Episodes
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The Book of the Law proclaims: âAlso reason is a lie; for there is a factor infinite & unknownâ. What is this âinfinite & unknownâ factor? And how does it undermine the faculty of reason? Edward Mason and I will discuss this apparently ineffable concept, as we skirt the pit of because and flirt with the dogs of reason, in this, the final episode of our third season.
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As we bring Season 3 to a close, Michael and I will once again reflect on our favourite episodes, as well as what we foresee for Season 4, in whatâs fast become the least-listened-to episode of every season: the Check-in episode.
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Episodes manquant?
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Divination can be a means of obtaining guidance from forces beyond oneself. But even if one chooses the psychological model of the Universe, it can suggest insights not readily available to the conscious mind. The following workshop, presented as part of an ongoing monthly series in Toronto, explores the Divination methods of Tarot, the I Ching and of Geomancy.
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Warnings about the dangers of Magick practice, and the preference for the apparently safer path of Mysticism, were as present in Crowleyâs day as any other. Weâll take a deep-dive into Crowleyâs rebuttal in his paper, âThe Dangers of Mysticism.â And weâll compare with a more modern paper from a famous 'scientific' publication.
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In 1916 era vulgaris, Swiss psychiatrist Carl Jung channeled what would become known as The Red Book. The visions captured in this book culminate in the appended Seven Sermons to the Dead. Edward Mason and I will discuss these Gnostic-flavored sermons, and examine some of the similarities they share with the themes of The Book of the Law.
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In 8 Lectures on Yoga, Aleister Crowley attempts to pare away the gaudy veneer, and dispel the fog of superstition, that commonly obscures the fundamental practices of Yoga. Weâll pick up where we left off in one of our first ever discussions, as we return to explore more of the 8 limbs.
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Often Crowley speaks of his different Magical Mottos as though heâs referring to different individual people, from Frater Perdurabo to V.V.V.V.V., even distinguishing his mundane self as âthe man Crowleyâ. Edward Mason and I will discuss this âAdept Selfâ and how it relates to the Thelemic system, and to occultism in general.
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In Magick Without Tears, Aleister Crowley talks about The Three Schools of Magick, which seem to be differing philosophical perspectives on the Universe. But they also seem to represent three factions of Magicians, each of which attempts to guide humanity based on their respective philosophical conclusions. Weâll take a deep-dive into the relevant chapters as we revisit this book.
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Ascended Masters? Discarnate beings? Living people hidden amongst the crowds? Crowley makes frequent reference to the Secret Chiefs, and their purported guidance of humanity by various means. Edward Mason and I will take a look at just what these entities are, and what can we say about them.
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Aleister Crowley took an ancient Rite of Exorcism and repurposed it as an Invocation of oneâs Holy Guardian Angel. The resulting small book, Liber Samekh, also contains elucidating commentary on the nature of the Knowledge and Conversation, and on Magical Practice in general.
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Patricia Crowther is hailed as one of the mothers of modern Witchcraft. Initiated by Gerald Gardner and taking the Craft Name of âThelema,â she went on to be a key promoter of Wicca and defender of the practice of Witchcraft. Weâll learn more about this icon and prolific author, as Rosemary Stehlik and I resume our study of Women of the Occult.
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In the system of Thelema, the Black Brotherhood and the Left-Hand Path are technical terms with specific connotations. But itâs not uncommon for people to run fast and loose with these terms, flinging them as insults at others, or making assumptions about their meaning. Weâll dive into Chapter 12 from Crowleyâs book Magick Without Tears to find clarification on the subject.
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Music from Seasons 1, 2 & 3 of the Official Podcast of Toronto Thelema, Darkly Splendid Abodes. TorontoThelema.org
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Michael and I look back at our discussions this season: Crowleyâs Introduction to the Book of the Law, Liber Reguli: the Ritual of the Mark of the Beast, & CommentaryFrater Achadâs Liber 31, Chapter 7 of The Equinox of the Gods, The appendix of Achad's Q.B.L., and Chapter 5 of Achad's The Egyptian Revival. We'll also reply to some of the comments we've received, and reflect on where we see the series going in the future.
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In around 1906 era vulgaris, Aleister Crowley received a flood of inspired texts that would come to be known as some of the core Holy Books of Thelema, taking their place alongside The Book of the Law and Liber 418.Liber B vel Magi is a short text, only a couple of pages in length, which describes one of the most exalted Grades on the Tree of Life, that of the Magus. Join us as Edward Mason and I explore this brief text.
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In our previous conversation we focused on Achad’s appendix to his book QBL, which consisted of unedited diary notes. Part Two of our discussion moves more heavily into Chapter 5 of his Egyptian Revival, where his Qabalistic ideas ought to be worked out and implemented more clearly.
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This is part two of our look at what Crowley called “the real and perfect ritual of the Hexagram.” How does it compare with the Golden Dawn’s original Lesser Hexagram Ritual? What are the results of invoking Set into the Circle? Edward Mason and I continue our discussion on this uniquely Thelemic Rite.
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In the appendix to his book on Qabalah, entitled "Q.B.L.", Charles Stansfeld Jones (a.k.a. Frater Achad) laid out the preliminary scheme for flipping the Paths of the Tree of Life on their head. Certainly this would court controversy, especially with his "Magical Father" Aleister Crowley; but how does this scheme look to us? We'll dive into this appendix, as well as a chapter or so from his book "The Egyptian Revival."
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The Star Sapphire is Aleister Crowleyâs spin on the Hexagram Ritual of the Golden Dawn. First appearing in his little book of meditations entitled The Book of Lies, Falsely so-called, it joins The Star Ruby and the Mass of the Phoenix as rituals commonly associated with the Thelemic corpus. Edward Mason joins me to discuss this so-called âreal snd perfect Ritual of the Hexagram.â
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Rosaleen Norton was an Australian artist who revelled in her public image as the Witch of Kingâs Cross. But behind this public persona was a deep and serious practitioner of Magick and mysticism. Rosemary Stehlik and I will attempt to peer into the true nature of this visionary, as well as the Pan-inspired imagery of her art, as we continue our look at Women of the Occult.
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