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a bit of arcanum (from abraxas to black lodges)~heather |
Abraxas: (or Abracax). The Basilidian (q.v., ) sect Gnostics, of the second century, claimed Abraxas as the supreme god, and said that Jesus Christ was only a phantom sent to earth by him. They believed that his name contained great mysteries, as it was composed of the se Greek letters which form the number 363, which is also number of days in a year. Abraxas, they thought, under his command 365 gods, to whom they attrib 365 virtues, one for each day. The older Mythology placed him among the number of Egyptian gods, demonologists have described him a - a demon, with head of a king and with serpents forming his feet. Represented on ancient amulets, with a whip in his. It is from his name that the mystic word, Abracad (q.v.) is taken.
Agla: A kabalistic word used by the rabbis for the exorcisms of the evil spirit. It is made up of the initial letters of the Hebrew words, Athah gabor leolam, Ado-nai, meaning, " Thou art powerful and eternal, Lord." Not only among the Jews was this word employed, but among the more superstitious Christians it was a favourite weapon with which to combat the evil one, even so late as the sixteenth century. It is also to be found in many books on magic, notablv in the Enchiridion of Pope Leo III.
Akashic Record: the idea that all of the experiences and memories of every living being are contained in the substance of the ether. Advanced magicians develop the ability to recover details of past events by "reading the Akashic Records."
Anima Mundi: The soul of the world; a pure ethereal spirit which was said by some ancient philosophers to be diffused throughout all nature. Plato is considered by some to be the originator of this idea ; but it is of more ancient origin, and prevailed in the systems of certain eastern philosophers. By the Stoics it was believed to be the only vital force in the universe ; it has been entertained by many philosophical sects in a variety of forms, and in ruore modern times by Paracelsus and others. It is also incorporated in the philosophy of Schelling. Rich says : " The anima mundi, or heaven of this world, in which the stars are fixed, is understood to be a receptivity of the empyrean or heaven in which God dwells, so that the forms or seminal conceptions of the one correspond to the divine ideas of the other."
Arbatel: A magical ritual published at Basle in 1575. The text is in Latin, and it appears to have been influenced by Paracelsus. It is of Christian, not Jewish origin, and although the authorship is unknown it is probably the work of an Italian. Only one of its nine volumes has come down to us. It deals with the institutions of magic, and is entitled Isagoge, which means essential or necessary instruction. In it we are introduced to the ritual of the Olympic spirits dwelling in the air and among the stars, who govern the world. There are, we are told, one hundred and ninetv-six Olympic provinces in the universe.
Baian: son of Simeon, King of the Bulgarians, and a mighty magician, who could transform himself into a wolf whenever he desired. He could also adopt other shapes and reader himself invisible. He is alluded to by Ninauld in his Lycanthropic (page ioo).
Barbarous Names: words and names of deities that are frequently used in medieval grimoires. These names often originated as deity names from ancient civilizations, which have been corrupted through scribal error. The word barbarous comes from the Greek word barbaros meaning "non-Greek, foreign." Many of the socalled barbarous names originated as Greek versions of more ancient Hebrew, Egyptian, and Babylonian names. Modern magicians believe that through centuries of ritual use, these names have taken on a magical potency of their own, regardless of their origins.
Black Lodges: The term “Black Lodge” is one applied by a member of one order to the member of another. Very few lodges would style themselves as “Black Lodges” and with those that do it would be more a sort of “in your face” reaction than any really meaningful designation.
Black Lodges are not mindless cults that serve evil. Black Lodges follow what esotericists of the 1930s would term “the left hand path.” It is likely that cults that went around recruiting mindless servants of darkness would not swell in numbers – a few psychotics and malcontents might rally to their banner, but it is unlikely that they would attract the sort of customers that make for much of a challenge.
Black Lodges can be divided into two practices – those who actively pursue the Left Hand Path, and those who believe that the concept of Right and Left Hand paths is a historical anachronism. Those which pursue the Left Hand Path can be divided into (using arbitrary terms) dualists and supremacists. Those who reject the Left and Right Hand Path concepts believe that the concepts of strict good and evil are outmoded and obsolete. The may treat magic as a science which needs to be explored, and see no more reason not to exploit it for personal gain that they see why GE should not sell lightbulbs.
The Ordo Templi Orientis is probably representative of this type of Black Lodge. These lodges may cooperate with White Lodges and are not “evil” in the traditional sense of the word. Many of these groups might be more appropriately termed “grey lodges” Dualists follow a Manichiaean or Zoastrian universe concept which suggests that man must be balanced. They believe that there must be good and evil in the universe and that to be truly ascended a man must know good as well as evil.
This is often a selfjustification for immoral acts, but there are those who have pursued the path with conviction and even many White practitioners acknowledge some legitimacy to this approach. Many groups which have sex-magic practices, but are otherwise fairly heterodox might be placed in this category by their more obviously “White” co-practitioners.
Supremacists express devotion to a power which most white practitioners would see as evil or negative. They may rationalize this power as being “beyond good and evil” in a Nietzschean sense, or may believe in a dualistic universe but have committed to a path which they acknowledge will bring them more personal power, following a “some will be predators some must be prey” mentality. Lodges like the Vril Society fall into this category.
Black Lodges and “Black Magic” “Black Lodge” does not particularly pertain to “Black Magic.” Black magic (Goiety - magic which requires dealing with beings or forces which the practitioner believes to be evil or maleficent) is studied and practiced by even the most exemplary of Lodges, though rather carefully. What makes a Lodge “Black” Dion Fortune, writing in the says: “…with regard to Black Occultism, it is impossible to label any operationat all times and circumstances definitely Black or definitely White; all we can say is, that under certain circumstances it is black or white. Dirt has been defined as misplaced matter, and evil can be defined as misplaced force. Force can be misplaced in time or space.
A thing may be right at one time which is wrong at another. Black Occultism, then, may be defined as misplaced force or out of date methods.” In saying out of date, Fortune’s point seems to be the use of methods such as sacrifice, which might be considered pure and admirable when reading of the ancient Hellenes, but are not acceptable to our basic western culture today – though we might network of “Black Lodges” which fight ruthlessly against “White Lodges.” Often they are presented as powerless to act against White fraters and sorors, which leaves one to wonder why they are feared and effective. However, Dion Fortune admits
“By either route he can rise upon the planes.” The concept of a vast array of well ordered and ranked Black Lodges waiting to do combat with the forces of light is as erroneous as the assumption that the vast array of White Lodges – some more informed than others, could be arrayed into any meaningful order of battle. The Esoteric is not a field battle, and its practitioners are not soldiers. “Black Lodges” do not present an immediate threat to “White Lodges.” They are at worst like many things in the world – drugs, gambling, and heavy drink – stumbling blocks over which the soul must trip again and again on its trip to a more elevated state.
Some more centrist groups may not be seen as “Black Lodges” by all White fraters and sorors, and some may be willing to work with more moderate groups or teachers who they see as talented, in hopes (sometimes realized) of influencing them into a more mainstream and acceptable practice. Overlying the loose networks and affiliations (and quarrels and disagreements) of the White Lodges, there is generally assumed to be some higher brotherhood of Initiates, the mythical “Third Order” which oversees and ensures that no group of Black Brothers grows powerful enough to upset the balance of the world.
Likewise at various times leadership may emerge among Black Lodges, and like all Esoteric orders there is a “feeder” system, with more knowledgeable and capable groups drawing members from a select group of more public and popular groups – much like a major league baseball team draws on its network of “farm clubs” for players. To the typical low-level initiate the shadowy goings on of those “higher level” initiates with outside connections is a source of mystery and fascination that encourages growth.
Occasionally, White and Black Lodge Brothers may struggle over some element, or even attempt to destroy each other. Generally killing high adepts is not very useful. To borrow from a more recent work, the rationale behind this might well be explained by Obi-Wan Kenobi “if you strike me down, I will only become more powerful than you can possibly imagine.” Ultimately striking down members of either path does little to advance ones own. However, followers of the Left-Hand Path are more likely to trade long term misery for short term gains, and therefore are more likely to be the instigators of fatal violence.
An Example from History The duel of Marquis Stanislas de Guaita and Joseph Antoine Boullan may be a classic example of black lodges. Guita was a practitioner of ritual magic based on his readings of Eliphas Levi, and his disciple Oswald Wirth was a mason and Theosophist. In France in 1887 they infiltrated the Church of the Carmel, a sect led by Joseph Antoine Boullan, a defrocked priest. Boullan's sect was deeply involved in sexual magic, including union with archangels and other supernatural beings "either conjured up in the operator's imagination or represented by another member of the sect.."
They are said to have practiced the “Black Mass” and this appears to have been the case – at least they practiced a very perverted version of the Catholic faith. Guita and Wirth told Boullan in 1887 that they had judged him and condemned him. Boullan defended himself with various rituals, many involving his housekeeper Julie Thibaut, Priestess of the Carmel and Apostolic Woman. While his Carmel cult met many of the criteria for a "black lodge," Boullan accused de Guaita and Wirth of using black magic to try to kill him. The French decadent novelist J.K. Huysmans was a friend of Boullan, and left a record of his side of the struggle. Boullan died in 1893, and Huysmans was convinced that de Guaita had slain him.
~~~is there an interest in things such as this? if so, i will post more. |
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| Alias | Date | Reply |
| §ilent Echo |
9/7/2004 11:05:00 AM |
Post away (-: |
| TunaHotDog |
9/7/2004 11:30:00 AM |
It's interesting to me. |
| wishin for more gray |
9/7/2004 11:36:00 AM |
good, i will post more later. |
| 32Degree |
9/7/2004 2:13:00 PM |
LOVE IT!!! but guess one has to have an interest in such to fully appreciate the content, ntm, the time going into the preperation and presentation.Again,ty very much. |
| wishin for more gray |
9/7/2004 7:11:00 PM |
agreed, not too many are interested, but then not too many i find interesting, either *-) thanks 32degree. |
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