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To: alt.magick,alt.pagan,soc.religion.paganism,msn.forums.newage.spirituality.magick,alt.spirituality,alt.spiritual
From: "Frater Amadeus 111/671" 
Subject: FAQ:  The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon [a ceremonial magick ritual]
Date: Wed, 26 Nov 2003 08:03:09 CST

THE SUPREME RITUAL OF THE AEON

a ceremonial magick ritual that celebrates the
journey all conscious beings take which trancends
mortal life and death to become a cosmic journey

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Frequently Asked Questions "FAQ"
september, 2003 * [beta-4]
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1. About this FAQ
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1.1 Introduction
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The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon is a ceremonial magick ritual with a
Qabbalistic analysis in the tradition of the Golden Dawn, the Ordo Templi
Orientis, and the writings of Aleister Crowley and his contemporaries.

The Rite Proper presents a powerful banishing and invoking ceremony using
various new and original Qabbalistic formulae that are in much greater
attunement with the philosophy of love, will, and life (what some might
consider the spiritual essence of Thelema) than what previously exists.

The Rite Commentary provides an analysis of the technical formulae used in
the rite -- both how and why it works -- and through this offers perspective
on the spiritual journey all conscious beings take that transcends mortal
life and death to become a cosmic journey.

This document otherwise answers frequently asked questions.

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1.2 Table of contents
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1. About this FAQ
   1.1 Introduction
   1.2 Table of Contents
   1.3 Where can I get this FAQ?
   1.4 Additional FAQ Questions / Errors / Comments
2. Specific Questions about the Rite Proper
   2.1 What is the purpose of the rite?
   2.2 What can one expect from performing the rite?
   2.3 How often should one perform the rite?
   2.4 Do I need to know Magick or the Hebrew Qabbalah to use the rite?
3. General Questions about The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon
   3.1 How did the work come about?
   3.2 What is the history / timeline behind the work?
   3.3 This looks a lot like [insert traditional ritual name here]
       -- what makes it different?
   3.4 Final Comments

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1.3 Where can I get this FAQ?
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The latest version of this document, and other related documents, including
ritual text and commentary, may be found care of
http://www.frateramadeus.com.

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1.4 Additional FAQ Questions / Errors / Comments
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If you have a question that is not answered here that ought to be included
in this FAQ, notice an error, or have any other comments, please send an
eMail to webmaster@frateramadeus.com.

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2. Specific Questions about the Rite Proper
======================================================
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2.1 What is the purpose of the rite?
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The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon is a rite that will focus and clarify one's
link with his or her higher self.  This is achieved through the ceremonial
and symbolic enactment of the death of the "ego" -- letting go of "who you
think you are" so that your "true self" might manifest.

Through this purification and alignment of self one will also purify, as a
matter of consequence, his or her environment.  In this sense, the rite acts
as a traditional "banishment".

Use of this ritual also brings about changes on a Macrocosmic level.  Just
as traditional societies are formed by bonds of common values, interests, or
morals -- as we each align as individuals to the higher within us, we so
become linked by our own spiritual nature.

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2.2 What can one expect from performing the rite?
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Non-adept followers of "magickal" paths, including non-initiates and
neophytes, will achieve varied results ranging from nothing at all; to
dreams of unusual clarity and lucidity; to dreams of profound significance;
to remembering "long forgotten" memories; to an increase in "intuition"; to
having a greater clarity and understanding of one's "purpose"; to an
increase in "empathy"; to clarity of thought; to what can only be described
as "a cohesive solar-venusian energy that accompanies a sense of
well-being".

Adept followers of "magickal" paths, defined here as those with either
empathic abilities, or exposure to magickal rites and currents such that
they are able to detect subtle changes in themselves, will receive results
that range from all the effects described above; to the use of the astral /
dream world as an evolutionary "training ground" by the higher self; through
to outright journey in the spirit vision.

In general the effects of the rite can be both profound and subtle.  The
greatest acknowledgement of success is observed through a linear analysis of
one's growth and evolution, over time -- either through review of diary
entries or self-reflection.

In all cases, continued use of the ritual will likely result in both
increased and enhanced results.

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2.3 How often should one perform the rite?
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It is recommended that the rite be performed using an invoking pentagram
upon rise from slumber, and using a banishing pentagram just prior to
slumber.

Withstanding the above, the rite can be used as any time or as a replacement
for when similar "ceremonial magick" styled invoking and banishing rites are
used.

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2.4 Do I need to know Magick or the Hebrew Qabbalah to use the rite?
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No.  The "universal" nature of Qabbalistic Hebrew as a "magickal" language
gives it power of itself.  An english phonetic version of the rite is
provided for this reason.

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3. General Questions about The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon
======================================================
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3.1 How did the work come about?
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The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon began as an effort [...] to design
a personal version of the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram; a common
banishing ritual used in the practice of ceremonial magick.

The experience is described as follows:

[...] the rite itself came to me outside of my conscious understanding --
not so much as any kind of single mystical experience -- but rather as what
I would describe as "clarity of thought" with a "definite focus" that
continued on as an unfolding process.  Looking back, I would suggest that I
was acting as a scribe for either my own higher self, or to what is known in
traditional ceremonial magick writings as an external "intelligence".

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3.2 What is the history / timeline behind the work?
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The rite was developed from late 1991 through mid-to-late 1992.  The rite
subsequently evolved through various stages, as the circumstances of time
and life permitted, during the period of 1992 - 1995.  The ritual and
commentary as they appear today, save editing, were complete by April of
1996.

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3.3 This looks a lot like [insert traditional ritual name here] -- what
makes it different?
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There is no question that this work follows the same framework that is
present in the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP), Star Ruby,
and a myriad of other works -- it is unmistakably based upon this tradition
of "ceremonial magick".

One might argue what makes any of these works different.

In this work, we find the following unique attributes:

a) The ritual begins with a "recognition of initiation" whereupon we take
responsibility to accept the changes we bring upon ourselves.  In doing
this, we also metaphorically begin our journey as Ankh-f-n-Khonsu from life,
to death, to rebirth.  Ankh-f-n-Khonsu is a manifestation of the universal
Birth-Life-Death-Rebirth formula to become a "cosmic journey of the soul" as
it is known to the tradition of Thelema.  Ankh-f-n-Khonsu represents the
promise of "death of self" without loss of the physical body -- that is, the
"death of ego".  It is noteworthy to mention that we follow the journey of
Ankh-f-n-Khonsu throughout the ceremony.

b) Traditional banishing ceremonies use the names of "higher powers" to
"ward" or "banish" so-perceived "negative influences".  This ceremony does
not make any such distinction but instead seeks to change our perspective of
"negative influences" so that they no longer maintain power over us.  This
is achieved by acknowledging the perfection of our will at any given moment
in time -- that is to say, we gently remind ourselves that we are in control
of our path and where we are right now comes as the direct result of the
choices we have made thus far -- so ultimately, we are exactly where we have
chosen to be and surrounded by exactly what we have chosen to surround
ourselves with.

c) The introduction and use of a new key "word of power", namely; "AMADEUS".
"Amadeus", when analyzed by the Qabbalah, metaphorically represents the soul
as a unique, perfect, spiritual entity, greater than the sum of its parts,
resulting from the union of Male and Female; Love and Will.  It is a
combined Qabbalistic / Thelemic representation of the universal "higher
self".  The following is an excerpt, albeit with footnotes removed, from
"The Supreme Ritual of the Aeon:  Commentary"--

Amadeus is the son, itself a new being but formed from the supernal barren
mother (Ama) fertilized by the God (Deus).  Amadeus, the "Beloved of God" is
then Ra-Hoor-Khuit, the mystical union of will and love, the unity of the
son bound with a crown, here a mystery of Venus, for it reflects the
wonderment of life, the pure joy which all motion through the universe is--
it represents the spiritual purpose each creation has, that which makes it
special-- which is why it exists in the first place.

And this is too expressed by the latin-english mix "Am a deus", that is, "Am
a God".

But Amadeus is not merely descriptive of the son; it contains within itself
a formula of initiation.

For Amadeus is not a noun, but a verb, and as a verb it is an injunction to
LOVE GOD, that is, to both accept and emulate the masculine (phallic,
will-ful) side of one's self, and to respect and admire with wonder all that
which will has placed in one's path (for one never knows when a certain
chance symbol may be of supreme importance-- "the stone that the builders
rejected, the same is become the head of the corner.")

It shows us that unity is to be found through AMA (love) and DEUS (will) and
thus represents the Thelemic code "Love is the Law, Love under Will" in it's
highest and most esoteric form.

Amadeus numerates to 111, and to 671 with the Mem taken as a Mem Sofit. 111
is the number of Aleph ([Heb:ALPh], 111), and implies the highest unity. It
is the same "God of Justice" written of in the Enochian calls, and the AUM
([Heb:AOM], 111) of the Buddhists. We also find the Hebrew "He is one God"
([Heb:AChD HVA ALHYM], 111) which, by virtue of Elohim (the masculine plural
of a feminine singular), again asserts the god-nature within all things.  In
An Essay on Number, Crowley writes, "This is the most clear and definite
help we have yet had, showing Samadhi and the Destruction of the Ego as
gates of our final victory."

We find 671 as the number of Adonai, the Holy Guardian Angel, spelt in full
([Heb: ALPh DLT NVN YVD], 671) and also of the Law ([Heb:TORA], Tora, 671)
the Gate ([Heb:TARO], Taro, 671) the Wheel ([Heb:ROTA], Rota, 671) and the
Lady of the path of Daleth ([Heb:ATOR], Athor, 671). Of this Crowley writes,
"This important number marks the identity of the Augoeides with the Way
itself ("I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life") and shows the Taro as a
key; and that the Law itself is nothing else than this."

d) There is a significant "qabbalistic" relationship between the various
"words of power" that the author believes is not present in similar,
traditional works.

e) The use of "virtues" instead of "Archangels" of "Energies" to promote
"real world" values that will aid the adept in his evolution.  Thus, "who
the adept might be" is not challenged, fixed, or "bogged down" by specific
energy-forms, but rather given wings through virtues of his choosing that
promote his self and identity.

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3.4 Final Comments
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The ritual and commentary may be read and downloaded at
www.frateramadeus.com/srota