The Thelemic Heptad: Local Cosmology
Modern astronomy trumps ancient astrology. The idea that the planets and stars influence or reflect events happening on Earth withers in the light of our current understanding of the Universe. The cosmological correlations of the Thelemic Heptad concern astronomical phenomena that have a direct effect on our lives:
Nuit: The Universe.
Horus: The Sun.
Thoth: The Moon.
Isis: The Living Earth.
Osiris: The Black Sun.
Maat: Order; Gravity.
Set: Chaos; Individuality.
Nuit: According to Nuit Theory, the Universe functions as a self-regulating living organism. Now consider our solar system as a single cell in the body of this infinitely large organism. When our Sun finally goes nova and destroys the solar system, do you think the Universe will notice? Do you notice when individual cells die within your own body? That would require an incredible amount of internal awareness, much more information than the human brain could possibly process. An organism the size of Nuit must therefore have a different form of sensory apparatus or consciousness that allows her to possess and process that level of awareness. In the Thelemic Heptad, the goddess Nuit specifically functions as an anthropomorphic interface for interacting with this Universal consciousness, providing us with a way to work with the unknowable.
Horus: It makes little sense to characterize the Sun (Horus) as the child of the Earth (Isis and Osiris). The Sun predates the Earth in cosmological history, and therefore represents Horus the Elder, the Horus of the Old Kingdom before the rise of the Heliopolitan myth. Our Sun provides the light and heat necessary for life to exist.
Thoth: Our Moon has no life and no light of its own; it reflects the light of the Sun, and the Earth’s shadow creates the phases of the Moon. The cold, barren rock of the Moon no longer serves as a proper symbol for Earthly fertility goddesses. The Ancient Egyptians connected the Moon with Thoth, recognizing that the regular phases of the Moon provided them with an accurate method of measuring time. The gravitational pull of the Moon gives the earth orbital stability; it creates tides and the four seasons, also methods of measuring time. The Moon’s synchronous rotation with the Earth means that the far side of the moon remains forever hidden from observers on the Earth’s surface, representative of hidden wisdom.
Isis: The deities and their cosmological counterparts in the Thelemic Heptad work together to sustain Isis, the goddess of the life force and the Earthly environment that protects and nourishes it. Humanity creates deities, etheric constructs that possess power in proportion to the number of people that believe in them, so in sustaining humanity, the Thelemic Heptad also protects their own existence. Isis represents nature, and rules over the living parts of the Earth: the crust, mantle, and atmosphere.
Osiris: The outer core of the Earth consists of iron and nickel liquefied by intense pressure and heat. The turbulent motion of the fluid core creates the Earth’s geomagnetic field, which protects our planet from harsh solar winds. The core of the Earth operates like a Black Sun, its hidden rays protecting life on the surface from the external Sun. Osiris rules the Black Sun, retaining his role as a chthonic deity associated with darkness and death as elements of transformation.
Maat: Order within the cosmos provides the stability and structure to keep everything functioning properly. Maat embodies the Anthropic principle; she balances the Sun, Moon, and Earth with laws and forces to maintain the conditions necessary for life to exist. In particular, she manifests as the force of gravity, which relates to her traditional rulership over truth, balance, and judgment.
Set: The ancients often characterized the relationship between Chaos and Order as a great battle, usually with Order as the protagonist. However, Chaos Theory, Complexity, and other modern scientific paradigms have shown that Chaos and Order actually work together to maintain the structure of the universe. Past orthodoxies have emphasized the destructive side of Chaos, often failing to realize its constructive aspects such as individuality, innovation, and evolution. Set represents this chaotic principle and governs the development of Hadit within every individual/star.
