The Adeptus Major Grade

Adeptus Major. — Obtains a general mastery of practical Magick, though without comprehension.

• The Grade of Adeptus Major confers Magical Powers (strictly so-called) of the second rank.
• His work is to use these to support the authority of the Exempt Adept his superior. (This is not to be understood as an obligation of personal subservience or even loyalty; but as a necessary part of his duty to assist his inferiors. For the authority of the Teaching and governing Adept is the basis of all orderly work.)
• To attain the Grade of Adeptus Exemptus, he must accomplish Three Tasks; the acquisition of absolute Self-Reliance, working in complete isolation, yet transmitting the word of his superior clearly, forcibly and subtly; and the comprehension and use of the Revolution of the wheel of force, under its three successive forms of Radiation, Conduction and Convection (Mercury, Sulphur, Salt; or Sattvas, Rajas, Tamas), with their corresponding natures on other planes. Thirdly, he must exert his whole power and authority to govern the Members of lower Grades with balanced vigour and initiative in such a way as to allow no dispute or complaint; he must employ to this end the formula called "The Beast conjoined with the Woman" which establishes a new incarnation of deity; as in the legends of Leda, Semele, Miriam, Pasiphae, and others. He must set up this ideal for the orders which he rules, so that they may possess a not too abstract rallying point suited to their undeveloped states.

[One Star in Sight sub figurâ CDLXXXIX]

"I got mad at the bloody roar of the Battles and fell into the silent whiteness of Peace, so I became MONGE GUERREIRO. But being peaceful I am not a pacifist. I am the Warrior Monk waiting for the first sign of Fair Battle. I am THE TIGER resting in attention. For this, many call me THAT-SLEEP-AWAKENED." [Frater Thor - The Black Goddess]

"Adeptus Major" Summary

The Adeptus Major, or Great Adept, has his consciousness in the sephirah of Gebura, Severity (in the Severity column, or Jacim of the Masons). Unfortunately, there is little information on this degree, since Crowley did not document this passage. We can base ourselves on his few accounts and on the relations with the sephirah and the ways.

Geburah is the fifth sephirah of the Tree of Life , ruled by Mars , the God of War . In view of this, the characteristic of this degree is the resolution of their inner conflicts, in preparation for the jump in the abyss of Daät . Here the initiate "conquers" his astral map and being a master of magic, he uses any magical technique with dominating authority.

Dion Fortune, in her book "The Mystical Qabalah", gives us the following definition of the initiate in this sephirah:

"47. Geburah is the most dynamic and forceful of all the Sephiroth, but it is also the most highly disciplined. Indeed, the military discipline, presided over by the god of War, is a synonym for the sternest kind of control that can be imposed upon human beings. The discipline of Geburah must exactly equate with its energy; in other words, the brakes of a car must bear a relationship to its horse-power if it is to be safe on the road. It is this tremendous Geburah discipline which is one of the testing-points of the Mysteries. We speak of an iron discipline, and iron is the metal of Mars.

48. The initiate of Geburah is a very dynamic and forceful person, but he is also a very controlled person. His characteristic virtues are an even temper and patience under provocation. It is well known on the sports field, which is the play-aspect of the god of War, that a loss of temper gives the game away. Every boxer knows that if he gets angry and starts fighting instead of boxing, the odds are against him. The initiate of Mars is essentially the Happy Warrior, the initiate who has passed through the grade of Tiphareth and gained equilibrium"

Let us remember what the gladiators said in their training: "Ira est mort" (Anger is Death).

There are some kabbalistic relations regarding the name: Adeptus Major sum 128, which is equivalent to the Latin phrase pater et mater, obviously father and mother having relation to the divine name of God, the Tetragramaton, Yod - He and Vav - Heh. is the alchemical fusion of the active male potency and the passive female potency, the primacy of creation, under the word of the True Will discovered in the previous degree. One technique that is related to the work of the degree is that of the IXth ordo templi orientis

It is good to clarify that there are no hierarchical relations between the orders. The grade IX° of the Ordo Templi Orientis is not equivalent to an Adeptus Major. The Ordo Templi Orientis works with systems of chakras and the adept of A∴A∴, evolves over the concepts of the Tree of Life. The orders have different systems and works, what they have in common is only the acceptance of the precepts of the Book of the Law.

Advance to Adeptus Exemptus

To achieve the Adeptus Exemptus Degree he must complete three tasks; 

• The acquisition of absolute confidence in Himself, working in complete isolation, yet transmitting the word of His superior clearly, powerfully and subtly; 
• The understanding and use of the Revolution of the power wheel, under its three successive forms of Radiation, Conduction and Convection (Mercury, Sulfur and Salt, or Sattvas, Rajas, Tamas), with their corresponding natures in other planes. 
• Third, it must exercise its full power and authority to govern the Members of the lowest Degrees, with vigor and initiative balanced in such a way as to admit neither disputes nor complaints; for this purpose he must employ the formula called "The Beast copulating with the Woman" which establishes a new incarnation of the deity; which in the legends of Leda, Semele, Miriam, Pasiphae and others. He must establish this ideal for the orders that he governs, so that they possess a not so abstract point of contact for their little evolved stages.