Frater SMK

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Liber Cadaveris: Ritual CXX, Of Passing through the Tuat with its symbolic journey through the Tuat (the Egyptian underworld), reflects the passage from limited individual consciousness to the realization of the star’s true divine nature.

The rite dramatizes the dissolution of duality and identification with finite form, culminating in the individual’s awakening to Hadit at their core, unified with the infinite.

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Symbolism of the Officers

At the start of the Ritual of Passing through the Tuat, the officers play crucial symbolic roles that align with the principles of Hadit and Nuit, the individual star, and the cosmic interplay that underlies all existence. The roles of the officers reflect different aspects of the cosmic forces at work in the initiation and awakening of the individual consciousness.

There are essentially three Officers: Nuit, Hadit, and Ra-Hoor-Khuit. The Invisible Officers are Ta-Nech for Nuit and Bes-n-Maut for Hadit. These officers symbolize the hidden essence of Nuit and Hadit, who are the ultimate Nothingness (Naught), from which all manifestation arises.

Nuit (Ta-Nech) represents infinite space, the boundless field of potential, surrounding all things but never fully revealed. As an invisible force, Nuit reflects the unmanifest nature of the cosmos, always present but beyond direct perception.

Hadit (Bes-n-Maut) symbolizes the point of consciousness within each individual star. His presence, though invisible, acts as the guiding force within the initiate, driving them toward realization of their divine essence. Hadit is the silent witness, the active yet unseen presence within.

The Visible Officer is Ankh-af-na-Khonsu as Ra-Hoor-Khuit. Ra-Hoor-Khuit, embodied by Ankh-af-na-Khonsu, appears as the visible aspect of monistic consciousness. He represents the manifested unity of opposites—the result of the union between Hadit and Nuit. Ra-Hoor-Khuit stands as the divine expression of cosmic power and transformation.

In this ritual, the officers represent the internal forces guiding the initiate toward realization of their divine nature. The changing roles of the officers symbolize the different phases of transformation within the initiate’s journey: from opening to closing, from death to rebirth, and from ignorance to divine realization. The initiate, through the guidance of these forces, comes to embody the unity of Hadit and Nuit, emerging as a star fully aware of their infinite nature and empowered by the truth of their cosmic identity.

Understanding Liber CXX

Death, Rebirth, and the Recognition of Divinity

The ritual begins with the candidate dressed as a corpse, reflecting the symbolic death of the ego and false identification with limited existence. This mirrors the realization that all finite aspects of the self are ultimately Naught.

As the candidate undergoes physical binding and blinding, they pass through stages of darkness and limitation, representing the illusions of duality and form. This echoes the truth that the star (individual) must experience the constraints of duality, space, and time before recognizing their true nature beyond them.

The candidate is reawakened through the guidance of the officer, who acts as both initiator and hierophant. The officer removes the bindings—symbolizing liberation from the illusions of material existence—and breathes life into the candidate, invoking the presence of Hadit within.

The line “I who am nothing deny all that I was; I who am nothing affirm all that I shall be” directly reflects Hadit’s nature: the core of the self that is not bound by past or present. It is a death to all that one was, a death to all identity, so that a New Life may birth forth. This new life is the perception of a divine unity within the individual, the Star.

As the ritual progresses, the candidate performs invocations of Ra-Hoor-Khuit, the symbolic synthesis of opposites (solar power, divine force). Through the invocations and offerings, the candidate embodies both the active principle of Hadit and the infinite embrace of Nuit. This mirrors the cosmic union that creates and sustains experience.

The repeated circumambulations (eleven times widdershins) emphasize the dissolution of ordinary reality and time, reinforcing the principle of non-duality. The eleven circles correspond to the mystical number of union, reflecting the balance of the finite and infinite—the interplay of Hadit (the point) and Nuit (the field).

The Candidate’s Apotheosis: Realization of Divinity

As the ritual reaches its climax, the candidate declares, “As Nuit is about me, as Hadit is within me, so am I Ra-Hoor-Khuit!” This is the moment of realization—the recognition that the star (individual) is both finite and infinite, a manifestation of Hadit within the field of Nuit. The candidate transcends duality, recognizing that their essence is rooted in the perfect Nothingness from which all manifestation arises.

The ritual culminates with the officer declaring: “As this brand is not to be effaced from thy body, so is this Initiation not to be effaced from thy soul!” This marks the permanence of the realization: the candidate’s identification with Hadit and Nuit cannot be undone. The brand reflects the eternal truth of the individual’s divine nature, now recognized and embodied.

Integration into the Cosmos: The Boat and the Gods

The boat journey through the Tuat symbolizes the transition from fragmented, finite self to cosmic consciousness. As the candidate navigates the boat through obstacles, they overcome illusions of separation and limitation, emerging as a victorious star. The boat’s canopy of stars signifies the individual’s place within Nuit, surrounded by and part of the infinite.

The integration of divine parts (e.g., “My hair is the hair of Nu, my face is the face of the Disk…”) reflects the reassembly of the individual as a cosmic being. Each part of the candidate’s body is aligned with a divine force, reinforcing the truth that the individual is a microcosm of the divine, containing all gods and forces within themselves.

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The Ritual of Passing through the Tuat dramatizes the journey of the star (individual) from identification with limited form to awakening to their true nature as a manifestation of Hadit within Nuit. It is a symbolic death and rebirth, emphasizing that the individual must pass through duality, time, and space to recognize the eternal, unchanging truth that they are a star—both finite and infinite—rooted in the perfect Nothingness (Naught) from which all experience arises.

The boat journey, the invocations of Ra-Hoor-Khuit, and the sacred branding all emphasize the unity of Hadit and Nuit within the individual. This unity is the essence of the star’s existence: each individual is a unique point of consciousness, experiencing the infinite through the process of finite existence. The ritual culminates in the candidate’s identification with the divine, acknowledging that they are Ra-Hoor-Khuit—the dynamic expression of cosmic unity.

This ritual serves as a profound reminder of the truth that every individual is their own god, their own universe, and their own Tree of Life, grounded in the ultimate Nothingness that lies at the heart of all being.

Love is the law, love under will.