Structure of the 30 Aethyrs

There is much conjecture of how the 30 Aethyrs are structured. The Gnostic view is of concentric circles, but western magicians like to force the sephiroth of the Tree of Life onto the Aethyrs. The Schuelers used the Gupta Vidya model, while Aleister Crowley’s Vision and the Voice tells us a lot about the Golden Dawn Grade system, and not a lot about the Aethyrs. Aethyr means ‘air’ – it is nebulous, unstable. The Governors associated with each Aethyr are rulers of the Earth, so it makes sense to consider the 12 Angelic Kings mentioned in the table above. The Angelic Kings are of course associated with the signs of the zodiac, and 12×30 = 360. Seeing the Aethyrs as in a circle makes more sense than the vertical model suggested by the use of the Sephiroth, for the Governors of Tex are found in the Water Watchtower, along with the first five aethyrs. In essence, the Water Watchtower unites the first and last of the Aethyrs. For the adventurous magician, this means that the Aethyrs can be entered from the first or the thirtieth aethyr.

Analysis of the structure of the Watchtowers reveals that each one will have seven Aethyrs. Since there are, with one exception, three governors to each Aethyr which equals 21 governors. There are actually 22 governors in each Watchtower, so one governor will be isolated. However, this does not work out in practice.

Analysis of the Water Watchtower

Starting with the Water Watchtower, we have the first five aethyrs, then a break to the 11th aethyr, ICH, which has the first two governors in Water, and the last in Fire. Simply from this we can see why ICH is considered to be the boundary between two elements. There is then one single governor, 65 Lazdixi in LIN. This Watchtower is then completed by TEX, which has four governors. Lazdixi thus appears twice in the Watchtower at 13 and 65, which suggests that this name has powerful unifying properties. LIN is unique in representing the Air, Water and Earth elements. Many books replace 65 Lazdixi with Paraoan, an evil governor made up of the two remaining squares in each Watchtower.

The Fire Watchtower

This table starts from the 6th Aethyr, MAZ, then continues in sequence to include 9 ZIP – four aethyrs in all. The 10th is ZAX, which is not part of the Watchtowers. The sequence continues with the third governor of 11 ICH and continues with the next three Aethyrs, LOE, ZIM and VTA.

The Air Watchtower

The Air table has e a continuous run of Aethyrs, starting with 15 OXO to 21 ASP. The final governor is the first of 22 LIN, so this aethyr marks the boundary between elements.

The Earth Watchtower

Like Air, this table is continuous, starting with the last governor of 22 LIN through to 29 RII.

Numerology

Gematria can be used to gain a simple insight into the nature of the Aethyrs, using a transliteration from English to Hebrew.

• A – Aleph, 1
• B – Beth, 2
• G – Gimel, 3
• D – Daleth, 4
• E – Heh, 5
• V – Vav, 6
• Z – Zayn 7
• H – Ch, 8
• T – Teth, 9
• I – Yod, 10
• K – Kaph, 20
• L – Lamed, 30
• M – Mem, 40
• N – Nun, 50
• S – Samekh, 60
• O – Ayn, 70
• P – Peh, 80
• X – Tzaddi, 90
• R – 200

The list above covers all the letters used in the Aethyrs – there is no Q for example, and it was my first attempt. The attributions below come from Liber 777, a book well-known of course to Crowley. There are some interesting parallels, particularly the evil connotations of ZAX, while the feminine qualities of OXO works well. It is not beyond the realms of imagination to consider that Crowley may well have used a similar base for his initial analysis of the Aethyrs.

1. LIL – 70 70 is the number of Nothingness, the Eye, night, silence, speech and wine.
2. ARN – 251 Ark of the Covenant, Master
3. ZOM 117 Chief, fog, darkness
4. PAZ 88 Danger, darkness, heat, red hot, purification
5. LIT 49 Heat, fury, silence, birth, measuring rod
6. MAZ 48 A strong woman, heat, an army, mercy, to measure
7. DEO 79 Pillars, union, pen
8. ZID 21 Deep meditation, purity, innocence
9. ZIP 97 Building, architect, creator, quicksilver, hand’s breadth
10. ZAX 98 Lightning, punishment, plague, bright white light
11.  IKH 35 AGLA, boundary, limit
12. LOE 105 Desert, ruin, change
13. ZIM 57 Terrible destruction, consuming, then creation, secret knowledge, builders, the altar
14. VTA 15 Precious stone, pride, lamentation. Overflowing, impelling with force
15. OXO 230 Eternal, worlds, Virgin woman, thigh
16. LEA 36 Goddess, to remove, cast away
17. TAN 60 Prophecy, visions, vessels, traditions, watchtower, glory, pride, test of fire
18. ZEN 62 Prophecy, sons, healing, prostitute, circle
19. POP 230 Eternal, worlds, Virgin woman, thigh
20. KHR 228 First born, blessed, kerub.
21. ASP 141 Gathered, trust, law, first
22. LIN 90 Silence, priests, water, memorial, desolation, stones, basket
23. TOR 279 no number
24. NIA 61 Master, Goddess Kali, the void, vagina
25. VTI 25 Beast, let there be, will be separated, Shekinah
26. DES 69 Manger, stable, error, sin, myrtle
27. ZAA 9 Black fire, black magic, brother, belly, death, pregnancy
28. BAG 6 Father, meditator, roof, cover, gather, collect
29. RII 220 Desert, heroine, giant, stranger, clean, conceal, meditation
30. TEX 414 Limitless light, fluid, AYN SVP AVR

The importance of AGLA

The acronym AGLA, Adonai Gibor LeolAm, a powerful method of clearing space is very relevant to the Aethyrs. The 88th governor of TEX is TAOAGLA, while my numeration gives a higher working for IKH, the junction between Fire and Water. AGLA appears on the obverse of the Sigil Dei Aemeth, which suggests a powerful connection. Aemeth, Truth, is AMTh in Hebrew, so the three letters may parallel the three lettered names of the Aethyrs. In other words, once the energies of the Sigil Dei Aemeth are in place, the magician will find it easier to project himself into into whatever Aethyr he desires to visit. ICH and LIN become very significant since they are junction points between the elements.