Magick Without Tears

176 MAGICK WITHOUT TEARS possibility and therefore one facet of Truth. "Rest" is an idea: so immobility is one of the moving states. A certain state of mind is (almost by definition) "eternal," yet it most assuredly begins and ends. And so on for ever-I fear it would be nugatory, pleonastic (and oh! several other lovely long adjectives!) to try to guard you from these hydra-headed and protean booby-traps; you must tackle them yourself as they arise, and deal with them as best you can; always remembering that often enough you cannot tell which is you and which is the Monkey Puzzle, or who has won. ("Everybody's won; so everybody must have a prize" applies beautifully.) And none of it all matters a row of haricots verts sautes; for the conclusion must always be Doubt (see that beastly Book of Lies again-there's a gorgeous chapter about it) and the practical moral is this: these contradictions don't occur (or don't matter) in Neschamah. And if the above remarks should embolden you to exclaim: "Perhaps a little drink would do me no great harm" I shall feel that I have deserved well of my country! For-see Liber Aleph, after Rabelais-the Word of the Last Oracle is TRINe. This plaint of yours tails off-and perks up in so doing-with confession of Ambition, and considerations of what you must leave over to your next life. Very right! but all that is covered by your general programme. It is proper to assimilate these ideas with the fundamental structure of your mind: "Perhaps I had better leave 'The Life and opinion of Battling Bill, the Ballarat Bruiser' till, shall we say, six incarnations ahead" - But perhaps you have acquired that already. No, better still, concentrate on the Next Step! After all, it is the only one you can take, isn't it? Without lust ofresult, please!