Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 1)

the Bloody Sacrifice.1 Yet it should not be forgotten that this, and that other art at which we hâve dared darklv to hint, are the suprême formulæ of Practical Magick. You are also likely to get into trouble over this chapter unless you truly comprehend its meaning. 2 within” is my first attempt at description; and is not bad, despite its incongruities: P. “Frater Perdurabo, on the one occasion on which I was able to sec Him as He really appears, was brighter than the Sun at noon. I fell instantly to the floor in a swoon which lasted several hours, during which I was initiated.” Soror A.*,. Cf. Rev. I, 12-17. 1. The whole idea of the Word Sacrifice, as commonly understaad, rests upon an error and superstition, and is unscientific, besides being metaphysically false. The law of Thelema has totally changed the Point of View as to this matter. Unless you hâve thoroughly assimilated the Formula of Horus, it is absolutely unsafe to meddle with this type of Magick. Let the young Magician reflect upon the Conservation of Matter and of Energy. 2. There is a traditional saying that whenever an Adept seems to hâve made a straightforward, compréhensible statement, then is it most certain that He means something entirely different. The Truth is nevertheless clearly set forth in His Words: it is His simplicity that baffles the unworthy. I hâve chosen the expressions in this Chapter in such a way that it is likely to mislead those magicians who allow selfish interests to cloud their intelligence, but to give useful hints to such as are bound by the proper Oaths to devote their powers to legitimate ends. Thou hast no right but to do thy will.” “It is a lie, this folly against self.” The radical error of ail uninitiates is that they define “self” as irreconciliably opposed to “not-self.” Each élément of oneself is, on the contrary, stérile and without meaning, until it fulfils itself, by “love under will”, in its counterpart in the Macrocosm. To separate oneself from others is to destroy oneself; the way to realize and to extend oneself is to lose that self — its sense of separateness — in the other. Thus: Child plus food: this does not preserve one at the expense of the other; it “destroys” or rather changes both in order to fulfil both in the resuit of the operation — a grown man. It is in fact impossible to preserve anything as it is by positive action upon it. Its integrity demands inaction; and inaction, résistance to change, is stagnation, death and dissolution due to the internai putréfaction of the starved éléments. 100