Equilibrium: Thelemic Ritual Theory and Practice

Equilibrium is an examination of the influences behind Thelema. Thelema derives its name from the Greek "Theleme", meaning will. In 1904, Aleister Crowley's Supreme Ritual Invocation of Horus had such a profound impact on his ritual practice that it inspired him to write the Book of the Law, ushering in the Aeon of Horus. This book looks at the esoteric and philosophical influences of 20th-century ceremonial magick, with special attention to the Supreme Ritual Invocation of Horus and the Equinox of the Gods and the twenty-two-day pathworking.Equilibrium began as a field guide for navigating Thelemic ritual practice and has since developed into a compendium including essays on the historical framework of ceremonial magick, including materials on tarot, Enochian influences, pathworking, and ritual gnosis.Equilibrium is broken down into four main parts. These include Ritual Theory, Ritual Practice, the Invocation of Horus and the Equinox of the Gods, and The twenty-two-day pathworking. Ritual Theory is an introduction to the philosophies and historical influences of Thelema, including writings on tarot, ceremonial magickal practice, and the historicity of the Kabbalah, a system of Jewish mysticism that has greatly influenced the field of ceremonial magick for at least the last 1000 years.Ritual practice is an introduction and a refresher for those familiar with this work on ritual tools. Also, it covers preliminary practices, including the liturgy and structure of the twenty-two-day pathworking.The Invocation of Horus and the Equinox of the Gods provides insights into the historicity of Thelema's inception and the historical trends of the currents of theleme, or spiritual will, and agape, or spiritual love, through the practice and study of a ritual series that has changed over the last 110 years.Finally, the Twenty-two-day pathworking presents the pathworking according to each day of the Thelemic holy season, including verses and tarot meditations.One of the main goals of this work is to provide a central resource for the performance of the twenty-two-day pathworking, in addition to offering innovative ways of exploring ceremonial magick for the novice, the seasoned practitioner, the witch, the shaman, and the eclectic. This attempt is made by providing the verses used in the rituals in addition to analyses of how these rituals impact the physical, etheric, and auric bodies both in the moment of ritual practice and while engaging in ritual practice regularly. Read more