ARCANORUM 231 - Occult VR Experience

ARCANORUM231 is an occult VR experience showcasing both the fruits and methods of working with Aleister Crowley's LIBER ARCANORUM.

It consists of a series of scenes inspired by the results of magical operations using the text, as well as the myths of The Crata Repoa, an ancient Egyptian Magical Order. Featuring the artwork of Barry William Hale, sounds design of Scott Barnes, and software design of Scott Wilde, each scene moves deeper into a virtual temple, each moving farther from normal reality into sacred space. At the deepest parts of the temple, the user can initiate a virtual ritual, consisting of invocations, drumming, and chanting, all designed to invoke the spirits of this text.

The source material, LIBER ARCANORUM, is a short, mysterious text that Crowley penned in 1907 and later published in "The Equinox" vol 1, no 7. Its full title is two fold: "Liber Arcanorum τών Atu τού Tahuti Quas Vidit Asar in Amennti" which translates to (The Book of The Secrets of the Atu [tarot trumps] of Tahuti which Asar [Osiris] hath seen in Amennti [the egyptian land of the dead]) and also "Liber Carcerorum τών Qliphoth cum suis Geniis." (The Book of The Prisons of the Qliphoth with their own Spirits.) The entire book is "sub figura 231" (under the number 231) and it is thus commonly referred to as Liber 231.

The book consists of 22 lines of text, and two sets of 22 sigils, each with a corresponding name. Each line of text, sigil, and name is associated with a path on the hermetic Tree of Life and also the tarot trump associated with that path. Each of the spirits could then be considered to be the spirit of that tarot trump, and thus, this book provides a means to invoke the spirits of the tarot trumps. Each trump has two spirits associated with it, both a domus (house) and carcer (prison), each with their own sigil and name.

No method of working was given, rather, magicians throughout the years have devised their own methods of invoking these spirits.

ORDO ARCANORUM is our group's working name its members include:

Barry William Hale - http://www.barrywilliamhale.art

Since his initial artistic endeavours inspired by liber CCXXXI, Barry has gone on to produce several major series of artworks that have been exhibited in Australia and internationally, published as an art folio, included in numerous publications, and the subject of a forthcoming publication.

Scott Barnes - https://noko210.bandcamp.com

Scott Barnes has been involved in data sonification / sound realization with Barry William Hale in the NOKO210 project since the early 90s. Scott's work embraces both the prescription of structured data and the self generating patternation of algorithmic composition.

Scott Wilde - https://keepsilence.org

Scott has been actively working with the spirits of liber CCXXXI for several decades, recently creating a series of online rituals for Horizon Lodge OTO that can be viewed here. He has previously produced a other VR occult experiences, including a complete production of the Neophyte ritual from Regardie's "The Golden Dawn" available on steam.

Additional music and audio contributions from:
Mark Dalton
Entelecheia - http://lapis-mercurii.org/lvx/
Cate Englehart - https://www.etsy.com/shop/SevenCoinsDevotional
Lisa Hamaker (Bodhi)
Melissa Holm - http://ritesofeleusis.com/