The Book of the Law, also known as Liber AL vel Legis, is the text central to philosophical / magical / religious practice called Thelema founded by Aleister Crowley. Crowley penned the book in three sessions between 12 noon and 1 pm on April 8, 9 and 10, 1904 in Cairo, resulting in three distinct chapters. He reports writing the book by dictation from a voice that seemed to come from over his shoulder and called itself Aiwass (or Aiwaz). He also reports having the impression or picture of a speaker in the ...

Read more here: » The Book of the Law: Encyclopedia - The Book of the Law

Aleister Crowley wrote The Gnostic Mass—technically called Liber XV or "Book 15"—in 1913 while travelling in Moscow. In many ways it is similar in structure to the Mass of the Roman Catholic Church. However, the comparison ends there, as the Gnostic Mass is a celebration of the principles of Thelema. The ceremony calls for five officers: a priest, a priestess, a deacon, and two acolytes, called “children”. The end of the ritual culminates in the consumation of the eucharist, which is a glass of wine and the host, called a Cake of Light, after which the congregant proclaims � ...

Including:

• Gnostic Mass - The Temple
• Gnostic Mass - Structure
• Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Introit
• Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Rending of the Veil
• Gnostic Mass - The Collects
• Gnostic Mass - The Consecration of the Elements
• Gnostic Mass - The Anthem
• Gnostic Mass - The Mystic Marriage and Consummation of the Elements
• Gnostic Mass - The narrative of the Gnostic Mass
• Gnostic Mass - Links of Interest

Read more here: » Gnostic Mass: Encyclopedia - Gnostic Mass

Had and Hadit both refer to the Thelemic version of an Egyptian god. The earlier, Egyptian version, went by the name of Hor-Behudeti or Horus of Edfu. Thoth let him take the form of the solar disk to help a younger version of Horus -- Re-Horakhty, or Ra-Hoor-Khuit -- in a battle with Set and his army. Both versions of Horus appear in the Egyptian image that Thelemites call Stele 666 (of the Boulaq ...

Read more here: » Hadit: Encyclopedia - Hadit

The People enter into the ritual space, where the Deacon stands at the Altar of Incense (symbolic of Tiphareth on the Tree of Life). She takes the Book of the Law and places it on the super-alter within the great Veil, and proclaims the Law of Thelema in the name of IAO. Returning, she leads the People in the Gnostic Creed, which announces a belief (or value) in the Lord, the Sun, Chaos, Air, Babalon, Baphomet, the Gnostic Catholic Church, the communion of Saints, the Miracle of the Mass (i.e. the Eucharist), as well as confessions of their birth as ...

See also:

Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - The Temple, Gnostic Mass - Structure, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Introit, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Rending of the Veil, Gnostic Mass - The Collects, Gnostic Mass - The Consecration of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The Anthem, Gnostic Mass - The Mystic Marriage and Consummation of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The narrative of the Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - Links of Interest

Read more here: » Gnostic Mass: Encyclopedia II - Gnostic Mass - The narrative of the Gnostic Mass

There are four main pieces of furniture in a Gnostic Mass temple: The High Altar: the dimensions are 7 feet long by 3 feet wide by 44 inches high. It is covered with a crimson cloth. It is situated in the East, or in the direction of Boleskine in Scotland ("Temple East"). The two-tiered super-altar sits on top of the High Altar. It all holds 22 candles, the Stele of Revealing, the Book of the Law, and two bunches of roses. There is room for the Cup, the Paten, and the Priestess to sit. The High Altar is contained within a great Veil, and sits on a dais with three steps. On either side of the High Altar are two ...

See also:

Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - The Temple, Gnostic Mass - Structure, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Introit, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Rending of the Veil, Gnostic Mass - The Collects, Gnostic Mass - The Consecration of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The Anthem, Gnostic Mass - The Mystic Marriage and Consummation of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The narrative of the Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - Links of Interest

Read more here: » Gnostic Mass: Encyclopedia II - Gnostic Mass - The Temple

There are six component ceremonies within the Gnostic Mass: Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Introit. The congregation enters the temple, the Deacon presents the Law of Thelema, and the Gnostic Creed is recited. The Priestess and the Children enter from a side room. The Priestess raises the Priest from his Tomb. Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Rending of the Veil. The Priestess is enthroned at the High Altar and the veil is closed. The Priest circumambulates the tem ...

See also:

Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - The Temple, Gnostic Mass - Structure, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Introit, Gnostic Mass - The Ceremony of the Rending of the Veil, Gnostic Mass - The Collects, Gnostic Mass - The Consecration of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The Anthem, Gnostic Mass - The Mystic Marriage and Consummation of the Elements, Gnostic Mass - The narrative of the Gnostic Mass, Gnostic Mass - Links of Interest

Read more here: » Gnostic Mass: Encyclopedia II - Gnostic Mass - Structure