Announcements from
Lodge Members and Officers

    Happy May Day! BELTANE will be celebrated May 5th all day at Tunitas Creek Beach. We'll have a Large bonfire, Tyl Eulenspeigl in the afternoon, and Aethyr after dark...a party for all 169 No. Calif initiates and their friends.
    Gnostic Mass every Sunday at sunset - at presstime, they were all Liber 15. The usual Lodgemeeting will take place May 1st at 8 pm - let's talk about the Summer Solstice. The Lodge Of Perfection will meet May 17th, 8 pm.
    Initiations by prior arrangement - Minerval and III Degrees May 12th, I and II Degrees on the 26th. Abrahadabra Oasis will host a two-session seminar at Thelema Lodge on the 10th and 24th: "Signs, Grips, and Words" for all Initiates from Minerval to Fifth degree...starting at 8 pm both nights.
    BILL'S Qabalah concludes on the 16th with a chance to look up Gematria and an orientation to research literature. Next month the Magick and Qabalah series will begin on June 13th and have its second meeting on June 20th.
    Dave's Sigillum Dei Aemeth class series will conclude with parts 6 and 7 on the 8th and 15th of May - starting at 7:30 both nights. PLEASE NOTE, THESE DATES FOR DAVE'S CLASSES ARE SUBJECT TO CANCELATION. CALL THE RESIDENCE NUMBER BEFORE YOU SET OUT! In addition, Enochian Chess Night is May 2nd - Feast at sunset and chess games until the Star Ruby class begins at 93 o- clock. (BYOB)
    Michael presents "An Overview Of Enneagram Literature" at 7:30 pm May 22nd in Horus Temple.
    June projections ... - Gemini Birthday Bash at 4:18 May 27th - that's all for now.

    Crowley's Star Sponge vision at Lake Pasquaney around 1916 e.v. was a very profound perception but a very ordinary conception. Crowley saw "Nothingness with twinkles" and elaborated the vision subsequently to include many insights.

"... Each stage in the process was like the joy of a young eagle soaring from height to height in ever increasing sunlight as dawn breaks, foaming, over the purple hem of the garment of ocean, and, when the many coloured rays of rose and gold and green gathered themselves together and melted into the orbed glory of the sun, with a rapture that shook the soul with unimaginable ecstasy, that sphere of rushing light was recognized as a common-place idea, accepted unquestioningly and treated with drab indifference because it had so long been assimilated as a natural and necessary part of the order of Nature. At first I was shocked and disgusted to discover that a series of brilliant researches should culminate in a commonplace. But I soon understood that what I had done was to live over again the triumphant career of conquering humanity; that I had experienced in my own person the succession of winged victories that had been sealed by a treaty of peace whose clauses might be summed up in some such trite expression as "Beauty depends upon form".
    It would be quite impracticable to go fully into the subject of this vision of the Star-Sponge, if only because its ramifications are omniform. It must suffice to reiterate that it has been the basis of most of my work for the last five years, and to remind the reader that the essential form of it is 'Nothingness with twinkles.'"
           --- From Crowley's new comment to Liber AL, Ch. I, v. 59.

    This vision discovered the concept of a simple mathematical field, later extended to include vector and functional fields. Crowley's contact with Sullivan (see Confessions, p. 922) led him to investigate mathematical authors. He was deeply impressed with the writings of Bertrand Russell and A. Eddington. Crowley's interest in the mathematics of fields and series came to dominate many passages of his later writings, especially the commentaries to Liber AL and Liber LXV.
    What made the Star Sponge vision pivotal for Crowley was his state of readiness at the time he perceived the relation. Some studies and experiences, especially initiations, must occur in sequence.

" SEQUITUR DE HAC RE."
    "I believe generally, on Ground both of Theory and Experience, so little as I have, that a Man must first be Initiate, and established in Our Law, before he may use this Method. For in it is an Implication of our Secret Enlightenment, concerning the Universe, how its Nature is utterly Perfection."
    --- from Liber Aleph, p. 181

"4. The fifty gates of Binah have been variously explained. They do not appear to be of any great importance; it is only their number which is significant. The reference is to Nun = 50 = Scorpio Atu XIII -- Death."
    --- from "Cry of 14 Aethyr", Vision & Voice, page 82, fn 4.

    There is a list of the Fifty Gates of Binah or Understanding in the back of a translation of the Sepher Yetzirah by Wescott, although not in all editions; and the original of that list is in Kircher's Oedipus Aegyptiacus. Westcott took liberties with his source. He changed gate 41 and removed material from the description of gate 50, concerning Moses. His translations of the Latin are sometimes distorted by pre-conceptions. Gates 41 through 49 also contain an original confusion of the prechristian Qabalistic angelic orders with the 5th century Hierarchies of Pseudo-Dionysus.

from Westcott's Sepher Yetzirah, 1911ev, 3rd Ed. "The Fifty Gates of Intelligence." "Attached to some editions of the Sepher Yetzirah is found this scheme of Kabalistic classification of knowledge emanating from the Second Sephira Binah, Understanding, and descending by stages through the angels, heavens, humanity, animal and vegetable and mineral kingdoms to Hyle and the chaos. The Kabalists said that one must enter and pass up through the Gates to attain to the Thirty-Two Paths of Wisdom; and that even Moses only passed through the forty-ninth Gate, and never entered the fiftieth. See the Oedipus AEgyptiacus of Athanasius Kircher, vol ii, p. 319."		from Iathanasii Kircheri OEdipi Aegyptiaci Tomi Secundi, Vol. B(separate pagination from IIA), 1653ev pp. 319-321. More information is found on pp. 316-318, the entire section VI is titled "De quinquaginta portis Intelligentiae". Kircher's Hebrew type setter tends to misspell, and the Hebrew type renders some letters too like to others.
"First Order: Elementary." "1. Chaos, Hyle, the first matter.   2. Formless, void, lifeless.   3. The Abyss.   4. Origin of the Elements.   5. Earth (no seed germs).   6. Water.   7. Air.   8. Fire.   9. Differentiation of qualities.   10. Mixture and combination."		"Prima Classis. Elementorum primordiae. :" "Porta 1 & infima: Materia prima, Hyle, Chaos .      2 Vacuum & inane, id est, formarum priuatio.      3 Appetitus naturalis, abyssus.      4 Elementorum discretio & rudimenta.      5 Terrenum elementum nullis adhuc seminibus             infectum.      6 Aquae elementum operiens terram.      7 Aeris ex aquarum abysso exhalantis             elementum.      8 Ignis elementum fouens & animans.      9 Qualitatum symbolizatio.      10 Appentitus earundem ad commistionem."
"Second Order: Decad of Evolution." "11. Minerals differentiate.   12. Vegetable principles appear.   13. Seeds germinate in moisture.   14. Herbs and Trees.   15. Fructification in vegetable life.   16. Origin of low forms of animal life.   17. Insects and Reptiles appear.   18. Fishes, vertebrate life in the     waters.   19. Birds, vertebrate life in the air.   20. Quadrupeds, vertebrate earth     animals."		"Classis Secunda. Mistorum Decas." "Porta 11 Mineralium, terra discooperta, apparitio.      12 Flores & succi ad metallorum generationem             ordinati.      13 Mare, Iacus, flumina intra alueos secreta.      14 Herbarum, arborumque, id est, vegetatiuae             naturae productio.      15 Vires & semina singulis indita.      16 Sensitinae naturae productio, id est,      17 Insectorum & Reptilium,      18 Aquarilium             -- vna cum proprietatibus corundem      19 Volucrium,      20 Quadrupedum procreatio."
"Third Order: Decad of Humanity." "21. Appearance of Man.   22. Material human body.   23. Human soul conferred.   24. Mystery of Adam and Eve.   25. Complete Man as the Microcosm.   26. Gift of five human faces acting     exteriorly.   27. Gift of five powers to the Soul.   28. Adam Kadmon, the Heavenly    Man.   29. Angelic beings.   30. Man in the image of God."		"Classis Tertia. Humanae Naturae Decas. :,     id est, , Mundus minor." "Porta 21 , Hominis productio,      22 , Limus terrae damascenae             materia.      23 , Spiraculum vitae anima, siue      24 , Adami & Euae mysterium.      25 , Homo omnia, microcosmus.      26 , Quinque potentiae             exteriores.      27 , Quinque potentiae             interiores.      28 , Homo Coelum.      29 , Homo Angelus.      30 , Homo Dei             imago & similitudo."
"Fourth Order: World of Spheres." "31. The Moon.   32. Mercury.   33. Venus.   34. Sol.   35. Mars.   36. Jupiter.   37. Saturn.   38. The Firmament.   39. The Primum Mobile.   40. The Empyrean Heaven."		"Classis Quarta. Continet Coelorum Ordines, & vocantur ab Hebrais , id est, Mundus sphoerarum: qua sunt" "Porta 31 , Coelum Lunae.      32 , Coelum Mercurii.      33 , Coelum Veneris.      34 , Coelum Solis. (Hebrew corrected)      35 , Coelum Martis.      36 , Coelum Iouis.      37 , Coelum Saturni.      38 , Coelum firmamenti.      39 , Coelum mobile.      40 , Coelum Empyreum."
"Fifth Order: The Angelic World." "41. Ishim --- Sons of Fire.   42. Auphanim --- Cherabim.   43. Aralim --- Thrones.   44. Chashmalim --- Dominions.   45. Seraphim --- Virtues.   46. Malakim --- Powers.   47. Elohim --- Principalities.   48. Beni Elohim --- Angels.   49. Cherubim --- Archangels."		"Classis Quinta. Nouem Angelorum Ordines continet, et vocatur , id est, Mundus Angelicus, ut sequitur" "Porta 41 , Animalia sancta, Seraphini.      42 , Ophanim, id est, Rotae, Cherubini.      43 , Angeli magni fortes, Throni.      44 , Haschemalim, id est, Dominationes.      45 , Seraphim, id est, Virtutes.      46 , Malachim, id est, Potestates.      47 , Elohim, id est, Principatus.      48 , Ben Elohim, id est, Archangeli.      49 , Cherubin, id est, Angeli."
"Sixth Order: the Archetype." "50. God. Ain Suph. He Whom no mortal eye hath seen, and Who has been known to Jesus the Messiah alone."		"Classis Sexta. , Deus immensus. , Mundus supramundanus & Archetypus." "Porta 50 Deus Optimus Maximus, quem mortalis homo non vidit, nec vllo mentis scrutinio penetrauit, estque quinquagesima porta, ad quam Moyses non pertigit."
"Note. --- The Angels of the Fifth or Angelic World are arranged in very different order by various Kabalistic Rabbis."		--- The selection concludes with an assertion that only Jesus Christ penetrated the fiftieth gate; evidently an interpolation by Kircher. This was drawn up into the text of the gate by Westcott, obscuring the original.

    No wonder Crowley did not find meaning in the fifty gates! This partly Christianized hotch-potch does not display a clear system. Here's a modern recasting:

    1. The darkness of the empty womb.
    2. The darkness of the fertile womb.
    3. The fetus grows in the darkness.
    4. The fetus moves in the darkness.
    5. Birth into the outer light.
    6. First breath.
    7. The chord is cut.
    8. First feeding.
    9. First sleep.
    10. The eyes first open.

    11. The first perception.
    12. The first dream of the outer world.
    13. The first deliberate act.
    14. The first love.
    15. The power to move by will.
    16. First pain from love.
    17. Beginnings of speech.
    18. First understood answer to speech.
    19. The power to stand and walk.
    20. The power to discriminate safety and danger.

    21. Cultural behavior begins.
    22. Control of body functions.
    23. Learning and reason.
    24. Puberty.
    25. Physical growth stops --- adulthood in society.
    26. Cultivation of the senses.
    27. Expression of the senses.
    28. Awareness of spiritual existence.
    29. The soul reaches beyond the spirit.
    30. The soul acts apart from the body spirit.

    31. The soul vitalizes the senses.
    32. The soul inspires the dreams.
    33. The soul teaches rational powers (ceremonial magick).
    34. The soul guides the emotions (Natural magick).
    35. The soul rules the body and spirit.
    36. The soul guides beyond the body.
    37. The soul blesses beyond the body.
    38. The soul endures without the body.
    39. The soul acts without the body.
    40. The soul grows without the body.

    41. Consciousness of the world is a flame.
    42. Guardianship of the world.
    43. Guardianship of souls.
    44. Guardianship of the Watchers.
    45. Sovereignty --- power to represent the highest.
    46. The power to destroy by greatness.
    47. The power to preserve by greatness.
    48. The power to build in greatness.
    49. The greatness beyond light.

    50. Eternal being.

    The examples of the fifty gates presented above demonstrate one of two principal forms of the gates of Understanding. These first two examples are representative of the higher of the two forms and can be related to the Tree of Life diagram. According to Krakovshy's Kabbalah: The Light of Redemption, pp. 155 to 157, gates 1 through 10 are the ten Sephiroth of a tree growing within the conjoined Malkut-Yesod-Tipheret of a greater tree. Thus gate 1 is Malkut within Malkut-Yesod-Tipheret. Gate 2 is Yesod within Malkut-Yesod-Tipheret. This continues with gate 10 being Keter within Malkut-Yesod-Tipheret of the greater.
    Gates 11 through 20 are a tree of ten growing within Hod of a greater tree.
    Gates 21 through 30 are a tree of ten growing within Netzach of a greater tree; e.g. gate 24 is Netzach of a lesser tree that grows within the Netzach of the greater tree.
    Gates 31 through 40 are a lesser tree growing within the Geburah of a greater.
    Gates 41 through 50 are a lesser tree growing within Chesed of a greater --- yet the fiftieth gate touches a bond with Binah of the greater tree. Through Binah the fiftieth gate is distantly united with Chokmah of the greater tree. Chokmah of the greater reaches to Keter of the greater. Keter of the greater touches Ain Soph Aur and becomes eternal by that touch.

    The second and lower of the two forms of the fifty gates of understanding has a structure curiously like certain of Crowley's methods. Each of the lower seven Sephiroth holds a truncated tree of seven. These lesser trees are cut short by the fear that dwells in the mortal spirit of human kind. This spirit knows that it is but a spark before a greater fire; yet it fears to draw the greater lest it vanish without a trace. The lesser spirit has no need to fear dissolution, for the greater fire takes its essence from the changing sparks that shine within its flame. This lesser spark is akin to Crowley's idea of Hadit while the greater fire is akin to Nuit. The difference here is an emphasis on "fear of encounter" rather than on desire for union.

    Here is an example of the second form of the fifty gates of Binah. It is said to be lower only from the greater being a perspective natural to one above the Abyss and the lower to that of one who is striving to cross the Abyss.

    1. Malkut within MALKUT. Lifeless matter.
    2. Yesod within MALKUT. Matter differentiates into substances. Elements.
    3. Hod within MALKUT. Molecules are formed.
    4. Netzach within MALKUT. Organic substances appear.
    5. Tipheret within MALKUT. Primitive life appears.
    6. Geburah within MALKUT. Primitive life Reproduces in kind.
    7. Chesed within MALKUT. Evolution of species begins.

    8. Malkut within YESOD. Creatures interact.
    9. Yesod within YESOD. Creatures become aware of the living and the lifeless.
    10. Hod within YESOD. Creatures evolve defenses and weapons.
    11. Netzach within YESOD. Creatures become social.
    12. Tipheret within YESOD. Creatures take harmless pleasure with one another.
    13. Geburah within YESOD. Creatures begin to care for one another.
    14. Chesed within YESOD. Food and other needs are shared.

    15. Malkut within HOD. Objects are used as tools
    16. Yesod within HOD. Objects are honored.
    17. Hod within HOD. Tools are made.
    18. Netzach within HOD. Tools and shelters are improved.
    19. Tipheret within HOD. Tool making is taught.
    20. Geburah within HOD. Trade begins.
    21. Chesed within HOD. Things not needed are kept for the future.

    22. Malkut within NETZACH. Objects are admired.
    23. Yesod within NETZACH. Objects are decorated.
    24. Hod within NETZACH. Decoration represents nature.
    25. Netzach within NETZACH. Nature is influenced by decoration.
    26. Tipheret within NETZACH. Artists are honored.
    27. Geburah within NETZACH. Design departs from nature.
    28. Chesed within NETZACH. Collections of symbols appear.

    29. Malkut within TIPHERET. Nations appear.
    30. Yesod within TIPHERET. Nations react with nations.
    31. Hod within TIPHERET. Trade between nations begins.
    32. Netzach within TIPHERET. Nations share knowledge.
    33. Tipheret within TIPHERET. Nations honor nations.
    34. Geburah within TIPHERET. International ritual is formalized by practice.
    35. Chesed within TIPHERET. Commonwealth of humanity is recognized.

    36. Malkut within GEBURAH. History is invented.
    37. Yesod within GEBURAH. Moral myth appears.
    38. Hod within GEBURAH. Progress is invented.
    39. Netzach within GEBURAH. Evolution is honored.
    40. Tipheret within GEBURAH. Commonwealth of beings is recognized.
    41. Geburah within GEBURAH. Obligations to nonhuman nature are recognized.
    42. Chesed within GEBURAH. Abstraction is held superior to the material.

    43. Malkut within CHESED. Religion and state begin to separate.
    44. Yesod within CHESED. Utopias are imagined.
    45. Hod within CHESED. Religion becomes Philosophy.
    46. Netzach within CHESED. Tolerance of differences in philosophy appears.
    47. Tipheret within CHESED. Existentialism, Positivism and Teleologism coalesce.
    48. Geburah within CHESED. Personal identity with abstraction becomes the goal.
    49. Chesed within CHESED. Enlightenment becomes the goal.

    50. Binah. Enlightenment is attained.

    The fifty gates of understanding can also be used in ritual meditation. The second approach to interpreting the fifty gates (below the Abyss) forms a structure for a negative confession like that found in the Egyptian Book of the Dead. In this, seven statements of purity are made for each of the seven lower Sephiroth. These are not to be memorized, but are made up on the spot by the ritualist each time. Each statement corresponds to a Sephira within each of the seven Sephiroth according to the pattern shown just above. Seven times seven is forty-nine statements in all. Each statement must take the form of a denial of fault, corresponding to the combination of the Sephiroth. The depth and soul-searching quality of the forth-nine truths determines success or failure. When the ritualist can say all forty-nine of these statements truthfully, the fiftieth gate will open into the Supernals though Binah. It is not necessary for the statements to be accurate in regard to one's everyday life. This procedure gradually formulates a higher self from of the normal personality. The form of the statements should begin with "I have not ..." and conclude with a denial of fault; e.g. "I have not cheated anyone." "I have not lied to anyone." and so on. This practice is given at greater length in my booklet Magick and Qabalah #1, pp. 24-27.

Events Calendar for May 1990 e.v.

    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.