Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 4)

30. This being accomplished, let him trace his own history with spécial reference to the causes of each event. And in this practice he may neglect to some extent the universal forces which at ail times act on ail, as for example, the attraction of masses, and let him concentrate his attention upon the principal and determining or effective causes. For instance, he is seated, perhaps, in a country place in Spain. Why ? Because Spain is warm and suitable for méditation, and because cities are noisy and crowded. Why is Spain warm ? and why does he wish to meditate ? Why choose warm Spain rather than warm India? To the last question: Because Spain is nearer to his home. Then why is his home near Spain ? Because his parents were Germans. And why did they go to Germany ? And so during the whole méditation. 31. On another day, let him begin with a question of another kind, and every day devise new questions, not concerning his présent situation, but also abstract questions. Thus let him connect the prevalence of water upon the surface of the globe with its necessity to such life as we know, with the spécifie gravity and other physical properties of water, and let him perceive ultimately through ail this the necessity and concord of things, not concord as the school- men of old believed, making ail things for man’s benefit or convenience, but the essential mechanical concord whose final law is inertie. And in these méditations let him avoid as if it were the plague any spéculations sentimental or fantastic. 32. Second Method. The Practice Proper. — Having then perfected in his mind these conceptions, let him apply them to his own career, forging the links of memory into the chain of necessity. And let this be his final question: To what purpose am I fitted ? Of what service can my being prove to the Brothers of the A A .'. if I cross the Abyss, and am admitted to the City of the Pyramids ? 33. Now that he may clearly understand the nature of this question, and the method of solution, let him study the reasoning of the anatomist who reconstructs an animal from a single bone. To take a simple example. — 34. Suppose, having lived ail my life among savages, a ship is 421