LIBER XV ~ ΤΟ ΜΕΓΑ ΘΗΡΙΟΝ ~ BOOK 15

of the furnishings of the temple

In the east that is in the direction of boleskine which is situated on the south-eastern shore of loch ness in scotland two miles east of foyers is a shrine or high altar its dimensions should be seven feet in length three feet in breadth 44 inches in height it should be covered with a crimson altar-cloth on which may be embroidered fleur-de-lys in gold or a sunblaze or other suitable emblem on each side of it should be a pillar or obelisk with countercharges in black and white below it should be the dais of three steps in black and white squares above it is the super-altar at whose top is the stèle of revealing in reproduction with four candles on each side of it below the stèle is a place for the book of the law with six candles on each side of it below this again is the holy graal with roses on each side of it there is room in front of the cup for the paten on each side beyond the roses are two great candles all this is enclosed within a great veil forming the apex of an equilateral triangle whose base is a line drawn between the pillars is a small black square altar of two superimposed cubes taking this altar as the middle of the base of a similar and equal triangle at the apex of this second triangle is a small circular font repeating the apex of a third triangle is an upright tomb.

of the officers of the mass

The priest bears the sacred lance and is clothed at first in a plain white robe the priestess should be actually virgo intacta or specially dedicated to the service of the great order she is clothed in white blue and gold she bears the sword from a red girdle and the paten and hosts or cakes of light the deacon is clothed in white and yellow he bears the book of the law two childen are clothed in white and black one bears a pitcher of water and a cellar of salt the other a censer of fire and a casket of perfume.

of the ceremony of the introit

The deacon opening the door of the temple admits the congregation and takes his stand between the small altar and the font there should be a doorkeeper to attend to the admission the deacon advances and bows before the open shrine where the graal is exalted he kisses the book of the law three times opens it and places it upon the super-altar he turns west do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law I proclaim the law of light life love and liberty in the name of ιαω love is the law love under will the deacon goes to his place between the altar of incense and the font faces east and gives the step and sign of a man and a brother all imitate him I believe in one secret and ineffable lord and in one star in the company of stars of whose fire we are created and to which we shall return and in one father of life mystery of mystery in his name chaos the sole viceregent of the sun upon the earth and in one air the nourisher of all that breathes and I believe in one earth the mother of us all and in one womb wherein all men are begotten and wherein they shall rest mystery of mystery in her name babalon and I believe in the serpent and the lion mystery of mystery in his name baphomet and I believe in one gnostic and catholic church of light life love and liberty the word of whose law is θελημα and I believe in the communion of saints and forasmuch as meat and drink are transmuted in us daily into spiritual substance I believe in the miracle of the mass and I confess one baptism of wisdom whereby we accomplish the miracle of incarnation and I confess my life one individual and eternal that was and is and is to come άυμγν άυμγν άυμγν the child enters with the ewer and the salt the virgin enters with the sword and the paten the child enters with the censer and the perfume they face the deacon deploying into line from the space between the two altars greeting of earth and heaven all give the hailing sign of a magician the deacon leading the priestess - the negative child on her left the positive child on her right - ascends the steps of the high altar they await her below she places the paten before the graal having adored it she descends and with the children following her the positive next her she moves in a serpentine manner involving 3½ circles of the temple she draws her sword and pulls down the veil therewith by the power of ☩ iron I say unto thee arise in the name of our lord ☩ the sun and of our lord ☩ ... that thou mayst administer the virtues to the brethren she sheathes the sword the priest issuing from the tomb holding the lance erect with both hands right over left against his breast takes the first three regular steps he then gives the lance to the priestess and gives the three penal signs he then kneels and worships the lance with both hands I am a man among men he takes again the lance and lowers it he rises how should I be worthy to administer the virtues to the brethren the priestess takes from the child the water and the salt and mixes them in the font let the salt of earth admonish the water to bear the virtue of the great sea genuflects mother be thou adored she returns to the west ☩ on priest with open hand doth she make over his forehead breast and body be the priest pure of body and soul the priestess takes the censer from the child and places it on the small altar she puts incense therein let the fire and the air make sweet the world genuflects father be thou adored she returns west and makes ☩ with the censer before the priest thrice as before be the priest fervent of body and soul the children resume their weapons as they are done with the deacon now takes the consecrated robe from high altar and brings it to her she robes the priest in his robe of scarlet and gold be the flame of the sun thine ambience o thou priest of the sun the deacon brings the crown from the high altar crown may be of gold or platinum or of electrum magicum but with no other metals save the small proportions necessary to a proper alloy it may be adorned with divers jewels at will but it must have the uræus serpent twined about it and the cap of maintenance must match the scarlet of the robe its texture should be velvet be the serpent thy crown o thou priest of the lord kneeling she takes the lance between her open hands and runs them up and down upon the shaft eleven times very gently be the lord present among us all give the hailing sign so mote it be.

of the ceremony of the opening of the veil

Thee therefore whom we adore we also invoke by the power of the lifted lance he raises the lance all repeat hailing sign the priest takes the priestess by her right hand with his left keeping the lance raised I priest and king take thee virgin pure without spot I upraise thee I lead thee to the east I set thee upon the summit of the earth he thrones the priestess upon the altar the deacon and the children follow they in rank behind him the priestess takes the book of the law resumes her seat and holds it open on her breast with her two hands making a descending triangle with thumbs and forefingers the priest gives the lance to the deacon to hold and takes the ewer from the child and sprinkles the priestess making five crosses forehead shoulders and thighs the thumb of the priest is always between his index and medius whenever he is not holding the lance the priest takes the censer from the child and makes five crosses as before the children replace their weapons on their respective altars the priest kisses the book of the law three times he kneels for a space in adoration with joined hands knuckles closed thumb in position as aforesaid he rises and draws the veil over the whole altar all rise and stand to order the priest takes the lance from the deacon and holds it as before as osiris or pthah he circumambulates the temple three times followed by the deacon and the children as before these when not using their hands keep their arms crossed upon their breasts at the last circumambulation they leave him and go to the place between the font and the small altar where they kneel in adoration their hands joined palm to palm and raised above their heads all imitate this motion the priest returns to the east and mounts the first step of the altar o circle of stars whereof our father is but the younger brother marvel beyond imagination soul of infinite space before whom time is ashamed the mind bewildered and the understanding dark not unto thee may we attain unless thine image be love therefore by seed and root and stem and bud and leaf and flower and fruit do we invoke thee then the priest answered & said unto the queen of space kissing her lovely brows and the dew of her light bathing his whole body in a sweet-smelling perfume of sweat o nuit continuous one of heaven let it be ever thus that men speak not of thee as one but as none and let them speak not of thee at all since thou art continuous during this speech the priestess must have divested herself completely of her robe but to love me is better than all things if under the night-stars in the desert thou presently burnest mine incense before me invoking me with a pure heart and the serpent flame therein thou shalt come a little to lie in my bosom for one kiss wilt thou then be willing to give all but whoso gives one particle of dust shall lose all in that hour ye shall gather goods and store of women and spices ye shall wear rich jewels ye shall exceed the nations of the earth in splendour and pride but always in the love of me & so shall ye come to my joy I charge you earnestly to come before me in a single robe and covered with a rich head-dress I love you I yearn to you pale or purple veiled or voluptuous I who am all pleasure and purple and drunkenness of the innermost sense desire you put on the wings and arouse the coiled splendour within you come unto me to me to me sing the rapturous love-song unto me burn to me perfumes wear to me jewels drink to me for I love you I love you I am the blue-lidded daughter of sunset I am the naked brilliance of the voluptuous night-sky to me to me the priest mounts the second step o secret of secrets that art hidden in the being of all that lives not thee do we adore for that which adoreth is also thou thou art that and that am I I am the flame that burns in every heart of man and in the core of every star I am life and the giver of life yet therefore is the knowledge of me the knowledge of death I am alone there is no god where I am the deacon and all rise to their feet with the hailing sign but ye o my people rise up & awake let the rituals be rightly performed with joy & beauty there are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times a feast for the first night of the prophet and his bride a feast for the three days of the writing of the book of the law a feast for tahuti and the child of the prophet secret o prophet a feast for the supreme ritual and a feast for the equinox of the gods a feast for fire and a feast for water a feast for life and a greater feast for death a feast every day in your hearts in the joy of my rapture a feast every night unto nu and the pleasure of uttermost delight the priest mounts the third step thou that art one our lord in the universe the sun our lord in ourselves whose name is mystery of mystery uttermost being whose radiance enlightening the worlds is also the breath that maketh every god even and death to tremble before thee by the sign of light ☩ appear thou glorious upon the throne of the sun make open the path of creation and of intelligence between us and our minds enlighten our understanding encourage our hearts let thy light crystallize itself in our blood fulfilling us of resurrection a ka dua tuf ur biu bi a’a chefu dudu nur af an nuteru there is no law beyond do what thou wilt the priest parts the veil with his lance during the previous speeches the priestess has if necessary as in savage countries resumed her robe ιω ιω ιω ιαω σαβαω κυριη άβρασαξ κυριη μειθρας κυριη φαλλη ιω παν ιω παν παν ιω ισχυρον ιω αθανατον ιω άβροτον ιω ιαω χαιρε φαλλη χαιρε πανφαγη χαιρε πανγενετορ άγιος άγιος άγιος ιαω the priestess is seated with the paten in her right hand and the cup in her left the priest presents the lance which she kisses eleven times she then holds it to her breast while the priest falling at her knees kisses them his arms stretched along her thighs he remains in this adoration while the deacon intones the collects all stand to order with the dieu garde that is feet square hands with linked thumbs held loosely this is the universal position when standing unless other direction is given.

of the office of the collects

Lord visible and sensible of whom this earth is but a frozen spark turning about thee with annual and diurnal motion source of light source of life let thy perpetual radiance hearten us to continual labour and enjoyment so that as we are constant partakers of thy bounty we may in our particular orbit give out light and life sustenance and joy to them that revolve about us without diminution of substance or effulgence for ever so mote it be lord secret and most holy source of light source of life source of love source of liberty be thou ever constant and mighty within us force of energy fire of motion with diligence let us ever labour with thee that we may remain in thine abundant joy so mote it be lady of night that turning ever about us art now visible and now invisible in thy season be thou favourable to hunters and lovers and to all men that toil upon the earth and to all mariners upon the sea so mote it be giver and receiver of joy gate of life and love be thou ever ready thou and thine handmaiden in thine office of gladnes so mote it be lord of life and joy that art the might of man that art the essence of every true god that is upon the surface of the earth continuing knowledge from generation unto generation thou adored of us upon heaths and in woods on mountains and in caves openly in the marketplaces and secretly in the chambers of our houses in temples of gold and ivory and marble as in these other temples of our bodies we worthily commemorate them worthy that did of old adore thee and manifest thy glory unto men at each name the deacon signs ☩ with thumb between index and medius laotze and siddartha and krishna and tahuti mosheh dionysus mohammed and to mega therion with these also hermes pan priapus osiris and melchizedek khem and amoun and mentu heracles orpheus and odysseus with vergilius catullus martialis rabelais swinburne and many an holy bard apollonius tyanæus simon magus manes pythagoras basilides valentinus bardesanes and hippolytus that transmitted the light of the gnosis to us their successors and their heirs with merlin arthur kamuret parzival and many another prophet priest and king that bore the lance and cup the sword and disk against the heathen and these also carolus magnus and his paladins with william of schyren frederick of hohenstaufen roger bacon jacobus burgundus molensis the martyr christian rosencreutz ulrich von hutten paracelsus michael maier roderic borgia pope alexander the sixth jacob boehme francis bacon lord verulam andrea robertus de fluctibus johannes dee sir edward kelly thomas vaughan elias ashmole molinos adam weishaupt wolfgang von goethe ludovicus rex bavariæ richard wagner ludwig von fischer alphonse louis constant friedrich nietzsche hargrave jennings carl kellner forlong dux sir richard payne knight paul gaugin sir richard francis burton doctor gérard encausse doctor theodor reuss and sir aleister crowley oh sons of the lion and the snake with all thy saints we worthily commemorate them worthy that were and are and are to come may their essence be here present potent puissant and paternal to perfect this feast so mote it be mother of fertility on whose breast lieth water whose cheek is caressed by air and in whose heart is the sun's fire womb of all life recurring grace of seasons answer favorably the prayer of labour and to pastors and husbandmen be thou propitious so mote it be mysterious energy triform mysterious matter in fourfold and sevenfold division the interplay of which things weave the dance of the veil of life upon the face of the spirit let there be harmony and beauty in your mystic loves that in us may be health and wealth and strength and divine pleasure according to the law of liberty let each pursue his will as a strong man that rejoiceth in his way as the course of a star that blazeth for ever among the joyous company of heaven so mote it be be the hour auspicious and the gate of life open in peace and in well-being so that she that beareth children may rejoice and the babe catch life with both hands so mote it be upon all that this day unite with love under will let fall success may strength and skill unite to bring forth ecstasy and beauty answer beauty so mote it be term of all that liveth whose name is inscrutable be favourable unto us in thine hour so mote it be unto them from whose eyes the veil of life hath fallen may there be granted the accomplishment of their true wills whether they will absorption in the infinite or to be united with their chosen and preferred or to be in contemplation or to be at peace or to achieve the labour and heroism of incarnation on this planet or another or in any star or aught else unto them may there be granted the accomplishment of their wills yea the accomplishment of their wills άυμγν άυμγν άυμγν so mote it be all sit the deacon and the children attend the priest and priestess ready to hold any appropriate weapon as may be necessary.

of the consecration of the elements

The priest makes the five crosses ☩ ☩ ☩ on paten and cup ☩ on paten alone ☩ on cup alone life of man upon earth fruit of labour sustenance of endeavour thus be thou nourishment of the spirit he touches the host with the lance by the virtue of the rod be this bread the body of god he takes the host τουτο έστι το σωμα μου he kneels adores rises turns shows host to the people turns replaces host and adores he takes the cup vehicle of the joy of man upon earth solace of labour inspiration of endeavour thus be thou ecstasy of the spirit he touches the cup with the lance by the virtue of the rod be this wine the blood of god he takes the cup τουτο έστι το ποτηριον του άιματος μου he kneels adores rises turns shows the cup to the people turns replaces the cup and adores for this is the covenant of resurrection he makes the five crosses on the priestess accept o lord this sacrifice of life and joy true warrants of the covenant of resurrection the priest offers the lance to the priestess who kisses it he then touches her between the breasts and upon the body he then flings out his arms upward as comprehending the whole shrine let this offering be borne upon the waves of aethyr to our lord and father the sun that travelleth over the heavens in his name ον he closes his hands kisses the priestess between the breasts and makes three great crosses over the paten the cup and himself he strikes his breast all repeat this action hear ye all saints of the true church of old time now essentially present that of ye we claim heirship with ye we claim communion from ye we claim benediction in the name of ιαω he makes three crosses on paten and cup together he uncovers the cup genuflects takes the cup in his left hand and the host in his right with the host he makes the five crosses on the cup ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ ☩ he elevates the host and the cup the bell strikes άγιος άγιος άγιος ιαω he replaces the host and the cup and adores.

of the office of the anthem

Thou who art I beyond all I am who hast no nature and no name who art when all but thou are gone thou centre and secret of the sun thou hidden spring of all things known and unknown thou aloof alone thou the true fire within the reed brooding and breeding source and seed of life love liberty and light thou beyond speech and beyond sight thee I invoke my faint fresh fire kindling as mine intents aspire thee I invoke abiding one thee centre and secret of the sun and that most holy mystery of which the vehicle am I appear most awful and most mild as it is lawful in thy child for of the father and the son the holy spirit is the norm male female quintessential one man being veiled in woman form glory and worship in the highest thou dove mankind that deifiest being that race most royally run to spring sunshine through winter storm glory and worship be to thee sap of the world-ash wonder-tree glory to thee from gilded tomb glory to thee from waiting womb glory to thee from earth unploughed glory to thee from virgin vowed glory to thee true unity of the eternal trinity glory to thee thou sire and dam and self of I am that I am glory to thee beyond all term thy spring of sperm thy seed and germ glory to thee eternal sun thou one in three thou three in one glory and worship unto thee sap of the world-ash wonder-tree.

of the mystic marriage and consummation of the elements

The priest takes the paten between the index and medius of the right hand the priestess clasps the cup in her right hand lord most secret bless this spiritual food unto our bodies bestowing upon us health and wealth and strength and joy and peace and that fulfilment of will and of love under will that is perpetual happiness he makes ☩ with paten and kisses it he uncovers the cup genuflects rises he takes the host and breaks it over the cup he replaces the right-hand portion in the paten he breaks off a particle of the left-hand portion τουτο έστι το σπερμα μου ό πατηρ έστιν ό ηυιος δια το πνευμα άγιον άυμγν άυμγν άυμγν he replaces the left-hand part of the host the priestess extends the lance-point with her left hand to receive the particle the priest clasps the cup in his left hand together they depress the lance-point in the cup ηριλιυ the priest takes the lance the priestess covers the cup the priest genuflects rises bows joins hands he strikes his breast o lion and o serpent that destroy the destroyer be mighty among us o lion and o serpent that destroy the destroyer be mighty among us o lion and o serpent that destroy the destroyer be mighty among us the priest joins hands upon the breast of the priestess and takes back his lance he turns to the people lowers and raises the lance and makes ☩ upon them do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law love is the law love under will he lowers the lance and turns to east the priestess takes the lance in her right hand with her left hand she offers the paten the priest kneels in my mouth be the essence of the life of the sun he takes the host with the right hand makes ☩ with it on the paten and consumes it silence the priestess takes uncovers and offers the cup as before in my mouth be the essence of the joy of the earth he takes the cup makes ☩ on the priestess drains it and returns it silence he rises takes the lance and turns to the people there is no part of me that is not of the gods those of the people who intend to communicate and none other should be present having signified their intention a whole cake of light and a whole goblet of wine have been prepared for each one the deacon marshals them they advance one by one to the altar the children take the elements and offer them the people communicate as did the priest uttering the same words in an attitude of resurrection there is no part of me that is not of the gods - the exceptions to this part of the ceremony are when it is of the nature of a celebration in which case none but the priest communicate or part of the ceremony of marriage when none other save the two to be married partake part of the ceremony of baptism when only the child baptised partakes and of confirmation at puberty when only the persons confirmed partake the sacrament may be reserved by the priest for administration to the sick in their homes - the priest closes all within the veil with the lance he makes ☩ on the people thrice thus ☩ the lord bless you ☩ the lord enlighten your minds and comfort your hearts and sustain your bodies ☩ the lord bring you to the accomplishment of your true wills the great work the summum bonum true wisdom and perfect happiness he goes out the deacon and children following into the tomb of the west note the priestess and other officers never partake of the sacrament they being as it were part of the priest himself certain secret formulæ of this mass are taught to the priest in his ordination.

confessions

During this period the full interpretation of the central mystery of freemasonry became clear in consciousness and I expressed it in dramatic form in the ship the lyrical climax is in some respects my supreme achievement in invocation in fact the chorus beginning thou who art I beyond all I am seemed to me worthy to be introduced as the anthem into the ritual of the gnostic catholic church which later in the year I prepared for the use of the OTO the central ceremony of its public and private celebration corresponding to the mass of the roman catholic church while dealing with this subject I may as well outline its scope completely human nature demands in the case of most people the satisfaction of the religious instinct and to very many this may best be done by ceremonial means I wished therefore to construct a ritual through which people might enter into ecstasy as they have always done under the influence of appropriate ritual in recent years there has been an increasing failure to attain this object because the established cults shock their intellectual convictions and outrage their common sense thus their minds criticize their enthusiasm they are unable to consummate the union of their individual souls with the universal soul as a bridegroom would be to consummate his marriage if his love were constantly reminded that its assumptions were intellectually absurd I resolved that my ritual should celebrate the sublimity of the operation of universal forces without introducing disputable metaphysical theories I would neither make nor imply any statement about nature which would not be endorsed by the most materialistic man of science on the surface this may sound difficult but in practice I found it perfectly simple to combine the most rigidly rational conceptions of phenomena with the most exalted and enthusiastic celebration of their sublimity.