kaos

terms, the physical manifestation of the Great Whore can be one dirty, stinky, grotesque
affair. I don’t know if you’ve ever read Crowley’s “Leah Sublime”, but if you have, you’ll
certainly know what I mean, it’s pure nastiness for it’s own sake. Crowley was assimilating
“filth” into his conception of the Universe. The late Pat King (“King” of the Rite of
Shiraz, and the official head of the 11 th degree) once walked into a rather impressive
orgy, in full swing, and read the poem aloud. It stopped the orgy, cold. It is as if the first
illusion is the mundane perception of the whore as such. Moving past that, one sees her
as symbolic of the object of desire she embodies (perhaps, the Scarlet Woman as an
office?). Beyond that, we’re back to the grubby reality of Her corporeal form (this is
Lilith in the light of “the Sun” and an inevitable consequence of her corporeality),
perceived as it “really is”. And beyond even this lies the Archetype, the Great Mother,
Babalon herself. To subsist beyond the Abyss, She would have to embody both a “positive”
and a “negative” symbolism. Perhaps, in this sense they are “sisters”, even as Michael
and Satan are “brothers”, twin symbols representing a unity of being.
The Master of the Temple does naught but tend his garden. This is essentially a
passive transmission of the influence of the Magus, and this is symbolized by the passive
acceptance of All by Babalon. The Master of the Temple transforms into the Magus by
action, overcoming the understanding that any action begets evil. Perhaps this is
symbolized by Lilith, a more “active” form of “feminine evil”, milking the Word from
the inert Master, and representing that evil and illusion that results from action.
I apologize for rambling-on like this. I’m hoping something will shake loose. I’m
not too impressed by what I’ve written, but I’m sending it along anyway. I hope some
good might come of it.
Take care, SATYR
The Daughter of Fortitude
The passage referred to above about the “Daughter of Fortitude”, who is possibly
identifiable as the daughter of chaos and babalon who appears in Crowley’s vision in
the 9 th Æythr, was received by Edward Kelly on May 23, 1587, and reads as follows:
I am the Daughter of Fortitude, and ravished every hour, from my youth. For behold, I
am Understanding, and Science dwelleth in me; and the heavens oppress me, they covet
and desire me with infinite appetite: few or none that are earthly have imbraced me, for
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