Prospectus
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
The Task of the Student grade is to obtain “a general intellectual knowledge of all systems of attainment.” These systems form the historical bedrock for much of the artistic, religious, scientific, and philosophical work used in our theurgy. Obtaining that knowledge is, of course, a lifelong journey with no visible end — the work will be ongoing, but with benchmarks along the way to indicate readiness within other A∴A∴ grades, such as Probationer and beyond, whose Oaths and Tasks are set out in Liber 185.
The course of study
This initial level of Student research is general in scope, and as such it will be a wide survey and practicum using perspectives and projects within the humanities and the sciences. It winds through every grade and stacks as it goes, each new sphere activating without closing those beneath it. It starts here as a standalone entry point.
As a Student, one will prepare for later grade work of the A∴A∴ through assisted independent study of:
- readings from the classical A∴A∴ reading lists and select later texts
- brief discussions of readings, and later on, deeper literature reviews
- contextual history & cultural studies as needed
- philosophical roots of magical theories and practices
- world religions & mythologies
- tutorials in scientific methodology
- tutorials in art theory & practice
- synthesizing earlier lessons in preparation for personal research & development
Even if one chooses not to continue in A∴A∴ after some work in the AASC, our aim is that they come away with useful enrichment to aid their going.