2,000 Greater & Lesser Mysteries/2,000 Greater and Lesser Mysteries.iso/hermetic/mys00923.txt

Text File | 1994-06-10 | 20.0 KB | 360 lines

                                OFFICIAL RITUAL

                 The correct application of the action of the
                  moveable images (representing the motion of
                 The Ruling Angels over the Servient Squares)
                 is called The Playe or Raying of the Chequers
                                of the Tablets.

                           By G. H. FRATER D.D.C.F.


                      Of the Chess King and the Tarot Ace

        The move of this piece is one square every way,  and answereth to
to  the  action  of  the  Spirit.  Wherever  it goeth,  it commenceth and
initiateth a fresh current,  whence  it  is  represented by the motion of
only one square in  any  direction  and  there  staying  for this purpose
before moving onward.  So that his action is not hurried,  but represents
a balanced movement. Yet in his beginning of action is he at first a mute
force, as though throned upon the water;  as  in the end of his action he
is a life manifested and throned upon the earth.  And herein is a mystery
of the Lord Aeshoori (Osiris)  when  enthroned between Isis and Nephthys,
thus representing the beginning and end  of the action of Him in whom end
and beginning are not,  but  rather  concealment  and then manifestation.
Herein is a great mystery of life,  for  His  Thrones  are not in the two
active elements,  seeing  that  these latter are his horse and chariot of
transition  in  the  passage  from  concealment  into manifestation. This
piece,  then,  is  the  symboliser  of the action of the potencies of the
crosses on the Servient Squares.


                      Of the Chess Knight, the Tarot King

        The move of this piece is three  squares cornerwise every way (as
in ordinary chess)  and representeth the leaping action of the flickering
flame.  Wherefore  also  he is not stopped in his course by a piece or an
intervening square,  even  as Fire seizing on a matter speedily rendereth
it  transparent.  This  piece  representeth  the  action  of  Fire as the
Revealer of the Strength of the Spirit,  even  as  Hoor is the avenger of
Aeshoori.  It  is a force potent and terrible,  the King in the elemental
operations.

        Thus it openeth the locked  doors of matter and showeth forth the
treasure hidden therein. Therefore hath all life its beginnings in a Fire
Celestial. And the number of squares covered by the move of the Knight in
the midst of the Board  (reckoning  from the Square on which he standeth,
but not including it)  is 16 squares,  of which 8 are checked,  and 8 are
passed over.


                      Of the Chess Queen, The Tarot Queen

        The move of this  piece  is  unto  every  third  square  from her
(reckoning  the  square  whereon  she  standeth  as  the  first)  as well
cornerwise, as well perpendicular, as horizontal.  Thus again covering 16
squares out of a square  of  25  squares,  of which 8 are threatened, and
eight  are  passed  over.  But  she  threateneth  not  a  piece  upon the
intervening square of her move.  And her movement is as that of the waves
of the sea,  and (like the Knight) she is not hindered in her motion by a
piece on an intervening square.  This  piece  representeth the undulating
action of water  and  of  the  sea,  and  she  is ascribed unto the Great
Goddess Isis, who is Cherisher of Life.


                   Of Chess Bishop or Fool, the Tarot Prince

        The move is this piece is any  number of squares cornerwise (that
is only  the  diagonal)  in  any  direction  even  unto the limits of the
Tablet.  He representeth the keen and swift wind, and he is ascribed unto
the God Aroueris.  He is stopped by a material  barrier.  He representeth
the swift vehicle of the Spirit.


             Of Chess Castle of Rook, the Tarot Princess or Knave

        The move of this piece  representeth the ponderous and formidable
force  of  the  earth and its motion is any number of squares in a square
direction, perpendicular or horizontal (but not cornerwise) even unto the
limits of the board.

        It  is  ascribed  unto Nephthys the Goddess.  It representeth the
completed action  of  the  Spirit  in  matter.  Therefore is its movement
square,  and  also  stopped  by intervening pieces, yet powerful from the
length and breadth of its range.


                                   The Pawns

        The  four  pawns  represent certain forces  formed  by  each con-
junction of the Spirit with each of the four elements severally, and they
are severally ascribed unto Ameshet,  Ahephi,  Tmoumathph,  and Kabexnuv,
who stand before  the  face  of  Aeshoori.  And their movement is but one
square forward,  perpendicular,  and  they  threaten  one  square forward
diagonal on each side, thus formulating  the  symbol of the Triangle, for
they each represent a mixture of three  elements  under the presidency of
the Spirit.  Therefore,  each  is,  as  it were the servant of the God or
Goddess, before whom he standeth. Yet, they be all, in a manner, alike in
their action, although their Lords be different.  Each  is the servant of
the God or Goddess whose element is expressed in his symbol,  without its
contrary.


        In each set  of  three  elements,  taken  together,  two  must be
contrary.  Wherefore,  for example,  Ameshet, who represents Water, Fire,
and Earth,  is the servant of Nepythys,  whose element Earth is expressed
in his attribution without the contrary of Air.

        Ahephi,  who represents Air,  Fire,  and Water, is the servant of
Aroueris, whose attribution is Air.

        Tmoumathph, who represents Water, Air,  and Earth, is the Servant
of Isis, whose attribution is Water.

        Kabexnuv,  who represents Fire, Air, and Earth, is the servant of
Horus, whose attribution is Fire.

        One of the  rules  concerning  the  Pawns  in actual play is that
should one reach the 8th square of its column,  it  may  be exchanged for
the piece of which it is vice-gerent.  That  is,  as in ordinary chess, a
pawn which reaches  the  eighth square may be exchanged for any piece the
player desires--but  in  Enochian  chess  the  exchange is limited by the
elemental attributions of the pieces.  So  that  were  an Ahephi pawn the
servant of Aroueris,  to  survive  the  battle of the entire game and win
through to the top of the board, it could be exchanged for a Bishop, even
though the Bishop were untaken and still on the board.  And  so  with the
others.

        The  opening  of chess play is known under the technical title of
"Awakening  the  Abodes."  As  already  stated  the  game is set for four
players,  each  of  whom  works  the  pieces  at each of the four angles,
playing  in  rotation.  Should  the  game  be  used  for  the purposes of
divination, the first player would be  the  querent,  the  one asking the
question,  or  the person representing the matter about which information
is required.  The  first  player chooses which angle of the board he will
play from, bearing in mind the divinatory qualities  of  the  elements as
set forth in the documents on Geomancy and Tarot.

        The major difference  between  Enochian Chess and the modern game
is that  in the former, when using it for divinatory purposes,  the moves
are  decided  by  the  throwing  of  a  dice.  Depending  upon the number
disclosed by the dice,  so must a certain piece be moved, for the numbers
are attributed to pieces. The actual details of the move--that is whether
to right or left,  backward  or forward,  to take an opponent or to press
forward--are quite  obviously  left to the personal ingenium and divining
mind of the player.  The  dice only determines specifically that such and
such a piece shall be played.

        The Prime Mover, or the owner of the Ptah piece, plays first, and
his first move is to be decided  by the throw of a dice to indicate which
piece or  pawn  he  must  first  play.  Each  player follows in rotation,
deosil, that is round the board with the sun from the prime player. First
the prime player moves,  and  if his setting is Air, the follow the Water
pieces, the Fire pieces, the Earth pieces, and then back again to the Air
who is the prime mover.

        The  actual  attributions  of  the  numbers  on  the  dice to the
Enochian chess-pieces are as follows:

          If the player throws:

                1. He moves a King or any Pawn.
                2. He moves a Knight.
                3. He moves a Bishop.
                4. He moves a Queen.
                5. He moves a Castle.
                6. He moves a Pawn.

        At the first move of the game,  if the dice cast throws up 1,  it
clearly cannot apply to the King, for this piece cannot move at all until
the pawns have been cleared before him.  In  that  event,  a  pawn  would
require to be moved.

        The  reason  for the attribution of the numbers on the dice above
shown  to  the  chess-pieces  are fairly simple.  The explanation must be
sought in  the  numbers  and  powers  of  the  squares  on the Sephirotic
crosses.  On  the  ten-squared  cross,  Kether,  the Crown,  is the first
square,  which is a fairly sound attribution to the King,  who is Osiris,
Spirit--the Number 1.  Number  2  on  the  Cross  is Chokmah,  the Yod of
Tetragrammaton,  Abba,  and  therefore  the  Knight is appropriate.  3 is
Binah,  to  which  is  referred  in  the Enochian attributions,  the High
Priestess card of the Tarot.  The  mitre of the High Priestess determines
the selection of the Bishop.  4  is  Chesed,  to  which is attributed the
Tarot trump The Empress,  who  is  the chess Queen.  And 5 is the Castle,
referred to Geburah,  and  the  Tarot card The Tower struck by lightning.
The remaining number 6 refers to the movement of any pawn, one square.

        It is not always  necessary  to use four players. Two individuals
may play,  each operating two lesser angles and two sets of pieces.  Fire
and Air would be pitted against Water and Earth.  If  this is done,  then
the two  sets  of  elemental  pieces  of any player must be regarded as a
single unit in practice.  That is to say if the first player whose pieces
are the allies of Fire and Air,  checks the Earth King, the second player
must not continue  the  movements  of  the  Water  pieces,  which are his
allies, until he has moved  the  Earth  King  out  of check by any of the
usual  technical  forms  of   chess.   The  reader  who  understands  and
appreciates ordinary chess manouevring will appreciate  what  is expected
of him in the course of play.

        When the so-called "stale-mate" occurs,  which  is  when a player
has no  piece  or  pawn that he can move without incurring check, that is
the King not  being in check but so placed that he could not move without
getting in to check, the result is that the player whose King is affected
loses his turn until his state of "stale-mate" is removed.

        For the purposes of Divination, an additional piece was employed.
This  was  called the Ptah.  Any book dealing with the Egyptian God-forms
will  describe  the  form  in question.  A small figure of this should be
made, and on  the  board  it  will  represent  the  question or matter of
divination.  The mode of employing it is simple.  It has no power at all,
and is not actually used in the play. It is only used by the first player
to be set on any square in the  Lesser  Angle  from  which  he begins his
play. Any square, that is, except the one on which the King first stands.
The King must reach, in the course of the game,  this square on which the
Ptah is set and remain there for one round of  the game undisturbed--that
is without moving therefrom--and unchecked.  A knowledge of the nature of
the Pyramids with their elemental composition,  and some knowledge of the
Angelic forces represented by those squares and Pyramids, will decide the
player as to what square shall be selected for the  placing  of the Ptah.
If the divinatory question concerns the fiery Lesser Angle of the Element
of Earth, a question involving Capricornus and the figure Carcer ruled by
Zazel, then the Ptah probably should be placed upon a square of the Angle
which is the nature of Cardinal Earth,  as  representing  the Yod type of
Earth,  or on Elemental Fire,  that is the Heh (final) type of Fire.  The
ingenium of the interested student will guide his judgement herein.


                        NOTES CONCERNING THE BOARDS AND
                              THE PLAY GENERALLY

        Every Lesser Angle throughout  the Tablets has a diagonal line of
four  squares  starting  from  its  prime  square;   which  are  allotted
respectively to Aries, Gemini, Scorpio and Earth. From these four squares
the Bishops can move  one  square  into  a  square of Libra, Sagittarius,
Taurus or Water,  these  completing  the series of squares in that Lesser
Angle in which a Bishop can move.  Let  us  call this the Aries System of
diagonal squares.

        This diagonal is crossed  by another which in the Airy and Watery
boards is composed  of  Cancer,  Leo,  Virgo  and Air Squares,  having as
subsidiaries,  squares of Aquarius,  Pisces,  Capricorn and Fire.  In the
Earthy and Fiery board  the second series of four form the diagonal,  and
the first the subsidiaries. Let us call this the Cancer series.

        If we  now  examine the Boards we shall see that the Aries system
of any Lesser Angle is joined diagonally to the Aries system of the other
three  Lesser  Angles;  and  that  the Cancer is also similarly joined to
every other Cancer system.  So that we have two systems of squares;  viz:
the Aries and the Cancer;  of  the  whole,  each  containing four squares
allotted to every sign it contains.  This  resembles  the black and white
systems of squares of the ordinary board; and it is as if we allotted the
White to Aries, and the Black to Cancer.

        When beginning  a  game  see  to  which  system  the  Ptah square
belongs.  Because if it be a sqaure of the Aries system the attack of the
opposing Queens is insignificant, while that of the Bishops is strong. In
such a case the number of pieces is 6;  2 Bishops, 2 Knights and 2 Rooks.
That is, in these matters the Airy attack is strong, and the Watery weak.

        If the Ptah  be  on  a square of the Cancer System,  one opposing
Queen directly attacks this Square, but the Bishops do not.  In this case
the number of attacking pieces is 5;  one  Queen,  2 Knights and 2 Rooks.
That is,  in  these  matters the Airy attack is insignificant,  while the
Watery is strong.

        If an opposing Queen can attack the Ptah, the defence should note
well  which  Queen  it  is  and  should  remember  that this fact greatly
enhances her power.  He  should  thereupon  not hesitate to exchange what
might otherwise be considered a more powerful piece for  her.  She should
certainly be exchanged for a Bishop, and probably also for a Knight.

        The YHVH  order  of  the pieces corresponds with their respective
offensive and defensive Powers.

       Yod           Knight   The most offensive piece.
       Heh           Queen    More offensive than defensive.
       Vau           Bishop   More defensive than offensive.
       Heh (final)   Rook     Most defensive. That is in a general sense.

        Because, according to the circumstances of the actual play, every
piece is able to assume both roles of attacking or defending.

        Note that,  as  in ordinary chess,  opposing Kings may not occupy
contiguous squares.  There must always be one square between them.  This,
however, does not apply to the Kings who are allies. That is, if Fire and
Air are allies,  then the Kings of these elements may approach each other
and occupy contigious squares. Naturally they do not check each another.

        When a King  has  once been moved from the corner square which he
occupied with another piece  at  the beginning of the game neither he nor
that piece can be moved back again to that square unless it be vacant.

        If the Prime Player's King is checked and he cannot move it,  his
game is arrested and his  pieces cannot move until the pieces of his ally
can release the King.  That is to say that his  pieces  remain  `in situ'
but having  during that time of  check no power of action and can neither
attack not threaten;  they only block the squares occupied. If the allied
King can be  check-mated,  his  partner  continues to play and to seek to
release him.  When both Kings are checkmated,  the game is at an end, and
the partners checkmated have lost the game.  The game is also lost by the
first player,  when  though  neither  he  or his ally is checkmated,  the
enemies hold such a position that the Prime Player cannot possibly attain
the Ptah square.

        The  Knights  or  Fiery  forces  of  the  Elements meet and clash
violently in all parts,  and are strong in attack against every thing and
everywhere.  Their  moves,  like Fire,  pass unarrested through the other
elements  in  irregular  courses  like  the  lambent flame,  leaping both
diagonally and square-wise  at  every  move.  They  contain the potential
forces of the other pieces. Their force is similar to the Tarot King, and
to Chokmah.  They are the Abba forces,  and with the Queens represent the
Briatic forces of the scheme.

        The Queens or Watery forces  of the Elements never clash with one
another, but ever undulate onwards,  each in its own course unaffected by
opposing or crossing waves.  But  the  Watery  forces  only move in their
respective pre-ordained courses; they cannot leave their limits and enter
upon  the  domain  of  others.  Water,  like  Fire,   is  unarrested  and
undulating,  and like Air and Earth it can act diagonally or square-wise,
containing the potential force of Air and Earth.  They  are  the Queen of
the Tarot, and Binah. They are the Aimah, and are of Briah.

        The Bishops  are  subtle  and  sharp,  Airy  in  quality,  moving
rapidly,  but  easily  arrested  in  their  course.  They  clash not with
opposing Bishops,  and the friendly Airs support each other in attack and
defence. Where the active Airs  whirl the passives cannot come.  They are
the forces of the Princes, and of Yetzirah, the Son.

        The Rooks are the heavy  resisiting  powers of the Princess,  the
Earth by nature,  mighty  indeed in action when preseded by the action of
the other three.  That  is  when in any matter the forces of Fire, Water,
and Air have been absorbed and equilibrated, i.e. removed from the board,
the mighty powers of the castles come into play.  But  woe to him who too
early calls these ponderous forces forth.

        The Rooks moves through  columns  as through ranks.  She is able,
therefore, to reach every square on the board, and is very powerful.  But
her movement is very ponderous,  and it is a piece that is not moved many
times in  a  game  unless  the  forces  of  the  other Elements have been
absorbed in its working out.  While the Aleph,  Mem, and Shin, forces are
in full  operation  the  Rook  is  easily  attacked  and  with difficulty
defended, unless she remain quiet, and act as a firm basis of support and
defence to the side. If she, however,  make the mistake of entering early
into action she is nearly sure to fall a  prey  to the more subtle forces
whose proper sphere is attacked.

        If the more subtle  forces  do  not bring about a solution of the
question, and the matter has to be fought out to the bitter end, that is,
if  the  Yetziratic  and  Braitic forces are absorbed and balanced in the
matter,  then do the ponderous forces of Assiah,  the Princess, engage in
powerful combat.

                                     -oOo-


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