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LIBER
XIII
VEL
GRADUUM MONTIS ABIEGNI
A SYLLABUS OF THE STEPS UPON THE PATH |
1. The
Probationer. His duties are laid down in Paper A, Class D.
Being without, they are vague and general. He receives Liber LXI and
LXV.
[Certain Probationers are admitted after six
months or more to Ritual XXVIII.]
At the end of the Probation he passes Ritual
DCLXXI, which constitutes him a Neophyte.
2. The Neophyte.
His duties are laid down in Paper B, Class D. He receives Liber VII.
Examination in Liber O, caps. I-IV,
Theoretical and Practical.
Examination in The Four Powers of the Sphinx.
Practical.
Four tests are set.
Further, he builds up the magic Pentacle.
Finally he passes Ritual CXX, which
constitutes him a Zelator.
3. The Zelator.
His duties are laid down in Paper C, Class D. He receives Liber CCXX,
XXVII, and DCCCXIII.
Examination in Posture and Control of Breath.
Pratical.
Further, he is given two meditation-practices
corresponding to the two rituals DCLXXI and CXX.
(Examination is only in the knowledge of, and
some little practical acquaintance with, these meditations. The complete
results, if attained, would confer a much higher grade.)
Further, he forges the magic Sword.
No ritual admits to the grade of Practicus,
which is conferred by authority when the task of the Zelator is
accomplished.
4. The
Practicus. His duties are laid down in Paper D, Class D.
Instruction and Examination in the Qabalah and
Liber DCCLXXVII.
Instruction in Philosophical Meditation
(Gnana-Yoga).
Examination in some one mode of divination:
e.g., Geomancy, Astrology, the Tarot. Theoretical. He is given a
meditation-practice on Expansion of Consciousness.
He is given a meditation-practice in the
destruction of thoughts.
Instruction and Examination in Control of
Speech. Practical.
Further, he casts the magic Cup.
No ritual admits to the grade of Philosophus,
which is conferred by authority when the Task of the Practicus is
accomplished.
5. The
Philosophus. His duties are laid down in Paper E, Class D.
He practices Devotion to the Order.
Instruction and Examination in Methods of
Meditation by Devotion (Bhakti-Yoga).
Instruction and Examination in Construction
and Consecration of Talismans, and in Evocation.
Theoretical and Practical.
Examination in Rising on the Planes (Liber O,
caps. V, VI). Practical.
He is given a meditation-practice on the
Senses, and the Sheaths of the Self, and the Practice called
Mahasati-patthana.
(See `The Sword of Song', `Science and
Buddhism'.)
Instruction and Examination in Control of
Action.
Further, he cuts the Magic Wand.
Finally, the Title of Dominus Liminis is
conferred upon him.
He is given meditation-practices on the
Control of Thought, and is instructed in Raja-Yoga.
He receives Liber Mysteriorum and obtains a
perfect understanding of the Formulae of Initiation.
He meditates upon the diverse knowledge and
power that he has acquired, and harmonises it perfectly.
Further, he lights the Magic Lamp.
At last, Ritual VIII admits him to the grade
of Adeptus Minor.
6. The Adeptus
Minor. His duty is laid down in Paper F, Class D.
It is to follow out the instruction given in
the Vision of the Eighth Æthyr for the attainment of the Knowledge and
Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel.
[NOTE: This is in truth the sole task; the
others are useful only as adjuvants to and preperations for the One
Work. Moreover, once this task has been accomplished, there is no more
need of human help or instruction; for by this alone may the highest
attainment be reached.
All these grades are indeed but convenient
landmarks, not necessarily significant. A person who had attained them
all might be immeasurably the inferior of one who had attained none of
them; it is Spiritual Experience alone that counts in Result; the rest
is but Method.
Yet it is important to possess knowledge and
power, provided that it be devoted wholly to that One Work.] |
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