Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 1)

erform the Great Work by the formula of Régénération. To trike with the hand on the dagger déclarés that one demands he use of the dagger as a tocl to extena one’s executive power. The reader will recall how Siegfried smote Nothung, the sword of Need, upon the lance of Wotan. By the action Wagner, who was instructed how to apply magical formulæ by one of the heads of our Order, intended his hearers to understand that the reign of authority and paternal power had corne to an end 5 that the new master of the world was intellect. The general object of a knock or a knell is to mark a stage in the ceremony. Sasaki Shigetz tells us in his essay on Shinto that the Japanese are accustomed to clap their hands four times “to drive away evil spirits”. He explains that what really happens is that the sudden and sharp impact of the Sound throws the mind into an alert activity which enables it to break loose from the obsession of its previous mood. It is aroused to apply itself aggressively to the ideas which had oppressed it. There is there- fore a perfectly rational interprétation of the psychological power of the knock. In a Magical ceremony the knock is employed for much the same purpose. The Magician uses it like the chorus in a Greek play. It helps him to make a clean eut, to turn his attention from one part of his work to the next. So much for the general character of the knock or knell, Even this limited point of view offers great opportunities to the resourceful Magician. But further possibilities lie to our hand. It is not usually désirable to attempt to convey anything except emphasis, and possibly mood, by varying the force of the blow. It is obvious, moreover, that there is a natural correspondence between the hard loud knock of imperious command on the one hand, and the soft slurred knock of sympathetic compréhension on the other. It is easy to distinguish between the bang of the outraged creditor at the front, and the hushed tap of the lover at the bedroom, door. Magical theory cannot here add. instruction to instinct. But a knock need not be single j the possible combinations are evidently infinité. We need only discuss the general principles of determining what number of strokes will be proper in any case, 84 -