Inner Order grades 2: Adeptus Major (6○=5□)

 Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

While Crowley wrote extensively about the Outer Order grades, much less was written about those of the Inner Order. There are a number of reasons for this, one may simply be that he lacked material to fill out these grades. This is the cynical explanation, and while there may be some truth to it, I don’t think it is as simple as all that.

To elaborate, let us consider what it means to enter the Inner Order. The Adept has, by definition, obtained the experience called the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel (K&C of the HGA). This means that she has received her marching orders, and all further directions is not from her supervisor in the Order, but from the Angel itself. Since the K&C is entirely an individual matter, it becomes impossible to write authoritatively on what might constitute the tasks of the grades except in the most general terms. It then becomes the responsibility of the Adept in question to understand how her given tasks in fit onto her current grade work and implement them to the best of her ability in accordance with her own understanding. Ideally this would be done in collaboration with the supervisor, who’s job now is more one of observation and confirmation rather than testing by a set curriculum, but as often as not is an entirely private affair. Success or failure are thus matters kept between the Adeptus and her Angel, “under the shadow of the wings”, as it were.

With this in mind, the Adeptus Major can be generally defined as one who, having received their orders in Tiphareth, is thrown back into the thick of life to fulfil any and all requirements set forth by the Holy Guardian Angel. In my case, these tasks were first defined quite clearly. There validity was confirmed by the apparent ease of initiating the required steps. You might say that the Adeptus Major states her will, and then proves it by walking the walk. A false move will result in the Adeptus getting stuck until the course is corrected.

Technically speaking, there are three main tasks for the Adeptus Major grade. These are as follows:

·      Acquisition of the Siddhis.

·      Control of the Gunas.

·      Self-reliance.

The three paths to be followed are:

·      Kaph: The evocation of the mighty ones (10)

·      Yod: the absorption of the emanations (9), Liber DCCCXXXI

·      Teth: The protection of the Sphere (11), Liber O

It falls to each Adeptus Major to understand the grades in his or her own way, since language is mutable in its nuance and import, so I can’t make any claims to orthodoxy. This missive can therefore be taken as indicative of my approach, which may or may not be useful for others. To that end, while sticking with the general program, I have interpreted the paths in my own way, based on my own understanding of the paths and tasks of the grade. To do this I try to avoid jargon except to indicate where my ideas are drawn from. For this grade then, my keywords are as follows:

Equanimity (Kaph, The Wheel of Fortune)

The traditional image of this atu is the wheel of fortune, spun by an invisible hand. At its apex sits the sphinx, whilst the crocodile (Sebek) and ape (Babu) revolve on the circumference of the wheel. in direct terms, the task is initially to identify with the sphinx rather than the two animal faced gods, to find the centre around which the three gunas (Tamas, Rajas, Sattva) revolve. In the end though, we must bypass even the Sattvic quality of the Sphinx, which however clear, is still only a guna, it arises and passes away just as Rajas and Tamas, but must first be brought into balance. This achieved, the initiate passes beyond the cycles of being, consciousness and bliss inherent in the gunas.

For reference, Tamas is interpreted as ‘thick darkness’, lethargy, heaviness, dullness. Ignorance in the Buddhist sense. Rajas is energy, fiery, positive, forceful. Sattva is clarity, light, transcendence. They are equated with the Salt, Sulphur and Mercury of the alchemical model.

An important point. Both Sebek and Babu are humanoid, with animal faces. That is to say, their animal aspect is foremost, the ravenous Sebek, the wily and equally ravenous Babu. In modern Egyptology, both are regarded as devourers of the dead (make of that what you will). By contrast, the Sphinx is a human faced animal, representing the dominance of the reasoning faculty over the animal. Traditionally speaking, Sphinxes were a sort of inscrutable force themselves, waylaying travelers whom they would devour if they could not answer the riddle: “What goes on four legs in the morning, two at midday, and three in the evening?” It can do no harm to give the answer here, “A man”. It is my sense that understanding that this is man’s lot and acquiescing wholeheartedly with the conditions of our lives from cradle to grave, accepting our existence as the flowering of the universal consciousness, rather than behaving as if we were the victim of a cruel joke, is the real key to the riddle, the fruit of which is equanimity. 

Thus, sattvic awareness is brought into harmony with the other two gunas, and a clear awareness both of the samsaric state, and that which is beyond, yet inherent in samsara itself. Samsara is Nirvana, Nirvana is Samsara.

Self-reliance (Yod, The Hermit)

This path can be understood in a variety of ways. Pertinent to the Adeptus Major grade is the idea of a self-reliant being, directed by the inner light of the Holy Guardian Angel which is our ‘face before we are born’, (called in the Abramelin the ‘Bornless one’, i.e. the one beyond transitory things, who is in a sense zero, being Bornless. This idea resonates with my comments on the path of Kaph, being the Sphinx rather than a mere hungry animal strapped to the wheel of karma as a victim. The Sphinx remember is mercurial, Sattvic, master of the elements rather than their victim, a magician.

A key part of the Adeptus Major grade is that the holder shall convey the orders of her superior in the Order. In terms of the A\A\ as an initiatory Order, this means ensuring that those below her maintain the discipline expected of initiates, and that the system functions as a teaching body. It also includes ensuring that rules around inception of new candidates as well as the advancement of the brethren are upheld, and the teachings of the presiding Adept, usually the Preamonstrator, are duly conveyed and implemented. However this really only comes in to play if the Adeptus Major is assigned the role of Imperator, which may not be the case.

On the inner planes, in a way applicable to all who hold this grade, it is much simpler. The ‘Superior’, is the Angel, the Bornless face of the initiate herself, whose orders, which she received at the Knowledge and Conversation, must be conveyed to the lower spheres. The Adept thus serves as a conduit from Atziluthic to Assiah, herself operating theoretically in Briah, the archetypical plane, communicating via yetziratic forms, words, images, concepts understandable to those in the Outer College, and to the corresponding parts of her own being.

In the ordinary sense, this means that the Adeptus Major is to live her own truth, to be herself in all things, which is not the same as simply asserting herself unduly. This is, interestingly, the real meaning of humility, to be oneself, without ornament or elaboration, just as one is. Thus, as the hermit, the Adeptus Major should aspire to simplicity and humility, ruthlessly casting off all artifice and artificiality,  seeking to do her Will, and nothing else.

Grace (Teth, Strength/Lust)

This is the third task of the Adeptus Major, and the one which, when complete, leads naturally to the next grade of Adeptus Exemptus. My personal feeling is that Crowley’s interpretation of this path as ‘Lust’, while technically fine when properly understood, is too easily misunderstood, and omits an important lesson of this path, that of grace. It gives the impression of fiery and passionate activity, when in face Babalon riding the beast is ‘drunk on the blood of the saints’, therefore not in strict control, holding the reins lightly.

The traditional image of the Atu is a maiden gently but firmly holding open the mouth of a lion. She does this not by force, but by grace. This reflects the adage of the desert fathers, echoed in the Tao te Ching, that wild animals will not hurt somebody who is ‘pure of heart’, or in harmony with the Tao. This is identical with the idea in Thelema that the person who is doing their True Will has the inertia of the universe to assist them, which is the Thelemic interpretation of purity of heart. “Pure Will, unassuaged of purpose, delivered from the lust of result, is in every way perfect” Liber al I:44.

As before, we can see that this path represents a development on the ideas presented in the previous two. They can be seen as three strands of a rope which requires all three in order to be complete. The Adeptus Major must this, practice equanimity by accepting the conditions or existence as they are, must be self-reliant and one-pointed, following her True Will wherever it may lead without distraction, and third, must exercise grace in her dealings with the world and her path, not forcing things, but following the path as it unfolds without regret or fear. This is of course easier said than done!

To me, this grade above all others encountered so far, indicates a real change in the direction of the Adept. As an Outer Order magician, there is a sense that the initiate is wearing different hats at different times, learning a curriculum, practicing various skills as a student at a university might, but there is a sense of going through the motions, it is a course that you take, like a university course which you will eventually graduate. The adeptus Minor becomes a sort of Mystic by dint of the Dhyana known to us as the K&C of the HGA, a sense of certainty will ensue, doors will open and close, the path starts to open up, but this is very much the honeymoon period.

An Adeptus Major on the other hand has to has to strive at all times to live as a ‘man of the way’ in its real sense. His school is that of ‘hard knocks’, and the freedom obtained as a denizen of the city of the sun, soon shows itself to be a one-way ticket along the self-willed path that he will follow to its end, either joyfully or kicking and screaming, depending on how well she learns and applies the lessons of this grade. This really isn’t school any more, the Inner College grades are played out in the life of the Adept, and the rewards and punishments, the ordeals, are mandatory and real.

This is in some ways the most severe grade yet, suitably enough residing as it does midway up the pillar of severity. It brooks no argument, takes no prisoners, has no mercy on the adept should a moment of weakness arise. By accepting the grade, she must also bear its curse, to do her True Will and nothing else with equanimity, self-reliance, and grace. If one would be a saint, not one drop can be held back from the cup, you must give your all, or not at all.

Love is the law, love under will.  

The Spiritual Con

 Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

The spiritual game is like a burglar robbing a building. When the police enter the front door, he goes up to the first floor. When they go up to the first, he goes up to the second and so on, until theoretically at least he must presumably get up to the roof. Our qabalistic system reflects this, our goal is always the next grade up. If I am a Neophyte, I want to become a Zelator. If a Zelator I want to become a Practicus and so on. The presumed spiritual self, the core of one's being, is the robber, always one floor up. The initiate is the police sent to root out the robber, who always seems just out of reach, whenever you make it onto the next floor, there you are, and no robber in sight, he's gone up a level! 

We play this endless game with ourselves, and granted, we find some interesting things on each floor, some have fantastic views. Occasionally we think we get a glimpse of the robber as he disappears up the stairs. He may even leave a note, “you can’t catch me, but keep trying, just a little further”. For the most part, this game is an internalisation of the games we usually play in the world. The spiritual game is largely a sublimation, rather than a new activity.

If we look in other areas of life, we can see that we are always trying to play the robber to somebody else, we are always trying to get something. For some the prize is a new car, a high level job, fame and fortune, for others the prize is something hard to pin down but still just another prize; the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, enlightenment, siddhis, and so on. However, if we conduct our inner life as if we were out to get something then this is just an elaborate way of moving in circles. We don't really want to grow beyond ourselves, we just want to expand our idea of ourselves, make ourselves more real by adding a sublimated dimension, which we call our spiritual practice.

In social life, and the day-to-day life of business and work, this need to get ahead is always there. Except that there is more than one cop after the robber, we always want to be ahead of the other guy, to get the prize that he is too slow to get, we want to be the one that's 'got it'. Sometimes we behave as a competitor, sometimes a teacher, posing as guide or sage, demonstrating our wisdom or power, as one who inhabits the next floor up from others and therefore entitled to be listened to and respected. As somebody who has in the past had ‘students’ in the A\A\, I became aware of this tendency in myself and others; the need to always be one step ahead, just a bit more enlightened, a bit wiser than the student, have a closer link to the founder of the order, and thus superior, closer to getting the robber than they, always just ahead.

In the moral realm the same thing happens and is often mixed in with spirituality. Are liberal Christians better than conservative? My church is more accepting than yours, or more traditional, more 'old school', or closer to the original gospel, are common examples. In my foray's into the Catholic faith I noticed a strong tendency for self identified 'traditional Catholics' to criticize more liberal 'cafeteria Catholics' as being half baked and probably going to hell, while in turn being criticized for being hidebound by tradition and removed from the gospel. In Buddhism it is well known that each sect regards itself as superior for having a certain view. Mahayana is criticized by Hinayana adherents for its use of teachings other than those of the first Buddha, and Hinayana is often viewed negatively by Mahayana proponents with their sophisticated developments of the basic doctrine. Within our own system similar things happen: my lineage is purer than yours, has a more direct line to Aleister Crowley, or more 'orthodox', or conversely, my lineage might not have a clear paper trail, but we are the more accepting, the more liberal, less judgmental, or closer to the original ideals of the Great White Brotherhood. Claims to greater orthodoxy, greater originality, greater progressiveness, or more stringent examinations and testing criteria, or simply of being more serious Thelemites, all are really just ways of 'getting ahead' of the others, it's a con that we play on each other, and on ourselves. 

There is also the 'purity of aspiration' trap: as a purely ‘spiritual’ practitioner am I really any better than the guy who tries to use magic for material gain? In reality I and the guy using magic for material ends are really playing the same game in different arenas, trying in our way, to get ahead of the competition, to win prizes. We are always trying to be better, in some way, than the other guy.

While we often don't like to admit it, we think we are better than non practitioners because we play a spiritual game rather than a material one, we criticize materialists and those whose primary concerns are comfort in life. We have tried to go one floor up, like robbers, from Assiah to Yetzirah, from Yetzirah to Briah and so on. Really we are just playing the same old game of one-upmanship.

How then to undo this? I don’t think you can really, if you try to then you are liable to fall into yet another trap, the trap of being the most down to earth, grounded, rational and non-game-playing, then you start saying all sorts of terrible things about those who still appear to be playing the game of cops and robbers, and are therefore still inferior to you. It seems like a clever strategy, but once you've seen the robber in the mirror, it's hard to un-see it, and you realise that you can neither advance or retreat, and standing still isn't a possibility either. Deliberately remaining aloof from the game can also be no more than another game if we do it deliberately so as to not play the game, that is to say, if we do it with the objective of improving ourselves in our own or the eyes of others. The movement must be spontaneous, something that you can't get by trying.

 Having been 'on the path' now for while I am more than familiar with all of the tricks. I’ve used a good many of them myself, and probably still do. Even my pointing out how we are all hopelessly lost in this game could simply be another attempt to one-up the competition with my apparent self-awareness. There does seem to be a gap, a way out, action that is non-action, what Castaneda called 'not-doing', and the Taoists call 'Wu wei'. But how to practice this? Paradoxically, there are methods, or habits to acquire. I am still very much a beginner in this myself, but I hope to write a little about it in future posts.

Love is the law, love under will.