From tyagi@bjt.net Mon Nov 18 21:22:53 1996 Return-Path: tyagi@bjt.net Received: from kudonet.com (kudonet.com [165.227.52.1]) by bitsy.hollyfeld.org (8.7.4/8.7.3) with SMTP id VAA02587 for ; Mon, 18 Nov 1996 21:22:51 -0500 Received: by kudonet.com (SMI-8.6/SMI-SVR4) id RAA23800; Mon, 18 Nov 1996 17:14:19 -0800 Date: Mon, 18 Nov 1996 17:14:19 -0800 Message-Id: <199611190114.RAA23800@kudonet.com> To: tyagi@hollyfeld.org Subject: QBL/9611.tolmodl.tm From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) Reply-To: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) Status: O >Path: kudonet.com!kudo!tyagi >From: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com (nagasiva) >Newsgroups: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.magick.moderated,alt.magick.order,talk.religion.misc,alt.consciousness.mysticism >Subject: TMaroney: The Qabalah >Followup-To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.magick.order,talk.religion.misc,alt.consciousness.mysticism >Date: 17 Nov 1996 01:31:00 -0800 >Organization: KudoNet On-Line Services >Lines: 23 >Sender: tyagi@bjt.net >Approved: tyagi@houseofkaos.abyss.com >Message-ID: >Reply-To: Tim Maroney >NNTP-Posting-Host: kudo.kudonet.com >Xref: kudonet.com alt.magick.tyagi:8170 alt.magick:76298 alt.magick.moderated:81 alt.magick.order:1404 talk.religion.misc:215982 alt.consciousness.mysticism:6644 [from thelema93-l@hollyfeld.org: Tim Maroney ] >As a matrix for cross cultural mythology studies, the Tree of >Life is extremely useful. I don't think I could disagree more. Real studies in comparative religion and anthropology are based on an expansive approach to the subject, rather than the Tree of Life's minimizing approach, in which symbols are boiled down to single attributes (often secondary attributes) in an attempt to foster the illusion of "correspondence". Since the correspondences are not between the symbols as they exist in their home traditions, but between radically stripped-down versions of the symbols, their contribution to cross-cultural understanding is negative. The Tree of Life is useful as one thing: a generator for spells and meditations. It creates its own uniquely sparse tabular mythology which allows for the ready, automatic construction of rituals and and visions, unencumbered by the need for original insight or research. If one can ignore the methodological problems with the construction and interpretation of this matrix legend, then one may be able to easily experience mystical and magical states within its framework. Tim Maroney