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Comments about the Liber
Title.
In the first edition this Book is called L. L is the sacred letter in the
Holy Twelve-fold Table which forms the triangle that stabilizes the Universe.
See Liber 418. L is the letter of Libra, Balance, and `Justice' in the Taro.
This title should probably be AL, ``El'', as the `L' was heard of the
Voice of Aiwaz, not seen. AL is the true name of the Book, for these letters,
and their number 31, form the Master Key to its Mysteries.
In order that the ethical and philosophical comment should be ``understanded
of the common people'', without interruption, I have decided to transfer to
an Appendix all considerations drawn from the numerical system of cipher which
is interspersed with the more straightforward matter of this Book.
In that Appendix will be found an account of the character of this cipher,
called ``Qabalah'', and the mysteries thus indicated; because of the
impracticability of communicating them in verbal form, and of the
necessity of proving to the student that the Author of the Book is
possessed of knowledge beyond any yet acquired by man.
Ber
220A1-1.R1
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1.
The theogony of our Law is entirely scientific, Nuit is Matter, Hadit is
Motion, in their full physical sense.* They are the Tao and Teh of Chinese
Philosophy; or, to put it very simply, the Noun and Verb in grammar. Our
central Truth -- beyond other philosophies -- is that these two infinities
cannot exist apart. This extensive subject must be studied in our other
writings, notably Berashith, my own Magical Diaries, especially those of 1919,
1920 and 1921, and The Book of Wisdom or Folly. See also ``The Soldier and the
Hunchback''. Further information concerning Nuit and Hadit is given in the
course of this Book; but I must here mention that the Brother mentioned in
connexion with the ``Wizard Amalantrah'' etc. (Samuel bar Aiwaz) identifies
them with ANU and ADAD the supreme Mother and Father deities of the
Sumerians. Taken in connexion with the AIWAZ identification, this
is very striking indeed.
it is also to be considered that Nu is connected with North, while Had is
Sad, Set, Satan, Sat (equals ``Being'' in Sanskrit), South. He is then the
Sun, one point concentring Space, as also is any other star. The word
ABRAHADABRA is from Abrasax, Father Sun, which adds to 365. For the
North-South antithesis see Fabre d'Olivet's Hermeneutic Interpretation of
the Origin of the Social State in Man. Note ``Sax'' also as a Rock, or Stone,
whence the symbol of the Cubical Stone, the Mountain Abiegnus, and so
forth. Nu is also reflected in Naus, Ship, etc., and that whole symbolism of
Hollow Space which is familiar to all. There is also a question of identifying
Nu with On, Noah, Oannes, Jonah, John, Dianus, Diana, and so on. But these
identifications are all partial only, different facets of the Diamond Truth.
We may neglect all these questions, and remain in the simplicity of this Her
own Book.
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2.
This explains the general theme of this revelation: gives the Dramatis
Personae, so to speak.
It is cosmographically, the conception of the two Ultimate Ideas; Space,
and That which occupies Space.
It will however appear later that these two ideas may be resolved into one,
that of Matter; with Space, its `Condition' or `form', included therein. This
leaves the idea of `Motion' for Hadit, whose interplay with Nuit makes the
Universe.
Time should perhaps be considered as a particular kind or dimension of Space.*
Further, this verse is to be taken with the next. The `company of heaven' is
the assertion of the independent godhead of every man and every woman!
Further, as Khabs (see verse 8) is ``Star'', there is a further meaning; this
Book is to reveal the Secret Self of a man, i.e. to initiate him.
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3.
This thesis is fully treated in The Book of Wisdom or Folly. Its main
statement is that each human being is an Element of the Cosmos, self-
determined and supreme, co-equal with all other Gods.
From this the Law ``Do what thou wilt'' follows logically. One star
influences another by attraction, of course; but these are incidents of
self-predestined orbits. There is however a mystery of the planets, revolving
about a star of whom they are parts; but I shall not discuss it fully
in this place.
Man is the Middle Kingdom The Great Kingdom is Heaven, with each star as
an unit; the Little Kingdom is the Molecule, with each Electron as an unit.
(The Ratio of these three is regularly geometrical, each being 10;ss22 times
greater in size than its neighbour.)
See ``The Book of the Great Auk'' for the demonstration that each `star'
is the Centre of the Universe to itself, and that a `star' simple, original,
absolute, can add to its omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence without
ceasing to be itself; that its one way to do this is to gain experience,
and that therefore it enters into combinations in which its true Nature is
for awhile disguised, even from itself. Analogously, an atom of carbon may
pass through myriad Proteus-phases, appearing in Chalk, Chloroform,
Sugar, Sap, Brain and Blood, not recognizable as ``itself'' the black
amorphous solid, but recoverable as such, unchanged by its adventures.
This theory is the only one which explains why the Absolute limited itself,
and why It does not recognize Itself during its cycle of incarnations. It
disposes of ``Evil'' and the Origin of Evil; without denying Reality to
``Evil'', or insulting our daily observation and our common sense.
I here quote (with one or two elucidatory insertions) the original note
originally made by Me on this subject.
;ext1
May 14, 1919, 6.30 p.m.
;ext2
All elements must at one time have been separate -- that would be the case
with great heat. Now when atoms get to the sun, when we get to the sun, we get
that immense, extreme heat, and all the elements are themselves again. Imagine
that each atom of each element possesses the memory of all his adventures
in combination. By the way, that atom, fortified with that memory, would not
be the same atom; yet it is, because it has gained nothing from anywhere
except this memory. Therefore, by the lapse of time and by virtue of memory,
a thing (although originally an Infinite Perfection) could become something
more than itself; and thus a real development is possible. One can then see
a reason for any element deciding to go through this series of incarnations
(God, that was a magnificent conception!) because so, and only so, can he go;
and he suffers the lapse of memory of His own Reality of Perfection which he
has during these incarnations, because he knows he will come through unchanged.
Therefore you have an infinite number of gods, individual and equal though
diverse, each one supreme and utterly indestructible. This is also the only
explanation of how a being could create a world in which war, evil, etc.
exist. Evil is only an appearance because, like ``good'', it cannot
affect the substance itself, but only multiply its combinations. This is
something the same as mystic monism, but the objection to that theory is
that God has to create things which are all parts of himself, so that their
interplay is false. If we presuppose many elements, their interplay
is natural. It is no objection to this theory to ask who made the elements --
the elements are at least there; and God, when you look for him, is not there.
Theism is obscurum per obscurus. A male star is built from the
circumference inwards. This is what is meant when we say that woman has
no soul. It explains fully the difference between the sexes.
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4.
This is a great and holy mystery. Although each star has its own number, each number is equal and sme. Every man and every woman is not only a part of God, but the Ultimate God. ``The Centre is evrwee and the circumference nowhere''. The old defi
nition of God takes new meaning for us. Each one of us is the One God. This can only be understood be initiate; one must acquire certain high states of consciousness to appreciate it.
I have tried to put it simply in the note to the last verse. I may add that in the Trance called bythe ``Star-Sponge'' -- see note to v. 59 -- this apprehension of the Universe is seen as an astra iin. It began as ``Nothingness with Sparkles'' in
1916 E.V. by Lake Pasquaney in New Hampshire, U.S.A. and developed into fullness on various subsequoccasions. Each `Star' is connected directly with every other star, and the Space being Without Lmt(in Soph) the Body of Nuith, and one star is as
much the Centre as any other. Each man instinctively feels that he is the Centre of the Cosmos, and osophers have jeered at his presumption. But it was he that was precisely right. The yokel is no oe`etty' than the King, nor the earth than the Sun
. Each simple elemental Self is supreme, Very God of Very God. Ay, in this Book is Truth almost insuably splendid, for Man has veiled himself too long from his own glory: he fears the abyss, the agls bsolute. But Truth shall make him free!
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5.
Here Nuit appeals, simply and directly, recognizing the separate function of each Star of her Body.ugh all is One, each part of that One has its own special work, each Star its particular Orbit.
In addressing me as warrior lork of Thebes, it appears as if She perceived a certain continuity or tity of myself with Ankh-f-n-khonsu, Stele is the Link with Antiquity of this Revelation. See theeunx I(7), pp. 363-400a, for the account of this e
vent.
The unveiling is the Proclamation of the Truth previously explained, that the Body of Nuith occupiefinite Space, so that every Star thereof is Whole in itself, an independent and absolute Unit. Thydfer as Carbon and Calcium differ, but each is a
simple ``immortal'' Substance, or at least a form of some simpler Substance. Each soul is thus absol and `good' or `evil' are merely terms descriptive of relations between destructible combinations hsQuinine is `good' for a malarial patient, but `
evil' for the germ of the disease. Heat is `bad' for ice-cream and `good' for coffee. The indivisiblsence of things, their `souls', are indifferent to all conditions soever, for none can in any wayafc them.
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7.
Aiwass is the name given by Ouarda the Seer as that of the Intelligence Communicating. See note to e.
Hoor-paar-Kraat or Harpocrates, the ``Babe in the Egg of Blue'', is not merely the God of Silence iconventional sense. He represents the Higher Self, the Holy Guardian Angel. The connexion is withtesmbolism of the Dwarf in Mythology. He contains
everything in Himself, but is unmanifested. See II:8.
He is the First Letter of the Alphabet, Aleph, whose number is One, and his card in the Tarot is Thol, numbered Zero. Aleph is attributed to the ``Element'' (in the old classification of things) o i.
Now as ``One or Aleph he represents the Male Principle, the First Cause, and the free breath of Lifhe sound of the vowel A being made with the open throat and mouth.
As Zero he represents the femal Principle, the fertile Mother. (An old name for the card is Mat, frhe Italian `Matto', fool, but earlier also from Maut, the Egyptian Vulture-
Mother-Goddess). Fertile, for the `Egg of Blue' is the Uterus, and in the Macrocosm the Body of Nuiand it contains the Unborn Babe, helpless yet protected and nourished against the crocodiles and iesshown on the card, just as the womb is sealed d
uring gestation. He sits on a lotus, the yoni, which floats on the `Nile', the amniotic fluid.
In his absolute innocence and ignorance he is ``The Fool''; he is the `Saviour', being the Son who l trample on the crocodiles and tigers, and avenge his father Osiris. Thus we see him as the ``Gra ol'' of Celtic legend, the ``Pure Fool'' of Act
I of Parsifal, and, generally speaking, the insane person whose words have always been taken for ors.
But to be `Saviour' he must be born and grow to manhood; thus Parsifal acquires the Sacred Lance, em of virility. He usually wears the `Coat of many colours' like Joseph the `dreamer'; so he is alonwthe Green Man of spring festivals. But his `fol
ly' is now not innocence but inspiration of wine; he drinks from the Graal, offered to him by the Press.
So we see him fully armed as Bacchus Diphues, male and female in one, bearing the Thyrsus-rod, and uster of grapes or a wineskin, while a tiger leaps up by his side. This form is suggested in the aocrd, where `The fool' is shown with a long wand
and carrying a sack; his coat is motley. Tigers and Crocodiles follow him, thus linking this image wthat of Harpocrates.
Almost identical symbols are those of the secret God of the Templars, the bi-sexual Baphomet, and ous Arrhenothelus, equally bi-sexual, the Father-Mother of All in One Person. (He is shown in thisfl orm in the Tarot Trump XV, ``the Devil''.) Now
Zeus being lord of Air, we are reminded that Aleph is the letter of Air.
As Air we find the ``Wandering Fool'' pure wanton Breath, yet creative. Wind was supposed of old toregnate the Vulture, which therefore was chosen to symbolize the Mother-Goddess.
He is the Wandering Knight or Prince of Fairy Tales who marries the King's Daughter. This legend isived from certain customs among exogamic tribes, for which see The Golden Bough.
Thus one Europa, Semele and others claimed that Zeus -- Air* -- had enjoyed them in the form of a b, bird, or what not; while later Mary attributed her condition to the agency of a Spirit -- Spiriu,beath, or air -- in the shape of a dove.
But the ``Small Person'' of Hindu mysticism, the Dwarf insane yet crafty of many legends in many la is also this same ``Holy Ghost'', or Silent Self of a man, or his Holy Guardian Angel.
He is almost the ``Unconscious'' of Freud, unknown, unaccountable, the silent Spirit, blowing ``whi it listeth, but thou canst not tell whence it cometh or whither it goeth''. It commands with abslt uthority when it appears at all, despite consci
ous reason and judgment.
Aiwass is then, as this verse 7 states, the ``minister'' of this Hoor-paar-Kraat, that is of the Sar of the World in the larger sense, and of mine own ``Silent Self'' in the lesser. A ``minister''i n who performs a service, in this case evidently
that of revealing; He was the intelligible medium between the Babe God -- the New Aeon about to be -- and myself. This Book of the Law is the Voice of his Mother, His Father, and Himself. But on i pearing, He assumes the active form twin to Harp
ocrates, that of Ra-Hoor-Khuit. The Concealed Child becomes the Conquering Child, the armed Horus avng his father Osiris. So also our own Silent Self, helpless and witless, hidden within us, will srn orth, if we have craft to loose him to the Ligh
t, spring lustily forward with his cry of Battle, the Word o;f our True Wills.
This is the Task of the Adept, to have the Knowledge and Conversation of His Holy Guardian Angel, tcome aware of his nature and his purpose, fulfilling them.
Why is Aiwass thus spelt, when Aiwaz is the natural transliteration of [...]? Perhaps because he wat content with identifying Himself with Thelema, Agape, etc. by the number 93, but wished to exprs i nature by six letters (Six being the number of
the Sun, the God-Man, etc.) whose value in Greek should be A=1, I=10, F=6, A=1, S=200, S=200: total, the number of Abrahadabra, the Magical Formula of the new Aeon! Note that I and V are the letteso he Father and the Son, also of the Virgin and t
he Bull, (See Liber 418) protected on either side by the letter of AIR, and followed by the letter ore twice over.
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8.
We are not to regard ourselves as base beings, without whose sphere is Light or ``God''. Our minds bodies are veils of the Light within. The uninitiate is a ``Dark Star'', and the Great Work for hmi o make his veils transparent by `purifying' the
m. This `purification' is really `simplification'; it is not that the veil is dirty, but that the coxity of its folds makes it opaque. The Great Work therefore consists principally in the solution fcmlexes. Everything in itself is perfect, but whe
n things are muddled, they become `evil'. (This will be understood better in the Light of ``The Hermf Esopus Island'', q.v.) The Doctrine is evidently of supreme importance, from its position as th is `revelation' of Aiwass.
This `star' or `Inmost Light' is the original, individual, eternal essence. The Khu is the magical ent which it weaves for itself, a `form' for its Being Beyond Form, by use of which it can gain eprece through self-consciousness, as explained in
the note to verses 2 and 3. This Khu is the first veil, far subtler than mind or body, and truer; fos symbolic shape depends on the nature of its Star.
Why are we told that the Khabs is in the Khu, not the Khu in the Khabs? Did we then suppose the cone? I think that we are warned against the idea of a Pleroma, a flame of which we are Sparks, and owih we return when we `attain'. That would indeed
be to make the whole curse of separate existence ridiculous, a senseless and inexcusable folly. It d throw us back on the dilemma of Manichaeism. The idea of incarnations ``perfecting'' a thing orgnly perfect by definition is imbecile. The only s
ane solution is as given previously, to suppose that the Perfect enjoys experience of (apparent) Impction. (There are deeper resolutions of this problem appropriate to the highest grades of initiato;bt the above should suffice the average intellig
ence.)
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9.
We are to pay attention to this Inmost Light; then comes the answering Light of Infinite Space. Notat the Light of Space is what men call Darkness; its nature is utterly incomprehensible to our unntaed minds. It is the `veils' mentioned previousl
y in this comment that obstruct the relation between Nuit and Hadit.
We are not to worship the Khu, to fall in love with our Magical Image. To do this -- we have all dot -- is to forget our Truth. If we adore Form, it becomes opaque to Being, and may soon prove falet tself. The Khu in each of us includes the Cosmo
s as he knows it. To me, even another Khabs is only part of my Khu. Our own Khabs is our one sole Tr
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10.
The nature of magical power is quite incomprehensible to the vulgar. The prophet Ezekiel besieging le in order to destroy Jerusalem, and the adventure of Hosea with Gomer, seem as absurd to the `patcl' man as do the researches of any other scient
ific man until the Sunday Newspapers have furnished him with a plausible explanation which explains ing. (Book 4, Part III, must be read in this connexion.)
``My servants''; not those of the Lord of the Aeon. ``The Law is for all''; there can be no secrecyut that. The verse refers to specially chosen `servants'; perhaps those who, worshipping the Khab,hv beheld Her light shed over them. Such persons
indeed consummate the marriage of Nuit and Hadit in themselves; in that case they are aware of certaays to Power.
There is also a mystical sense in this verse. We are to organize our minds thoroughly, appointing fnd secret chiefs, serving Nuit, to discipline the varied departments of the conscious thought.
horoughly, appointing few and secret chiefs, serving Nuit, to discipline the varied departmenX-=-=-==-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-X
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