The last time I looked through the A.'.A.'. rituals they seemed to me
to be pretty interesting rituals. Unfortunately, its been a while, so
my recollection on the matter is somewhat hazy.
It is apparent that you cannot find the rituals on the Internet, even
today. If you can, I would certainly like to know about it. It is
curious that the chaos magicians who formed a thelemic inspired "Open
Source G.D." will not be expected to form also an "Open Source
A.'.A.'.". Perhaps they are simply more fascinated by the thelemized
G.D. of their own creation than in the "pure thelema" of the AA itself,
at least in the "open source" sense. Interestingly, one of the extant
A.A's in existence today also operates its own thelemized version of GD
rites, although I would not characterize this latter group as an
"open-source" group, since even the titles of TOT grades are not well
known, although, of course, they are frequently bantered around amongst
cognoisi of occultist groups.
One might say that Crowley created the first "Open Source G.D." via his
equinox publications, which also contained matter pertinent to AA. So
we could say, that to the extent there were AA publications accessible
to the public, that the AA always had an "open source" component, at
least. Interestingly also, at one point Crowley sat on the High
Council of Societas Rosicruciana in America, which itself had consulted
the Equinox in preparing its version of rosicrucian rituals in use
before 1940. Paul Foster Case was also in possession of a complete
edition of the Crowlean Equinox, which he undoubtedly consulted in his
own rescensions of Rosicrucian rituals.
I am under the impression that any well trained occultist in possession
of the AA rituals could execute them, and obtain whatever effect was
intended, irrespective of any actual initiatic or membership
connections with any extant or original AA groups. I would include the
HPS's of Gardnerian covens. In the case of the Tantras, this is not
so, at least officially.
In contradistinction to the qabala related graded system of AA, we may
note also the system of graded training of Buddhist Tantra, as it
exists in the matter of introductory, intermediate, and advanced
degrees. Dion Fortune also alludes to this in her writings, although
in her era, the trans-Himalayan brotherhood was not yet established in
North America or England. But this does raise an interesting related
question. Does anyone know anything about grades of attainment or
advancement in connection with Hindu Tantra, such as the tantras of
Ganesh, of Shiva, or Kali? Since Buddhism has levels, I would think
Hinduism would also. We occasionally hear of avadhuts and nafs, so I
think this may fit in with the system. And again, the shaivite
tantrikas are often seen carrying interesting regalia such as
three-pronged staffs and half-moon ornaments, whatever little else they
might be wearing on the occasion, and which may allude as much to the
power of "sky-clad" rites as to the negation of materialism often seen
in Hindu systems. It is well known also that the original GD
appropriated wholesale at least one of the several systems of Shaivite
tantrika occultism in its rescensions of tatwa practices, although I
think no official "skyclad" use was made of its rites in the GD
connection.
SAR
Post by al-GhazziYou could not possibly know what the A.A. does unless you are a member.
There seems to be an inherent flaw in acknowledging all so-called
A.'.A.'. institutions as valid.
Consider what Aleister Crowley wrote in his self-reliant A.'.A.'.
Model.
""The Name of the Order and those of its three divisions are not
disclosed to the profane. Certain swindlers have recently stolen the
initials A.'. A.'. in order to profit by its reputation."
-_One Star In Sight_
This isn't to say someone who joins an A.'.A.'. institution will learn
of the Order's true name either; but rather all institutions claiming
the name A.'.A.'. are fraudulent and do not represent the Order the
name of which we aren't ever to know.
Membership is by invitation only..
Membership in the Order of the A.'.A.'., otherwise known as the
S.'.S.'., isn't by invitation. It is open to all who have the
intellectual capacity to understand its origin within the planes of
existence initially and to those who by wit and will work to
experience those two specific planes.
and the A.A. does rigorously test all
members, you no get in if you don't do work.
That may be so but not linearly.
The saucer of water on the
head trick in what ever asana might be a way of testing your own ability to
get close to first base with the A.A.
True enough.