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To Perfect this Feast: A Performance Commentary on the Gnostic Mass
Aleister Crowley wrote the Gnostic Mass in 1913. He described it as the central ritual, public and private, of Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.). It is a mythic hymn to the wedding of scientific truth and religious aspiration; the celebrant is encouraged to leave superstition and dogma at the door and join in an ecstatic tribute to the glorious nature of reality. The Gnostic Mass offers a truly modern spirituality and it is being performed on a regular basis throughout the civilized world.
The authors—both longtime O.T.O. members and consecrated bishops of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholicae (EGC)—share between them over half a century of practicing the Mass. Their passionate devotion to the rite was rewarded in 2006 with an important, long-sought insight into the complex geometry of the ritual. In 2009, they published their research in the first edition of this book. Based on a continuing series of understandings, an even more accurate second edition was created in 2010. This third and final edition solves remaining subtleties in the choreography of the five officers and the overall conclusion of the rite.
The detailed instructions presented here not only provide the missing performance keys to the geometrical puzzle of the Mass, but offer a window into the wider workings of magical ritual.
The authors—both longtime O.T.O. members and consecrated bishops of the Ecclesia Gnostica Catholicae (EGC)—share between them over half a century of practicing the Mass. Their passionate devotion to the rite was rewarded in 2006 with an important, long-sought insight into the complex geometry of the ritual. In 2009, they published their research in the first edition of this book. Based on a continuing series of understandings, an even more accurate second edition was created in 2010. This third and final edition solves remaining subtleties in the choreography of the five officers and the overall conclusion of the rite.
The detailed instructions presented here not only provide the missing performance keys to the geometrical puzzle of the Mass, but offer a window into the wider workings of magical ritual.
128 pages, Paperback
First published January 5, 2009
About the author
James Wasserman
56 books56 followersJames Wasserman was an author and occultist, best known for his full color publication of the Papyrus of Ani, Book of the Dead. A member of Ordo Templi Orientis since 1976 and a book designer by trade, he has written extensively on spiritual and political liberty.
Wasserman began his career in 1973 at Weiser Books, then the world’s largest bookstore and publishing company specializing in esoteric literature. He worked with Brazilian occultist Marcelo Ramos Motta to publish the Commentaries of AL in 1975, for which he wrote the introduction. He supervised the 1976 Weiser edition of the Book of the Law in which the holograph manuscript was appended to the typeset text for the first time in a popular volume. In 1977, he arranged to professionally re-photograph the Frieda Harris Tarot paintings for an improved second edition of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot deck, to which he contributed the booklet of instruction.[5][6] While still working at the bookstore, he met and befriended the legendary filmmakers and occultists Harry Smith and Alejandro Jodorowsky.
In 1977, he left Weisers to found Studio 31, where he produced the Simon Necronomicon, a volume purporting to be the mythological Necronomicon made famous by H.P. Lovecraft. In 2008, it was re-issued in a high quality 31st anniversary edition by Ibis Press. In 1994, Wasserman assembled a team of scholars, photographers and editorial staff to produce a full-color version of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, based on the Papyrus of Ani. The book was described as offering "much of value in presentation, layout and commentary" by John Baines, professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford.
Wasserman began his career in 1973 at Weiser Books, then the world’s largest bookstore and publishing company specializing in esoteric literature. He worked with Brazilian occultist Marcelo Ramos Motta to publish the Commentaries of AL in 1975, for which he wrote the introduction. He supervised the 1976 Weiser edition of the Book of the Law in which the holograph manuscript was appended to the typeset text for the first time in a popular volume. In 1977, he arranged to professionally re-photograph the Frieda Harris Tarot paintings for an improved second edition of Aleister Crowley's Thoth Tarot deck, to which he contributed the booklet of instruction.[5][6] While still working at the bookstore, he met and befriended the legendary filmmakers and occultists Harry Smith and Alejandro Jodorowsky.
In 1977, he left Weisers to found Studio 31, where he produced the Simon Necronomicon, a volume purporting to be the mythological Necronomicon made famous by H.P. Lovecraft. In 2008, it was re-issued in a high quality 31st anniversary edition by Ibis Press. In 1994, Wasserman assembled a team of scholars, photographers and editorial staff to produce a full-color version of The Egyptian Book of the Dead, based on the Papyrus of Ani. The book was described as offering "much of value in presentation, layout and commentary" by John Baines, professor of Egyptology at the University of Oxford.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 22, 2020
So this was an interesting and very easy and quick read. While I definitely have some feelings on his personal style and methods for performing the Gnostic Mass, I will say his (James Wasserman's) writing style is very easy to follow and engaging. I liked some of his points like the Priest breathing down the Lance when the Priest proclaims "By virtue of the Rod, be this bread/wine be the body/blood of God" for example. What I had a very time with is his fixation on gender, pronouns, and roles.
I guess that's also to note, the book claims it was written by both the Wassermans but the voice is very obviously James, as most of the commentary is on the Priest role and almost nothing on the Priestess role except for some weirdly outdated points. I would have loved to hear more about the Priestess role and Nancy's opinions on it.
Overall, I definitely got some good ideas from it as I study to begin Deconing, I think he's flat out wrong on some points, and others have given me food for thought. But as he says in the beginning of the book, these are his opinions and customs alone and its simply to assist those who can use it - picking and choosing is kinda the name of the game here and for that I appreciate the work.
I guess that's also to note, the book claims it was written by both the Wassermans but the voice is very obviously James, as most of the commentary is on the Priest role and almost nothing on the Priestess role except for some weirdly outdated points. I would have loved to hear more about the Priestess role and Nancy's opinions on it.
Overall, I definitely got some good ideas from it as I study to begin Deconing, I think he's flat out wrong on some points, and others have given me food for thought. But as he says in the beginning of the book, these are his opinions and customs alone and its simply to assist those who can use it - picking and choosing is kinda the name of the game here and for that I appreciate the work.
November 8, 2010
A beautiful guide to the Gnostic Mass.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews