imakegarb
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One wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
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Post by imakegarb on Sept 11, 2006 8:19:36 GMT
The above italics are mine. The above quote is from the Kybalion (full test here). The Kybalion is generally considered to be a hermetic work. Based on this, I'd say there must be something hermetic about it Y'all can have at it, I'm just saying ;D
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jmd
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Post by jmd on Sept 11, 2006 10:38:19 GMT
The Kybalion is not, I would suggest, a hermetic work - though BOTA members would like to think so, but rather the work of Paul Foster Case, William Walker Atkinson and some say the third was Michael Whitty or H. Spencer Lewis (I personally totally doubt the former, and have my reservations about the latter).
It is a text that is reminiscent of the more a more popular book I do not wish to encourage by naming, save that in this case the authors reflected the style and times of the early 20th century. Their seven principles or insights combines some aspects of tradional thought with views popularly thought to reflect insight into the nature of the ultimate reality around one hundred years ago.
It is highly unfortunate that this text has attracted attention that to my view is far more than deserved. This does not make the text worthless, but neither does it make it one of the better ones amongst the thousands of esoterically inclined books.
Quite frankly, I find some of Atkinson's other books superior.
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ruffashlar
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Lodge Milncroft No. 1515 (GLoS), Govanhill Royal Arch Chapter 523 (S.G.R.A.C.S.)
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Post by ruffashlar on Sept 11, 2006 21:54:20 GMT
What do you mean by it not being a hermetic work? IT certainly seems to think it is. Or do you mean that it wasn't actually written by Hermes Trismegistus? Well, you know, not even Hermes Trismegistus' own works have that in common, either
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imakegarb
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One wee, sleeket, cowran, tim'rous beastie
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Post by imakegarb on Sept 12, 2006 1:28:41 GMT
So, what in your'all's opinion would be the fit definition of a "hermetic" work?
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Post by ptbojim on Sept 12, 2006 1:47:07 GMT
And it can't be The Emerald Tablet!
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ruffashlar
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Lodge Milncroft No. 1515 (GLoS), Govanhill Royal Arch Chapter 523 (S.G.R.A.C.S.)
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Post by ruffashlar on Sept 14, 2006 12:50:45 GMT
Why, what's wrong with the Emerald Tablet?
A little green food dye added to the traditional mixture of sugar, butter and condensed milk - lovely!
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Post by ptbojim on Sept 16, 2006 13:23:19 GMT
I have recently been informed that there is anticlockwise circumambulation within the 18th degree of SR. It has been a couple years since I have seen the degree put on myself and did not note this particular detail. Can anyone here tell me if there are other instances of ACM in any of the other AASR degrees?
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Post by taylorsman on Sept 16, 2006 13:36:10 GMT
Not as far as I recall in the English Working. In the Black Chamber the Candidate and the others still perambulate in a clockwise direction.
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Post by hollandr on Sept 17, 2006 3:41:09 GMT
>still perambulate in a clockwise direction.
This is the direction for bringing the heavenly lodge down to earth.
Cheers
Russell
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Post by maat on Sept 18, 2006 0:53:41 GMT
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Post by hollandr on Sept 18, 2006 1:43:31 GMT
>Clockwise, counterclockwise and then straight up the middle.
Maat
You are pretty radical - suggesting that the lodge is an organic entity.
Indeed the lodge should be an entity in its own right (rite) able to act on its own behalf through its members.
And if so, to what do the spirals connect?
And is the straight up the middle really a straight down the middle - a plumbline?
cheers
Russell
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Post by maat on Sept 18, 2006 4:17:39 GMT
>Clockwise, counterclockwise and then straight up the middle. Maat You are pretty radical - suggesting that the lodge is an organic entity. Indeed the lodge should be an entity in its own right (rite) able to act on its own behalf through its members. And if so, to what do the spirals connect? And is the straight up the middle really a straight down the middle - a plumbline? cheers Russell Yep! I would say so. Also the middle path of the Cabbala (however you spell it) - the famed middle road. I am rather hoping that ptbojim will be kind enough to post a piece that he found on the idea that anticlockwise draws energy into manifestation.. I remember your experience re the use of the left hand in the Ark Mariners and I think it would be enlightening. Maat
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Post by hollandr on Sept 18, 2006 9:15:30 GMT
>the idea that anticlockwise draws energy into manifestation
It is the other way around. Clockwise is bring spirit into matter. Thus one may deduce that the fundamental work of the Masonic ritual is not to raise Masons but to draw down the temple in the heavens into the earthly lodge. Of course it does help to have few genuine Masons in the lodge
Cheers
Russell
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Post by ptbojim on Sept 18, 2006 11:55:50 GMT
Is this the post Maat? " In general, the spiral found in both rock art and ceramics may simply connote motion, with a clockwise spiral denoting ascension and a counterclockwise spiral denoting descension. 5 (Was it not Jung who stated that clockwise motion represents the conscious, while anticlockwise motion signals the unconscious?) According to author Ani Bealaura, the spiral is manifested in the upper and middle worlds in a direction opposite to that of the underworld. "The right hand, deocil, or clockwise motion in Celtic belief represents the emerging, growing, material manifestation of energy. This is the direction in which one would cast the circle of protection and send energy into the environment. It is also used to banish unwanted energies. The left hand, widdershin, or counter clockwise motion represents the inward turn and to draw energy into material manifestation. It is the principle of grounding energy. It is also used to take the inner journey of gaining insight and enlightenment, and takes one to the 'underworld' or 'dreamtime'. It is also related to seeking Cerridwen's Cauldron of Inspiration." 6 The mythological poet Robert Graves claims that the Celtic god Bran (the Greek Cronos and the Roman Saturn, whom we have identified with the Hopi Masau'u) was associated with the alder, whose buds are set in a spiral pattern. This, he says, is "a token of resurrection. 7. Graves also recalls the Celtic designation for the megalithic site of Newgrange in Ireland as the Spiral Castle. "In front of the doorway of New Grange there is a broad slab carved with spirals, which forms part of the stone henge. The spirals are double ones: follow the lines with your finger from outside to inside and when you reach the centre, there is the head of another spiral coiled in the reverse direction to take you out of the maze again. So the pattern typifies death and rebirth..." 8 John Frayne, an artisan of Celtic jewelry, states that spiral of opposing directions refer to solstice suns: "A loosely wound, anti-clockwise spiral represented the large summer sun. A tightly wound, clockwise spiral represented their shrinking winter sun." 9 5. James R. Cunkle, Talking Pots: Deciphering the Symbols of a Prehistoric People (Phoenix, Arizona: Golden West Publishers, 1996, 1993), p. 26. 6. Ani Bealaura, "The Celtic Circles of Existence," A Book of Shadow and Light, unpublished manuscript. 7. Robert Graves, The White Goddess: A historical grammar of poetic myth (New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1976, 1948), pp. 171-172. 8. Ibid., p. 103. azorion.tripod.com/spiral.htm " Joesph Campbell suggests that anticlockwise motion symbolizes a return into the 'primordial abyss or void from which all springs.' see 'Primitive Mythology', index: swastika I tend to go withCampbell's interpretation. Anyone else have any ideas?
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giovanni
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odi profanum vulgus, et arceo
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Post by giovanni on Sept 18, 2006 20:48:36 GMT
May I give you a hint?
The question of perambulations is closely tied up with orientation's one.
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Post by ptbojim on Sept 18, 2006 21:50:05 GMT
Gio, can you elaborate please.
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Post by maat on Sept 18, 2006 23:44:40 GMT
Right on Jim - thank you for that. - Maat
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Post by hollandr on Sept 19, 2006 1:03:14 GMT
>Joesph Campbell suggests that anticlockwise motion symbolizes a return into the 'primordial abyss or void from which all springs.'
This is quite correct. An anticlockwise motion tends to raise frequency.
This can be applied to balance water. For example, take a bucket of water and stir it 50 times clockwise followed by 50 times anticlockwise and leave to settle. The water then can be tested for its life-supporting characteristics. For example a bottle of that water is sufficient to offset many of the dark energy lines that cross urban buildings
cheers
Russell
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giovanni
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Post by giovanni on Sept 19, 2006 14:30:17 GMT
If man orientates toward the North, “the Pinnacle of Heaven”, uttarayama, his orientation is said “polar”; if he orientates toward South, with East to his left, his orientation is “solar”.
In the first case, he imitates the stars which orbit the pole and the perambulation shall be performed keeping the centre to one’s left, thus counter clockwise, or “widdershin”; in the second case he takes the direction of the apparent movement of the sun for an observer facing South. The perambulation is then performed keeping the centre of the lodge on one’s right (called “pradakshina” in Sanskrit and “deosil” in Gaelic), and is a clockwise movement.
In Italian lodges the first case (orientation toward the North, from a cosmological slant) is still adopted in the third degree; the second case (terrestrial slant) in the lodge of EA.
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Post by ptbojim on Sept 19, 2006 15:16:13 GMT
That's exacly what I'm looking for Gio! Are you saying that in the 3rd ritual it specifys a counterclockwise perambulation. If so would it be possible for you to forward me documenation where this is outlined in the ritual?
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