John St. John

10.45. I 2.0. 12.5. 12.12. 12 THE EQUINOX and went out to the Cafe’ du Dome where I took coffee and a brioche, after buying an exercise book in which to write this record. This was about 8.45; and now (10.10) I have written thus far. [Including the Prologue, but not the Preface—En] I have driven over to the Hammam through the beautiful sunshine, meditating upon the discipline of the Operation. It seems only necessary to cut off definitely dispersive things, aimless chatter and such; for the Operation itself will guide one, leading to disgust for too much food and so on. Ifthere be upon my limbs any chain that requires a definite effort to break it, perhaps sleep is that chain. But we shall see—so/m'lur ambulando. If any asceti- cism be desirable later on, true wariness will soon detect any danger, and devise a means to meet it and overcome it. Have finished bath and massage, during which I continued steadily but quite gently, “not by a strain laborious and hurtful but with stability void of move- ment,” willing the Presence of Adonai. I ordered a dozen oysters and a beefsteak, and now (1210) find myself wishing for an apple chewed and swallowed by deglutition, as the Hatha Yogis do. The distaste for food has already begun. Impressions already failmg to conned. I was getting into Asana and thinking “I will record this fact,” when I saw a jockey being weighed.