BASIC MAGICK
First Excerpt pp.3-13
CHAPTER ONE
The How and Why of Magick
Welcome to this very special book of Pragmatic Magick, a book designed to help you understand what Magick is all about I will show you how to change your life by using your inherent power in a safe and natural way. I want to present the truth about Magick and the magical way to success, no matter what the word “success” may mean to you. In acting as your guide, I am able to point the way to truth, for not only have I spent a lifetime searching for that rare commodity, I am not bound by oaths to keep silent. In any case, the truth about life is quite plain to see once the way has been cleared and the path pointed out. Perhaps we ought to start by looking at the analysis of “truth.”
If you are perfectly honest with yourself, truth is what you really want. I mean REAL TRUTH, and not the imperfect truths given to us by those who attempt to direct magical arts, both past and present. The biggest problem with most concepts is that they are based on secondhand knowledge. No one has bothered to think about or question ancient concepts.
The present magical revival has been underway for a decade, but there are still only a few practitioners who actually understand the subjective nature of Magick. Most contemporary magicians are naïve about the true operative technique. The reason why so few get results is because only a few know the secrets.
Secondhand knowledge is no guarantee of success. That is one reason why the spells, incantations, and grimoires of others are not necessarily of any use to you. The only knowledge worth having is the truth, and once you have discovered this for yourself, you cannot fail.
There is a great deal of difference between accepted ideas which are made to work, and truth. Time and time again it can be proved that you can make anything work (and I do mean anything!) if you BELIEVE it to be true. Belief is a major key in life, and in Magick, for whatever you believe comes true. It makes sense to believe in the right ideas; in other words, those things which are true as opposed to someone else’s misconceptions, or their religious or philosophical beliefs. I will teach you to look for the real truth as it applies to you. I will teach you to question both your own beliefs and the accepted teaching of others and help you find the only path in life that matters-your own.
Truth Versus Untruth
If we are to establish what truth is, we had better start by looking at it from a different angle, by looking at some of the accepted “truths” that are held as being correct and absolute.
Ideas about “God”
As God is the source of all power, we have to beg and belittle ourselves to trust that God MAY hear us and grant some of our requests. Untrue. Our ideas about God are completely wrong, largely due to popular religion, and further suppositions on our part. There is a constant source of all-pervading energy which can be approached as “God.” What matters is our METHOD of approach. A negative approach gets negative results, while a positive approach gets beneficial results every time. It is vitally important to remember that our image of God determines what we get from God.
What kind of god do you believe in? Do you believe in a god at all? Or do you, as many magically-minded people do, believe in many gods? The reason there are so many gods, or many different versions, of God, is because each person will have a different point of view and will see God in different ways.
Fate and Predestiny
It is quite absurd to believe that we have no control over our lives; this is a misconception based on fixed irrational notions held stubbornly in the light of evidence to the contrary and, incidentally, a belief fostered by those who like to make money out of people’s apparent misfortune.
What is true is that our beliefs control what happens to us. If those beliefs are negative, destructive, and self-limiting, we are bound to get effects which are in keeping with them, such as illness, poverty, stress, and bad luck. Being human, we have to blame something (or somebody). Naturally, we dare not blame God, or even consider that it may be our own fault, so we blame intangibles, such as forces beyond our control. It may seem like a valid idea but, as we will see, it is not. In truth, the only force which controls our lives is our own and this force acts through our beliefs.
Devils, Demons, and other Astral Entities
Like gods, these are images-components of the personality. Despite the unfounded ramblings of pseudo-magical practitioners, let me categorically state that, in reality, there are no such beings, and they certainly do not exist outside yourself. At this point, you may be experiencing something of a letdown. Am I saying that angels, demons, goddesses, and gods of old are only figments of the individual’s imagination? Certainly not! The gods are real, and their power is awesome. Magical trances or altered states of consciousness are the key to entering their kingdom, the Olam Yetzirah, or the Astral Plane, of which more will be said later on. Images and visions of spirits are actually archetypes evoked from the deep-mind via magical trance, are an important part of magical technique, especially the personal images, or visions, such as archangels, and so on. It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. If you are seeking to bring good into your life, you use beneficial images such as (realistic) gods and angels. If you are concerned with ridding yourself of unwanted evils, then you personify these as demons and such. These are advanced techniques best reserved for more advanced magical work. Unfortunately a little knowledge can often be a dangerous thing in the hands of fools who imitate, but do not fully understand, these images.
Instant Magick
Like anything else in life, the more you put in, the more you get out. There is no such thing as instant Magick, because the magical arts need study and practice. You can no more make these absurd ideas work than you can, say, pick up a French dictionary and expect to speak the language fluently.
Spells and Chants
There is a great deal of misunderstanding about these techniques. Words can be extremely powerful if they are understood. It is quite possible that the magician who first conceived the spell may well have made it work because he put a great deal of thought and feeling into the words-he gave the words power by belief. It does not follow that anyone else repeating those same words will get the same results because the words belong to someone else. The personal involvement is missing. You can literally chant away until you are blue in the face, but unless you work up some emotional fire and belief in what you are saying, nothing will ever happen. If you are ignorant of the value of ritual wording, you may delude yourself.
Joining a Lodge or Coven
It is quite natural for the would-be magician who has met with failure, confusion, or uncertainty to seek the company of those in the know. The more unscrupulous organizations will be more than pleased to show you inner secrets (for a price) and offer you initiation into these mysteries. What mysteries? The secrets of Magick are quite plain to see, and demand no loyalty to some cause or oaths of silence. Most of these lodge secrets can be found in books if you search about for them.
The only true way to personal power is by individual effort. Of course you can learn from others, but you must avoid the herd instinct that leads to joining magical organizations.
The Truth
The following statement of fact cannot be overstressed. The essential truth about life, particularly from an esoteric point of view, is as follows:
YOU = BELIEF = LIFE ENERGY
If you were expecting profound and mystical truths, complex formulae, or some tremendous revelation, you could be excused for being surprised. Centuries of muddled thinking have made life appear to be far more complex than it really is. Think long and hard about those three words. They are a master key to success, simple though they may appear.
Life Energy
Let us start by looking at creation in a simplified way. First creative intelligence (God) created life energy. This was then split into distinct categories in the same way that light can be divided into colors of the spectrum.
From a magical point of view, these became known as the planetary energies, of which more will be written later. However, energy by itself is not sufficient to produce the physical universe in which we live. There has to be something into which this energy can be directed. That “something” is known as matter. Matter is formless, shapeless, and inert. It is, for all intents and purposes, quite dead. Life is created when matter is given energy. The lifeless “no-thing” becomes “some-thing”. Everything that we see and touch is matter which contains energy-everything from a pebble to the human body. The essential difference between one object, such as a stone, and another, such as water, is the type of energy which it contains.
Magick is art of getting to know about this energy and learning how to use it. Before we can do this, we have to look a little deeper.
Beliefs
Each and every one of you has the ability to create around yourself all that you wish to have. In fact, you are doing this right now! Before you start to write letters telling me all about your misfortunes, unhappiness, and lack of money, I urge you to think carefully about the absolute truth which follows.
There are many myth, mythoi, and profound statements which allude to our inherent power. Time after time, great teachers have pointed out the reality of our hidden abilities, yet few have listened. The key to life is contained in the word “belief”.
Suppose you owned a vast computer which was capable of answering any question and could also, through other computers, robots, and so forth, bring anything to your door. If you think about the rapid advances being made in technology, this is not as farfetched as you may suppose. All you have to do is ask your computer, and it does the rest with out any further effort on your part. As a human being, you have such a device. It is called the subconscious mind. This incredible mental computer is capable of anything, and, furthermore, it can be directed by you, if you know how.
There are many techniques that attempt to influence the subconscious mind. Among these are hypnosis, alpha states, magical or ritual trance, autosuggestion, altered states of consciousness, and mind power. Correct magical procedure uses only the best techniques together with the only language which the subconscious mind can understand-symbols. As you will see, Magick without symbolism is quite pointless.
We will delve further into the mysteries of the subconscious in subsequent chapters. However, it is important to understand the part that belief plays in this matter. Always remember that beliefs are not restricted to religious issues; we have beliefs about everything.
Unfounded Beliefs
Each one of us has any number of blocks that prevent the effective use of power. These blocks may manifest as fears, phobia, compulsions, strange ideas, and beliefs or non-beliefs that we have accepted without thinking. Magick can only be totally effective when all these blocks are realized and replaced by truth! This truth is again different for each person as we all have a different point of view and no two people see the same thing in the same way.
In olden days, these blocks were conceived as demons in the same way that angels represented the higher aspects. If you wish to use the visual image of a demon or an angel, then do so! However, keep in mind that they are only components of your personality, or serious error will result. These things are not real, and are not to be given any importance they do not warrant. The idea of bowing the knee to an angel, of fleeing from a demon is ridiculous! In the invocation of the so-called holy guardian angel, the lower self, undesirable blocks are made to prostrate themselves to the higher self. As long as this is borne in mind, all is well and good. The idea falls part when the holy guardian angel is presumed to be remote, and the operator identifies with the lower self while assuming strange ideas of self-flagellation and unworthiness. This is a classic case of the demon winning on all points.
We are evolved! We have power! All we have to do is rediscover it. Tackle each block as you come to it. If something appears not to work, then there is a reason for this, and “God’s will” is no longer a valid excuse.
Incorrect Presumption
Here we are dealing with largely unfounded beliefs which can be made to work. I will not go into detail; the neverending list grows each day. However, it will suffice to say that incorrect presumptions have no place in real Magick. They do, however, play a major role in today’s esoterics and are often not easy to identify. As an example, consider the concept of consecrating ritual implements. When fully understood, the act of consecration is a powerful magical act. Mumbling a few words together with assorted gestures over ritual implements is quite pointless because it is presumed by incorrect belief that the implements are, in themselves, magical. They are not; no ritual equipment is, in itself, magical.
Ritual equipment is only an aid to focusing the mind and nothing else. The golden rule with Magick is: Never do or say anything that you do not fully understand. When you understand something, you remove the chances of failure.
Positive Beliefs
When you exert positive belief, you ignore all the apparent facts while concentrating on that which is desired. This is the essence of most mind power books and it is totally correct. Always keep in mind that the old idea of seeing is believing is not necessarily true. The more you become involved with Magick, the more you will begin to realize that “facts” are not necessarily true. They only appear to be true. Real Magick ignores the facts, and concentrates, instead, on the goal, because it is realized that facts can be changed. I could list hundreds of cases in which the apparent facts have been pushed aside in favor of something better.
You
You are made in the image of God-so the Bible tells us. This is not a myth, it is absolute fact! You are the only creature on this planet who has the capacity to create using life energy. That which can be described as “God” creates a universe; you create within the universe according to your will. There are no limitations on the ability to create. You have, above all else, free choice.
Naturally, this is akin to a sword that cuts both ways. If you have negative beliefs, you get negative results. If you have positive beliefs, you get positive results. Free choice is being exercised because they are your beliefs, no matter where you got them from. By changing your beliefs, you change your life.
Your subconscious mind is a wonderful creative tool. Give it an instruction (in other words, a belief) and it will carry this out without any further action on your part, just like the computer previously mentioned. The art and science of instructing the subconscious mind in this way is called Magick, and this is the sole reason why magical techniques work. You, as an individual, can and will learn how to do this in the safest, most natural way. You already have power, and that power is probably leaking away, or being wasted on unrealistic beliefs such as poverty, illness, and lack.
There is no external cause for people’s problems. The real cause lies within the subconscious mind. Even science is beginning to realize this fact, for many illnesses are being diagnosed as psychosomatic, in other works, as in the mind. If people’s beliefs cause their troubles, where do the get them from? The answer is quite complex.
From the moment you are born, you are constantly being bombarded with impressions as you learn. It is scientific fact that the first few months of life tend to shape the character of the child. Children, particularly babies, are very receptive. If the impressions they receive are largely beneficial, they grow up well balanced and optimistic because their beliefs are generally positive. If, on the other hand, the impressions received are restrictive and jaded, the result is negative belief patterns, which give rise to serious problems. If you look around, you will see the evidence of this in yourself and in others.
Once a person exercised the right of free choice and begins to question, things start to change almost at once. Any degree of serious thinking awakens the subconscious mind. If questions are being asked, it will immediately start to provide answers, for the subconscious mind always seeks to serve, just like the lamp of Aladdin. It responds to your desires.
Remember that no matter what has happened in the past, no matter what your belief patterns have done to your life, your subconscious mind is always there to help. It is your servant. From this point of view alone, your future is therefore always bright. No matter what lies behind you, success lies ahead, providing that you make the effort. To recapitulate:
1. There is abundant life energy freely available to you. No god or other religious entity measures this out in small doses in proportion to your worthiness. There is more than enough energy for everyone and it will never run out.
2. You have a subconscious mind which is your servant. It will do whatever you wish, using life energy to manifest your desires into physical fact. All you have to do is give it instructions. Magick is concerned with the giving of such instructions.
3. Beliefs are the key to magical power. It is most important to replace wrong beliefs with truth. Only by getting rid of outmoded and self-limiting beliefs can life take on a new meaning.
End of first excerpt pp. 3-13
Return to Lesson
Turning Desires Into Reality
Remember this magical rule: Input = Output. There is no such thing as instant Magick. Everything takes time. In order to get the most out of Magick, you will have to study the ideas I give in each chapter and then apply them. Do not skim through each chapter and then rush into the practical work; go slowly and steadily. Think carefully about all that has been written and try to understand the ideas given to you.
There is no substitute for patience, persistence, and regular daily study. The more you put in, the more you get out. This is true in life and certainly true in Magick. One of the greatest causes of failure is expecting something for nothing. If you want to change your life, become successful and content, they you must be prepared to work. This means that you will have to devote some time each day to your studies and practical work. It is a small sacrifice for a large gain.
A prerequisite for successful magical work is the ability to become calm. You cannot work effective rituals, and thereby influence your subconscious mind, if you are in a state of turmoil. This preliminary meditation serves as a vital transition stage between the mundane world and the sacred dimensions of the Inner Temple, of which more will be said later. In a temporal sense, it will lead you smoothly from real time into dream time. Learn to relax, especially before attempting a magical act or exercise. This is not difficult to do. All you have to do is breathe slowly and gently, and then let go of everyday thoughts. In a similar way, slowly work through your body, feeling it relax, little by little. Tension is the enemy of ritual because it blocks access to your subconscious mind.
The relaxation exercise can be performed sitting or lying down. From your toes gradually work up the body to the top of your head, relaxing each part as you come to it.
This exercise can be taken one stage further by standing upright with your arms at your sides, eyes open or closed. This exercise involves five central points on your body, and these points correspond to the five central spheres on the Cabbalistic Tree of Life.
You will concentrate on each of the five areas (Kether, Daath, Tiphereth, Yesod, and Malkuth), one at a time beginning with the head, and as you do, endeavor to imagine a sphere of brilliance pulsating with the correct color energy. Spend a little time on this before moving to the next position. When the ankle area is reached, then return. Start at the ankles, and move back up the body toward the head to complete the cycle.
To reiterate, concentrate your whole mind upon the crown of the head; visualize a sphere of white brilliance. Concentrate on just that part of your body, as though it were the only part of you that was alive and active. After doing this for a minute, concentrate your attention upon your throat area; visualize a sphere of lavender-blue brilliance, feel your neck and skin, and the air flowing down it. When your consciousness has been centered in this part of your body, then bring the consciousness down to your heart area; visualize a sphere of yellow brilliance; feel the flesh and the internal organs of this area, feel your heart beating. Become conscious of your lungs and the rhythm of breathing.
Now bring your consciousness down further until you reach your lower stomach, the genital area visualize a sphere of violet brilliance. Become aware of the internal workings and feel of this area.
Finally, concentrate your attention upon your ankles and feet, visualizing a sphere of brown or green brilliance. Feel your consciousness in your feet and heels, the existence of your toes. Now reverse this process, starting at your feet-ankle area, and gradually work back up through each area, finishing at the crown of your head once more.
The point of this exercise is to gradually concentrate and awaken a consciousness in each area of the body. This will cause the blood to be excited in those parts. It will cause the objective consciousness, as well as the subjective consciousness, to develop and increase in that part of the body. The nerve centers in those parts will be awakened by this process until, by the time you have reached the feet and returned back up to the head again, you will find that your whole body is tingling with life and vitality.
After having done this for three or four days, the next time you do it, take a deep breath and hold it while you concentrate on each of the five areas of the body. For instance, when you come to the crown of the head, take a deep breath through the mouth, hold it for half a minute, concentrate on this, visualizing (imagining and feeling) the sphere of brilliance, then exhale through the mouth. Then move down to the next position and do the same thing, only modifying the color of the sphere to suit the correct area. Each time, hold the deep breath that you have inhaled through the mouth while concentrating, then exhale and breathe out through the mouth.
You will find that this adds to your vitality. The deep breath gives you an extra amount of positive energy, which further quickens and enlivens the psychic senses of those parts on which you are concentrating. The extra amount of vitality that enters the blood cells of the lungs each time you take a deep breath and hold it is passed off by the blood in its circulation at the points where you are concentrating. You are feeding each of these points with an extra amount of vital life force which includes the very essence of physical and mental power that is required to awaken the psychic centers of those parts.
The Breath Mantram
By deep breathing, I mean inhaling (breathing in), but not to the point of discomfort. Then, hold the breath as long as possible, also without discomfort, and exhale as instructed. The use of a breath mantram will help concentration while visualizing each sphere of brilliance. The SU HAAM mantram can be put to good effect. The SU sound is made on the in-breath and the HAA sound is made on the out-breath, the M at the end of HAAM is made by closing the mouth. If you have respiratory illness-such as a lung or heart ailment-I would advise dispensing with the deep breathing method. It is a good idea to use some soft music or slow drumming, and perhaps some joss sticks or general incense. (A joss stick is a small stick of incense burned in a Chinese temple.) When you have absorbed the imagined light of the Cabbalistic sphere (or psychic center), and when this experience reaches its peak, move into the temple area or place of work, still maintaining your “set” or trance, ready for your magical work.
Ritual Bath
Even though it is not essential that you physically bathe or wash before a ritual, a physical action can serve to instigate a mental attitude. In Magick, it is essential that the mind be clear of all but the intention. The Magick is done on a subconscious level. And the reasoning logical mind, cluttered and clouded as it is by everyday events, invariably gets in the way. This is where the cleaning process is useful. A physical bath washes away the cares, troubles, and tensions of mundane living and leaves us calm, with a clear channel to the subconscious mind. This can also be achieved by a few moments of silent meditation; and, indeed, a physical bath should always be followed by a period of silence before any ritual is attempted. A physical bath can be dispensed with, but the silent mind part is essential. Unless the intent is carried through to the subconscious levels, all Magick will fail. Bathing, robes, candles, oils, and incense are only means of intensifying the subconscious will. To use a modern cliché, “They hammer home the message and get the point across.”
An adept of many years training and control can dispense with the outward tools of Magick, for he or she has leaned to control the many levels of the mind by a mental cleansing process. If you find that a bath helps, then use it. In fact, use whatever will bring about the desired state of consciousness.
Decide What You Want
Now we will do a really practical exercise of the utmost value. We all tend to think that we know what we want, but do we? You are about to find out. The best way to sum up magical procedure is:
THINK-ACT-FORGET
It is essential to think and plan out any magical ritual before you perform it. Thinking about your ritual intention helps get the intention firmly in the mind, and also helps you tackle any negative thoughts that will prevent success.
I want you to decide exactly what you want from life. Think about this carefully, and write down everything on a sheet of paper. While doing this, it is important that you not restrict yourself in any way. One way of doing this is to imagine that you have a limitless supply of blank checks and unlimited funds in the bank. Think about this. If you really did have an endless supply of money, what would you buy, where would you go, and so forth? Let your imagination run free, and watch out for any negative ideas, such as, “I cannot have that because of ” or similar ideas.
Another way to look at this is to pretend you have a Genie in a bottle, or even Aladdin’s lamp. Use any ideas that help widen your horizons and give you unlimited free choice. Take your time and let everything come out into the open. When you are satisfied that you have covered everything that you need, take another sheet and divide this list into two sections-needs and desires.
There is quite a difference between something needed and something desired. For instance: if your health is bad, you need better health. A new car or a trip abroad could well be a desire. Again, take your time and think carefully about all this.
Finally, I want you to look at each of these two lists and put them in order of priority. The net result is that you are now clear in your mind as to exactly what you want from life, and you can also see which of these things are most important.
Spend some time on these exercises until you have become proficient; before moving on, take your time. Do remember to be positive. In other words, include everything no matter how impossible it may appear to be. In the next chapter, I will show you how to begin to turn these needs and desires into reality.
End of Second Excerpt
Return to Lesson
CHAPTER TWO
Building a Temple
There are some pretty idiotic ideas about magical temples. Most center around the idea that these are holy places in which certain divine (or unsavory entities) gather at the whims of the magician. This being the central theme, all else gathers around it. There is a magical law which states that if the center is wrong, then all else is wrong. So it is with temples. If the temple is conceived and constructed around the wrong ideal then the result is a shambles. Before looking at the temple we must, of necessity, look at the ideal around which it is to be built.
A Magick Temple
The sole function of a temple is to provide a controlled environment for magical work because the temple is nothing more or less than a workroom, albeit a special workroom. As Magick is a science of using the mind, it naturally follows that anything likely to affect the mind adversely should be excluded. Conversely, anything likely to enhance the mind is included. Let us start by looking at the exclusion of undesirable elements.
There are two areas to be considered: physical and nonphysical. Often these combine to produce problems, so the distinction is not exact. Of prime importance is security; in other words, the ability to prevent intrusion by unwanted individuals. A strong lock on the door, together with heavy curtains over the windows, serves to reduce the possibilities of distraction, but more to the point, they help promote peace of mind. The more peaceful you are, and the more relaxed and comfortable you feel, the better will be your state of mind. Naturally, the results are therefore more assured because you cannot hope to concentrate fully on what you are doing if half your mind is concerned with the possibility of distractions. Often, when sharing a place of residence with non-sympathizers, there are additional security problems, such as how does one carry on magical work without raising suspicions? There are no hard and fast rules as situations vary tremendously from person to person; however, a little thought and ingenuity will often solve the problem. Suitable cover stories such as yoga, meditation, and so forth are one avenue worth exploring. Always remember that the more relaxed you are the better the result, so it naturally follows that time spent on sorting out these problems is well spent in the long run. Noise is another problem. This may be alleviated by using background music, drumming, or special narratives, but eventually you will train yourself to turn off to such things.
Having looked at some problems needing exclusion, let us now look at the temple setup. Temples vary according to available space, type of work being undertaken, and other more personal factors. The description which follows is of an ideal temple using universal symbolism equating to all realistic magical practices. We will discuss less adequate situations later. However, the same basic apply regardless of space or expenditure.
The Room
The first consideration is one of orientation. You may have read in some book that it is vital to align the temple to the points of the compass in order to captivate natural magnetic currents. This is not strictly true. You can work just as well without being aligned to magnetic north for most work, so this is not a major consideration. Only when magical work reaches a certain stage of development (for example: the deeper modes of Esoteric Magick), will it be found desirable to equate the temple to such line of natural power. Until then you can manage quite well without.
Obviously, the four walls of the temple will have to be designated according to the elements and cardinal points. Here we have a choice wither to be purely practical or to be in some reasonable alignment. Some examples will serve to illustrate this. We will presume that the designated temple is rectangular. This is ideal for practical considerations. It provides alignment and there is adequate space available in the center of each wall for stands, altar, and so forth. An ideal setup would have the altar in the center, rather than against a wall. Apart from the fact that this is symbolically correct (power emanates from the center), it also gives the advantage of allowing one to work toward any magical direction, as in seasonal work, or work with one’s personal ruling planets. Although it is customary to work toward the east, this is a remnant of Judaic thought and plays no part in serious magical work. If the altar needs to be place against a wall then any convenient wall will do. Then again, the altar placement could be left entirely to personal choice. Having looked at the room, let us now consider the equipment.
Equipment
Much depends on what kind of magical work you have in mind, but there are certain basics. Now let us forget all the mumbo jumbo about purifying or consecrating magical equipment. Most of the ideas are quite silly, being motivated by quixotic medieval conceptions rather than science. The whole point of magical equipment is simply to aid concentration of the mind-that is all. The important thing to remember is that magical equipment only becomes useful when a relationship is forged between magician and object. For instance, if you rush out and buy a Magick Sword, then expect it to work miracles by helping you command spirits or make the floor burst open and spill forth the legions of hell in cinemascope and stereophonic sound, you will either be bitterly disappointed, or you will forever delude yourself. If you consecrate the Sword, either with a ready-made ritual, or with one you have thought up yourself, you may improve matters slightly. Much depends on your powers of belief, however. There are two mistakes here: firstly that of presuming that the words of someone else will work for you and secondly, that of adhering to pseudo-magical concepts. Obviously this is not very satisfactory either. So what is the best approach? With all magical equipment, first ask the simple question: Do I really need this?
It is so very easy to spend a small fortune on equipment presuming that this is essential and that in some way it enhances your magical work. It may enhance your magical work if understood and used intelligently, but then again it may not.
Why do you need a robe? Because the book tells you so, or because it is essential? The truth is that you do not need a robe. Look at it this way: if the wearing of a robe makes you feel more at ease, more comfortable, then you have the right attitude of mind. If not, then do not bother. The whole idea is to help you change your attitude of mind from the mundane to the magical, and the changing of one’s clothes helps this. Think of it this way: when you’re going somewhere special you dress up to suit the occasion, which of course makes you feel better. You fit in with the situation. Clothes help create the right feel and mood. Consider the idea of going to some splendid function in a sweater and worn-out jeans. You would feel out of place, uncomfortable and ill at ease. You would not just throw on any old thing, either, you would spend time thinking about what to wear and might even put on something special for the occasion. So it is with robes; if they make you feel good, then use them. Also remember the idea of choosing clothes for a special occasion and apply the same idea to robes. The more thought you put into this the better, which brings me to the next important point.
Equipment is Only as Good as You Make It
As mentioned, the relationship between you and your equipment is what really matters. How can you possible have a relationship with a piece of equipment, I hear you say? Quite easy, whatever you come into contact with, be this persons or things, you automatically form a relationship by virtue of your attitude of mind toward them. Now, in magical work, attitude of mind is of paramount importance. We are, after all, dealing with the powers of the mind. The more personal contact between you and the object you intend to use, the better the result. This is one reason why magical practitioners are encouraged to make their own equipment whenever possible. The making of some ritual object helps forge this link because the magician will be putting his or her own thoughts and actions into practice. The end product is personal and is the result of using the magician’s ingenuity and imagination. Now, obviously, not everyone can seriously consider making a Magick Sword out of a bar of steel. This requires considerable skill, not to mention the cost of the equipment needed to produce it, so unless you have the ability and the money, this is out of the question. So where do we go from here? Well, this is where the concept of ritual consecration came from. The idea is one of personalizing the object in question, of forming a special relationship with it. Other ideas have also been used, such as the inscribing of sigils and mottos, all designed to make the object special in a personal sense. There are many ways of doing this and the practice is quite valid providing the magician understands what he or she is really trying to do.
Overall, there are four points to remember when dealing with ritual equipment. These are:
1. What function does it have in Magick; in other words, what does it do?
2. In the light of this, is it really necessary to my work?
3. How can I make better use of it by personalization techniques?
4. Where applicable, is it symbolic?
Now let us look at some basic equipment.
The Altar
In line with the above points, first we must ask what is an altar and what does it do? An altar, as such, is not some holy object, it is simply a work surface, and to be perfectly frank, is no different from, say, a woodworker’s bench. After all, you would find it highly uncomfortable trying to perform a ritual on the floor, so you need something convenient on which you can place candles, symbols, and so forth. That is the basic function of an altar. Now it really does not matter a hoot what shape or size this is, let personal choice be the judge. You can use whatever comes to hand, such as a cupboard or even a coffee table or you can make one yourself. With regard to personalizations, obviously a plain cupboard is hardly likely to be an inspiring sight and for all intents and purposes, it still is an ordinary cupboard. So, what to do? Think about this: use your imagination rather than copy ideas from other people. One useful idea is that of using an altar cloth. Not only does it help disguise the cupboard, it also gives you the opportunity to use color. Color is a superb way of enhancing rituals by giving the mind visual stimuli. Use it whenever possible. Traditionalists may opt for the double cube shape as this contains much in the way of symbolism. This can easily be made from chipboard or plywood, fastened together with screws and glue, then placed one on top of the other. The size can be eighteen inches by eighteen inches square. Paint the top cube white and the bottom cube black; casters can be attached to the bottom to make movement easier.
This, of course, brings us to the idea of symbolism so important in magical work. By varying the altar cloth’s color to suit the type of energy being used, we can more easily attain contact with the power in question. Color symbolizes, or represents, a type of energy, usually planetary, although there are other types. For instance, red belongs to Mars, green to Venus, silver to the Moon, and so forth. The impact is immediate because the color suggests the appropriate energy.
Quarter Lights
These are important symbolic points which fit on to the Magick Circle. If you happen to have a floor design, well and good; if not, it does not really matter. There are certain advantages in having quarter stands, and these can be made quite easily out of wood and painted in the correct colors of the elements. As each elemental doorway is declared open, this may be symbolized by lighting the appropriate candle or lamp and extinguishing the appropriate candle or lamp upon closing the doorway. This becomes very effective with practice. If you do not have quarter stands at this present time, candle holders containing candles may be placed on the floor surrounding your altar at the cardinal points or on the altar itself.
The Pillars
These are not essential in most work of a practical nature, but they do find a useful place in Esoteric Magick. Pillars have many uses. The may be used as a symbolic doorway through which we pass into the Inner Temple, or to the otherworld state, or as a doorway through which power flows into the temple, to name but three. They may be made from wood or even plastic pipe. The ideal colors are white to represent positive forces and black to represent receptivity. Candles or lamps may be placed on the tops. As a visual aid they are quite impressive and once again work far better if thought about carefully.
The Weapons
Again these find usage mainly in esoteric matters, but can be used in Pragmatic Magick if understood. There are four weapons to be considered.
The Sword. The ideas perpetuated by pseudo-practitioners are to be ignored. A Magick Sword is not used to prod demons out of the circle, or to command various entities to do your bidding. This is medieval quixotism, nothing more. The Sword is a symbol. It represents the element Air and equates to the eastern quarter. Used properly, it helps us direct and control this element. Once again apply the rules given. Let us presume that you understand its function and have decided that you do need a Sword. Before you buy one of the more usual designs, which of necessity carry with them an assortment of outmoded and often incorrect concepts, stop and think. Use your imagination to determine the design that suits you. The more you think, the better will be your impressions of what this is to be in terms of design. By doing this you know which Sword is right for you, because you have brought this design out of your own subconscious. It is therefore yours. Having done this, you may then have one made to your own specifications, or may choose to modify the Sword nearest to your ideal. Again, the more you put into the final product the better it will serve you.
The Wand, Rod, or Spear. These are easily made with a minimum of skill. They may be made from ordinary wooden dowels or taken from a tree at some special time. The choice is yours again, bearing in mind the essential idea of thinking about this in order to ensure that it is truly personal. Symbolically, the Rod acts as control symbol for the element Fire and correctly equates to magical south.
The Cup or Chalice. This belongs to the element Water and equates to magical west. It need not cost a fortune or be made out of gold or silver. Let your own choice guide you after due consideration.
The Shield. This controls the element Earth and belongs to magical north. Like all the elemental weapons, the Shield should be thought about before being made. The size ought to be reasonable–at least twelve inches in diameter (eighteen inches is better). It can be made from plywood or even stiff cardboard, with a painted design on one side. The design is important and is again a question of choice. Do not just paint a Pentagram because this is supposed to be powerful. The design must be understood. It is symbolic. Try an Encircled Cross instead. The whole idea of the Shield is to present a concept of power or cosmic symbology, rather like a circuit diagram which gives masses of information to those who can read it. In part, the Shield is something that you contemplate and meditate on, so the design should be meaningful and should stimulate the imagination along the right lines. To this end, Shield designs may be subject to constant variation.
Additional Equipment
This is largely a matter of choice, but basic requirements would include anything likely to enhance your ritual work. An incense burner, together with a range of incense to cover all your requirements, is always desirable. The whole subject of incense is a confusing one, and different people advocate different concoctions. The study and compounding of incense is a highly specialized subject, and a branch of Magick which requires deep knowledge, devotion, and a feel for this vocation. With Magick, numerous problems have arisen because of wrong thinking perpetuated down the ages, and so it is with all acknowledged branches of the art. Incense was born from our ability to use the sense of smell to a higher degree than the animals, and through this it was learned not only which scent was associated with a physical object, but magical practitioners were also able to classify all physical objects by placing them under the rulership for the elements, planets, and signs. It is from this correct classification, or doctrine of correspondences, that the recipes for correct incense are drawn.
Without going into too much detail, if you wish to contact natural forces through their true physical line, it is essential that you use the correct incense for your rites. The mind associates with scent very quickly, and this is most useful in reverse, as the scent then brings the object to mind and, with practice, the power that is behind it. Incense also helps still the mind and create a tranquil atmosphere. A good alternative is to use incense stick (joss sticks) as these are cheap and burn for long periods. Their disadvantage is that the range of scent is limited. In any case, always try to make your own incense according to correct recipes or buy it from a reputable supplier who has studied the subject.
The use of the cassette recorder is also recommended. This need not be an expensive setup, the cheaper machines are perfectly adequate. Cassette tapes give you the opportunity to bring sound and music into the temple, adding greatly to the impact of the ritual.
Temple Lighting
This needs special consideration. Do not just rely on ordinary electric light, as so much opportunity is then missed. Candles produce a natural, gentle light which is ideal for magical work and, of course, they may be obtained in many colors to suit whatever you have in mind. The ideal setup would consist of:
1. A central light, usually placed on the altar, to symbolize one’s inner contact with power. A gold or white candle is ideal for this.
2. Four candles to represent the elements. These are colored: yellow for Air and east, red for Fire and south, blue for Water and west, green for Earth and north. These should ideally be placed on the four quarter stands, or failing this, upon the altar.
3. A range of candles to represent the type of energies you are working with. Usually these are the planets, the elements, and/or the spheres. For instance, if you were working with the energy of Mars, then a red candle would be used, red being the correct color correspondence for Mars. For more complex work, such as meditations on the paths of the Tree of Life, it is possible to use candles as additional visual impact. For instance, suppose you were working path twenty-one from Chesed to Netzach. Use two candles, a blue one to symbolize Chesed and a green one to symbolize Netzach. A more complex version would involve a third candle to symbolize the path itself. This could be plain white, as it is not always possible to obtain exact path colors. Each candle is lit after the appropriate invocation.
The shape and size of candles is not important. Choose according to personal needs. I am often asked if it is necessary to allow a candle to burn away completely. The answer is no. Candles may be reused as often as you like, unless you have a particular reason for allowing them to burn away in one go. There are many magical aids in terms of physical symbols, and naturally, the subject of temples could be discussed in far more depth, but it is hoped that sufficient basic information has been given to enable each student to decide what is best in the light of reality and to help with the task of setting up the temple.
Building an Inner Temple
The Inner Temple is a magical tool used to contact subconscious power. Your subconscious mind responds to imagery (pictures) and symbols–the Inner Temple is a perfect blend of these two principles. Building an Inner Temple is quite easy, given a little time it will help to build itself. The Inner Temple is a very special place holding many secrets. This temple is built within the mind of the magician. Whatever you build in your mind does exist, perhaps not in a physical sense, but exist it most certainly does. This is your very own temple of the mind, your inner kingdom. Remember those famous words: “But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Find the kingdom first, then you will have whatever you wish. Where is this kingdom? The kingdom of God lies within, within your own mind. You will discover this inner kingdom, and simply by using your imagination you may enter this kingdom whenever you wish.
The Kingdom of God
God or the kingdom are not separated from you, nor are they unobtainable. The kingdom of God lies within you: “Neither shall they say, lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21). It is your INNER MIND. How can you be separated from part of yourself? How can this be removed from you? It is not possible. Only wrong ideas, attitudes of mind, and incorrect beliefs appear to separate you, but in truth, you cannot be separated from that which is part of yourself. You have this inner kingdom, you have creative power: “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?” (John 10:34). Accept this simple truth; let it work for you and allow this into your mind.
You and God are the Same
God lies within! Not in some far distant part of the galaxy or in some idealistic heaven, the God within is your inner mind. Therefore you and God are the same, you have the capacity to create, you are Godlike. If you would discover the limitless potential that you truly have, then you must follow the path of peace leading to inner-mind awareness. Your inner mind will lead, it will advise, it will protect, and it will create for you. But you must communicate in peace, for only in peace and tranquility will your inner mind be able to assist you.
A Universe Within You
You have only to enter this temple and ask. It is your right to know and your right to ask, for this place is yours and all that belongs in this place. Do not make the mistake of presuming that this is a childish game, or doubt the existence of this land and this temple. Your Inner Temple may not be made of solid stone, but it is made of something far more lasting–pure thought. The key to all mysteries is thought, for that which exists in the mind affects your earthly life. Many are those who do not know of their own Inner Temples; there are magicians who would give their right arm to discover what you now have and are learning, but sadly they are blind to the truth, seeking answers in the material world rather than in their own minds. You are discovering the seat of power and the realm of truth, cherish this, accept its simplicity, and you will never regret it.
This is a kingdom of pure thought in which you will find peace of mind, indulge in pure fantasy, or cause changes in the physical world. It is yours, your kingdom, your realm, and your inner world. You must therefore control and rule as would a king or queen, you are a god in your own universe, and may be whatever you will to be, for whatever reason. The more familiar you are with the Inner Temple, the better will be the results, and the quicker will be the results in practical terms.
The Secret Temple of the Mind
You will extend the ideas given to you in Chapter 1 and use the principles given in this chapter. The use of the Inner Temple will increase your contact with power.
1. Go into your temple or place that you have set aside for magical work. Sit down and relax; let all thoughts of the outside world leave you just for a while.
2. It helps if you have some incense sticks or general incense burning. Meditation music, or slow drumming, as a background will be found useful. After a little while, switch off any lights and light your central lamp or candle.
3. While you are doing this, realize that this light is symbolic. It represents your inner power. Contemplate this for a while, then perform the magical exercise.
4. When the exercise is finished, gently blow out the candle and leave the temple. Have a notebook you can use as a “Book of Results”. Write up any impressions–just short notes. Do this exercise once a day until you have become proficient at it.
The Inner Temple Exercise
Just imagine you see in front of you an Encircled Cross; move toward this symbol in your imagination. You see that this symbol is emblazoned on a door. Move toward this door and touch it. The door opens, revealing an Inner Temple.
The temple is quite dark inside, apart from a single light suspended from the ceiling in the shape of a crown. You are in a large square room. On the floor there are intricate designs that seem to be woven around an Encircled Cross. Right in the center underneath the light, set in the floor, is a circular pool filled with water. Set in the middle of each wall is an archway and a door. These are colored; the one in front of you is yellow (east), the one on your right is red (south), the one behind you is blue (west) and the one to your left is green (north). You move toward the yellow arch. Floating in the air in front of the door, point up, is a Sword. Look at this Sword and study it well, for it is yours. Something is engraved on the blade; can you see what it says? Move toward the red archway. Inside the arch, floating in front of the door, is a Spear. Once again there is something engraved on the shaft. Now move on to the blue archway, where you will find a Chalice. There it is; look at it, and study the engraving on it. What does it say? Finally, move to the green archway. Inside, in front of the door, there is a Shield. It has a very simple yet special design on it. Remember this, for it is your personal design. There is also something engraved on this Shield. Can you see it?
Now go back to the pool in the center of the temple. This is a Magick Pool. The water is not really water; it is power and energy. Later on you will learn how to use this. It does have one other use, however; just like a crystal ball, it can be used to see into the future. Look into its depths, and it will tell you things and give you answers to questions. Look into the depths and allow images to come into your mind. (If you like, you can use some meditation music or slow drumming and have this playing throughout the exercise period.) Spend as long as you like meditating at the pool. A good period is about five minutes. When the exercise comes to an end, there is no need to go the long way back. This is magical land. Right in front of you there is a door, just walk toward it and you are back in your own room in your own time once more.
Before you forget any important points, write these down in your notebook; one day they will come in very useful. Always remember you can enter this magical temple any time you wish. Eventually you will make the journey in a few seconds.
End of Third Excerpt
Return to Lesson
The Magical Self
In this chapter you will learn how to build a bridge between yourself and the infinite source of power. Although this may sound like a sweeping statement, it is not. It is perfectly feasible; if fact, this bridge already exists, and needs only to be recognized once more. Let us start by looking at the truth about life.
The Cosmic Paradigm
I cannot stress the importance of the following truth too strongly:
You = Beliefs = Life Energy.
This formula is the foundation on which life is built and it is a major key that unlocks the doorway to power.
You
You are a totally creative being. Nothing happens by chance, fate, or luck; everything in your life exists by virtue of the fact that you thought these things into existence. Before you start to counter this by pointing out obvious facts, such as that you lost your job, or fell ill through no fault of your own, and that you would never deliberately bring this sort of thing upon yourself, stop and read on.
You have access to unlimited power and total free choice in the way in which you use this power. This, of course, applies to everyone else, and has an important bearing on achieving successful results when dealing with other people. So why do things go wrong? Why is there so much illness, strife, and lack in life? The answer is quite easy to see if you take the time and trouble to consider the ideas given in this book.
Beliefs
The cosmic paradigm is perfect. It cannot be anything less, and it gives to each person, without exception, what he or she asks of it. Now think carefully. What have you asked of life and how did you ask? By asking, you open up a channel through which that which you desire can come into being. If, say, you ask a friend for the loan of “something,” you are in fact creating a channel between the other persons and yourself. From then on, it is all a question of choice. Your friend may or may not lend you the item in question. He or she has a choice. This is perfectly reasonable in human affairs; however, we mistakenly carry this idea of choice into our dealings with the infinite. That which is God (the infinite, the all-powerful, the source–call it whatever you wish), will never, in any circumstances, say no. It is vitally important that you realize and accept this profound truth. You have free choice–God simply obliges. Now, if God never refuses, why is it you do not receive what you want when you ask of God? The answer is simply that the way in which you ask always dictates what you get in return. Put another way, your belief, at the time of asking, actually get in the way and prevent success.
When you apply “if” to something, you automatically imply the possibility of failure. God and failure cannot co-exist. Ask yourself, can the supreme intelligence who created this vast, marvelous universe, ever be accused of failure? The answer must be an emphatic no! The universe if perfect, the only imperfections are those created by human beings.
Any magical ritual is, in essence, a way of asking the intelligence behind life to supply our needs. This asking must be realistic: in other words, direct and to the point with no “ifs” and “buts”. By asking, you are constructing a belief pattern, and you therefore receive in accordance with those beliefs. Look at the way in which you ask of life, because the quality of this asking is proportional to the end results.
When you perform a magical ritual, a creative thinking exercise, or even a prayer for help, do you hope and wish that some distant entity may hear and then perhaps help if you are “lucky”? Look at this approach; it is totally negative and includes numerous “ifs”. It cannot hope to be effective. You are not believing that you are bound to succeed, based on the knowledge that the infinite source will always supply, instead you are believing the reverse. The maxim must always be: when you ask, always presume that infinite intelligence will supply. By doing this, you are providing a necessary channel through which energy flows to achieve the results you desire.
The Facts
It will always be argued that “facts” speak for themselves. They cannot be refuted and certain facts are unalterable. This is nonsense, and I am here to tell you that the facts can be altered. This, after all, is what Magick is really all about! When you perform a magical act, what else are you trying to alter but he apparent facts! In reality, facts are transient rather than stable, like our ability to believe. Whatever you do, always remember that the infinite source of power (who created “fact”) is quite prepared to help you alter these facts at your request. All you have to do is ask and then provide a channel of belief through which this may work. An example:
Fact: “I have no money.” Why? “Just bad luck.” (Remember that there is no such thing as “bad luck” –what is, in fact, wrong is a deep-rooted belief which is now producing lack.)
Result: There is now a choice. You could stay poverty-stricken, and keep on dealing in “facts”. For example, you could borrow money, live on state aid, and so forth. Or, you could ignore the “facts” and ask of life instead. What you must do is change your beliefs and connect to abundant power by opening up a channel. This can be done at any time, with or without a full-scale magical ritual. Once you have decided to do this, you hold fast to this belief while ignoring the apparent facts. Results are then guaranteed. Surely this is better than accepting fate or bad luck?
Never let the supposed facts dictate how you must run your life, and never allow the facts to become the basis for belief. If you do, you are effectively throwing away your right to free choice and your entitlement to success.
In our example, it would be easy to believe the so-called facts and continue to presume that a shortage of money had to be accepted as the way of things. However, there is always a choice: either continue to allow the apparent facts to dictate how you must live, or be realistic by changing belief patterns, thereby allowing life energy to change the facts to your advantage. You can see examples of this all the time if you care to look. They vary from rags-to-riches stories to miracle cures. Look around and you will see evidence of how changed beliefs have changed the “facts”.
Life Energy
Life energy is all-pervading; it is abundant; it is never-ending, and it is freely available. So far, we have you at one end of the equation, life energy and the intelligence behind this at the other end. Between the two we have beliefs. This equation is perfect; however, we need to look a little deeper if we are to make full use of it and so we must now look at the workings of the mind; in particular, the subconscious mind.
The Subconscious Mind
So far, I have discussed power, the intelligence which controls this power, and, of course, your right to use this power according to free choice. Now we must look at the mechanism by which you control this power. Here is a new definition. Magick is the science of using and understanding the power of the subconscious mind.
No matter what the books, experts, or anyone else may care to say, the real seat of power lies within your subconscious mind. This incredible part of your mind knows no limits other than the ones you give it. It is important that you think about this carefully–no limits other than the ones which you define by belief. In other words, your limits, both magically and in life, are entirely yours. Change those limits, expand them, and you automatically expand your life. Conversely, narrow your limits and you restrict your life.
Remember that your subconscious mind responds to your wishes and beliefs, and if those beliefs are expansive, optimistic, and progressive, then good fortune and happiness flows into your life. By contrast, if the beliefs are narrow and restrictive, then poverty, illness, and lack are bound to materialize. In either case, your subconscious mind responds fully to the wishes (beliefs) which you give it.
Let me illustrate how this is possible when people decide to widen their horizons and defy the apparent facts or norms. Take, for example, Roger Bannister who, many years ago, decided that he could break the barrier of the four-minute mile. He believed that he could do this and so he did break the supposed barrier, despite what everyone else thought! Human beings flew faster than sound and eventually walked on the surface of the Moon as a direct result of various people widening their horizons and believing that these things were possible. The list of expanding horizons is almost endless if you choose to look.
Now look at some really impossible feats, such as firewalking, in which human beings walk barefooted over red-hot coals without any injury. No, this is not a fake or a clever trick; it actually happens. Do you know how this is done? I have seen men eat broken glass and razor blades, again without injury; needles are pushed into arms and legs without pain; and even a solid steel skewer can be pushed thought a man’s neck without so much as a drop of blood being spilled. How do people do these things? The answer is quite simple: they use the power of the subconscious mind.
From the opposite point of view, much trouble can easily be brought into a person’s life by adopting narrow limits and negative beliefs. More and more, the medical profession is having to admit that the bulk of illnesses are due to psychosomatic causes. In other words, the cause is all in the mind–that is, the subconscious mind. This is one reason why the placebo works. The patient is convinced that this new pill contains a wonder drug and so he or she gets well. Both you and I know that sugar is unlikely to cure anything. It is belief that affects the cure. The horizons have been lifted and the limits have been expanded.
Good and Evil
As far as your subconscious mind is concerned, there is no difference between good and evil. This may sound confusing or even ridiculous but, nevertheless, it happens to be true. If you ask a computer to work out a complex calculation, it will do so without effort. If you ask another computer to fire a nuclear missile at some enemy, it will also carry this out. It is not concerned with morals, judgments, rights, and wrongs; it simply does what you tell it to do without question. The difference between the two computers is only the type of program which has been given to the computer. Those programs were conceived by human beings, not by the computer itself. This wonderful electronic machine acts on instructions. By itself, it can do nothing until these instructions are given. The subconscious mind is exactly comparable. It responds to your instructions but does not, by itself, pass judgement on them. Good and evil, right and wrong, sensible or stupid, kind or unkind, or any other polarization that you can think of, mean nothing to the subconscious. At first glance, this may seem like an absurd way of handling power, but if you look a little deeper you will see the wisdom in it.
Free Choice
This is the answer to the riddle. All the great achievements, and indeed, all the horrors that the world has ever seen, are entirely due to the way in which people think. That is, they think in such a way as to cause their subconscious mind to actualize those thoughts. Forget about God’s will, fate, destiny, or any other of those intangibles which are normally blamed (or praised) for these events. They are all caused by human beings! If this is true, and I assure you that it is true, you must logically come to the conclusion that we all have free choice. More to the point, you have to also accept that the subconscious minds which actuate these thoughts did not know of good and evil. Think about this again and again, because this way of looking at life solves many of life’s riddles, and explains why we have such a mixture of miracles and catastrophes.
Cause and Effect
It is quite reasonable to assume that every effect must have a cause. In other words, nothing can ever exist until someone causes it to exist in the first place. We, as human beings, have the distinction of being able to create, or cause things to happen, by using our subconscious minds. Naturally, we are therefore responsible for the effect that each thought has. This responsibility is very real, and much has been made of this by dogmatic fools, and those who wish to have power over others through fear. In truth, there is nothing to fear except fear. Contrary to popular belief, God is not sitting up there taking stock of all your mistakes so that you will not be able to escape paying for your mistakes. This is absurd. In addition, that ludicrous concept named karma is equally absurd and should be rejected in favor of truth.
Cause and effect explains everything. You are bound to be responsible for everything which you create, be it physical or nonphysical. Whether this is done knowingly or unknowingly, you are still responsible. This does not mean that there are debts to pay, and it certainly does not mean that you will have to pay them in some future life.
If you drop a pebble into a pool (cause), it will produce ripples which will eventually reach the edge (effect). So it is with your thoughts and actions; they will affect whatever they come into contact with, whether things or people. Just like ripples which will eventually return back to the center of the pool, so the effect of thoughts is bound to come back to you. This is not divine retribution, it is scientific fact.
The lesson to be learned is simply one of knowing yourself and controlling your thoughts, in order to get better results from the laws of cause and effect.
Influencing the Subconscious
If every fleeting thought influenced the subconscious mind, our lives would be impossible, again due to cause and effect. Fortunately this is not the case. It requires a certain quality of thought to stimulate the subconscious into actions. This is a very useful safety mechanism. There are many ways to influence your subconscious. Among the more obvious methods are: prayer, strong desire, affirmations, positive (or negative) thinking, hypnosis, altered states of consciousness, measured Gnostic conjuration, meditation, and, of course, outright belief.
There is no need for me to go into detailed description of these techniques. If you wish to explore these subjects, there are many books available. It will suffice to say that these subjects are side-branches of the great science of Magick. With the exceptions of hypnosis, we will use all of these techniques together with other specialized ideas which belong only to Magick.
Symbols
A symbol is a sign plus an associated concept. The subconscious mind does not understand the English language, or indeed, any other language which exists on this Earth. It can only understand symbols. Before words can have any effect, they have to be translated into symbols by the mind. This is not as difficult as you may think. In fact you do it automatically, all the time.
In order to understand this mechanism, try this example yourself. Say to yourself, “I feel good”. The net result will be no effect. You have simply spoken a few words. Now try this. Say to yourself, “I FEEL GOOD”. Do this many times and try to get involved and absorbed in the idea of FEELING good.
Now, notice the difference. The quality of thinking has changed and more importantly, you have been putting an imaginary picture in your mind. Your thoughts have been translated into feelings and pictures. Those pictures are symbolic; they are words which have now been translated into a language that the subconscious mind can understand.
Sustained, determined thinking such as this gets results because the quality of thought has been changed, and your subconscious mind recognizes the difference. This is one reason why the words of power published in books can work, but usually do not. Unless these words are spoken with feeling and determination, they will remain ineffective words.
There are many types of symbols. Each has its use in magick. Without going into complications at this stage, it will suffice to say that without symbols, magick cannot work. The technique here described is the basis of mind power and, by itself, if used correctly, is bound to get results. However, there are other uses of symbols which enhance this considerably. These involve working within a symbolic framework. There are many names for this. We will use the term, Cosmic Inworlds. The construction of this inworld began with the use of the Inner Temple; we will extend this idea and discuss it later on. For now I will simply point out that, like all true magical techniques, it is not a difficult task.
The Universal Mind
It is impossible to overestimate the vast power of the subconscious mind. This remarkable facet of your being is the best servant you could ever wish for, because it will do whatever you ask, once you know how. The subconscious mind is literally the God within, your own Genie, if you like.
Your subconscious is in contact with everything in creations, but not only that; it is also in direct contact with every other subconscious mind in existence. It really is limitless! When you give it an instruction, it automatically carries it out by directing energy on your behalf. However, it also seeks the cooperation of all the other subconscious minds. This makes it quite formidable when activated. Never apply normal human limitations to a subconscious mind. They do not apply! Let me give you an example.
Suppose that you gathered around you about one hundred people selected at random, and then collectively asked them to lend you $1,000. If you were fortunate, you might raise about $5.00, and you certainly would get a lot of strange looks, together with many abusive comments. Quite naturally, human feelings and thoughts would get in the way. Now, if you ask your subconscious mind to get you the same about, it will get that cooperation from others because human feelings and failings cannot get in the way. They do not exist within your subconscious mind (remember, it does not know about good and evil). Your subconscious will always get the full cooperation of everything and everybody concerned. Like God, it always seeks to supply.
One lesson which should be learned right away is that there really is no need to try to force others into parting with what they have. All you have to do is ask (in the right way), and it is brought into being by your subconscious mind without harming anyone. The way to success and to the acquisition of real power is by using your subconscious mind. This is your right; it is also the way of real Magick.
The Real Magick Circle
1. Read through this chapter over and over again. Think about the ideas presented to you. Consider these carefully. They form the basis of a belief pattern which not only works, but also happens to be true.
2. SECRECY is a vital part of all magical work. In the same way that you can influence your subconscious mind to get results, others may well try to work against you because of jealousy, envy, and so forth. They may do this deliberately or inadvertently; however, the point to remember is that their thoughts also influence theirs own subconscious minds, and if these thoughts are in opposition to your own, you may find difficulties which get in the way. Keep your magical work to yourself.
3. Finally, we will put together the principles you have learned in this chapter. Find a quiet place and relax. It often helps if you listen to soft music and burn some incense or joss sticks.
The next part is learning to construct the beginnings of a Cosmic Inworld. This is done by bringing in the idea of the magical circle. Forget all the nonsense which has been written about Magick Circles, some of which really is absurd. A true Magick Circle exists in the mind, and is a very potent symbol. To erect this, simply use your imagination in the following way.
Start by imagining a point of light immediately in front of you; then see this point travel in a clockwise direction until it forms a circle of light around you. Practice this many times. It often helps if you use key words such as: “Cosmos arise.” Imagine the point of light and then the circle. At the conclusion of any work say: “Cosmos cease.” Reverse the procedure by seeing the circle disappear in a counterclockwise direction.
When you are proficient in this technique, extend it like this: first perform the “quickening of the subconscious exercise” (page 7), and then erect the Magick Circle, and contemplate the following ideas. The Magick Circle contains ALL in existence. All is possible within this Magick Circle, and nothing harmful can exist within this Magick Circle. This symbol, being recognized by the subconscious mind, will eventually become a bridge between yourself and power. Practice this often.
The final stage is to erect the circle and then perform the Inner Temple Exercise (see page 35). Follow this through until you reach the pool, and have your desire list at hand. Now, remembering the ideas given to you concerning quality thinking, look at each one and affirm, “I shall have [name desire or need].” Do this several times while being determined and while putting feeling into these words. Look into the pool and into your imagination. See yourself having the very things you desire. Do not let conscious thoughts, such as, “This is impossible,” or, “if only,” get in the way. Push these to one side, relax, and indulge yourself in what seems to be a dream or fantasy. Do not rush; take your time. Hopes and wishes never get results. Constructive, creative thinking, such as this, sow seeds into the fertile ground within your subconscious mind. At conclusion leave the Inner Temple by the door and close down the circle.
In Magick and in life, there is no such thing as something for nothing. Input = Output. The more you practice, the quicker the results, so practice often and learn to accept the fact that you really do have the power to transform your life, and that your subconscious mind is there to help in every way possible, if you ask.
End of Chapter Three
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