The Howling of Liber CCXXXI

A Grimoire of the Paths of the A.'.A.'.

by

Frater Zephyros

This evocatory grimoire functions as the Thelemic version of the lesser key of Solomon; known also as the Goetia or 'Howling'.  Research into both what the Master Therion expounds and the uniquely profound work of Kenneth Grant which has its own Qabalistic significance; may shed light on the experiences of the Ordeals of the Grades of our order.  Such synchronicities seem to correlate with my own experiences and exposure to the current of the A.'.A.'..

Liber CCXXXI is the most singular and certainly unique of all ‘Class A' documents revealed by the Secret Chiefs thus far.  The Master Therion presents it as a mapping of the cosmic process in congruity with the twenty‑two Atus of The Book of Thoth.  And it is shown to function as a technical treatise delineating a formula for initiation. Kenneth Grant extends this idea from the perspective of both sides of the Tree-of-Life in such a way as to seemingly destroy any idea of a Manichean battle between forces of Light and Darkness.  Rather, the so-called Dark Side (whose contents are commonly referred to as Qliphotic) is purported by his experience to be very ancient ‘Atavisms’ that belong to a more primal and powerful consciousness from our racial past.  Austin Osman Spare and Carlos Casteneda also investigate these bestial energies.

It seems that modern humanity has forgotten such power that was very much a part of human consciousness in a time before the ancient Egyptians; as modern man has moved more and more to a dependence on left-brained consciousness through the succeeding ages.  The Necronomicon also speaks to this time and acts as a complimentary Grimoire as well as the Voudoun grimoires.  Most certainly, this time in ancient Mesopotamia; specifically Chaldea, is the fountain from which the Egyptian and hence, the Jewish and Hindu religions would evolve into both Eastern and Western directions with Judaism branching into Islam and Christianity and Hinduism branching into Taoism and Buddhism.  Of course, many aboriginal societies may be said to have never left this mode of consciousness as we are in this new aeon, learning more and more about ancient aboriginal cultures that have survived relatively unaffected or unaltered by time into the present age.  Voudoun may be the one exception as it is clearly the merging or modernization of this ancient Shamanism with Christianity.

Liber CCXXXI consists of three separate sections:  The first is composed of two sets of twenty‑two sigils each belonging to two separate houses; the second is a set of twenty‑two verses corresponding to both the corresponding sigils from the two houses; and the third section is a list of names for each of the Angels from both houses, arranged in two columns and paired of with the corresponding angel from each house.   Both of the two sets of sigils in the first section are titled Liber XXII.  The first set is sub‑titled 'Domarum Mercurii Cum Suis Geniis' which I am paraphrasing as 'The House of the Angels of Thoth'.  The whole book is an exposition on the Holy Tarot or Book of Thoth.  The other set of sigils is sub‑titled 'Carcerorum Qliphoth Cum Suis Geniis' and I am paraphrasing as 'The Prison of the Angels of Choronzon.

In both sets, the sigils are laid out either in the natural direction of Hebrew writing for the first set, or its opposite order for the second.   And in between both sets of sigils are instructions for comparing the sigils.  They are arranged in two columns of which if the sigil delineated in the left column precedes the one of the right then the comparison is to be made in the sigils of the Angels of Thoth.  And if the one on the right precedes that of the left then the attention is directed to the sigils of the Angels of Choronzon.  The comparisons reveal similarity in style, theme, and symbolism between certain sigils.

Now please note that I have used the word ‘Prison’ for the Angels of Choronzon.  But I would prefer to see this as something that is locked in a pre-historic level of consciousness deep in the collective conscious of our race.  J. Edward Cornelius describes this with the idea that these beings are imprisoned in the Astral Waters about the Earth.  These energies maintain a balance with the forces that are now at the fore of our consciousness and seem to be connected with each other through the Invisible Sephira known as Da’ath on the Tree-of-Life.  Kenneth Grant seems to maintain that only the Adept has the wherewithal to handle the raw power of these Atavisms.  In such a light he aligns both sides of every path of the Tree with each other as specific ‘Kalas’ from which Magick Power can be evocatorially gained employing specialized Tantric techniques.

There is no cross‑comparison between the two charts until you get to the third section of this book.  Here the names associated with each Atu are listed in two columns and their natural contrast is marked.  The pronunciation of the names for the Angels of Thoth are more creative than the traditional Hebrew names for demons deployed by the Angels of Choronzon.  Indeed the Angels of Thoth refer to several alphabets for composition of their names of which belong to no known language. Yet, Kenneth Grant develops strong Gematric evidence to support the nature of and validate the results of his work.  These he draws from and expands upon Frater Achad’s investigation into the Qabalah; culminating ultimately into a Tarot known as the Tunnels of Set.

The middle section of Liber CCXXXI contains a set of verses of which is the song of the Major Arcana of the Holy Tarot.  This equilibrates both corresponding sigils from the first section of this book and animates the third section which follows.  In this way Liber CCXXXI is a magickal formula strongly reminiscent of the formula of LASHTAL.  And further, one should approach this work with an understanding of the process of Initiation delineated in Liber Pyramidos.  The correspondences between the two works lend themselves well to each other.

There is also a comparison to the Ordeals of the Grades as each initiation has seemed to this Aspirant to expose one to various paths connecting with the mastery of each corresponding Sephira.  And so evidence of this is delineated by Kenneth Grant as he takes these Atavisms to be a integral and interactive part of the Not-I that is the reverse of the Tree with it’s obverse being the I that most Adepts will exclusively deal with; making the reverse side a taboo that is a by-product of egoic fear.  Marcelo Motta notes in his own exploration of Liber CCXXXI that the Sheaths of the Self are not static, but are continuously expanding and changing as the Self and Not-Self interact.  Thus it seems that these Qliphoth are the sentinels of the Tunnels of the Not-Self under every path of the Tree-of-Life.

These Qliphotic demons seem to this Aspirant to potentially plague the Grades of the Order as each Grade exposes one to partial paths that connect the various Sephiroth.  And of course, the Ordeals of the Grades arise therefrom.  And so the Neophyte may make talismans for each skrying with the Sigils of the Genii on the obverse and the Sigils of the Qliphoth on the reverse in his or her Astral Experiments.  It is further recommended that the serious Student obtain a copy of Kenneth Grant's book:  Nightside of Eden.  In the book, he describes more fully the nature of these tunnels than I have outlined below.

It should also be noted that Mr. Grant warns against skrying the Choronzonic genii and only himself, presents data on the Thoth Genii.  In my own work, I did skry both…and yet I have no correlative data to relate my Choronzonic experiences with while finding interesting correlations with Mr. Grant's data even though I had performed my experiments several years before I encountered Mr. Grant's work.  There are two other published workings along these lines, one is found in THE EQUINOX Vol. VII; No. 1--published by Ray Eales  and the other is found in THE EQUINOX Vol. V; No. 2--published by Marcelo Ramos Motta.  Some of my own work is appended below.

By the time one reaches Zelator, one should have had enough experience to begin to validate the various Forces, Siddhis, Ordeals and other phenomena that are a part of the experience of exposure to the levels of consciousness mapped out by the Tree-of-Life.  In such case, the chart that follows should corroborate at least in parts, some of the experiences of the Aspirant thus far.  And it should be further noted that this should all be seen as a work in progress and not some final authority on the matter.

It is worthwhile to observe the non-linear nature of working the Lesser Paths of the Tree-of-Life.  Some of these paths are completed in later grades from when they are initially traversed.  Or it could be said that these paths are an integral part of any grade the comes between the grade where the pathwork was initiated and the grade where such work was completed.  This ties in somewhat with Motta's idea of lower grades being correlative of higher grades as they are transposed on the Tree-of-Life and within the A.'.A.'. grading system.  He states the following on the nature of Initiation:

The Initiation of the Neophyte reflects the Initiation of the Minor Adept;
The Initiation of the Zelator reflects the Initiation of the Magister Templi;
The Initiation of the Practicus reflects the Initiation of the Magus;
The Initiation of the Philosophus reflects the Initiation of the Ipsissimus.

The process starts again with the Dominus Liminis, whose circumstances and ordeals are analogous to those of the Probationer.
Again, the Initiation of the Adeptus Minor is analogous to that of the Neophyte, though on a higher plane.
And the Initiation of the Adeptus Major is analogous to that of the Practicus.
And the Initiation of the Adeptus Exemptus is analogous to that of the Philosophus.
(The Initiation of the Zelator is analogous, here, to the point of view of the Adeptus Minor Within.)
The Crossing of the Abyss is again analogous to Probation and to the position and progress of the Dominus Liminis.

In considering the practical efficacy of working these twenty-two tunnels, it is interesting to observe that Yesod sits in counter-position to Da'ath on the Tree-of-Life.  The Zelator has fully attained Yesod having worked in this sphere during his or her Neophyte period.  And this sphere is a reflection of Da'ath.  That is why it is said that the Neophyte has the option to take the Oath of the Abyss; which was accepted by Frater Achad most probably to his detriment.

Crowley notes in his writings that to be seduced by Choronzon becomes a time and energy waste.  And yet, the ability to develop functional skill on the Astral Plane is the central part of the work of the Neophyte.  And Choronzon may not be the demon that the Hebrew Qabalists have made him out to be.  This whole caveat needs to be more thoroughly investigated with the hope that this work here presented, has shown to be one more step towards such investigation.

An Experiment

By

Frater Orpheus

1^o=10^� AoAo

Sun in Sagittarius
Luna in Aquarius
December 14, 1996ev  [Saturn]
10:50am

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

Started w/XXV & V - sat to asana and imagined or I should say planned a spontaneous invocation of Saturn.  3 candles; that was it - for the third sphere as it tied in w/the path of the Universe Atu.  And I realized that I had already started the invocation.  So I assumed the god-form of an old man w/white beard and hair and white robe.