Book of Law Study Group 1.30

Grigori

Ah well, I guess I'll take a swing at it :D

This verse seems to reinforce the previous ones, that have appeared to be about the Thelemic creation mythology. 28, 29 and 30 perhaps are relatable to Malkuth, the created world and 10th Sphere. I'm reminded of the Princess's from the Tarot, especially the pregnant Princess of Disks. Heh final from the Courts Tetragrammaton, as lesser version perhaps of the path of Heh which Crowley moved to the Star, a depiction of Nuit the greater version.

The line 30 tells us the pain of division (perhaps Nuits labor pangs at dividing her No-self, into two) is not important (and by inference maybe our own feelings of division from each other, or spiritual isolation generally), what is really of interest is the joy of union, turning the 2 back into the 0 (or the return to Nuit, the union in relationship/love/agape, or the union of the all). This follows on very clearly from the last line "For I am divided for love’s sake, for the chance of union".

This part of Thelemic philosophy always seems very Taoist to me. The Tao created the ONE, The ONE created the TWO, The TWO created the THREE, and the THREE created the MANY

Maybe the "many" of Taoist philosophy is "the all" of this line. Nuit the nothing, become Pan the everything }) All the microcosms flowing back into the macrocosm, dissolving into the None.
 

Always Wondering

similia said:
This part of Thelemic philosophy always seems very Taoist to me. The Tao created the ONE, The ONE created the TWO, The TWO created the THREE, and the THREE created the MANY

Maybe the "many" of Taoist philosophy is "the all" of this line. Nuit the nothing, become Pan the everything }) All the microcosms flowing back into the macrocosm, dissolving into the None.
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I read the commentaries.

old commentary said:
As to "the joy of dissolution" the reference is to Samadhi, the trance in which Subject and Object become one.
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As much as the last verse resonates with me this one doesn't. Which is strange because they relate to each other.

old commentary said:
This verse is written for men who are still in division, and sore about it; the pain is only in their idea of it.
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And I had just wrote that I was less sore about it than ever. But if I am still a little sore, than why would the pain of division be as nothing? The words hang me up. If I was sore it would hurt. Maybe I am being too literal again. Maybe it is a promise to the sore.
I don't know.

AW
 

Aeon418

30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

Just now while looking at this verse a thought crossed my mind. I thought that the initial 3 of the verse number was the 3 Veils of Ain. The 0 is the Fool. And the next 21 words are the unfoldment of the Hebrew Alphabet/Tarot Cards. I think I might have to play around with that idea for a while. The first thing that jumps out at me is that the word "Division" corresponds to the Hanged Man.

In this verse I still feel the illusory game theme of the previous verse. The pain of seperate existence needed to play the game really is nothing. It only seems so deadly serious when we are totally immersed in the game. But once the game is over there is the joy of dissolution. Life wasn't the great tradgedy you thought it was. (The little ego disagrees big time on that score. :() It was all a game. Fancy another?

This is the end of the Gimel decanate. The Priestesses veil of light has become a game board! Which side? Black or White? ;)

Oh, and Happy Thelemic New Year! :party:
 

cardlady22

Aeon418 said:
30. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all.

Just now while looking at this verse a thought crossed my mind. I thought that the initial 3 of the verse number was the 3 Veils of Ain. The 0 is the Fool. And the next 21 words are the unfoldment of the Hebrew Alphabet/Tarot Cards. I think I might have to play around with that idea for a while. The first thing that jumps out at me is that the word "Division" corresponds to the Hanged Man.
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Now I think I can get something out of this! Thanks, Aeon!

I re-read it like 5 times and got nothing . . . except being drawn to the word pain and wondering why when I didn't feel hurt???
X Fortune ~ kaph (cup, palm) ~ connecting chesed and netzach

ETA: My daughter saw me looking at the card and asked "Is that the StarGate?" (we just watched that movie)

Would someone who knows the gematria be so kind as to suggest some words/concepts that go along with whatever the Hebrew for pain is?
 

Aeon418

cardlady22 said:
Would someone who knows the gematria be so kind as to suggest some words/concepts that go along with whatever the Hebrew for pain is?
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I can't find anything significant at the moment. But I keep thinking about the various passages in the Bible about the pain of childbirth. John 16:21, if interpreted in a more symbolic sense, might be a good match for the present verse?
 

ravenest

I'm thinking of Joanie Mitchell;
"You don't know what you've got till it's gone ..."

Those with the pain think 'what they had' is gone ... or they never CONCIOUSLY knew what they had ... but maybe an inkling of it?

Those without the pain ( but maybe a 'pang' ?) know what they will come to or what they will get back ... so it isnt such a big deal.

But to feel a large,existential, undefined loss and seperation that one has no idea of getting out of .... I guess thats where the 'doctrine' of 'the fall' came from?

" The pain of seperate existence needed to play the game really is nothing. It only seems so deadly serious when we are totally immersed in the game ..."

Yep, one day we will be having beer in Valhalla and I will be joking about how seriously you took it that time when I took the top of your head off with an axe. ;)
 

Aeon418

ravenest said:
Yep, one day we will be having beer in Valhalla and I will be joking about how seriously you took it that time when I took the top of your head off with an axe. ;)
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You know how you said your first pint tasted a bit strange? Well ......... :laugh:
 

Beira

I agree the pain of division is nothing compared to the bliss of reunion..
I think that happens between an incarnation and the next.. and just imagine the bliss when you get to ensoul in something more elevated than human, as being a local spirit, or a HGA for someone particular, and when you do not to come down in the material plains at all anymore, and exist just as Nuit (part of her, but in a somewhat inexplicable way, cause you get to share her wholeness but you are not the whole of her, if I am making sense..)
 
Book of Law Study Group 1.29 Thoth Tarot