Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

He makes this confession prostrate J before the altar in agony and bloody sweat. He trembles at the thought of the operation which he has dared to undertake, saying, “Father, if it be Thy Will, let this cup pass from me ! Nevertheless not my will but Thine be done!”1 2 The dread answer cornes that It Must Be, and this answer so fortifies him with holy zeal that it will seem to him as if he were raised by divine hands from that prostrate position; with a thrill of holy exaltation he renews joyfully the Oath, feeling himself once again no longer the man but the Magician, yet not merely the Magician, but the chosen and appointed person to accomplish a task which, however apparently unimportant, is yet an intégral part of universal destiny, so that if it were not accomplished the Kingdom of Heaven would be burst in pièces. He is now ready to commence the invocations. He consequently pauses to cast a last glance around the Temple to assure himself of the perfect readiness of ail things necessary, and to light the incense. The Oath is the foundation of ail Work in Magick, as it is an affirmation of the Will. An Oath binds the Magician for ever. In Part II of Book 4 something has already been said on this subject; but its importance deserves some further élaboration. Thus, should one, loving a woman, make a spell to compel her embraces, and tiring of her a little later, evoke Zazel to kill her; he will find that the implications of his former Oath conflict with those proper to invoke the Unity of the Godhead of Saturn. Zazel will refuse to obey him in the case of the woman whom he has sworn that he loves. To this some may object that, since ail acts are magical, every man who loves a woman implicitly takes an 1. Compare the remarks in a previous chapter. But this is a particular case. We leave its justification as a problem. 2. Of course this is for the beginner. As soon as it is assimilated as true, he will say : “My will which is thine be done ! ” And ultimately no more distinguish “mine” from “thine”. A sympathetic change of gesture will accompany the mental change. 124