Note to update: the addresses and phone numbers in these issues of the Thelema Lodge Calendars are obsolete since the closing of the Lodge. They are here for historic purposes only and should not be visited or called.
Thelema Lodge
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O.Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
March 1989 e.v. at Thelema Lodge
Announcements from
Lodge Members and Officers
And Now... April '89 e.v.
NOTE: The April Calendar is still open. To get your event on the
calendar, Attend the March 14th Lodgemeeting OR contact the Lodge before that
date - thanks! - C -
Saturday, April 1st: Ist and II Degree Initiations. Call for time
Sunday, April 2nd: 2:00 am Daylight Saving begins
turn clocks 1 hr. forward
8 pm, Gnostic Mass
Monday, April 3rd: 7 pm, Hypatia Camp meets (415) 537-3212
Wednesday, April 5: New Moon Ritual. Call for time
Thursday, April 6th: 8 pm, Unfolding Hermetics (415) 549-0952
Friday, April 7th: Tammy's Mass Seminar (by invitation). Call for time
Saturday, April 8th: The Three Days of "Liber AL" begin.
The First Chapter at Merkabah 549-0952.
Call for time
Sunday, April 9th: The Second Chapter at the Lodge. Call for time
9:30 sharp, Gnostic Mass
Monday, April 10th: The Third Chapter (location TBA). Call for time
Tuesday, April 11th: 8 pm, Thelema Lodgemeeting
Saturday, April 15th: Enochian D & D in Santa Cruz (408) 423-4241
call for info
Sunday, April 16th: 8 pm, Gnostic Mass
Thursday, April 20th:8 pm, Unfolding Hermetics 549-0952
Full Moon Ritual. Call for time
Sunday, April 23rd: 8 pm, Gnostic Mass
Monday, April 24th: 8 pm, Eleusinian Repertory Mob meets
Tuesday, April 25th: 8:30 pm, Dave's Enochiana
Sunday, April 30th: 4:18 pm, Taurus Birthday Smash
8 pm, Gnostic Mass
When I had played my role as fool, | |
I stood beside an inky pool | |
Of jet, which on its surface bore | |
A phantom fleet, each knew one oar | |
To guide its course. And as I stood | |
I saw the curtains of each hood | |
Were black and wet, and this seemed strange. | |
For though I looked, within the range | |
Of sight there was no storm, no foam | |
To slash and drench; the darkened dome | |
Was still. A gentle wind breathed through | |
The lofty sail, yet of the crew | |
I saw not one to man the sweeps, | |
And yet we moved across the deeps | |
To where a darkened funnle led | |
Beneath the curving overhead. | |
The current moves more swiftly here, | |
It feeds the treadmills of a weir | |
Of jagged rocks beneath the lashed | |
Foam of the water, bubble splashed | |
The cavern wall stands to the tides | |
That sluice its worn, eroded sides | |
And candles gutter in their wicks | |
As ever faster rolls the Styx. | |
It beats the shadowed air to whirl | |
Above the frightened dead, its purl | |
Becomes a raging, snarling stream | |
Through which the boats are shot, the scream | |
Of those who hoped for peace in Hell | |
Is drowned beneath the rushing swell | |
Of sound that thunders through this cave | |
Beyond the portals of the grave. | |
In clusters drift the sodden boats | |
Upon the bay, wet sluggish motes | |
They bob and dance among the waves, | |
To wind and tide they are as slaves | |
That know no motive of their own | |
But lie within the fluid zone | |
Of force that moves them as it wills | |
To where the rushing water stills | |
And spreads into a placid sea. | |
The pilgrims sag on bended knee | |
In thankfulness unto that form Who | |
held them through the mortal storm; | |
For there, beyond the torrent's roar, | |
In swinging tiers above the shore | |
Where Lethe's rolling combers break | |
Lies, coil on coil, our Mother Snake. | |
These questions often arise with "Magical Alphabets".
Grimoires contain strange and troubling scribbles to be written on magical
tools. Many of these writings are not mystical alphabets at all, but very bad
handwriting recopied so many times that only a tenuous relation can be made to
the original. In The Greater Key of Solomon, there is an inscription on a
drawing of a magical wand. This collection of mysterious letters has been
faithfully rendered on tools of Magi and Wicca alike, but a table of Hebrew
antique letters and a good Hebrew dictionary translates it as "cut a sweet
sapling". It's just a title for an illustration! I can't help wondering how
many have held up such a wand and sought to trouble the Vasty Deep with those
words. Not all the manifestations of magical evocations are what they seem.
Some of those weird sounds might be demonic snickering!
("Dipthongs" vary in some sources)
Ogam is a collection of several Celtic alphabets. It has been called an
imitation of Roman letters; but the sounds represented are not Latin, and the
entire concept of representation is different. Ogam inscriptions in Ireland
predate Roman influence in many instances. Ogam was inscribed on the edges of
stones and pieces of wood. It consists of a series of cuts marked over a
straight edge. Other elements are used, including runic devices. The
principle is to take a few elements (most commonly: short lines on one side,
others on the opposite side, across at right angles, across at a diagonal,
circles and sometimes runic devices) and combine them in different counted
groups to represent the sounds of Gaelic. Often the line will start and end
with a "C" shape. Mathers' Greater Key of Solomon has a plate illustrating
three lines of Ogam to be written on the breast of the Magician's robe. Very
elaborate versions of Ogam were used in later centuries to pass military
communications in Britain, and these were usually done on lines drawn in
parallel rows on paper. The best compendium of Ogam variations is found in
British Museum MS Add. 4783, and an excerpt from that appeared in Thomas
Astle's The Origin and Progress of Writing, 1784 e.v. The Ogam Inscribed
Monuments of the Gaedhil in the British Islands ..., by Richard Rolt Brash,
1879 e.v., gives the best study of Ogam standing stones, including topical
essays, translations and locations.
Passing the River
(Update, probably Samaritan and the river the Hanaha, not the Jordan as erroneously stated in the printed edition of the TLC.)
Malachim (Angelic)
Celestial alphabets tend to be variations on Hebrew, and include
"Celestial", "Passing the River" and "Malachim". These appear to be intended
for Astromancy, the art of looking for meaningful shapes defined by stars in
the night sky. Such letters usually have small circles at line ends and bends
to represent star positions. C.C. Zain (Elbert Benjamine) of The Brotherhood
of Light characterizes the Malachim alphabet as "Egyptian" in his book Sacred
Tarot, but that is nonsense. Zain may have copied and elaborated his Egyptian
Tarot from Practical Astrology by pseudo Saint Germain, 1901 e.v. Malachim
letters were used on the Tarot Trumps in that book. Samples of Celestial
alphabets will be seen in the back of the Mathers' edition of The Greater Key
of Solomon and in the tables in the back of Raymond Buckland's The Tree: The
Complete Book of Saxon Witchcraft.
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a | b | c, k | d | e | f | g | h | i, j, y | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u, v, w | x | z |
Enochian is an alphabet and a language. Although the notes of John Dee
indicate that it mysteriously appeared in visions, there is an unconfirmed
story that the Enochian alphabet was described a century before Dee by
Marsilio Ficino (15th cent.). Ficino introduced the Corpus Hermeticum to
Renaissance Europe, and Dee had a collection of Ficino's works. Whether or
not Enochian appeared by itself, it is distinctive enough to suggest an origin
in some as yet unknown alphabet. Enochian, like Theban, may derive from North
Central Asia or Eastern Europe. Enochian studies are a regular feature of the
Thelema Lodge Calendar.
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a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i,j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u,v,w | x | y | z |
Theban is as popular as it is pretty. You see it in surprising places,
including around the collar of The Master in a Dr. WHO BBC series titled The
Demon. This alphabet is attributed to Honorius of Thebes, a possibly mythical
character of the Middle Ages. Others say that the Theban alphabet was passed
down by Peter of Abano (13th to 14th century). There are a several 14th
century and later manuscripts collectively called The Sworn Book of Honorius.
These MSS are generally considered the source of the Theban alphabet, even
though it isn't in many of them. The Georgian alphabet probably inspired
Theban. Some Georgian letters appear to have been very slightly altered for a few Theban letters, and other Theban letters have elements identical to
Georgian letters. According to A. E. Waite in his The Book of Ceremonial
Magic, the first printed edition of The Sworn Book of Honorius probably
appeared in 1629 e.v. That is the same year a Georgian-Italian dictionary was
published in Rome: DITTIONARIO GIORGIANO E ITALIANO, by Stefano Paolini, for
the Society of the Propagation of Faith. The Sworn Book is a collection of
"Solomonic Magick", ostensibly for use by priests. It is said to comprise 93
chapters, but no single MS has been found with all of them intact. There is
considerable confusion about "Honorius". Despite his being called a
mysterious Theban, he has often been identified with poor old Honorius III, a
13th century pope. Waite managed to confuse him with Honorius I, an entirely
different pope some centuries earlier. This Grimoire has a truly rotten
reputation for "evil", but that's probably just from the name of the Author.
It was denounced by the Church in Rome as a slander of Honorius III. Theban
is also in the tables in the back of Buckland's The Tree. Sadly, the curse of
Honorius has struck again in that work. Buckland refers to an elaborate
character as "Symbol designating the end of a sentence." That Symbol is not a
"period" but a Christmon or monogram of Christ in Greek, complete with Alpha
and Omega to magnify Chi-Rho. Pagans and dragons beware! Beyond the known
boundaries, there be Christians!
Modern magical alphabets abound, and include everything from the triangles
and squares of AMORC and Francis Barrett to true alphabetic novelties and
calligraphy. Crowley picked up a "Dagger" alphabet during the Abramelin
Retirement he details in his Vision and Voice. Runic alphabets are mostly
modern constructions, but they draw on older Teutonic hieroglyphs to a
considerable extent.
I cannot in good conscience and in accordance with craft ethics
as I know them continue to be a representative of the Witches'
League for public awareness --- Salem, MA. As of February 9, 1989
I am no longer in any way associated with the WLPA.
Prairie Wind
After supper1, returning to our business; I first doubted of the heads of the
Letters in the border, to be written, which way they ought to be turned, to the
Centerward of the Table2, or from the Centerward. | |
i | IL3: The heads of the letters must be next or toward the center of the Square
Table or Figure. Divide that within, by 12 and 7.4 ![]() IL5: Grace, mercy and peace be unto the Lively branches of his flourishing kingdom. And strong art thou in thy glory, which dost unknit the secret parts of thy Lively Workmanship; and that, before the weak understanding of man. Herein is thy power and Magnificence opened unto man. And why? Because thy divinity and secret power is here shut up in |
ii | Numero Ternario et Quaternario: adquiro6 principium et fundamentum omne huius est tui sanctissimi operis. I count the Third and Fourth; from which I obtain this, the first and fundamental of all your most holy works.7 For, if thou (O God) be wonderful and incomprehensible in thine own substance, it must needs follow, that thy works are likewise incomprehensible8. But Lo, they shall now believe, because they see, which heretofore could scarcely believe. Strong is the Influence of thy Super celestial power,9 and mighty is the force of that army,10 which overcometh all things. Let all power therefore rest in thee: |
![]() | |
iii | IL:14 Leave out the Bees15 of the 7 names of the Seven Kings, and 7 Princes: and place them in a table divided by 12 and 7 : the 7 Spaces being Uppermost: and therein Write, in the Upper Line, the Letters of the King, with the Letters of his Prince following next after his name: and so of the six other, and their Princes: And read them on the right hand from the Upper Part to the Lowest, and thou shalt find; then, the Composition of this Table.16 |
iv | Therein they are all Comprehended, Saving Certain Letters, Which are not to be put in17 here:18 By reason that the Kings and Princes do spring from God; and not God from the Kings and Princes. Which excellency is comprehended, and is also manifest, in that Third and Fourth member.19 Round about the sides [of this Square] is every Letter of the 14 names, of the seven Kings and Princes. |
v | Hereafter shall you perceive that the Glory of this Table surmounteth the glory of the Sun. All things else appertaining unto it, are already prescribed by your former instruction.20 |
vi vii | I have no more to say, but God transpose your minds,21 according to his Own Will22 and pleasure. You talked of Transposition. Tomorrow I will be with you again. But Call not for me, Least you incur the danger of the former Curse.23 |
l | o | n | e | g | a | n | o | g | i | l | a | ||
o | g | o | n | r | o | l | e | g | o | b | o | ||
s | e | f | a | f | e | l | e | l | a | b | a | ||
o | n | o | m | t | u | r | o | p | e | n | y | ||
n | o | d | s | i | l | l | o | p | s | a | n | ||
forte' 'firm sp' | |||||||||||||
s | e | g | r | o | r | n | e | p | y | a | n | SP transl. | |
s | p | ||||||||||||
s | e | g | l | a | r | a | z | a | m | u | l |
oO0Ooo.ooO0Oo
o0o
O
;
-------------------------------------------------
The Marginalia of Doctor John Dee:
i. | Note of the square within. |
ii. | Ternarius et Quaternarius. 'of the Trinity and the Quadripartite.' transl. |
iii. | (12 & 7) |
iv. | Note of these Kings and Princes.24 |
v. | The dignity of the Table of Practice. |
vi. | He alludeth to our Talk had of Transposition of Letters.25 |
vii. | Note danger of violating precepts of Doctrine. |
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![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | firm for | |
![]() | ![]() | ![]() ![]() | |||||||||||
![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Baligon | Bagenol |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Bobogel | Bornogo |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Babalel | Befafes |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Bynepor | Butmono |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Bnapsol | Blisdon |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | Blumaza | Bralges |
1. Sunday April 28th 1583. 'CES I.i.,' Thelema Lodge (Berkeley CA: Feb. 1989) 2. Ibidem, Aug.88. Feb.89. This article is the second in a series extracted from SL.3188 libri Qvinti Appendice explaining the details of the Tabvla Sancta. 3. Dee's notation to IL as given in the Mystical Heptarchy (vide notat. 5. infra): i. IL the first of the 7 Sons of Sons of light. ii. IL, the living and semper ('always' transl.) adherent to King Baligon, and his name is expressed in his character: vide Nov. 21 Anno 1582. iii. IL or E-L (a ligated E+L). 4. This statement can only be clearly comprehended by understanding the relationship between the mysteries of both the Magikal Square here concluding and the central arrangement of the Tabula Sancta (ibid. notat. 3). These kabbalistic formulae are expressed in the 1st place whereby the four primary elements are by a units increase formed of, the prima materia of the alchemists, the fundamental trinity (1+3=4). Therewith by the additive operation of arithmetic (3+4) is derived the sum 7, which is the key to the arrangements of the planets as known to the ancients. Further, from the multiplicative property of mathematics (3x4) cometh the sum 12, by which the constellations of the Zodiac are noted. This is elucidated, and should be studied in Dr. John Dee's Monas Heiroglyphica (op.cit. Thelema Lodge, Mar.89.) in particular aphorisms VIII & XVIII. 5. Here begins a passage extracted by Dee for inclusion in his De Heptarchia Mystica: Collectanarum Lib. primvs, the Grimoire he himself composed from the bulk of Angelic Conferences recorded in Mysteriorvm Libri Qvinti. The interested student is strongly recommended to read this document, as it concerns specifics of this Holy Table, the Lamen, and the peculiarities of the various Angelic personages variously discussed; without which understanding comprehension of the seemingly, at times, contradictory aspects of this system will prove impossible. Vide: G. James, The Enochian Evocation Of Dr John Dee (Heptangle, Gillete NJ:1984) pp.33-34, and R. Turner, The Heptarchia Mystica of John Dee (Aquarian Wellingborough, Northamptonshire Eng.:1986) pp.44-45. 6. SL.MS.3188 gives L.abbr.: " ' o " a. q SL.MS.3677 i.e. Ashmole renders this 'ac quo'. 7. This passage poses difficult ambiguities of Latin and has been variously translated: Turner (transl. "...the number three and four, from which is beginning and all the foundation of this, your most holy work." James "...the third and fourth number; from the first and fundamental is of all your holy works." 8. Almost but not quite. The editors. 9. 'super celestial' L.cognate svpercoelestial, lit.: above, or beyond the heavens, or skies. Vide Dee, Propaedeumata Aphoristica (op.cit. Thelema Lodge Feb.89. notat 10.), of which the modern interpretation would be astrophysical cosmogenesis. 10. SL.3188 'arme' arch. Eng. for army (vide OED); here probab. as in 'the armies of the Lord' an aspect of Jehovah Zebaoth. Erroneously rendered though cognate with 'arm'(cf.OED). 11. This ends the first passage herein cited in the Heptarchia Mystica. 12. This paragraph of description is lacking in Dee's Heptarchia. 13. 'E.K.' SL.3188. 14. Here begins the second passage cited in The Heptarchia. 15. Preferred rendering given in the OED for the pl. of the letter B. 16. Vide Plate II. where these names are set out in comparison directionally, and in the Adamical Alphabet. 17. 'put in' herein underlined in archaic hyphenation style, for which see prepositional usage OED. 18. I.e. the 'Bees' 19. Dee corrects 'member' to 'number' in his Heptarchia Mystica. 20. Op.cit. Thelema Lodge Feb.89. 21. For an interesting literary exposition of this rather occult conception see H.P.Lovecraft's The Thing on the Doorstep, 'The Best of H.P.Lovecraft', (Del Rey N.Y. NY:1982). This entirety of this story covers this subject in some depth, but Chapter IV. paragraph 21. bears, in an arcanely peculiar manner, on note vide post. 22. Vide Pater Noster Matt. VI:9-13 = Gk. ![]() 23. Probably in reference to 'Lundrumguffa' (op.cit. Thelema Lodge Aug. & Sept. 89.) 24. Reading from right to left and top to bottom cf. Plates I. & II. 25. It is interesting to note here that by the use of the stone attributed to King Baligon (op.cit. notat 3.), optically applied to the Magick Squares herein referred to, this perplexing issue of transposition becomes somewhat more crystal clear. |
3/1/89 | "The Three Realms" with Ebony 8 PM | Thelema Ldg | ||
3/2/89 | Tammy's Mass Seminar by invitation | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/3/89 | Thelema Lodge G.B.G. Midnight | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/5/89 | Gnostic Mass at 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/6/89 | New Moon Ritual 9:30 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/8/89 | "The Three Realms" with Ebony 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/9/89 | Unfolding Hermetics 8PM, Horus Temp. | |||
3/10/89 | "Angelic Non-Class" call for time Anniversary of Dee & Kelly's Scrying | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/12/89 | Gnostic Mass at 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/14/89 | Thelema Lodge Meeting 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/15/89 | "The Three Realms" with Ebony 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/16/89 | Rose Croix meeting 7PM (private) | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/16/89 | Princes of Jerusalem meeting 8:30 PM (These two meetings limited to degree) | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/17/89 | Bring Back the Snakes Celebration | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/19/89 | Equinox celebration by the sea (call for information) | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/19/89 | Gnostic Mass 9:30 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/21/89 | Discussion of slander of Mrq. DeSade 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/22/89 | "The Three Realms" with Ebony 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/22/89 | Full Moon Ritual 9:30 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/23/89 | Unfolding Hermetics 8PM, Horus Temp. | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/26/89 | Aries Birthday Party 4:18 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/26/89 | Gnostic Mass 9:30 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/27/89 | Eleusian rites cast meeting 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/28/89 | Enochiana "Furniture of the Temple" with Dave, 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/29/89 | "The Three Realms" with Ebony 8 PM | Thelema Ldg. | ||
3/31/89 | Minerval initiation scheduled at midnight and Ist & IInds 4/1/89 | Thelema Ldg. |
The viewpoints and opinions expressed herein are the responsibility of the
contributing authors and do not necessarily reflect the position of OTO or its
officers.
Note to update: the addresses and phone numbers in these issues of the Thelema Lodge Calendars are obsolete since the closing of the Lodge. They are here for historic purposes only and should not be visited or called.
Thelema Lodge
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O. Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702 USA
Phone: (510) 652-3171 (for events info and contact to Lodge)
Production and Circulation:
OTO-TLC
P.O.Box 430
Fairfax, CA 94978 USA
Internet: heidrick@well.com (Submissions and circulation only)