Aleister Crowley Diary Entry

Tuesday, 13 November 1923

 

 

Hail unto Kephra!

     

Many happy returns of the day to my darling little Brother and Concubine Dionysus Ganymede (commonly called Hansi) the bastard of the Scarlet Woman Alostrael [Leah Hirsig].

     

10 a.m. Mohammed [ben Brahim] who fell very ill immediately after Opus[1] X is still on the sick list. Bab has been far from well too; in particular, has found it very hard to get going.

     

2.22 p.m. A dreadfully dull, drab, depressing day, windless, overcast, damp, stupid. Quite impossible to settle to anything.

     

3.30 p.m. Am worried about the Comment "D" (Begun Moon conjunction Uranus, 26 Libra). Bab seems to dislike my Cap: I, which I have not yet read, yet Aiwass said to her that I should go on as proposed. YI: Criticize my Cap: I, and suggest any mode of amendment. Sun/Water. [I Ching hexagram] XXXVIII Khwei. Comment D (Cap: I) good only in detail: not the inspired Work needed by III, 39. I invoke Aiwass. Stick to it. Don't be discouraged. Should I read it before proceeding? Bab is very emphatic against it. Moon/Sun [I Ching hexagram] LXIII Ki Zi I think this means that it is the regular natural orderly harmonious thing to do: also I feel sure that on Der Tag I shall be more nervous if I have not read it than bound by memory if I have. On the whole. I think it is perhaps the best preparation for the 17th that I could possibly make. I shall either be pleased and encouraged, or disappointed and on my honour to do better.

     

4.18 p.m. I begin to read "D".

     

8 p.m. I made a rough division of AL II and III into sections; both came out into 32. I applied the Key-Scale and found many striking aptnesses. I then revised my original division of Cap: I and found that it also would fit in. I can hardly doubt that I have at last discovered the true principle: also, I am led to wonder whether "this line drawn" and III, 73 may not refer to this. E.g. suppose I made a rule of the length of the line, and applied one end of it at the proper angle to the beginning of a section of Cap: I, it might point to the corresponding sections of II and III—the length being a significant multiple of the Rule—provided the sheets were pasted correctly. It is a mere suggestion: but should anything of this sort appear, it must supply a culminating proof of quite overwhelming value that the MS is praeterhuman: for such a device could hardly have been conceived, much less carried out, by any intelligence of any human order.

     

9.30 p.m. OPUS[1] XI.     666.     Operation: Admirable; natural. Elixir: D[itt]o. Object: Inspiration—with special reference to the Work of the Moon conjunction Uranus. The idea is to obtain a Spirit of simple enthusiasm devoid of all intellectual subtleties and complexities.

     

10.10 p.m. I will now try to construct a synoptic table of AL, I, II, III, on the 32-fold division ("for love's sake, for the chance of union"!) with notes to show the Rightness of the Attribution—and so of the mode of Division.

 

 

  I.  

  II.  

  III.  

     I.

I.

I.

I

     II.

2-4

2-5

2.

     III.

5

6

3

     IV.

8

9

4

     V.

10

10

9

     VI.

12

14

10

     VII.

15. from

17

11

 

"and in his"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  I.  

  II.  

  III.  

     VIII

20.

21

16

        IX

21

22

17

         X

22

23

19

     Aleph

24

24

21

     Beth

26

26

22

     Gimel

28

27

23

     Daleth

31

34

30

     Heh

32

46

31

     Vau

33

48

34

     Zayin

35

49 from "Amen"

35

     Cheth

39

52

36  

     Teth

40

53-54

40

     Yod

45-48

54 from "The stops"

41

     Kaph

49-51 to "foam"

56

42

     Lamed

51 from "Also"

59

43

 

III, 36-39 may go with Qoph, the Prophet speaking with the Twin babe Gods. Sword V. 38.

 

     Mem

 

 

 

     Nun

 

 

 

     Samekh

 

 

 

     Ayin

 

 

 

     Peh

 

 

 

     Tzaddi

 

 

 

     Qoph

 

 

 

     Resh

 

 

 

     Shin

 

 

 

     Tau

 

 

 

 

 

Essence of Chapt.

Essence of Chapt.

Essence of

Chapt.

 

Masloth

The Dyad, The Star The New

World

The New World

 

Understanding of Nature

of Nuit

Understanding of Nature of

Hadit

Understanding

of Nature of

H.R.H.

 

The Object of Devotion

The Joy of Life

The

Establishment

of a Centre

(Olympus

 

The Rulers

Hadit fights 666

The Law of

Battle.

 

Joy, Harmony, etc. The

Stele, The Beast 666

The blinding and devouring

Sunlight

The Stele: its

Beauty and

Colour. The

Temple.

 

The Scarlet Woman. The

Victory of Love.

The Victory of Love, Joy,

Beauty, etc.

The Victorious

City. The

Woman

Priestess.

Victory over

the heathen.

 

The Secret Word of

Magick, (Mercury)

The Mystery of Dissolution

(Mercury) The Snake (Mercury)

Mecurial Virtue

in re AL; curses

and promises:

meaning

obscure

(Mercury).

 

The Firmament Seb-Shu-NUIT

(Yesod)

The use of the

Unconscious (Yesod)

The Foundation

(Yesod) of

Virtue

Ganesha)

 

The Virgin Queen: her Secret

Name given to her Priest.

Space. "Kether is in Malkuth,

and Malkuth is in Kether".

Division dethroned.

The Virginity of Hadit.

"God" dethroned.

The Stele (the

Hidden Virgin

espised of

men; but the

Image of the

Truth).

"Because"

dethroned.

     ALEPH

The Mystery of Zero. The

Babe Vau in the Womb of

the Dragon NUN.,

Harpocrates becomes

Bacchus.

The image of

the two-form

babe.

     BETH

The Magus. His Name and

Sign. His speech with the

Goddess which he identifies

with the None before the One.

H.as the serpent (Mercury) the

double formula of his Magick.

Arrangement of

Gods two types

of worship.

"Thou shalt

know" (the

symbol of

Mercury.)

     GIMEL.

The Formula of Nuit explained.

Gimel, the Path which crosses

the Abyss explains the fatuity

of Daath and the Ruach.

Incense

attributed to

the Path

leading from

Tiphereth to

Kether.

Monthly blood

or of a child

best. Beetles:

see Atu XVIII

The Moon.

     DALETH.

Joys (earthly)

Feasts and general rejoicings

especially connected with

Love.

Altar—Daleth—

the Path

Joining

Chokmah and

Binah as it

were a throne

for Kether.

Brass a

venereal metal.

     HEH.

666 as Emperor. Ordeals

Aries. "The Vault of my body",

etc. = alternatively ATU XVII

An Oath. Aries. Heh. Heh

implied throughout.

The Imperial attitude. The

courage of Mars.

Advent of rich

man suggests

Aries—Gold—

Sol exalted in

Aries. Steel of

Mars Ruler of

Aries Smite—

Mars, Fly, He =

window (of

escape.)

     VAU

666 unites with Venus Luna of

Taurus (Taurus of course,

regular symbol of Nu the Blue

Cow of the Firmament.)

Consolations Taurus, House

of Venus with Luna exalted.

Passive, earthy, submissive,

laborious, patient Sign.

Formula of

Aeon whose

number is 6.

6 = heat =

Holy Place.

Sacrifice.

Tomb, King,

Priest, mingling

of God and

Beast, all

suggest Vau.

6, Hierophant.

     ZAYIN

Book, Gemini, Mercury, Scribe,

Mercury, Wisdom of RHK,

Mercury, Change, Mercury,

Spells, Mercury, Obeah, Magick,

Mercury, Wanga more so being

Speech. Wand and Mercury,

Sword; Learn, teach, Mercury.

Note duplex or twin

arrangement in Verse 37

(Gemini) Several ordeals 8, 9.

Swords in Tarot.

Babe Gemini, Bride Atu VI

The Lovers, (Babe in Egg =

Aleph — Alter Ego of Yod.

Cf. I, 48)

Heru-Ra-Ha

formally

differentiated

as Twins

(Gemini)

     CHET.

Connection between 93 and

418. Word of Law = record of

Will of Jupiter transmitted by

Graal Bearer Atu VII, Thelema

in full and Loges Purics tav

Nogien(?) are 2542 = 82 x 31,

82 being a number sympathetic

with Pisces. (82 = Anael(?)

Kindly, righteous (Juppiter)

white (Moon) the beloved thing.

Palace of serenity.

Modest woman Moon in

Pisces. Cheth = fence =

hymen. Cheth = harsh He

Past centuries Pisces sign

of memory Vices Juppiter

exalted in Pisces. Tarot

Card 2, 3, 4 Cups. Love

abundance blended pleasure.

Reward Juppiter Sorrow Moon.

Pall of Death 4th House (End

of the matter) Noon when

Hiram Ab if was slain. Water

= Sorrow, Death. Veil of

Moon, Lady of Pisces.

666 as

Charioteer of

H.R.H. Pisces

"How thou

didst come

hither" Record

of Past =

Pisces. Pisces

Path from

Binah to

Geburah

Reproduction of

images. "Dine

or drink", 2, 3,

4 Cups. Give

Juppiter in

Pisces. Bliss 2,

3, 4 Cups. Red

ink and black,

colours of

Geburah and

Binah. Paper

for receiving

impressions.

Reflection and

transmission

quality of

Pisces. Abide

Pisces. Quickly

Speed of

Chariot

Function of

book

Charioteer.

     TET

Summarised statement of Law

of Leo Atu XI = Will. The Li

ion—like and Solar Code. Leo's

greatest defect must be

Restriction, its quintessence

being Expansion, radiation,

courage, frankness, generosity,

nobility, contempt of meanness

or calculation.

666—His identity with Sun, his

pride, his power to radiate

blessing. Mask of Sorrow the

characteristic illusion about

the Solar Formula. The error

which produced the cult of the

Dying God. Characteristic

quality of Leo is ambition—

aiming at the highest. Sol in

Leo is the culmination of

summer. "Lift thee up"

therefore specially fitted to

Formula of 666 especially as

Leo was rising at his birth

"Reveal" Sun the revealer—

avail special triumph of Leo 6

of Wands, crowning work of 5

and 7.

Work easy.

Natural to Sun

to radiate.

Burning Sun.

Heart Sun,

swift and

secure—

qualities of

ight-ray. Pan—

metaphor for

light—way.

     YOD

Perfect = Yod as self

completeness and purity. Secret

Key Atu IX. Whole passage a

riddle and mystery—Mercury

and Atu IX. Several references

to Aleph, the Alter Ego of Yod.

Cf. II, 49.

"The Stops"—Yod is the

period. The injunction is to

respect the virginity (Yod =

Virgo) of the MS. Mercury

English Alphabet, etc. Mercury.

New symbols Virgo.

Attribution Mercury.

"clerk-house" =

Mercury in

Virgo.

"business way"

= Mercury in

Virgo. 8 of

coins prudence.

9 of coins

material gain.

10 of coins

wealth.

     CAPH

Abrogate—Atu X. Change of

positions at Equinox of Gods

Lord initiating Atu. V. The

Pope—Juppiter—3 ordeals = 3

gunas on wheel. (Fire =

Typhon, Intellect =

Hermanubis, highest = Sphinx).

"Let not one know well the

other"—Caph = closed hand?

(shape) 4 gates—Juppiter.

Lapis lazuli. D[itt]o. Goodly—

fine apparel, rich food, wine =

Juppiter.

Majesty of Juppiter. Laugh D

itt]o. Righteous D[itt]o

(Tzedeq) V. 58, Permanence

of Juppiter. Fixed law of

D[itt]o. Masked ones—

disguises of D[itt]o (swan,

Bull, etc.) Beggar—Juppiter

(Appeal to Mercy)—Chesed.

Hierophant—Cf.

Cap I. Refuse

none—

generosity of

Juppiter.

Powerful to

protect—

Juppiter Argue

not—majesty

of Juppiter.

Destruction of

rebels—

Juppiter. Turn

and strike—

bolts of

Juppiter. Drag

down, etc.—

judgment of

Juppiter. spit =

water of

Chesed,

contempt of

Juppiter.

     LAMED

Love—Venus, Lady of Libra.

Fill—justice of Atu VIII. As

ye will, etc.,—fluidity of

sound. L.

Love—Venus, Lady of Libra.

Justice and free flowing

action of Lamed.

Venus in

Libra—symbol

of 667. Her

formula Justice

Atu VIII.

Incorruptible by

personal

feeling.

Vengeance,

etc., Atu VIII.

Her doom—

Saturn exalted

in Libra. With

my force, etc.,

Sword of

Justice.

     MEM.

Verse 52—Correct calculation

Atu VIII. These are not stated

but indicated by the silence of

the letter M tu XII execution of

criminal.

Atu XII

Mem = 40.

Mem. Path

leading to

eburah II.

     NUN

Regenerate Atu XIII. Kiss—

vibration of Scorpio.

Whole section describes

Death-like (Atu XIII) ecstasy

of serpent-love. Worm-

scorpion-Nu-Had-R.H.K. Eagle-

serpent-scorpion. Work, thrill,

death, etc. Vibration of

Scorpio. "We are none"—none

= Nun. Bear up", etc. = Eagle

of Scorpio. "Lift thine head =

Serpent of D[itt]o. "Die" =

Scorpion of D[itt]o (stinging

itself to death when

surrounded by fire.)

"Translated"—

change of Atu

XIII. "One

cometh after

him"—

supplanting of

Nun.

     SAMEKH

"Ecstasy", etc.—transmutation

of Atu XIV. "To me"—arrow of

Sagittarius.

"Advice" = Atu XIV. "Joy,

rapture, drink, and c. Juppiter.

"Bear" main pillar from Yesod.

"Refine", "rules of art",

"delicacy", "subtly" Atu XIV.

"Fourfold"—

Juppiter in

Sagittarius,

leads from

Tiphereth to

esod—"arrows

shot against

the slave-

gods". "Hawk's

head"—wings

claws, etc.

Eagle of

Juppiter. Spit—

Water of

Chesed,

contempt of

Juppiter.

Wheels—Atu X.

Chaste

women—Diana

Huntress

(Sagittarius).

Professional

soldiers

blaspheme

sporting spirit

of Juppiter in

Sagittarius.

Keen, proud,

etc.—Juppiter

n Sagittarius.

     AYIN

"Change not" etc.—rigidity of

Saturn. "Behold"—Ayin means

Eye. "Mysteries hidden—

Sabbath of Goat. Child Goat the

Babe Sun. "No expected house"

Capricorn the Mysterious place

of winter. "All words etc. Heresy

of Atu XV "Unattacked"—Mars

exalted in "Clear light"—Ayin,

the Eye.

"Exceed"—the leaping goat

Capricorn. "Strive over to

more"—Ditto. Policy of Satan

(Atu XV) "Death the crown of

all"—Saturn lord of Capricorn.

The Satanic

(Atu XV) form

of liberty as

the sole law.

"Beyond"—Cf.

exceed in Cap:

I.

     PE

"Invoke me"—Phallic tower of

Atu XVI. "Love under will"

formula of Pe. ("I could not

love thee dear, so much,

Loved I not honour more")

Fortress—House of God (Atu

XVI).

"Death"—smashing bondage

of body (House of God

(Atu XVI).

"God enthroned in Ra's seat"—Mars (Pe) ousting Sol quintessential formula of H.R.H. "Lightening the girders of the soul" = smashing the limitations (Atu XVI.)

     TZADDI

Direct reference to Tzaddi.

"King among the Kings" =

Tzaddi the Emperor.

H.R.H. as

Emperor.

     QOPH

Nuit as Moon of Atu XVIII.

"Joys", etc. Pisces, Juppiter,

Venus or Moon. "Nor do I

demand aught"—generosity of

Juppiter. Whole passage 8, 9,

10 Cups. Success scorned.

Material happiness—perfected

success. Incense—(Gimel see

III, 23,) Moon of Atu XVIII

Trees—or mountains in Atu

XVIII(?)

Mystery of Atu XVIII "One to

follow thee Pisces end of

cycle. "To follow the love,

etc." Nu as Moon in Atu XVIII

"To look forth"—Khephra in

Atu XVIII (666 has Moon in

Pisces at birth.)

Initiation of

Atu XVIII.

"Understandeth

it not"—

darkness of Atu

XVIII. Silver—

Moon of

D[itt]o. Gold—

Sun Kephra in

Atu XVIII.

Stones—the

stars above

the mountains

in Atu XVIII.

Enemies—the

jackals in Atu

18. Success—

Juppiter in . . .

(?)

     RESH

A solar image of Nuit. Red

circle = Sol. Black = Sol

(Mystic tradition) Blue and

old = Sky and Sun. Secret

glory = Sun. 5-pointed star

= man the Solar or microcosmic

being.

"Proud and mighty" = Sun.

"None like unto thee" = Sun,

our one real luminary. "Lift

up"—see above Section Teth,

"Thy stature" etc. = Sun.

"Worship"—Sun the True God.

418 "mystery of 11 Cf. Cap:

I,—"my number is 11".

Resh = Hawk-

headed lord =

Sun. Silence

and strength =

the children in

tu XIX. Nemyss

the Solar halo

shrouds, etc.

Sun conceals

starlight and

azure of night.

"Twin

warriors"—

children in Atu

XIX. "Time"—

measured by

Sun.

     SHIN

Shin = Atu XX, the Stele, which

may be taken to represent the

Invocation of Nuit. "Burnest

fire" ( ) invoking Shin. "Serpent"

Shin by sound. "Flame"—Fire.

"Lie in my bosom"—as Hadit in

Stele Atu XX Rest of Verse 61

expresses the moral attitude of

Shin, the spiritual ardour

 Head-dress—crown of the

Spirit (Shin) Innermost

ense—Shin. Wings, of winged

globe of Shin Caduceus.

Coiled splendour—Serpent

Shin. (Kundalini = Spiritual

Fire). "Burn with desire" (Shin.

"Bare and rejoicing" like a

naked flame. "Flame of the

hearts"—Shin. "Burn

perfumes"—Shin. "Jewels" =

Fire in Mineral kingdom.

"Daughter of sunset"—Shin is

a mother letter. Sunset—

scarlet flame. "Naked

brilliance"—Shin. Sh and N =

Spiritual fire, virgin, dragon,

descriptive of Nuit. "To me"—

the key-note of the whole

passage—suggests the lust of

Fire to devour all things. Her

speech "catches fire".

Verse 77 might be attributed

to Shin "Thy stature" etc.

suggesting the Gos Shu Cf.

Shin Section of Cap: I. "The

end" Atu: XX = the Last

Judgment and The end of

that which is hidden.

(Resurrection Formula.)

Lord of the

Double Wand—

the Phoenix

wand,

resurrection

Atu XX. "I have

crushed an

universe" = the

Last Judgment

Atu XX. Verse

73 suggests

identifying the

MS. of AL with

the Stele of

Revealing Atu

XX. "Splendour"

= Leo Fire and

Spirit of Shin.

     TAU

The concealment of Saturn and

Earth.

Atu XXI. The figure suggests

the Prophet in the 72

quinaries of the Zodiac.

Atu XXI is the

complete

pantacle

concealed

obscurity of

Saturn. AUM or

AMN cognate

symbols of

Tau.

 

11.23 p.m. Mark off these sections, noting the page and line (in Ms.) where each begins, to see if there be any correspondence in position. Count the words in each section. Note positions of capitals, etc. Square off the Ms. (265 x 212). (53 x 5 and 53 x 4 = 10 x 8 inches) into 80 squares and note any correspondences.

     

Chapter I has 21 pages and 6 lines.

     

Chapter II has 21 pages and 4 lines.

     

Chapter III has 21 pages and 0 lines.

     

The line is 172 long, starting 22 from top edge and 55 from left edge, ending 176 (?177) from top and 132 from left edge. Apply it from capitals etc. (Begins in c 1, ends on e-f 7).

     

C. d-e 7(touching 8) --- = 10/=8. Vertical = 10 C. 14 Widest. Horizontal = 13. 10 Narrowest.

     

Page 1. H of Had to r of revealed. C touches al of revealed! ! !

     

/ on N of Nuit   C on Aiwass.

     

In its place / cuts manifestation unveiling and infinite secret.

     

Page 2 / cuts servants C on joy   many that are children love ecstasy.

     

Page 3 / cuts woman C on ch of chosen.     given     their.     sun.     secret     starlight.

    

Page 4 / cuts God C on . . . . . . . . . . and     my     am     to/him)

 

= whom?

 

when )

     

Page 5 /cuts thing C on she (top)     whose     of     my     multiply     prophet     I

     

Page 6 / cuts flowers   C on kissing.     my    continuity   of

     

(fact     )    "Flowers answered my continuity of kissing."

     

(          )cancelled

     

(whiter )

     

answered.

 

Page

of

MS

I

Line / cuts

C falls on

below dotted

line

Page

of

MS

II

Line / cuts

Page

of

MS

III

Line / cuts

7

  thus

7.

  to

7.

  of

 

 

 

but

 

priest

 

  One

 

Beast's

 

Beast.

 

continuous

 

light

 

this

 

the

 

about

 

also

 

chance

 

see

 

kept

 

 

 

between a and

 

shall

 

 

 

million

 

things

 

Top of 't' of

'creation'.

joins 'y' of joy and

capital 'B' or Beware

 

"g" of creeping

't' of things.

8

care

8.

of

8.

be

 

what

 

against

 

swell

 

but ye

 

 t Serpent

 

of

 

prophet

 

coiling

 

gold

 

knowledge

 

I and

 

rich

 

joys

 

mine

 

gold

 

pain

 

rapture

 

smite

 

almost touches

 

 

 

 

 

vault

 

 

 

 

 

by touches

 

 

 

joins word 'to'

with the top of

'l' of 'place'.

 

bottom of 't'

 

   blank

 

 

 

of 'the'

 

 

 

 

9

said

9

  with

9

when

 

unto

 

  curse

 

wanded

 

rituals

 

Will

 

  another prophet

 

said

 

them

 

the skies

 

shall

 

for

 

worship

 

 

 

 

 

Beast

 

 

 

 

 

sacrifice

 

 

 

 

 

shall

 

'Kh' of Ankh-

f-n-Khonsu

 

(blank) above word 'wise'.

 

 

10

The

10.

rituals

10.

said

 

and

 

times

 

thee

 

and

 

for

 

Lord of

 

he

 

Bride

 

. . . . . . .

 

but

 

three

 

light

 

is

 

law Tahuti

 

my

 

 

 

prophet

 

secret

 

 

 

 

 

between 'thy' and 'way'

 

'ele' of Thelemites.

 

'Sup' of Supreme

 

'tion' of adorations

11

Be

11.

every

11.

between 'this' and 'and'

 

of

 

rapture

 

between 'come' and 'hither'

 

not

 

might

 

and paper

 

thou

 

uttermost

 

upon

 

can

 

 

 

beautifully

 

a

 

the

 

  paper

 

to thee

 

kisses

x

woman

12

delivered from

12

Not thee

12

burning

 

prophet

 

for

 

secure

 

perfect

 

consoled

 

at

 

not

 

conqueror

 

be

 

secret

 

perish

 

shalt

 

Jews

 

is

 

Refuse

 

four hundred

 

invisible

 

the

 

half

 

 

 

I am

 

thee

 

egg

 

and

 

 

1—Refers to a magical sexual operation.

 

 

[50]