Magick Without Tears

280 MAGICK WITHOUT . TEARS I do not think that I have anywhere mentioned how this is done. l To take an example, let us have Qedemel-the Hebrew letters as Q.D.M.A.L., and the numeration is 175, which is that of the sum of the first 49 numbers, as is proper to Venus. We may then expect the head or headdress of the spirit to be in some way characteristic of the Sign of Pisces. The general form of the body will be indicated by the Daleth, the letter of Venus, and the lower part (or perhaps the quality) will be determined by the watery Mem-the termination Aleph Lamed is usually taken to indicate appropriate symbols. For instance, the Aleph might show a golden aura, and the Lamed a pair of balances. Some further detail might be indicated by taking the letters Daleth and Mem together , for Dam is the Hebrew word for blood. From such considerations one can build up a pictorial representation in one's mind which may serve as a standard to which any appearance of him should more or less conform. The question then takes the form of inquiry into how far such beings are immortal or eternal. In the above case, evidently his existence depends on that of the planet Venus; and one might suppose that , if that planet were stricken from the solar system, there would be no more Qedemel. But this is to judge too rasbly; for Venus itself is only an emanation of the number 7, and is therefore indestructible . It is some such idea as the above which is at the back of the conventional idea that elementals are immortal , that they iocur mortality when their ambition and devotion cause them to incarnate as human beings. Now, can an angel of this sort ever go wrong, by which one must mean, can he ever be untrue to his own nature? I do not see how one can imagine this to happen; for they are so completely creatures of the elements of which they are composed that they must be regarded as completely devoid 1. See the section on "Telesmatic Images" in VoL 4, The Golden Dawn (St. Paul: Uewellyn Publications , 1970).