Last year, after completing the Thelemic Holy Season, I spoke with another Thelemite about the different readings and styles, which prompted the following response: “There are different ways?”
Yes, there are a few variations and “styles” of the Thelemic Holy Days, and I have experimented with each of the main styles as a solo ritual. Lacking a better word, I will refer to each of these variations as “traditions,” as you only need to pass something down once for it to be a tradition, technically.
Eshelman’s Tephila
From what I can gather, the tradition of Holy Season readings started with James Eshelman, who titled it Thelemic Tephila. According to his website, this was a practice he created for the Second Order initiates of his Temple of Thelema, later published to the public in that order’s periodical, The Black Pearl.
The full Tephila practice is a year-round cycle of readings from the Thelemic Libers, but the most prevalent variation focuses on the 22 days from The Equinox of the Gods (March 20th) and the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law (April 10th). This uses the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, each day assigned to a letter, from that a corresponding Tarot card, and according to Eshelman, an appropriate reading.
Eshelman’s practice incorporates reading The Prologue of the Unborn from Liber VII on March 19th, from the yearly cycle adopted by many as a way to anticipate the Holy Season. Also of note is the first day, corresponding to the Hebrew letter Tau and the Universe card, which is split in the morning and evening with Liber LXV Chapter 1 and Liber VII Chapter 2 for correspondences to the elements of Earth and the planet Saturn, respectively. This is the only split day, and the rest of the Holy Days proceed with one reading a day. We are left with the following format.
| Date | Hebrew Letter | Tephila | Thoth Tarot Card |
| 3/19 | – | Liber VII, “Prologue of the Unborn” | – |
| 3/20 | ת | Liber LXV, Chapter 1 (AM 3/20) | 21 The Universe |
| 3/20 | ת | Liber VII, Chapter 2 | 21 The Universe |
| 3/21 | ש | Liber LXV, Chapter 4 | 20 The Aeon |
| 3/22 | ר | Liber VII, Chapter 4 | 19 The Sun |
| 3/23 | ק | Liber VII, Chapter 6 | 18 The Moon |
| 3/24 | צ | Liber Tzaddi vel Hamus Hermeticus | 4 The Emperor* |
| 3/25 | פ | Liber VII, Chapter 1 | 16 The Tower |
| 3/26 | ע | Liber A’ash vel Capricorni Pneumatici | 15 The Devil |
| 3/27 | ס | Liber ARARITA, Chapter 7 | 14 Art |
| 3/28 | נ | Liber Arcanorum | 13 Death |
| 3/29 | מ | Liber LXV, Chapter 3 | 12 The Hanged Man |
| 3/30 | ל | Liber Libræ | 8 Adjustment** |
| 3/31 | כ | Liber VII, Chapter 3 | 10 Fortune |
| 4/1 | י | Liber VII, Chapter 5 | 9 The Hermit |
| 4/2 | ט | Liber Stellæ Rubeæ | 11 Lust** |
| 4/3 | ח | Liber Cheth | 7 The Chariot |
| 4/4 | ז | Liber LXV, Chapter 2 | 6 The Lovers |
| 4/5 | ו | Liber LXV, Chapter 5 | 5 The Hierophant |
| 4/6 | ה | Liber ARARITA, Chapter 6 | 17 The Star* |
| 4/7 | ד | Liber VII, Chapter 7 | 3 The Empress |
| 4/8 | ג | Liber Legis, Chapter I (Nuit) | 2 The Priestess |
| 4/9 | ב | Liber Legis, Chapter II (Hadit) | 1 The Magus |
| 4/10 | א | Liber Legis, Chapter III (Heru-Ra-Ha) | 0 The Fool |
The holograph manuscript of Liber Legis is available here.
Because this tradition focuses on the Hebrew alphabet, it rearranges the Thoth Tarot Atu card order. Each switch in this order is indicated with * and ** above.
After completing this series many years ago, one of the first questions I pondered was the assignment of the readings. The Prologue of the Unborn makes some sense as the prologue to the Holy Days. Crowley’s commentary to Liber LXV Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente lists the five chapters as earth, air, water, fire, and spirit. Assigning Chapter 1 to the first reading to Tau (The Universe), being the Earth bisection, is once again self-explanatory. The same goes for the chapters of this book assigned to Shin (The Aeon) and Mem (The Hanged Man). This brings in each Tarot card’s elemental attribution to its corresponding chapter. This leaves the odd use of this book for Zayin (The Lovers) as the air chapter and Vav (The Hierophant) as the spirit chapter.
These attributions make a bit more sense, considering the Tarot attribution for air is The Fool, which is used for the Third Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law, something probably best not switched. Attributed to The Lovers card is Gemini, the Mutable Air sign, but the Hebrew letter Vav attributed to the Hierophant is air in the Tetragrammaton. Astrologically, the Hierophant is attributed to the Fixed Earth sign Taurus. The deeper symbolic explanation would be that the Hierophant is the symbol representing the “spirit” of the Aeon, and Gemini is the first air sign in the astrological year, also ruled by the planet of Mercury, often associated with communication and speech.
Likewise, the seven chapters of Liber Liberi vel Lapidis Lazuli are attributed to the seven classical planets, although in a unique order. This order is Mars, Saturn, Jupiter, Sol, Mercury, Luna, and Venus. Again two readings do not line up with the attribution of the cards. The first is Qoph, The Moon, which is attributed not to Luna but to the zodiac sign of Pisces. A simple use of the name of the card instead of astrological attribution solves this and leaves the card associated with the Moon, The Priestess, available for the First Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law. Again, let’s not change the cards for those three days. The second explanation needed is Yod, The Hermit, being used for Mercury when it is attributed to Virgo. The usual card would be The Magus but that is tied up with the Second Day of the Writing of the Book of the Law. The ruling planet of Virgo is Mercury, so we see this indirect attribution of The Hermit card standing in for the more explicit one.
With the elemental and planetary attributions out of the way, we are left with a patchwork zodiac and Liber ARARITA pulling some double duty. Further explorations of these associations is fruitful, and that is true for the all of these traditions.
Companions of Monsalvat
The Companions of Monsalvat were a group of San Francisco Bay Area Thelemic initiates. Aside from a few mentions associating them with working alongside Thelema Lodge in the 2000s, not much remains available about them online. What can be found are their versions of the readings for the 22 Holy Days. [Apologies for the broken links, this article was drafted years before it was posted.]
| Date | Monsalvat 1 | Monsalvat 2 | Monsalvat 3 |
| 3/19 | Liber VII, “Prologue of the Unborn” | ||
| 3/20 AM | Liber LXV, Chapter 1 (AM 3/20) | San Miguel de Molinos — from The Spiritual Guide (AM 3/20) | – |
| 3/20 | Liber VII, Chapter 2 | San Juan de la Cruz — from The Dark Night of the Soul* | – |
| 3/21 | Liber LXV, Chapter 4 | St. William Blake — from The Four Zoas (9th Night) | St. William Blake — from The Four Zoas (9th Night) |
| 3/22 | Liber VII, Chapter 4 | – | From “A Mithraic Ritual” Translated by GRS Mead. |
| 3/23 | Liber VII, Chapter 6 | – | “Dark Night of the Soul”, Book II, Cap 8 by San Juan de la Cruz.* |
| 3/24 | Liber Tzaddi vel Hamus Hermeticus | St. Lao Tzu — from the Tao Te Ching (37 & 39) | St. Lao Tzu — from the Tao Te Ching (37 & 39) |
| 3/25 | Liber VII, Chapter 1 | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: the 16th Æthyr | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: the 16th Æthyr |
| 3/26 | Liber A’ash vel Capricorni Pneumatici | St. Aleister — from Liber CXI Chs. Wq-Wr. | St. Aleister — from Liber CXI Chs. Wq-Wr. |
| 3/27 | Liber ARARITA, Chapter 7 | Heiliger Michael Maier — from Atalanta Fugiens | “The Vision of the Universal Mercury” by G.H. Frater S.R.M.D. |
| 3/28 | Liber Arcanorum | St. Aleister — from Liber CXI Chs. Ζι – Ζλ | St. Aleister — from Liber CXI Chs. Ζι – Ζλ |
| 3/29 | Liber LXV, Chapter 3 | – | “I. N. R. I.” by Frater Achad. |
| 3/30 | Liber Libræ | – | Selections from “The Spiritual Guide” by San Miguel de Molinos. |
| 3/31 | Liber VII, Chapter 3 | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: 20th Æthyr | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: 20th Æthyr |
| 4/1 | Liber VII, Chapter 5 | from the Tabula Smaragdina of Hermes Trismegistus | from the Tabula Smaragdina of Hermes Trismegistus |
| 4/2 | Liber Stellæ Rubeæ | – | From “The Daughter of Fortitude” Received by Edward Kelly. |
| 4/3 | Liber Cheth vel Vallum Abiegni | Heiliger Richard Wagner — from Parsifal | “Maha Prajnaparamita Hridaya Sutra” (The Heart Sutra, Buddhist text. Translation by the Kuan Um School of Zen). |
| 4/4 | Liber LXV, Chapter 2 | Heiliger Johann Valentin Andreae — from The Chymical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreutz | From Liber DCCCXXXVII, The Law of Liberty. ** |
| 4/5 | Liber LXV, Chapter 5 | – | From “On Christ and Antichrist” by Hippolytus, Cap 2. |
| 4/6 | Liber ARARITA, Chapter 6 | from The Thunder: Perfect Mind | from The Thunder: Perfect Mind |
| 4/7 | Liber VII, Chapter 7 | from Liber CDXVIII: the 7th Æthyr | from Liber CDXVIII: the 7th Æthyr |
| 4/8 | Liber Legis, Chapter I (Nuit) | – | “Vajrasattva, Primordial Buddha of Diamond or Rainbow Light” From Songs and Meditations of the Tibetan Dhyani Buddhas. |
| 4/9 | Liber Legis, Chapter II (Hadit) | St. Aleister — from The Law of Liberty ** | “Visvapani, The Bodhisattva and Spiritual Emanation of Amoghasiddhi” From Songs and Meditations of the Tibetan Dhyani Buddhas. |
| 4/10 | Liber Legis, Chapter III (Heru-Ra-Ha) | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: the 22nd Æthyr | St. Aleister — from Liber CDXVIII: the 22nd Æthyr |
| Notes | Monsalvat Cards are the same as Eshelman’s | Never Completed, seems to inform Monsalvat 3 | Completed? |
The Companions had a second reading for each day and were working towards a complete ritual outline as well. This work has been further modified and completed with a ritual by Ananael Qaa and is available here. (Monsalvat 3)
There is a clear overlap of Eshelman’s attributions and influence on the initial readings (Monsalvat 1) and process. I will not spend too much time explaining all the secondary readings (Monsalvat 2), but I love to see Blake, alchemical writings, and The Thunder: Perfect Mind all make an appearance.
Raise the Spell
Also coming out of the Companions of Monsalvat is the group ritual format from M. Dionysius Rogers in his book Raise the Spell, titled “Vernal Holy Days: Office of Readings.” Gone are the secondary readings, and in are an opening, various invocations, Secret Instructions of the Master, and concluding prayers. If you don’t have this book, I highly suggest it for the plethora of Thelemic group rituals.
While I have only worked this schedule with personal modification for individual use, I prefer it for the few changes it makes. The first is the emphasis on Class A Libers for the Holy Days. I say goodbye to my beloved Liber Libræ (Class B), but focusing on the Holy Books of Thelema for the Vernal Holy Days makes for better conceptual continuity. Also changed is the switch from using Hebrew letters as the key to using the Atus of the Thoth Tarot in order instead. This preserves a more effortless visual continuity and process, especially for those who use this Tarot deck often, including yours truly.
| Date | Raise the Spell | Thoth Card | Thoth Attribute |
| 3/19 | – | – | – |
| 3/20 AM | – | – | – |
| 3/20 | Liber VII, Chapter 2 | 21 The Universe | Saturn and Earth |
| 3/21 | Liber LXV, Chapter 5 | 20 The Aeon | Fire and Spirit |
| 3/22 | Liber VII, Chapter 4 | 19 The Sun | Sun |
| 3/23 | Liber VII, Chapter 6 | 18 The Moon | Pisces |
| 3/24 | Liber Tzaddi vel Hamus Hermeticus | 17 The Star | Aquarius |
| 3/25 | Liber VII, Chapter 1 | 16 The Tower | Mars |
| 3/26 | Liber A’ash vel Capricorni Pneumatici | 15 The Devil | Capricorn |
| 3/27 | Liber ARARITA, Chapters 1-3 | 14 Art | Sagittarius |
| 3/28 | Liber XXV Stellae Rubeae | 13 Death | Scorpio |
| 3/29 | Liber LXV, Chapter 3 | 12 The Hanged Man | Water |
| 3/30 | Liber LXV, Chapter 4 | 11 Lust | Leo |
| 3/31 | Liber VII, Chapter 3 | 10 Fortune | Jupiter |
| 4/1 | Liber VII, Chapter 5 | 9 The Hermit | Virgo |
| 4/2 | Liber LXV, Chapter 2 | 8 Adjustment | Libra |
| 4/3 | Liber Cheth vel Vallum Abiegni | 7 The Chariot | Cancer |
| 4/4 | Liber B vel Magi | 6 The Lovers | Gemini |
| 4/5 | Liber LXV, Chapter 1 | 5 The Hierophant | Taurus |
| 4/6 | Liber ARARITA, Chapters 4-7 | 4 The Emperor | Aries |
| 4/7 | Liber VII, Chapter 7 | 3 The Empress | Venus |
| 4/8 | Liber Legis, Chapter I (Nuit) | 2 The Priestess | Luna |
| 4/9 | Liber Legis, Chapter II (Hadit) | 1 The Magus | Mercury |
| 4/10 | Liber Legis, Chapter III (Heru-Ra-Ha) | 0 The Fool | Air |
| Notes | All Class A texts (Liber Librae is Class B) | keyed to: Thoth Atu Order |
But Which One?
We can see how the Office of Readings has evolved and been refined a few times in the short history that it has been around.
Having personally practiced all the above reading schedules over the last few years, I recommend doing the same. While M. Dionysius Rogers’ Vernal Holy Days is my favorite, there’s no reason you shouldn’t experiment, record, and decide for yourself. You may even want to make your own based on your understanding of these associations and Holy Texts.
Ophiphos 