ONE STAR IN SIGHT
Thy feet in mire, thine head in murk,
O man, how piteous thy plight,
The doubts that daunt, the ills that irk,
Thou hast nor wit nor will to fight--
How hope in heart, or worth in work ?
No star in sight!
Thy Gods proved puppets of the priest.
"Truth ? All's relation !" science sighed.
In bondage with thy brother beast,
Love tortured thee, as Love's hope died
And Love's faith rotted. Life no least
Dim star descried.
Thy cringing carrion cowered and crawled
To find itself a chance-cast clod
Whose Pain was purposeless; appalled
That aimless accident thus trod
Its agony, that void skies sprawled
On the vain sod !
All souls eternally exist,
Each individual, ultimate,
Perfect -- each makes itself a mist
Of mind and flesh to celebrate
With some twin mask their tender tryst
Insatiate.
Some drunkards, doting on the dream
Despair that it should die, mistake
Themselves for their own shadow-scheme.
One star can summon them to wake
To self; star-souls serene that gleam
On life's calm lake.
That shall end never that began.
All things endure because they are.
Do what thou wilt, for every man
And every woman is a star.
Pan is not dead; he liveth, Pan !
Break down the bar !
To man I come, the number of
A man my number, Lion of Light;
I am The Beast whose Law is Love.
Love under will, his royal right --
Behold within, and not above,
One star in sight !
ONE STAR IN SIGHT.
A glimpse of the structure and system of the Great White
Brotherhood.
Note: The Name of the Order and those of its three divisions are not
disclosed to the profane. Certain swindlers have stolen the initials
A.'.A.'. in order to profit by its reputation.
A.'.A.'.
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
1. The Order of the Star called S.S. is, in respect of its existence upon
the Earth, an organized body of men and women distinguished among their
fellows by the qualities here enumerated. They exist in their own Truth,
which is both universal and unique. They move in accordance with their
own Wills, which are each unique, yet coherent with the universal
will.
They perceive (that is, understand, know, and feel) in love, which is both
unique and universal.
2. The order consists of eleven grades or degrees, and is numbered as
follows: these compose three groups, the Orders of the S.S., R.C., and of
the G.D. respectively.
The Order of the S.S. |
Ipsissimus |
10 = 1 |
Magus |
9 = 2 |
Magister Templi |
8 = 3 |
The Order of the R.C. |
|---|
(Babe of the Abyss -- the
link) |
|---|
Adeptus Exemptus |
7 = 4 |
Adeptus Major |
6 = 5 |
Adeptus Minor |
5 = 6 |
The Order of the G.D. |
|---|
(Dominus Liminis -- the link) |
|---|
Philosophus |
4 = 7 |
Practicus |
3 = 6 |
Zelator |
2 = 9 |
Neophyte |
1 = 10 |
Probationer |
0 = 0 |
(These figures have special meanings to the intiated and are commonly
employed to designate the grades.)
(Note also that the numbers would
be denoted as the first number with the symbol for degree and the second
should have a square in supertext, but the html is unable to comply with
this. Thus, the grade of Ipsissimus would be 10 degrees = 1
square.)
The general characteristics and attributions of these Grades are indicated
by their correspondences on the Tree of Life, as may be studied in detail
in the Book 777. (or using the Qabalah
Reference Guide and clicking on each of
the sephiroths [spheres]).
- Student -- His business is to acquire a general intellectual knowledge
of all systems of attainment, as declared in the prescribed books.
- Probationer -- His principal business is to begin such practices as he
may prefer, and to write a careful record of the same for one year.
- Neophyte -- Has to acquire perfect control of the Astral Plane
- Zelator -- His main work is to achieve complete success in Asana and
Pranayama. He also begins to study the formula of the Rosy Cross.
- Practicus -- Is expected to complete his intellectual training, and in
particular to study the Qabalah.
- Philosophus -- Is expected to complete his moral training. He is
tested in Devotion to the Order.
- Dominus Liminis -- Is expected to show mastery of Pratyahara and
Dharana.
- Adeptus (without) -- Is expcted to perform the Great Work and to
attain the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.
- Adeptus (within) -- Is admitted to the practice of the formula of the
Rosy Cross on entering the College of the Holy Ghost
- Adeptus (Major) -- Obtains a general mastery of practical Magick,
though without comprehension.
- Adenptus (Exemptus) -- Completes in perfection all these matters. He
then either (a) becomes a Brother of the Left Hand Path or, (b) is
stripped of all his attainments and of himself as well, even of his Holy
Guardian Angel, and becomes a Babe of the Abyss, who, having transcended
the Reason, does nothing but grow in the womb of its mother. It then
finds itself a
- Magister Templi -- (Master of the Temple) : whose functions are fully
described in Liber 418, as is this whole initiation from Adeptus Exemptus.
See also "Aha!". His principal business is to tend his "garden" of
disciples, and to obtain a perfect understanding of the Universe. He is a
Master of Samadhi.
- Magus -- Attains to wisdom, declares his law (See Liber I, Vel Magi)
and is a Master of all Magick in its greatest and highest sense.
- Ipsissimus -- Is beyond all this and beyond all comprehension of those
of lower degrees.
But of these last three Grades see some further account in The Temple of
Solomon the King, Equinox I to X and elsewhere.
It should be stated that these Grades are not necessarily attained fully,
and in strict consecution, or manifested wholly on all planes. The
subject is very difficult, and entirely beyond the limits of this small
tretise.
We append a more detailed account.