Magick in Theory and Practice (Section 1)

greatest importance was attached by the Adepts of old to this, and it made the task of the Magician no easy one. He wanted a wand; and in order to eut and trim it he needed a knife. It was not sufficient merely to buy a new knife; he felt that he had to make it himself. In order to make the knife, he would require a hundred other things, the acquisition of each of which might require a hundred more; and so on. This shows the impossibility of disentangling one’s self from one’s environment. Even in Magick we cannot get on without the Help of others. 1 There was, however, a further object in this recommendation. Ihe more trouble and difficulty your weapon costs, the more useful you will find it. “If you want a thing well done, do it yourself.” It would be quite useless to take this book to a départ¬ aient store, and instruct them to furnish you a Temple according to spécification. It is really worth the while of the Student who requires a sword to go and dig out iron ore from the earth, to* smelt it himself with charcoal that he has himself prepared, to forge the weapon with his own hand: and even to take the trouble of synthesizing the oil of vitriol with which it is engraved. He will hâve learnt a lot of useful things in his attempt to make a really virgin sword; he will understand how one thing dépends upon another; he will begin to appreciate the meaning of the words “the harmony of the Universe”, so often used so stupidly and superficially by the ordinary apologist for Nature, and he will also perceive the true operation of the law of Karma. 2 Another notable injunction of the ancient Magick was that whatever appertained to the Work should be single. The Wand was to be eut with a single stroke of the knife. There must be no 1. It is, and the fact is still more important, utterly fatal and demora- lizing to acquire the habit of reliance on others. The Magician must know every detail of his work, and be able and willing to roll up his shirt- sleeves and do it, no matter how trivial or menial it may seem. Abra- melin (it is true) forbids the Aspirant to perform any tasks of an humilia- ting type; but he will never be able to command perfect service unless he has expérience of such necessary work, mastered during his early training. 2. In this sense especially: any one thing in volves, and is involved in, others apparently altogether alien. 63 —