Pertinax

Reading his books, I never got the impression that Tolkien favoured doing nothing while evil eats itself. Quite the opposite.

Precisely. Paradoxically enough though it often takes someone else giving you the green light, and more importantly holding you accountable, to get the process going.

I ask because with financial and ethical costs of international travel, online communication unimagined a few decades ago, and the 99% solidarity nature of the work, I feel it is perfectly feasible for the right person.

What are people views on distance vs in person induction into the A.’.A.’.(I say induction, not initiation, as the latter is in my view something that happens over the course of the work, not by the ‘laying on of hands’).

That’s pretty much how I see it. Ask many to give up his favourite toys and see how much he screams. Never mind that the house is on fire.

What I’m saying is the richest 1% are the ones in charge, so how will you convince them to tax themselves into oblivion?

AI? Nope, AI is only as good as the people using it. We got ourselves into this and we have to get ourselves out again, or not. In any case the question stands, after taxing the rich, then what?

I wouldn’t call it realistic as I just can’t see that happening. And can’t if you do, where that money goes is vitally important, and we know who controls that, the rich.

People are talking about Armageddon, and I can’t help thinking that any right minded person would take that as hair warning. But no, those with the power to do something about it are leading the charge into the maelstrom. Or at least, ordering someone else to charge while they sip a drink and watch.

Can’t help thinking that while everyone is watching to see what the Americans are going to do next, like some awful train wreck, the climate is heating up much faster than models predicted and instead of doing everything to put the brakes on, governments are buying weapons.

I saw another record heat day today, way too early in the year. The problem is the hotter it gets the more people will crank up the air conditioning and use more power, more emissions. Honestly I don’t see a realistic off-ramp.

One of the things that put me off Christianity is the demand for faith. Not just trust, but you had to actually believe things which are pretty laughable. Sorry, but I don’t choose what I believe, if I’m not convinced of something I can’t act on it. Thelema on the other hand says, ‘come and see’.

One great thing about Thelema is that it doesn’t matter where the founding text came from. Its message stands on its own merits. You don’t need to believe anything to read it, try to understand, and decide for yourself if it’s worth following up.

When considering the validity of Thelema as a philosophical system or religion, Crowley was at pains to assert the supra-human source of Liber AL, a stance he maintained until his death. Could he have faked it? Sure, given his background. On the other hand, does the book have intrinsic value?

There’s a world of difference between cultivating a conscience and the sort of free-floating guilt that badly taught Catholics doctrine inculcates. So many Christian’s have a sense of guilt but seemingly no conscience.

Yes. Unless there’s a third option I didn’t think of?

A friend of mine used to say: it’s ok to believe you’re Napoleon. But if you expire to believe you’re Napoleon then we have a problem.

I’ve been thinking this for the last few days. Apocalyptic Christianity combined with a manifest destiny mindset. I don’t mind people living mythically, but forcing it on others is way out of line.

I would be cautious however not to imply that doing the Outer College work is somehow ‘preparatory’ to doing one’s True Will. Rather, if you find yourself in the Orbit of the Great Order, then doing the work according to the tasks a syllabus IS one’s True Will at that point in time.

I used to use this with agroecological models to get up to date initial parameters. It’d be a huge blow to lose it.

And to be honest it’s not even really about whatever happens to be going on in my life, but more my approach towards both my life and to the path itself. But really these two are the same thing, but the accidentals matter less than the attitude we have.

Personally, one of the biggest turnarounds is that now, instead of asking ‘what is my True Will?’, I look at my life as it is and think ‘so this is where my Angel has led me’, and there’s little else to do other than get on with the task in hand.

Depends on if you are offering a plate of cookies with a mad look on you face. It’s a good litmus test of whether your guest will become a new friend.

From that point on the relationship with the human superior is more like that of a fellow traveller. No more tests and tasks. Only the company of another who knows why you know.

In it’s simplest sense, the Inner Order is made up of those who have performed and succeeded at the invocation of the Holy Guardian Angel. There is no set syllabus here because from that point one’s superior relinquishes teaching authority, the new adept is now in the hands of the wisest teacher.

Exactly. It’s more a case of ‘it takes one to know one’ than some special club with secret teachings reserved for some elite.

So how does one get invited to the ‘inner college’? In a sense you already are. However formally speaking when two or more adepti recognise each other they may form an inner college of sorts. But rather than a really secret club it’s the recognition of shared experience

Sure, make Crowley tr scapegoat. Sorry Christianity, you made this mess, you own it.

The Inner college, I.e the Rose Cross, is by invitation only. Not that some person will invite you, but the HGA, the universe, that force which governs our lives, brings you into intimate contact with itself. ‘Schools out’ so to speak.

It’s worth considering that when you join an A.’.A.’. group, you are joining an Outer College that teaches what used to be secret or ‘inner teachings’, but having a syllabus, personal testing and training, is basically exoteric then the deeper sense. This is like going to Hogwarts, it’s training.