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Page 1 of 31913 · PDF PAGE 45
CHAPTER V THE HOLY OIL THE Holy Oil is the Aspiration of the Magician; it is that which consecrates him to the performance of the Great Work; and such is its efficacy that it also consecrates all the furniture of the Temple and the instruments thereof. It is also the grace or chrism ; for this aspiration is not ambition ; it is a quality bestowed from above. For this reason the Magician will anoint first the top of his head before proceeding to consecrate the lower centres in their turn. This oil is of a pure golden colour; and when placed upon…
1913 · PDF PAGE 64
…r real purpose, and in very many cases we have this in- finiteyearning supported byso frail a constitution that nothing is achieved. The Magician must build all that he has into his pyramid; and if that pyramid is to touch the stars, how broad must be the base ! There is no knowledge and no power which is useless to the Magician. One might almost say there is no scrap of material in the whole Universe with which he can dispense. His ultimate enemy is the great Magician, the Magician who created the whole illusion of the Universe; and to meet hi…
1913 · PDF PAGE 19
CHAPTER I THE TEMPLE THE Temple represents the external Universe. The Magician must take it as he finds it, so that it is of no par- ticular shape; yet we find written, Liber VII, vi, 2: "We made us a Temple of stones in the shape of the Universe, even as thou didst wear openly and I concealed." This shape is the Vesica Piscis; but it is only the greatest of the Magicians who can thus fashion the Temple. There may, however, be some choice of rooms; this refers to the power of the Magician to reincarnate in a suitable body.
1913 · PDF PAGE 158
…g thus dealt with special Robes, let us consider the use of the Robe in general. The Robe is that which conceals, and which protects the Magician from the elements; it is the silence and secrecy with which he works, the hiding of himself in the occult life of Magick and Meditation. This is the "going away into the wilderness " which we find in the lives of all men of the highest types of greatness. And it is also the withdrawing of one's self from life as such. In another sense it is the " Aura " of the Magician, that invisible egg or sheath wh…
1913 · PDF PAGE 32
22 bottom Malkuth. The height of the Altar is equal to the height above the ground of the navel of the Magician. The Altar is connected with the Ark of the Covenant, Noah's Ark, the nave {navis^ a ship) of the Church, and many other symbols of antiquity, whose symboUsm has been well worked out in an anonymous book called "The Canon," (Elkin Mathews), which should be studied carefully before constructing the Altar. For this Altar must embody the Magician's knowledge of the laws of Nature, which are the laws through which he works. He should ende…
1913 · PDF PAGE 26
…18 ("Equinox V"). They keep off those forces of darkness which might otherwise break in. The names of God form a further protection. The Magician may consider what names he will use; but each name should in some way symbolise this Work in its method and accomplishment. It is impos- sible here to enter into this subject fully; the discovery or construction of suitable names might occupy the most learned Qabalist for many years. These nine lamps were originally candles made of human fat, the fat of enemies^ slain by the Magician; they thus served…
1913 · PDF PAGE 152
…e is in the Crown first described. The crimson cap implies concealment, and is also symbolical of the flood of glory that pours upon the Magician from above. It is of velvet for the softness of that divine kiss, and crimson for that it is the very blood of God which is its life. The band of gold is the eternal circle of perfection. The three pentagrams symbolize the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, while the hexagram represents the Magician him- self. Ordinarily, pentagrams represent the microcosm, hexagrams the macrocosm; but here the rev…
1913 · PDF PAGE 23
CHAPTER II THE CIRCLE THE Circle announces the Nature of the Great Work. Though the Magician has been Umited in his choice of room, he is more or less able to choose what part of the room he will work in. He will consider convenience and possibility. His circle should not be too small and cramp his movements; it should not be so large that he has long distances to traverse. Once the circle is made and consecrated, the Magician must not leave it, or even lean outside, lest he be de- stroyed by the hostile forces that are without. He chooses a ci…
1913 · PDF PAGE 161
CHAPTER XIII THE BOOK THE Book of Spells or of Conjurations is the Record of every thought, word, and deed of the Magician; for everything that he has willed is willed to a purpose. It is the same as if he had taken an oath to perform some achievement. Now this Book must be a holy Book, not a scribbling-book in which you jot down every piece of rubbish that comes into your head. It is written, Liber VII, v, 23: "Every breath, every word, every thought, every deed is an act of love with Thee. Be this devotion a potent spell to exorcise the demon…
1913 · PDF PAGE 167
…ystems of Magick a number of bells have been worn, sewn upon the hem of the robe with the idea of symbolizing that every movement of the Magician should make music. But the Bell of which we shall speak is a more important implement. This Bell summons and alarms; and it is also the Bell which sounds at the elevation of the Host. It is thus also the ''Astral Bell" of the Magician.^ The Bell of which we speak is a disk of some two inches in diameter, very slightly bent into a shape not unlike that of a cymbal. A hole in the centre permits the pass…
1913 · PDF PAGE 41
…ercury: it is used to calm too great heat, by the letting of blood; and it is this weapon which is plunged into the side or heart of the Magician to fill the Holy Cup. Those faculties which come between the appetites and the reason are thus dealt with. The Chain is Salt : it servestobind thewanderingthoughts; and for this reason is placed about the neck of the Magician, where Daath is situated. These instruments also remind us of pain, death, and bondage. Students of the gospel will recollect that in the martyrdom of Christ these three were use…
1913 · PDF PAGE 15
…d charlatans. We shall consider a simple form of magick, harmonized from many systems old and new, describing the various weapons of the Magician and the furniture of his temple. We shall explain to what each really corresponds, and discuss the construction and the use of everything. The Magician works in a Temple; the Universe, which is (be it remembered!) conterminous with himself.' In this temple a Circle is drawn upon the floor for the limitation of his working. This circle is ^ The holders of those keys have always kept very quiet about it…
1913 · PDF PAGE 114
…n into itself is all this symbolism ! The centre of Ruach being the heart, it is seen that this Sword of the Ruach must be thrust by the Magician into his own heart. But there is a subsequent task, of which it is spoken —Liber VII, V, 47. " He shall await the sword of the Beloved and bare his throat for the stroke." In the throat is Daath —the throne of Ruach. Daath is Knowledge. This final destruction of knowledge opens the gate of the City of the Pyramids. It is also written, Liber CCXX, iii, 11: " Let the woman be girt with a sword before me…
1913 · PDF PAGE 25
…square is that of the base of the Altar, which is placed upon Malkuth. It will follow then that, in spite of the apparent freedom of the Magician to do anything he likes, he is really determined absolutely; for as the Altar must have a base proportionate to its height, and as that height must be con- venient for the Magician, the size of the whole will depend upon his own stature. It is easy to draw a moral lesson from these considerations. We will merely indicate this one, that the scope of any man's work depends upon his own original genius. …
1913 · PDF PAGE 77
CHAPTER VII THE CUP AS the Magick Wand is the Will, the Wisdom, the Word of the Magician, so is the Magick Cup his Under- standing. This is the cup of which it was written: " Father, if it be Thy Will, let this cup pass from Me!" And again: " Can ye drink of the cup that I drink of?" And it is also the cup in the hand of OUR LADV BABALON, and the cup of the Sacrament. This Cup is full of bitterness, and of blood, and of intoxication. The Understanding of the Magus is his link with the Invisible, on the passive side. His Will errs actively by op…
1913 · PDF PAGE 171
CHAPTER XV THE LAMEN '"T^HE breastplate or Lamen of the Magician is a very elaborate and JL important symbol. In the Jewish system we read that the High Priest was to wear a plate with twelve stones, for the twelve tribes of Israel (with all their correspondences), and in this plate were kept the Urim and Thummim.^ The modern Lamen is, however, a simple plate which (being worn over the heart) symbolizes Tiphereth, and it should therefore be a harmony of all the other symbols in one. It connects natur- ally by its shape with the Circle and the P…
1913 · PDF PAGE 31
CHAPTER III THE ALTAR THE Altar represents the solid basis of the work, the fixed Wiir of the Magician; and the law under which he works. Within this altar everything is kept, since everything is subject to law. Except the Lamp. According to some authorities the Altar should be made of oak to re- present the stubbornness and rigidity of law; others would make it of Acacia, for Acacia is the symbol of resurrection. The Altar is a double cube, which is a rough way of symbolizing the Great Work; for the doubling of the cube, Hke the squaring of th…
1913 · PDF PAGE 145
…paration of the elemental weapons, it is said that each symbolic representation of the Universe is to be approved by the Superior of the Magician. To this rule the Lamp is an exception; it is said : " A Magical Lamp that shall burn without wick or oil, being fed by the Aethyr. This shall he accomplish secretly and apart, without asking the advice or approval of his Adeptus Minor." This Lamp is the light of the pure soul; it hath no need of fuel, it is the Burning Bush inconsumable that Moses saw, the image of the Most High. This Lamp hangeth ab…
1913 · PDF PAGE 177
…Fire all things are cast. It symbolizes the final burning up of all things in Shivadarshana. It is the absolute destruction alike of the Magician and the Universe. 'I'hc Thurible stands upon a small altar. "My'altar is of open brass- work; burn thereon in silver or gold." This altar stands in the East, as if to symbolize the identity of Hope and Annihilation. This brass con- tains the metals of Jupiter and ^'cnus fused in a homogeneous alloy. This is then symbolical of divine love, and it is " open brass work ' because this love is not limited …
1913 · PDF PAGE 157
CHAPTER XII THE ROBE THE Robe of the Magician may be varied according to his grade and the nature of his working. There are two principal Robes, the white and the black; of these the black is more important than the white, for the white has no hood. These Robes may be varied by the addition of various symbols, but in any case the shape of the Robe is a Tau. The general symbolism which we have adopted leads us, however, to prefer the description of a Robe which few dare wear. This Robe is of a rich silk of deep pure blue, the blue of the night s…