Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
For I am divided for love's sake, for the chance of union. This is the creation of the world, that the pain of division is as nothing, and the joy of dissolution all. AL I.29-30
One easy way to think about polarity is in the law of attraction. And attraction is the measure of the bond of love that is taught in Liber AL as the only thing, which can unite the divided. The formula of ON includes two other lesser formulas; BABALON as employed by the Scarlet Woman and ABRAHADABRA as employed by the Beast. These two magnetically polarized congregants ultimately connect on four planes, which are composed of seven bodies throughout. On the Tree-of-Life, the four planes have connecting points for the two operators and are demarked specifically as the Tower Atu, the Lust Atu, the Empress Atu and Kether. But the beginnings of the formula of ON exclusively employs the path that connects Hod with Netzach (the Tower Atu).
ABRAHADABRA is specifically mentioned by Liber AL to be the Key of the Rituals. And yet the formula of BABALON is not only essential to the formula of ON, but without it, the formula of ABRAHADABRA loses the dimension of practical application on a mundane level (the earth; Babalon). We can deduce in 'Silence', a certain key that explains why the formula of BABALON is not overtly delineated in the Book of the Law. However, both formulas have been actively explored by our predecessors and the field notes are slowly becoming extant. Kenneth Grant is a leading exponent in this regard and has developed ideas on experiments begun by both Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune.
We will start then with an expounding upon the formula of ABRAHADABRA (the left-hand pillar) and to do so, we must first qabalistically examine the word itself. The central syllable is HAD; equivalent to Set (the Devil; Lucifer, the Light-Bearer) and attributed to the orgasm and its release of semen as well as the central pillar on the Tree-of-Life which corresponds with the Sushumna; wherein the Fire-Snake (Kundalini) resides. The first two syllables of this formula; ABRA, are attributed to Tiphareth and the Sun; thus Resh and the semen itself. The last two syllables of this formula; ABRA, are attributed to Hod and Mercury; thus Beth and the Phallus. These two Sephiroth are connected by the path attributed to the Devil Atu, which is again, HAD.
Now, before the Logos can be made manifest, it must connect with Venus (Netzach; the feminine equivalent in the formula of BABALON to ABRAHADABRA and Hod). This is hinted at quite overtly in the Rosicrucian Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz with the Initiator being Isis. Isis is Venus; is the letter Daleth or Path of the Empress Atu, which connects the two formulas on the plane of the Supernals (specifically, the plane of 'Concrete Spirit' as discussed below). Daleth, Resh (the Sun) and Beth (Mercury) form the Hebrew 'Word' which implies the Logos. Further, in the formula of ABRAHADABRA, energy is drawn from Geburah by way of Cheth as it also draws energy from Tiphareth by way of Ayin. These two letters comprise the formula of 'OC' which equals 78 (by AIQ BKR is 15 or the Devil Atu) and is attributed to the Vesica Piscis or Womb. And only one verse in the three chapters of Liber AL is numbered 78 (in chapter two) and directly alludes to this formula of the Aeon:
"Lift up thyself! for there is none like unto thee among men or among Gods! Lift up thyself, O my prophet, thy stature shall surpass the stars. They shall worship thy name, foursquare, mystic, wonderful, the number of the man; and the name of thy house is 418."
Ayin as a part of both the formulas of ON and OC, holds the keys to Maya's interpretation. As Mercury (Phallus) also rules Virgo and the Hermit Atu (Connecting Tiphareth with Chesed or the Crown [Jupiter] attained by the Scarlet Woman in the BABALON portion of the formula of ON), which is attributed to the Hebrew letter Yod, we get the idea of the 'grasping hand' which helps us to understand the true nature of manifestation, which is the theme of the Devil Atu. Controlling these fully manifested energies comes by way of the path of Cheth (spelled in full is 418), which rules the Chariot Atu also attributed to Cancer and opposite Ayin/Capricorn on the wheel of the Zodiac. The Chariot Atu itself is attributed to the path that crosses the Abyss to connect Binah with Geburah. The Great Work then is accomplished ultimately then, in the Silence of Binah and in her Great Sea; alluding again to the element of Water and the feminine or right-hand pillar portion of the formula of ON; delineated by the path of Nun which connects Netzach with Tiphareth.
By virtue of the fact that Ayin connects Tiphareth with the mercurial Hod, the ABRAHADBRA (male or positively charged) portion of the formula of ON is thus of the mind that when united with metaphysical ecstasy, is named HRILIU (cf. The Gnostic Mass). Then the energy of the Fire-Snake moves into the sphere of Netzach through the Tower Atu, which transits the 'Word' into Silence (the only way to avoid the potentially destructive energy of Horus as delineated in the Tower Atu). On the physical plane, the semen moves through the path attributed to the Aeon Atu (Fire) to Malkuth in the incarnation of the Magickal Childe on the elemental plane. The energy for this again, was ultimately drawn from the Sephira of Mars by way of the path attributed to the Hanged Man Atu (Water) demarking the blessing of Isis upon the initiation of the Beast.
I am the secret Serpent coiled about to spring: in my coiling there is joy. If I lift up my head, I and my Nuit are one. If I droop down mine head, and shoot forth venom, then is rapture of the earth, and I and the earth are one. AL II.26
It should be apparent at this point, that even to explain ABRAHADABRA, we needed to discuss part of the formula of BABALON. As the Beast brings forth the Logos, it is brought into the Silence, which is the field of unconsciousness attributed to the Death Atu, which is ruled by the Hebrew letter Nun; the female or negative pole in the formula of ON. Nun connects Tiphareth to Netzach and brings the work of the Scarlet Woman also in accordance with her Holy Guardian Angel as already shown for the Beast's part in this formula. The energy she receives through the Tower Atu from the Beast is shifted upwards through the path attributed to the Hebrew letter Kaph and the Fortune Atu (ruled by Sagittarius which is in turn, ruled by Jupiter!) to Chesed (Jupiter!); wherein the Scarlet Woman attains to her 'Office'.
Jupiter is exalted (or raised up) in Cancer (Cheth/418/Silence), then carrying the energy further upwards through the path attributed to the Hierophant Atu (Vau) and across the Abyss to Chokmah (in compliment to the Beast drawing the energy down through the Abyss through the path attributed to Cheth creating the formula of OC), connecting Nun with Vau and delineating the formula of NU. This formula equals 56, thus 11 as is all the numbers that are of 'Us' as described in the Book of the Law. Ultimately this is the energy that comes by way of the 'Word' of the Magus in Chokmah and across the path attributed to Venus and the Empress (Daleth) to Binah; completing the entire electro-magnetic circuit.
My number is 11, as all their numbers who are of us. The Five Pointed Star, with a circle in the Middle, & the circle is Red. My colour is black to the blind, but the blue & gold are seen of the seeing. Also I have a secret glory for them that love me. AL I.60
This is but a qabalistic description of the flow of energy between a man and a woman in sexual congress. Each partner should link-up with the archetypal essence of their gender; the woman to Nuit and the man to Hadit as exemplified by the Gnostic Mass. And each partner should then begin to open the channels within themselves that exist in all four worlds; Atziluth, Briah, Yetzirah and Assiah. There are seven bodies that exist in each of these four worlds that each need to undergo their own transmutation. These seven bodies compose themselves within specific co-ordinates of energy from a higher plane, that intersect with the matter of the plane just below it and are intentionally created by that higher plane; building concentric layers of accretion on each descending plane. They are as follows:
· Atziluth is the world wherein the seventh body, the 'Monad', dwells. The Monad is non-individualized consciousness; the plane of Abstract Spirit that draws substances and energy from the Ain Soph Aur or the Great Unmanifest. The sixth plane is the plane of Concrete Spirit that diverges into seven different tendencies or rays attributed to the seven Sacred Planets of antiquity.
· Briah contains the fifth plane of Abstract Mind. This is where life becomes and lives. And it contains the fourth plane of Concrete Mind; characterized by memory.
· Yetzirah contains the third plane or Upper Astral Body of which belongs the emotions; characterized by attraction and the desire for union. And it also contains the second plane or the Lower Astral or Psychic Body. This is the plane of instincts and passions.
· Assiah of course, is the world of the first plane or Physical Body where gender is determined by form as compared to the subtler planes where gender is determined by correlative intersecting force.
The Monad seeks to ground in the physical plane and the magick is in creating a corresponding flow from the physical; returning to the Monad. The two poles that create the magnetism either in the working couple and/or within each of us individually are actual consciousness or the male (positive) energy of concrete thought (the Logos) and potential consciousness or the female (negative) energy of abstract thought (Silence). The male force creates a velocity to act upon the female force, which is locked up in form and set free by that velocity. The electricity that is created flows in a circuit through the seven planes and four worlds as the out flowing of energy from the Monad flows through the male and flows back to the Divine through the female. And it is at the point of junction between the two units that can be tapped and rendered available for creation; utilizing the matter of the plane upon which the union is being engaged.
Yet for this all to work, a dispassionate approach to sexual excitement is necessary. It is in the avoidance of or indulgence in the sensual side of the physical plane that the electrical force is kept from grounding. Outbreaks of sensuality and hysteria are the net effects of grounded force. It is where most of the instinct for sex and the spiritual life is lost. The Priest may either not have opened a pure channel from Binah through Geburah and into Hod (in consultation with Tiphareth of course) or the Priestess may herself bring venusian phantasms into Yesod or lose control of her body and mind in Malkuth. This is all caused by an improper connection to Tiphareth which can create chaotic astral beings in Yesod or have no magickal spark whatsoever by the Priest's consciousness being fixated wholly in Malkuth and being filled with pure prurience and a mercurial ego with the lower arc of Hod being brought into Malkuth.
However, the Priest sets up a series of 'experiences' for the Priestess which each possess the abstract thought-form or bud-will and condenses it down to a denser form in one final, single act. He is the scientist; collecting masses of data and reducing it all down to a general principle (Hod/Practicus). And the Priestess synthesizes all of these 'experiences' in light of her conscious awareness of the divine goal. She is the philosopher; enunciating the general principle and inferring a consequence (Netzach/Philosophus). The male then is the inductor and the female is the deductor. Together they then create the fruit of new knowledge, which is the mark of connection with the Secret Chiefs that oversee the evolution of humanity.
On a more concrete level, the Priest becomes a vehicle of pure emotional expression as the Priestess becomes the receptacle of pure emotional satisfaction. And the Priest must express what the Priestess needs to feel. And so each of the seven planes must become polarized between the working couple along with the two facets of each individual involved. Yet it is interesting to note that in the second plane, it has been observed by some that the genders seem to be reversed, as there is a certain energy that the female gives to the male. It seems to explain why that when a woman terminates her love for a man, the man then is overwhelmed by passionate lunacy of at least a temporary duration. More experimentation and evaluation is really needed to develop the work of Sexual Polarity and increase our knowledge base.
But we know that control of sexual activity is determined by the chemistry of the hormonal secretions of the endocrine organs. During a woman's monthly cycle, the percentage of lime-salts in her blood rises and falls; creating a change in her desire for sex. This is true for the male also, but is less studied. And it's the emotions that have control of the endocrine glands that affect the tissues of the physical body and are in turn, affected by the higher mental bodies, which are again in turn, affected by the seven rays of the lower spiritual body. The higher spiritual body has no distinction and is the 'Primum Mobile'.
Love is the law, love under will.