The Equinox (Volume I, Number I)

THE EQUINOX Hegemon rises and conducts the Zelator to the Hiereus, who explains to him the tablet of “The Duplicate form of the Alchemical Sephiroth.” * The Hegemon then explains to him «The Geometrical lineal figures attributed to the planets”; { and the Kerux “ The six- teen figures of Geomancy.” { The Hierophant congratulates the newly initiated Theoricus, and confers upon him the title of PORAIOS (or PORAIA) DE REJECTIS, which hath the signification: ‘brought from among the rejected ones,” and gives unto him the symbol of Ruach, which is the Hebrew for Air. The Closing then takes place. “Let us adore the Lord and King of Air!” says the Hierophant. The prayer of the Sylphs follows ; and in the Name of SHADDAI EL CHAI the Temple is closed in the 2°=9° Grade of Theoricus. The following month, February, P. passed through the next grade, that of 3° = 8°. RITUAL OF THE 3° = 8° GRADE OF PRACTICUS This Grade is particularly attributed to the element of Water, and especially refers to the planet Mercury and to the thirty-first and thirtieth paths of wand. It opens with the Adoration to the King of the Waters, which is followed by the Advancement. The Theoricus first gives the necessary signs, and then, as before, solemnly pledges himself to secrecy, after which he is conducted to the East and placed between the Mystic Pillars, The Hierophant then says to him: “ Before you are the portals of the thirty-first, thirty-second and twenty-ninth paths. Of these, as you already know, the central one leads from the 1° = ro° of Zelator to the 2° = 9° of Theoricus. That on the left hand, which is now open to you, is the thirty-first, which leads from the 1° = 10° of Zelator to the 3° = 8° of Practicus. Take in your right hand the Pyramid of Flame, and follow your guide Axiokersa § the Kabir, who leads you through the path of fire. In this ritual the Three Cabiri are made to represent the triangle of fire, thus: Axieros, the first Kabir, says: “I am the apex of the Triangle of Flame: I am the Solar * See 777, cols, cxii,, cxiii,, p. 23. t+ See 777, col. xlix., p. 15. t See 777, col. xlix., p. 15 and note p. 41. § This introduction of the Samothracian mysteries is evidently a straining after effect. They were ofa much lower order than the Eleusinian, and a great deal more obscure; in fact, even at the time, people could not define with anything like accuracy what the Kabiri really were. The student will find more concerning these semi-mythical beings in Strabo, Diodorus and Varro. Déllinger says: “ This much is undoubted on the joint testimony of Strabo and Mnaseas; the gods whose initiation people received here (Samothrace) were Axieros, i.e, Demeter; Axiokersos, #.e., Hades; and Axiokersa, 7.e., Persephone.”—Dillinger, “ The Gentile and the Jew,” Eng. edition, 1906, vol. i., pp. 172-186, 270