Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

otherwise important. Nobody cares about Duncan having been murdered by Macbeth. It is only one of a number of similar murders. But Shakespeare’s account of the incident is a unique treasure of mankind. And, apart from the question of the value to others, there is that of the value to the magician himself. The record of the magician is his best asset. It is as foolish to do Magick without method, as if it were anything else. To do Magick without keeping a record is like tiying to run a business without book-keeping. There are a great manv people who quite misunderstand the nature of Magick. They hâve an idea that it is something vague and unreal, instead ot being, as it is, a direct means of coming into contact with reauty. It is these people who pay themselves with phrases, who are always using long words with no definite connotation, who p aster themselves with pompous titles and décorations which mean nothing whatever. With such people we hâve nothing to do But to those who seek reality the Key of Magick is offered, and they are hereby warned that the key to the treasure-house is no good without the combination; and the combination is the magical record. From one point of view, magical progress actually con- sists in deciphering one’s own record. 1 For this reason it is the most important thing to do, on strictly magical grounds. But apart from this, it is absolutely essential that the record snould be clear, fu.ll and concise, because it is only by such a record that your teacher can judge how it is best to help you. Your magical teacher has something else to do besides running around .er you ail the time, and.the most important of ail his functions is that of auditor. Now, if you call in an auditor to investigate a business, and when he asks for the books you tell him that you hâve not thought it worth while to keep any, you need not be surprised if he thinks you every kind of an ass. It is at least, it was — perfectly incredible to The Master Th er ion that people who exhibit ordinary common sense in • 1 \r °ne 1S a ^tai* in t^e Body ^uith, every successive incarnation is a Veil, and the acquisition of the Magical Memory a graduai UnveilinP- of that Star, of that God. 6