The Equinox (Volume III, Number I)

THE SEVEN PORTALS They have to be attuned to the Upaédhyaya’s mind—one with the Over-Soul,—or, break away. This is a somewhat high-flown description—it is little more than an advocacy of docility, a quiet acceptance of the situation as it is, and an acquiescence in the ultimate sublime purpose. The question of the crossing of the abyss now arises, and we reach a consideration of the Brothers of the Left Hand Path. 24. Thus do the “Brothers of the Shadow”—the murder- ers of their Souls, the dread Dad-Dugpa clan. “The Brothers of the Shadow” or of the Left Hand Path are very carefully explained in Liber 418. The exempt Adept, when he has to proceed, has a choice either to fling himself into the Abyss by all that he has and is being torn away, or to shut himself up to do what he imagines to be con- tinuing with his personal development on very much the original lines. This latter course does not take him through the Abyss; but fixes him in Daath, at the crown of a false Tree of Life in which the Supernal Triad is missing. Now this man is also called a Black Magician, and a great deal of confusion has arisen in connection with this phrase. Even the Author, to judge by the Note, seems to confuse the mat- ter. Red Caps and Yellow Caps alike are in general alto- gether beneath the stage of which we have been speaking. And from the point of view of the Master of the Temple, there is very little to choose between White and Black Magic as ordinarily understood by the man in the street, who distinguishes between them according as they are help- ful or hurtful to himself. If the Magician cures his head- ache, or gives him a good tip on the Stock Exchange, he is a 95