Court Ritual
Another thing I picked up from _Taoist Master Chuang_:

Taoist ritual is in large part a conversion of Chinese imperial court ritual to a religious context.

This is true of tantric ritual in a way as well. What is a mandala but a diagram of the power-relationship between ruler and ruled?

Court ritual can be valuably converted into magical ritual. Just like initiatic ritual, a la the Golden Dawn Z2 paper - either for internal meditation or external performance.

I'm going to have to get _Icons of Power: Ritual Practice in Late Antiquity_ out from the library.

My idea is, for an HGA invocation:

To figure the HGA in the form of one of those ghostly, ethereal portraits of a late Roman Emperor. To visualize every aspect of his coronation, from the bath beforehand, to the solemn process, the rainments of the court and attendents, the solemn ascent of the throne, the bringing forth of the diadem of pearls, its placement upon his head to the fanfare of trumpet and organ, offerings by foreign potentates, etc. All in minute detail according to the ancient protocols.

Liber AL
A number of Thelemites, most notably Sam Webster and Kenneth Grant, have argued that Liber AL is a tantra or grimoire.

As I continue to study it, I become more and more convinced of this. In fact, my working hypothesis is that the entire book describes a relatively small sequence of rituals and esoteric meditations centered around a mandala (the palace with four gates) which may be the Stele itself.

Excitation of the anahata chakra (Hadit is the serpent who flames in the heart of every man) seems to be a key, followed by the visualization of the heart-star as one in a blindingly vast universe of stars in the body of Nuit; and this disorienting switch-off is probably the essence of ordeal x. (Energized Enthusiasm hints at this both obviously and veiledly).

Anahata-excitation also seems to be a key to astral travel and rising on the planes (put on wings...).

[Authorial intent (always problematic with L.AL anyways) would not prove a barrier to this. According to _Taoist Master Chuang_, which is indispensible reading BTW, the Chuang-zi is used as a 'grimoire' of meditations by Daoist adepts, though it clearly was meant as a somewhat more mundane philosophic text.]

As an adherent of Thelema, I have a certain affection for pop-Nietzscheanism, although I've tasted the real thing, and know it's far better.

But one pop-Nietzschean I can't stand is f'ing Ayn Rand. Hate hate hate her.

That's one of the reasons I can't stand Satanism. Most Satanists basically read Crowley as if he were Rand (or just let Lavey do it for him).

Tyagi, as always, is an exception. Which is one of the reasons I like him.

God Plays Dice
I love to toss dice.

Love to f'ing toss them. It fascinates me.

One number comes up. Than another. What's it gonna be next?

Good thing I never gamble.

I've been trying to figure out a satisfactory way to divine with them. Apparently the Tibetans do it all the time; I'll get one of those books when I have the cash.

Right now all I've found is low fortune-telling style techniques. Shame. The bounce, clattering, and fall of a die is so profound.

On a semi-related note: Li Qi Jing. Daoist classic of divination with "magical chess-pieces." Looks wicked cool. Joey Biroco has a bit on it here:

http://www.biroco.com/journal.htm

('bout half-way down).