Path: typhoon.sonic.net!not-for-mail Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.thelema Subject: Concealment and Revealing From: 333 Reply-To: spam@yronwode.com User-Agent: nn/6.6.0 Lines: 64 Message-ID: <0VYK8.7653$3w2.35768@typhoon.sonic.net> Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 06:14:20 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 208.201.242.18 X-Complaints-To: abuse@sonic.net X-Trace: typhoon.sonic.net 1023171260 208.201.242.18 (Mon, 03 Jun 2002 23:14:20 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Jun 2002 23:14:20 PDT Xref: typhoon.sonic.net alt.magick.tyagi:32849 alt.magick:304040 Orig-To: thelema93-l@hollyfeld.org 5000207 IVom > .... thelema is still a specific magickal path working with > specific tools. here we disagree. I'd call that Crowleyanity. to equate such an ecclesiastic, liturgical, or dogmatic standard with 'Thelema' is to profoundly misconstrue its liberty and betray that part of Crowleyan Thelema (e.g. "every man and every woman is a star", "do what thou wilt...") which serves to underscore liberty. > ...There is that stuff about "troglodytes" right? And what of > people who don't do "their True Will"--who are these people > and how do we know exactly that they aren't, or more > accurately, how does one know these things or not for > oneself? the troglodytes are those who live in caves of ignorance, content to believe in fixed and pleasing conceptual shadows projected upon their mental walls by the waggling of internal fragments. they tend to accept that things are much more simple than they truly are, wish to identify the ideal as contained within their familial tribe, and seek to describe the liberated as those who are constrained to ceremonial and formulaic norms (equating their peculiar Herd with the Elite). you asked what is the benefit of group rituals when there is no required standard interpretation of the symbolism that is inherent to them. compare it to art. there is no required standard interpretation of a piece of art, even though there may be an artistic intent, there may be popular of esoteric interpretations of the art which are considered 'authoritative' based upon the interpreter's reputation and familiarity with the subject matter, and these may in many cases disagree. group rites coordinate individuals into a cohesive body by virtue of shared activity, regardless of the experience or understanding rendered to any single participant. membership in a group can be a beautiful and extraordinary experience, and when this is enhanced by symbolic movement and shared awe or inspiration, it can serve to provide a foundation from which even those most bereft of family or supportive community can approach difficult challenges with courage and confidence. there are no universal meanings to artistic expression. one's background and genetic predisposition will influence one's perceptual filter and the refraction of mystical iconography will discover its truth in the mind of the receiver based on this. the relativity of truth, however, makes this refraction valuable, in that a multitude can approach a mystery with awe, have differing experiences, and, due to the ambiguous and sublime nature of that precious mystery, take from it an enthusiasm which makes individual participation in the Great Work possible. blessed beast! ______________________________________________________________________ (333) nagasiva@luckymojo.com; http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html I don't read everything here; cc me if you absolutely want a response.