The number 42 is, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, “The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”, calculated by an enormous supercomputer over a period of 7.5 million years. Unfortunately no one knows what the question is.
This place is amazing, by the way. I was wondering, do you folks ever take guest writings? Was just wondering as I have recently written an article summarizing my personal spiritual journey and how I have recently come to accept the Law whole heartedly. I wanted to share with the Thelemic community.
If not, that’s cool. Believe me, I’ll understand. If so, that would be awesome.
93 Kevin – Thanks for the kind words. There are no ‘folks’ here, just myself and my writings. I encourage you to start your own blog – it’s extremely easy: just go to wordpress.com and off you go! Anyhow – thanks for reading! 93 93/93
hello IAO131, just sifting through and I find some of your work well done. Have you thought about submitting any of your work to publications? A respectable one of note is The Doomsayers Digest. It’s an OTO local body publication technically, meaning any money made off the zine goes to the local body, but it is worth checking out and they are down for contributions. I dig ur argument to “start your own blog”, but to collectively combine efforts is extremely important as it is potent. Also getting anything printed is the real kicker, materialization trumps internetin as far as the preservation without interference goes.
93 Thaddeus – Thank you for your compliments. Two major points:
1) I have thought about submitting my work to publications, and it has been in several including OTO’s main newsletter, Agape. In what is to follow, I mean absolutely no disrespect, but I want to offer a critical perspective. I am not sure what you mean by “a respectable one of note” because, although I am aware of the Doomsayers Digest, I have not heard anything respectable about it – in fact, I don’t hear much at all about it. I’m aware of what it is, where it’s from, what the image is intended to be, etc. and I truly appreciate Subtlety or Force’s efforts to get material out in the world – I certainly have nothing but good stuff to say about it in this regard, except that I find it suffers from a lack of professionalism. The name of the “digest” itself, the website, the formatting/general aesthetic of it does not match the caliber of (some of) its content. It is also relentlessly self-promoted in a way that seems excessive to me, personally. Anyhow, my point is that it does not stand out to me in any way in particular versus the local body publications of any other local body such as Behutet (Thelesis), the Wand (Coph Nia), or Lion & Serpent (Sekhet-Maat) for example… but I am more than willing to have my work be part of publications. For example, one of my old pieces will be translated into Macedonian for an upcoming issue of Samekh, Secret Fire Oasis’ new quarterly magazine: http://samekh.secretfire.net/
2) You said “also getting anything printed is the real kicker, materialization trumps internetin as far as the preservation without interference goes.” First of all, there are several physical books of mine that you can get and my work has appeared in several publications. Second of all, I actually disagree: the Internet will outlast most physical books. Even if things are deleted on the Internet, they survive in some form or another. Also, the distribution is exponentially higher on the Internet. For example: I did the Journal of Thelemic Studies for a while and, in total, probably did not sell in excess of 100 physical copies. They were available as free PDFs and the downloads exceeded 50,000. If “preservation without interference” is my intention, I’d say that the PDF route did a better job than people having random books stuffed in their library. Just my opinion though.
Thanks for your feedback. I really do appreciate your ideas and concerns. 93 93/93
Hey IAO, Just wanted to let you know that this site is amazing and you have done so awesomely by putting all that information into words some of us newbs can understand. I now have a better understanding of Thelema and most of what it entails and I love how you simplified everything we need to know, basically. Pure genius. Since it’s so hard to afford a lot of the books, this site is definitely my favorite to study from, especially on my tablet at night when i lay down to read. 🙂 Do you have any pdfs I can download to my tablet so I don’t have to wait for lag on my tablet to get to the site on it? Just curious. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks again for a great site. 93~~~
Thank you, for you recent talk on Speech in the Silence prog 43. Enjoyed it very much. Most Thelemites and people in general, ignore their own body, when its the core mechanism along with the mind in order to accomplish your Will.
Discipline is eating properly, exercising the body as well as the mind and spiritual aspects. It’s the only thing you have keeping you on this plane, look after it! 🙂
My name is Luke and I live in the Northern Territory of Australia. I have been following your work for some time and thought it was about time I sent you a note to convey my gratitude. I live in a pretty remote part of the world and am certain I am the only Thelemite in the Territory and try as I might I can’t find anyone with the remotest interest in Crowley, we don’t even have an occult book store here. The net has helped with this but unfortunately most of what I have come across is basically shit. But, your Work is brilliant, insightful and obviously comes from experience rather than armchair philosophising. I have been a student of the work for many years and think I know a bit about Thelema, but your Work has given me so much to think about and it is so interesting for me to get another perspective and insights into things I perhaps wouldn’t of thought of. I am sure there are many people in a similar position and I think it is really important that you know that what you are doing is of great help and inspiration and is going a long way towards furthering Thelema. Your Work is really setting a high standard and is a valuable asset, it sets an example all Thelemites should appreciate. So, my sincerest thanks Brother, and though you probably receive criticism from some, I can tell you that your work is valuable and appreciated and having a more profound effect than you probably realise.
I too have found your blog helpful, IAO131. Thelema has called to me at least a few times over the years, and each time (until now) I’ve ultimately turned away due to some of the more disagreeable (to me) deeds of Crowley’s and what I’ve perceived as the unsettling, even threatening, passages in the third portion of the Book of the Law.
Yet, after a time, the “tug” is there again, so again I look. Tonight I found your “11 Principles of Thelema” article and found myself easily aligned with all of them. And, as I watch the unfolding of events in the world – it strikes me that maybe the text that disturbed me was not so much a threat or incitation as a prophecy of how the new aeon would initially unfold, given the fierce hold our collective egos seem to have on the old one.
So, momentatrily regarding Thelema as a metaphor for a place – I think I’ll hang around for awhile. 🙂
I also like the easy, friendly tone of your blog; it’s nice and welcoming.
93. Thank you for your prodigious work, dear IAO 131 ! Happy days of the Writing – with a loving thought to Sister Peaches who left just before this Feast, so as to celebrate it among the stars – Have a great Year of the Fool – and keep on the good work ! – Best regards from Paris – 93/93
I would really love to read something about the magician’s Diary, I don’t see much about this powerful tool and I myself would love to learn more about it.
93 – “There will always be slaves, and the slave is to be defined as he who acquiesces in being a slave.” -Aleister Crowley
“The ‘lords of the earth’ are those who are doing their Will. It does not necessarily mean people with coronets and automobiles; there are plenty of such people who are the most sorrowful slaves in the world. The sole test of one’s lordship is to know what one’s true Will is, and to do it.” -Aleister Crowley
Hey IAO131 – I’m reading Part 2 of your Thelemic Mysticism essay and I see that you attribute the term “numinous” to Otto Rank when it is actually Rudolf Otto. I know because I was just given “The Idea of the Holy.” NBD and otherwise thoroughly enjoying the essay.
IAO131, I am not sure who you are, or how I stumbled onto to your writings these past months, but I am very grateful! I have dabbled in Thelema and read various books on and off for about 20 years (mostly off). However, this year I seemed to have done a deep dive after finally committing to study the Thoth Tarot. Little did I know what a wonderful path it would reveal.
Much of what I use to read by AC went way over my head and was difficult to relate to my day to day world. However, what I truly enjoy about your work is how you clearly explain Thelemic concepts ‘for all’ to understand, cite often, and apply these concepts to real life. Love it. I just want to say thanks and keep doing what you do. Looking forward to getting your book. 93/93
93 I am looking to buy a few of your books. What book is it that you tweet excerpts from. I have really enjoyed your tweets, and have benefited greatly from them.
@crnt93
93 93 93
Perhaps the “too much-ness” is the “essence” of the problem. The world has been spinning for a long time, and top it off, we are a society with grave amnesia. Divided, we fall. The mourning of Isis!
I utterly despise you for your unwarranted and utterly disloyal attack on Jim Wasserman. Consider yourself under magickal attack by the last of Grady’s Eleventh Degree initiates.
Aside from “the Book”, is there any literature recommended for a beginning solitary practitioner?
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93 – Try this list of suggested reading out: http://goo.gl/bv7Uq … 93 93/93
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What is the significance of 93? If I may be so bold, I only happened upon this page a few minutes ago…
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93 – Check out this link for a good explanation: http://goo.gl/v6DWO
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The number 42 is, in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, “The Answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything”, calculated by an enormous supercomputer over a period of 7.5 million years. Unfortunately no one knows what the question is.
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This place is amazing, by the way. I was wondering, do you folks ever take guest writings? Was just wondering as I have recently written an article summarizing my personal spiritual journey and how I have recently come to accept the Law whole heartedly. I wanted to share with the Thelemic community.
If not, that’s cool. Believe me, I’ll understand. If so, that would be awesome.
LikeLike
93 Kevin – Thanks for the kind words. There are no ‘folks’ here, just myself and my writings. I encourage you to start your own blog – it’s extremely easy: just go to wordpress.com and off you go! Anyhow – thanks for reading! 93 93/93
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hello IAO131, just sifting through and I find some of your work well done. Have you thought about submitting any of your work to publications? A respectable one of note is The Doomsayers Digest. It’s an OTO local body publication technically, meaning any money made off the zine goes to the local body, but it is worth checking out and they are down for contributions. I dig ur argument to “start your own blog”, but to collectively combine efforts is extremely important as it is potent. Also getting anything printed is the real kicker, materialization trumps internetin as far as the preservation without interference goes.
LikeLike
93 Thaddeus – Thank you for your compliments. Two major points:
1) I have thought about submitting my work to publications, and it has been in several including OTO’s main newsletter, Agape. In what is to follow, I mean absolutely no disrespect, but I want to offer a critical perspective. I am not sure what you mean by “a respectable one of note” because, although I am aware of the Doomsayers Digest, I have not heard anything respectable about it – in fact, I don’t hear much at all about it. I’m aware of what it is, where it’s from, what the image is intended to be, etc. and I truly appreciate Subtlety or Force’s efforts to get material out in the world – I certainly have nothing but good stuff to say about it in this regard, except that I find it suffers from a lack of professionalism. The name of the “digest” itself, the website, the formatting/general aesthetic of it does not match the caliber of (some of) its content. It is also relentlessly self-promoted in a way that seems excessive to me, personally. Anyhow, my point is that it does not stand out to me in any way in particular versus the local body publications of any other local body such as Behutet (Thelesis), the Wand (Coph Nia), or Lion & Serpent (Sekhet-Maat) for example… but I am more than willing to have my work be part of publications. For example, one of my old pieces will be translated into Macedonian for an upcoming issue of Samekh, Secret Fire Oasis’ new quarterly magazine: http://samekh.secretfire.net/
2) You said “also getting anything printed is the real kicker, materialization trumps internetin as far as the preservation without interference goes.” First of all, there are several physical books of mine that you can get and my work has appeared in several publications. Second of all, I actually disagree: the Internet will outlast most physical books. Even if things are deleted on the Internet, they survive in some form or another. Also, the distribution is exponentially higher on the Internet. For example: I did the Journal of Thelemic Studies for a while and, in total, probably did not sell in excess of 100 physical copies. They were available as free PDFs and the downloads exceeded 50,000. If “preservation without interference” is my intention, I’d say that the PDF route did a better job than people having random books stuffed in their library. Just my opinion though.
Thanks for your feedback. I really do appreciate your ideas and concerns. 93 93/93
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I’d still like to know more about YOU, personally.
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93 – That’s nice of you. You’re always free to e-mail me. It’s listed on the front page.
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Hey IAO, Just wanted to let you know that this site is amazing and you have done so awesomely by putting all that information into words some of us newbs can understand. I now have a better understanding of Thelema and most of what it entails and I love how you simplified everything we need to know, basically. Pure genius. Since it’s so hard to afford a lot of the books, this site is definitely my favorite to study from, especially on my tablet at night when i lay down to read. 🙂 Do you have any pdfs I can download to my tablet so I don’t have to wait for lag on my tablet to get to the site on it? Just curious. Anyway, just wanted to say thanks again for a great site. 93~~~
LikeLike
Thank you, for you recent talk on Speech in the Silence prog 43. Enjoyed it very much. Most Thelemites and people in general, ignore their own body, when its the core mechanism along with the mind in order to accomplish your Will.
Discipline is eating properly, exercising the body as well as the mind and spiritual aspects. It’s the only thing you have keeping you on this plane, look after it! 🙂
93’s
Paul
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I am very fond of your writings. Please, post part 5 of Thelemic Mysticism in Practice!
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93 – P.S. it is now posted, and it is also part of the new book ‘Fresh Fever From the Skies’
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Greetings Borother
93
My name is Luke and I live in the Northern Territory of Australia. I have been following your work for some time and thought it was about time I sent you a note to convey my gratitude. I live in a pretty remote part of the world and am certain I am the only Thelemite in the Territory and try as I might I can’t find anyone with the remotest interest in Crowley, we don’t even have an occult book store here. The net has helped with this but unfortunately most of what I have come across is basically shit. But, your Work is brilliant, insightful and obviously comes from experience rather than armchair philosophising. I have been a student of the work for many years and think I know a bit about Thelema, but your Work has given me so much to think about and it is so interesting for me to get another perspective and insights into things I perhaps wouldn’t of thought of. I am sure there are many people in a similar position and I think it is really important that you know that what you are doing is of great help and inspiration and is going a long way towards furthering Thelema. Your Work is really setting a high standard and is a valuable asset, it sets an example all Thelemites should appreciate. So, my sincerest thanks Brother, and though you probably receive criticism from some, I can tell you that your work is valuable and appreciated and having a more profound effect than you probably realise.
93 93/93
Luke
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93 Luke – Thank you. Very much appreciated! 93 93/93
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I too have found your blog helpful, IAO131. Thelema has called to me at least a few times over the years, and each time (until now) I’ve ultimately turned away due to some of the more disagreeable (to me) deeds of Crowley’s and what I’ve perceived as the unsettling, even threatening, passages in the third portion of the Book of the Law.
Yet, after a time, the “tug” is there again, so again I look. Tonight I found your “11 Principles of Thelema” article and found myself easily aligned with all of them. And, as I watch the unfolding of events in the world – it strikes me that maybe the text that disturbed me was not so much a threat or incitation as a prophecy of how the new aeon would initially unfold, given the fierce hold our collective egos seem to have on the old one.
So, momentatrily regarding Thelema as a metaphor for a place – I think I’ll hang around for awhile. 🙂
I also like the easy, friendly tone of your blog; it’s nice and welcoming.
Thank you for what you’re making available here.
LikeLike
93 – Thank you, much appreciated. Hope you find my work useful. 93 93/93
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93. Thank you for your prodigious work, dear IAO 131 ! Happy days of the Writing – with a loving thought to Sister Peaches who left just before this Feast, so as to celebrate it among the stars – Have a great Year of the Fool – and keep on the good work ! – Best regards from Paris – 93/93
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93 – Thank you. Love is the law, love under will.
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93
Morning
I would really love to read something about the magician’s Diary, I don’t see much about this powerful tool and I myself would love to learn more about it.
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I have a question. In Liber Oz what does the slaves shall be servants mean? Who are the slaves? Thanks Love and Light
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93 – “There will always be slaves, and the slave is to be defined as he who acquiesces in being a slave.” -Aleister Crowley
“The ‘lords of the earth’ are those who are doing their Will. It does not necessarily mean people with coronets and automobiles; there are plenty of such people who are the most sorrowful slaves in the world. The sole test of one’s lordship is to know what one’s true Will is, and to do it.” -Aleister Crowley
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Hey IAO131 – I’m reading Part 2 of your Thelemic Mysticism essay and I see that you attribute the term “numinous” to Otto Rank when it is actually Rudolf Otto. I know because I was just given “The Idea of the Holy.” NBD and otherwise thoroughly enjoying the essay.
LikeLike
93 – Good catch! Must have been a weird associative moment between two important early 20th century thinkers who have R and Otto in their names! 😛
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93
IAO131, I am not sure who you are, or how I stumbled onto to your writings these past months, but I am very grateful! I have dabbled in Thelema and read various books on and off for about 20 years (mostly off). However, this year I seemed to have done a deep dive after finally committing to study the Thoth Tarot. Little did I know what a wonderful path it would reveal.
Much of what I use to read by AC went way over my head and was difficult to relate to my day to day world. However, what I truly enjoy about your work is how you clearly explain Thelemic concepts ‘for all’ to understand, cite often, and apply these concepts to real life. Love it. I just want to say thanks and keep doing what you do. Looking forward to getting your book. 93/93
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93 Rob – Thank you for your kind words, much appreciated. I look forward to hearing how you like the book! 93 93/93, 131
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93 I am looking to buy a few of your books. What book is it that you tweet excerpts from. I have really enjoyed your tweets, and have benefited greatly from them.
@crnt93
93 93 93
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93,
Love your work. Your essays have helped get over a few learning curves that were previously slowing me down in my studies. Thank you!
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Nice to meet you.
God Bless. Amen
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If one was interested what must one do to get a better understanding of Thelema?
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93 Tristen — Start reading! Check out https://iao131.com/essays
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Hola deseo saver mas de ustedes y como unirme
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Too much philosophies, Laws and scientific discoveries yet people are still suffering, why.
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Perhaps the “too much-ness” is the “essence” of the problem. The world has been spinning for a long time, and top it off, we are a society with grave amnesia. Divided, we fall. The mourning of Isis!
LikeLike
I utterly despise you for your unwarranted and utterly disloyal attack on Jim Wasserman. Consider yourself under magickal attack by the last of Grady’s Eleventh Degree initiates.
REVIVIMUS
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93 – We disagree about unwarranted. It was no attack, simply a statement of fact. Please, I encourage you to use Eleventh Degree magicks. 93 93/93
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I must admit I didnt laugh so much as for those encouragement. You made my day. 93
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Hi, is there any book about the history of the Oto?
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Hi, Is there any book about the history of the oto?
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