On Trance
Written by Ray Eales aka Frater 939 aka Frater KSK
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I write today on Trance.
Yea, also verily Thou art the cool still water of the wizard fount. I have bathed in Thee, and lost me in Thy stillness. That which went in as a brave boy of beautiful limbs cometh forth as a maiden, as a little child for perfection. LXV III vv 49,50
The idea of Trance in Thelemic lore is that of an active experience, filled with revelation. Trance offers the aspirant undergoing the experience, an opportunity to bath in that very wizard fount. In Trance an aspirant will become surrounded and indeed lost in the experience of the Trance. For the Thelemite the term trance is related to the Hindu concept of Dhyana or even Samadhi rather than to the nineteenth century mediumistic connotation. Patanjali the famous Hindu Mystic says of Dhyana and Samadhi "An unbroken flow of knowledge in that subject?" (i.e. the subject that one is concentrating on) "is Dhyana. When that, giving up all forms, reflects only the meaning, it is Samadhi." One must be practiced in meditation techniques, raja yoga, asana yoga and Dharana to experience the trances at will. It does happen that a relatively untrained individual can sort of "fall into" a trance and have some very powerful and often overwhelming experiences. The real test is what happens when the aspirant returns to "normal". How much of the experience they retain a memory and a feeling of depends to a large extent on the level of training that the individual has undergone. The more experienced an aspirant is the more they will retain of the Trance. Thus it is said in Liber AL ii 70 "Wisdom says: be strong! Then canst thou bear more joy." Each Trance has its own unique mood and truth. There are a number of Trances and these are discussed in "Little Essays Toward Truth". These are the major Trances, experiences which all aspirants are liable to encounter along their Way. There are a number of other Trances; some of extreme importance and others of importance in that they provide respite and refreshment along the difficult road to self-discovery.
There are trances on the passages in the Holy Books. These experiences lead to a deep- seated intuition of the meaning of the words that Aiwass spoke unto the Prophet of the New Aeon ΤΟ ΜΕΓΑ ΘΗΡΙΟΝ. The meanings of the passages in the Holy books are quintessential experiential phenomenon and as such can only be fully understood in Trance. I write in another essay concerning learning the Holy Books by heart.
There are Trances on human, animal and vegetable traits, on physical, mathematical and chemical laws, actions and conditions. These Trances, though of a low form are all in some way connected with the Trance or Wonder spoken of in "Little Essays toward Truth". Since all physical phenomenon seem to be Trance fuel does this not somehow lessen the uniqueness of that kind of Trance? Certainly not! For each of these phenomenon meditated upon to the brink of bliss is one of the meanings of AL i 29 & 30.
"For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all." After all these dalliances are part of the so-called play of the waters. They are the reflection of the face of the Beloved in the still waters of the wizard fount. They are the fruits and flowers of the divine orchards that we strive to cultivate within ourselves.
Love is the law, love under will.
Fraternally,
939
On the Holy Books
Written by Ray Eales aka Frater 939 aka Frater KSK
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I write today on The Holy Books:
To the Sisters and Brothers of the Orders under my watch and ward; Greetings and Salutations. For those in the various Orders you may know that the designation of Holy Book implies that the work in question is in class A of our system. The meaning thereof is that not so much as the style of a letter may be changed. For these Holy Books come from beyond the Abyss, meaning that the words are tokens of the passage of a Master unto the realm beyond knowledge, reason and intellect. Of those who have attained to Master we say that they Understand. The words in the Holy Books are words of power, they are direct links to the Spark which informs all women and men, the Fire which burns in the core of every Star of our System and the keys to the unlocking of our potential as Gods; for there is no god but man.
In our system the Abyss symbolizes, to those below its veil, the divide between knowledge and understanding. To know and to understand a thing are very different in our technical terms. To know implies that we apprehend in the intellect the reverberations of the sublime truths implicit in the terms of that truth: To Understand implies that we are those terms, truths and symbols. The words in the Holy Books represent pathways to the states, trances and attainments to which our Work tends; The discovery of our True Will, the Knowledge of the Holy One Who Guards us, and the Bed of Her whose name is to Holy to mention here. The Trances are gateways to the attainment of our ultimate End. The Holy Books are the records and maps of those who have tread these pathways, entered the gateways and attained the End. The words are the very lifeblood of those Masters who have attained. Therefore to seal these words up into your heart is to embrace with utter abandon the possibility that you too might attain. To be the Law and to mouth the words are very different. So I say unto you seal up the words into your hearts and the meanings will become your light and at last their light will disappear and you will be in your turn the light by which others see. For those who never seal the words up into their hearts there is no light, no bliss, no chance of meeting the challenge of the Work and succeeding therein.
Therefore I charge every aspirant of the Great Work with this sublime task: Learn the Holy Books, seal them into your very blood, study them until they inform your hearts and spur you on to the trances promised. Do not interpret them, do not discuss them, do not prate loudly of any accomplishment; But in silence, in the Fire of passion, in the simplest modes of study and striving learn them and you will hear the still small voice beacon more loudly with each passing year until you hear the roar of the Great Sea and stand upon its shore. Then will you too pass to understanding? It is not known if it will be so, only in the ultimate moment, in the uttermost striving, in the shadow of death can there be a resolution. What will come ? No Man can say.
Love is the law, love under will.
Fraternally,
939.·.
Here Follows Official A.·.A.·. classifications
A.·.A.·. Publications divide themselves into 5 classes:
Class A consists of books of which may be changed not so much as the style of a letter: that is, they represent the utterance of an Adept entirely beyond the criticism of even the Visible Head of the Organization.
Class B consists of books or essays, which are the result of ordinary scholarship, enlightened and earnest.
Class C consists of matter, which is to be regarded rather suggestive than anything else.
Class D consists of the Official Rituals and Instructions.
Class E consists of Rituals and Instructions pertaining to a wide variety of personal work some of these with limited circulation.
Some publications are composite in nature and may pertain to more than one class.
The Holy Books of Θελημα consist of the Class A documents.
Care Fraters and Sorors
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
I write today on compulsion and love.
There are very many manifestations of love and of those I will speak first of the most common among us. That is the love which manifests as sexual desire for it is with this love that compulsion invades and causes confusion. The purpose of this essay is to attempt to tease apart some of the issues surrounding love which when observed woven together seem a tangled mass but when viewed individually become easier to apprehend.
Now let it be understood that sexual attraction between human beings is very much like the electro magnetic phenomenon in physics in that it is automatic when certain elements and conditions are brought in proximity to one another. The desire for a specific individual and the more general desire for sexual release are two related but not necessarily connected phenomenon. The desire for sexual release may or may not accompany a desire for a specific individual. This non specific sexual desire, i.e. sexual desire not generated by the proximity of elements but rather due to an interior set of mental conditions is compulsion. Compulsion would be defined in this particular instance as an overwhelming emotion directing an individual towards a behavior which is not "under will". By under will I mean that the phenomenon controls the individual rather than the individual controlling the phenomenon.
That love should be under will is part of the code of our conduct as Thelemites. That sex should be a compulsion rather than a joyous phenomenon, participated in under the will of the operators is an unacceptable attitude that all Thelemites and Aspirants to Θελημα should eschew. While sex is an important expression of our humanity it must have its own time and place, dictated by fully aware and conscious operators. Abstinence from sex is at times as important as its healthy practice. Simply put no one yet has died from not having sex, but having said that it is an historical fact that many people have been victims of unhealthy and perverted sexual psychosis. These historical facts include a whole catalogue of tortures, mass hysteria, mass murder and oppression in many cultures, countries and forms. These historical conditions normally involved some form of forced abstinence of an individual or a group under some unrealistic set of rules, dogmas, religious beliefs or laws. The fact is that normal human beings need to act freely in regards sexual relations with one another. Mental, emotional and physical health are maintained when the powerful forces of sexual desire are in proper, perspective, place and proportion.
While it is true that individuals should act freely in regards sexual relations with other individuals there are some circumstances specific to Aspirants to Θελημα which bear mentioning at this turn. Aspirants to Θελημα need to concern themselves with not only the choice of sexual partners but with the quality of the sexual partner as well as with abstinence and with non-abstinence issues. So for the normal un-feathered biped that might choose their sexual partners based solely on compulsion with no regard for any other issue, as far as Liber Oz is concerned those choices are valid and lawful. Liber AL and Liber Oz are a bit more discerning when it comes to those who call themselves Thelemites. Liber AL says in chapter I verse 51 "Also, take your fill and will of love as ye will, when, where and with whom ye will! But always unto me." It is this last phrase "always unto me." which indicates that love including but not limited to sexual love should be indulged in with a certain special attention, a reverence meaning "a feeling of profound awe and respect " if you will. That sexual love, among other things, is in the nature of a ritual of worship to Her is indicated starting with verse 50 and continuing on through verse 52. Chapter I verse 52 has some specific warnings and injunctions which more than emphasize the importance which Aiwass placed on the right interpretation and implementation of this injunction. In fact verse 52 is pretty straight to the point; "If this be not aright; if ye confound the space-marks, saying: They are one; or saying, They are many; if the ritual be not ever unto me: then expect the direful judgments of Ra Hoor Khuit!" So, special conditions exist for Thelemites in matters concerning love, which includes sex as we have explored through out this essay.
What are the special conditions which Thelemites should consider concerning sexual love? Here follow some of the most important of these points. Note that this is by no means a complete list. Each point has many facets and each point could support an essay on its own but for now this will have to suffice.
The sexual urge should be under the complete control of the operators in all of its aspects.
Compulsive behavior precludes control of conditions; in other words you can't be compulsive about "needing sex" and in control all at the same time.
Sexual love implies being in control of your circumstance so far as Thelemites are concerned.
Sexual partners are better found among other Thelemites.
Sex with profane partners is permissible but should never be a result of compulsion. In such a case abstinence would be preferable.
Since we live in a time where the threat of AIDS is rampant full disclosure should be made between Thelemic partners. (Note common humanity would indicate disclosure to the profane as well, even though you might not expect the same courtesy from them.)
Sex with profane partners must always be suspect. (In other words it is more likely that a profane partner would lie about her or his sexual history due to the limited understanding they possess concerning the nature of sexual love and its differentiation from psychopathic or compulsive conditions.)
Remember to promulgate the Law of Θελημα we must live. In all things keep yourselves safe.
I hope that this essay proves useful to the Sisters and Brothers of the Order. May you find passion, peace and ecstasy each in its turn.
Love is the law, love under will.
Fraternally,
939