Liber LXV: The Inn-keeper, his Guests, and the Ones at the Door
The parables of the Holy Books of Thelema
“There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and prate of their feats of wine-bibbing. There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and revile the guests. The guests dally upon couches of mother-of-pearl in the garden; the noise of the foolish men is hidden from them. Only the inn-keeper feareth lest the favour of the king be withdrawn from him.”
– Liber LXV, IV:11-14
At one level, this parable describes the qualities of different types of magicians that one may encounter on the Path of Return. Grouping people into broad categories like this is not meant to be inclusive of everyone you meet, of course. Individual personalities are a complex mix of factors, but the general descriptions here feel familiar, and readers may find that the magicians described here bear resemblance to a few of those around them in real life and online.
Also, the Holy Books are known for their layers of meaning, so we find that these types may be seen as reflections of the self.
Let’s go to the tavern!
“There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and prate of their feats of wine-bibbing. There are purse-proud penniless ones that stand at the door of the tavern and revile the guests.”
The parable begins outside of a tavern. a drinking establishment that would be serving beer, wine, and spirits. Wine or grapes are often symbolic of partaking in divine communion, and drunkenness can be associated with spiritual ecstasy. Clearly the tavern represents a holy place.
One also thinks of a couple of related lines from Liber AL vel Legis:
“Eat rich foods and drink sweet wines and wines that foam!” — Ch I:51
“To worship me take wine and strange drugs whereof I will tell my prophet, & be drunk thereof!” — Ch II:22
This sets the scene for us, and we should be on lookout for references to Adepts who are in communication with their Holy Guardian Angel.
The people at the door of the tavern are described as “purse-proud penniless ones.” This refers to their character more so than their finances. They are purse-proud, meaning that they put a lot of arrogant emphasis on the material possessions they own, the things they have done, the stories they tell themselves and others, all of these form a huge part of their personal identity.
They are penniless, literally without funds, and perhaps they stand at the door of the tavern because they cannot afford to go inside. But they are also penniless and poor in a spiritual sense. They really have nothing of value to offer. They are outside, looking in. This emphasizes the separation between them and what they prize.
The first group of purse-proud penniless ones is outside bragging at length about “their feats of wine-bibbing.” They are heavy drinkers, or at least they claim to be, and since wine often signifies spiritual ecstasy, it shows that these people are talking loudly, foolishly, and tediously about their own spiritual accomplishments. Yet they are purse-proud and penniless, so we know their word cannot be trusted.
The other purse-proud penniless group stands at the door, outside looking in, and they “revile the guests.” They are criticizing and insulting the ones inside, those who have done the work to be there, even unto Knowledge and Conversation and beyond. Whether it is out of jealousy or ignorance, the details of the abuse are not given, but being purse-proud and penniless, these outsiders have zero credibility in what they are saying.
These two groups are what Crowley refers to as Black Brothers. They may be initiates, and they have some understanding of what it means to be a magician. Perhaps they have even risen to a high rank within certain magical Orders and achieved an amount of power, but their prideful nature makes them attach far too much meaning to outer appearance. They are purse-proud of their rank and their so-called accomplishments, and they are blinded in their ambition to feel superior.
The deeper lessons of the grades have not been learned along the way. These Black Brothers are are penniless and poor when it comes to their actual spiritual advancement and their Understanding of the greater mysteries. The best they can do is brag about their own deeds, or tear down others in an effort to make themselves look good and to feel better about themselves.
“The guests dally upon couches of mother-of-pearl in the garden; the noise of the foolish men is hidden from them.”
Traditionally, guests of any kind hold a place of honor in our homes. They are treated with special care and given the best that a place has to offer. Guests are also not expected to stay forever. They arrive, remain for a time, then move onward to their next destination.
In this parable, the guests are true Initiates, those who have accomplished the Great Work. They “dally upon couches of mother-of-pearl” which signifies their repose and ease. Their ease is not laziness, but rather it is the freedom of action and motion that comes from an understanding of Will. Mother-of-pearl appears often throughout the Holy Books, and the opalescent rainbow-colored sheen typically represents the unique aspects of the initiate as they pass along their spiritual journey.
“For the colours are many, but the light is one.” — Liber LXV, I:3
The guests are not even inside the tavern, but are in a garden. In Liber LXV and in other Holy Books, gardens often are presented as an idyllic natural setting with fruit and lush green grass where adepts freely commune with God or with their Holy Guardian Angel. Gardens reflect a serene inner state of being.
The “noise of the foolish men” alludes to any disharmony and distraction. The guests are far away, protected from the talk of the foolish men outside.
“Only the inn-keeper feareth lest the favour of the king be withdrawn from him.”
The inn-keeper is in charge of the tavern and the gardens. He is responsible for keeping the guests happy, as well as keeping those Black Brothers outside from disturbing the ease of those inside. He also answers to a higher authority: the king.
The inn-keeper symbolizes the advanced Adept who serves as the keeper of the Mysteries. He guards the temple against the profane. He freely shares the Mysteries with those initiates who have done the work and earned the right to receive the fruits of their grade, and he maintains silence with those who have not.
Kings are the traditional representatives of divine power that govern people’s lives. The king’s power is one which all must obey or face the consequences. In this parable, the king represents the ineffable One, the lord of the universe whose presence underlies all outer Orders such as the A.’.A.’.
From Liber AL vel Legis, Ch III:37
The Inn-keeper is afraid, but his fear in this context relates to his reverence to the divine. He is honoring his oaths. There is a seriousness here as to the consequences of breaking the oath of service, as the favour of the king could be withdrawn.
On a personal level, the king’s favour alludes to the divine power which grants us all health, wealth, strength, joy, and peace. The favour of the king also alludes to the universal Light of truth that emanates from within the Mysteries themselves that must be held sacred and secret.
“We shall bring you to Absolute Truth, Absolute Light, Absolute Bliss. Many adepts throughout the ages have sought to do this; but their words have been perverted by their successors, and again and again the Veil has fallen upon the Holy of Holies.” — Liber Porta Lucis
When those secrets are not kept well hidden from the profane by invoking the fourth power of the Sphinx, when the sacred is desecrated by others, or polluted by the passing fashions of the day, then the Light is withdrawn for a time.
Conclusion
This parable of the Inn-keeper, his Guests, and the Ones at the Door illustrates a few of the types of magicians and initiates whom one may encounter on the magical path.
Some are what might be called Black Brothers, those who may have attained rank and magical skill but who mistake that stature for true Understanding. They work to build themselves up or tear down those around them rather than offer service.
Others are true initiates who have found their own Wills and are following the muse that is their Holy Guardian Angel.
And there are those like the Inn-keeper who work in service to the invisible order, the sempiternal A.’.A.’. They guard the Mysteries against the profane and share the secrets with those who are worthy. They keep the teachings pure and safe in obedience to the One Source, the Lord of the Light and the Darkness, a higher power which we all serve in one way or another.
The focus initially has been on the appearance of each of these characters as individuals and their relationship to each other as people. However, there are further levels of interpretation to be found in this parable. One would be that these people reflect different aspects of the self.
The ones who stand outside the tavern represent ignorance, delusion, or self-absorbed states of consciousness. These can surface as thoughts or projections that we hold on to to our detriment. Sometimes finding fault in others is a way of rejecting or bypassing our own flaws. There is temptation sometimes to exaggerate what we have done as a way to boost our own image with others and find feelings of satisfaction. Showing these aspects of self as purse-proud and penniless recognizes that they have little value for those on the path of Return.
The guests in the garden have achieved what could be called the true knowledge of self. The guests embody the personal experience of Knowledge and Conversation. This is an effortlessness of action that comes when we link our individual Will with Universal Will and follow it to its natural conclusion.
The Inn-keeper is the higher self. He represents the Holy Guardian Angel, or that part of ourselves which actively converses with the Holy Guardian Angel. It guides and advises the so-called lower parts of the self in alignment with the king, or True Will.
Yet another interpretation might view these characters of the parable as parts of the soul as it relates to Qabalistic psychology. The ones outside represent the Nephesh, the animal soul or autonomic instincts centered in Malkuth and Yesod. The guests in the beautiful Garden allude to the Ruach centered in the sphere of Tiphereth as the self-realized and fully functional ego. Finally, it is the Inn-keeper who runs the show and who is in contact with the king as a symbol of the Neshamah, or the super consciousness.
As is true of all of the Holy Books, there are many ways to peel the onion and find multiple layers of meaning within. This parable shows that, once again, Liber LXV has many lessons for the Initiate to integrate into their work of self discovery as they progress on the path.
Finally, in your Conclusion, you bring the Inn-Keeper up to the Status of the Secret Chiefs; guarding the mysteries, that can also be developed through Liber Trigrammaton. I simply really enjoyed this; its numinous!
I just love how you present the guests and the inn-keeper; it really shows how a community can evolve from LXV as a parable, and it wholly brilliant...wonderful insight!