Thelema: A.C.'s Psycho-Spiritual Philosophy for a New Aeon @ UCB

Benjamin Stein Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:06 pm

93
I am currently attending a course at U.C. Berkeley on Thelema with the above title. As the course meets weekly, and there usually seems to be just one question as an assignment; I thought I would present that assignment here, and direct my instructors to a discussion of their topics outside of a purely academic realm.
The topic for this week is "Ethics, Morals, the Method of the Child." The reading list has the following three articles, "Ethics of Thelema" by Erwin Hessle, "Thelemic Values" and "Part 4: the Notion of Sin Abolished" by IAO131. The homework assignment is "An example of love under will in your life."
I look forward to your responses and I will pass them along. Thank you.
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Ben

AxisMundi Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:01 am

Hi Ben,

Like the Cornelius-Tower icon. Itself, a great exponent ON Magickal formulas :-)

Look forward to reading Erwin & Den's papers. Will offer feedback if moved.

Cheers

Khephra Sat Sep 26, 2009 9:54 am

Wow! That looks like a very tasty course! Who is the prof? Is this part of your undergraduate work or ??

Hessle, E. - The Ethics of Thelema
IAO 131 - Thelemic Values
IAO 131 - Psychological Commentary on Liber AL vel Legis, Chapter 4: The Notion of Sin Abolished

Benjamin Stein Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:51 pm

Kephra,
93
Thank you very much for posting easy access to the articles referenced.
No, this course is for my enjoyment only. I am no longer a Cal student, I'm just auditing this course. So far it has been quite good, from a purely academic viewpoint. The TSI's are Fargher and Karras. Frankly, I feel that the reader is lacking at points. For example, why are there no works by Crowley this week?
There are a few guest lecturers of note scheduled. If you are in the area, come check it out.
93/93
Ben

Benjamin Stein Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:02 am

93

I apologize for not having kept up on this thread, but I've been busy.

This week's DECal topic is "Practices of Thelema, Magick," and the readings are "What is Magick?" [from Magic Without Tears], "Liber Resh," "Liber E," "Liber O," "Mass of the Phoenix," "Liber Jugorum," and "An Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magick" [from The Goetia], all by Crowley. The homework assignment is to choose one exercise from the above Libri, to perform it once a day, and to keep a diary of one or two sentences a day about the exercise.

Hopefully everyone finds this to be more engaging than the last exercise.

93/93
Ben

Khephra Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:11 pm

No point in apologizing for being busy. Wink

Magick Without Tears
The Goetia

Unless I'm mistaken, here's the complete syllabus for the course, for those inclined to dig in further:

9/2, Week 1: Introduction to Thelema and organizational issues

9/9, Week 2: The life of Aleister Crowley
“A Crowley Chronology”
“Frequently Asked Questions about Aleister Crowley” by Lon Milo DuQuette
“Liber II: Message of the Master Therion” by Aleister Crowley
“The Prophet and the Book of the Law” by Lon Milo DuQuette
“Manifesto of Ra Hoor Khuit” by IAO131

9/16, Week 3: Will
“Doing Your Will” by Jack Parsons
“The Will is Supra-Rational” by IAO131
“Duty” by Aleister Crowley
“Part 5: Curse Against Reason” by IAO131
“On The Nature of the True Will” by Sabazius

9/23, Week 4: Love, The Great Work
“Pole Star” by Aleister Crowley
“Part 2: Each Person as a Star” by IAO131
“Part 3: Modus Operandi of the Thelemite” by IAO131
“Yoga for Yahoos: First Lecture – First Principles” by Aleister Crowley
“On Thelema” by Aleister Crowley
“De Lege Lebellum” by Aleister Crowley

9/30, Week 5: Ethics, Morals, The Method of the Child
“Ethics of Thelema” by Erwin Hessle
“Thelemic Values” by IAO131
“Part 4: The Notion of Sin Abolished” by IAO131

10/7, Week 6: The Book of the Law (Its “Reception” and Content)
“Intro to Liber AL”
“Liber AL vel Legis: The Book of the Law” received by Aleister Crowley
“Part 1: First Principles” by IAO131
“Summary of the Case” by Aleister Crowley

10/14, Week 7: The Holy Guardian Angel, Union, Death
“Samadhi and K&C of HGA: An Assortment of Quotations” by IAO131
“Part 6: Individuation and the True Will” by IAO131
“Part 9: A New Perspective of Death” by IAO131
“Dewdrops” by Aleister Crowley
“Venus of Milo” by Aleister Crowley
“Liber Cheth” by Aleister Crowley
Excerpts from “Liber LXV” with commentary by Aleister Crowley

10/21, Week 8: Practices of Thelema, Magick
“What is Magick?” by Aleister Crowley
“Liber Resh” by Aleister Crowley
“Liber E” by Aleister Crowley
“Liber O” by Aleister Crowley
“Mass of The Phoenix” by Aleister Crowley
“Liber Jugorum” by Aleister Crowley
“An Initiated Interpretation of Ceremonial Magick” by Aleister Crowley

10/28, Week 9: Thelema & Other Religions, Historical Context
“Antecedents to Thelema” by Aleister Crowley
“Rabeleis, Dashwood, and Proto-Thelema” by Steven J. Ashe
“The Ineffable Experience: Its Attainment & Qualities” by Isaac Aurelian
Excerpts from “Thelema and Buddhism” by IAO131
“Liber Porta Lucis” by Aleister Crowley

11/4, Week 10: Thelema & Western Philosophy
“Chinese Music” by Aleister Crowley
“Phaeton” by Aleister Crowley
“Philosophy of Thelema” by IAO131
“The Universe: The 0=2 Equation” by Aleister Crowley

11/11, Week 11: Thelemic Symbols, Thoth Tarot
“Wheel and – Woa” by Aleister Crowley
“The Juggler” by Aleister Crowley
The Aeon” by Aleister Crowley
Table of Tarot Attributions
“Waratah – Blossoms” by Aleister Crowley
Selections from “Correspondences” by Aleister Crowley

11/18, Week 12: Thelemic Media
“Look Back with Kenneth Anger” by Roy Frumkes
“Active Thelema” by IAO131
Newspaper article about Crowley from Dec. 26, 1915
Newspaper article about Crowley from June 24, 1934

11/25, Week 13: Organizations, Initiation
“System of the OTO” by Aleister Crowley
“Postcards to Probationers” by Aleister Crowley
“One Star in Sight” by Aleister Crowley

12/2, Week 14: Thelema in Society
“On The Education of Children” by Aleister Crowley
Women in Thelema, taken from the “New Comment to Liber AL” by Aleister Crowley
“De Necessitate Communi” by Aleister Crowley
“De Libertate Corporis” by Aleister Crowley (link)

Benjamin Stein Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:15 pm

93
That is the syllabus for the course I'm attending. I'll continue to post the assignments as I get them, if others are interested. If not, let me know.
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Ben

ankh_f_n_khonsu Fri Oct 16, 2009 8:33 am

Yes, definitely! I'm keen on hearing what you're doing and how the class is progressing! Smile

Khephra Fri Oct 16, 2009 6:05 pm

Benjamin Stein wrote:I'll continue to post the assignments as I get them, if others are interested.

Yes, please! Very Happy

Benjamin Stein Mon Oct 19, 2009 12:13 pm

93
I'm glad that you seem interested in the class, though I was hoping for more of an exchange (rather than a mere report from me). Be that as it may, I think I will start posting some portions of my homework on Wednesday mornings to see if that sparks a larger response from the community at large.

I have received the following from the instructors:

Mr. Fargher (personal email 18 Oct. '09 e.v.):
"...the forum site that you started is interesting. i (sic) hope it bares (sic) more fruit. it (sic) sure is interesting
to hear what other people think of this class. i (sic) know that as of last semester, the class had a few opponents in the thelemic (sic) community, but we obviously have some support as well."

Mr. Karras (class email, 18 Oct. '09 e.v.):
"...a reminder (and for those of you who missed class last week) that this week's reading-response is to be a personal documentation of some meditative practice that Crowley describes. If you choose one from Liber E, shorten it to 5 minutes but do it 5 times before we meet for class on Wednesday, writing a short sentence or two documenting the experience in the way Crowley prescribes (as objectively as possible, noting variables in set and setting). I can promise that you'll get a lot more out of the experience if you spread these 5 attempts out over a couple of days rather than doing them all Wednesday before class. Alternately, if you choose one of the prohibitions from Liber III vel Jugorum, try to keep it up the entire time until we meet on Wednesday, and write a paragraph-long reflection on the experience. But PLEASE DO NOT CUT YOUR WRISTS OR OTHERWISE MAIM YOUR BODY - a pinprick or rubber-band slap should suffice. And keep in mind that Travis and I are each choosing and doing one of the practices this week too, for classroom solidarity."

Enjoy!
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Ben

frater_entheos Tue Oct 20, 2009 12:09 am

93 all!

As one of the DeCal teachers (Ben just sent me a link here the other day), I just wanted to announce my presence and invite you to ask questions about the class, and/or make comments/suggestions. In any case, I'll be checking in periodically to see how this thread progresses.

93 93/93

Benjamin Stein Tue Oct 20, 2009 6:11 pm

93
I received the following last night from Mr. Karras (personal email 19 Oct. '09 e.v.):

"The Occult DigiMob page is pretty cool - I'm just curious to see how it unfolds. However, I wanted to correct the reading list you posted with two articles we've added after-the-fact (both attached): Egil Aspreem's "Magic Naturalized?" (more of interest to academicians studying Thelema than vice-versa) and Jack Parson's amazingly succinct "On Magick". You might also want to share the previous facilitator's contribution to IAO131's periodical, "Thelema in the Classroom", as I feel it could both stir up some additional interest to the DigiMob page and is of interest unto itself. You can find the article here:
http://www.thelemicstudies.com/?q=node/117. In any event, I'll be sure to check up on the discussion on DigiMob as the rest of the semester unfolds."

Unfortunately I don't yet know how to include links to the articles referenced above, but as soon as I do I will include those. Hopefully they are available elsewhere.
93/93
Ben

amandachen Wed Oct 21, 2009 3:30 am

Benjamin Stein wrote: PLEASE DO NOT CUT YOUR WRISTS OR OTHERWISE MAIM YOUR BODY - a pinprick or rubber-band slap should suffice.

Magick Without Tears.

neutralrobotboy Wed Oct 21, 2009 6:52 am

But PLEASE DO NOT CUT YOUR WRISTS OR OTHERWISE MAIM YOUR BODY - a pinprick or rubber-band slap should suffice.

It's funny -- before I ever read Crowley, I eliminated all use of the first person from my speech and writing for about a week. I didn't use physical feedback at all for it. I just thought it was a fun thing to do successfully, and it would really annoy me when I slipped up. It seems that that was enough. The old pain-centered technique has always seemed really odd to me.

Benjamin Stein Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:19 am

“Monday.

Mahasatipatthana

P.M. 10h 08m Entered temple (sat down).
10.20 M[ahasatipatthana] till 10.50
(1) Breathing becomes deeper, rather sleepier. (18m tired).
(2) Notable throbbing in Ajna and front of brain generally esp. with inspiring.
(3) Tendency to forget what I am doing (? Fatigue)
(4) Concen.[tration] v[ery] bad better than expected.

Tuesday. 10-11. Walk with M.
“I breathe” definitely denied in consciousness. Making an effort for the sake of experiment, regained delusion, but not quite easily.
11.33. P(rana) Y(ama) (10.20.30) – 11.39. A good deal of pain.
11.40. M[ahasatipatthana]
11.51 – 11.56. P.Y. (10.20.30) Left nostril very sore and passages bad.
12.30 – 1.30. Rapid degeneration to nothing.”
From Crowley's Magical Diary 22-23 June 1903 e.v.

ankh_f_n_khonsu Wed Oct 21, 2009 9:10 am

Sorry for not being more engaged, Benjamin Stein. I'm very interested in following along and sharing what I can, but I can only do so much...

Anyway, all this talk about Crowley has gotten me thinking about a new poll question... Razz

Maybe we can forward on a link to this thread to other Thelemically-minded people/fora?

Khephra Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:38 pm

ankh_f_n_khonsu wrote:Sorry for not being more engaged, Benjamin Stein. I'm very interested in following along and sharing what I can, but I can only do so much...

Ditto. I've got far too much on my plate already, but I'm very keen on hearing about this class!

Surely, with all the registered users we've got there should be plenty of other Thelemically-minded folks... maybe they're shy?

Benjamin Stein Wed Oct 21, 2009 10:34 pm

93
I apologize if I came across pejoratively, that certainly wasn't what I meant when I wished for more interaction. It seems to me that this a rare opportunity to witness magico-mystical thought in an established academic setting, with an opportunity for practical occultists to individually participate in the discussion; even if only peripherally.

I spoke with the instructors tonight and they (as would I) are happy to see this thread linked to other forums to expand the discussion.

Anyway, this week's assignment is, "What is a religion that parallels Thelema, and why; or if there is none, why or why not?"

If I may offer this thought:
"To you who yet wander in the Court of the Profane we cannot reveal all; but you will easily understand that the religions of the world are but symbols and veils of the Absolute Truth. So also are the philosophies. To the adept, seeing all these things from above, there seems nothing to choose between Buddha and Mohammed, between Atheism and Theism." (Liber Porta Lucis sub figura X, 19).

I hope everyone has a nice week, and I'm looking forward to this discussion. (Incidentally, I only wrote my name in full to distinguish myself from the popular figure Ben Stein. Not that I assumed that would really be a problem, but I prefer "Ben.")

93/93
Ben

frater_entheos Wed Oct 21, 2009 11:09 pm

After teaching class tonight I've found myself in a particularly thoughtful mood. Furthermore, in searching for some points of interest for next week's lecture, I thought I'd ask a more detailed version of the same study question we're asking our students for next week.

Keeping in mind that my relationship to Thelema still remains as a primarily academic endeavor, I was wondering what thoughts people had about Thelema and its relationship to (other) world religions. Clearly Crowley's flirtation with Buddhism comes to mind, but more specifically, since religious symbolism and resonances with things as diverse as Hinduism, Greek mythology, Christianity, Judaism, Egyptian mythology, etc., abound in Crowley's canon, in what sense is Thelema a belief system unto itself and in what sense is it merely a meta-system with which to navigate through various aspects of what could be called "the religious experience" (gnosis, sahmadhi, union with godhead, etc.)? That is, do you think that Thelema re-postulates concepts from these religions as some kind of a novel synthesis, or rather, is Thelema simply a lens in which to understand, interpret, and compare & contrast these religions?

What comes to mind for me as perhaps significant in answering this question is the advent of the new Aeon and the reception of Liber AL. However, I can't help but view Crowley as a sort of proto-Joseph Campbell, in the sense that he seems to be foremost an extremely worldly scholar (especially for his time) when it comes to religion.

Thoughts...?

ankh_f_n_khonsu Thu Oct 22, 2009 8:49 am

Benjamin Stein wrote:It seems to me that this a rare opportunity to witness magico-mystical thought in an established academic setting, with an opportunity for practical occultists to individually participate in the discussion; even if only peripherally.

Agreed.

I spoke with the instructors tonight and they (as would I) are happy to see this thread linked to other forums to expand the discussion.

I've sprinkled links in a few places, and I'll try to send out a few more links when I get the opportunity. Smile

"What is a religion that parallels Thelema, and why; or if there is none, why or why not?"

Well, I think Thelema's emphasis on doing the "will" of the "HGA" might align nicely with Iamblichus's Augoeides and the Hindu Atman. The Hindus also had a similar idea of "world ages", but neither Iamblichus nor the Hindu were quite as Martian as Crowley's "New Æon", so that might be a notable divergence... or not... Wink

ankh_f_n_khonsu Thu Oct 22, 2009 9:07 am

frater_entheos wrote:That is, do you think that Thelema re-postulates concepts from these religions as some kind of a novel synthesis, or rather, is Thelema simply a lens in which to understand, interpret, and compare & contrast these religions?

IMO, Crowley was definitely a "worldly scholar", and I bet he and Campbell would've agreed on many points. Both of them fell into racism and bigotry, but both of them generated syntheses that changed the global idea-scape irrevocably.

I think Crowley's work was primarily syncretic. I don't think Thelema helps us to really understand Buddhism, Egyptian mythology, etc. I think if we get our understanding of these systems through Thelema, we have skewered interpretations.

"I wish particularly to warn against the oft-attempted imitation of Indian practices and sentiments. As a rule nothing comes of it except an artificial stultification of our Western intelligence. Of course, if anyone should succeed in giving up Europe from every point of view, and could actually be nothing but a yogi and sit in the lotus position with all the practical and ethical consequences that this entails, evaporating on a gazelle-skin under a dusty banyan tree and ending his days in nameless non-being, then I should have to admit that such a person understood yoga in the Indian manner. But anyone who cannot do this should not behave as if he did. He cannot and should not give up his Western understanding; on the contrary, he should apply it honestly without imitation or sentimentality, to understand as much as is possible for the Western mind." - C.G. Jung, Collected Works vol. 11, Psychology and Religion: West & East

antares93 Thu Oct 22, 2009 1:36 pm

frater_entheos wrote:I was wondering what thoughts people had about Thelema and its relationship to (other) world religions.

I don't think there's a one-size fits all answer to this question. Rather, I hope there are as many answers to this question as there are Thelemites, for each must find what works for themselves and that includes an individuals relationship with Thelema and with other religions. Here's a quote that I believe applies equally well to Thelema:

"It has become all too easy to use these abstractions to affirm one, and only one, form of life as superior--in the context of, say, living as a Christian or being a Hindu. The implication is that there is a preferred way--the way--of expressing commitment to a religious or cultural tradition, and it lurks in such monolithic questions as "What is the Hindu understanding of the social role of women?," or "What is the Christian view of homosexuality?," or "What is the Muslim view of a just society?" --as if there is only one in each case. This approach fails to take note of the inherent plurality of religious and cultural forms of life, which thrive on adaptation, the inventive response to life's challenges, contextuality, and multiple forms of transmission and interpretation of tradition. To stress uniformity here at the expense of creative expression is to seek to endorse the status quo and the vested interests of its authority structures. It is also to discriminate against or marginalize those who may be seeking legitimate change or reform."

from "The Hindu World" edited by Sushil Mittal and Gene Thursby, pg. 22
ISBN 10: 0-415-77227-3
ISBN 13: 978-0-415-77227-3

frater_entheos wrote:Clearly Crowley's flirtation with Buddhism comes to mind...

What worked for Crowley does not necessarily work for all Thelemites. It may or may not, depending upon the individual. We're simply not monolithic. That's my 93 cents worth for the day! Smile

Benjamin Stein Wed Oct 28, 2009 8:58 am

”There are to be no regular temples of Nuit and Hadit… Our religion therefore, for the People, is the Cult of the Sun, who is our particular star of the Body of Nuit, from whom, in the strictest scientific sense, come this earth, a chilled spark of Him, and all our Light and Life.” – Crowley, New Comment, AL III,22

“The existence of true religion presupposes that of some discarnate intelligence…” – Crowley, Confessions, cap. 49

”Call it a new religion, then, if it so please your Gracious Majesty; but I confess that I fail to see what you will have gained by so doing, and I feel bound to add that you might easily cause a great deal of misunderstanding, and work a rather stupid kind of mischief.

”The word does not occur in The Book of the Law.” – Crowley, Magick Without Tears, Letter #31

It seems to me that, while Thelema fulfills the requirements of a religion (“a system of faith in and worship of a deity” Webster’s), Crowley stops short of declaring it one, while he would not restrict another from doing so. Crowley seems to flirt with the idea of Thelema as a new world religion, but eventually comes to the conclusion that the individual needs to develop their own religious expression based upon the discovery of their Will and their individual god (or daemon, Holy Guardian Angel, et al.).

I think that in the same way that Crowley exhorts his students in The Soldier and the Hunchback to strive for the higher fulcrum of the pendulum rather than the normal ebb and flow of life, that to declare Thelema a "religion" debases it to a mere mundane organization.

ankh_f_n_khonsu Wed Oct 28, 2009 6:11 pm

Benjamin Stein wrote:I think that in the same way that Crowley exhorts his students in The Soldier and the Hunchback to strive for the higher fulcrum of the pendulum rather than the normal ebb and flow of life, that to declare Thelema a "religion" debases it to a mere mundane organization.

Oooh... Some time ago I came across a nifty article that grew out of "The Soldier and the Hunchback"... It had something to do with general semantics, if I'm not mistaken... anyway, I'll see if I can't drag it up and share it.

It seems to me that Crowley may have said he didn't want to create a new religion, but I wonder if he might've been insincere. He certainly did love the attention...

Benjamin Stein Wed Oct 28, 2009 10:14 pm

93
I know a similar article to The Soldier and the Hunchback that Crowley had both Jane Wolfe and Grady McMurtry (according to Grady) find and read was Arthur Koestler's The Yogi and the Commissar parts 1 & 2.
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Ben

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questions, comments, suggestions?

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Thelema in comparison to world religions

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Thelema as Religion

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