Chapter V
The Mystery of Babalon and the Beast
The Beast, or Man of the Sun, represents, as I understand it, the Soul of Humanity, or of Man, between Spirit and Matter, ashamed of neither since both are essential to His existence. The Substance of the Sun descends upon Tiphereth from Binah through the Path of "The Devil"; its Life is transmitted from Chokmah through the Path of "The Sun"; it exists as a Spiritual Idea through the Channel of "Shin" which descends from Kether. Kether is its Final and Efficient Cause, Chokmah its Formal Cause and Binah its Material Cause.
"ON" is the Ancient Egyptian Word for the Sun; as long as we are prepared to go ON, all is well since we are in line with the natural urge of Evolution. But we may rise above the ordinary idea of Evolution into a consciously free co-operation with the Divine Purpose.
The numerical value of ON is 120. This is said to have been the Age of Christian Rosencreutz at the time he passed ON.
Those who try to reverse the process of evolution, to retreat or retrogress, saying "NO" in their hearts, fall into Sin which is restriction, and therefore get themselves into trouble.
ON is formed of the Hebrew Letters Ayin and Nun, thus this idea arises at the junction of the Paths of "The Devil" and "Death".
People of the "NO" type arose on the other side of the Tree, on the Path of the Setting Sun. NO may be spelled Nun, Vau, or NU, who was called the Father of the Waters, the reflector of Nuit.
However, we may look for a reconciliation of these ideas in the Path of "The Star" which represents the Sun at High NOON.
It was at High NOON that Parzival wrought the Miracle of Redemption, when the Spear and Cup were re- united. This Path unites the Spear of Will and Wisdom, Chokmah, with the Cup of Understanding and Intuition, Binah. The Father and Mother being thus united, the "One Star in Sight", Har-Makhu, or Horus of the Star, is recognized in His True nature as the Spirit of the Concealed Light of Kether.
The Truth was never lost to the Supernal Triad, but the Supernals were lost to the sight of man. We may wonder how this could be, and the time is now ripe for its revelation. But before an attempt is made to explain this, it is best that we should glance at the remaining Paths of the Tree, below Tiphereth.
Let us consider the Path of "The Hanged Man", sometimes called the Redeemer. Exoterically this Tarot Key is said to signify: "Enforced and not voluntary suffering"; while Esoterically it means "Self- sacrifice", but not as usually understood.
ATUM or ADAM, as the first purely Human type or Soul, is said to have been Two- sexed until he became as Adam and Eve. Tiphereth is the True Son but the false Father.
When the representative Son at this stage became mistaken for the Father, many women followed Him, seeking redemption. Thus an embarrassing situation of "enforced and not voluntary suffering" might be supposed to have arisen. The only reasonable course of action would be a concealment of the facts and a teaching which might be inferred to imply "Chastity", Celibacy, and other doctrines of repression. This is merely the exoteric view, but it accounts for the mistaken zeal of some who failed to understand the true teaching.
The Physical Sun is just as impotent to fertilize the whole Universe, although He may be entirely capable of attending to His own Solar System. He is all right in His place in the Order of the Universe; only when we misunderstand that place, do we fall into error.
The same trouble might arise in the case of a man who preached a doctrine of promiscuous sexual intercourse to a following of women; even were he a regular Lion he would be unable to supply the needs of an unlimited number and therefore be liable to attempt to retract his teaching.
The above instances could only arise on account of the lack of a true interpretation of the Words of the Justified One, Osiris arisen from Ammenti. Destruction is essential or there can be no renewal, and IU the twin-sexed supplies the answer if interpreted by means of "The Hierophant" whose Path crosses that of "The Hanged Man" and shows a reciprocal current between the Spheres of Venus and Mercury.
We have noticed how the twin-serpents "crossed over" below Tiphereth, and have studied the Symbolism rather fully. Having separated they must again re-unite in Yesod -- The Foundation -- and continue as One to Malkuth by the Path of Aleph, the Pure Fool.
We may now consider Malkuth, the Fallen Daughter, who, according to the Qabalah, in order to be redeemed must Unite with the Son, be raised to the Throne of the Mother, re-awaken the Father so that all things are re- absorbed into the Crown.
This process has been much misunderstood, it has bee thought to imply a return to the Crown. The Mystics have all wanted to be re-absorbed into the Absolute. The Magicians, on the other hand, have tended to keep going ON, and to attempt to usurp the Throne of God, which rightfully belongs to the Mother.
Both met with a terrible Abyss, while working on the old methods.
The Magician traveled up the "Tree" till he came to Chesed as an Exempt Adept who had built up a wonderful system of knowledge, only to find the whole structure must be broken in pieces in the Abyss, if he hoped to Attain to true Understanding and Wisdom. Few passed this Ordeal.
| Can't find what you're looking for? Something missing, broken, or incorrect? Have an idea or a question? Let us know in the Discussion Forum |
|
|
| Need to ask me a question? I make every attempt to reply to all email. Click here to send me an email. |