248
THE STAR IN THE WEST
Gematria , Temurah , and Notariqon , which on the very
face of the argument seem to condemn a system which
aimed at supplying mankind with a great and beautiful
truth .
We should
not like
to
say that Aleister
Crowley's
poems are entirely guiltless of the
accusation
of ob
scurity ; but
to
the
uninitiated
more lies below
the
surface than is ever dreamt of ; and we do not consider
that
the use which
he frequently makes of words , or
rather names of an inward grace , should be considered
as obscure .
It is not difficult for the most uninstructed
in the Qabalah
to discover that Binah is equivalent to
inspiration
or understanding , that Chokmah
means
wisdom
or revelation , or in fact to grasp the simpler
ideas
contained
in
the
Sephirotic
Scheme .
Without
such
knowledge , in
fact, half
the pleasure
is lost in
not understanding
these poems , and a false idea of an
attempt
to
“ flummox ”
the reader's mind arises .
A
mystery is simply an unanswered riddle . If to a person
who knows
not
a single word
of Urdu , I
use
such
expressions
as “ suar,"
"
sala , ” “ bahinchut ,” they to
his mind will be entirely sterile of meaning ; but not
so , however , to the initiated , who would highly appre
ciate them
(unless applied to himself ) .
Such
use of
words appears only absurd to those who fail to under
stand
their meaning.
A word
may
be charged with
meaning
just
as
a
battery
may
be
charged
with
electricity .
Unconditionally
there
is little difference,
beyond
the
literation , between
“ Hocus pocus " and
“ Gee- up .” If I say the latter to my towel -horse , I do
not expect it to break into
a canter ; if, however , I
say it to my pony , and it holds the key of this mystery ,
I do ; so with any other word .
I say “ hocus-pocus ,"
and
the gullible
are wrapped
in mystery ; or better I