Talk:A∴A∴

Copied from Talk:A.'.A.'.:

Cite please? Or is this simply based on the Illuminatus! books? -- The Anome 20:18, 26 Nov 2003 (UTC)

• It is mentioned in Aleister Crowley's Book Of Lies if I remember correctly. -- DenisMoskowitz

• • According to Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley by Lawrence Sutin, the A.'.A.'. was formed in 1906 by Crowley and Jones.

--Iscariot 09:34, 26 Feb 2005 (UTC)

(Smerdis of Tlön 11:40, 3 Jun 2004 (UTC))

Some References

The A.'.A.'. is mentioned on the Ordo Templi Orientis's site as an associate of that organization. It also appears to have its own website at www.outcol.org. Although that site's main page initially appears to be for "Outer College Curriculum Resources", the A.'.A.'. is frequently mentioned in the sub-pages and at the bottom of the main page itself.

Disputed

Anonymoyus user User:67.48.77.208 placed the disputed template on this article and made the following comment which I am moving here to talk:

According to "The Magick of Thelema: A Handbook of the Rituals of Aleister Crowley," by Lon Milo Duquette (Weiser 1993), A.'.A.'. does NOT stand for Argenteum Astrum. On p. 216, the author states that this is commonly believed, but that he has "been informed in no uncertain terms that this is not the case."

I have looked at the reference you refer to, which appears as a footnote. It would seem to me that Lon Milo Duquette is expressing personal opinion based on the idea that the A.'. A.'. has other secret meanings, which with Crowley is undoubtedly the case. This does however not change the fact that Crowley himself used the Silver Star reference and connected this name to the passage every man and every woman is a star in Liber AL. --Solar 13:53, 12 Dec 2004 (UTC)

The phrase "Argentium Astrum", used to refer to the third Order the "Silver Star", dates to the original Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. Crowley's innovation was to translate this phrase into Greek: "Astron Argon". The reason for this was that the phrase has the same numeric value (451) as the phrase "Konx Om Pax", or "Light in Extension". The source of this interpretation is "The Mystical and Magical System of the A.'. A.'." by James Eshelman, an Adept of the Soror Estai lineage of the A.'. A.'. See the third edition, pp. 22-24

All links to major, extant lineages of the A.'.A.'. have been removed. This makes no sense. susan holmes 19:07, 10 August 2007 (UTC)

Magickal puncktuation?

What's the significance of the three dots after each letter in these abbreviations? Is there a name for that kind of punctuation? Does it mean anything in particular? Is it used exculsively by Crowley and his followers, or is it a more general occult thing? Any information would be welcome.

• Previous was by User:Pterodactyler

Generally ∴ is the mathematical symbol for "therefore". I imagine it had further occult symbolism to Crowley and gang, but what that was may be unknowable at this point. I don't know of any previous groups using that punctuation, though I've seen later groups do it in imitation of the A∴A∴. --DenisMoskowitz 15:55, 2005 July 27 (UTC)

I've seen the latin magical mottos of colleges in original Crowley works abbreviated in such a way; such as Frater "V∴N∴", but also done like "Fra∴ Volo Noscere". Nagelfar 07:19, 17 November 2005 (UTC)

Masons use it as well. It denotes that something was left off, possibly due to secrecy, IIRC.

Test: Magickal puncktuation. Umh, doesn't exist yet. Perhaps a good idea for April 1 2007. --Pjacobi 09:09, 12 May 2006 (UTC)

I don't see why it would be left off due to secrecy, as it's used as an abbr. in the same context that it is also clearly stated many times. It could be as simple as indicating that it is a non-native-tongue abbreviation. Though it's always used in the context of an abbreviation. Nagelfar 18:10, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

It comes from Freemasonry and suggests the person or institution possesses the secretes of Freemasonry. This is why you see things like O∴S∴M∴ or A∴A∴ or Fra∴ F∴L∴. I don't, however, have a citable source for this, unless I can cite documents that I'm not allowed to show you. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 152.2.81.214 (talk) 18:31, 21 September 2007 (UTC)

wtf is  ?

there's a bunch of references to  - but that doesn't make any sense, since that corresponds to 'delete' in iso 8859-1 and unicode. what's the deal?

In my browser, it shows up as a little square. Like the shape displayed for an unknown character, only smaller. Is that how it is supposed to look? IPSOS (talk) 02:21, 13 April 2007 (UTC)

It is supposed to be a glyph that contains three dots, in the shape of a triangle. Unicode character 0x2234. ∴ jonathon 01:00, 12 July 2007 (UTC)

No, that's not the one being discussed. This one is used for the square degree sign in 5=6, etc. IPSOS (talk) 20:06, 4 August 2007 (UTC)

the grades (0°=0?^?), (1°=10^??) ... through (10°=1^?) & ...?

I don't know if it is notable enough to warrant a place in the article, but Aleister Crowley gave a grade 'above' Ipsissimus on page 25 of his table of correspondences included with 777 and other qabalistic writings.., though he did not give it a name; he included it in the 3rd order (of the Silver Star) & gave it's grade as (0^?=0?°) (as opposed to probationer (0°=0^?) and all the rest with "°" before "^?", here "°" is after "^?". Nagelfar 16:09, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

As Crowley nowhere, to my knowledge, discusses such a grade, and as a case could be made for identifying the Probationer within the system with 0 in the key scale, I wouldn't want to discount a strong likelihood that this is simply a typo. There are certainly many others in Liber 777 as published by Crowley. Anlala 00:56, 15 August 2007 (UTC)

It's not a typo because its put alongside the grade of probationer on the opposite end, check it out yourself. Nagelfar 01:11, 29 August 2007 (UTC)

Nothing rules out the possibility of a typo on one, but not the other. The very nature of typos is such. However, assuming for the sake of argument, that he did mean it to signify some sort of degree beyond Ipsissimus linking back to Probationer, it's actual significance is nil, unless some authentic secret tradition exists that has never been published. Until such time as some such tradition is published, it still doesn't warrant mention in the article, though its inclusion on the Talk Page is certainly appropriate. Anlala 05:56, 2 October 2007 (UTC)

Which one or other are you referring to? It is clearly added as additional information in the source cited. Nagelfar (talk) 06:37, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

Hello All, editing of (0=0 Neophyte): I inserted an "y" instead of the "u". Ancient Greek (which I studied for several years ) used the "y" in this instance. The letter looks a bit like the modern "u". Oops, forgot to sign: -- Greek logos 08:46, 17 October 2007 (UTC)

Now I remember! The 15th Aethyr in Liber 418 tells of AC's visionary initiation into the grade of Magister Templi, 8^?=3°:

Above the altar is a veiled Figure, whose name is Pan. Those in the outer tier adore him as a Man; and in the next tier they adore him as a Goat; and in the next tier they adore him as a Ram; and in the next tier they adore him as a Crab; and in the next tier they adore him as an Ibis; and in the next tier they adore him as a Golden Hawk; and in the next tier they adore him not7.

And the footnote reads: That is, in the lowest grade of the Second Order 5x = 6{square x}, "God" is worshipped under the form of a man (Tiphareth). In 6x = 5 {squarex}, he seems as a goat (Mendes Kahn). In 7x = 4{square x}, a ram (Amoun). In 8x = 3{square x}, a crab (connected with the star sponge vision). In 9x = 2{square x}, an ibis (Thoth). In 10x = 1 {square x} a golden hawk (Ra Hoor Khuit). Above this (Kether), He is the Negative only.

It reminds me of the later admission into the company of "atheists", 5th Aethyr. Dan (talk) 05:29, 19 January 2008 (UTC)

List of known members

What is the criterion for inclusion on this list, a documentation from Crowley of one's membership? a documentation from some other A∴A∴ claimant? or a self-identification? Grady McMurtry is included on the list, though I don't know of any documentation of his membership by Crowley or another, except McMurtry's own claim to be a Magister Templi. Phyllis Seckler said that McMurtry wasn't even a Neophyte of the A∴A∴ (which does leave open the possibility that he was recognized by her as a Probationer). Could anyone include themselves on the list by claiming to be a member? Anlala 05:00, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

Name of the A∴A∴

It currently reads "The A∴A∴ (Arcanum Arcanorum)", though this is arguable, which should be put into the article itself. It should have the previously added "Latin: Argenteum Astrum or Greek: Αστρον Αργον, "Astron Argon", literally; "Silver star" in addition also.

Both are, according to wikipedia standards, attestable and note worthy, and all have been used in the literature surrounding the A∴A∴, to omit any well known attestable variation as such is going against the fiber of wikipedia. It seems on articles like this, pseudo-intellectual, secretive and self-interested types edit mercilessly to the detriment of the purpose behind the wikipedia project; to dispense information on the topic rather than instead monopolize or make exclusive some socially engineered view. Nagelfar (talk) 06:43, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

I'm yet again being bold in this matter before a counter-argument or consensus, but I really do not understand the difficulty besides the demographic here on the subject matter relating to the addition of this information. Nagelfar (talk) 06:56, 9 December 2007 (UTC)

Is it improper to point out that "astron argon" doesn't mean "silver star" in Greek? Silver would be "arguron." "Argon" means "shining."Antaios632 (talk) 19:49, 23 January 2008 (UTC)