A COMMENTARY ON THE 418/2:76 MONOGRAPH  (TNE/BJM Vol 6 Part 1).

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In the following article we are going to discuss many problems that have confounded Thelemic magickians since 1904. To verify our conclusions we have used English Qaballa and we have kept this to a bare minimum. However, one must use Qaballa if the magickian is to survive the highways and byways of modern magick. The Qaballistic confirmation of our conclusions fills the class A material; indeed the Book of the Law is a commentary on the intercourse and transactions that occur between the two Trees of Life indicated by II 76. It is not possible to give all these formulae in such a short treatise: therefore, we hope the reader will bear with us in our limited exposition.

There are many systems of magic, one suited to one individual, another to another, and most of them work, but this is the end of the road for Sorcerers, Witches and Wizards, and the beginning of the Royal Road of Thelema. The magician is like a child picking up stones on the seashore, to misquote Newton. The magickian is the same child, now grown, setting sail on the great sea in search of his destiny and his homeland - to heal the division that is "hither homeward".

Many are the ordeals he must suffer on his way to the truth Absolute and upon his return from his long journey he returns in silence as its Lord and as Harpocrates he rules the world, a silent witness to the Glory of the Star.

This article reveals the compass setting and the charts the magickian must use in his voyage beyond the seashore of eternity.

LIBRA + SCORPIO + SAGITTARIUS + CAPRICORN = 418

AYE (LISTEN =93) TO THE (NUMBERS & THE WORDS =200) = 418

1st Consideration

The number 93 is the value of the word of the Law, Thelema, in Greek. The word listen combined with the word of the law suggests that this word of the law must be heard in connection with THE NUMBERS (and) THE WORDS =200 = MANIFESTATION.

MANIFESTATION = 200: this is any form of manifestation and is not subject to the law of Thelema 93. To make manifestation obey Thelemic law its word must be made to obey the law.

2nd Consideration

The word LISTEN = 93 implies that this formula must be applied to the next section. The problem of II 76 has puzzled Thelemites since the book was received in 1904. It is a series of numbers and letters that have defied interpretation by several generations of magicians and scholars, indeed it is claimed by the leaders of Thelemic cults the world over that he or she who solves this peculiar equation shall be the "Chief of All" predicted by Al, such was the importance placed upon this strange verse.

If we apply English Qaballa to II 76 we get

4 6 3 8 ABK 24 A (=58 Libra) LGMOR 3 YX (=93 Scorpio) (24) (89) RPSTOVAL (=200 Manifestation

As the reader will know from previous articles on 93 this number represents the menstrual flux in woman, Scorpio; the whole formula being:-

LIBRA + SCORPIO + SAGITTARIUS + CAPRICORN = 418 EQ

This gives the correspondences shown in the table below.

3rd Consideration

THE NUMBERS + THE WORDS = (24) (89) RPSTOVAL = 200 = MANIFESTATION

Apply the word of the law to manifestation, that is, add 93 to every character in (24) (89) R=12, P=26, S=5, T=24, O=7, V=10, A=1, L=2 and we get the following numbers

117:182:105:119:98:117:100:103:94:95:

There are ten characters in this equation, as there are ten characters in the Libra section. If we apply the same rules to the Libra section we get

97:99:96:101:94:113:102:95:97:94

The number 58 = HADIT = LIBRA. In the Book of the Law HADIT says he is perfect (I am perfect being 93 not etc.) and Libra is the sign of The Balance, a further indication of this fact of perfection. Summarising, we have two sets of ten characters divided by LGMOR 3 YX =93 "I am divided (DIVIDE =93) for love's sake" I.29 Al. Later in I.30 is PAIN OF DIVISION = 200 = MANIFESTATION. The method that zero uses to manifest is the Tree of Life. Therefore, we have two Trees of Life divided by 93 LGMOR 3 YX.

The Libra Hadit Tree is perfect. Therefore, its Malkuth is placed in Daath to give the perfected Tree. We have included some of the words in Al that have the values of the various Sephirah to give the reader some idea of what these two Trees mean in terms of Qaballistic symbolism, using English Qaballa, the cipher of the New Aeon.

[A reproduction of the illustration accompanying this article is included at the bottom of this page.]

As will be seen by any Thelemite magickian, this system follows The Book of the Law in its interpretation of manifestation. Let us consider the myth of creation in Liber Al as given in I.28 (28 = WORD).

NONE (=60) BREATHED (=117) THE LIGHT (=117) FAINT (=80) & FAERY (=71) OF THE STARS

On the Tree of manifestation Kether is HOOR-PAAR-KRAAT = 117. Consider this proposition: if None i.e. Zero is Ain Soph then the next word must indicate the number one or Kether. In this case BREATHED = HOOR-PAAR-KRAAT = THE LIGHT. None is nothing and NOTHING = RA-HOOR-KHUT = 97, which is Kether and Yesod of the perfect Tree. Strictly speaking, NONE = 60 = DEATH (FOR DEATH = 97) and this formula relates to LGMOR 3 YX = 93 = SCORPIO, the house of death, but we are discussing II.76 in terms of the Minor Adept's understanding. The NONE = DEATH relates to 8 = 3 and is experienced by the 7 = 3 in his ordeal.

It is impossible to understand The Book of the Law without recourse to the English Qaballa, but those who possess the English Qaballa of Al will see by its numerical commentary the true meaning of existence and the mechanisms of the magick of the New Aeon.

We have illustrated the action of the 93 formula, using II 76 to reveal how the formula works. It will be seen that Daath and Geburah on the perfect Tree have the same value as Yesod on the Tree of manifestation, as the Hod on the perfect Tree is the same as Malkuth in manifestation. The two Trees are divided by 93. When the stellar configurations are correct, the 93 formula is activated and energy flows out of manifestation to the perfect Tree and vice versa.

In the physical world this results in the appearance of magickal effects and the abortion of Destiny as the perfect Tree adjusts the balance in manifestation. The old concept of only one Tree of Life is impossible as nothing could happen in manifestation beyond the production of the amoeba - a single celled creature. This is obvious, as a Tree going from zero to manifestation could only produce this without periodic interference from beyond. Look again at the cycle of the Goddess and unite her with manifestation through "Solve et Coagula" and become Baphomet.

Kenneth Grant postulated the existence of two Trees of Life and it is a tribute to this magickian's ability that without the Qaballistic key to Liber Al he produced results that parallel some of our own (see Night Side of Eden, Cults of the Shadow and Outside the Circle of Time).

However, there is a limit to how much accurate information can be gleaned from Astral Contact due to interference from the Lord of Dispersion 93 who gives results that are right for the wrong reasons and wrong for the right reasons. See Grant's comments on the works of Lovecraft and A.O. Spare in his "Typhonian Trilogy" for illustrations of this phenomenon. Only pure numbers reveal the truth and it is against pure number that astral visions must be checked for their validity. It is against the background of pure number that the Class A material must be examined, for without the role of number "these runes" become extremely dangerous, leading one into the minefield of 93. Pure number has always been the way of the magickian, and apart from a few diversions into hallucinated art and literature, anything else is always at best Mysticism and at worst insanity.

At the end of chapter II of the Book of the Law it is said "..and the name of thy house 418."

This number by English Qaballa means the four. 4 are 1 to infinity 8. The immediate question is what four, and one is inclined to invoke the Lion, Man, Scorpio and Bull as a means of escape from the problem. Yet Leo, Scorpio, Aquarius and Taurus do not add to 418. In any case this quaternary is not new and in no way represents a revolutionary New Aeon formula. The New Aeon Quaternary must be revolutionary, not a rehash of old aeon ideas.

This brings us to another question: the phrase refers to THY HOUSE = 101 - whose house are we required to consider? Reducing the number 1 + 0 + 1 = 2. the house of duality? The dual one is Baphomet 128, expressed in the Zodiac as balanced duality CAPRICORN = 121.

The power of Capricorn is derived from Libra. Scorpio, Sagittarius and the value of Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn is 418 by English Qaballa. Therefore the house of Baphomet is Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricorn. The next question is why should these signs above any of the rest be worshipped?

We have already given the meaning of 93 Scorpio as the formula of unity by denial that operates when one of the planets or Sun and Moon are in the sign. During these periods most forms of 93 magick can be performed. The reason why 418 is of particular interest is that during the Ordeal X the magickian enters the house of Baphomet when the Sun transits these signs. He enters at Libra, an individual at war with himself and ineffectual in the world, due to this conflict, and leaves at Capricorn, an individual child of Baphomet, able to do his will in the world. His duality has been reordered to unit through the ORDEAL X = THE BEAST = BAPHOMET = SCARLET WOMAN = 128.

The law of Thelema is the green shoot of spring opening up amongst the death and decay of a defunct Aeon. It is hardly visible, yet it will grow to produce an as yet unknown species of Mankind. A Mankind who will look back on these centuries as the truly dark ages of instinctual man; when men killed each other for illusory gain based upon the idea that it is possible to gain anything in a world in which we have no permanent home. It is as impossible to imagine Thelemic man as it would be impossible for an ape to imagine he could become us.

The promises given in The Book of the Law are no vain promises based upon faith, they are factual statements of our destiny. The third chapter of Al is a statement upon the nature of man. It is often forgotten that Nuit is the goddess who taught discrimination and this virtue is the one most needed in dealing with the Class A material - neglect nothing but remove the husk from the kernel to taste the truth. The husk has been placed there to mislead the unworthy.

The Law of Thelema first integrates and then supersedes all former magical systems. It supersedes them and prepares the way for New Aeon man. This is the way of the future. We are paving the way to the civilisation of the future. There are no choices. The nuclear mad power men of today are in the death throes of their credibility; the future belongs to our successors, the Priests and Priestesses of Thelema. There is no need for dramatic revolution, and violence is for those who would seek to turn back the tide. The Thelemic revolution will happen - is happening naturally.

Everyone who would aspire to Magick will ultimately have to enter the house of Baphomet, through the secret door made for us by our body of the Stars. It is or them that these words are written - the slaves shall serve.