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Grade 2=9: Theoricus (Air)

DEGREE I: THE OUTER ORDER (FIRST ORDER)

NIGREDO: Elemental Magic

Grade 2=9: Theoricus

Element: Air

Sephirah: Yesod (Foundation)

Planet: Moon

Season Emphasis: Spring (but experienced in all seasons)

Tarot Paths: 31 (Shin/ש - Judgement), 30 (Resh/ר - The Sun), 29 (Qoph/ק - The Moon)

Archangel: Raphael (Air), Gabriel (Yesod)

Platonic Solid: Octahedron

Duration: Minimum 3 months, ideally 1 full spring

Fourfold Path: Knight (in training)

Alchemical Stage: Nigredo (continuing)

Body: Lead Body (refining)

Magical Level: Etheric

Overview

The Theoricus ascends from Earth to Air, moving from the physical body to the subtle body, from matter to mind. This grade emphasizes mental clarity, breathwork, psychic development, and the beginning of astral work. The Theoricus learns to work with the Moon and Yesod, the foundation of the astral realm.

Air is the element of thought, communication, intellect, and the first stirrings of subtle perception.

The Tarot Paths

Path 31 (Shin/ש) - Judgement

Continued from Zelator

Connection: Hod → Malkuth

Path 30 (Resh/ר) - The Sun

Connection: Hod → Yesod

Experience: Embracing inner light, manifesting clarity in the psyche, solar illumination of the unconscious

Work: Bringing light to the lunar realm of dreams and shadows

Path 29 (Qoph/ק) - The Moon

Connection: Netzach → Malkuth

Experience: Navigating fears, facing projections, night-journey through illusion

Work: Deep psychic/dream work, shadow confrontation

Core Practices

Daily Practice

LBRP + Invoking Air Pentagram daily
Middle Pillar
Breathwork (pranayama, air element mastery)
ACIM Workbook (if in Spring: lessons 91-120; otherwise follow seasonal placement)
Mental clarity practices (meditation, concentration)

Breathwork Focus

Nadi Shodhana (alternate nostril breathing)
Conscious breathing throughout the day
Using breath to calm the mind
Four-fold breath (inhale-hold-exhale-hold)

Magical Curriculum

Primary Work

Invoking Pentagram of Air mastery
Working with Sylphs (Air elementals)
Astrology basics: Learning to read your natal chart, understanding houses, signs, planets
Scrying: Crystal ball, black mirror, or water bowl techniques; developing psychic vision
Study: Yesod, Foundation, astral realm, dreams, lunar consciousness

Air Element Work

Understanding Air as intellect, communication, movement, breath
The Sylphs (air elementals): their swift, mercurial nature
Air correspondences: East, dawn, spring, yellow, incense, feathers
The mind as air temple

Lunar Work

Moon phase observation (New Moon, Waxing, Full, Waning)
Dream journaling (minimum 3 months)
Understanding Yesod as the astral foundation, the etheric realm
Gabriel as lunar archangel

Templar Training

Mental Discipline

Focused study
Concentration exercises (candle gazing, mantra repetition)
Memorization of sacred texts

Study of Scriptures

Bible (Psalms especially)
Gospels
Beginning to understand scripture as multilayered (literal, allegorical, moral, anagogical)

Learning Theology and Philosophy

Introduction to Christian mysticism
Hermetic philosophy
Understanding the Logos

Masonic Symbolism

Fellow Craft Degree

The Middle Chamber — ascending the winding staircase
Liberal arts emphasis, intellectual development
Seven liberal arts (Trivium especially)
Study: Geometry, architecture, the five senses
Understanding the pillars (Jachin and Boaz)

Physical Practices

Choose one or more:

Yoga: Pranayama (breathwork), vinyasa flow for air element
Running: Cardiovascular endurance, breath awareness, meditative running
Martial Arts: Wing Chun, Aikido (breath and movement integration)
Swimming: Beginning to connect breath with water (preparation for next grade)

Laboratory Alchemy

Alchemical Operations

Separation operations (separating pure from impure)
Distillation (air element in flask — vapors rising)
Working with incense, smoke, vapors
Creating more refined tinctures

Alchemy Level

Etheric — working with subtle forces, vapors, energies, the life force (Qi/Prana)

The Seven Liberal Arts

Trivium: Logic

Formal logic (syllogisms, propositions)
Logical fallacies (ad hominem, straw man, etc.)
Argument construction
Critical thinking
Symbolic logic (introduction)

Study Focus

Qabalah

Yesod (Foundation) — the ninth Sephirah, the astral realm, lunar sphere
The astral light
Dreams as gateway to Yesod

Astrology

Natal chart basics
The twelve houses
The twelve signs
The seven classical planets
Reading your own chart

ACIM

Workbook lessons (continuing daily practice)
Text study (the ego, the Holy Spirit, true perception)

Dark Night of the Mind (Continuing)

The Theoricus continues to experience the dissolution of false mental constructs. Air brings clarity but also reveals the emptiness of mere concepts.

Work: Letting go of intellectual pride, recognizing that true knowing is beyond the intellect

Advancement Requirement

Mental clarity demonstrated
Dream journal established (minimum 3 months)
Pass examination on Air, Yesod, astrology basics
Demonstrate scrying ability (at least basic competence)
LBRP + Air Pentagram mastered
Ready to advance to Practicus (3=8) and the Water element