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which has baffled all other minds hitherto. We have tried to say as little as possible rather than as much as
possible.
Still further from our present purpose would it be to criticise the innumerable discussions which have taken place as
to whether this is the ultimate attainment, or what it confers. It is enough if we say that even the first and most
transitory Dhyana repays a thousandfold the pains we may have taken to attain it.
And there is this anchor for the beginner, that his work is cumulative: every act directed towards attainment builds up
a destiny which must some day come to fruition. May all attain!
SUMMARY
"Q." What is genius, and how is it produced?
"A." Let us take several specimens of the species, and try to find some
one thing common to all which is not found in other species.
"Q." Is there any such thing?
"A." Yes: all geniuses have the habit of concentration of thought, and
usually need long periods of solitude to acquire this habit. In
particular the greatest religious geniuses have all retired from the
world at one time or another in their lives, and begun to preach
immediately on their return.
"Q." Of what advantage is such a retirement? One would expect that a
man who so acted would find himself on his return out of touch
with his civilization, and in every way less capable than when
he left.
"A." But each claims, though in different language, to have gained in his
absence some superhuman power.
"Q." Do you believe this?
"A." It becomes us ill to reject the assertions of those who are admittedly
the greatest of mankind until we can refute them by proof, or
at least explain how they may have been mistaken. In this case
each teacher left instructions for us to follow. The only scientific
method is for us to repeat their experiments, and so confirm or
disprove their results.
"Q." But their instructions differ widely!
"A." Only in so far as each was bound by conditions of time, race,
climate and language. There is essential identity in the method.
"Q." Indeed!
"A." It was the great work of the life of Frater Perdurabo to prove this.
Studying each religious practice of each great religion on the spot,
he was able to show the Identity-in-diversity of all, and to formulate
a method free from all dogmatic bias, and based only on the ascertained
facts of anatomy, physiology, and psychology.
"Q." Can you give me a brief abstract of this method?
"A." The main idea is that the Infinite, the Absolute, God, the Over-soul,
or whatever you may prefer to call it, is always present; but
veiled or masked by the thoughts of the mind, just as one cannot
hear a heart-beat in a noisy city.
"Q." Yes?
"A." Then to obtain knowledge of That, it is only necessary to still all
thoughts. {44}
"Q." But in sleep thought is stilled?
"A." True, perhaps, roughly speaking; but the perceiving function is
stilled also.
"Q." Then you wish to obtain a perfect vigilance and attention of the
mind, uninterrupted by the rise of thoughts?
"A." Yes.
"Q." And how do you proceed?
"A." Firstly, we still the body by the practice called Asana, and secure
its ease and the regularity of its functions by Pranayama. Thus no
messages from the body will disturb the mind.
Secondly, by Yama and Niyama, we still the emotions and passions,
and thus prevent them arising to disturb the mind.
Thirdly, by Pratyahara we analyse the mind yet more deeply, and
begin to control and suppress thought in general of whatever
nature.
Fourthly, we suppress all other thoughts by a direct concentration
upon a single thought. This process, which leads to the highest
results, consists of three parts, Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi,
grouped under the single term Samyama.
"Q." How can I obtain further knowledge and experience of this?
"A." The A.'.A.'. is an organization whose heads have obtained by
personal experience to the summit of this science. They have
founded a system by which every one can equally attain, and that
with an ease and speed which was previously impossible.
The first grade in Their system is that of
STUDENT.
A Student must possess the following books:
1. The Equinox,
2. 777.
3. Konx Om Pax.
4. Collected Works of A. Crowley; Tannhauser, The Sword of
Song, Time, Eleusis. 3 vols.
5. Raja Yoga, by Swami Vivekananda.
6. The Shiva Sanhita, or the Hathayoga Pradipika.
7. The Tao Teh "K"ing and the writings of "K"wang Tze: S.B.E.
xxxix, xl.
8. The Spiritual Guide, by Miguel de Molinos.
9. Rituel et Dogme de la Haute Magie, by Eliphas Levi, or its
translation by A. E. Waite.
10. The Goetia of the Lemegeton of Solomon the King.
These books should be well studied in any case in conjunction with the second part -- Magick -- of this Book IV. {45}
Study of these books will give a thorough grounding in the intellectual side of Their system.
After three months the Student is examined in these books, and if his knowledge of them is found satisfactory, he
may become a Probationer, receiving Liber LXI and the secret holy book, Liber LXV. The principal point of this grade
is that the Probationer has a master appointed, whose experience can guide him in his work.
He may select any practices that he prefers, but in any case must keep an exact record, so that he may discover the
relation of cause and effect in his working, and so that the A.'.A.'. may judge of his progress, and direct his further
studies.
After a year of probation he may be admitted a Neophyte of the A.'.A.'., and receive the secret holy book Liber VII.
These are the principal instructions for practice which every probationer should follow out:
Libri E, A, O, III, XXX, CLXXV, CC, CCVI, CMXIII.
THERE are seven keys to the great gate,
Being eight in one and one in eight.
First, let the body of thee be still,
Bound by the cerements of will,
Corpse-rigid; thus thou mayst abort
The fidget-babes that tease the thought.
Next, let the breath-rhythm be low,
Easy, regular, and slow;
So that thy being be in tune
With the great sea's Pacific swoon.
Third, let thy life be pure and calm,
Swayed softly as a windless palm.
Fourth, let the will-to-live be bound
To the one love of the profound.
Fifth, let the thought, divinely free
From sense, observe its entity.
Watch every thought that springs; enhance
Hour after hour thy vigilance!
Intense and keen, turned inward, miss
No atom of analysis!
Sixth, on one thought securely pinned
Still every whisper of the wind!
So like a flame straight and unstirred
Burn up thy being in one word!
Next, still that ecstasy, prolong
Thy meditation steep and strong,
Slaying even God, should He distract
Thy attention from the chosen act!
Last, all these things in one o'erpowered,
Time that the midnight blossom flowered!
The oneness is. Yet even in this,
My son, thou shall not do amiss
If thou restrain the expression, shoot
Thy glance to rapture's darkling root,
Discarding name, form, sight, and stress
Even of this high consciousness;
Pierce to the heart! I leave thee here:
Thou art the Master. I revere
Thy radiance that rolls afar,
O Brother of the Silver Star!
CROWLEY "AHA!"
Issued by order of
the GREAT WHITE
BROTHERHOOD
known as the A.'.A.'.
"Witness our Seal,"
N.'.'
"Praemonstrator-General"
{Diagram: A.'.A.'. seal}
{photograph: The colotype of Crowley from EQUINOX I, 3, just before page 11, titled underneath "ALEISTER
CROWLEY"}
PART II -- MAGICK
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
{photograph: (probably colotype original) of Crowley with implements, titled underneath "THE MAGICIAN IN HIS
ROBE AND CROWN, ARMED WITH WAND, CUP, SWORD, PANTACLE, BELL, BOOK, AND HOLY OIL."}
{52}
CEREMONIAL MAGICK,
order to distinguish the Science of the Magi from all its counterfeits.>>
THE TRAINING FOR MEDITATION
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
HITHERTO we have spoken only of the mystic path; and we have kept particularly to the practical exoteric side of it.
Such difficulties as we have mentioned have been purely natural obstacles. For example, the great question of the
surrender of the self, which bulks so largely in most mystical treatises, has not been referred to at all. We have said
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