Ceremony for Bree or the Deacons?

[greenshimmer]

Okay, more thoughts on the ceremony. As I have said in another post, I think the diet and injections have to do with her purity. I believe she is fasting, which explains why she is weak, and I think perhaps the injections are vitamins to keep her strong enough to complete the ceremony. (I meantioned a purity bond). Pure body, pure mind (with the help of Lucy), pure acceptance of the religious teachings and practices.

Okay, now for my theory on WHY she has to be pure for the ceremony. So if you guys looked up info on Denderah, you'd know that it's a place in Egypt where Hathor is or was greatly worshipped.

Doing research on Hathor will tell you many things about her. What you will probably find is that she is often associated with cows, motherhood and sexuality. (The sexuality portion might link to Aliester Crowley and his fascination of sex rituals.)

As LG mentions, this ceremony is something like a mitzfah. So it can be assumed that this ceremony is a special coming of age ritual (I think she also mentions it's like a confirmation). Holy words are sometimes read at these ceremonies that reflect some ancient events.

Now, Bree is a 16 year old girl. She is becoming a woman. Hathor is a sign of all that is womanly. Is it possible that Bree has been chosen to take part in a ceremony where she plays Hathor in a re-enactment? Catholics do something similar during May Crowning, where a young girl is chosen to play the part of the Virgin Mary during Mass. One girl is chosen in that congregation. Only Bree was chosen in her community. (As Gemma mentions, only one girl was chosen in her community for the ceremony).

So one lucky girl gets to play the part of someone in a ceremony--most likely Hathor. How the re-enactment will take place, I don't know. But I did find something interesting at wikipedia, "A tale grew up around this in which Ra is described as having been upset over Horus' victory over Set ...and went off to be alone, and so Hathor went to him and started to dance and stripped naked, showing him her genitals, which cheered him up, so he returned." Okay, now I don't think LG will show her genitals, but maybe a dance is involved? When a Spanish or Philipina girl comes of age a choreographed dance is performed (a "quinceanera" for Spanish girls and a "cotillion" for Philipina girls). Maybe...maybe not.

"The tale is thought also to describe a solar eclipse, as it depicts Ra, the sun, going away to sulk, and then returning when cheered up." This might explain why the ceremony is at night...because Ra (the sun god) is in hiding. Perhaps it is up to Hathor (or Bree) to coax him out and to cheer him up...probably not with her genitals.

"In her position as a female fertility goddess, who readily strips naked, she was often depicted in red, the color of passion, though her sacred color is turquoise, and so gained the titles Lady of the scarlet-coloured garment, and Lady of [sexual] offerings (Nebet Hetepet in Egyptian)." I'm not sure how this quote will (if at all) will relate to Bree's story...who knows...maybe instead of being naked she'll wear red.


So as you can see, part of my theory might make sense...others are a stretch. I can't wait to find out what happens!

Reference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hathor_temple

[Languorous Lass]

His rituals had homosexual acts, heterosexual acts, and tabooness was his forte. I thought I read that he believed (as do other cults) that sexual orgasm is a way of attaining enlightenment? I think I found this on wikipedia...maybe one of you can clarify for me.

This is news to me, and I've been reading quite a few of Crowley's writings lately. Can you cite to any support for this statement? If it's been discussed (with supporting evidence) in the forum and I missed the discussion, I apologize, and will appreciate you showing me where to look.

Re: the Hathor stuff you discuss, it sounds like you and I are thinking along similar lines, but my theory is that Bree will be playing Nut/Nuit, rather than Hathor, in the ceremony. Please check out my posts in this thread and see what you think.

[greenshimmer]

Hi,

At wikipedia's article on Crowley, there is a section entitled "Bisexuality". It begins with "Throughout the period of 1895, he maintained a vigorous sex life, which was largely conducted with prostitutes and girls he picked up at local pubs and cigar shops, but eventually extended into homosexual activities in which he played the passive role." This was taken from "Magical World of AC" by Francis King (page 5).

The wikipedia also quotes from "http://altreligion.about.com/library/fa ... leyfaq.htm" the following: "Regarding homosexuality, Crowley most definitely practiced sexual magick rituals with both men and women, but some claim that all of his romantic relationships were with females.[11] They claim that the power of these rituals lay in their 'tabooness', and that Crowley expressed personal distaste for 'recreational' homosexuality." His biographer notes that in personal writings that was given to Crowley's friends, he expressed that he had sexual relationships with men.


Crowly also openly admits his homosexuality in his drama "The World's Tragedy".

He also wrote a letter in January 1929:
"There have been about four men in my life that I could say I have loved...Call me a bugger if you like, but I don't feel the same way about women. One can always replace a woman in a few days." (Reference: letter to Montgomery Evans, January 17, 1929, O.T.O. archives, quoted Sutin p. 334)

And now I'm off to finishing your fascinating post!!

His rituals had homosexual acts, heterosexual acts, and tabooness was his forte. I thought I read that he believed (as do other cults) that sexual orgasm is a way of attaining enlightenment? I think I found this on wikipedia...maybe one of you can clarify for me.

This is news to me, and I've been reading quite a few of Crowley's writings lately. Can you cite to any support for this statement? If it's been discussed (with supporting evidence) in the forum and I missed the discussion, I apologize, and will appreciate you showing me where to look.

Re: the Hathor stuff you discuss, it sounds like you and I are thinking along similar lines, but my theory is that Bree will be playing Nut/Nuit, rather than Hathor, in the ceremony. Please check out my posts in this thread and see what you think.

[Languorous Lass]

Hi . . .
The wikipedia also quotes from http://altreligion.about.com/library/fa ... leyfaq.htm" the following: "Regarding homosexuality, Crowley most definitely practiced sexual magick rituals with both men and women, but some claim that all of his romantic relationships were with females.[11] They claim that the power of these rituals lay in their 'tabooness', and that Crowley expressed personal distaste for 'recreational' homosexuality." Although his biographer notes that in personal writings that was given to Crowley's friends, he expressed that he had sexual relationships with men. . . .

Ah. I hadn't seen any of that info -- thanks for pointing me to it. I'd read some of Crowley's descriptions of magickal rituals, but his language is pretty florid and arcane, and I might have missed the references to same-sex stuff.

And now I'm off to finishing your fascinating post!!

(blush) Thanks! I'll be very interested in hearing what you think of my ideas.

I like how you put quotations in red type, BTW. I may try to borrow that technique.

[iqfrenzy]

I think they reference AC for the interest value, but I don't think it's Thelema. I don't really think it's a REAL religion at all, honestly. With a fictional religion you have much more 'artistic freedom', etc.

Not to mention, it could be some weird thing like Manson's cult or the Branch Dividians, with only a few chapters. Manson's cult was involved in an offshoot of a Crowley group.

[ericski]

this is interesting from a astrological site:

As most of you know, November 24/25 is the occasion of the third and final Grand Quintile planetary pattern in the Heavens. The pattern will be in place between the hours of 7:42 pm and 3:49 am this evening, PST. It is a moment that is a crystal clear depiction of a grand harmony between the planets that compose the figure of this five-pointed Star Pentagram.

The chart for that moment, when looking at only the Quintile aspects, looks like this:

then there is a picture of the pentagram. could this be the once in a great while ceremonial event?