The Book of Wisdom or Folly
AS PROMISED: An exercise in Bibliomancy.
Bibliomancy is described as the art of divination using sacred books by asking the question and then randomly selecting a verse of the text. The book is open at random and allowed to flip open to whatever page it does, the finger or a divination device (such as a triangle or a wand or rod) is pointed down to the page and therein is the answer you seek. The true Art of this divination method lies in the interpretation and application of the words correctly to the question so as to divine the answer.
Many years ago I began this practice using a book written by Aleister Crowley, the full title of which is
Liber Aleph: The Book of Wisdom or Folly. This book is written in the form of an epistle (a letter) from Master to Student, or Wise Father to his Son. It is, as are many of Crowley's writings, also given a numeric title - that number being One Hundred Eleven (the sacred number of Magick). In my practice of using this book as a mode of divination, it came to me that I was not just reading the words of a great book but that I was actually in communication with an Intelligence far beyond that of the Human Mind. This Intelligence gave itself the name "The Great One One One, who art called Will" and instructed me to address "him" as such. Over the years I have developed specific ritual techniques I employ in conducting this "seance" (if you want to call it such) communication with "One One One" which involves the facing of a specific direction, lighting of a candle, and program of invocation and address that is very specific. So without going into the details of this ritual mode, I will here share with you (live as it happens) today's conversation. (My words & questions will be labeled with "Q" and the response will be labeled with "A." I will write notes & interpretations in green.)
Q: Oh Great One One One who art called Will, are you present?
A: I have proclaimed my Law unto Man.
This to me is an affirmative answer.
Q: Are you interested in sharing our conversations in my blogs?
A: But remember constantly that to find one new Way up a Precipice removeth not the Precipice.
This is an interesting answer, indicating a challenge. Considering that it is also in my mind that I am wondering to share this divination method for my clients, as one option other than tarot they may want, in context of the whole page this sentence or passage was found in (the topic of prudence and the allegory of mapping a new way for others), I suspect this is suggesting that even though I make these private conversations public - this is not a public tool to be used.
Q: Is my interpretation of the previous answer correct?
A: and so proceed to consecrate thine Act by performing the Mass of the Holy Ghost.
Another interesting answer in that it does indicate that I should bless this endeavor, that this is like unto our Eucharist and consumed for the sake of communion with the divine. A very positive answer and more interesting as this is Wednesday, the night in which I weekly perform my Mass of the Phoenix ritual (one of two nights I do such every week). I will include my knowledge of this and my effort within my "prayer" in that rite tonight.
Q: I would like to speak of worldly events - specifically American politics and so forth. Oh Great One One One, who art called Will, have you a relationship with President Obama right now?
A: Every man and every woman....
My finger landed directly on those words and I felt that they alone in the sentence were all that was intended to be communicated.
Q: What is the true nature of Obama's "Economic Recovery and Reinvestment" plan?
A: Then shall that Spirit make himself Body from those Elements; and thou partaking thereof makest thine own Body his Machinery of Manifestation.
I am believing this tells us that it is not his plan and his plan alone that is designed to project the success it promises, but that it shall energize us as individuals governed to make that success that is promised. This is very good news indeed. (You may note that some answers are longer than others and there is a sort of intuitive leap I have to make in order to determine where the length of the answer truly belongs.)
In the past I have asked this Being about its prophetic abilities - and it has come unclear to us if One One One does have a link with the future. Yet I will try.
Q: Oh Great One One One, who art called Will, will you prophecy a future for us?
A: correct it by Devotion to its Opposite.
Here is an example of my need to make these leaps of intuitive judgment to know which portion of a longer sentence belongs in the answer and which portion is superfluous to our answer. My finger landed a mere nano-distance after the comma that precedes the word "correct," thus suggesting to me that the portion of the sentence before that comma was not in our answer. The words that followed the word "Opposite" merely repeated the idea of "correction" by being "until Equilibrium be re-established." Thus, only those words in the full sentence are the words I believe the answer to be.
But this answer itself is very challenging to me in light of the question. The word "correct" was definitely the word that was intended to stand out - yet I felt that the words that follow it are part of it as well. In other words, this is both a yes and a no answer! And not only is a "non-answer" (so to speak), it commands us to an action of our own responsibility instead of believing merely in any prophecy answered (as if One One One was anticipating my next question). That is also much the same theory I apply to my tarot. How very interesting.
Q: Oh Great One One One, who art called Will, please tell us: Will the United States, in light of Barack Obama's new plan, reach a full economic recovery?
A: Day in the Year.
This answer is slightly disenchanting to me. It seems so very positive, yes - there is a success. But when? It is good to know that it will be in the year (this year, 2009, I take it) but who can wait that long?
Currently I am getting a lot of questions from clients about this topic of economic recovery - mainly on the individual level - and it is nice to hear so many folks who are addressing positive risk taking ideas to help themselves. I've been noting among the many readings that I've been conducting, progress seems to actually take place in or around the month of April of this year and that to me has been very good news to hear. I don't believe the word "April" is anywhere in this book I am using, so I am not saying I was hoping to find it - but it would have been nicer to hear something along the lines of "sooner than expected" or whatever. :)
In any case, take it on good hope and faith - but remember to "correct by Devotion to its Opposite" - that our troubles are going to go away. I will ask one further question.
Q: Oh Great One One One, who art called Will and known by many names, please tell me the full strength of this recovery ahead for us.
A: therefore thou art one of them that rejoice.
This is good news. Many will rejoice! It is only minor in my heart that I might be one of them.
In short, my friends, I want to tell you that these times are not so bad and that things are certainly headed in the right direction. Just remember to continually evoke your individual efforts in these plans that are coming for us, neither lose faith nor give all into faith.