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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Sunday, 5 May 1918
Key to dramatis personae: Aleister Crowley is T. or Therion, or 666. He is represented by Amalantrah in the temple of the seeress' vision.
Roddie Minor, or Eve is Soror Achitha (variously spelled Ahita, Achita, Ahitha), or 555. She is the egg or altar in the temple.
Marie Lavroff or Röhling is Soror Olun, or 156, and is the Tree in the temple.
Mrs Elsa Lincke is Soror Bazedon and possibly 444, being the Lion in the temple.
Charles Stansfeld Jones is Frater Arcteon, O.I.V.V.I.O., Nemo and 777. He is the Child in the temple.
Amalantrah the Wizard is 729 and represents 666 or A.C. in the temple.
About 2 a.m. The Wizard is there and is unusually natural and at ease. Amused twinkle in his eye.
T[herion]: I greet Him. Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Ask him if he is satisfied with our conduct during the last week?
A[chitha]: Yes, he is. Pleased, but rather amused in a sympathetic pleasant way.
T[herion]: What is the work for week end? First, general work. Then, work of the Holy Ghost?
A[chitha]: Curious bird, pure white, standing in water.
T[herion]: Give us a number for week end.
A[chitha]: Aleph Resh Gimel Lamed Tzaddi. (324 = 182 = Shekinah.)
T[herion]: Give pure number.
A[chitha]: 171. ( = sum of first 18 numbers. Face of God.)
T[herion]: Tarot Trump?
A[chitha]: XVIII.
T[herion]: Give Chinese symbol.
A[chitha]: [I Ching Hexagram XXXVI] = 36H Hex = 18 x 2 Sol beneath Yoni.
T[herion]: D.E.Y.S.A. (Should we employ cannabis indica?)
A[chitha]: 8 of Pantacles.
T[herion]: D.E.E.H.E.? (Should we use IX° Degree?)
A[chitha]: 9 Trumps. (18 divided by 2.)
T[herion]: Give Chinese symbol—Shall I interpret as Yes?
A[chitha]: [I Ching Hexagram LI] = Yes. Combine with prudence in order to obtain the Glory of the Lord with us. T[herion].)
T[herion]: Is that the right interpretation of his will in the matter?
A[chitha]: 51. (ambiguous.)
T[herion]: Give us Chinese symbol with right interpretation.
A[chitha]: [I Ching
Hexagram
IX]
T[herion]: Is danger threatened last week permanently averted?
A[chitha]: Samekh.
T[herion]: Ask general symbol for this week.
A[chitha]: [I Ching
Hexagram
XIII] Phallus
of
T[herion]: Ask for financial symbol.
A[chitha]: Aleph Beth
Lamed Ayin Beth ( = 351. Sum of first 26 numbers and
T[herion]: Ask: Does that mean that T[herion] gets money?
A[chitha]: Lamed Aleph Resh. ( = 231.)
T[herion]: How and by virtue of what do I get it?
A[chitha]: 3
3:20 p.m. Arc[teon] takes V[ow] of S[ilence] for evening.
2.35 [p.m.]
3.15
Completion of Oper[ation]
3.22 Shekinah still on the way.
Note: Aleph Ayin Lamed Ayin Nun. = 222. Possible alternative for Olun.
3.25 p.m. T[herion]: Arcteon took a vow of silence for several reasons. First. To impress us with His sanctity. In this he will fail. Second. As an excuse for not (p----g) [fucking] you.
(Achitha): This is very like the abyss—except that the Abyss has no continuity and this has.
(Arcteon): T[herion] has been taking Hashish—which may account for his ? jokes ?
Achitha says she is f[ucke]d out.
T[herion]: Achitha, can you see Wizard?
A[chitha]: Not very well now . . . . . . . . whip. T[herion]:
The apparent disconnected ravings of idiots may possibly represent the risings into consciousness of (nodes) upon the . . . . The subject was never changed in the world's history. One thing always leads to another like the Hex of . . . . . and the remark of the flea upon the . . . . . of Soror Achitha.
Hashish brings the subconscious up into the conscious. You see every item of the will. Ordinarily one thought seems as if complete in itself, under hashish you see all the different thoughts that go to make it up. Note the existence of one factor of the mind whose every sensation that comes up it throws into a class by itself, like dividing the sheep from the goats. Like an office, where certain people put things into different pigeon[holes], some judge them.
If you concentrate on any one of these ideas, they cease to become verbal and become pictorial. Thus appreciation of colour is higher in scale of spiritual than reason is.
All the mysteries of creation are really unveiled to one. This is the Shekinah, thoughts like flames in Sunlight. . . . Everything is clear—cause and effect. . . . on every plane, abyss after abyss.
Wisdom looms up into Glory and that gets down to the bottom again. The ( . . . ) is perpetual motion like an actress jumping through a hoop so that whether you go inwards towards wisdom or outward to glory, you are on the same old round. This is symbolized by Kaph. 10th Key of Tarot—Hermanubis going up, Typho n going down. Arcteon's vow of silence cannot be such as to (------- )B.S. interfere with his power. I see all the steps whereby I arrive at the conclusion that Arcteon is an idiot—which is a disgusting sight. But She's asleep.
Voices just coming out of the departments.
4.30 Asleep more than 10 minutes.
Lots of sentries all over the place, ready to report anything that comes to their notice.
Spider's Web is the correct symbol. Probably self satisfaction to say that. Never mind onward the Revd.
The deepest thing of all is the one which sounds most foolish of all. That half broken down question I already forgot—is the most important thing in the world.—(Prolonged laughter). Oh, never in a million years will any one reach the understanding of this mystery, unless they do as I did.— Every mystery is clear—every sacrament is unveiled.
She was really very tired, that was the reason for her temper ----- etc.
The intervals between my sentences would over-flow a 3 vol novel. That sentinel is like a cathedral. I wish to God I could show you all the debacles by which it is built up, every step is made plain.
9.35 p.m. T[herion] notes:
American mind like consciousness under Hashish. Every one in America is crazily conscious of his own function and is proclaiming it aloud and is not conscious of any common purpose. (A.N.C.V.) Architecture reflects this fact. The sky scraper has hundreds of offices which are independent—indifferent to each others' welfare. The building has no moral unity, as a cathedral has.
The democratic idea is similarly 333. In the cathedral every item is subordinated to a single complete conception.
Hashish is really temporary insanity, but owing to its democratic results it becomes impossible to get anywhere. This is one of the meanings of 'Keep Silence'. (The above thought is only the official view of one of my departments.) All consciousness is pain. It seems only to come up to the attention when something is wrong.
A department which watches the consciousness pays attention to what it says and guards its welfare. Therefore when there is nothing in the consciousness, this department has nothing to do, which it regards as an ideal state—according to the general view—consciousness is pain.—All work is pain is the view of this department. This analysis is the foundation of the Buddhist theory.
Hashish visions have been considered illusions—nothing of the sort—most true analysis. Hashish produces a moral not a mental insanity by removing the control which keeps all these things silent. It gives a voice to the mob. But each person in the mob is quite right from his own point of view. Each point of view is equally true and equally important, but not important to the state as a whole. The work of the individual is important—but not his idea in doing the work.
A hashish experiment is rather like going slumming—one is amazed by the variety of the vividness of the impressions. And I think this is caused by a Freudian recognition. One sees again the things that used to be familiar in a simpler consciousness—things long since buried—the same thrill as re-visiting one's childhood. It is therefore a return or a retrogression in mental structure. A degeneration. Thus we see that analysis represents going back and synthesis—advance.
This again is proof of the nature of Choronzon. As dispersion represents analysis or destruction—thus he is the enemy of man whose formula is creation by synthesis. This synthesis is Love. Hence it is written, Love is the Law. But this synthesis must be morally pointed to a definite purpose of which love is only the method. Hence it is written, Love under will. The law of Thelema is consequently a complete statement based on the facts of the structure of the mind. We go through about a million processes of debate—all tremendously vivid and important, in order to make some trifling decision or jesting phrase showing the immense superiority of that normal mind—to these vivid and violent impressions. Yet it is of course built up of them.
Thus there is a picture of the true state. A vigorous, crude, highly coloured life of the common people.
The polished silence of the gentleman is built up of all those vulgar elements, but has surpassed them, bringing them to silence of function. This is the English (equivalent) of society.
All emotionalism is due to a crude appreciation of these elements, so that it too is a degeneration or as we say—bad form.
These thoughts . . . . . . are ablaze in consciousness owing to the inhibition of the moral faculty as above stated. But in samadhi the higher faculties are ablaze too, so that one gets the details and the sum of them all aflame at once in a super consciousness fitted to comprehend them in this way, which transcends the laws of logic, because in this consciousness one does see each and all at once. Expression is vulgar mob speech—representing a low state of evolution.—The more complex form of individual takes things for granted without going further into the old argument.
Even chemistry illustrates this Social System, each element ceasing to assert its simple nature, and slightly subordinate in structure, to form the high-order molecule. Stability of molecule depends on completeness of satisfaction of the "will to love" of each atom.
12 Midnight Wizard just as last night. He has a crown in his lap—of Rays.
T[herion]: What does crown mean?
A[chitha]: It is to be worn.
T[herion]: By whom?
A[chitha]: He turned his head away. Mars is to wear it.
T[herion]: Is this war talk, or what? What does he mean by Mars wearing it? Is it any one in the Temple?
A[chitha]: Pitcher and Peacock. (T[herion] thinks Achitha.)
T[herion]: Will you ask about Olga. Give symbol for my relations—which of twelve houses?
A[chitha]: 10.
T[herion]: Give a numerical symbol.
A[chitha]: 83 = 2 of Pantacles. Harmonious change. 116. = Jupiter ( . . . ) number.
T[herion]: Ask Chinese symbol for relations.
A[chitha]: [I Ching
Hexagram
XXXI]
T[herion]: Give plain card of Taro.
A[chitha]: 8 of Swords. (Jupiter in [Gemini].)
T[herion]: Will these relations be advantageous to me?
A[chitha]: Resh Lamed Gimel Vau. ( = 239 = 3 Dec[an] of Taurus = Saturn in Taurus. Illusory success, unprofitable, little gain for much labour.)
T[herion]: Give Chinese symbol illustrating my advantage.
A[chitha]: [I Ching
Hexagram
V]
T[herion]: Has he got any advice—is it worth bothering with?
A[chitha]: Aleph Gimel Cheth Teth. (= 18.)
T[herion]: Give a Chinese symbol for course of action.
A[chitha]: [I Ching
Hexagram
LII]
T[herion]: Will he give answers re physical events?
A[chitha]: Aleph Lamed Shin Nun. ( = 381 = clamour, prayer.)
T[herion]: Make that answer clearer.
A[chitha]: (Visions of boxes and trunks.) 53.
T[herion]: Ambiguous.
A[chitha]: 147.
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of Phallus.
= 9th hexagram = 18 divided by 2.)
Union of Men.)
in
.)
1 cc Hash[ish].
of
.
(No. 31—Influencing to action, jointly. Mutual influence.)
of Phallus.
Waiting, sincerity.