The student syllabus for Jim Eshelman’s A∴A∴ branch contains the following books: The Equinox (Crowley, 1909–1913) Raja Yoga (Vivekananda, 1896) The Shiva Samhita (trad., English translation Shri Chandra Vasu, 1884), or The Hathayoga Pradipika (Svatmarama) Konx Om Pax (Crowley, 1907) The Spiritual Guide (Molinos, first English edition 1688) 777 (Crowley, 1909) Dogme et Rituel de […]

In the same LAShTAL.com thread referred to in Majesty in nature, the idea of “ultimate reality” arose, exemplified in the following comment from Ian Rons where it is termed “absolute meaning” or “absolute knowledge”: However, yes of course people do make statements which they presume to be meaningful; but I would say that, ultimately, they […]

Over on LAShTAL.com, I’ve been involved in a thread dealing mainly with the question of “knowledge”. During that discussion, presumably objecting to the idea that “knowledge” – which requires effort and honesty to obtain – is helpful in any way, a flaky new-age whelp calling himself “sonofthestar” (whose immortal take on the veracity of Crowley’s […]

A recent thread over on LAShTAL.com dealing with “promulgation” was recently locked and then deleted, and resulting in the closure of the accounts on that site of Joseph Thiebes and “Frater Oz“. While the goings-on over at, and the moderating decisions of the owner of, LAShTAL.com are not the concern of this blog, the ideas […]

Over on Jim Eshelman’s Temple of Thelema forums, there’s a thread called True Will and physical obstacles. The original poster asked: A man, who is black receives repeated racial discrimination and abuse which affects his life so badly that he feels suicidal. He makes every effort to live his True Will and the path that […]

A few months ago, in the entry Religious naturalism and religious thinking, we criticized the much-vaunted but actually non-existent benefits of religion within the context of philosophy (which actually does not exist) which eschews the regular supernatural components of traditional religious beliefs. We saw that: once you take the supernatural out of religion, you are […]

A post entitled A Church of Magic over on Kjetil Fjell’s blog has, despite being over a year old, been recently brought to my attention. The subject matter covered, a type of sociological, OTO-obsessed, college-kid “Thelema” inspired by Team418, is not the usual fare for this site, but in this particular entry – and in […]

J. Ash Bowie’s web site, Swimming the Sacred River, is greatly concerned with “religious naturalism”, which he defines as: a movement that offers a reverent orientation towards the natural world (which includes humans and human culture) that is in harmony with reason and our unfolding understanding of the universe as informed by the sciences. It […]

In You are not entitled, we raised the possibility that a liberal society and liberal values, although clearly preferred by many, may actually be detrimental to a society and ultimately unsustainable. Earlier, in Let there be no difference made, we saw how natural selection has not “designed” us to be spiritually fulfilled and happy, presumably […]

The Christian position on “sin” is best summed up in Romans 7:14-25: For we know that the law is spiritual: but I am carnal, sold under sin. For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I. If then I do that […]