Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 4)

that body and mind are tamed and trained to ail manner of peaceable going. 36. Concerning minor adjuvant in the ceremonies. — I. Rising on the planes. — B y this method mayst thou assist the imagination at the time of concluding thine Invocation. Act as taught in Liber Q, by the light of Liber 777. 37. Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies. — IL Talismanic Magic. — Having made by thine Ingenium a talisman or pantacle to represent the particular Deity, and conse- crated it with infinité love and care, do thou burn it ceremonially before the shrine, as if thereby giving up the shadow for the substance. But it is useless to do this unless thou do really in thine heart value the talisman beyond ail else that thou hast. 38. Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the Ceremonies. — III. Rehearsal.— It may assist if the traditional history of the particular Deity be rehearsed before him; perhaps this is best done in dramatic form. This method is the main one recommended in the “Exercitios Espirituales” of St. Ignatius, whose work may be taken as a model. Let the Philosophus work out the legend of his own particular Deity, and apportioning days to events, live that life in imagination, exercising the five senses in turn, as occasion arises. 39. Concerning minor matters adjuvant in the ceremonies. — IV. Dur esse. — This method consists in cursing a deity récalci¬ trant ; as, threatening ceremonially ££to burn the blood of Osiris, and to grind down his bones to powder.” This method is alto- gether contrary to the spirit of love unless the particular Deity be himself savage and relentless; as Jéhovah or Kali. In such a case the desire to perform constraint and cursing may be the sign of the assimilation of the spirit of the devotee with that of his God, and so an advance to the Union with Him. 40. Concerning the value of this particular form of Union or Samadhi: — Ail Samadhi is defined as the ecstatic union of subject and object in consciousness, with the resuit that a third thing arises which partakes in no way of the nature of the two. It would seem at first sight that it is of no importance whatever to choose an object of méditation. For example, the Samadhi 401 —