Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

CHAPTER XVIII Of CLAIRVOYANCE AND OF THE BODY OF LIGHT Il'S POWER AND ITS DEVELOPMENT A.LSO CONCERNING DIVINATION I Within ilie liuman body is another body of approximately the same size and sliape; L but made of a subîler and less iilnsory materiaL It is of course not “real” 5 but then no more is the other body! Before treating of clairvoyance one must discuss briefly this question of reality, for misapprehension on the subject has given rise to endless trouble. There is the story of the American in the train who saw another American carrying a basket of unusual shape. His curiosity mastered him, and he leant across and said: “Say, stranger, what you got in that bag ?” The other, lantern-jawed and taciturn, replied : “Mongoose”. The hrst man was rather baffled, as he had never heard of a mongoose. After a pause he pursued, at the risk of a rebuff : “But say, what is a Mongoose ?” “Mongoose eats snakes”, replied the other. This was another poser, but he pursued; “What in he.ll do you want a Mongoose for ?” “Well, you see”, said the second man (in a confidential whisper) “my brother sees snakes”. The hrst man was more puzzled than ever; but after a long think, he continued rather pathetically : “But say, them ain’t real snakes”. “Sure”, said the man with the basket, “but this Mongoose ain’t real either”. This is a perfect parable of Magick. There is no such thing 1. i. e. as a general rule. It can be altered very greatly in these respects. — 143