Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 1)

The Magician must therefore take the utmost care in the matter of purification, firstly, of himself, secondly, of his instru¬ ments, thirdly, of the place of working. Ancient Magicians recommended a preliminary purification of from three days to many months. Durîng this period of training they took the utmost pains with diet. They avoided animal food, lest the elemental spirit of the animal should get into their atmosphère. They practised sexual abstinence, lest they should be influenced in any way by the spirit of the wife. Even in regard to the excrements of the body they were equally carefulj in trimming the hair and nails, they ceremonially destroyed* 1 the severed portion. They fasted, so that the body itself might destroy anvthing extraneous to the bare necessity of its existence. They purified the mind by spécial prayers and conservations. They avoided the contamination of social intercourse, especially the conjugal kind; and their servi tors were disciples specially chosen and consecrated for the work. In modem times our superior understanding of the essentials of this process enables us to dispense to some extent with its external rigours; but the internai purification must be even more carefully performed. We may eat méat, provided that in doing so we affirm that we eat it in order to strengthen us for the spécial purpose of our proposed invocation. 2 the atmosphère would crush us if we “banished” that of our bodies; and we should crumble to dust if we rebelled successfully against cohésion. A man who is normally an “allround good sorr* often becomes intolérable when he gets rid of his collection of vices; he is swept into monomania by the spiritual pride which had been previously restrained by counter- vailing passions. Again, there is a worse draught when an ill-fitting door is closed than when it stands open. It is not as necessary to protect his mother and his cattle from Don Juan as it was from the Hermits of the Thebaid. 1. Such destruction should be by burning or other means which produces a complété Chemical change. In so doing care should be taken to bless and liberate the native elemental of the thing burnt. This maxim ic of universal application. 2. In an Abbey of Thelema we say “Wïll” before a meal. The formula is as follows. “Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the 102