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1930 · PDF PAGE 13

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

CHAPTER XVI (Part II) Of THE CHARGE TO THE SPIRIT WITH SOME ACCOUNT OF THE CONSTRAINTS AND CURSES OCCASIONALLY NECESSARY I On the appearance of the spirit, or the manifestation of the force in the talisman which is being consecrated, it is necessary to bind it by an Oath or Charge. A spirit should be made to lay its hand visibly on the weapon by whose might it has been evoked, and to aswear obedience and faith to Him that liveth and triumpheth, that reigneth above him in His palaces as the Balance of Righteousness and Truth” by the Names used i…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 16

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

Spirit in a black box wiîh stinking substances, alï îiaving been properly prepared beforehand, and tlie magical links properîy made, so that lie is really tortured by the Operation. 1 This is a rare event, however. Only once in the whole of his magical career was Frater Perurabo driven to so harsh a measure. IV In this connexion, beware of too ready a compliance on the part of the spirit. If some Black Lodge has got wind of your operation, it may send the spirit, full of hypocritical submission, to destroy you. Such a spirit will probably prono…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 19

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…eir normal aspects, in accordance with the great law of inertia. In a badly-managed évocation, however, this does not always obtainj the spirit may refuse to be controlled, and may refuse to départ — even after having sworn obedience. In such a case extreme danger may arise. In the ordinary way, the Magician dismisses the spirit with these words: “And now I say unto thee, départ in peace unto thine habitations and abodes — and may the blessing of the Highest be upon thee in the name of (here mention the divine name suitable to the operation, or…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 75

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…quality with Man. The proper study of mankind is God; with Him is his business; and with Him alone. Some magicians hâve hired légions of spirits for some spécial purpose; but it has always proved a serious mistake. The whole idea of exchange is foreign to magick. The dignity of the magician forbids compacts. “The Earth is the Lord’s and the fulness thereof”. III The operations of Magick art are difficult to classify, as they merge into each other, owing to the essential unity of their method and resuit. We may mention : 1. Operations such as év…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 5

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…ncommon case. The explanation is as follows. It is perfectly true that when Bill Sykes desires to possess Nancy, he does in fact evoke a spirit of the nature of Venus, constraining him by his Oath of Love (and by his magical power as a man) to bring him the girl. So also, when he wants to kiJl her, he evokes a Martial or Saturnian spirit, with an Oath of hâte. But these are not pure planetary spints, moving in well- dehned spneres by rigidlv righteous laws. They are gross concré¬ tions of confused impulses, “incapable of understanding the natur…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 15

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…ity and power of analysis the Oath and the Invocations. And this may be done thrice. But if this be satisfactorily accomplished, and the spirit be y et disobedient, the implication is thaï sonie hostile force is at work îo hinder the operation. It will then become advisable to discover the nature of that force, and to attack and desîroy it. This makes the ceremony more useful than ever to the Magician, who may thereby be led to irnveil a black magical gang whose existence he had not hitherto snspected. His need to check the vampiring of a lady …

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1930 · PDF PAGE 14

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

It may be that tiie place or time is wrong. One cannot easily evoke water-spirits in the Sahara, or salamanders in the English Lake District. Hismael will not readily appear when Jupiter is below the horizon. 1 2 In order to counteract a natural deficiency of this sort, one would hâve to supply a sufficient quantity of the proper kind of material. One cannot make bricks without straw. With regard to invocations of the Gods, such considérations do not apply. The Gods are beyond most material conditions. It is necessarv to hll the heart and mïnd …

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1930 · PDF PAGE 20

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…hould then repeat the dismissal; and if this does not suffice, he should then perform the banishing ritual suitable to the nature of the spirit and, if necessary, add conjurations to the same effect. In these circumstances, or if anything else suspicious should occur, he should not be content with the apparent disappearance of the spirit, who might easily make himself invisible and lie in ambush to do the Magician a mischief when he stepped out of the Circle — or even months afterwards. An y symhol whieh lias once definitely entered your enviro…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 49

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

occasions. These shouid be “familiar” spirits, in the strict sense; members of bis family. He shouid deal with them constantly, avoiding whimsical or capricious changes. He shouid choose them so that their capacities cover the whole ground of his workj but he shouid not multiply them unneccessarily, for he makes himself responsible for each one that he employs. Such spirits snould be ceremonially evoked to visible or semi-visible appear- ance. A strict arrangement shouid be made and sworn. This must be kept punctiliously by the Magician, and it…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 61

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

The Eucharist of six éléments has Father, Son, and Holy Spirit above j breath, water, and blood beneath. It is a sacrament reserved for high initiâtes. 1 2 The Eucharist of seven éléments is mystically identical with that of one. Of the melhod of consecrating tlie éléments it is only necessary to say that they should be treated as talismans. The circle and other furniture of the Temple should receive the usual benefit of the banishings and consécrations. The Oath should be taken and the Invocations made. When the divine force mani- fests in the…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 45

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…est so rash a course. The man takes his wand and his sand; he traces the question, makes the appropriate pentagram, and the sigil of the spirit. Before tracing the dashes which are to détermine the four “Mothers”, he must strictly examine himself. He must banish from his mind every thought which can possibly act as an attachment to his proposed partner. He must banish ail thoughts which concern himself, those of appré¬ hension no less than those of ardour. He must carry his introspec¬ tion as far as possible. He must observe with ail the subtle…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 57

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…more or less material and personal fashion. These Rituals are therefore well suited for such persons as are capable of understanding the spirit of Magick as opposed to the letter. One of the great advantages of them is that a large number of persons may take part, so that there is consequently more force available; but it is important that they should ail be initiâtes of the same mysteries, bound by the same oaths, and filled with the same aspirations. They should be associated only for this one purpose. Such a company being prepared, the story…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 62

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

… mort ai frame, shedding its earihly éléments, will become in very truth the Temple of tbe Holy Gliost. Day by day matter is repîaeed by Spirit, tbe bmnau by the divine ; ulîimately the change will be complété; God manifest in flesh will be bis naine, This is the most important of ail magical secrets that ever were or are or can be. To a Magician thus renewed the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel becomes an inévitable task; every force of his nature, unhindered, tends to that aim and goal of whose nature ne…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 36

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…her within or without the diviner, of which he is not immediately conscious. (It does not matter to the theory whether the communicating spirit so-called is an objective entity or a concealed portion of the diviner’s mind.) We assume that such intelligences are able to reply correctly — within limits — to the questions asked. 2. We postulate that it is possible to construct a compendium of hieroglyphs sufficiently elastic in meaning to include every possible idea, and that one or more of these may always be taken to represent any idea. We assum…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 27

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…ting vision — discover whether the symbols which you hâve seen correspond with the conventional symbols of Mercury. Tliis iesting of the spirits is the most important branch of tlie whoïe tree of Magick. Without it, one is lost in the jungle of delusion. Every spirit, up to God himself, is ready to deceive you if possible, to make himself ont more important than lie is; in short, to lay in wait for your soûl in 333 separate ways. Remember thaï after ail the highest of ail the Gods is en!y the Magus, 1 Mayan, the greatest of ail the devils. Your…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 54

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…ce hâve become intelligible only as forms of light. With a rod we hâve summoned the invisible energies of electricity to be our familiar spirit serving us to do our Will, whether it be to outsoar the condor, or to dive deeper into the démon world of disease than any of our dreamers dared to dream. Since with four bits of common glass mankind has learnt to know so much, achieved so much, who dare deny that the Book of Thoth, the quintessentialized wisdom of our ancestors whose civilizations, penshed though they be, hâve left monuments which dwar…

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1930 · PDF PAGE 76

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

… in many different ways. One may fascinate and bend to one’s will a person who has of his own right the power to destroy. One may employ spirits or talismans. The more powerful magicians of the last few centuries hâve employed books. In private matters these Works are very easy, if they be neces- sary. An adept known to The Master Therion once found it necessary to slay a Circe who was bewitching brethren. He merely walked to the door of her room, and drew an Astral T (“tradi- tore”, and the symbol of Saturn) with an astral dagger. Within 48 h …

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1930 · PDF PAGE 65

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…atched on a sheep-skin, but a wTord of Truth, imperish- able, mighty to prevail throughout the sphere of its purport. The évocation of a spirit is precisely similar in essence. The exorcist takes dead material substances of a nature sympathetic to the being whom he intends to invoke. He banishes ail impurities there- fiom, prevents ail interférence therewith, and proceeds to give life to the subtle substance thus prepared by instilling his soûl. - 185 -

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1930 · PDF PAGE 7

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…oecause to do so would be to affirm what He hath denied in those Oaths by whose virtue He is Ihat He is. This is the case, even when the spirit of such Orgia is fully consonant with His Will. Ihe literal sense of His original Oath insists that it shall be respected. The case offers two instances of this principle. Frater Perdurabo specifically swore that He would renounce His Personal possessions to the last penny5 also that He would allow no human affection to hinder Elim. Ihese ternis were accepted; He was granted infinitely more than He had …

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1930 · PDF PAGE 48

Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

…advan- tage of the diviner to obtain this information from beings of the most exalted essence available. An old witch who has a familiar spirit of merely local celebritv such as the toad in her tree, can hardly expect him to tell her much more of private matters than her parish magazine does of public. It dépends entirely on the Magician how he is served. The greater the man, the greater must be his teacher. It follows that the highest forms of communicating daemons, those who know, so to speak, the court secrets, disdain to concern themselves …

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