Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 1)

lions are symbolized in Mathematicg. “God is the Gréai Arithmetician.” “God is the Grand Geomeler.” It is bèst therefore to préparé lo apprehend Him by formula ting our minds according to these measures. 1 lo return, each letter of this alphabet may hâve its spécial magical sigil. The student must not expect to be given a cut- and-dried définition of what exactly is meant by any of ali this. On the contrary, he must work backwards, putting the whole of his mental and moral outfit into these pigeon-holes. You would not expect to be able to buy a filing cabinet with the names of ali y our past, présent and future correspondents ready indexed: y our cabinet has a System of letters and numbers meaningless in them- selves, but ready to take on a meaning to you, as you fill up the files. As your business increased, each letter and number would receive fresh accessions of meaning for youj and by adopting this orderly arrangement you would be able to hâve a much more comprehensive grasp of your affairs than would otherwise be the case. By the use of this System the magician is able ultimately to unify the whole of his knowledge — to trans¬ mute, even on the Intellectual Plane, the Many into the One. * The reader can now understand that the sketch given above of the magical Hierarchy is hardly even an outline of the real theory of the Universe. This theory may indeed be studied iii the article already referred to in No. V of the Equinox, and, môre deeply, in the Book of the Law and the Commentaries thereon: but the true understanding dépends entirely upon the work of the Magician himself. Without magical expérience it will be meaningless. In this there is nothing peculiar. It is so with ail scientific knowledge. A blind man might cram up astronomy for the purpose of passing examinations, but his knowledge would be I. By “God” I here mean the Idéal Identity of a man’s inmost nature. “Something ourseîves (I erase Arnold's imbécile and guilty ‘not’) ^that makes for righteousness; ” righteousness being rightly defined as internai cohérence. (Internai Cohérence împlies that which is written “Detegitur Yod.”)