Since starting this channel, I’ve been suggested to make a personal experience video. Recently, a subscriber commented that they are interested in how Thelemic rituals decondition one. Considering this, I decided to share a few reflections on Liber V, which is intrinsically Thelemic.
Liber V Vel Reguli
Thelemic books (often) include variations of GD techniques that are part of the A.A. They proceed with Thelemic pentagram and hexagram rituals. One example is Liber V, having no resemblance to others. Calling it the ‘ritual of the mark of the beast,’ Crowley defines Liber V as:
“an incantation proper to invoke the Energies of the Aeon of Horus, adapted for the use of the Magician of whatever grade.“
Exposure Therapy
Based on personal experience, Liber V works like exposure therapy. Exposure therapy exposes one to whatever one has issues with to help ‘build tolerance and immunity.’
Potential Triggers
In cases like germophobia (a type of OCD associated with excessive hand-washing), exposure therapy may include ‘getting comfortable’ with touching trash (or random stuff) on the street. Similarly, Liber V identifies potential triggers of fear, horror, shame, sorrow, disgust, etc., and attunes one to currents triggering one or more.
Hormesis
This may be likened to hormesis — a biphasic dose response to an environmental agent that has beneficial effects at low doses and inhibitory or harmful ones at high doses. In nutrition, hormesis is used to prevent zero-carb dieters from developing intolerances similar to a vaccine. Ironically, after a week of Liber V, I feel an unusual desire to experiment with foods that don’t belong to my regimen
Reaction
Since it causes disturbances, initial reactions to Liber V may include a desire to abandon it. On the contrary, more profound reflections show that the key isn’t avoiding and labeling the mentioned as shameful, disgusting, or immoral, even when they are. It is to find out why they disturb you and how to no longer be disturbed.
Scholars Say
Scholars say Crowley got such a thrill from ‘freaking out the freakoutable.’ Well, one of Liber V‘s purposes might be eliminating those from the Work. Hence, the rite is for any grade.
Ready to Attack
Crowley advocates performing Liber V with the step of a fierce tiger preparing to attack. While most take that (literally), I found circumambulating widdershins is sufficient, and something else is meant. IMHO, the goal is to prepare to attack whatever frightens you, adjusting the aspects of your psyche that get frightened. It is to unleash the beast on that and not let others use it against you.
Horus
Liber V attunes one to the energies of the Aeon of Horus. This is about conquering, fire, force, action, and Geburah, which is conflict. It can put you in a situation/mental state implying something you need to overcome. Considering this and the usual connotations with its pentagrams, one may label it ‘University through Adversity.‘
While this holds truth, the potential benefits spread. I found that becoming less shocked by ‘X‘ increased my willingness to take on potentially frightening projects. Let me know if that resonates.
Global Vision
Liber V may help remove delusions about the global situation economically, socially, and politically, regardless of your interests. Or at least it can if you couple it with frequent GRH Jupiter.
The Grass is Not Greener
Say, for instance, you always felt people in a particular country had better opportunities than you. While this may be partially true, Liber V can expose the whole picture, increasing awareness of your options. So, what you perceive as heaven may be just an illusion.
The Vision of the Abyss
Thelema recognizes three development stages. The ‘vision,’ the ‘Knowledge and Conversation,’ and crossing the Abyss, which, according to Damien Echols and Regardie, isn’t for everyone. Whatever the case, Liber V can provide a perspective of the steps you’d need to take (if you want) to proceed after the second.
Above Tiphereth
While not part of my research, after a period of daily Liber V, I assumed that Crossing the Abyss has to do with Solve et Coagula, as actually mingling with the whole. My explication is that Liber V puts one above Tiphereth and right below the Abyss. Feel free to share your thoughts.
Isolate Intelligence
Setians and LHP followers may benefit from Liber V, as it can unveil why they follow the ‘Isolate Intelligence‘ principle and how this relates to their environment. In a different one, they might have a different balance of Horus and Set, i.e., a tendency for collaboration and radical individualism. This different environment may feel suitable for proceeding with the mentioned stages.
Standing Upright
Given all this, (I think) Liber V trains practitioners to have their heads above the heavens and feet below hell, as said in Liber צ Tzaddi. To not be frightened by what you perceive as frightening, or hell, nor delusional about what heaven is, which (I emphasize) is definitely not easy.