Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 2)

medicine to a wake the Eld of the All-Father, and redeem the Virgin of the World from her virginity. II Before leaving the subject of Black Magic, one may touch lightly on the question of Pacts with the Devil. The Devil tloes not exist. It is a false name invenîed by tlie Black Brothers to imply a Unity in tlieir ignorant muddle of dispersions» A devil who liad unity would be a God L. It was said by the Sorcerer of the Jura that in order to invoke the Devil it is only necessary to caîl him with y our whole will. This is an universal magical truth, and applies to every other being as much as to the Devil. For the whole will of every man is in reality the whole will of the Uni verse. It is, however, always easy to call up the démons, for they are always calling you; and you hâve only to step down to their level i. “The Devil” is, historically, the God of any people that one personally dislikes. This has led to so much confusion of thought that The Beast 666 has preferred to let names stand as they are, and to proclaim simply that Aiwaz — the solar-phallic-hermetic “Lucifer” is His own Holy Guardian Angel, and “The Devil” Satan or Hadit of our particular unit of the Starry Universe. This serpent, Satan, is not the enemy of Man, but He who made Gods of our race, knowing Good and Evil; He bade “Know Thyself!” and taught Initiation. He is “the Devil” of the Book of Thoth, and His emblem is Baphomet, the Androgyne who is the hieroglyph of arcane perfection. The number of His Atu is xv, which is Yod Hé, the Monogram of the Eternal, the Father one with the Mother, the Virgin Seed one with all-containing Space. He is therefore Life, and Love. But moreover his letter is Ayin, the Eye; he is Light, and his Zodiacal image is Capricornus, that leaping goat whose attribute is Liberty. (Note that the “Jéhovah” of the Hebrews is etymologically connected with these. The classical example of such antinomy, one which has led to such disastrous misunderstandings, is that between Nu and HAD,North and South, Jésus and John. The subject is too abstruse and complicated to be discussed in detail here. The student shouîd consult the writings of Sir R. Payne Knight, General Forlong, Gerald Massey, Fabre d’Olivet; etc. etc., for the data on which these considérations are ultimately based.) 193