From: glenn.engstrand@matrix.sbs.com (Glenn Engstrand) 
Newsgroups: alt.magick
Subject: CROWLEY NOT DELIBERATELY
Date: 8 Apr 92 14:31:00 GMT
Distribution: world
Organization: The MATRIX BBS - Birmingham, AL - 205-323-2016
Reply-To: glenn.engstrand@matrix.sbs.com (Glenn Engstrand) 


In  message  <1992Apr02.225527.2285@microsoft.com>,  Paul   Clark
responds to Michael Glosson's response to Joshua Geller by giving
his own interpretation of chapter XII (Of the  Bloody  Sacrifice:
and Matters Cognate) from Aleister Crowley's Magick in Theory and
Practice (especially Crowley's indirect admission to  sacrificing
"A  male  child of perfect innocence and high intelligence ... on
an average about 150 times every year between 1912 e.v. and  1928
e.v.")  as  being  a  veiled  reference to his sexual workings. I
agree, but another thing Mr. Clark says is ...
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> The idea is that during the sexual act, there  is  'an  opening
> made  into  higher  realms,  where  souls  come  from',  and by
> reaching through at that moment, one  may  tap  into  the  same
> source  of  energy that makes the human sacrifice work, WITHOUT
> actually having to sacrifice one. Thus a simple sexual act  has
> all the power of the True Mass.
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Which does not exactly fit my understanding of  what  Crowley  is
talking  about  in that chapter. The page references come from my
edition of the book which is the 1976 Dover edition.  As  we  all
know,  there are many semantic levels to the writings of Aleister
Crowley. Clearly, he has no problem with animal sacrifice in  its
most  literal  and  fundamental  interpretation (see page 95). He
also  doesn't  mind  spilling  a  little  human  blood,  "without
sacrificing   the  physical  life  irrevocably,"  for  the  right
invocation (p. 96). He even makes a veiled reference to  starting
WWI  (p.  97)  though  I  am  sure  that many would argue over my
interpretation of that particular footnote.
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But there is a symbolic side to Crowlian bloody  sacrifice.  From
page  97,  "There   is another sacrifice with regard to which the
Adepts have always maintained the most profound  secrecy.  It  is
the  supreme mystery of practical Magick. Its name is the Formula
of the Rosy Cross." Fortunately, for us,  he  talked  about  that
Formula  earlier  in the book. From page 41, "This Cup is said to
be full of the Blood of the Saints; that  is,  every  'saint'  or
magician must give the last drop of his life's blood to that cup.
It is the original price paid for magick power. And if by  magick
power  we mean the true power, the assimilation of all force with
the Ultimate Light, the true Bridal of the Rosy  Cross,  then  is
that  blood  the  offering of Virginity, the sole sacrifice well-
pleasing to the Master, the sacrifice whose only  reward  is  the
pain of child-bearing unto him."
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Though Mr. Clark is correct to  the  degree  that  libido  is  an
important  ingredient  in  the  attainment  of redemption through
sacrifice, it is not the entire recipe! What I think that Crowley
is suggesting is more than Mr. Clark's "simple sexual act." It is
a rending of the veil in every sense of  the  word.  Why  do  you
think he calls it "bloody sacrifice" anyway?
                          
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