The Equinox (Volume I, Number III)

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING OBJECT MEDITATED UPON. TIME, REMARKS. Black egg and white ray 10 , Five breaks. between pillars* (E). Golden Dawn Symbol t(E). ry Very bad. Bad cold, dust, shaking, etc., prevented concentration.{ Golden Dawn Symbol (E). 10 4 Four breaks. R. Reet A.C. 23 Nine breaks. Against this particular practice P. wrote: “I think breaks are longer in themselves than of old; forI find myself con- centrating on them and forgetting the primary altogether. But I have no means of telling how long it is before the error is discovered.” Some very much more elaborate and difficult meditations were attempted by P. at this time; in nature they are very similar to many of St. Loyola’s. We give the account in his own words: I tried to imagine the sound of a waterfall. This was very difficult to get at; and it makes one’s ears sing for a long time afterwards. If I really got it, it was however not strong enough to shut other physical sounds. I also tried to imagine the “ puff-puff” of an engine. This resulted better than the last, but it caused the skin of my head to commence vibrating. I then tried to imagine the taste of chocolate; this proved extremely difficult; and after this the ticking of a watch. This proved easier, and the result was quite good; but there was a tendency to slow up with the right ear, which however was easy to test by approaching a watch against the ear.”§ During this whole period of rough travel, work is fatiguing, difficult and uncertain. Regularity is impossible, as regards hours and even days, and the * The Akasic egg of spirit set between the Pillars of Mercy and Severity with a ray of light descending upon it from Kether. + The Golden Dawn Symbol here meditated upon consisted of a white triangle surmounted by a red cross. See Diagram 4. } This meditation took place whilst P. was on a journey. § These meditations are called Objective Cognitions, by concentrating on certain nerve centres super-physical sensations are obtained. 109