Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 3)

one’s way about it, to penetrate such sanctuaries as are guarded from the profane, to make such relations with its inhabitants as may avail to acquire knowledge and power, or to command service 5 ail this is a question of the general Magical attainment of the student. He must be absolutely at ease in his Body of Light, and hâve made it invulnérable. He must be adept in assuming ali God- forms, in using ail weapons, sigils, gestures, words, and signs. He must be familiar with the names and numbers pertinent to the work in hand. He must be alert, sensitive, and ready to exert his authority; yet courteous, gracious, patient, and sympathetic. 16) There are two opposite methods of exploring the Astral Plane. (a) . One may take some actual object in Nature, and analyse it by evoking its astral form, thus bringing it into knowledge and under control by applying the keys of the Qabalah and of Magick. (b) . One may proceed by invoking the required idea, and giving body to the same by attracting to it the corresponding éléments in Nature. 17) Every Magician possesses an Astral Universe peculiar to himself, just as no man’s expérience of the world is conterminous with that of another. There will be a general agreement on the main points, of course ; and so the Master Therion is able to describe the principal properties of these “planes”, and their laws, just as he might Write a geography giving an account of the Five Continents, the Océans and Seas, the most notable mountains and rivers; he could not prétend to put forth the whole knowledge that any one peasant possesses in respect of his district. But, to the peasant, these petty details are precisely the most important items in his daily life. Likewise, the Magician will be grateful to the Master Therion for the Compass that guides him at night, the Map that extends his compréhension of his country, and shows him how best he may travel afield, the advice as to Sandals and Staff that make surer his feet, and the Book that tells him how, splitting open his rocks with an Hammer, he may be master of their Virgin Gold. But he will understand that his own — 251