Shawn Knight I would normally post this in a more private location, like to a very restricted friends group on Facebook, but I feel, somehow, here it will be more significant. Also, it got a bit long. A few weeks ago, having gotten my magick and spirituality jumpstarted, and going well, I said “Well, I need some … Read more
In the original Bornless papyrus the purpose is not invocation of the HGA, but invocation of the gnostic deity to exorcise an evil spirit from a possessed person. At one point in the GD/Thelemic version we have: This is He […] King, Ruler and Helper. Hear Me, and make all spirits … But in the … Read more
So near the end of the Bornless Invocation is the phrase “‘The heart girt with a serpent’ is my name! ” The Greek original of this sentence, in the British museum collection, is “ονομα μοι καρδια περιεζωσμενη οφιν”, “onoma moi kardia periezosmene ophin”, “name my heart girt/girdled/encircled serpent”. I didn’t have anything in my Gematria … Read more
I’m messing around with new site design again.
So many of my readers know about the Darunumi project: a new language for magical ritual. I just had some realizations about it, and some new direction ideas. I spoke at Crucible about adding two extra paths to the Tree crossing the Abyss; hence Darunumi would have two more letters than Hebrew. I somewhat flippantly referred to this … Read more
Sometimes, you need to take a radical new approach. Sometimes, to start a radical new approach, you have to make a strong break with the past. My pentacle, as it looked for the last few years: My pentacle, a few minutes ago: My cup, as it looked for the last few years: My cup, a few … Read more
I’m not strong enough to be an atheist. Intellectually, I look around the world and go “Wow, it looks like we’re pretty much on our own. No evidence for a Creator or a purpose.” But I can’t bear laying awake at night and thinking that I myself am going to die. That one day I … Read more
Last night’s dream: I was on a spiritual retreat at some place which looked like a mansion; lots of big cushy rooms with expensive furniture. There were other guests on this retreat, perhaps 20 in all. I didn’t really get much of an impression of the other guests; incongruously for the surroundings, most of us … Read more
At first I saw this image on Wikipedia, and I was all: Then I thought about it, and I was like:
Crowley translates Hebrew עולה as “common holocaust”. Yikes. Let’s look into it. First off, he published Sepher Sephiroth years before the rise of Hitler to power. Whew. Second, he lifted the definition straight from von Rosenroth’s “comm. holocaustû” which dates back centuries. The word actually refers to the Israelites’ burnt offerings, particularly while they were … Read more