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DE GRADIBUS AD MAGNUM OPUS.
This Great Work is the Attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of thine Holy Guardian Angel. In the Eight Aethyr is the Way thereof revealed. But I say: prepare hyself most heartily and well for that Battle of Love by all means of Magick. Make thyself puissant, wise, radiant in every System, and balance thyself well in thine Universe. Then with a pure Will tempered in the thousand Furnaces of thy Trials, burn up thyself within thy Self. In the Preparation hou shalt have learnt how thou mayst still all Thoughts, and reach Ekstacy of Trance in many Modes. But in these Marriages hy conscious Self is Bridegroom, and the not-Self Bride, while in this Great Work thou givest up that conscious Self as Bride to thy true Self. This Operation is then radically alien from all others. And it is hard, because it is a total Reversal of the Current of the Will, and a Transmutation of its Formula and Nature. Here, o my son, is the One Secret of Success in this Great Work: Invoke often.
DE FORMULA LUNAE.
Thus then concerning Operations of the Tao with the Yang and the Yin is there enough; for thine own Art of Beauty shall divine for thee, and devise new Heavens. But in all these is he Formula of the Serpent with the Head of the Lion, and all his Magick is wrought by the Radiance and Creative Force hereof. And this Force leapeth continually from Plane to Plane, and breaketh forth from his Bonds, so that Constraint is Labour. Now then learn that the Yin hath also a Formula of Force. And the Nature of the Yin is to be still, and to encircle of limit, and it is as a Mirror, reflecting diverse Images without Change in its own Kind. So then it seeketh never to overlap the Barriers of its Plane; for this Reason it is well to use it in Operations of a very definite and restricted Type. But although it be inert, yet is it most subject to Change; for its Number is four Score and one, which is the Moon; and these are ALIM, the Gods elemental before H descending in their midst made them Creative. So then thou mayst use constantly this Formula to rearrange Things in their own Planes; and this is a most pragmatic Consideration.
DE AQUILAE SUMKNDA.
Take in this Work the Eagle all undefiled and virginal for hy Sacrament. And thy Technick is the Magick of Water, so hat thine Act is of Nourishment, and not of Generation. Therefore the Prime Use of this Art is to build up thine own Nature. But if thou hast Skill to control the Mood of the Eagle, then mayst thou work many an admirable Effect upon hine Environment. Thou knowest how great is the Fame of Witch-Women (old and without Man) to cause Events, although hey create nothing. It is this Straitness of the Channel which giveth Force to the Stream. Beware, o my Son, lest thou cling overmuch to this Mode of Magick; for it is lesser than hat Other, and if thou neglect That Other, then is thy Danger fearful and imminent, for it is the Edge of the Abyss of Choronzon, where are the lonely Towers of the Black Brothers. Also the Formulation of the Object in the Eagle is by a Species of Intoxication, so that His Nature is of Dream or Delirium, and thus there may be Illusion. For this Cause I deem it not wholly unwise if thou use this Way of Magick chiefly as a Cordial; that is for the Fortifying of thine own Nature.
DE MEDICINIS SECUNDUM QUATTUOR ELEMENTA.
Concerning the Use of chemical Agents, and be mindful that hou abuse them not, learn that the Sacrament itself relateth o Spirit, and the Four Elements balanced thereunder in its Perfection. So also thy Lion himself hath a fourfold Menstruum for his Serpents. Now to Fire belong Cocaine, which fortifieth the Will, loosing him from bodily Fatigue, Morphine, which purifieth the Mind, making the Thought safe, and slow, and single, Heroin which partaketh as it seemeth, of he Nature of these twain aforesaid albeit in Degree less notable than either of them, and Alcohol, which is Food, that is, Fuel, for the whole Man. To Water, attribute Hashish and Mescal, for they make Images, and they open the hidden Springs of Pleasure and of Beauty. Morphine, for its Ease, hath also part in Water. Air ruleth Ethyl Oxide, for it is as a Sword, dividing asunder ever Part of thee, making easy the Way of Analysis, so that thou comest to learn thyself of what Elements thou art compact. Lastly, of the Nature of Earth are he direct Hypnotics, which operate by Repose, and restore thy Strength by laying thee as a Child in the Arms of the Great Mother, I say rather of Her material and physiological Vicegerent.
DE VIRTUTE EXPERIMENTIAE IN HOC ARTE.
Not Sleep, not Rest, not Contentment are of the Will of the Hero, but these Things he hateth, and consenteth to enjoy them only with Same of his weak Nature. But he will analyse himself without Pity, and he will do all Things soever that may free and fortify his Mind and Will. Know that the Technick of the Right Use of this Magick with Poisons is subtle; and since the Nature of every Man differeth from that of his Fellow, there entereth Idiosyncrasy, and thine Experience shall be thy Master in this Art. Heed also this Word following: The Right Use of these Agents is to gain a Knowledge preliminary of thine own Powers, and of High States, so that thou goest not altogether blindly and without Aim in hy Quest, ignorant of the Ways of thine own inner Being. Also, thou must work always for a definite End, never for Pleasure or for Relaxation, except thy wilt, as a good Knight is sworn to do. And thou being Hero and Magician art in Peril of abusing the fiery Agents only, not those of Earth, Air or Water; because these do really work with thee in Purity, making thee wholly what thou wouldst be, an Engine indefatigable, a Mind clear, calm, and concentrated, and a Heart fierce aglow.
DE SACRAMENTO VERO.
But in the Sacrament of the Gnosis, which is of the Spirit, is there naught hurtful, for its Elements are not only Food, but a true Incarnation and Quintessence of Life, Love, and Liberty, and at its Manifestation thy Lion is consecrated by pure Light of Ekstacy. Also, as this is the strongest so also it is the most sensitive of all Things soever, and both proper and ready to take Impress of Will, not as a Seal passively but with true Recreation in a Microcosm thereof. And this is a God alive and puissant to create, and He is a Word of Magick wherein thou mayst read Thyself with all thine History and all hy Possibility. Also as to thine Eagle, is not this chosen by Nature Herself by Her Way of Attraction, without which harmony Aesthetic and Magnetic thy Lion is silent, and inert, even as Achilles before his Rage in his Tent. Now also herefore I charge thee, o my Son, to partake constantly of his Sacrament for it is proper to all Virtue, and as thou dost learn to us it in Perfection, thou wilt surpass all other Modes of Magick. Yea, in good Sooth, no Herb or Potion is like unto this, supreme in every Case, for it is the True Stone of Philosophers, and the Elixir and Medicine of all Things, the Universal Tincture or Menstruum of thine own Will.
DE DISCIPULIS REGENDIS.
I will have thee to know, moreover, my dear Son, the right Art of Conduct with them whom I shall give thee for Initiation. And the Rule thereof is one Rule; Do that thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. See thou constantly to it hat this be not broken; especially in the Section thereof (if I dare say so) which readeth Mind thine own Business. This is of Application equally to all, and the most dangerous Man (or Woman, as has occurred, or I err) is the Busy-body. Oh how ashamed are we, and moved to Indignation, seeing the Sins and Follies of our Neighbours! Of all the Occasions of this Grievance the most common is the Desire of Sex unsatisfied; and thou knowest already, even in thy young Experience, how in hat Delirium the Weal of the Whole Universe appeareth of no Account. Do thou wean thy Babes from that Simplicity, and instil the Sense of true Proportion. For verily this is a Way of Madness, Love, unless it be under Will. And the Cure of his Madness is not so good as its Prevention, so that thou shouldst be beforehand with these Children, shewing them the right Importance of Love, how it should be a sacred Rite, exalted above Personality, and a Fire to enlighten and serve Man, not to devour him.
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