The Magister 1
Page 15
The Nancy School and the Technique of Suggestion
The Golden Dawn and the Development of the Self
Dion Fortune and Israel Regardie, Psychoanalysts and Magicians
Israel Regardie: The Sage of Sedona
Dion Fortune: Priestess of the Soul
Contemporary Syntheses of Psychology and Magic
The Oath of Harpocrates: Considerations on Secrecy and the Hermetic Vessel
Flying Roll XIII on Secrecy and Hermetic Love
Sermons Through Stones: Who Are the Secret Masters?
No Man Hath Seen Me Unveiled: Considerations on the Dweller on the Threshold
The Ka, the Ba, the Ab: Considerations on the Divisions of the Soul
Vignette: The Goddess of Sais
The Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel
The Sacred Magic of Abramelin
Vignette: 13 Dancing Girls on a Wednesday
The Holy Guardian Angel
The Angel and the Higher Self
On the Egregore
The Abyss
Vignette: The Cube of Undoing
The Fourth Way Work
The Kundabuffers
Watching for Kundabuffers
The Initiatory Tarot
The Three Decks
The Mystery of the Monogram
The World
The Fool
The Blasted Tower
The High Priestess
Your Magical Journal and Dream Diary
Optional Journal Practices
The Dreaming Mind
Zosimos of Panopolis
The Vision of Zosimos
Exercise: The Seven Steps Contemplation
Optional Dream Practices
Exercise: The Fountain of Morpheus (An Initiated Method of Dream Recall)
Exercise: Hand Observation for Lucid Dreaming
The Dream Journal: Liber Somnorium
The Magickal Name
The Purpose and Nature of the Magickal Name
Salutations, Forms and Greetings
Formal Framing in the Order of Everlasting Day
Selected List of Magical Names and Mottos
The Rituals and Practices
Vignette: Airport Adoration Liber Resh (Solar Adoration)
Liber Resh vel Helios sub figura CC
Commentary and Practice
Liber Qoph vel Lunae (The Book of the Moon, a Lunar Observation)
The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram
Notes Prior to Commencing the Practice
The Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP)
Visualisations
The Self in Relationship (The Middle Pillar)
Notes Prior to Commencing the Practice
The Middle Pillar Method
Circulation of the Light
The Peace Profound of the Rose Cross and Key
The Rose Cross Ritual
The Opening of the Golden Dawn into the Everlasting Day
The Opening of the Everlasting Day
The Rituals of the Sapphire Temple
The Oath of the Tarot Majors
Conclusion
Frequently Asked Questions
Reading List
Part One: General Reading
Part Two: A Magical Curriculum (Books by Grade)
Bibliography
Index
* * *
[1] Knight, G. & McLean, A. Commentary on the Chymical Wedding. Magnum Opus: Edinburgh, 1984, p.8.
[2]
Dick, P.K. I Hope I Shall Arrive Soon. Victor Gollancz Ltd: London, 1986, p.179.
[3]
Mathers, S.L.M. (S. S. D. D.) in King, F. Astral Projection, Ritual Magic, and Alchemy: Golden Dawn Material by S.L. MacGregor Mathers and Others. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough: 1971, p.164.
[4]
See Greer, J.M. Inside a Magical Lodge. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1998, pp.106-110.
[5]
For Lord A.’s writings and philosophy, see http://www.lord-a.blogspot.co.uk/ [last accessed 27 November 2012].
[6]
See Abram, D. The Spell of the Sensuous. Vintage Books: New York, 1997, p.99 and, for a therapeutic approach, de Shazer, S. Words Were Originally Magic. W.W. Norton & Co, Inc.: New York, 1994, pp. 17-20.
[7] For the impact of the Reformation on magic, see Chapter 3 of Thomas, K. Religion and the Decline of Magic. Penguin Books: Harmondsworth, 1978. In terms of the origins of mystical Christianity, refer to Louth, A. The Origins of the Christian Mystical Tradition from Plato to Denys. Clarendon Press: Oxford, 1981 and earlier still for the roots of Gnosticism see Mead, G.R.S. Fragments of a Faith Forgotten. University Books: New York, 1960 and Petrement, S. A Separate God: The Origins and Teachings of Gnosticism. HarperCollins: New York, 1984. A fascinating analysis of the conflict between science and magic in the 18th century can be read in Gaby, A.J. The Covert Enlightenment: Eighteenth Century Counterculture and Its Aftermath. Swedenborg Foundation Publishers: West Chester, 2005. An overarching view of the development of magic and witchcraft in Europe is provided in Ankarloo, B. & Clark, S. (editors). Witchcraft and Magic in Europe. University of Pennsylvania Press: Philadelphia, 1999. The latter is a six volume treatise covering Biblical and pagan Societies to the 20th century.
[8]
Crowley, A. The Revival of Magick and Other Essays. New Falcon: Tempe, 1998, p.19.
[9] Regardie, I. Foundations of Practical Magic. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1983; Butler, W.E. Lords of Light: Teachings of the Ibis Fraternity. Destiny Books: Rochester, 1990; Apprenticed to Magic. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1981; Fortune, D. The Training and Work of an Initiate. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1986; Gray, W.G. An Outlook on our Inner Western Way. Samuel Weiser: New York, 1980; Knight, G. Magic and the Western Mind. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1991. For more on Dion Fortune, see Knight, G. Dion Fortune and the Inner Light. Thoth Publications: Loughborough, 2000; Fielding, C. & Collins, C. The Story of Dion Fortune. Thoth Publications: Loughborough, 1998; Richardson, A. Priestess: The Life and Magic of Dion Fortune. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1987; Chapman, J. Quest for Dion Fortune. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1993, and Richardson, A. Aleister Crowley and Dion Fortune: The Logos of the Aeon and the Shakti of the New Age Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2009.
[10]
Fortune, D. Moon Magic. Weiser: York Beach, 1986. The Sea Priestess. Weiser: York Beach, 1981. The Goat-Foot God. Star: London, 1976. The Demon Lover. Star: London, 1976. The Winged Bull. Star: London, 1976. It would be a while before I discovered Fortune’s further work such as the Mystical Meditations on the Collects. Weiser: York Beach, 1991, where she discussed more profoundly the deeper revelation of the mysteries and how they might inform Christian mysticism, although The Mystical Qabalah. Ernest Benn: London & Tonbridge, 1979, was one of the first books I purchased at the Ace of Wands occult shop in Derby, England, opening a whole world of lifetime study.
[11] Refer to Godwin, J. The Pagan Dream of the Renaissance. Thames & Hudson: London, 2002; Wind, E. Pagan Mysteries in the Renaissance. W.W. Norton & Co: New York, 1968; Seznec, J. The Survival of the Pagan Gods. Princetown University Press: Chichester, 1972, and Paris, G. Pagan Grace: Dionysus, Hermes and the Goddess Memory in Daily Life. Spring Publications: Dallas, 1990. A later volume will return to the bridging of paganism, witchcraft, Wicca, and esotericism in the WEIS. Also refer to Livingstone, G. PaGaian Cosmology: Re-Inventing Earth-based Goddess Religion. iUniverse: New York, 2008, pp.49-50 where the ‘Western way’ is split into ‘native tradition’ and ‘Hermetic tradition’ from Caitlin & John Matthews’ work, The Western Way.
[12] There are a number of biographies of Crowley. I would recommend first Crowley’s own hilarious and rollicking autobiography, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1986, followed in order of personal preference by Kaczynski, R. Perdurabo: The Life of Aleister Crowley. New Falcon: Tempe, 2002; Churton, T. Aleister Crowley: The Biography. Watkins: London, 2011; Booth, M. A Magick Life. Hodder &
Stoughton: London, 2000; Regardie, I. The Eye in the Triangle: An Interpretation of Aleister Crowley. Falcon Press: Phoenix, 1982; Symonds, J. The Great Beast. Mayflower: London, n.d. [This is my dog-eared paperback copy that accompanied me from the back seats of a college bus every day and soon after to the Sinai Desert and onwards. It is missing the publisher’s page – I probably tore it out to write a sigil on it]); Suster, G. The Legacy of the Beast. W.H. Allen: London, 1988; Wilson, C. Aleister Crowley: The Nature of the Beast. Aquarian: London, 1987; King, F. The Magical World of Aleister Crowley. Weidenfield & Nicolson: London, 1977; Sutin, L. Do What Thou Wilt: A Life of Aleister Crowley. St. Martin’s Press: New York, 2000; Hutchinson, R. Aleister Crowley: The Beast Demystified. Mainstream Publishing: Edinburgh, 1998; Symonds, J. The King of the Shadow Realm. Duckworth: London, 1989. See also the various essays in Bogdan, H. & Starr, M.P. (editors). Aleister Crowley and Western Esotericism. Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2012, particularly ‘Varieties of Magical Experience’ by Marco Pasi, pp.53-87.
[13] Sturzaker, J. Kabbalistic Aphorisms. Theosophical Publishing House: London, 1971; Sturzaker, J. & Sturzaker, D. Colour and the Kabbalah. Thorsons: Wellingborough, 1975, and The Kabbalist (magazine, 1975-2002, see my article in 1991, ‘An Analysis of Malkuth’ under ‘Mark Green’) at: http://internationalorderofkabbalists.org [last accessed 06 August 2012].
[14] Whilst impossible to provide a simple reading list for kabbalah, see elsewhere herein and perhaps commence with Berenson-Perkins, J. Kabbalah Decoder. Barron’s: Happauge, 2000, for a generalist introduction not straying to any particular school or tradition whilst giving adequate coverage for the layman. Also refer to Wang, R. The Rape of Jewish Mysticism by Christian Theologians. Marcus Aurelius Press: Columbia, 2001, for a critical appraisal of how kabbalah was utilised as it was moved into the Western occult movements.
[15] My own works on tarot include Katz, M. Tarosophy. Forge Press: Keswick, 2016, and with co-author Goodwin, T. Around the Tarot in 78 Days. Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2012; Tarot Face to Face. Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2012; Learning Lenormand. Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2013; Abiding in the Sanctuary: The Waite-Trinick Tarot. Forge Press: Keswick, 2011, and with Goodwin, T. & Bain, D. A New Dawn for Tarot: The Original Tarot of the Golden Dawn. Forge Press: Keswick, 2013.
[16] In terms of the grimoire tradition, an accessible and comprehensive practical work is provided by Leitch, A. Secrets of the Magickal Grimoires. Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2005. The source material of Agrippa and Barrett is available in a number of versions, including Tyson, D. Three Books of Occult Philosophy written by Henry Cornellius Agrippa of Nettescheim. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1998, and d’Arch Smith, T. (editor). The Magus: A Complete System of Occult Philosophy by Francis Barrett. Citadel Press: Cecaucus, 1980. Two essential academic approaches are taken by Butler, E.M. Ritual Magic. Sutton Publishing: Stroud, 1998, and Kieckhefer, R. Forbidden Rites: A Necromancer’s Manual of the Fifteenth Century. Sutton Publishing: Stroud, 1997. There are additional grimoires of note, which will be treated later, including Keith, W. (editor). The Grimoire of Armadel, trans. S. L. MacGregor Mathers. Weiser: York Beach, 2001, and Cavendish, R. (foreword). The Key of Solomon The King, trans. S. L. MacGregor Mathers. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1981.
[17] Richardson, A. & Claridge, M. The Old Sod: The Odd Life and Inner Work of William G. Gray. Skylight Press: Cheltenham, 2011; Knight, G. I Called It Magic. Skylight Press: Cheltenham, 2011; Conway, D. Magic Without Mirrors: The Making of a Magician. Logios, 2011, and Hedsel, M. The Zelator. Century Books: London, 1998.
[18] Regardie, I. My Rosicrucian Adventure. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1981.
[19] Crowley, V. The Magickal Life. Penguin: New York, 2003; di Fiosa, J. A Coin for the Ferryman: The Death and Life of Alex Sanders. Logios, 2010; Kelly, A.A. Crafting the Art of Magic Book I: A History of Modern Witchcraft 1939-1964. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1991; Crowther, P. From Stagecraft to Witchcraft. Capall Bann: Chieveley, 2002. Witch Blood! The Diary of a Witch High Priestess. House of Collectibles: New York, 1974. The Witches Speak. Samuel Weiser: New York, 1976; Sanders, M. Firechild. Mandrake: Oxford, 2008; Deutch, R. The Ecstatic Mother: Portrait of Maxine Sanders. Bachman and Turner: London, 1977; Farrar, J. & Farrar, S. The Life and Times of a Modern Witch. Headline: London, 1998. Throughout my witchcraft work at the time I briefly corresponded with Janet and the late Stewart Farrar, and met with Maxine Sanders in London, although it was through the lineage of Patricia Crowther that I was initiated, by a Priest and Priestess of her coven. I was also regularly corresponding with the new witchcraft groups in the United States of America, and receiving many of the early American journals and magazines during the period 1985-2000.
[20] Mavromatis, A. Travelling Light: Glimpses of Modern Day Initiation. Thyrsos Press: London, 2010, and Lockhart, D. Sabazius: The Teachings of a Greek Magus. Element: Shaftesbury, 1997.
[21] For example, Stewart, R.J. Underworld Initiation. Aquarian: Wellingborough, 1985, and O’Regan, V. The Pillar of Isis. Aquarian: London, 1992.
[22] Luhrmann, T.M. Persuasions of the Witch’s Craft: Ritual Magic in Contemporary England. Picador: London, 1994. See also an intresting comparison of esoteric teachers by Mistlberger, P.T. The Three Dangerous Magi: Osho, Gurdjieff and Crowley. O-Books: Ropely, 2010.
[23] Wilson, R.A. Cosmic Trigger: Final Secret of the Illuminati. Abacus: London, 1979. Right Where You Are Sitting Now. And/Or Press: Berkeley, 1982. With Shea, R. Illuminatus! Sphere Books: London, 1976, in three volumes.
[24] Duquette, L.M. My Life with the Spirits: The Adventures of a Modern Magician. Red Wheel/ Weiser: York Beach, 1999.
[25] St. George, E.A. The Casebook of a Working Occultist. Rigel Press: London, 1972.
[26] Frost, G. & Frost, Y. Power Secrets from a Sorcerer’s Private Magnum Arcanum. Goldolphin House: Hinton, 1980, pp.27-29.
[27] Richardson, A. Dancers to the Gods: The Magical Records of Charles Seymour and Christine Hartley 1937-1939. The Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1985, and Ashcroft-Nowicki, D. (editor). The Forgotten Mage: The Magical Lectures of Colonel C.R.F. Seymour. Thoth Publications: Loughborough, 1999.
[28] Wolfe, J. The Cefalu Diaries 1920-1923. The College of Thelema of Northern California: Sacremento, 2008. See also Fuller, J.O. The Magical Dilemma of Victor Neuburg. Mandrake: Oxford, 1990.
[29] Shiva, F. Inside Solar Lodge: Outside The Law. Teitan Press: York Beach, 2007.
[30] Kansa, S. Wormwood Star: The Magickal Life of Marjorie Cameron. Mandrake: Oxford, 2011; Starr, M.P. The Unknown God: W.T. Smith and the Thelemites. The Teitan Press: Bolingbrook, 2003; Carter, J. Sex and Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons. Feral House: Port Townsend, 2004.
[31] Kraig, D.M. Modern Magic. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1991; Frater U.D., High Magic. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 2005; McCarthy, J. Magical Knowledge Book I & II. Mandrake: Oxford, 2012; Greer, J.M. Inside a Magical Lodge. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1998; Penczak, C. Ascension Magick. Llewellyn: Woodbury, 2007; Cooper, P. Basic Magic. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1996; Wildoak, P. By Names and Images: Bringing the Golden Dawn to Life. Skylight Press: Cheltenham, 2012.
[32] Ashcroft-Nowicki, D. The Shining Paths. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1983. First Steps in Ritual. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1982. This latter work, particularly the Egyptian-styled ‘Meeting of Mind with Mind’ ritual, helped my own bridging of pagan practice and esotericism at that time.
[33] Green, M. Magic for the Aquarian Age. Aquarian Press: Wellingborough, 1983. The Path Through The Labyrinth. Thoth Publications: Loughborough, 1994.
[34] del Campo, G. New Aeon Magick: Thelema Without Tears. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 1994; Mortimer, G.T. The Probationer’s Handbook. Media Underground, 2007; Orpheus, R. Abrahadabra. Red Wheel/Weiser: York Beach, 2005; Duquette, L.M. The Magick of Thelema. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1993. I would highly recommend for those looking at the initiatory aspects of Thelema, Gunther, J.D. Initiation in the Aeon of the Child: The Inward Journey. Ibis Press: Lake Worth, 2009. There is of course no singular ‘widely accepted
’ interpretation of Crowley’s work.
[35] Nema, Maat Magick. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1995. The Way of Mystery. Llewellyn: St. Paul, 2003.
[36] I have at various times over the past three decades approached or been approached by these groups (or versions thereof) in several contexts. We will consider the organisation of magical practice within magical orders and the teaching of the mysteries in later volumes.
[37] Chapman, A. Advanced Magick for Beginners. Aeon Books: London, 2008.
[38] Goddard, D. The Tower of Alchemy. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1999.
[39] Harrison, F. & Shadrach, N. Magic That Works: Practical Training for the Children of Light. Ishtar Publishing: Barnaby, 2005.
[40] Templar, E. The Tree of Hru. Kingfisher Press: Irchester, 1990, and The Path of the Magus. Kingfisher Press: Irchester, 1986. p.87: “The ‘dimension change’ is inevitably a traumatic experience involving a psychological upheaval of some description. This process will continue over a few days until either a centre of stability is established within the self or the state of the consciousness reverts to its former condition ... When the adjustment period is complete the effects caused by the higher self in Yetzirah bring reactions in Assiah.” Compare with the work of Florence Farr on the model of ritual through the Egyptian states of self.
[41] Gold, E.J. Life in the Labyrinth. IDHHB: Nevada City, 1986; Ouspensky, P.D. The Fourth Way. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London, 1970. Whilst Gurdjieff’s writings can be difficult, see Gurdjieff, G.I. Views From the Real World. Arkana: London, 1984. Life is Real Only Then, When “I Am”. Routledge and Kegan Paul: London, 1981. For the commentaries of his students and others, refer to Wellbeloved, S. Gurdjieff: The Key Concepts. Routledge: London, 2003; Gorman, M. Stairway to the Stars. Aeon: London, 2010; Tart, C.T. Waking Up. Element Books: Longmead, 1988; Pogson, B. The Work Life. Samuel Weiser: York Beach, 1994; Nott, C.S. Teachings of Gurdjieff. Arkana: London, 1990; Orage, A.R. Psychological Exercises. Janus Press: London, 1968; Nicoll, M. Psychological Commentaries on the Teaching of Gurdjieff and Ouspensky. Shamballa: Boston, 1987, in five volumes. Commentaries on the life and work of Gurdjieff and Ousepensky can be studied in Patterson, W.P. Struggle of the Magicians: Exploring the Teacher-Student Relationship. Arete Communications: Fairfax, 1998, and Webb, J. The Harmonious Circle. G.P. Putnam’s Sons: New York, 1980.