COMMENTARIES ON THE HOLY BOOKS And Other Papers - The Equinox Volume Four Number One translation by ALEISTER CROWLEY, H. P. BLAVATSKY, J.F.C. FULLER and CHARLES STANSFELD JONES First Edition, 1996, 381 pages, many full color illustrations, published by Samuel Weiser inc. This issue of The Equinox is a companion volume to The Holy Books of Thelema. It is however, a coherent textbook in its own right. It covers the essentials of the A. A. system of initiation, from the preliminary stage of Student to the attainment of Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. For the first time it makes available practical details that will be of immense value to students of Thelema. Beginning with Crowley's unpublished essay "occultism," it offers several of the foundation papers of the A. A., including Liber 185, and Liber Collegii Sancti, which describes the oaths and tasks of each grade in its Outer College. A new paper presents the correct designs (with color illustrations) for the corresponding robes of each grade. This book's lengthy color section includes General J. F. C. Fuller's paintings for the Temple of A. A. , and Crowley's illuminated manuscript of an A. A Ritual for the Neophyte, Liber 671 vel Pyramidos. The central feature of this book is the Master Therion's lengthy and penetrating commentary to the inspired writing, The Book of the Hear Girt with a Serpent (Liber LXV). While Liber LXV gives the best account available of the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel, it is couched in the language of mystical poetry. Crowley's commentary gives a more easily understood exposition, and it is some of his most lucid writing on magick man mysticism. Crowley's shorter commentaries to seven others of The Holy Books of Thelema are also included. This book also contains Madame Blavatsky's inspired text, The Voice of the Silence, with a commentary by Crowley that explores the various stages of consciousness in Mahayana Buddhist mysticism and their correspondences to the Holy Qabalah.

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