reality through the prism of 'shakti' (sacred feminine in Sanskrit) is predominant in various aspects of tantric teachings (Sri Vidya, Kali Tantra, the nondual or Buddhist Yogini Tantras, etc.).

And no, I am not referring to neo-tantric commercial trips in the West, where everything orbits around sex.

There is so much more to encountering, discovering, or engaging with Reality, presently and intimately!

Such an intimate connection with Reality Itself (Goddess, Nuit, Mahamudra, Pure Perfect Presence, ground reality, etc.) can be mirrored in how we relate to the inner aspect and the outer embodiments of 'shakti'.

There is an essay written by our Soror of the A.'.A.'., that addresses important aspects of the subject under discussion:

On Redemption as a Woman, or On Authoritatively Embracing One’s Receptivity

The text offers precious jewels that surpass the fuzzy-little-occult-secret-riddles in the Thelemic community by light years: it is simply about us and our innate nature.

Reposted in entirety from:

https://www.corneliuspublications.com/on-redemption-as-a-woman/

Here we go:

On Redemption as a Woman, or On Authoritatively Embracing One’s Receptivity

by Erica M Cornelius

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law – AL I:40

To denizens of the old Aeon, I, Woman, am wicked. For I am temptress and witch, whore and Kundry. Wielding my sensual flesh and hypnotic wiles I lure unwary men to ruin. Nor do I apologize. For in this Aeon, “the slaves shall serve” and “There is no law beyond “Do what thou wilt.” If a man cannot resist my wiles, I lay him low and he has only himself to blame. I am neither evil nor good, but a force of Nature. I am Woman.

How may I as a Woman understand the magickal formula of the Son’s Redemption of the Daughter, as valid today as in previous times? Doesn’t the word Redemption imply that the nature of Woman is fundamentally flawed and lacking? In a Christian context, the word certainly has been taken to imply that women are uniquely sinful and fallen. And, yes, a Thelemic woman should spit and stomp upon the notion that she is the root of all evil—except, of course, to the extent that that is recognized as a good thing. Everything below the Abyss is dual, and that is just the point.

To Redeem means variously to restore, to buy back through a ransom, to rescue. It is critical to understand that in the Grail legend, Parsival not only redeems Kundry, he thereby redeems himself. Both Man and Woman require redemption. Women are not unique in this. In Christian language, both men and women have been expelled from the Garden of Eden and quest to return. For both men and women exist as such below the Abyss and thus are incomplete. And both men and women are redeemed through this magickal process of Love under Will. “For I am divided for love’s sake, for the chance of union.”

When the two sexes reunite in Crowleyan sex magick, they symbolically realize the Original and Eternal Unity above the Abyss. The only reason the Woman needs redemption by the Man and not the other way around is that she symbolically represents the Earth and he, Heaven. This is not arbitrary, but required by the physical reality of our bodies. We women act as the receptive partner due to the nature of our vehicle. There is no moral value attached. Thus if we find ourselves taking it personally, that only indicates that we have important and promising work to do regarding our karmic baggage. (Remember, you can always pick a male vessel next time around if that’s important to you.)

Our female vehicle is aligned with Earth. To give you an idea, whereas orgasm typically damages the male, for us it’s nothing but good. When we get aroused, including during orgasm, we not only retain the vital Essence or Fool but have the potential to move it to a useful power center through our emotional natures. Our erogenous zones are much more broadly distributed than the male’s. We are multi-orgasmic by nature. Thus in sex magick, we channel Power through our arousal and maintain a proper environment for nurturing the Fool, representing Love in the formula.

By contrast, a man’s penis uniquely endows him with the potential to bring the Fool through from across the Abyss. Although he must learn to carefully control his physical arousal if he is to realize this potential, his proper role is to direct the magickal intent with his Mind, representing Will in the formula.

Again, we women symbolically (i.e. in reality) represent the manifested Universe, Nuit, whereas the male symbolically represents the unmanifested point of consciousness, Hadit. Cooperating in the process of Redemption, Son and Daughter of the Tetragrammaton (Vav and Heh-final) reunite Heaven and Earth as equal partners, realizing the Eternally Unified Father and Mother Above (Yod and Heh).

As Thelemic magicians, males and females are equal though distinct in our roles. As female sex magicians, we must engage our receptive role authoritatively. Each of us serves only our god, never another magician. We can and should reject Crowley’s old Aeonic idea that women exist to be used, as if we were not Stars in our own right. Be wary of even more subtle forms of manipulation and coercion in the name of spiritual development. If you fall for it, he is not in the wrong—you are. Again, “the slaves shall serve”. Never allow another to colonize you regardless of his spiritual attainments or personal assets. “The word of Sin is Restriction.” Your allegiance is to your god alone.

The first test lies in our own flesh. We cannot be redeemed—cannot contribute as equal partners in sex magick—if we are still uncomfortable in our own bodies. As women who have incarnated so early in the Aeon, many of us have as part of our destinies to transmute heavy familial karma related to negative views of women, hatred of the body, and even sexual abuse. Step one is to overcome our personal karma that keeps us either prudish or excessively promiscuous relative to our own Zodiacal archetype. This work can take many years. Don’t be discouraged, for you are bringing the Thelemic current to bear not only upon you as an individual but upon your entire ancestral line. This is difficult and important work. Each one of us is an incarnation of BABALON, and our birthright is to revel in our flesh as living goddesses.

Use your flesh as well when judging a potential Redeemer. He must be able to arouse you and keep you aroused. For a start you must genuinely find him sexually attractive. We are not medieval Catholics buying indulgences. No amount of sexual activity with high magicians, whether fake or real, will ever earn you spiritual rewards just by itself. Of course if servicing repulsive men is your kink, that’s a different story.

But even if a man arouses you one way or another, has he attained the ability to control his arousal so that the central focus for long, long periods—weeks, months, years, and decades—is upon your arousal and not his penis? Any man can claim to be a Thelemic priest. But unless his actions are tipped far, far in the direction of your arousal and away from his pleasure in penetration, he either doesn’t understand Crowleyan sex magick, is incapable of practicing it, or both. Again, whether he is wearing a lounge suit or a loin cloth, scrutinize his behavior very carefully. Of course, all sex magick is for a higher purpose than the personal satisfaction or aggrandizement of either participant. It is for the evolution of humanity. So don’t get selfish and bitchy, but do be choosy.

Of course arousal is a two-way street, and your chief job is to Invoke the Lord. A Woman by her astral nature is actually the active partner in this regard. She is the initiator on the inner planes. Yet because our fundamental external nature is Yin and Restrictive, part of our Work is to control that Foundation. We as women naturally yearn for states we call security, happiness, fulfillment, fidelity, respectability, even normality. We must constantly be on our guard. If we start attempting to coerce, manipulate, change, or control the man in an attempt to get our way we poison the environment. If we start seeking greener pastures in order to meet our personal needs, we risk a calamitous fall. Of course success is your proof. The only law is Do what thou wilt. I can’t tell you what’s right for you. My point here is that a great part of our work is seeing the bigger picture and that sex magick is not for our personal benefit. If you fail to arouse your partner, “another woman shall awake the lust & worship of the Snake.” And Ra Hoor Khut warns, “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.” Since all power comes through the Scarlet Woman, she needs to be self-possessed indeed in order to avoid ruin.

Sex magick is not a toy or a lark. It is a serious spiritual path for women demanding careful discrimination in order to avoid colonization on the one hand and terrible sorrows and regrets on the other. There is no shame in admitting it is not for you. If you are so inclined, you can enjoy all the fruits of the Law of Thelema while choosing personal fulfillment on the horizontal plane. That may be your Will. However, for the woman who is wily, intelligent, mature, and utterly committed to serving her god above anyone and anything else, sex magick holds the promise of the Redemption of her lower nature.

Not only do we Women participate equally in sex magick as the Redeemed, but the insights we gain by working the BABALON formula on the Right side of the Tree of Life illuminate this Aeon for all. For the formula we work externally in our own bodies, men work inwardly. Women in this Aeon are thus poised to contribute fundamental magickal knowledge.

Love is the law, love under will. –AL I:57

Authentic Kabbalah vs Mystical Qabalah

There is Mystical (Hermetic) Qabalah, and there is Authentic Kabbalah.

While Mystical Qabalah is a mix of pretty much anything a human mind could come up with over the centuries, the authentic Kabbalah has nothing whatsoever to do with anything within a human mind.

I like the Mystical Qabalah, its colorful symbolism, planet influences, chakras, numerical and alphabetical riddles, angels, and imputed meaning to the sephirot on the Tree of Life, mainly because I like to play around with my mind.

Over a decade ago, in 2011, however, I came across a video on YouTube titled Kabbalah Revealed.

Tony, the presenter, caught my attention in an instant. I knew he was for real, not some wannabe mystic or magician.

Fast forward to the present day:

I dropped the Mystical Qabalah as it is only mind-blowing (meaning, blowing around concepts in my mind - not enough anymore).

Nowadays, I use it with students who are not yet awake enough to delve into the actual teachings of the Authentic Kabbalah.

The Lineage of the Authentic Kabbalah I refer to here (there is only one Lineage, actually) is a group of non-mystics and non-magicians and certainly non-occultists

dating back over 5000 years.

Their teachings (predominantly for free, online, and in books) are so profound that they put the Mystic or Hermetic Qabalah to shame.

After more than a decade of careful study (meaning, slowly and gradually, as it can get really challenging) of the Authentic Jewish Kabbalah teachings, all I can say is that the Mystic Qabalah is to Authentic Kabbalah what amnesia is to a real-life experience. And I say that with all kindness and no menace.

I started to employ the instructions from the book Shamati (I have heard), article #1, 'There is none else besides him' right after I first heard it. And it took a few weeks to get used to the new method.

My bodies (nervous and endocrine systems, cognitive maps in the brain, cell memory, astral and mental bodies, etc.) needed time to adjust to the inflow of pure Light into the central line above reason.

I am confident that this one teaching not only quickened the stabilizing of the Adeptus Minor grade (as per A.'.A.'.), it also contributed to the painless, smooth, and permanent crossing of the Abyss.

Many of the texts presented on this website are elaborations on the empirical knowledge supported by the teachings of the Authentic Kabbalah.

The Authentic Kabbalah is the fundamental blueprint of Reality above reason, and its premises can effectively be applied to any system of spiritual awakening (Vajrayana and Thelema, in my case).

I am probably not making any sense to you.

But hey, invest some time and energy and

come and see:

https://www.kab.info/

- Fra 418.'.

Nuit - Nondual Presence

Beyond the physical universe, above the subtle universe, far removed from the god forms, angels, and enlightened beings, beyond the 'I am presence', above Kether, and superior to the 'visible object of worship':

Nondual Reality, Naked Awareness manifesting:

Liber NV

When discussing the nondual Reality, meaning Reality 

beyond the Fool or the One, 

beyond the Word and Magus,

above the 'I am presence', 

above any spiritual and eternal identity, 

beyond all god forms,

above Understanding and Wisdom,

when we examine 'that', we venture deeply into the realm of the Queen of Space, Nuit.

It is that ground Reality that is at the very end, as it were, of initiatory development (or is it?).

There is no need to insist on a religious approach and perceiving Nuit as a Goddess or a Godform. 

It is just the presence, completely transpersonal and ineffable. Whatever I try to say about Her or It, it turns into a lie.

Nevertheless, there is a beautiful holy text dedicated to devotion to Nuit (see also the video below).

In practical terms, what follows are instructions primarely for the winners of Ordeal X (crossing the Abyss) on how to attain nondual samadhi (sambodhi, to be more precise) through magickal steps.

There is an error in the text I should point out. In verse no. 4, the original text says 50/6=0.12,

which is incorrect, of course. 

And since this lovely Liber is not Class A, I took the liberty of altering the numbers in this blog post from 50/6 to 6/50, which does equal 0.12.

Here we go:

Liber NV
sub figura XI

publication in class D

ooo. This is the Book of the Cult of the Infinite Without.

oo. The Aspirant is Hadit. Nuit is the infinite espansion of the Rose; Hadit is the infinite concentration of the Rood (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

o. First let the Aspirant learn in his heart the First Chapter of THE BOOK OF THE LAW (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V).

1. Worship, i.e. identify thyself with, the Khabs, the secret Light within the Heart. Within this again, unextended, is Hadit.
This is the first practice of the Meditation (ccxx,I:6 and 21).

2. Adore and understand the Rim of the Stele of Revealing.

Above, the gemmed azure is
The naked splendor of Nuit;
She bends in ecstasy to kiss
The secret ardours of Hadit

This is the first practice of Intelligence (ccxx, I:14).

3. Avoid any act of choice or discrimination.
This is the first practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:22).

4. Consider the six and fifty that 6/50=0.12.
o the circumference Nuit.
. the center, Hadit.
1 the unity proceeding, Ra-Hoor-Khuit.
2 the world of illusion.

Nuit thus comprehends All in None.
Also 50+6=56=5+6=11, the key to all Rituals.
And 50X6=300, the Spirit of the Child within.
(Note NFic=72, the Shemhamphorash and the Quinaries of the Zodiac, etc.)
This is the second practice of Intelligence (ccxx,I:24,25).

5. The Result of this Practice is the Consciousness of the Continuity of Existence, the Omnipresence of the Body of Nuit.
In other words, the Aspirant is conscious only of the Infinte Universe as a single Being.
This is the first Indication of the Nature of the Result (ccxx,I:26).

6. Meditate upon Nuit as the Continuous One Resolved into None and Two as the phases of her being.
This is the second practice of Meditation (ccxx,I:27).

7. Meditate upon the facts of Samadhi on all planes the liberation of heat in chemistry, joy in natural history, Ananda in religion, when two things join to lose themselves in a third.
This is the third practice of Meditation (ccxx, I:28,29,30).

8. Let the Aspirant pay utmost reverence to the Authority of the A.·.A.·. and follow Its instructions, and let him swear a great Oath of Devotion unto Nuit.
This is the second practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:32).

9. Let the Aspirant beware the slightest exercvise of his will against another being. Thus, lying is a better posture than sitting or standing, as it opposes less resistance to gravitation. Yet his first duty is to the force nearest and most potent; e.g. he may rise to greet a friend.
This is the third practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:41).

10. Let the Aspirant exercise his will without the least consideration for any other being. This direction cannot be understood, much less accomplished, until the previous practice has been perfected.
This is the fourth practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:42,43,44).

11. Let the Aspirant comprehend that these two practices are identical.
This is the third practice of Intelligence (ccxx, I:45).

12. Let the Aspirant live the Life Beautiful and Pleasant. For this freedom hath he won. But let each act, especially of love, be devoted wholly to his true mistress, Nuit.
This is the fifth practice of Ethics (ccxx, I:51,52,61,63).

13. Let the Aspirant yearn toward Nuit under the stars of Night, with a love directed by his Magical Will, not merely proceeding from the heart.
This is the first practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:57).

14. The Result of this Practice in the subsequent life of the Aspirant is to fill him with unimaginable joys: to give him certainty concerning the nature of the phenomenon called death, to give him peace unalterable, rest, and ecstasy.
This is the second Indication of the Nature of the Result
(ccxx, I:58).

15. Let the Aspirant prepare a perfume of resinous woods and gums, according to his inspiration.
This is the second practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:59).

16. Let the Aspirant prepare a Pantacle, as follows. Inscribe a circle within a Pentagram, upon a ground square or of such other convenient shape as he may choose. Let the circle be of scarlet, the Pentagram black, the ground royal blue studded with golden stars. Within the circle, at its centre, shall be painted a sigil that shall be revealed to the Aspirant by Nuit herself. And this Pentacle shall serve for a Telesmantic Image, or as an Eidolon, or as a Focus for the mind.
This is the third practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:60).

17. Let the Aspirant find a lonely place, if possible a place in the Desert of Sand, or if not, a place unfrequented, and without objects to disturb the view. Such are moorlands, fens, the oÿen sea, broad rivers, and open fields. Also, and especially, the summits of mountains. There let him invoke the Goddess as he hath Wisdom and Understanding so to do. But let this Invocation be that of a pure heart, i.e., a heart wholly devoted to Her, and let him remember that it is Hadit Himself in the most secret place thereof that invoketh. Then let this serpent Hadit burst into flame.
This is the fourth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

18. Then shall the Aspirant come a little to lie in Her bosom.
This is the third Indication of the Nature of the Result
(ccxx, I:61).

19. Let the Aspirant stand upon the edge of a precipice in act or in imagination. And let him imagine and suffer the fear of falling.
Next let him imagine with this aid that the Earth is falling, and he with it, or he from it; and considering the infinity of space, let him excite the fear within him to the point of ecstasy, so that the most dreadful dream of falling that he hath ever suffered be as nothing in comparison. This is the forth practice of Meditation (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

20. Thus having understood the nature of this Third Indication, let him in his Magick Rite fall from himself into Nuit, or expand into Her, as his imagination may compel him.
And at that moment, desiring earnestly the Kiss of Nuit, let him give one particle of dust, i.e., let Hadit give himself up utterly to Her.
This is the fifth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

21. Then shall he lose all in that hour.
This is the fourth Indication of the Nature of the Result.
(ccxx, I:61).

22. Let the Aspirant prepare a lovesong of rapture unto the Goddess, or let him be inspired by Her unto this.
This is the sixth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:63).

23. Let the Aspirant be clad in a single robe. An "abbai" of scarlet wrought with gold is most suitable.
This is the seventh practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

24. Let the Aspirant wear a rich head-dress. A crown of gold adorned with sapphires or diamonds with a royal blue cap of maintenance, or nemmes, is most suitable.
This is the eighth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

25. Let the Aspirant wear many jewels such as he may possess.
This is the ninth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:61).

26. Let the Aspirant prepare an Elixir or libation as he may have wit to do.
This is the tenth practice of Magick Art (ccxx, I:63).

27. Let the Aspirant invoke, lying supine, his robe spread out as it were a carpet.
This is the eleventh practice of Magick Art (Instruction of V.V.V.V.V.).

28. Summary. Preliminaries.
These are the necessary possessions.

• The Crown or head-dress.

• The Jewels.

• The Pantacle.

• The Robe.

• The Song or Incantation.

• The Place of Invocation.

• The Perfume.

• The Elixir.

29. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the necessary comprehensions.

• The Natures of Nuit and Hadit, and their relation.

• The Mystery of the Individual Will.

30. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the meditations necessary to be accomplished.

• The discovery of Hadit in the Aspirant, and identification with Him.

• The Continuous One.

• The Value of the Equation n + (-n).

• Cremnophobia.

31. Summary continued. Preliminaries.
These are the Ethical Practices to be accomplished.

• Assertion of the Kether-point-of-view.

• Reverence to the Order.

• Abolition of human will.

• Exercise of true will.

• Devotion to Nuit throughout a beautified life.

32. Summary continued. The Actual Rite.

• Retire to desert with crown and other insignia and implements.

• Burn perfume.

• Chant incantation.

• Drink unto Nuit the Elixir.

• Lying supine, with eyes fixed on the stars, practice the sensation of falling into nothingness.

• Being actually within the bosom of Nuit, let Hadit surrender Himself.

33. Summary concluded. The Results.

• Expansion of consciousness to that of the Infinte.

• "Loss of all" the highest mystical attainment.

• True Wisdom and perfect Happiness.

Samadhi?

To support the work on the After Abyss articles on this Blog (and in a forthcoming book), I will share descriptions of the nondual insights.

The nondual here translates to awareness far beyond or above the Abyss after the so-called identity collapse:  the anatta (or anatma, non-self) insight and the cessation experience (nirodha samapatti).

But to get there, let us first examine the authentic Thelema teachings on samadhi in the video below.

I say authentic because when we stray too far to the left-hand side (ego-tripping, as it were), we start to make up things on our own.

There is nothing wrong with that, for sure. In Truth, however, there is no need to invent new things, for Reallity above the Abyss is already perfect.

On a more personal note, great work summing up the original ideas on Samadhi, brother IAO131!

In search of the great beast, Tobias Churton interview

Serene unemotional and non-dramatic (meaning, above astral level) position on Crowley and his life and teachings.

It is a refreshing breeze in a storm of idiocracy of wanna-be Thelemites and various occultists, authors, and other armchair experts in magick who can't seem to be able to pull their heads out of astral glamour.

These days, everyone talks about the shortcomings of Crowley, rarely realizing how brilliant he really was. Mr. Churton does seem to understand.

Great work!

I highly recommend Tobias' books as well:

https://tobiaschurton.com/4_books.html

Egypt, the land of Ancient Gods

ZOM, ARN, LIL

I was inspired to visit again the summit of the Enochian Aethyrs earlier this month (October 2023) before my travel to Egypt.

I penetrated the veil of ARN after the successful and significant learning process in ZOM.

This visit transpired last week on Thursday early morning, and while most of what took place there is beyond the scope of this blog post, I can share what Pacasna, the second governor in ARN, said to me:

"A danger will loom in Egypt during your visit, but you will not be hurt in any way; you will hardly notice that danger."

We all know about the atrocities that started last weekend in Israel and Gaza (350 km from Cairo), and maybe some understand what has happened here in Egypt. 

My point is that the claircognizant Beings in the Enochian Realms can and do help us spiritually and in everyday life.

Whether the notion that "...you will hardly notice that danger." indicated my lack of focus on impermanent phenomena, my complete confidence in Angel's words, or the song of Heruraha actualizing itself, the fact remains that safety was (still is) a normal state here.

Exploring

After visiting the Egyptian Museum (see photo of Horus below) and other ancient locations, we took some time to explore the Edfu Temple dedicated to Horus.

Horus Statue in the Egyptian Museum

The Edfu Temple is one of the best preserved and truly magnificent. The main protagonists in the most famous celestial family story in Egyptian history are depicted on the walls in incredible detail. 

Beautiful, it really is.

Entrance into the Edfu Temple

There is a room in the right wing of the Temple where I perceived a very familiar presence. It was powerful to the point this body almost fainted. There was also dizziness and an inability to focus.

My mind began to vaguely understand what was happening when our guide described a depiction of the 'Sky Goddess' on the ceiling:

my Nuit was overshadowing the ancient Egyptian god form Nut, it seems...

The entrance into the 'Sky Goddess' room:

Nut, the 'Sky Goddess' room:

360° image of the Sky Goddess Nut in Edfu Temple of Horus

Tomorrow, we will explore the Luxor area; my human heart, however, is already fulfilled.

Heruraha in LIL

The Face of Heruraha in LIL

We can perceive the text below from several vantage points.

The text may appear as a religious composition worthy of veneration.

It may be appreciated as a great mystery, revealed through symbolism and insights above reason.

Or, it might be perceived as living and breathing Truth, validated by direct empirical knowledge.

I prefer the latter, although the awe and appreciation still lingers somewhat...

How do you see the text in question?

Let me know in the comments below.

-------------

The Cry of the 1st Aethyr,

Which is Called LIL1

First, let praise and worship and honour and glory and great thank be given unto the Holy One, who hath permitted us to come thus far, who hath revealed unto us the ineffable mysteries, that they might be disclosed before men. And we humbly beseech His infinite goodness that he will be pleased to manifest unto us even the Mystery of the First Aethyr.

(Here followeth the Call of the Aethyr.)2

The veil of the Aethyr is like the veil of night, dark azure, full of countless stars. And because the veil is infinite, at first one seeth not the winged globe of the sun that burneth in the centre thereof. Profound peace filleth me, --- beyond ecstasy, beyond thought, beyond being itself, IAIDA. (This word means "I am", but in a sense entirely beyond being.)

(Note. --- In Hebrew letters it adds to 26. In Hebrew letters the name of the Aethyr is 70, ayin; but by turning the Yetziratic attributions of the letters into Hebrew, it gives 663, is the sum of the numbers from 0 to 11.)

Yes; there is peace. There is no tendency of any sort, much less any observation or feeling or impression. There is only a faint consciousness, like the scent of jasmine.

The body of the Seer is rested in a waking sleep that is deeper than sleep, and his mind is still; he seems like a well in the desert, shaded by windless palms.

And it is night; and because the night is the whole night of space, and not the partial night of earth, there is no thought of dawn. For the light of the Sun maketh illusion, blinding man's eyes to the glory of the stars. And unless he be in the shadow of the earth, he cannot see the stars. So, also, unless he be hidden from the light of life, he cannot behold Nuit. Here, then, do I abide in unalterable midnight, utterly at peace.

I have forgotten where I am, and who I am. I am hanging in nothing.

Now the veil opens of itself. (To Scribe. Come nearer; I don't want to have to speak so loudly.)

It is a little child covered with lilies and roses. He is supported by countless myriads of Archangels. The Archangels are all the same colourless brilliance, and every one of them is blind. Below the Archangels again are many, many other legions, and so on far below, so far that the eye cannot pierce. And on his forehead, and on his heart, and in his hand, is the secret sigil of the Beast.4 And of all this the glory is so great that all the spiritual senses fail, and their reflections in the body fail.

It is very strange. In my heart is rapture, holy and ineffable, absolutely beyond emotion; beyond even that bliss called Ananda, infinitely calm and pure. Yet at the gates of mine eyes stand tears, like warriors upon the watch, that lean on their spears, listening5.

The great and terrible Angel keeps on looking at me, as if to bar me from the vision. There is another forcing my head down in sleep.

(It's very difficult to talk at all, because an impression takes such an immense time to travel from the will to the muscles. Naturally, I've no idea of time.)

I have gone up again to the child, led by two Angels, abasing my head.

This child seems to be the child that one attempted to describe in "The Garden of Janus".6

Every volition is inhibited. I have tried to say a lot, but it has always got lost on the way.

Holy art thou, O more beautiful than all the stars of the Night!

There has never been such peace, such silence. But these are positive things. Singing praises of things eternal amid the flames of first glory, and every note of every song is a fresh flower in the garland of peace.

This child danceth not, but it is because he is the soul of the two dances, --- the right hand and the left hand, and in him they are one dance, the dance without motion.

There is dew on all the fire. Every drop is the quintessence of the ecstasy of stars.

Yet a third time am I led to him, prostrating myself seven times at every step. There is a perfume in the air, reflected down even to the body of the seer. That perfume thrills his body with an ecstasy that is like love, like sleep.

And this is the song:

I am the child of all who am the father of all, for from me come forth all things, that I might be. I am the fountain in the snows, and I am the eternal sea. I am the lover, and I am the beloved, and I am the first- fruits of their love. I am the first faint shuddering of the Light, and I am the loom wherein night weaveth her impenetrable veil.

I am the captain of the hosts of eternity; of the swordsmen and the spearmen and the bowmen and the charioteers. I have led the armies of the east against the armies of the west, and the armies of the west against the armies of the east. For I am Peace.

My groves of olive were planted by an harlot, and my horses were bred by a thief. I have trained my vines upon the spears of the Most High, and with my laughter have I slain a thousand men.

With the wine in my cup have I mixed the lightnings, and I have carved my bread with a sharp sword.

With my folly have I undone the wisdom of the Magus, even as with my judgments I have overwhelmed the universe. I have eaten the pomegranate in the House of Wrath, and I have crushed out the blood of my mother between mill-stones to make bread.

There is nothing that I have not trampled beneath my feet. There is nothing that I have not set a garland on my brow. I have wound all things about my waist as a girdle. I have hidden all things in the cave of my heart. I have slain all things because I am Innocence. I have lain with all things because I am Untouched Virginity. I have given birth to all things because I am Death.

Stainless are my lips, for they are redder than the purple of the vine, and of the blood wherewith I am intoxicated. Stainless is my forehead, for it is whiter than the wind and the dew that cooleth it.

I am light, and I am night, and I am that which is beyond them.

I am speech, and I am silence, and I am that which is beyond them.

I am life, and I am death, and I am that which is beyond them.

I am war, and I am peace, and I am that which is beyond them.

I am weakness, and I am strength, and I am that which is beyond them.

Yet by none of these can man reach up to me. Yet by each of them must man reach up to me.

Thou shalt laugh at the folly of the fool. Thou shalt learn the wisdom of the Wise. And thou shalt be initiate in holy things. And thou shalt be learned in the things of love. And thou shalt be mighty in the things of war. And thou shalt be adept in things occult. And thou shalt interpret the oracles. And thou shalt drive all these before thee in thy car, and though by none of these canst thou reach up to me, yet by each of these must thou attain to me. And thou must have the strength of the lion, and the secrecy of the hermit. And thou must turn the wheel of life. And thou must hold the balances of Truth. Thou must pass through the great Waters, a Redeemer. Thou must have the tail of the scorpion, and the poisoned arrows of the Archer, and the dreadful horns of the Goat. And so shalt thou break down the fortress that guardeth the Palace of the King my son. And thou must work by the light of the Star and of the Moon and of the Sun, and by the dreadful light of judgment that is the birth of the Holy Spirit within thee. When these shall have destroyed the universe, then mayest thou enter the palace of the Queen my daughter7.

Blessed, blessed, blessed; yea, blessed; thrice and four times blessed is he that hath attained to look upon thy face. For I will hurl thee forth from my presence as a whirling thunderbolt to guard the ways, and whom thou smitest shall be smitten indeed. And whom thou lovest shall be loved indeed. And whether by smiting or by love thou workest, each one shall see my face, a glimmer through a thousand veils. And they shall rise up from love's sleep or death's, and gird themselves with a girdle of snake-skin for wisdom, and they shall wear the white tunic of purity, and the apron of flaming orange for will, and over their shoulders shall they cast the panther's skin of courage. And they shall wear the nemyss of secrecy and the ateph crown of truth. And on their feet shall they put sandals made of the skin of breasts, that they may trample upon all they were, yet also that its toughness shall support them, and protect their feet, as they pass upon the mystical way that lieth through the pylons. And upon their breasts shall be the Rose and Cross of light and life, and in their hands the hermit's staff and lamp. Thus shall they set out upon the never-ending journey, each step of which is an unutterable reward8.

Holy, Holy, Holy, Holy; yea, thrice and four times holy art thou, because thou hast attained to look upon my face; not by my favour only, not by thy magick only, may this be won. Yet it is written: "Unto the persevering mortal the blessed Immortals are swift."

Mighty, mighty, mighty, mighty; yea, thrice and four times mighty art thou. He that riseth up against thee shall be thrown down, though thou raise not so much as thy little finger against him. And he that speaketh evil against thee shall be put to shame, though thy lips utter not the littlest syllable against him. And he that thinketh evil concerning thee shall be confounded in his thought, although in thy mind arise not the least thought of him9. And they shall be brought unto subjection unto thee, and serve thee, though thou willest it not. And it shall be unto them a grace and a sacrament, and ye shall all sit down together at the supernal banquet, and ye shall feast upon the honey of the gods, and be drunk upon the dew of immortality --- FOR I AM HORUS, THE CROWNED AND CONQUERING CHILD, WHOM THOU KNEWEST NOT!

Pass thou on, therefore, O thou Prophet of the Gods, unto the Cubical Altar of the Universe; there shalt thou receive every tribe and kingdom and nation into the mighty Order that reacheth from the frontier fortresses that guard the Uttermost Abyss unto My Throne.

This is the formula of the Aeon, and with that the voice of LIL, that is the Lamp of the Invisible Light, is ended. Amen.

Biskra, Algeria.

December 19, 1909. 1:30 - 3:30 p.m.

1

LIL = {Cancer}{Aquarius}{Cancer} = 76 = {HEB:Nun- final}{HEB:Vau} {HEB:Yod}{HEB:Bet}{HEB:Chet} = Secret, a refuge; {HEB:Chet}{HEB:Chet} {HEB:Yod}{HEB:Nun} rest, peace; and {HEB:Dalet}{HEB:Bet}{HEB:Ayin}, a Servant (in the noble sense). In Hebrew LIL would be 70, the eye of Horus, {HEB:Ayin}. But see a previous note on the twelvefold table, 15th Aethyr, where these letters rule the Universe. (scil. that of the present Aeon.)

2

The Seer was only too well aware that, considering the dire straits to which he was put to obtain the Second Aire, he was surely incapable of penetrating the First. In fact, only a full Magus could pierce the Second properly, and for the First, none but an Ipsissimus would be competent. This apprehension was in fact justified. Only now and then was he able to live at the level of LIL; much of the Vision and the Voice here printed is but a pale reflection in Rauch (and even that at the cost of infinite effort) of the Word of the Angel of the Aethyr. These "Ersatz-words" are indicated in the present edition by square brackets.

3

i.e. by taking L as Luna. In the note in the title, we have taken it as {Cancer}, experience having shewn that this mode is more accurate. L is {Moon} in her decrease, and {Cancer} her house. But the Enochian alphabet is referred to the Zodiac and the Elements; only indirectly to the planets; and it is imprudent to make any exception.

4

Sun and moon conjoined

5

There are long intervals between many of these paragraphs, the Seer having been lost to Being. The reader will note that "The Great and Terrible Angel" has not been mentioned, but comes in suddenly. This was because the Seer's speech was inaudible, or never occurred. This angel was the "Higher Genius" of the Seer.

6

See the Winged Beetle and Eqx. I, No. 3, where this poem is given at length.

7

This passage is quite spurious, a vague and false reflection of the true voice, which was a lyrical sequence of the Atus of Thoth{WEH Note: In this Word lurks a Pun that is Key to all the Work.}

8

This passage is not wholly wrong; it is the poor expression, which is to be deplored.

9

This prophecy has proved true in many cases, often in the most strange and unexpected ways.