“As man loses his personality in physical love, so does the magician annihilate his divine personality in that which is beyond.”
–Aleister Crowley, Commentary to “The Gun-Barrel”, Chapter 15 of The Book of Lies
The Argentinum Aster, or A.’.A.’., Aleister Crowley’s Inner School, comprises three Grades:
“the Hermit, and the Lover, and the man of Earth” (The Book of the Law, I:40).
These three grades tell how the Law of Thelema may be expressed through three personalities:
- 2 the man of Earth: the ordinary personality
- 1 the Lover: the divine personality
- 0 the Hermit: Nemo
I will explain each of personalities these in the sections below.
These three personalities corresponding to the three grades can also be glossed as
- 2 the man
- 1 the myth
- 0 the legend.
I derived these terms from the biography Grady Louis McMurtry: The Man, the Myth, and the Legend by J. Edward “Jerry” Cornelius. Grady was Jerry’s personal A.’.A.’. teacher, as Crowley was Grady’s.
Jerry’s book excels as a magickal biography because Jerry, a Hermit himself, tells three stories in one. 2. He tells of the man, Grady Louis McMurtry. 1. He tells of Hymenaeus Alpha 777, the divine personality named by this motto of Grady’s. 0. He tells of Nemo, Grady as a pure vessel of the One Will through his Magus Word, OTO.
Today, October 18, is the Lesser Feast (birthday) of Grady Louis McMurty, the founder of our branch of A.’.A.’. I thought it would be fitting to use Jerry’s biography of Grady as a template for our A.’.A.’. work generally.
2. The man of Earth Grade -- “the Man”
Civilian personality. In this magickal grade of A.’.A.’., you study the Law of Thelema and act toward both self and others accordingly.
This Grade corresponds to Malkuth-10 (Earth) and Yesod-9 (Moon) — the Nefesh on the Tree of Life.
1. The Lover Grade -- “The Myth"
Divine personality, denoted by your magickal motto. In this magickal grade of A.’.A.’., you shine your unique Light toward Earth. Possibly, you also gaze into the Darkness of Nuit’s Night Sky, seeing the invisible.
This Grade corresponds to Hod-8 (Mercury), Netzach-7 (Venus), especially Tiphareth-6 (Sun), Geburah-5 (Mars), and Chesed-4 (Jupiter)–the Ruach on the Tree of Life.
3. The Hermit Grade -- "The Legend"
NEMO–in other words, no personality at all. The Adept, if successful at crossing the Abyss, serves as a pure vehicle of True Will. Personal wants and needs have turned to dust.
This Grade corresponds to Binah-3 (Saturn), Chokmah-2 (Uranus), and Kether-1 (Neptune)–the Neshamah on the Tree of Life.
