Book of Law Study Group 1.31

cardlady22

Let's see . . . if we are now in dalet, the door, and it's the Empress/Venus connecting chokmah (spelling?) and binah

It seems like the reader is being exhorted to take care of their own business. Don't linger outside the door. Don't focus on what/where anyone else is. This invitation and experience is for you and it is up to you to come in. That party at the house down the street may seem attractive, but you know it's not the one for you. Don't you?!?!
 

Grigori

Another direct follow on from the previous verse, though the preceeding three seem to be about the "creation" process, and we've now moved onto the result of that creation perhaps.

1.30 said:
This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.
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1.31 said:
For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys
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So to focus on the pains of division means you get only weak joy in terms of compensation? Maybe moving your focus to mundane concerns clouds your ability to see/feel anything more interesting.

but ye are my chosen ones.
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and so should not choose to suffer the same fate? "Ye" has been a clue to a hidden meaning a couple of times before, though I can't see how those sections apply easily to this idea... :confused:
 

Aeon418

31. For these fools of men and their woes care not thou at all! They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys: but ye are my chosen ones.

The opening of the Daleth set of verses. The Empress - Salt.

To me the phrase "these fools of men" has an of airy quality about it. It maybe a reference to that particular quality of air that causes division, or at least the illusion of division. I see here the apparent "curse" of separate existence and all the troubles and strife that naturally arise due to that limited perspective of life.
For fool read ego-self?

"care not thou at all!" The structure of this phrase seems strange to me and I am believe that there is a hidden meaning related to not-all.
But the surface meaning of this part of the verse always brings to my mind a particular saying. "You can't help a man who won't help himself." Real change comes only from within, not without.
From a Thelemic perspective that doesn't mean you can't offer someone help in times of need. But if the other party doesn't accept the helping hand you can't force it upon them. It's usually a waste of time and effort. A possible warning against one of the excesses of the The Empress? Over protective, sentimental mother-love, that cossets and coddles and is all to often confused with compassion.
(Chogyam Trungpa's, Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism, is worth reading on the real meaning of compassion. He describes it as ruthless and fearless. Not sentimental and full ego gratifying false pity.)

They feel little; what is, is balanced by weak joys
I assume that "They" are the divided with their limited perception of life. Wrapped up in the fears generated by the ego's self preservation instincts and childish needs for self gratification.

but ye are my chosen ones
Chosen ones? But there is no them and us. No Thelemites and Others. All is one.
Again, you can't help a man or woman who won't help themselves.
and to each man and woman that thou meetest, were it but to dine or to drink at them, it is the Law to give. Then they shall chance to abide in this bliss or no; it is no odds.
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Grigori

Aeon418 said:
The opening of the Daleth set of verses. The Empress - Salt.
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For the benefit of the slow (i.e. me), how can we tell that we're in the daleth verses? The triplets walking down the sephiroth was pretty clear to me, but I seem to have missed the part where we got onto the letters/paths :|
 

cardlady22

It comes from the Centres of Pestilence thread, where we note the number of verses in the entire BoL: 66 + 79 + 75 = 220
220/22 letters = 10

So we change letters every series of 10 verses; then compare each single verse to the 10 spheres.
dalet- keter
dalet- chokmah
dalet- binah
etc.
dalet- malkut

Again, forgive my spellings if they are wrong and if I'm mangling the concept here.

ETA: post #24 by Aeon418
 

Grigori

cardlady22 said:
It comes from the Centres of Pestilence thread, where we note the number of verses in the entire BoL: 66 + 79 + 75 = 220
220/22 letters = 10
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ah.. thank you :) Now I must go re-read all the threads :D
 

Aeon418

similia said:
For the benefit of the slow (i.e. me), how can we tell that we're in the daleth verses?
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I see that Cardlady22 has already explained it.

The Book of the Law ~ Liber CCXX ;)

It's certainly an interesting way of looking at the text. The Hebrew letter themes are more visible in some areas than others though. They seem to blur the most when Crowley's ego raises it's head and begins to argue.

The current set of verses 31 to 40 - Daleth/4. Notice the emphasis on Law, ritual forms, group identity, and ordeals of entry.
 

Always Wondering

similia said:
For the benefit of the slow (i.e. me), how can we tell that we're in the daleth verses? The triplets walking down the sephiroth was pretty clear to me, but I seem to have missed the part where we got onto the letters/paths :|
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i.e. me too. I was looking all over for this a while back. I finally figured I imagned it and gave up. :laugh:


AW
 

Beira

I completely agree that one can't help one who won't be helped, and that a lot of the fake compassion is fed by ego drives and not actually intended for the good of the person helped..
But still reading this verse I can't help but wander what should we do with others..
A lot of people don't want to be aware, they stick with their little world and don't want to be told about anything outside it, nor take responsibility even as part of bigger groups than one actually perceives (I mean, acknowledging personal responsibility for pollution, for example)
Is it anybody's duty to wake people up? Is it our duty? How does one go about it?
The world is clearly going in all the wrong direction, so I can't help but think:
If the Source is allowing all this to happen, couldn't that be that the True Higher Good of humanity as a species, would be that a great war/catastrophe happens so that the little survivors find themselves in a number so small that the "progressed" but energy-devouring lifestyle would be sustainable to them?
Is this the Aeon of Horus? The more I think of it , the more it makes sense to me, but I would love to find myself in error, as this scenario is very bleak..
But as is the situation of the planet at the moment, isn't it?
 
XII. The Hanged Man, and Sacrifice Enochian Magick