☉︎ in 13° Taurus : ☽︎ in 19° Virgo : Anno Vvi
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
To my Beloved Companion: Greeting and health.
For many, the pandemic has been a desert journey. It has been filled with desolation and discomfort. I read the Facebook posts and see the dispair just the same as you do. So many are filled with a longing to connect with others in a way they feel cannot be accomplished from their isolated moment in time. They long for a connection.
I’ve always found it fascinating that one of the most repeated lines that we hear or read—those of us that either attend or study the O.T.O. Gnostic Mass—is the line from the Book of the Law that includes the phrase, “if under the night-stars in the desert.” The desert is such a lonely place, is it not? Desolate and lonely—and yet just teaming with life just under the surface if you look closely enough, right?
Being cooped up at home in the middle of a pandemic is much like being in the middle of a desert, eh? It can feel very desolate, isolated, and lonely, yet it really is filled with life if you know where (and how) to look.
What does the Book of the Law say again? “Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms.”
Keeping in mind these are mere symbols—replace with whatever terms or names you see fit …
Nu (Nuit, the representation of all there is as a whole, a goddess if you need that particular iconography) is your refuge. That conjures up an awesome image, does it not? A refuge. We are told to shelter-in-place right now. No matter how you feel about the term itself, it’s a respectable term. Shelter-in-place. But more importantly, find refuge. Find your center.
Next, Hadit—the representation of each individual aspect of all there is—is your light. This is no fluffy, television ”Charmed” whitelighter nonsense. This is the Light of the World, however you wish to define that. This is that which shines from you to light the way itself for others to see in the darkness. It is the lighthouse on the shoreline. It is the beacon of smoke and fire in the desert. And, yet, you need that Light yourself too. You need to see it, hold on to it.
Finally, Ra is the voice of the quote itself, the voice of the strength, force, vigour, of your arms. Ra in this context is a god of war. Make no mistake, this is a war. It’s a war for your peace. It’s a war for your sanity. It’s a war for your time. It’s a war for your friendships. It’s a war for your space. It’s a war for your relationships. It’s a war for your tolerance. It’s a war for your patience.
This. Is. War.
But you have the strength to carry on. You have the force and vigour to win this war.
Meditation Text: “Nu is your refuge as Hadit your light; and I am the strength, force, vigour, of your arms.”
Repeat these three phrases to yourself as necessary, as a mantra of sorts, to remind yourself of each step of the path.
1. Refuge. I find Refuge where I am.
This is your home, most likely right now, but it could be someone else’s home, your church or temple space, wherever that may be. But notice that it is an affirmation of yourself. “Where I am.” You first must acknowledge the desert and realize that this is the reality around you.
2. Light. I find Light where I am.
Slowly, even prayerfully if you are so inclined, read the meditational text again and again. Find your center. Find your refuge. Center that Light, not so that it fills up the space, but so that it rests solely on you. You are the beacon of this space. Acknowledge that Light in yourself and as yourself.
3. Strength. I find the Strength where I am.
Find the peace, that strength of standing firm in that Light you just acknowledged. Breathe it in. Hold it. Breathe it out. Do that again. Let go of the anxiety of the moment. Build in the strength of power. Know that you are armored against the onslaught that is all around you, that fight against that which you wish to keep secure.
In the end, give thanks. You don’t have to give thanks to anything or anyone in particular. Just be thankful for the moment. In that moment, though, consider two things: first, if possible, how can I connect with someone else on this desert journey in order to ease their anxiety if only a little; and, second, is there anyone that I could pass along this same exercise?
I look forward to continuing this journey with you, if you choose to continue, and see where it takes us.
Love is the law, love under will.
B∴
