Post by triveni93 on Jul 13, 2015 16:00:50 GMT
In Ch. 1, "The One Beyond Ten" of Aleister Crowley and the Hidden God, Crowley discusses the assumption of animal forms as a means to unlocking powers lurking in our subconsciousness that are associated with particular animals.
Although I have certainly heard this associated with shamanic practices of various sorts, as well as yoga and martial arts (Grant mentions Patanjali in a footnote), I never made the connection between this and Assumption of God-Forms before. It make total sense!
Anyway, I had one question and one comment about this. As for the question: What is the "formula of the Divine Ape" (p. 14)? I understand that the ape is an obvious choice, as it seems to be the animal from which humans evolved; but I have never heard of this specific formula that is, as Grant suggests, known to Initiates.
My other point was more of a thought that a question or an actual "insight." I have been reading through The Equinox and noticed that in vol. 1 no. 2 there is a selection about mermaids called "Amongst the Mermaids," by Norman Roe. I remember puzzling over why this selection was included in The Equinox (other than the fact that it has magical lore and a mention of something like an undine, an elemental). I now wonder if it was included in there because of the role that the assumption of non-human entities (for lack of a better way of putting it) might play in magick. I would love to hear what light others might shed on this topic.
PS. I can't help but add to this the mention of Altered States (the film) on another thread in this forum, and Dr. Jessup's experience of returning to the earliest, ape-like form of a human.
Although I have certainly heard this associated with shamanic practices of various sorts, as well as yoga and martial arts (Grant mentions Patanjali in a footnote), I never made the connection between this and Assumption of God-Forms before. It make total sense!
Anyway, I had one question and one comment about this. As for the question: What is the "formula of the Divine Ape" (p. 14)? I understand that the ape is an obvious choice, as it seems to be the animal from which humans evolved; but I have never heard of this specific formula that is, as Grant suggests, known to Initiates.
My other point was more of a thought that a question or an actual "insight." I have been reading through The Equinox and noticed that in vol. 1 no. 2 there is a selection about mermaids called "Amongst the Mermaids," by Norman Roe. I remember puzzling over why this selection was included in The Equinox (other than the fact that it has magical lore and a mention of something like an undine, an elemental). I now wonder if it was included in there because of the role that the assumption of non-human entities (for lack of a better way of putting it) might play in magick. I would love to hear what light others might shed on this topic.
PS. I can't help but add to this the mention of Altered States (the film) on another thread in this forum, and Dr. Jessup's experience of returning to the earliest, ape-like form of a human.
