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{Beth}{Resh}{Aleph}{Shin}{Yod}{Tau} Liber Viae Mem
THE TREASURE HOUSE OF IMAGES
by J.F.C. Fuller
Ordo Templi Orientis
P.O Box 2303
Berkeley, CA 94702
c COPYRIGHT O.T.O.
June 21, 1985 e.v.
Sun in Cancer
Moon in Leo
AN 81 e.n.
*
INTRODUCTION
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
According to Hymenaeus Alpha in his Preface to "The Holy
Books of Thelema", published by Samuel Weiser in 1983, only the
short prefatory note is in Class A, the remainder of the book is
in Class B. It is therefore not considered to be a "Holy Book",
however since it has proven it's worth otherwise, and since an
earnest member of the Argentum Astrum will follow the
instructions in that class A note, we present it to you here.
I have used it as part of planetary, and zodiac rituals for
some time, and recomend it for this purpose.
Love is the law, love under will.
Fra. 137 O.T.O
Argentum Astrum
Publication in Class A
A NOTE UPON LIBER DCCCCLXIII
1. Let the student recite this book, particularly the 169
adorations, unto his Star as it ariseth.
2. Let him seek out diligently in the sky his Star; let him
travel thereunto in his Shell; let him adore it unceasingly from
its rising even unto its setting by the right adorations, with
chants that shall be harmonious therewith.
3. Let him rock himself to and fro in adoration; let him
spin around his own axis in adoration; let him leap up and down
in adoration.
4. Let him inflame himself in the adoration, speeding from
slow to fast, until he can no more.
5. This also shall be sung in open places, as heaths,
mountains, woods, and by streams and upon islands.
6. Moreover, ye shall build you fortified places in great
cities; caverns and tombs shall be made glad with your praise.
7. Amen.
THE TREASURE HOUSE OF IMAGES
Here beginneth the Book of
the Meditations on the
Twelvefold Adora-
tion, and the
Unity of
GOD.
The Chapter known as
The Perception of God
that is revealed unto man for a snare
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelvefold Snare
and by the Unity thereof.
000. In the Beginning there was Naught, and Naught spake
unto Naught saying: Let us beget on the Nakedness of our
Nothingness the Limitless, Eternal, Identical, and United: And
without will, intention, thought, word, desire, or deed, it was
so.
00. Then in the depths of Nothingness hovered the Limitless,
as a raven in the night; seeing naught, hearing naught, and
understanding naught: neither was it seen, nor heard, nor
understood; for as yet Countenance beheld not Countenance.
0. And as the Limitless stretched forth its wings, an
unextended unextendable Light became; colourless, formless,
conditionless, effluent, naked, and essential, as a crystalline
dew of creative effulgence; and fluttering as a dove betwixt Day
and Night, it vibrated forth a lustral Crown of Glory.
1. And out of the blinding whiteness of the Crown grew an
Eye, like unto an egg of an humming-bird cherished on a platter
of burnished silver.
2. Thus I beheld Thee, O my God, the lid of whose Eye is as
the Night of Chaos, and the pupil thereof as the marshalled order
of the spheres.
3. For, I am but as a blind man, who wandering through the
noontide perceiveth not the loveliness of day; and even as he
whose eyes are unenlightened beholdeth not the greatness of this
world in the depths of a starless night, so am I who am not able
to search the unfathomable depths of Thy wisdom.
4. For what am I that I durst look upon Thy Countenance,
purblind one of small understanding that I am, blindly groping
through the night of mine ignorance like unto a little maggot hid
in the dark depths of a corrupted corpse?
5.Therefore, O my God, fashion me into a five-pointed star
of ruby burning beneath the foundations of Thy Unity, that I may
mount the pillar of Thy Glory, and be lost in adoration of the
triple Unity of Thy Godhead, I beseech Thee, O Thou who art to me
as the Finger of Light thrust through the black clouds of Chaos;
I beseech Thee, O my God, hearken Thou unto my cry!
6. Then, O my God, am I not risen as the sun that eateth up
ocean as a golden lion that feedeth on a blue-grey wolf? So shall
I become one with ThY %auty, worn upon Thy breast as the Centre
of a Sixfold Star of ruby and of sapphire.
7. Yea, O God, gird Thou me upon Thy thigh as a warrior
girdeth his sword! Smite my acuteness into the earth, and as a
sower casteth his seed into the furrows of the plough, do Thou
beget upon me these adorations of Thy Unity, O My Conqueror!
8.And Thou shalt carry me upon Thine hip, O Thou flashing
God, as a black mother of the South Country carrieth her babe.
Whence I shall reach my lips to Thy pap, and sucking out Thy
stars, shed them in these adorations upon the Earth.
9. Moreover, O God my God, Thou who hast cloven me with
Thine amethystine Phallus, with Thy Phallus adamantine, with Thy
Phallus of Gold and Ivory! thus am I cleft in twain as two halves
of a child that is split asunder by the sword of the eunuchs, and
mine adorations are divided, and one contendeth against his
brother. Unite Thou me even as a split tree that closeth itself
again upon the axe, that my song of praise unto Thee may be One
Song!
10. For I am Thy chosen Virgin, O my God! Exalt Thou me unto
the throne of the Mother, unto the Garden of Supernal Dew, unto
the Unutterable Sea!
Amen,
and Amen of Amen,
and Amen of Amen of Amen,
and Amen of Amen of Amen of Amen.
ARIES The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Affirmation of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Affirmations
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou snow-clad volcan of scarlet fire, Thou
flamecrested pillar of fury! Yea, as I approach Thee, Thou
departest from me like unto a wisp of smoke blown forth from the
window of my house.
2. O Thou summer-land of eternal joy, Thou rapturous garden
of flowers! Yea, as I gather Thee, my harvest is but as a drop of
dew shimmering in the golden cup of the crocus.
3. O Thou throbbing music of life and death, Thou rhythmic
harmony of the world! Yea, as I listen to the echo of Thy voice,
my rapture is but as the whisper of the wings of a butterfly.
4. O Thou burning tempest of blinding sand, Thou whirlwind
from the depths of darkness! Yea, as I struggle through Thee,
through Thee, my strength is but as a dove's down floating forth
on the purple nipples of the storm.
5. O Thou crowned giant among great giants, Thou crimson-
sworded soldier of war! Yea, as I battle with Thee, Thou
masterest me as a lion that slayeth a babe that is cradled in
lilies.
6. O Thou shadowy vista of Darkness, Thou cryptic Book of
the fir-clad hills! Yea, as I search the key of Thy house I find
my hope but as a rushlight sheltered in the hands of a little
child.
7. O Thou great labour of the Firmament, Thou tempest tossed
roaring of the Aires! Yea, as I sink in the depths of Thine
affliction, mine anguish is but as the smile on the lips of a
sleeping babe.
8. O Thou depths of the Inconceivable, Thou cryptic,
unutterable God! Yea, as I attempt to understand Thee, my wisdom
is but as an abacus in the lap of an aged man.
9. O Thou transfigured dream of blinding light, Thou
beatitude of wonderment! Yea, as I behold Thee, mine
understanding is but as the glimpse of a rainbow through a storm
of blinding snow.
10. O Thou steel-girdered mountain of mountains, Thou
crested summit of Majesty! Yea, as I climb Thy grandeur, I find I
have but surmounted one mote of dust floating in a beam of Thy
Glory.
11. O Thou Empress of Light and of Darkness, Thou pourer-
forth of the stars of night! Yea, as I gaze upon Thy Countenance,
mine eyes are as the eyes of a blind man smitten by a torch of
burning fire.
12. O Thou crimson gladness of the midnight, Thou flamingo
North of brooding light! Yea, as I rise up before Thee, my joy is
but as a raindrop smitten through by an arrow of the Western Sun.
13. O Thou golden Crown of the Universe, Thou diadem of
dazzling brightness! Yea, as I burn up before Thee, my light is
but as a falling star seen between the purple fingers of the
Night.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
TAURUS The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Renunciation of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Renunciations
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O my God, Thou mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the kisses of my mistress, and the murmur of
her mouth, and all the trembling of her firm young breast; so
that I may be rolled a flame in Thy fiery embrace, and be
consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
2. O my God, Thou mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the soft-lipp'd joys of life, and the honey-
sweets of this world, and all the subtilities of the flesh; so
that I may be feasted on the fire of Thy passion, and be consumed
in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
3. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the ceaseless booming of the waves, and the
fury of the storm, and all the turmoil of the wind-swept waters;
so that I may drink of the porphyrine foam of Thy lips, and be
consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
4. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the whispers of the desert, and the moan of
the simoom, and all the silence of the sea of dust; so that I may
be lost in the atoms of Thy Glory, and be consumed in the
unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
5. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the green fields of the valleys, and the satyr
roses of the hills, and the nymph lilies of the meer; so that I
may wander through the gardens of Thy Splendour, and be consumed
in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
6. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the sorrow of my mother, and the threshold of
my home, and all the labour of my father's hands; so that I may
be led unto the Mansion of Thy Light, and be consumed in the
unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
7. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the yearning for Paradise, and the dark fear
of Hell, and the feast of the corruption of the grave; so that as
a child I may be led unto Thy Kingdom, and be consumed in the
unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
8. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the moonlit peaks of the mountains, and the
arrow-shapen kiss of the firs, and all the travail of the winds;
so that I may be lost on the summit of Thy Glory, and be consumed
in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
9. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the goatish ache of the years, and the cryptic
books, and all the majesty of their enshrouded words; so that I
may be entangled in Thy wordless Wisdom, and be consumed in the
unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
10. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the wine-cups of merriment, and the eyes of
the wanton bearers, and all the lure of their soft limbs; so that
I may be made drunk on the vine of Thy splendour, and be consumed
in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
11. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the hissing of mad waters, and the trumpeting
of the thunder, and all Thy tongues of dancing flame; so that I
may be swept up in the breath of Thy nostrils, and be consumed in
the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
12. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee the crimson lust of the chase, and the blast
of the brazen war-horns, and all the gleaming of the spears; so
that like an hart I may be brought to bay in Thine arms, and be
consumed in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
13. O my God, Thou Mighty One, Thou Creator of all things, I
renounce unto Thee all that Self which is myself, that black sun
which shineth in Self's day, whose glory blindeth Thy Glory; so
that I may become as a rushlight in Thine abode, and be consumed
in the unutterable joy of Thine everlasting rapture.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
GEMINI The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Conjuration of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Conjurations
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou Consuming Eye of everlasting light set as a pearl
betwixt the lids of Night and Day; I swear to Thee by the
formless void of the Abyss, to lap the galaxies of night in
darkness, and blow the meteors like bubbles into the frothing
jaws of the sun.
2. O Thou ten-footed soldier of blue ocean, whose castle is
built upon the sands of life and death; I swear to Thee by the
glittering blades of the waters, to cleave my way within Thine
armed hermitage, and brood as an eyeless corpse beneath the
coffin-lid of the Mighty Sea.
3. O Thou incandescent Ocean of molten stars, surging above
the arch of the Firmament; I swear to Thee by the mane-pennoned
lances of light, to stir the lion of Thy darkness from its lair,
and lash the sorceress of noontide into fury with serpents of
fire.
4. O Thou intoxicating Vision of Beauty, fair as ten
jewelled virgins dancing about the hermit moon; I swear to Thee by
the peridot flagons of spring, to quaff to the dregs Thy chalice
of Glory, and beget a royal race before the Dawn flees from
awakening Day.
5. O Thou unalterable measure of all things, in whose lap lie
the destinies of unborn worlds; I swear to Thee by the balance of
Light and Darkness, to spread out the blue vault as a looking-
glass, and flash forth therefrom the intolerable lustre of Thy
Countenance.
6. O Thou who settest forth the limitless expanse, spanned
by wings of thunder above the cosmic strife; I swear to Thee by
the voiceless dust of the desert, to soar above the echos of
shrieking life, and as an eagle to feast for ever upon the
silence of the stars.
7. O Thou flame-tipped arrow of devouring fire that
quiverest as a tongue in the dark mouth of Night; I swear to Thee
by the thurible of Thy Glory, to breathe the incense of mine
understanding, and to cast the ashes of my wisdom into the Valley
of Thy breast.
8. O Thou ruin of the mountains, glistening as an old white
wolf above the fleecy mists of Earth; I swear to Thee by the
galaxies of Thy domain, to press Thy lamb's breasts with the
teeth of my soul, and drink of the milk and blood of Thy subtlety
and innocence.
9. O Thou Eternal river of chaotic law, in whose depths lie
locked the secrets of Creation; I swear to Thee by the primal
waters of the Deep, to suck up the Firmament of Thy Chaos, and as
a volcano to belch forth a Cosmos of coruscating suns.
10. O Thou Dragon-regent of the blue seas of air, as a chain
of emeralds round the neck of Space; I swear to Thee by the
hexagram of Night and Day, to be unto Thee as the twin fish of
Time, which being set apart never divulge the secret of their
unity.
11. O Thou flame of the horned storm-clouds, that sunderest
their desolation, that outroarest the winds; I swear to Thee by
the gleaming sandals of the stars, to climb beyond the summits of
the mountains, and rend Thy robe of purple thunders with a sword
of silvery light.
12. O Thou fat of an hundred fortresses of iron, crimson as
the blades of a million murderous swords; I swear to Thee by the
smoke-wreath of the volcano, to open the secret shrine of Thy
bull's breast, and tear out as an augur the heart of Thine all-
pervading mystery.
13.O Thou silver axle of the Wheel of Being, thrust through
the wings of Time by the still hand of Space; I swear to Thee by
the twelve spokes of Thy Unity, to become unto Thee as the rim
thereof, so that I may clothe me majestically in the robe that
has no seam.
O Glory by unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
CANCER The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Certitude of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Certitudes
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou Sovran Warrior of steel-girt valour, whose
scimitar is a flame between day and night, whose helm is crested
with the wings of the Abyss. I know Thee! O Thou four-eyed
guardian of heaven, who kindleth to a flame the hearts of the
downcast, and girdeth about with fire the loins of the unarmed.
2.O Thou Sovran Light and fire of loveliness, whose flaming
locks stream downwards through the aethyr as knots of lightening
deep-rooted in the Abyss. I know Thee! O Thou winnowing flail of
brightness, the passionate lash of whose encircling hand scatters
mankind before Thy fury as the wind-scud from the stormy breast
of Ocean.
3. O Thou Sovran Singer of the revelling winds, whose voice
is as a vestal troop of Bacchanals awakened by the piping of a
Pan-pipe. I know Thee! O Thou dancing flame of frenzied song,
whose shouts, like unto golden swords of leaping fire, urge us
onward to the wild slaughter of the Worlds.
4. O Thou Sovran Might of the most ancient forests, whose
voice is as the murmur of unappeasable winds caught up in the
arms of the swaying branches. I know Thee! O Thou rumble of
conquering drums, who lulleth to a rapture of deep sleep those
lovers who burn into each other, flame to fine flame.
5. O Thou Sovran Guide of the star-wheeling circles, the
soles of whose feet smite plumes of golden fire from the
outermost annihilation of the Abyss. I know Thee! O Thou crimson
sword of destruction, who chasest the comets from the dark bed of
night, till they speed before Thee as serpent tongues of flame.
6. O Thou Sovran Archer of the darksome regions, who
shooteth forth from Thy transcendental crossbow the many-rayed
suns into the fields of heaven. I know Thee! O Thou eight-pointed
arrow of light, who smiteth the regions of the seven rivers until
they laugh like Maenads with snaky thyrsus.
7. O Thou Sovran Paladin of self-vanquished knights, whose
path lieth through the trackless forests of time, winding
athrough the Byss of unbegotten space. I know Thee! O Thou
despiser of the mountains, Thou whose course is as that of a
lightening-hoofed steed leaping along the green bank of a fair
river.
8. O Thou Sovran Surging of wild felicity, whose love is as
the overflowing of the seas, and who makest our bodies to laugh
with beauty. I know Thee! O Thou outstrider of the sunset, who
deckest the snow-capped mountains with red roses, and strewest
white violets on the curling waves.
9. O Thou Sovran Diadem of crowned Wisdom, whose work
knoweth the path of the sylphs of the air, and the black
burrowings of the gnomes of the earth. I know Thee! O Thou Master
of the ways of life, in the palm of whose hand all the arts lie
bounden as a smoke-cloud betwixt the lips of the mountain.
10.O Thou Sovran Lord of primaeval Baresarkers, who huntest
with dawn the dappled deer of twilight, and whose engines of war
are blood-crested comets. I know Thee! O Thou flame-crowned Self-
luminous One, the lash of whose whip gathered the ancient worlds,
and looseth the blood from the virgin clouds of heaven.
11. O Thou Sovran Moonstone of pearly loveliness, from out
whose many eyes flash the fire-clouds of life, and whose breath
enkindleth the Byss and the Abyss. I know Thee! O Thou fountain-
head of fierce aethyr, in the pupil of whose brightness all
things lie crouched and wrapped like a babe in the womb of its
mother.
12.O Thou Sovran Mother of the breath of being, the milk of
whose breasts is as the fountain of love, twin-jets of fire upon
the blue bosom of night. I know Thee! O Thou Virgin of the
moonlit glades, who fondleth us as a drop of dew in Thy lap, ever
watchful over the cradle of our fate.
13. O Thou Sovran All-Beholding eternal Sun, who lappest up
the constellations of heaven, as a thirsty thief a jar of ancient
wine. I know Thee! O Thou dawn-wing'd courtesan of light, who
makest me to reel with one kiss of Thy mouth, as a leaf cast into
the flames of a furnace.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
LEO The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Glorification of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Glorifications
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the Lion Rampant of the dawn: Thou hast crushed with Thy paw the
crouching lioness of Night, so that she may roar forth the Glory
of Thy Name.
2. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the lap of the fertile valleys: Thou hast adorned their strong
limbs with a robe of poppied corn, so that they may laugh forth
the Glory of Thy Name.
3. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the gilded rout of dancing-girls: Thou hast garlanded their naked
middles with fragrant flowers, so that they may pace forth the
Glory of Thy Name.
4. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the riotous joy of the storm: Thou hast shaken the gold-dust from
the tresses of the hills, so that they may chaunt forth the Glory
of Thy Name.
5. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the stars and meteors of Night: Thou hast caparisoned her grey
coursers with moons of pearl, so that they may shake forth the
Glory of Thy Name.
6. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the precious stones of the black earth: Thou hast lightened her
with a myriad eyes of magic, so that she may wink forth the Glory
of Thy Name.
7. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the sparkling dew of the wild glades: Thou hast decked them out
as for a great feast of rejoicing, so that they may gleam forth
the Glory of Thy Name.
8. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the stillness of the frozen lakes: Thou hast made their faces
more dazzling than a silver mirror, so that they may flash forth
the Glory of Thy Name.
9. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the smoke-veil'd fire of the mountains: Thou hast inflamed them
as lions that scent a fallow deer, so that they may rage forth
the Glory of Thy Name.
10. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the countenance of my darling: Thou hast unclothed her of white
lilies and crimson roses, so that she may blush forth the Glory
of Thy Name.
11. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the weeping of the flying clouds: Thou hast swelled therewith the
blue breasts of the milky rivers, so that they may roll forth the
Glory of Thy Name.
12. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the amber combers of the storm: Thou hast laid Thy lash upon the
sphinxes of the waters, so that they may boom forth the Glory of
Thy Name.
13. O Glory be to Thee, O God my God; for I behold Thee in
the lotus-flower within my heart: Thou hast emblazoned my trumpet
with the lion-standard, so that I may blare forth the Glory of
Thy Name.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
VIRGO The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Beseechment of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Beseechments
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou mighty God, make me as a fair virgin that is clad
in the blue-bells of the fragrant hillside; I beseech Thee, O
Thou great God! That I may ring out the melody of Thy voice, and
be clothed in the pure light of Thy loveliness: O Thou God my
God!
2.O Thou mighty God, make me as a Balance of rubies and jet
that is cast in the lap of the Sun; I beseech Thee, O Thou great
God! That I may flash forth the wonder of Thy brightness, and
melt into the perfect poise of Thy Being: O Thou God, my God!
3. O Thou mighty God, make me as a brown Scorpion that
creepeth on through a vast desert of silver; I beseech Thee, O
Thou great God! That I may lose myself in the span of Thy light,
and become one with the glitter of Thy Shadow: O Thou God, my
God!
4. O Thou mighty God, make me as a green arrow of Lightning
that speedeth through the purple clouds of Night; I beseech Thee,
O Thou great God! That I may wake fire from the crown of Thy
Wisdom, and flash into the depths of Thine Understanding: O Thou
God, my God!
5. O Thou mighty God, make me as a flint-black goat that
pranceth in a shining wilderness of steel; I beseech Thee, O Thou
great God! That I may paw one flashing spark from Thy Splendour,
and be welded into the Glory of Thy might: O Thou God, my God!
6. O Thou mighty God, make me as the sapphirine waves that
cling to the shimmering limbs of the green rocks; I beseech Thee,
O Thou great God! That I may chant in foaming music Thy Glory,
and roll forth the eternal rapture of Thy Name: O Thou God, my
God!
7. O Thou mighty God, make me as a silver fish darting
through the vast depths of the dim-peopled waters; I beseech
Thee, O Thou great God! That I may swim through the vastness of
Thine abyss, and sink beneath the waveless depths of Thy Glory: O
Thou God, my God!
8. O Thou mighty God, make me as a white ram that is athirst
in a sun-scorched desert of bitterness; I beseech Thee, O Thou
great God! That I may seek the deep waters of Thy Wisdom, and
plunge into the whiteness of Thine effulgence: O Thou God, my
God!
9. O Thou mighty God, make me as a thunder-smitten bull that
is drunk upon the vintage of Thy blood; I beseech Thee, O Thou
great God! That I may bellow through the universe Thy Power, and
trample the nectar-sweet grapes of Thine Essence: O Thou God, my
God!
10. O Thou mighty God, make me as a black eunuch of song
that is twin-voiced, yet dumb in either tongue; I beseech Thee, O
Thou great God! That I may hush my melody in Thy Silence, and
swell into the sweet ecstasy of Thy Song: O Thou God, my God!
11. O Thou mighty God, make me as an emerald crab that
crawleth over the wet sands of the sea-shore; I beseech Thee, O
Thou great God! That I may write Thy name across the shores of
Time, and sink amongst the white atoms of Thy Being. O Thou God,
my God!
12. O Thou mighty God, make me as a ruby lion that roareth
from the summit of a white mountain; I beseech Thee, O Thou great
God! That I may echo forth Thy lord-ship through the hills, and
dwindle into the nipple of Thy bounty. O Thou God, my God!
13. O Thou mighty God, make me as an all-consuming Sun
ablaze in the centre of the Universe; I beseech Thee, O Thou
great God! That I may become as a crown upon Thy brow, and flash
forth the exceeding fire of Thy Godhead: O Thou God, my God!
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
LIBRA The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Gratification of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Gratifications
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou green-cloaked Maenad in labour, who bearest
beneath Thy leaden girdle the vintage of Thy kisses; release me
from the darkness of Thy womb, so that I may cast off my infant
wrappings and leap forth as an armed warrior in steel.
2. O Thou snake of misty countenance, whose braided hair is
like a fleecy dawn of swooning maidens; hunt me as a fierce wild
boar through the skies, so that Thy burning spear may gore the
blue heavens red with the foaming blood of my frenzy.
3. O Thou cloudy Virgin of the World, whose breasts are as
scarlet lilies paling before the sun; dandle me in the cradle of
Thine arms, so that the murmur of Thy voice may lull me to a
sleep like a pearl lost in the depths of a silent sea.
4. O Thou wine-voiced laughter of fainting gloom, who art as
a naked faun crushed to death between millstones of thunder; make
me drunk on the rapture of Thy song, so that in the corpse-clutch
of my passion I may tear the cloud-robe from off Thy swooning
breast.
5. O Thou wanton cup-bearer of madness, whose mouth is as
the joy of a thousand thousand masterful kisses; intoxicate me on
Thy loveliness, so that the silver of Thy merriment may revel as
a moon-white pearl upon my tongue.
6. O Thou midnight Vision of Whiteness, whose lips are as
pouting rosebuds deflowered by the deciduous moon; tend me as a
drop of dew in Thy breast, so that the dragon of Thy gluttonous
hate may devour me with its mouth of adamant.
7. O Thou effulgence of burning love, who pursueth the dawn
as a youth pursueth a rose-lipped maiden; rend me with the fierce
kisses of Thy mouth, so that in the battle of our lips I may be
drenched by the snow-pure fountains of Thy bliss.
8. O Thou black bull in a field of white girls, whose
foaming flanks are as starry night ravished in the fierce arms of
noon; shake forth the purple horns of my passion, so that I may
dissolve as a crown of fire in the bewilderment of Thine ecstasy.
9. O Thou dread arbiter of all men, the hem of whose
broidered skirt crimsoneth the white battlements of Space; bare
me the starry nipple of Thy breast, so that the milk of Thy love
may nurture me to the lustiness of Thy virginity.
10. O Thou thirsty charioteer of Time, whose cup is the
hollow night filled with the foam of the vintage of day; drench
me in the shower of Thy passion, so that I may pant in Thine arms
as a tongue of lightning on the purple bosom of night.
11. O Thou opalescent Serpent-Queen, whose mouth is as the
sunset that is bloody with the slaughter of day; hold me in the
crimson flames of Thine arms, so that at Thy kisses I may expire
as a bubble in the foam of Thy dazzling lips.
12. O Thou Odalisque of earth's palace, whose garments are
scented and passionate as spring flowers in sunlit glades; roll
me in the sweet perfume of Thy hair, so that Thy tresses of gold
may anoint me with the honey of a million roses.
13. O Thou manly warrior amongst youths, whose limbs are as
swords of fire that are welded in the furnace of war; press Thy
cool kisses to my burning lips, so that the folly of our passion
may weave us into the Crown of everlasting Light.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
SCORPIO The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Denial of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Denials
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the Formless breath of Chaos; nor the exhaler of the
ordered spheres: O Thou who art not the cloud-cradled star of the
morning; nor the sun, drunken upon the mist, who blindeth men! I
deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Guide me in the
unity of Thy might, and lead me to the fatherhood of Thine all-
pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the
fullness of Thy Not-Being.
2. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the vitality of worlds; nor the breath of star-entangled
Being: O Thou who art not horsed 'mid the centaur clouds of
night; nor the twanging of the shuddering bowstring of noon! I
deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Throne me in the
unity of Thy might, and stab me with the javelin of Thine all-
pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the
fullness of Thy Not-Being.
3. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the Pan-pipe in the forest; nor life's blue sword wrapped
in the cloak of death: O Thou who art not found amongst the
echoes of the hills; nor in the whisperings that wake within the
valleys! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Crown
me in the unity of Thy might, and flash me as a scarlet tongue
into Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none
of these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
4. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the Crown of the flaming storm; nor the opalescence of
the Abyss: O Thou who art not a nymph in the foam of the sea; nor
a whirling devil in the sand of the desert! I deny Thee by the
powers of mine understanding; Bear me in the unity of Thy might,
and pour me forth from out the cup of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
5. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the formulator of law; nor the Cheat of the maze of
illusion: O Thou who art not the foundation-stone of existence;
nor the eagle that broodeth upon the egg of space! I deny Thee by
the powers of mine understanding; Swathe me in the unity of Thy
might, and teach me wisdom from the lips of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
6. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the fivefold root of Nature; nor the fire-crested helm of
her Master: O Thou who art not the Emperor of Eternal Time; nor
the warrior shout that rocketh the Byss of Space! I deny Thee by
the powers of mine understanding; Raise me in the unity of Thy
might, and suckle me at the swol'n breasts of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
7. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the golden bull of the heavens; nor the crimsoned
fountain of the lusts of men: O Thou who reclinest not upon the
Waggon of Night; nor restest Thine hand upon the handle of the
Plough! I deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Urge me
in the unity of Thy might, and drench me with the red vintage of
Thine all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of
these in the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
8.O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the starry eyes of heaven; nor the forehead of the
crowned morning; O Thou who art not perceived by the powers of
the mind; nor grasped by the fingers of Silence or of Speech! I
deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Robe me in the
unity of Thy might, and speed me into the blindness of Thine all-
pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the
fullness of Thy Not-Being.
9.O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who art
neither the forge of Eternity; nor the thunder-throated womb of
Chaos: O Thou who art not found in the hissing of the hail-
stones; nor in the rioting of the equinoctial storm! I deny Thee
by the powers of mine understanding; Bring me to the unity of Thy
might, and feast me on honeyed manna of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
10. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who
art neither the traces of the chariot; nor the pole of galloping
delusion: O Thou who art not the pivot of the whole Universe; nor
the body of the woman-serpent of the stars! I deny Thee by the
powers of mine understanding; Lead me in the unity of Thy might,
and draw me unto the threshold of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
11. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who
art neither the moaning of a maiden; nor the electric touch of
fire-thrilled youth: O Thou who art not found in the hardy kisses
of love; nor in the tortured spasms of madness and of hate! I
deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Weight me in the
unity of Thy might, and roll me in the poised rapture of Thine
all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in
the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
12. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who
art neither the primal cause of causes; nor the soul of what is,
or was, or will be: O Thou who art not measured in the motionless
balance; nor smitten by the arrow-flights of man! I deny Thee by
the powers of mine understanding; Shield me in the unity of Thy
might, and reckon me aright in the span of Thine all-pervading
Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in the fullness
of Thy Not-Being.
13. O Thou God of the Nothingness of All Things! Thou who
art neither the breathing influx of life; nor the iron ring i'
the marriage feast of death: O Thou who art not shadowed forth in
the songs of war; nor in the tears or lamentations of a child! I
deny Thee by the powers of mine understanding; Sheathe me in the
unity of Thy might, and kindle me with the grey flame of Thine
all-pervading Nothingness; for Thou art all and none of these in
the fullness of Thy Not-Being.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
SAGITTARIUS The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Rejoicing of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Rejoicings
and by the Unity thereof.
1. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou seven-
rayed rainbow of perfect loveliness; Thou light-rolling chariot
of sunbeams; Thou fragrant scent of the passing storm: Yea, I
rejoice in Thee, Thou breath of the slumbering valleys; O Thou
low-murmuring ripple of the ripe cornfields! I rejoice, yea, I
shout with gladness! till, as the mingling blushes of day and
night, my song weaveth the joys of life into a gold and purple
Crown, for the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
2. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou
zigzagged effulgence of the burning stars; Thou wilderment of
indigo light; Thou grey horn of immaculate fire: Yea, I rejoice
in Thee, Thou embattled cloud of flashing flame; O Thou
capricious serpent-head of scarlet hair! I rejoice, yea, I shout
with gladness! till my roaring filleth the wooded mountains, and
like a giant forceth the wind's head through the struggling
trees, in the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
3. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou silken
web of emerald bewitchment; Thou berylline mist of marshy meers;
Thou flame-spangled fleece of seething gold: Yea, I rejoice in
Thee, Thou pearly dew of the setting moon; O Thou dark purple
storm-cloud of contending kisses! I rejoice, yea, I shout with
gladness! till all my laughter, like enchaunted waters, is blown
as an iris-web of bubbles from the lips of the deep, in the Glory
and Splendour of Thy Name.
4. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou who
broodest on the dark depths of the deep; Thou lap of the wave-
glittering sea; Thou bright vesture of the crested floods: Yea, I
rejoice in Thee, Thou native splendour of the Waters; O Thou
fathomless Abyss of surging joy! I rejoice, yea, I shout with
gladness! till the mad swords of my music smite the hills, and
rend the amethyst limbs of Night from the white embrace of Day,
at the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
5. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou cloud-
hooded bastion of the stormy skies; Thou lightning anvil of
anglel swords; Thou gloomy forge of the thunderbolt: Yea, I
rejoice in Thee, Thou all-subduing Crown of Splendour; O Thou
hero-souled helm of endless victory! I rejoice, yea, I shout with
gladness! till the mad rivers rush roaring through the woods, and
my re-echoing voice danceth like a ram among the hills, for the
Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
6. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou
opalescent orb of shattered sunsets; Thou pearly boss on the
shield of light; Thou tawny priest at the Mass of lust: Yea, I
rejoice in Thee, Thou chalcedony cloudland of light; O Thou
poppy-petal floating upon the snowstorm! I rejoice, yea, I shout
with gladness! till my frenzied words rush through the souls of
men, like a blood-red bull through a white herd of terror-
stricken kine, at the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
7. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou
unimperilled flight of joyous laughter; Thou eunuch glaive-armed
before joy's veil; Thou dreadful insatiable One: Yea, I rejoice
in Thee, Thou lofty gathering-point of Bliss; O Thou bridal-bed
of murmuring rapture! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till
I tangle the black tresses of the storm, and lash the tempest
into a green foam of twining basilisks, in the Glory and
Splendour of Thy Name.
8. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou
coruscating star-point of Endlessness; Thou inundating fire of
the Void; Thou moonbeam cup of eternal life: Yea, I rejoice in
Thee, Thou fire-sandalled warrior of steel; O Thou bloody dew of
the field of slaughter and death! I rejoice, yea, I shout with
gladness! till the music of my throat smiteth the hills as a
crescent moon waketh a nightly field of sleeping comets, at the
Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
9. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou jewel-
work of snow on the limbs of night; Thou elaboration of oneness;
Thou shower of universal suns: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou
gorgeous, Thou wildering one; O Thou great lion roaring over a
sea of blood! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till the
wild thunder of my praise breaketh down, as a satyr doth a babe,
the nine and ninety gates of Thy Power, in the Glory and
Splendour of Thy Name.
10. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou
ambrosia-yielding rose of the World; Thou vaulted dome of
effulgent light; Thou valley of venomous vipers: Yea, I rejoice
in Thee, Thou dazzling robe of the soft rain-clouds; O Thou lion-
voiced up-rearing of the goaded storm! I rejoice, yea, I shout
with gladness! till my rapture, like unto a two-edged sword,
traceth a sigil of fire and blasteth the banded sorcerers, in the
Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
11. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou Crown
of unutterable loveliness; Thou feather of hyalescent flame; Thou
all-beholding eye of brightness: Yea, I rejoice in Thee, Thou
resplendent everlasting one: O Thou vast abysmal ocean of foaming
flames! I rejoice, yea, I shout with gladness! till the stars
leap like white coursers from the night, and the heavens resound
as an army of steel-clad warriors, at the Glory and Splendour of
Thy Name.
12. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou star-
blaze of undying expectation; Thou ibis-throated voice of
silence; Thou blinding night of understanding: Yea, I rejoice in
Thee, Thou white finger of Chaotic law; O Thou creative
cockatrice twined amongst the waters! I rejoice, yea, I shout
with gladness! till my cries stir the night as the burnished gold
of a lance thrust into a poisonous dragon of adamant, for the
Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
13. Ah! but I rejoice in Thee, O Thou my God; Thou self-
luminous refulgent Brilliance; Thou eye of light that hath no
eyelid; Thou turquoise-studded sceptre of deed: Yea, I rejoice in
Thee, Thou white furnace womb of Energy; O Thou spark-whirling
forge of the substance of the worlds; I rejoice, yea, I shout
with gladness! till I mount as a white beam unto the crown, and
as a breath of night melt into the golden lips of Thy dawn, in
the Glory and Splendour of Thy Name.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
CAPRICORN The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Humiliation of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Humiliations
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O my God, behold me fully and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my searching is as a bat
that seeks some hollow of night upon a sun-parched wilderness.
2. O my God, order me justly and be merciful unto me, as
I humble myself before Thee; for all my thoughts are as a dust-
clad serpent wind at noon that danceth through the ashen grass
of law.
3. O my God, conquer me with love and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all the striving of my
spirit is as a child's kiss that struggles through a cloud of
tangled hair.
4. O my God, suckle me with truth and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my agony of anguish
is but as a quail struggling in the jaws of an hungry wolf.
5. O my God, comfort me with ease and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all the toil of my life
is but as a small white mouse swimming through a vast sea of
crimson blood.
6. O my God, entreat me gently and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all my toil is but as a
threadless shuttle of steel thrust here and there in the black
loom of night.
7. O my God, fondle me with kisses and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my desires are as
dewdrops that are sucked from silver lilies by the throat of a
young god.
8. O my God, exalt me with blood and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all my courage is but as the
fang of a viper that striketh at the rosy heel of dawn.
9. O my God, teach me with patience and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my knowledge is but
as the refuse of the chaff that is flung to the darkness of the
void.
10. O my God, measure me rightly and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all my praise is but as a
single letter of lead lost in the gilded scriptures of the rocks.
11.O my God, fill me with slumber and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all my wakefulness is but
as a cloud at sunset that is like a snake gliding through the
dew.
12. O my God, kindle me with joy and be merciful unto me,
as I humble myself before Thee; for all the strength of my mind
is but as a web of silk that bindeth the milky breasts of the
stars.
13. O my God, consume me with fire and be merciful unto
me, as I humble myself before Thee; for all mine understanding is
but as a spider's thread drawn from star to star of a young
galaxy.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
AQUARIUS The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Lamentation of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Lamentations
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my song is as
the dirge of the sea that moans about a corpse, lapping most
mournfully against the dead shore in the darkness. Yet in the
sob of the wind do I hear Thy name, that quickeneth the cold lips
of death to life.
2. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my praise is
as the song of a bird that is ensnared in the network of the
winds, and cast adown the drowning depths of night. Yet in the
faltering notes of my music do I mark the melody of universal
truth.
3. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my works are
as a coiled-up sleeper who hath overslept the day, even the dawn
that hovereth as a hawk in the void. Yet in the gloom of mine
awakening do I see, across the breasts of night, Thy shadowed
form.
4. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my labours
are as weary oxen laggard and sore stricken with the goad,
ploughing black furrows across the white fields of light. Yet in
the scrawling trail of their slow toil do I descry the golden
harvest of Thine effulgence.
5. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the hope of
my heart hath been ravished as the body of a virgin that is
fallen into the hands of riotous robbers. Yet in the outrage of
mine innocence do I disclose the clear manna of Thy purity.
6. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the passion
of my love is mazed as the bewildered eyes of a youth, who should
wake to find his beloved fled away. Yet in the crumpled couch of
lust do I behold as an imprint the sigil of Thy name.
7. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the joy of my
days lies dishonoured as the spangle-veil'd Virgin of night torn
and trampled by the sun-lashed stallions of Dawn. Yet in the
frenzy of their couplings do I tremble forth the pearly dew of
ecstatic light.
8. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the
aspirations of my heart ruin as in time of earthquake the bare
hut of an hermit that he hath built for prayer. Yet from the
lightning-struck tower of my reason do I enter Thy house that
Thou didst build for me.
9. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my joy is as
a cloud of dust blown athwart a memory of tears, even across the
shadowless brow of the desert. Yet as from the breast of a slave-
girl do I pluck the fragrant blossom of Thy Crimson Splendour.
10. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all the
feastings of my flesh have sickened to the wormy hunger of the
grave, writhing in the spasms of indolent decay. Yet in the
maggots of my corruption do I shadow forth sunlit hosts of
crowned eagles.
11. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my craft is
as an injured arrow, featherless and twisted, that should be
loosed from its bowstring by the hands of an infant. Yet in the
wayward struggling of its flight do I grip the unwavering courses
of Thy wisdom.
12. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my faith is
as a filthy puddle in the sinister confines of a forest, splashed
by the wanton foot of a young gnome. Yet like a wildfire through
the trees at nightfall do I divine the distant glimmer of Thine
Eye.
13. O woe unto me, my God, woe unto me; for all my life
sinks as the western Sun that struggles in the strangling arms of
Night, flecked over with the starry foam of her kisses. Yet in
the very midnight of my soul do I hold as a scarab the signet of
Thy name.
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
PISCES The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Bewilderment of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Bewilderments
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou snow-browed storm
that art whirled up in clouds of flame? O Thou red sword of the
thunder! Thou great blue river of ever-flowing Brightness, over
whose breasts creep the star-bannered vessels of night! O how can
I plunge within Thine inscrutable depths, and yet with open eye
be lost in the pearly foam of Thine Oblivion?
2. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou eternal incarnating
immortal One? O Thou welder of life and death! Thou whose breasts
are as the full breasts of a mother, yet in Thy hand Thou
carriest the sword of destruction! O how can I cleave the shield
of Thy might as a little wanton child may burst a floating bubble
with the breast-feather of a dove?
3. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou mighty worker laden
with the dust of toil? O Thou little ant of the earth! Thou great
monster who infuriatest the seas, and by their vigour wearest
down the strength of the cliffs! O how can I bind Thee in a
spider's web of song, and yet remain one and unconsumed before
the raging of Thy nostrils?
4. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou forked tongue of the
purple-throated thunder? O Thou silver sword of lightning! Thou
who rippest out the fire-bolt from the storm-cloud, as a sorcerer
teareth the heart from a black kid! O how can I possess Thee as
the dome of the skies, so that I may fix the keystone of my
reason in the arch of Thy forehead?
5. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou amber-scal'd one
whose eyes are set on columns? O Thou sightless seer of all
things! Thou spearless warrior who urgest on Thy steeds and
blindest the outer edge of darkness with Thy Glory! O how can I
grasp the whirling wheels of Thy splendour, and yet be not
smitten into death by the hurtling fury of Thy chariot?
6. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou red fire-fang that
gnawest the blue limbs of night? O Thou devouring breath of
flame! Thou illimitable ocean of frenzied air, in whom all is
one, a plume cast into a furnace! O how can I dare to approach
and stand before Thee, for I am but as a withered leaf whirled
away by the anger of the storm?
7. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou almighty worker
ungirded of slumber? O Thou Unicorn of the Stars! Thou tongue of
flame burning above the firmament, as a lily that blossometh in
the drear desert! O how can I pluck Thee from the dark bed of Thy
birth, and revel like a wine-drenched faun in the banqueting-
house of Thy Seigniory?
8. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou dazzler of the deep
obscurity of day? O Thou golden breast of beauty! Thou shrivelled
udder of the storm-blasted mountains, who no longer sucklest the
babe-clouds of wind-swept night! O how can I gaze upon Thy
countenance of eld, and yet be not blinded by the black fury of
Thy dethroned Majesty?
9. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou seraph-venom of
witch-vengeance enchaunted? O Thou coiled wizardry of stars! Thou
one Lord of life triumphant over death, Thou red rose of love
nailed to the cross of golden light! O how can I die in Thee as
sea-foam in the clouds, and yet possess Thee as a frail white
mist possessess the stripped limbs of the Sun?
10. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou soft pearl set in a
bow of effulgent light? O Thou drop of shimmering dew! Thou
surging river of bewildering beauty who speedest as a blue arrow
of fire beyond, beyond! O how can I measure the poisons of Thy
limbeck, and yet be for ever transmuted in the athanor of Thine
understanding?
11. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou disrober of the
darkness of the Abyss? O Thou veil'd eye of creation! Thou
soundless voice who, for ever misunderstood, rollest on through
the dark abysms of infinity! O how can I learn to sing the music
of Thy name, as a quivering silence above the thundering discord
of the tempest?
12. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou teeming desert of
the abundance of night? O Thou river of unquench'd thirst! Thou
tongueless one who lickest up the dust of death and casteth it
forth as the rolling ocean of life! O how can I possess the still
depths of Thy darkness, and yet in Thine embrace fall asleep as a
child in a bower of lilies?
13. O what art Thou, O God my God, Thou shrouded one veiled
in a dazzling effulgence? O Thou centreless whorl of Time! Thou
illimitable abysm of Righteousness, the lashes of whose eye are
as showers of molten suns! O how can I reflect the light of Thine
unity, and melt into Thy Glory as a cloudy chaplet of chalcedony
moons?
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
SUN The Chapter known as
The Twelvefold Unification of God
and the Unity thereof
I
adore
Thee by the
Twelve Unifications
and by the Unity thereof.
1. O Thou Unity of all things: as the water that poureth
through the fingers of my hand, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot hold Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I plunge
into the heart of the ocean, there still shall I find Thee, Thou
Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect Nothingness of
Bliss!
2. O Thou Unity of all things: as the hot fire that flameth
is too subtle to be held, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
grasp Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I hurl me down
the scarlet throat of a volcano, there still shall I find Thee,
Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect Nothingness
of Bliss!
3. O Thou Unity of all things: as the moon that waneth and
increaseth in the heavens, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
stay Thee; for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I devour Thee, as
a dragon devoureth a kid, there still shall I find Thee, Thou
Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect Nothingness of
Bliss!
4. O Thou Unity of all things: as the dust that danceth over
the breast of the desert, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
seize Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I lick up with my
tongue the bitter salt of the plains, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
5. O Thou Unity of all things: as the air that bubbleth from
the dark depths of the waters, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot catch Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I net Thee
as a goldfish in a kerchief of silk, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
6. O Thou Unity of all things: as the cloud that flitteth
across the white horns of the moon, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot pierce Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I tangle
Thee in a witch-gossamer of starlight, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
7. O Thou Unity of all things: as the star that travelleth
along its appointed course, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
rule Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I hunt Thee across
the blue heavens as a lost comet, there still shall I find Thee,
Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect Nothingness
of Bliss!
8. O Thou Unity of all things: as the lightning that lurketh
in the heart of the thunder, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
search Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I wed the
flaming circle to the enshrouded square, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
9. O Thou Unity of all things: as the earth that holdeth all
precious jewels in her heart, so art Thou, O God my God. I cannot
spoil Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I burrow as a
mole in the mountain of Chaos, there still shall I find Thee,
Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect Nothingness
of Bliss!
10. O Thou Unity of all things: as the pole-star that
burneth in the centre of the night, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot hide Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I turn from
Thee at each touch of the lodestone of lust, there still shall I
find Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
11. O Thou Unity of all things: as the blue smoke that
whirleth up from the altar of life, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot find Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I inter
Thee in the sarcophagi of the damned, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
12. O Thou Unity of all things: as a dark-eyed maiden decked
in crimson and precious pearls, so art Thou, O God my God. I
cannot rob Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I strip Thee
of Thy gold and scarlet raiment of Self, there still shall I find
Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O Thou perfect
Nothingness of Bliss!
13. O Thou Unity of all things: as the sun that rolleth
through the twelve mansions of the skies, so art Thou, O God my
God. I cannot slay Thee, for Thou art everywhere; lo! though I
lick up the Boundless Light, the Boundless, and the Not, there
still shall I find Thee, Thou Unity of Unities, Thou Oneness, O
Thou perfect Nothingness of Bliss!
O Glory be unto Thee through all Time
and through all Space: Glory,
and Glory upon Glory,
Everlastingly. Amen,
and Amen, and
Amen.
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