The very title of this work demands further investigations. The full title is “The Writings of V or the impetuous wanderings of a delusional mind.” Here we have an almost self-deprecating subtitle, calling the mind “delusional” and its wanderings “impetuous.” Why this is comes out only in the Fifth Outburst when it is written: “What could possibly trouble V., who rideth upon the ever-changing Wheel of ecstasy? His enemies lie in wait with subtle disguises. V. proclaimeth his most nefarious foe to be part of the very fabric of his own manifestation: grammar! For, that which uttereth “I” uttereth falsehood.” Here V. admits the fatuity of speech because of the constraints of grammar, specifically that of the necessity of using a subject that is distinct or in division from an object. In this way, V. is saying that these writings are not absolute truth, but fingers pointing to the moon so to say, and the danger in confusing the map for the territory is great. Therefore, all these writings are denounced as both “impetuous” and “delusional.” Even so, V. dares to speak them, so let us dare to understand them.

 

The First Outburst

Birthpangs of V.
...and the issuing forth of the Wandering Lords
[8.6.07]

“The Writings of V.” are composed of five “outbursts” that vary in length from under a page to about two pages. The very use of the term “outburst” connotes something specific. An outburst naturally follows the overflowing of some container, and V. is overflowing with life-intoxication. These writings therefore spring naturally from him, as he confirms by calling them “wanderings” of the mind, and elsewhere within the text itself.     

The first outburst is entitled “Birthpangs of V. and the issuing forth of the Wandering Lords,” the most occult of the titles. Here we have a typical religious (and even psychological) process of death to the former “self” and a rebirth as a new more whole self. A second “spiritual” birth is common to many religions, and here a person has become V., a sort of name for the adept or a name for that consciousness that typifies V. In an occult sense, V. is a neophyte and knows the truth that Kether is in Malkuth & Malkuth in Kether, but after another manner. There are often themes of the higher (Kether) and lower (Malkuth) being joined in one. Even so, V. makes absolutely no claims to various occult “grades” or any kind of specific “spiritual attainment.”

The “issuing forth of the Wandering Lords” refers to the seven classical planets as symbolic of the workings of the macrocosm. It is commonly known in Western occultism as stated above in Qabalistic terms that “as above, so below” (from the Emerald Tablet of Hermes), and the macrocosm of planets mirrors the inner workings of the microcosm of V. (in particular his psyche, and the various aspects of the collective unconscious within). Now we turn to the text itself:

 

Who is this brother Victus and from whence does he come?

First we have an introduction of sorts to V., who is now understood to be Victus. This name means both ‘way of life,’ and ‘sustenance’ itself as the word ‘victuals’ attests to. Also, this name refers to the verb “to conquer” but in the past tense – therefore, Victus is the name of one who has conquered themselves and become the way of life itself.

V. is but as a bundle of rages, a tumbleweed, or a sandcastle. Various ever-changing substances make up the ‘physical constituents’ we often call the body, and various ever- changing substances make up the ‘psychic constituents’ we often call the mind, the personality, the psyche, and others. A mighty river, roaring and laughing, is V.

Here a very Buddhist conception of the self is given with both the body and mind of V. being proclaimed to be impermanent and composed of various ‘constituents.’ Even in the face of such temporality, V. is a ‘roaring and laughing’ river: a conception of ever-flowing force and the joy that comes from the exertion thereof.

As one river may come from another, but all ultimately return to the Boundless Ocean, so is V. one river amongst infinite others. V.’s words are as the natural rushings of delight of the river. These words are at once the fiery echoes of one soul and also the reverberations of timeless archetypes, common to all existences.

Here the ‘river of V.’ is understood as one river among many that come from a ‘Boundless Ocean’ – a symbolic conception of the infinite – and therefore V. recognizes himself as part of a greater whole that he is born from and returns to. Secondly, we understand that these words, this entire work of “The Writings of V.” are the ‘natural rushings of delight’ of himself, and therefore once again these Outbursts are seen to be the natural overflowing of delight and not a “forced” intellectual treatise. Further, V. claims that although these words come from one individual, their import is universal across humanity.

Why should the inane babblings of such ‘V.’ be worthy to be set in ink? What official, authorized decree demanded the distribution of such daring diatribes? None. V. is as an aggregate of experience, synthesizing and organizing and presenting a new sublime Arrangement for the World. Other such entities may utilize this information or not - whatever is successful in one’s current circumstance is most important.

Here V. answers whether his writings are even worth reading and whether some society or authority decreed them. His answer is that there is no justification nor authority, simply a new ‘Arrangement for the World’ being presented, and others may use this or not as they deem fit. V. asserts that ‘whatever is successful in one’s current circumstance is most important,’ acknowledging the relative and highly diverse circumstances that individuals find themselves in.

Is V. an illustrious adept or a miserable worm? He is both of these but ultimately
neither as he knows such masks to be restrictive to his movements. We may merely admit ‘V. is’ and it is his nature to speak.

V. once again addresses the questioning of his authority by announcing he is both an adept and ‘a miserable worm,’ images of the highly exalted and lowest misery of man respectively. V. sees these labels as ‘restrictive to his movements’ and simply says it is his nature to speak, and therefore there is no justification – just as a flower has no justification for blooming but does so in accordance with its own nature, so does V. issue this treatise.

Verily, let all the doubts pass and we shall hear the pronouncements of V.:

Here we have seven lines of text arranged according to number. The very numbers of this sequence are important: they begin with zero, proceed to three, and return to zero – exactly as V. said he came from a Boundless Ocean (identified with the zero here) and will return thereto. These pronouncements, being in the very First Outburst, mirror Eastern spiritual classics like the Tao Teh Ching in that they assert the most fundamental, universal, and unfortunately paradoxical truths in the first chapter.

0. The Supreme Reality which is the Ultimate Nameless begets all, transforms all, destroys all, and transcends all.

V. asserts something called “The Supreme Reality” and calls it “the Ultimate Nameless,” once again harkening back to the restriction of labels and names. This conception is nearly identical to that in the Tao Teh Ching where it is said ‘the Tao that is spoken of is not the Tao.’ This “Ultimate Nameless” has the power of creation, preservation (or more accurately, transformation), and destruction (much like the Hindu conceptions of the Trimurti or the powers of any supreme God), showing no force to be outside this conception. Therefore this Supreme Reality contains the idea of omnipotence.

1. This Nameless is a continuum – a unity which extends infinitely in all directions.

In the next line, the ‘Nameless’ is understood to be a continuum, which naturally transcends opposites (once again an attack against the dialectics of the mind and their attempt to clothe the unclotheable). Since it is ‘a unity which extends infinitely in all directions,’ this Nameless also contains the idea of omnipresence. This line, referring to the ‘unity’ of the Nameless, is appropriately in line 1 (1 being the numerical symbol of unity).

2. The Ultimate Nameless is the source of Existence, which is the complementary conflict of dualities.

Next this Nameless is understood to be the source of ‘the complementary conflict of dualities’ which gives rise to that thing we understand as “Existence.” Here life itself is understood in terms of dualities, much like the Tao is understood to manifest in the polarities of yin and yang. Appropriately, this is the second line, referring to duality.

3. The interaction between a Perceiver and that-which-is-Perceived gives rise to the appearance of the Universe and its infinite forms.

In the third line we have a reaffirming of this doctrine of the Universe coming from the interplay of two things, which are in this case ‘a Perceiver’ and ‘that-which-is-Perceived.’ This doctrine is nearly identical to the Hindu conception of Creation where Purusha, the unified “First Man,” thinks “This am I” (or “That am I”) and in this proclamation commits the blunder (or perhaps it was entirely intentional?) of creating the dualistic universe, starting from the first split of duality (the first “word”). This line is the third line, and represents the two, the duality, splitting into infinite different forms. This conception is similar to the Tao, which states something like “From the Tao came the two, from the two came the three, and from the three came ten thousand things [the Chinese phrase that points to infinite things although under the figure of ‘ten thousand’]”. After this line we return to 2.

 

2. The Universe is a Fool’s Knot, resolved into its natural Equilibrium when this Two unites to One.

The Universe is then asserted under the figure of a “Fool’s Knot,” which is a knot in rope that looks quite complicated and unravelable but in fact pulls out into a single rope easily with by pulling with the right amount of force. There is a further occult meaning, which relates to “The Fool” of the Tarot, under the number of 0 (the number of continuity & unity-beyond-attributes). The “Fool’s Knot” is also a reference to the title of a chapter in Aleister Crowley’s Book of Lies. The ‘Equilibrium’ is restored when the ‘Two unites to One’ as when the fool’s knot is pulled out and seen to be a coherent unity. This refers to the mystical experience of uniting subject and object in one’s consciousness – known as samadhi to the Hindu yogis.

1. In this are all opposites resolved and Reality is seen to reside in that Joy beyond sorrow and happiness.

In the next line, another line attributed to the number 1, we see that once the Two is united back into One, ‘Reality is seen to reside in that Joy beyond sorrow and happiness.’ Here we see a conception of “Joy” (capitalized to obviously distinguish it from the lower-case ‘happiness’) that transcends notions of duality – sorrow & happiness. This “Joy” is identical with the ananda (“bliss”) of Hindu sages, who include it as one of three parts of reality: sat-chit-ananda (usually translated as “being, consciousness, bliss”).

0. Though It abides in ecstasy, the Wheel continues to turn and the Universe proceeds in accordance with Its Will.

Now, V. refers to this Nameless as “It” (similar to that Hindu conception of “That” or tat, identified with Brahman, the limitless godhead), and further he identifies It with the symbol of a ‘Wheel’ (appropriate as this is line 0, 0 being another form of the symbol of the circle or wheel). Here we have a dynamic (as opposed to static) conception of this Reality that resides ‘in that Joy beyond sorrow and happiness’ – although ‘It abides in ecstasy’ (another reference to ananda that is a natural product of union of opposites), the Universe still proceeds in accordance with the Universal Will – understood as karma by Hindu & Buddhist cultures, and Newton’s Laws in the Western scientific scheme (every cause produces an equal & opposite reaction).

 

...V. is as a burning star, whirling in delight through the expanse of Space. About him cluster the Lords of the Night of Time, the Wandering Lords that make the Harmony of the Spheres. Unto each, V. beseeches to learn their Lesson.

In passing from this numerical arrangement, we return to the more normal prose. V. compares himself to a star, recalling the statement found in Thelema that “Every man and every woman is a star” (Liber AL I:3). A sort of mandala-like symbol is formed here, with ‘a burning star’ at the core and the “Lords of the Night of Time” – a name for the seven classical planets in Western occultism – all orbiting around this core. This entire conception is named ‘the Harmony of the Spheres.’ Each facet of this arrangement psychologically represents an aspect of the collective unconscious, an archetype, potentiality, or facet of one’s self that may be integrated and so bring the entire being to a “higher level.” Jung often spoke of the conscious assimilation of unconscious contents, and so this section may be viewed as a voluntary invocation of the various powers of V.’s psyche, understood in a figure as the seven planets around the “star” of V.’s true or inner self.

First, from the black depths of Eternity arises the terrible visage of Time – He is
Saturn, devouring his children, and She is Kali, dancing triumphant on the corpse of Shiva. From This emanates the worlds: “I crush the adamantine fortresses and gobble the galaxies. Time is one condition, one rule, in the game of my Play – the World. That which exists will soon come to rest in the infinite cavern of my belly. Therefore be thou without attachment; for all waves crash upon the shore, but all eventually retract into the Sea. The musical vibrations of song grace our ears but eventually fade back into the omnipresent Silence. The Being who walks in conformity with my Law: he Goes as an eternally self-spinning Wheel, with the water droplets of Experience not clinging to the frame.”

The planets come forth in traditional occult order of Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Sol, Venus, Mercury, Luna. One might say this is the order of how far the planets appear to be from Earth (although Venus would look closer than Mercury presumably as one exception), but really there is no ‘order:’ they are all important and different facets, just like an arm, a nose, a leg, and a kidney are all important facets of the body.

First, Time (finite) emerges from Eternity (infinite) – the infinite is cloaked in the finite and relations of time & space appear and “from This emanates the worlds.” This entity of Time is identified with both Saturn and Kali, emphasizing the androgynous (or hermaphroditic) nature of this being (or one might say “power” or “force” so as to not implicitly posit a ‘separate’ being). The conceptions of both Saturn and Kali are traditionally violent, with the former eating his children and the latter trampling the body of Shiva and wearing a necklace of fifty decapitated heads. This does not necessarily mean that this force is “evil,” but rather from the individual perspective this force is often perceived as malignant. Even so, the force – understood under the symbol of a “Lesson,” which is the issuing forth of force from the unconscious potentiality – must be assimilated or one will remain “incomplete” and fragmented.

The essential lesson here is that, in the world, all things are temporary and eventually perish – a truth often contemplated by the Buddhist under the name of anicca (“impermanence”), which is understood to be one of three conditions of all existence. To counter this, we are bidden to “be thou without attachment.” The doctrine of non-attachment is common to many older systems including Taoism, Hinduism, Buddhism, and even Thelema in the west (Liber AL I:44). Once again, one ‘who walks in conformity with my Law’ is one who ‘Goes’ – a dynamic conception of “enlightenment” as opposed to static where one might sit dumbly in a “Heaven” without action. Also, it should be mentioned that the World is called ‘my Play,’ which can be interpreted in a few ways. First of all, a play is a sort of show that is put on, comedy and/or tragedy ensues, and it ends with everyone afterward understanding it was only a play but being fulfilled by the experience thereof. Also, simply ‘play’ can be understood as a child will play – the world is understood to be an experience of delight that is not to be taken all too seriously. Even further, this harkens back to the Hindu conception of the world as lila, or “play” (usually understood, like in the Bhagavad Gita, to be the “play” of Krishna, or some other deity that is considered supreme). All these conceptions are essentially alike in that elements of joy and non-attachment are present, and these might be understood to be the “Lesson(s)” of Saturn.

Next, Jupiter cometh in a round of regal overtones: “Thou art King of thine own
universe,” he speaks. “Therefore rule all with the merciful hand of Love. All must be allowed to expand and move in its appointed, natural motion in thine Kingdom. Therefore, also, Love all Things – and this means come into Right Relation with them, while understanding and appreciating their part of the Whole.”

Jupiter being of kingly disposition himself speaks of kingly things. V. is told be a King of his own universe, a conception or symbol that brings strength, sureness, honor, wisdom and also great responsibility. We are told to ‘rule all with the merciful hand of Love,’ both ‘mercy’ and ‘love’ being of the nature of Jupiter (Jupiter is attributed to Chesed, or “Mercy,” on the Qabalistic Tree of Life). By Love he certainly does not mean sloshy sentimentality but “com[ing] into Right Relation” with “all Things.” This means to allow things ‘to expand and move in [their] appointed, natural motion,’ but often some kind of action is needed to take to restore this natural motion (e.g., the natural motion of the Will of the self).

Mars bursteth out in a flurry of swords and crushed yells: “The Will is paramount
and all in its path must be utterly obliterated,” declareth he. “All that hinders the one-pointedness of the Will shall be abolished. The King must order his Kingdom as a doctor would treat an ailing body, or a gardener would treat a weed-ridden garden. Those factors restricting or prohibiting the full potential, the full expression of the Self must be eliminated.”

This “Will” is capitalized to distinguish it obviously from a normal sense of willpower, or conscious volition. This Will can only be the natural or true motion of the totality of the self, including both conscious and unconscious factors in harmony. The kingdom or universe of V. is symbolized as an ailing body, and all sicknesses being diversions from ‘the one-pointedness of the Will.’ By eliminating these illnesses, the “body” may come to full health and allow ‘the full expression of the Self.’ The essential lesson of Mars is to eliminate all things that hinder this natural expression of the Self, understood under the figure of the Will.

The Sun beameth forth the Radiant Light of Truth and proclaimeth that, “All is one. Thy star is but one in the Continuum of the Ultimate Nameless. Therefore, harmonize thy universe into a Whole, for in Reality there is naught but this. Keep this knowledge of the Unity-of-all-things always in mind, even in times when thou art thou and I am I.”

The Sun, a reflection of that supreme inner Star that these seven planets revolve around, is naturally speaking of the Unity of things (further, Jung understands the Sun as a symbol of the imago dei and the Monad). The essential lesson of Sol is to understand the ‘Unity-of-all-things’ and always remember this, even in normal dualistic consciousness when subject & object appear. V. consistently has the attitude of accepting and affirming life, even the dualistic life of division full of both happiness & sorrow.

The delicate leaves of luster illuminate the lavish likeness of Venus: “All is joy! All is
beautiful!” pronounceth she. “Each thing is a perfect facet in the Omni-Gem of Unity. Bind all things into the radiance of this Gem and abide in the multitudinous Glory of its reflections.”

Venus then proclaims that all experiences of this “Omni-Gem of Unity” (a symbol that recalls the Buddhist mantra Aum mani padme hum which is translated loosely as “Aum, the jewel in the heart of the lotus”) are of the nature of joy, beauty, and perfection. This harkens back to Thelema’s pronouncement that “Existence is pure joy. The sorrows are but as shadows – they pass & are gone” (Liber AL II:9). Once again V. is bidden to understand the unity of all things, but also to ‘abide in the multitudinous Glory of its reflections.’ That is, V. is to perceive the Unity of existence, but also take his joy among the many diverse conditions of normal dualistic existence (the ‘multitudinous reflections’ which imply many as opposed to one.). 

Mercury chimeth in with a sweet voice of harmony: “Seek equilibrium in all things,”
he advises, “and order the Mind to react elastically to all circumstances. Unite each thought to its opposite and realize the fatuity of all these thoughts, all speech, and all knowledge. Then shalt thou arise Master of both sides.”

Mercury tells V. to ‘seek equilibrium in all things,’ ‘order the Mind to react elastically to all circumstances,’ and ‘unite each thought to its opposite and realize the fatuity of all these thoughts,’ etc. The first injunction applies to all things, and not just of the mind. The conception of equilibrium runs throughout nearly every religious tradition (the Qabalistic Tree of Life is balanced by two complementary pillars, God in the Christian sense rules the world by both Christ & the Devil, the Jewish God is both merciful and wrathful, the Tao is manifest by the balance of yin and yang, Buddha preached The Middle Path, etc.). Mercury traditionally bears the caduceus, a symbol of interweaving and balanced opposites – a symbol this lesson most likely refers to.

Since Mercury rules Air and the mind in western occultism, he speaks naturally of the mind. V. is told two things that may initially appear to be contradictory – to order the Mind and also to realize the fatuity of the mind – but this is not so. When one sees the opposite of one thought, one realizes the extent that the first thought is both true and false and the extent that the opposite is true and false – only then can one say that one truly understands an idea and ‘then shalt thou arise Master of both sides’ (also perhaps a reference to the attainment of Master of the Temple in the Western scheme of grades where one arises as a Master beyond dualities, in the Supernal triangle where contradiction is unity). Even so, this does not show that thoughts are fatuous or useless. What is meant here is that the mind cannot ever possibly accurately designate or express Truth because Truth is in unity and the mind works in terms of dualities – subject & object, good & bad, light & dark, etc. Even so, the mind has many uses (and one may even be tempted to use language to speak of various truths as V. obviously is attempting to do here in these Writings), and it would be impractical to discard the mind because it is a hindrance at some points. When one attains to the knowledge of the unity of things, 2 + 2 still equals 4 and leaves are still green. There is a saying in Zen Buddhism: “before satori [illumination into the nature of reality], chop wood. After satori, chop wood.” This knowledge of unity does not stop the spinning of the Wheel of time, nor does it abrogate one from one’s natural duties, it simply is a switch or transference of the point-of-view. Knowledge of all sorts of things including mathematics, science, the classics, etc. will indelibly help one in the world and add to one’s understanding thereof, so it should not be shunned but ordered neatly. The most important thing is that the Mind is to ‘react elastically’ to all situations, and this means that the Mind must be able to figure the most efficient method of action in the biggest variety of situations – and how may the Mind do this if it has no experience of things like foreign places, mathematics, a certain language, etc.?

The Moon gleameth and glamorously gabs, “All is flux, the waxing and waning of
my veil. Therefore, flow with the River and press ever onwards to conquer new ideas,
worlds, and things.” And as soon as she had come, she flutters onward to ever pursue her course.

The world is once again shown to be impermanent, in a constant state of flux analogous to ‘the waxing and waning of [the Moon’s] veil. We are told to ‘flow with the River,’ an obvious attempt to say not to struggle incessantly against the indefeasible inertia of nature. We are told to press ever onwards to conquer new ideas, worlds, and things,’ once again emphasizing the dynamic nature of things and counseling to move with them like the onrush of a river.

All these whirl around an invisible and unfathomable core, which issues,
understands, and integrates all things. V. abides in this center and contemplates the
proclamations of the Lords that Wander.

These different “entities’ are seen to be different facets that issue from a core, like a common mandala image as said before, where V. ‘abides… and contemplates the proclamations of the Lords that Wander.’ V. has come through an initiation or an ordeal of sorts (isn’t birth the first universal ordeal of all humanity?) but remains ever calm and unattached, although he is enriched by this experience.

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The Second Outburst

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The Third Outburst

The whole in the part, and the cosmic body
[8.15.07]

Although V. is but part of the Whole, his Being bursts forth the infinitudes of the cosmos. To V., each thing is a symbol, all swirling together in one turbulent system. All things appear as a portion of a patchwork, woven together by the thread of Love.

V. recognizes himself as part of the whole but a partaker therein. The potencies of the universe are also found within V. He recognizes the cosmos as a ‘turbulent system’ of ‘swirling’ symbols, each ‘as a portion of patchwork.’ This conception is of the universe as both a whole, the whole “blanket” that is being made, and also of the many individuals within as portions of patchwork, and all is ‘woven together by the thread of Love’ – perhaps just a poetic flourish, but all things are declared to be of the nature of ‘joy,’ ‘beauty,’ ‘love,’ etc. often by V.

V.’s heart overflows with the rapturous embrace of life – it bringeth forth galaxies and burneth like the core of a sun. What terrible acquaintance can V. not bind together in his heart?

The focus on these next sections are on various parts of the body of V. and their relations to universal symbols and themes. Here the heart is equated with the burning ‘core of a sun’ – again with stellar symbolism. It is this very overflow that V. speaks of that created these Writings, one such ‘galaxy,’ or cluster of ideas, that he may ‘bringeth forth’ from his ‘core.’ In this ‘rapturous embrace’ of all things, V. questions whether there is anything terrible enough to overcome his overflowing love – a sort of challenge to the universe.

V.’s mouth chomps at the bit of life. The vibrations of thought find expression in his Words and his Songs. V. buildeth a mountain of discourse with Apollonian accuracy, and V. dissolveth all in the Dionysian love-cry to Eternity. V. begetteth like the first fiery gestations of Time, and he devoureth with the greedy hunger of a fresh kill. What can satisfy his ravenous depths?

Attention now turns to the mouth, where V. once again proclaims his lust for life. The mouth produces words and is said to express ‘the vibrations of thought’ (vibrations being especially appropriate symbols for thoughts since thought is dualistic) in both ‘Words’ and ‘Songs’ – poetry and prose. In this line, V. adopts Friedrich Nietzsche’s aesthetic dichotomy of Apollonian/Dionysian, relating to ‘Words’ and ‘Songs’ respectively. Further they are related to the creation and destruction of things, both of which are “powers” of V. (Qabalistically this doctrine is understood as the balance between the red sphere of Geburah, “Severity,” and the blue sphere of Chesed, “Mercy”). V. both begets and devours, like the Big Bang or a hungry predator. On this note of hunger, V. questions whether anything ‘can satisfy his ravenous depths’ – again, with the tone of a sort of challenge to the universe.

V.’s feet leap like a goat and shuffle like a monk. Each person marches to their own drummer, and V.’s is an enchanting rhythm. Endlessly undulating throughout the aeons, V. knoweth even his rest to be part of the Great Motion. Abiding in sublime simplicity, V. knoweth even his greatest strides to be but a facet in the cosmic Egg of Rest. What Motion may further fuel his Joy?

The attention now comes to V.’s feet which both “leap” and “shuffle,” emphasizing that he is both active & virile, and controlled & contemplative. V. makes a reference to Henry David Thoreau’s line about ‘each person marches to their own drummer,’ and V. proclaims that his own is ‘enchanting’ (obviously he is ‘enchanted’ in the same sense that he is ‘life-intoxicated’). Life itself is compared to a song, ‘endlessly undulating throughout the aeons.’ Here V. asserts a sort of paradox of rest in Motion and motion in Rest, then he challenges again, comparing each Motion, each experience, as fuel for ‘his Joy.’

V.’s mind comprehendeth as the vast womb of space engulfs the milky span of stars.
V. is both an architect and a builder – he is both a judge and an executioner. Beneath these chaotic complements lies the still pool of Suchess, where all thought is as a rippling contamination upon the empty fullness of its magnanimity. Though cloaked in stillness, the roots of omnipotence brancheth out in Its depths. From this, V. buddeth forth with the flowers of Ecstasy.

The architect is to the builder as the judge is to the executioner in the sense that both the architect and judge make the decision, and both the builder and executioner carry out this order. The difference between the architect and the judge is that one is issuing decisions for construction and the latter is issuing decisions for destruction – once again showing V. as both creative & destructive. This ‘creative & destructive’ is understood merely as a dichotomy, and V. asserts that there is a sort of third that is transcendent of these opposites, much like the Tao is transcendent of the workings of the yin and yang. He calls this ‘the still pool of Suchness’ and dualistic thought is called a ‘contamination upon the empty fullness of its magnanimity’ – a complete contradiction, something which attempts to jostle the mind out of its normal dichotomized view of things into that very transcendent Suchness that is mentioned. The symbol of the mind resting as a still body of water with thoughts as ripples obscuring the uncontaminated view comes from Patanjali’s Yogasutras and other Hindu literature. V. says that although this ‘pool of Suchness’ is ‘cloaked in stillness, the roots of omnipotence brancheth out in Its depths’ – in a sense, a warning against thinking “It” impotent by the mere appearance of stillness. This conception of “the roots of omnipotence” branching out to the depths is also an obvious symbol of the unconscious and its seemingly infinite (at least to the conscious ego) potencies.

V. hath bloomed like a rose, expanding and opening unto the Light. Now, V.
retracteth himself like a turtle into his shell, so he may abide in the silent peace of Darkness.

V. ‘expands,’ or exists in extension, in the world like a blooming rose, ‘opening unto the Light,’ reminiscent of the Rosicrucian symbol of the solar Rose-cross. V. retracts himself, meaning retracts his attachment/awareness to the senses ‘like a turtle into his shell’ (a conception of pratyahara used by Hindu yogis), 

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The Fourth Outburst

The God-puzzle
[8.16.07]

This Outburst is entitled ‘The God-puzzle.’ So far, the word “God” has not been mentioned once in the text although many analogies to various conceptions of God(s) have been made in the commentary. Here V. finally addresses the inevitable question of “what of God in your universe?” It may be noted that the whole tone of this particular chapter is less formal and given attention with the sort of seriousness of a child at play (as Nietzsche might say). Contemplation of God should not make one feel sorrowful and helpful, it should bring joy and strength. V. therefore talks and reasons with the candor of a child.

V. danceth and rejoiceth in the playgrounds of Eternity. The planets and star clusters
are but parts of the game of cosmic motion.

Once again, V. sees life as a ‘playground’ where one may ‘dance and rejoice.’ All things again are asserted to be part of ‘the game of cosmic motion.’

But what of God in such a Universe?

God is as an extra piece in V.’s jigsaw puzzle. All interweaves into a harmonious Whole – what need is there for such a thought? Had V. not heard such a word, would not the trees still take root – would not the Sun’s illimitable exuberance still grace our world?

V. makes a startling claim that ‘God is as an extra piece.’ In fact, he is claiming that the thought of God ‘is as an extra piece’ in that it is not needed for a coherent view of the self and universe. V. considers God as ‘a thought’ and ‘a word’ and not an a priori metaphysical truth. He says that the Sun will still shine even if the thought of God does not arise – life moves forward constantly in all domains – mineral, plant, and animal – and the very idea of God does not even come into play, except in somewhat modern times.

It is said that God is the greatest good. Show V. the greatest evil and he will kneel with equal respect. Can a one-sided coin be said to exist? V. can not acknowledge a God who’s omnipotence does not work with both the hands of mercy and of severity.

V. contests the claim that “God is the greatest good” by saying that the greatest evil deserves ‘equal respect.’ He backs up this claim by asking the rhetorical question “can a one-sided coin be said to exist?” of which the answer is no for all manifestation implies opposites, as asserted above in the First Outburst. V. claims that omnipotence must work ‘with both the hands of mercy and of severity,’ a reference to the balanced pillars of the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

The Universe is a perfect and boundless system. How shall we limit the illimitable?
For each mask we affix to the indefinable, we constrain the universal Word to a smaller expression.  The universe? Nature? God? Each name contains a sliver of truth at the expense of the whole reality. V. sees no benefit in such labels – he would rather go his Way, and perform his acts of Love amidst the Ultimate Nameless.

V. now justifies his claim by saying that any label given to “reality,” even “the universe,” is essentially constraining upon the thing-in-itself, a reference again to the fatuity of speech & thought for expressing the Absolute. V. sees no benefit in labels, although he arbitrarily uses one, “the Ultimate Nameless” to be specific, to describe the reality – a name particularly and paradoxically suited to point to the fact that it is Nameless. Again, the motifs of the conception of life as in constant motion and as expressions of love are repeated.

Many look to the heavens for consolation. V. gazes up to the sky and knows himself to be part of the brotherhood of stars. He cleans his diamond-heart in the furnace of meditation, and the Child-Voice of Eternity bellows from within. The thread of divinity does not weave the boundary of unreachable heights – it weaves itself through our innermost places. All is a beautiful, though unruly, tapestry!

V. does not look to some superior or other-worldly force for consolation – instead of looking up to a superior, ‘he gazes up to the sky and knows himself to be part of the brotherhood of stars.’ Next a symbolic conception of the cleaning of ‘his diamond-heart in the furnace of meditation’ is given: the diamond-heart refers again to the Buddhist mantra Aum mani padme hum (“Aum, the jewel in the heart of the lotus”) and essentially refers to that point of illuminated consciousness (chit in Hindu terminology). Naturally it is ‘contaminated’ by the diverse thoughts that cluster about it, but it is cleaned ‘in the furnace of meditation’ – for meditation burns away the dross to reveal this inner illuminated consciousness, understood in dynamic form as ‘the Child-Voice of Eternity,’ just as a gem is made perfect by applying friction to the outside. Divinity is asserted not to be in a heaven ‘of unreachable heights,’ but it is found in ‘our innermost places.’ Once again a proclamation of the beauty of all things, while admitting & accepting the chaos of it all, is given.

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The Fifth Outburst

The turning of seasons, and
the clumsiness of grammar
[8.17.07]

In V.’s head lieth winter wisdom, in his arms is the fragile touch of autumn, in his legs is the strong solace of summer, and in his heart is the eternal spring. V. taketh his delight in all the seasons, binding the highest to the lowest into a pillar of Love.

V. sees that the four seasons also find their microcosmic equivalent in himself. The eternal spring in the heart is also a reference to a Christian idea (St. Augustine?). Once again V. asserts his transcendence of dualities by ‘binding the highest to the lowest in a pillar of Love,’ a reference to Kether (‘the highest’) and Malkuth (‘the lowest’) being on the Middle Pillar of the Qabalistic Tree of Life.

What could possibly trouble V., who rideth upon the ever-changing Wheel of ecstasy? His enemies lie in wait with subtle disguises. V. proclaimeth his most nefarious foe to be part of the very fabric of his own manifestation: grammar! For, that which uttereth “I” uttereth falsehood.

A question arises as to whether any trouble could come to V. who has built such a ‘pillar of Love.’ He admits that there are ‘ subtle enemies,’ one of which is grammar itself, the means of manifestation of words. He asserts that the positing of a subject, an “I” is the positing of a falsehood.

V. wisheth to speak, but he knoweth there to be no subject nor object. Shall he keep his silence, lest his tongue confuseth his heart? Nay. V. hath affixed himself in equilibrium between This and That, and he knoweth them in truth to be one. This double wand V. wieldeth as he proclaimeth those many falsehoods that may only point towards Truth.

V. continues on the theme of the previous paragraph by admitting that there is in truth “no subject nor object,” except through the application of dualistic thought. He wonders if he should keep complete silence in fear of inherently uttering falsehoods. He reassures himself of his transcendence of complementary opposites – here understood in terms of perception of “This and That” – and recognizes they can be used to “point towards Truth.” This, as mentioned in the introduction to this commentary, is most likely the foremost reason for subtitling this work “the impetuous wanderings of a delusional mind.”

V. painteth a landscape through the tricks of color to expresseth that place of Beauty wherein he abides. As a smell diggeth up memories past, V.’s paintwork bringeth forth the rapture of all in the hearts of men. V. striketh the loud chord of Unity so all sympathetic souls may resonate with him.

V. compares his using of dualistic words & thoughts to explain reality to a painter expressing a landscape by ‘the tricks of color’ on a two-dimensional surface. Then V. gives a hopeful proclamation that his words will bring others back to their rightful places as partakers of ‘the rapture of all,’ and that his words are like a ‘loud chord of Unity so all sympathetic souls may resonate with him.’

Through such speech, V. findeth Silence.

V. has found the Silence beyond the dualisms of speech & silence through the manipulations of this dichotomy (whose efficacy & validity were questioned above), just like a finger pointing to the moon.