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LBRP?

  
  

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Unconditional Love
09:41 / 22.06.06
Yeah the history part reads like that but the correlation of metaphysical systems is what intrests me, especially the shekinah and sabbath.

Its intresting to see the mapping of divinity onto the body through various spiritual traditions for example >

Scroll to bottom of page just before bibliography
 
 
trouser the trouserian
09:44 / 22.06.06
YH$WH

Thanks for that - it's entirely possible that at least one of the sources for the hybridisation of 'chakras' and related ideas into western magic was Theodore Reuss (one of the founders of the Ordo Templis Orientis) who wrote some material relating to Indian yoga concepts. The article you linked to refers to the "Oriental Tantrik Order" (quite a different organisation - although there may have been some overlap of membership - Leah Hirsig's sister Alma was a member, for example) - about which relatively little is known - although I'm hoping that Hugh Urban, whose new book Magia Sexualis (due later this year) will shed some interesting light on Pierre Bernard and his relationship to modern occultism.
 
 
Gypsy Lantern
10:54 / 22.06.06
I think you can get a lot from looking at the Qabala and Chakras in tandem, and it only gets daft when you try to overlay one on to another as if they were somehow the same body of knowledge. For instance, my current interest in looking at the idea of Malkuth has stirred up an interest in looking at Muladarah and Chakras in general. This was actually inspired by Seth's post on NLP and body awareness in the "why magic?" thread, and my general focus on the physicality of consciousness.

I've been spending a bit of time doing little meditations with my attention focused on Muladarah, and it feels a lot more... physical, bodily, even visceral, than similar comparable stuff such as the Middle Pillar exercise, which seems to be more... "astral" for want of a better word, and less rooted into the body. It's as if the Sephiroth are a structure that you overlay onto the body, and the Chakras are a structure that you locate directly within the body, if that makes sense.

I'm finding that playing around with the idea of Chakras in the body, is a good method of directing my attention towards the body, with Chakras as anchor points for experiencing different types of bodily awareness. This is all quite interesting to look at within the broader context of my exploration of the idea of Malkuth, and I'm currently getting quite a lot from it. So I think you can make some quite interesting comparative experiential studies of these things, that broadens your general understanding of the underlying processes that both models are attempting to describe from different cultural perspectives. I think it only gets silly when people try to shoehorn the two things together out of some bizarre, borderline OCD compulsion to make.things.fit.together. rather than keeping the two things seperate but observing the similarities and differences, and any interesting interplay or feedback that might come up.
 
 
c0nstant
21:31 / 22.06.06
wow!

this thread has grown since I last dropped by. Gypsy and YH$WH , cheers for the input and analysis. I'll try and add something useful (or just ask more dumb questions) when I have some free time. Fascinating read so far though.
 
 
illmatic
09:45 / 23.06.06
Some useful notes from an old link. Page down to Answer 2.3:

The following is derived from numerous GD sources.

There has been some interest in knowing where the LBRP comes from. The answer appears to be that it is inspired, at least in part, by particular Jewish prayers and meditational exercises.

There are alternative versions extant, and one such is taken from a modern Jewish source. The source is a pamphlet called "A First Step - a Devotional Guide" which was written by Zalman Schachter and reprinted in "The First Jewish Catalogue" by Richard Siegel, Michael Strassfeld and Sharon Strassfeld, published by the Jewish Publication Society of America in 1973, ISBN 0-8276-0042-9.

The blurb describing the pamphlet states:

"A First Step by Zalman Schachter is not a translation. It was first written in English. It is a contemporary attempt to make accessible spiritual and devotional techniques from classic Jewish sources, sources on which the pamphlet was based."
[Rabbi Zalman Schachter-Shalomi, (PhD and Professor Emeritus of Religion at Temple University, founder of the Jewish Renewal movement) is a very important teacher and scholar - Greg Burton]

The author of the pamphlet states

"The approach used here is that of classical Jewish mysticism, as refined by Hasidism, and in particular, by the Habad school."
[Chabad comes from Chokhmah, Binah, Daath - Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge - and is usually associated with the Lubavitch tradition of Chassidism - Colin]

Now to the exercise given:

"On other nights, after a short examination, screen yourself off from sounds and cares by visualising an angel - a spiritual force field - of grace at your right, this force field being impenetrable by care or worry; at your left, an angel of power and strength; before you, an angel of soft light and luminousness, and behind you an angel of healing. Over your head, picture the very presence of the loving God. As you visualise this, say: "In the name of YHVH The God of Israel: At my right hand Michael At my left Gabriel Ahead of me Oriel Behind me Raphel Above my head the Sheckinah of God!"
"Imagine yourself plugging into Michael for love - so that you can love more the next day; Gabriel for strength - to fill you for the next day; Oriel filling you with the light of the mind; Raphael healing all your ills."
Greg Burton (gburt@aol.com) comments on this exercise:


--Greg's contribution begins here--
This particular exercise is derived from the practice of saying the Sh'ma 'before lying down' - the 'kriyat (bedtime) Sh'ma'. A full traditional Sephardic version, in Hebrew and English, and with some commentary, can be found beginning on page 318 of the 'Artscroll Siddur' (nusach Sefard), Mesorah, ISBN 0-89906-657-7. Traditional Hassidic kavvenot (intentions/directions/way to do it) can be found in 'Jewish Spiritual Practices' by Yitzhak Buxbaum, Aronson, ISBN 0-87668-832-6.

The attributes listed in the so-called 'Qabbalistic Cross' comes from Psalm 99, verse 5, and are part of the Shachrit (morning) Torah service. The attributes assigned for the movements are not traditional, and the order has been changed. If using the traditional assignments (Gevurah left, Gedulah or Chesed right), and saying the sephirotic names in the proper order, it more properly would describe the Lightening Flash in the lower 7 Sephirot, rather than a cross. (Note in the kriyat Sh'ma that Michael (Chesed) is on the right and Gabriel (Gevurah) is on the left. The implication is that one is facing Keter). Due to changes in directional / elemental / archangelic positioning, it is not obvious (but clearly implied) that physically one is facing North. Another change is that the LBRP does not bless the Divine, while the Jewish service does. This lack of blessing may reflect the not-so-covert Christian/Rosicrucian bias in G.D. liturgy and a particular theology, or it may not. In any event, it changes what was originally an theurgic act into a thaumaturgic act.

You might also note that many Jews coming across the LBRP are deeply offended that the liturgy has been so grossly distorted, and is being used (from their perspective) sAcreligiously. Telling them that it's "just different" carries about as much weight as telling traditional Native Americans that Lynn Andrew's work is "just different". Combining aspects of two completely different aspects into one ritual can be done, but it really is better if you know what you're working with.


--Greg's contribution ends--
In confirmation of what Greg says, the prayers to be said before retiring to rest at night are a standard part of Jewish liturgy, and the British Commonwealth Authorised Daily Prayer book of the United Hebrew Congregations has (as part of a lengthy prayer which includes the 3rd., 91st., and 128th. psalms) the following:

"In the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, may Michael be at my right hand; Gabriel at my left; before me Uriel; behind me Raphael; and above my head the divine presence (lit. Shekhinah) of God."
Lastly, the rudiments of the LRPB have spread beyond ceremonial magic and can be found in places as diverse as a Kate Bush album and Katherine Kurtz's novels. It is even possible to see a version carried out by Christopher Lee in the film version of Dennis Wheatley's novel The Devil Rides Out.

The following extract was provided by Robert Farrior (farrior@b4pphf5.bnr.ca).


--Robert's contribution begins--
Not a scholarly source, try The Adept: Book Three, The Templar Treasure, by Katherine Kurtz and Deborah Turner Harris. There is a scene where a Jewish scholar is in the hospital dying and his son is reciting a Jewish prayer. The words are almost identical to the LBRP attributes of the Archangels, except the attributes are reversed. Sir Adam Sinclair, the hero, thinks how close it is to that used in his tradition. Its on page 40.

"Shema Yisrael, Adonail Elohenu, Adonai Achad. Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One...Go since the Lord sends thee; go, and the Lord will be with thee; the Lord God is with him and he will ascend."
"May the Lord Bless thee and keep thee; May the Lord let his countenance shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee; May the Lord lift up his countenance upon the, and give the peace."
"At thy right hand is Michael, at thy left is Gabriel, before thee is Uriel, behind thee is Raphel, and above thy head is the divine presence of God. The angel of the lord encampeth around them that fear Him, and He delivereth them. Be strong and of good courage; be not affrighted, neither be thou dismayed, for the Lord thy God is with thee, withersoever thou goest."

--Robert's contribution ends--



Sorry to rip these people off, but that link has been there for a few years and I was concerned it might disappear.
 
 
EvskiG
15:05 / 03.06.08
Rereading this, I might as well compare

(1) The "Kabbalistic Cross" in the LBRP:

Atah malkot v'giburah v'gidulah l'olam amen.

(Which in crap Hebrew means "You kingdom and power and greatness forever amen.")

(2) The end of The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:13:

For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

(Which in Hebrew would be "Ki lecha ha-mamelecha v'ha-giburah v'ha-tiferet l'olemei olamim. Amen.")

(3) 1 Chronicles 29:11, the most likely source of Matthew 6:13 and the names of the sephirot:

Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is Thine; Thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and Thou art exalted as head above all.

(Which in Hebrew is "Lecha Adonai ha-gidula v'ha-gibura v'ha-tiferet v'ha-netzach v'ha-hod; ki chol ba-shameyim u-va-aretz lecha Adonai ha-mamelecha v'ha-mitnasey lechol l'resh.")
 
  

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