19 
The Act of Truth 
Cara Soror, 
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. 
It seems that last Wednesday I so far forgot myself as to 
refer to the "Act of Truth" in conversation, and never 
mentioned what it is when it's at home, or why anyone 
should perform it, or what happens when one does perform 
it! 
All right, I will remedy that; luckily, it is a very simple 
matter; 
very important, 
perfectly 
paradoxical, and 
devastatingly effective. 
Analysed, it is to make the assumption that something 
which seems very wrong is actually all right, that an eager 
wish is an accomplished fact, a reasonable anxiety, entirely 
unfounded-and to act accordingly. 
For instance, I'm in some desolate place, dependent for 
my food supply on a weekly messenger. If he is a day late, it 
is awkward; if two, it means hardship; if three, serious risk. 
One is naturally anxious as the day approaches; perhaps the 
weather, or some similar snag, makes it likely that he will be 
late. From one cause or another, I have rather exceeded my 
ration. There is nothing I can do about it, materially. 
The sensible course of action is to draw in my horns, live 
on the minimum necessary to life, which involves cutting the 
day's work down to almost nothing, and hope for the best, 
expecting the worst. 
But there is a Magical mode of procedure. You say to 
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