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CYCLES OF THE YEAR

Cycles of the Year
A Brief Comment on the Feasts and Rituals of AL II: 36

D O WHAT THOU WILT SHALL BE THE WHOLE OF THE L AW

In a conversation with a Brother, we tossed around the verse in Liber AL , "There

are rituals of the elements and feasts of the times. (II: 36)" It got me to thinking. So
I looked up Crowley's commentary on the matter just for a frame of reference.

"In particular the entry of the Sun into the cardinal signs of the elements at the
Equinoxes and Solstices are suitable for festivals.

"The difference between 'rituals' and 'feasts' is this: by the one a particular form of
energy is generated, while there is a general discharge of one's superfluous force in
1
the other. Yet a feast implies periodical nourishment."

While Crowley seems to implicitly ignore the crossquarters of the year, there is no
reason, of course, to think that he would have opposed such creation of rituals and
feasts during those times. In closer examination, it would seem that Liber AL does,
in fact, anticipate the crossquarter rituals.

The importance of such festivals in the Thelemic community goes far beyond
merely the acknowledgement of the seasonal changes, but in the individual
changes of the members in the community itself. The coming together of the
community allows for “the communion of the saints,” and promotes the
celebration of each individual’s personal advancement in their own life by the rest
of the community, e.g., rejoicing over a new Minerval, toasting of a work
promotion.

Crowley uses the word ‘festival’ in his commentary. The idea of a quarterly festival
intrigues me. The word ‘festival,’ according to Merriam-Webster, means, in part,
“1 a : a time of celebration marked by special observances […] 2 : a periodic season
2
or program of cultural events or entertainment […].” I would think that such times
would be of a less solemn nature and more centered on the celebratory nature of
the seasons. In my own mind, this would entail something more than merely a
single night ritual. It seems to me that a festival is something that would take at
least a whole day, or maybe even spread over a weekend. I keep remembering my
elementary school "field day" as a possible example of such an event.

Liber AL specifies “feasts of the times” and “rituals of the elements.” Each has their
place in the turn of the year and qualities that could be seen as naturally unique.

1
Since I pulled this out of an online plain text copy of the commentary, I don't have a page reference. ©
Ordo Templi Orientis.
2
“Festival.” WWWebster Dictionary. ©2001 Merriam-Webster, Incorporated at Web site http://www.m-
w.com. Used by permission.
THE QUARTERS (FEASTS OF THE TIMES)

The quarters of the year delineate the four traditional ‘seasons’ of the year. These
are the equinoxes and solstices. The equinoxes are the two points in the year
where day and night is of equal length as the Sun crosses the equator. The summer
and winter solstices are the two points in the year where day and night,
respectively, are the longest. While many (including the World Book™
3
Encyclopedia website entry ) consider that the equinoxes and solstices are the
beginning of the seasons, I submit that these are more correctly observed as the
zenith of each season, e.g., summer solstice being commonly referred to as
‘midsummer’ in many pagan circles. This would seem to be a common view in our
Occulture today.

Using this particular viewpoint, the Feasts of the Times indicate the apex of the
season. With the four cardinal signs representing the four initiating elements of
the year, this is a perfect time to use the energy of the season for the manifestation
(and hence discharge) of the superfluous energy remaining from that which was
raised during the “ritual of the element” (crossquarter ritual) at the beginning of
the season. This is a time to stop and acknowledge that energy, as it were, like the
intentions of Liber Resh in daily practice for the Sun. In the equinoxes and
solstices, we see, for instance, the larger version of Resh being performed
throughout the year: Ra at the spring equinox, Ahathoor at the summer solstice,
Tum at the fall equinox, and Khephra at the winter solstice. It might be even
appropriate that a whole cycle of rituals are designed around this Resh formula.

But what constitutes a Feast of the Times? Crowley indicated that “the Equinoxes
and Solstices are suitable for festivals.” The celebratory nature of the feast should
be something that is emphasized, in my opinion. The revelry and excitement of the
season should be a focal point for each gathering, and the atmosphere of the
festival light and disarming. While I believe that a ritual is, of course, not
inappropriate, I do think that any ritual during these festivals should be virtually
orgiastic in a magical/spiritual manner.

THE CROSSQUARTERS (RITUALS OF THE ELEMENTS)

Most of the time when I hear anything concerning the crossquarters, it is in

reference to the Wheel of the Year of Witchcraft and is based upon a revolving
door god and goddess. Again using Crowley’s commentary, and based on the
observations of the equinoxes and solstices already mentioned, a crossquarter is
the beginning of one season while the ending of the previous. It is the time when
the energy of one season is finally winding down to an end and we begin to build
the energy for the next.

3
www.worldbook.com/fun/seasons/html/seasons.htm

2
The ritual framework for the crossquarters should be energetic and generative.
These can be more formal festivals and reflect the energy of element of that
particular upcoming season. In the spring we see that the element of air coming
into play. In the summer, we have fire. In the fall and winter, we have earth and
water respectively. Traditionally, the seasons are seen from the perspective of the
land; sowing, growth, harvest, and death. In A Witches’ Bible, Janet and Stewart
4
Farrar says these festivals “involve both the ‘Eve’ and the following ‘Day.’” They
5
are called the “natural-fertility” rites of the year – as opposed to the solar focus of
the equinoxes and solstices – for those who practice Witchcraft and, according to
the Farrars, date back to antiquity.

All of this makes sense in a Thelemic liturgy as well. While our philosophy is
certainly solar in nature, it is also, within O.T.O., focused on the cycle of life itself.

LET THE RITUALS BE RIGHTLY PERFORMED WITH JOY & BEAUTY!

There is a great tendency in Occulture to mimic the movies; night, dark room, lots
of candles, heavy incense, solemn practitioners. I find that this is a drawback in
many instances of Thelemic liturgy. In the same commentary, Crowley writes,
"Our religion therefore, for the People, is the Cult of the Sun, who is our particular
star of the Body of Nuit, ..." And again, "A ritual is not a melancholy formality; it is
a Sacrament, a Dance, a Commemoration of the Universe. The Universe is endless
rapture, wild and unconfined, a mad passion of speed."

Part of what I see missing in much of the rituals I have witnessed in over more
than a decade in the Order is the "joy & beauty." They are -- excepting outdoor
events and the like -- dry and cold, staged with all the life of a bowling ball. It rolls,
it hits, and everything falls down. If we are to be, after a manner, a "Cult of the
Sun," then why is that we prefer to worship and perform in the dark? We are to
bask in the glory of the Sun, to "rise up & awake!" Thelema is a dynamic platform
that allows for so many individual interpretations without losing its own form. But
there is a considerable amount of time dealing with ecstasy of the Spirit within
most of the Holy Books. I feel that as a body of the Order, we should be tapping
into that ecstasy. I am not talking about taking the Pentecostal approach to the
feasts and rituals, or even about installing florescent lighting in the Temple. But to
"bring fresh fever" to the Camp, to this body of an Order that promulgates "the law
of the strong: this is our law and the joy of the world."

L OVE IS THE LAW , LOVE UNDER WILL .

4
Farrar, Janet and Stewart. A Witches’ BIble, Custer: Phoenix Publishing, 1996. p. 14.
5
Ibid. p. 23.