Return to the Aethyrs: 14 – VTA

This is the text of my journal entry for my re-scrying of the 14th Aethyr, VTA. See my previous post on scrying the aethyrs for instructions and a description of exactly what the Aethyrs are. Here is the article from the last time I scryed this aethyr. Also of note, is a dream I had years ago, which seemed to place me within this same Aethyr.


As instructed by the Secret Chiefs, I return to the 14th Aethyr to receive and relay a message. I did not review my previous scrying of this Aethyr before this working.

I light a candle, say the Magia prayer, recite the 19th call, and lay down with my eyes closed to let the vision overtake me.


There is a swirling blackness behind my closed eyes as my head clears and silences itself in preparation for the vision.

My view is from an elevated position, looking west towards an enormous golden pyramid. Many smaller pyramids dot the landscape in a regular pattern surrounding it. There is a somewhat purple-twilight light cast over the pyramids and ground. Crowning the large pyramid is a ring of fire, reminiscent of an eclipse. Above, the sky is black and filled with stars.

I now stand on a stone staircase which leads to an entrance into the large pyramid. I ascend the steps, entering through an open doorway.

Inside, I find a temple. Four pillars hold the ceiling aloft, ensconced with torches to light the room. There are terraced levels within the room. Stairs descend down to the floor level, at the far end of which is a stone table or altar. Beyond the altar, on an elevated part of the room, is a statue of Re-Horakhty sitting on a throne. Around it is a stone relief of Nut/Nuit, her legs on the statue’s right side (my left), body stretched above, and arms touching the ground on the statue’s left (my right).

To my right and left are six other statues standing on pillars. On the right, starting closest to Re-Horakhty, is a Anubis, then Sobek, then Taweret. On my left, in the same order, are Khonsu, Osiris, and Set.


Robed and hooded figures enter the temple from the entrance behind me. They are cloaked in a purple cloth so dark that it is almost black.

The figures do not descend to ground level, instead walking along the elevated areas to the left and right, and gathering in front of the Re-Horakhty statue like a choir. I cannot see their faces.

One steps forward, behind the stone altar, and removes his hood. I recognize Black from previous interactions. He smiles.

I am kneeling, Black standing in front of me now. He places his hands on both sides of my head and leans forward to kiss the top of it.

In this action, a message is conveyed. At the time, within the vision, I am unaware of any contents of it. Only a silent, still blackness within my mind. This seems to be intentional, as to not worry me about remembering it accurately nor to distract from the rest of the vision. I receive and relay its contents consciously now for the first time:

We come now to the turning of an Age.
Confusion and Fear mark its Passage.

Within the darkness of an ever-night, the Light of the Stars shines the brightest.
Remember thineself within each moment.

Should you find your Ship beached, know the Waves will return you to the Sea. Orient your compass by the Star, for it is your own.

All is Light. Down leads Up as Up is Down. 
One must be Lost to be Found.

Inward leads Out, as Out is In.
One is Overflowing, Unfolding.

Justice holds all in place.
That which Is Not is All That Is.

Night is the Tear which falls from Her cheek.
Loss of the Day is but a New Dawn.

Death's arms reach out, but Her fingers trap none.
Sleep now for the Dream of a New Day, and you will Awake to Find yourself Home.

Many Ways, but One Road.
Its Song is a Joyous one.

Know This: The Flame does not burn you, for you are It and contain It.
Burn Bright.

Black and I exit the temple. We are as brothers.

The view from outside the pyramid is now not an array of smaller pyramids under purple twilight, but instead a lush green valley similar to my previous experience of this Aethyr and of my original dream of this place.

A river runs by, and Black and I descend the pyramid steps to walk along side it.

We come to a large tree with branches stretching out over the river. I am made aware that this is “my” tree, though I am not certain what that means specifically. It brings back memories from childhood of climbing trees near my home.

Apples grow on the tree. One has grown so large on a branch overhanging the river that it has dipped down to brush the surface of the water. Black encourages me to reach up and pick a closer apple. I do so.

Biting into it, I can physically taste the fruit. My perspective within the vision leaves my body, and I am above looking down upon myself and Black. He gently guides my body to the trunk of the tree and helps me to sit down. My head slumps, as though I am asleep. Black lifts into the air, moving to my current point of view, and turns me around.


Black and I stand at the peak of the large pyramid. Immediately in front of me is the eclipsed ring of fire. The darkness covering its mid-section is like a large sheet or curtain. It has cloth-like ripples within it.

Black pulls the sheet away, and the fullness of this sun-like circle of fire hits me. It is an intense brightness but not painful in any fashion. I reflect this light outward in all directions, becoming a brilliant flame myself.


I now am this Sun. I shine over this City of Pyramids.

Where my light touches the pinnacle of each pyramid, it illuminates with a brilliant white light. This light forms a pillar above each pyramid, connecting it to one of the stars in the sky above. I have the impression of a figure within each beam of light.


Black and I are in a place of darkness, looking downward at these pyramids reflecting beams of light.

It is though this image is reflected on the surface of still waters. With my hand, I am able to create ripples within it.


Black shares a few private remarks, and after a short conversation the vision ends.


Commentary

There was no specific direct instruction to return to this Aethyr. Instead, a series of small events guided me toward a desire to scry it again, with an unexplainable “knowing” that a message was to be conveyed.

I did not re-read my previous scrying of this Aethyr prior to this working, as to not pre-load myself with ideas of what it “should” be. However, my thoughts on this particular one are hard to avoid.


To me, it seems that Aethyr 14 is the dwelling place of the Secret Chiefs or Great White Brotherhood, which is why this was the correct place to go. Thelemically, this places it as the same place as the City of the Pyramids under the Night of Pan. In my original dream of it, and in the previous scrying, it seems to symbolically also be the Garden of Eden. A New Eden, or a New Earth. It houses Temples, the Tree of Life and the Tree of Knowledge, and those who live here seem to be Awakened humans or they are individuals just “passing through” rather than inhabiting. There are, of course, also the Angels of the Aethyr which govern it.

Many features seem to match up with my previous vision of this place, including temples and altars, rivers and trees in a valley, and even becoming the Sun and other parts of the landscape. Flavored differently this time, as perhaps two years out from the last time I visited I have a greater symbolic knowledge to pull from and am personally further Realized than before. It is an interesting and curious thing to look at what is the same and what is different.

The statues flanking the interior of the temple were hazy at first, and only took specific form when I tried to focus on them. Specifically, Set was the last one to become clear, and I was unsure if it was Thoth at first. I have not tried to seek out any particular meaning surrounding which statues were at hand. With Nuit and Re-Horakhty being present, there was absolutely a Thelemic symbolism here.


As for the message conveyed, I had a strong “feeling” that that was the purpose of this working, though I had no idea of its intention or contents. I did not receive it in words during the actual vision. More so, I received an understanding that when I was writing this blog post that that particular point was where the message would go.

In writing the post, I came to that point and left it blank. I then continued to finish the rest of the post, this commentary not included. I returned to that point, cleared my head, closed my eyes, and began to type. I do not know why those specific words came out, as I did not purposefully or intentionally try to pick any of them. It was an uncomfortable and uncertain process. This was not a “trance” or otherwise altered state of consciousness. To those wondering why I did not use the Estes Method, or some other form of divination to get the words… I don’t have a clear answer. This is just what seemed “correct”.

Regarding its contents, I will refrain from trying to interpret it. However, I will say that a few parts remind me of things:

  • Use of the word “thineself”, which may not even be a word. This brings to mind Hamlet, specifically Act I, Scene 3: “This above all: to thine own self be true, And it must follow, as the night the day, Thou canst not then be false to any man”. I’m far from a scholar of Shakespeare’s works, and had to look up where I remembered this.
  • “Orient your compass by the Star” reminds me of my post “The Sea of the Unconscious“.
  • “Down leads Up as Up is Down.” and “Inward leads Out, as Out is In.” both remind me of my series on “Katabasis“.
  • “Many Ways, but One Road. Its Song is a Joyous one.” – Perhaps I’ve been too deep in media analysis lately, however there are multiple songs associated with traveling a road in media that can also be viewed as examples of Katabasis. Both old and new.
  • Overall, the message has a flavor consistent with Magia and Thelema.

Why this message, why these words, why delivered in this fashion, and what should be taken from it? I, of course, have my own ideas of what it means and why. However, none of this is mine to say. Perhaps it’s for me personally, perhaps it’s for everyone that reads this, perhaps it’s only for one person that reads it years from now.

I will not kill it by vivisection. We must trust that the magic is working as intended.


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Further posts in the Katabasis series are coming.