Die "Charge" von 1953-1957

Als Doreen Valiente im Jahr 1953 die Hohepriesterin von Gerald B. Gardner wurde, begann sie viele der Rituale und Texte umzuschreiben und neue hinzuzufügen. Grund hierfür war, dass die meisten Texte sehr stark von Aleister Crowley geprägt waren. Doreen Valiente schreibt in "The Rebirth of Witchcraft" (1989, Kapitel 4 "Working with Gerald", S.61):

..."Crowley may have been a brilliant writer and a splendid poet but as a person he was simply a nasty piece of work. His great importance in the occult world was that he had wrenched open that treasure chest in which the Order of the Golden Dawn had locked up the secret knowledge od the Western Mystery Tradition, and had invited all to share the treasure. Gerald's reaction was, 'Well, if you think you can do it any better, go ahead'."... 

Zunächst entstand die "Verse Version" der Charge, die jedoch von den anderen im Coven nicht so gut angenommen wurde. Daher schrieb Valiente eine abgeänderte "Prose Version" der Charge von 1949. Diese entstand im Zeitraum zwischen 1953 - 1957, ein genaues Datum der Fertigstellung ist nicht bekannt. Die "Prose Version" ist im "Book of Shadows" von 1957 zu finden und mittlerweile überall verbreitet.

 

Quellen:
Doreen Valiente & Gerald B. Gardner
Charles Leland : Aradia - Gospel of the Witches (1899)
Aleister Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Book of the Law) (1904)
Aleister Crowley - Liber LXV (Liber Cordis Cincti Serpnte) (1909)
Aleister Crowley - Liber DCCCXXXVII (The Law of Liberty) (1917)
Israel Regardie - The Golden Dawn (1937)
(nicht identisch mit der deutschen Übersetzung "Die Magie des Golden Dawn", diese beruht auf der Neuauflage von 1984!)
Änderungen der Charge 1953-1957 zur Version 1949 sind grün hervorgehoben

 

Valiente / Gardner 1953-1957 Quellen der Charge 1953-1957 Gardner 1949
Listen to the words of the Great mother, who was of old also called among men, Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names. Gardner übernahm diese Passage in Anlehnung an die "Charge" aus "Der goldene Esel" von Apuleius (Elftes Buch), als sich dem Protagonisten Lucius die Göttin Isis offenbart (Apuleius - "Golden Ass" - siehe Fußnote). Listen to the words of the Great mother, who of old was also called among men Artemis, Astarte, Dione, Melusine, Aphrodite, Cerridwen, Diana, Arianrhod, Bride, and by many other names.
At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice. Gardner übernahm diesen Satz in Anspielung auf das "Auspeitschen" der spartanischen Jugend (Sparta lag in der Provinz Lacedaemon (Lakonien)) zu Ehren der Göttin "Artemis Orthia" wie z.B. in Robert von Ranke-Graves "Griechische Mythologie" (116.m) beschrieben - siehe Fußnote At mine Altars the youth of Lacedaemon in Sparta made due sacrifice.
Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full. Then ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries. Leland - Aradia:
 Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and when the moon is full, ye shall assemble in some desert place, or in a forest all together join to adore the potent spirit of your queen, my mother, great Diana.		 Whenever ye have need of anything, once in the month, and better it be when the moon is full, ye shall assemble in some secret place and adore the spirit of Me who am Queen of all Witcheries and magics.
There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet who have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown. Leland - Aradia:
She who fain would learn all sorcery yet has not won its deepest secrets, them my mother will teach her, in truth all things as yet unknown.		 There ye shall assemble, ye who are fain to learn all sorcery, yet have not won its deepest secrets. To these will I teach things that are yet unknown
And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really fre e, ye shall be naked in your rites, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise. Leland - Aradia:
And ye shall all be freed from slavery, and so ye shall be free in everything; and as the sign that ye are truly free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women also: this shall last until the last of your oppressors shall be dead; and ye shall make the game of Benevento, extinguishing the lights, and after that shall hold your supper thus:		 And ye shall be free from slavery, and as a sign that ye be really free, ye shall be naked in your rites, both men and women, and ye shall dance, sing, feast, make music, and love, all in my praise.
For mine is the ecstasy of the Spirit, and mine is also joy on earth. For my Law is Love unto all beings. Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 53):
But ecstasy be thine and joy of earth: ever To me! To me!
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 2):
``But ecstasy be thine and joy of earth: ever To me! To me!''
Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 57):
Love is the law, love under will.
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 1):
Again She speaks: "Love is the law, love under will."		 There is a Secret Door that I have made to establish the way. Say "let ecstasy be mine, and joy on earth even to me, To Me."
Keep pure your highest ideals. Strive ever towards it. Let naught stop you or turn you aside. Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 1):
Keep pure your highest ideal; strive ever toward it without allowing aught to stop you or turn you aside, even as a star sweeps upon its incalculable and infinite course of glory, and all is Love.		  
For mine is the secret which opens upon the door of youth; and mine is the cup of the Wine of Life: and the Cauldron of Cerridwen, which is the Holy Grail of Immortality. Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 38):
There is a secret door that I shall make to establish thy way in all the quarters to taste even on earth the elixir of immortality
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 2):
Do not embrace mere Marian or Melusine; she is Nuit Herself, specially concentrated and incarnated in a human form to give you infinite love, to bid you taste even on earth the Elixir of Immortality.
Mabinogion / Red Book of Hergest / Song Before the Sons of Llyr - Book of Taliesin XIV:
"Shall not my chair be defended from the cauldron of Cerridwen? May my tongue be free in the sanctuary of the praise of Gogyrwen."
Das "Konzept" von Cerridwens Kessel übernahm Gardner / Valiente vermutlich aus Robert von Ranke-Graves "Die weisse Göttin" (1948). Cerridwens Kessel galt als der Geburtsort der dreifaltigen Muse, der Inspiration der Barden.  		 
I am the Gracious Goddess who gives the gift of Joy unto the heart of Man. Upon Earth I give the knowledge of the Spirit Eternal, and beyond death I give peace and freedom, and reunion with those who have gone before. Nor do I demand aught in sacrifice, for behold, I am the Mother of all things, and my love is poured out upon earth. Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 58):
I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 2):
For hear, how gracious is the Goddess; ``I give unimaginable joys on earth: certainty, not faith, while in life, upon death; peace unutterable, rest, ecstasy; nor do I demand aught in sacrifice.''		 For I am a gracious Goddess. I give unimaginable joys on earth, certainty, not faith, while in life! And upon death, peace unutterable, rest, and ecstasy, nor do I demand aught in sacrifice
Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess, She in the dust of whose feet are the hosts of Heaven, whose body encircleth the universe. Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 2):
We have heard the Voice of the Star-Goddess: ``I love you! I yearn to you! 		 Hear ye the words of the Star Goddess
I love you: I yearn for you: pale or purple, veiled or voluptuous. who am all pleasure, and purple and drunkenness of the innermost senses, desire you, put on the wings, arouse the coiled splendor within you, 'Come unto me.'
I who am the beauty of the green earth; and the White Moon amongst the Stars; and the mystery of the Waters; and the desire of the heart of man. Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 6):
I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star.
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 3):
Hadit tells us of Himself: ``I am the flame that burns in every heart of man, and in the core of every star.''		 For I am the flame that burns in the heart of every man, and the core of every Star.
I call unto thy soul: arise and come unto me. For I am the Soul of nature who giveth life to the Universe; 'From me all things proceed; and unto me, all things must return. Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 1):
"Put on the wings, and arouse the coiled splendour within you; come unto me!"'
Israel Regardie - The Golden Dawn (Ausgabe 1937 - Volume II, Book 6 - Ceremonial Magic in Practice - Ritual for Transformation, S. 245):
"Hail unto Thee, O thou mighty mother. Isis, unveil thou, O Soul of Nature, giving life and energy to the universe. From thee all things do proceed. Unto thee all must return."		  
Beloved of the Gods and men, thine inmost divine self shall be enfolded in the raptures of the infinite.  Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 3):
He is then your own inmost divine self; it is you, and not another, who are lost in the constant rapture of the embraces of Infinite Beauty.		 Let it be your inmost divine self who art lost in the constant rapture of infinite joy.
Let my worship be within the heart that rejoiceth, for behold: all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals;  Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 3):
 Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are rituals, must be rituals.		 Let the rituals be rightly performed with joy and beauty. Remember that all acts of love and pleasure are my rituals.
and therefore let there be Beauty and Strength, Power and Compassion, Honour and Humility, Mirth and reverence within you. Crowley - Liber Al vel Legis (Vers 20):
Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious langour, force and fire, are of us.
Crowley - The Law of Liberty (Kapitel 3):
Beauty and strength, leaping laughter and delicious languor, force and fire, are of us.		 So let there be beauty and strength, leaping laughter, force and fire within you.
And thou who thinkest to seek me, know that thy seeking and yearning shall avail thee not unless thou know the mystery,  Crowley - Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente (Kapitel 2 - Vers 59) :
But I have called unto Thee, and I have journeyed unto Thee, and it availed me not.		 And if thou sayest, I have journeyed unto thee, and it availed me not, 
that if that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee, Valiente / Gardner nahmen diesen Satz von der Titelseite des Buches "Magnetic Magic" von L.A. Cahagnet aus dem Jahr 1898 (das Buch befand sich in Gardners Bibliothek). Als Verfasser des Satzes  "If that which thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee." wird auf der Titelseite "Alipilli" angegeben.
Tatsächlich handelt es sich beim Verfasser um den arabischen Alchemisten Apili. Der komplette Satz lautet: "I admonish thee, whoever thou art, that desirest to dive into the inmost parts of nature; if that thou seekest thou findest not within thee, thou wilt never find it without thee.", z.B. abgedruckt in Kapitel 19 (Existence and Personality), Seite 283 von W. John Murray "The Astor Lectures" aus dem Jahr  1917.		  
For behold; I have been with thee from the beginning, Crowley - Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente (Kapitel 2 - Vers 60) :
I waited patiently, and Thou wast with me from the beginning.		 Rather shalt thou say, 'I called upon thee, and I waited patiently, and Lo, Thou wast with me from the beginning.
and I am that which is attained at the end of desire. Crowley - Liber Cordis Cincti Serpente (Kapitel 2 - Vers 63) :
They that ever desired Thee shall obtain Thee, even at the End of their Desire.		 For they that ever desired me, shall ever attain me, even to the end of desire.

 

     Lucius Apuleius - Der Goldene Esel - Elftes Buch:...  "Siehe, dein Gebet ist zu mir gedrungen, Lucius, ich bin dir erschienen, ich die Mutter der Schöpfung, Herrin aller Elemente, ".... "denn mich nennen die Erstgeborenen aller Menschen, die Phrygier, pessinuntische Allmutter,ich heiße den Athenern kekropische Minerva, den eiländischen Kypriern paphische Venus, den pfeilführenden Kretern dictynnische Diana, den Eleusiniern Altgöttin Ceres. Andere nennen mich Juno, andere Bellona, andere Hekate, andere Rhamnusia. ...". Gardner wählte bewusst andere Namen, um nicht den Anschein zu erwecken, die Idee von Apuleius übernommen zu haben, da "Der goldene Esel" sehr bekannt war. In Gardners Bibliothek befand sich eine Ausgabe von "The Golden Ass" in der Übersetzung von William Addlington (Verlag Richard Lester & Co., London, 1946)  
     

 

Robert von Ranke-Graves beschreibt in "Griechische Mythologie - Kapitel 116.m", dass eine Statue der Artemis nach Sparta gebracht wurde und sich ein Streit zwischen Anbetern der Artemis entwickelte, bei dem die meisten getötet wurden. Aufgrund eines Orakels musste die Statue durch Übergießen mit Menschenblut besänftigt werden. Später verbot König Lykurgos diese Zeremonie (das Opfer wurde jeweils durch Los bestimmt) und stattdessen wurden Knaben ausgepeitscht, bis "der Geruch des Blutes den Altar umhüllte". "Spartanische Knaben messen sich nun einmal im Jahr, wer die meisten Hiebe ertragen kann". Graves Buch war sicherlich nicht die Quelle die Gardner benutzte, da "Greek Myth" erst im Jahr 1955 veröffentlicht wurde, die Charge aber bereits 1949 entstand. Gardner beschäftigte sich aber intensiv mit griechischer Mythologie.  Dieses Auspeitschen nannte man auch "krypteia", was einer Initiation gleich kam. Nach Platon (Plat.leg.633b-c) ist  die Krypteia  ein militärisches Härtetraining, das u.a. das  Ertragen von Schmerzen. Plutarch beruft sich in seiner Lykurg Biographie 28,1-7 auf Aristoteles Werk „Die Verfassung der Spartaner“ (nicht mehr existent) und beschreibt die Krypteia als ein Kontrollinstrument der Spartaner gegenüber den Heloten.  In der Ethnologie geht man allgemein davon aus, dass der Ursprung der Krypteia in archaischen Initiationsriten liegt. Der Tempel der Artemis Orthia stammt ca. aus dem Jahr 700-600 vor unserer Zeitrechnung (ein Neubau stammt aus dem Jahr 600), Reste sind noch erhalten. Später belebten die Römer dieses Auspeitschen wieder als öffentliche "Unterhaltung".