My magical re-training regimen in 2015-16 falls under two headings:
- Following the lesson plan in Learning Ritual Magick by Greer et al.
- Working intently on the exercises of Crowley’s A∴A∴ degree system, 31 days per degree.*
* This is radically abbreviated compared to the “real” A∴A∴ program. See details below.
There was a third part of this: attempting to attain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. As of 15 November, I have, sadly and with much consideration, discontinued this part of the enterprise, and rescheduled the other two given the time I’ve lost in the last six weeks attempting to do the HGA work.
Details of each component follow.
Learning Ritual Magick
Learning Ritual Magick is very simple in concept, being explicitly a training program. The book has 18 lessons, each with a set of exercises. Each lesson is to be practiced for two weeks.
This program began for me on Sunday 16 August, but was interrupted at the beginning of Lesson 4 by my attempt to work the HGA work as well. I’m therefore restarting Lesson 4 on 15 November. Saturday 11 June should be the last day of Lesson 18.
I don’t promise to update this page every two weeks as the lessons progress, but from time to time I will. Facebook updates will be much more frequent.
The A∴A∴ Work
I’m spending 31 days doing each A∴A∴ grade’s exercises and rituals. This is not enough for proper A∴A∴ work and attainment. Let no one read this and claim I said the results of A∴A∴ can be obtained in 31 days per grade. This is simply getting myself back into the magical “swing of things”.
Why 31 days instead of simply going by the calendar months, or four weeks, or the moons? Because 31 is a very special number, especially to me.
The dates I did/will begin each grade’s work are:
| Student | 25 August |
| Probationer | 25 September |
| Neophyte | 26 October, restarted 15 November |
| Zelator | 16 December |
| Practicus | 16 January |
| Philosophus | 16 February |
| Dominus Liminis | 18 March, ending 17 April |
As of this update (15 November), I’m in Neophyte. The Great Work of a Neophyte is “to obtain control of the nature and powers of my own being.” Time for yoga and self-discipline.
I’m already doing the Learning Ritual Magick work, and that means I’m already “doing”, not just “studying”, but, multiple threads at once.