The Great Secret of the
Tetragrammaton or the
Quabbalistical Yod-He-Vau-He Device
"That which is above is also that which is below"
(Hermes Trismegistus)
Part I
Theory
1. About the Elements
Everything that has
been created, the macrocosm as well as the microcosm,
consequently the big and the small world have been achieved by
the effect of the elements. For this reason, right from the
beginning of the initiation, I shall attend to these powers and
underline their deep and manifold significance in particular. In
the occult literature very little has been said about the powers
of the elements up to now so that I made it my business to treat
this field of knowledge still unknown and to lift the veil
covering these rules. It is absolutely not very easy to
enlighten the uninitiated so that they are not only fully
informed about the existence and the activity of the elements,
but will be able to work with these powers in the future
practically.
The whole universe is similar to a clockwork with all its wheels
in mesh and interdependent from each other. Even the idea of the
Godhead as the highest comprehensible entity may be divided in
aspects analogous to the elements. Details about it are found in
the chapter concerning the God-idea.
In the oldest oriental scriptures, the elements are designated
as tattwas. In our European literature, they are only considered
on the ground of their good effects and in so far as we are
warned against their unfavourable influence, which means that
certain actions can be undertaken under the influence of the
tattwas, or else must be omitted. The accuracy of this fact is
not to be doubted, but all that has been published up to date
points to a slight aspect of the effects of the elements only.
How to find out about the effects of elements respecting the
tattwas for any personal use, may be sufficiently learned from
astrological books.
I am penetrating far deeper into the secret of the elements and
therefore I have chosen a different key, which, although being
analogous to the astrological key, has, as a matter of fact,
nothing to do with it. The reader, to whom this key is
completely unknown, shall be taught to use it in various ways.
As for the single tasks, analogies and effects of the elements,
I shall deal with tem by turns and in detail in the following
chapters, which will not only unveil the theoretical part of it,
but point directly to the practical use, because it is here that
the greatest Arcanum is to be found.
In the oldest book of wisdom, the Tarot, something has already
been written about this great mystery of the elements. The first
card of this work represents the magician pointing to the
knowledge and mastery of the elements. On this first card the
symbols are: the sword as the fiery element, the rod as the
element of the air, the goblet as that of the water and the
coins as the element of the earth. This proves without any doubt
that already in the mysteries of yore, the magician was destined
for the first Tarot card, mastery of the elements having been
chosen as the first act of initiation. In honor of this
tradition I shall give my principal attention to the elements
for, as you will see, the key to the elements is the panacea,
with the help of which all the occurring problems may be solved.
According to the Indian succession of the tattwas, it runs as
follows:
Akasa principle of the ether
Tejas principle of the fire
Waju Principle of the air
Apas principle of the water
Prithivi principle of the earth
In accordance with the Indian doctrine, it has been said that
the four somehow grosser tattwas have been descended from the
fifth tattwa, the akasa principle. Consequently akasa is the
cause ultimate and to be regarded as the fifth power, the
so-called quintessence. In one of the following chapters, I
shall inform the reader about this most subtle element akasa in
detail. The specific qualities of each element, beginning with
the highest planes right down to the grossly material level,
will be mentioned in all the following chapters. By now the
reader has surely realized that it is no easy task to analyze
the great mystery of creation, and word it in such a way that
everybody gets the chance of penetrating the topic to form a
plastic picture of it all.
The analysis of the elements will also be discussed and the
great practical value of them underlined, so that every
scientist, whether he be a chemist, a physician, a magnetizer,
an occultist, a magician, a mystic, a quabbalist or a yogi,
etc., can derive his practical benefit from it. Should I succeed
in teaching the reader so far that he is able to deal with the
subject in the proper way and to find the practical key to the
branch of knowledge most suitable for him, I will be glad to see
that the purpose of my book has been fulfilled.
2. The Principle of Fire
As it has been said before, akasa or the etheric principle is
the cause of the origin of the elements. According to the
oriental scriptures, the first element born from akasa is
believed to be Tejas, the principle of fire. This element as
well as all the others manifest their influence not only in our
roughly material plane but also in everything created. The basic
qualities of the fiery principle are heat and expansion. In the
beginning of all things created therefore must have been fire
and light, and in the Bible we read: "Fiat Lux" - There shall be
light. The origin of the light, of course, is to be sought in
the fire. Each element and therefore that of fire, too, has two
polarities, i.e., the active and the passive one, which means
positive (+) and negative (-). Plus will always signify the
constructive, the creative, the productive sources whereas minus
stands for all that is destructive or dissecting. There are
always two basic qualities, which must be clearly distinguished
in each element. Religions have always imputed the good to the
active and the evil to the passive side. But fundamentally
spoken, there are no such things as good or bad; they are
nothing but human conceptions. In the Universe there is neither
good nor evil, because everything has been created according to
immutable rules, wherein the Divine Principle is reflected and
only by knowing these rules, shall we be able to come near to
the Divinity.
As mentioned before, the fiery principle owns the expansion,
which I shall call electrical fluid for the sake of better
comprehension. This definition does not just point to the
roughly material electricity in spite of its having a certain
analogy to it. Every one will realize at once, of course, that
the quality of expansion is identical with extension. This
elementary principle of fire is latent and active in all things
created, as a matter of fact, in the whole Universe beginning
from the tiniest grain of sand to the most sublime substance
visible or invisible.
3. The Principle of Water
In the previous chapter we have studied the origin and the
qualities of the positive element of fire. In this chapter I am
going to describe the opposite principle, the water. It is also
derived from akasa, the etheric principle. But in comparison
with fire, it has quite contrasting qualities. These basic
qualities are coldness and shrinkage. The point in question are
also two poles, the active one being constructive, life-giving,
nourishing and protective, whereas the negative pole, similar to
the one of fire, is destructive, dissecting, fermenting, and
dividing. As this element owns the basic quality of shrinking
and contraction, it has produced the magnetic fluid. Fire as
well as water are operating in all regions. According to the
rules of creation, the fiery principle would not be able to
exist all by itself if it did not conceal inside as opposite
pole the principle of water. These two elements, fire and water,
are the basic elements with the help of which all has been
created. In consequence of these facts, we have everywhere to
reckon on two main elements. Moreover with the electrical and
magnetical fluids which represent the contrasting polarities.
4. The Principle of Air
Another element derived from akasa is that of air. Initiated
people do not regard this principle as a real element, but they
will grant it the role of a mediator between the fiery and the
watery principles, so that the principle of air will, in a
certain way, establish the neutral equilibrium, acting as a
medium between the active and the passive activities of water
and of fire. Through the interaction of the active and passive
elements of fire and water the whole created life has become
motion.
In its mediatorship the principle of air has assumed the quality
of warmth from the fire and that of humidity from the water.
Without these two qualities any life would be inconceivable.
These two qualities will also grant two polarities to the airy
principle, which means in the positive outcome the life-giving
polarity, and in the negative aspect the destructive polarity.
In addition to that let me say that the mentioned elements are
not t be regarded as ordinary fire, water and air which would
solely represent aspects of the grossly material plane but in
this case universal qualities of all elements are concerned.
5. The Principle of Earth
It has been said of the principle of air that it does not
represent an element proper and this affirmation goes for the
principle of earth likewise. Now this means that out of the
interaction of the three foresaid elements the earthy principle
has been born as the last element which by its specific quality,
the solidification involves all the three elements. It is this
quality in particular which has given a concrete shape to the
three aforesaid elements. But at the same time the action of the
three elements has been limited with the result of space,
measure, weight and time having been born. The reciprocal action
of the three elements together with that of the earth, thus, has
become tetrapolar so that the earthy principle may be labeled
now as a 4-pole magnet. The fluid in the polarity of the earthy
element is electromagnetic. All the life created can therefore
be explained by the fact that all elements are active in the
fourth, i.e., the earth element. Through realization in this
element came out the Fiat, "It shall be".
Details concerning the specific influences of the elements in
the various spheres and kingdoms, such as the kingdoms of
nature, of animals and of human beings will be found in the
following chapters. The main point is that the reader gets a
general impression about the workshop and the effect of the
elemental principles in the entire Universe.
6. The Light
Light is established on the principle of fire. Light without
fire is unconceivable and for this particular reason it is an
aspect of the fire. Each fiery element can be converted into
light and the other way around. Therefore light involves all the
specific qualities such as shining, penetrating, expanding.
The opposite of light is darkness, which has come out of the
principle of water. Darkness has the contrasting specific
qualities of the light. Without darkness, light would not only
remain quite unrecognizable, but without darkness there would
never be any light at all. Evidently light and darkness must
have been produced by the mutual play of two elements,
consequently those of fire and water. Light in its outcome
therefore has the positive quality whereas darkness has the
negative one. This interplay evidently is working in all
regions.
7. Akasa or the Ethereal Principle
Several times while describing the elements I have said that
they proceed from the ethereal principle. Accordingly, the
ethereal principle is the ultimate, the supreme, the most
powerful thing, something inconceivable, the ultimate cause of
all things existing and created. To put it in a nutshell, it is
the causal sphere. Therefore akasa is spaceless and timeless. It
is the non-created, the incomprehensible, the indefinable. The
various religions have given it the name of God. It is the fifth
power, the original power. Everything has been created by it and
is kept in balance by it. It is the origin and the purity of all
thoughts and intentions, it is the causal world wherein the
whole creation in subsisting on, beginning from the highest
spheres down to the lowest ones. It is the quintessence of the
alchemists; it is all in all.
8. Karma
An immutable law, which has its aspect just in the akasa
principle, is the law of cause and effect. Each cause sets free
a corresponding effect. This law works everywhere as the most
sublime rule. Consequently every deed proceeds from a cause or
is followed by any result. Therefore we should not only accept
Karma as a rule for our good actions, as the oriental philosophy
puts it, but its signification reaches farther and is a very
deep one. Instinctively all men have the feeling that something
good can bring good results only and again all the evil must end
up with evil or, in the words of a proverb, " Whatsoever a man
sows, that shall he reap". Everybody is bound to know this law
and to respect it. This law of cause and effect governs the
elemental principles, too. I have no intention to enter into
details of this law, which could be expressed in a few words, as
they are quite clear so that every reasonable man will
understand them. Subject to this law of cause and effect is also
the law of evolution or development. Thus development is an
aspect of the karma law.
9.Man
- About the Body
Man is the true image of God; he has been created in the
likeness of the universe. Everything great to be found in the
universe is reflected, I a small degree, in man. For this
reason, man is signified as a microcosm in contrast to the
macrocosm of the universe. Strictly speaking, the entire nature
manifests itself in man and it will be the task of this chapter
to inform about these problems.
I do not intend to describe the physical occurrences in the body
because everybody can find information about it in any
respective work. What I shall teach is to regard man from the
hermetic standpoint, and I shall enlighten interested people as
to how to use the fundamental key, the influence of the elements
on man, in the right way.
A well-known maxim says, "A sound mind in a sound body". The
genuine truth of this aphorism represents itself immediately to
everybody dealing with the problem of man. There surely will
arise the question, what health is from the hermetic point of
view. Not every one is capable to answer this question at the
first instant. Seen from the hermetic angle, health is the
perfect harmony of all the forces operating inside the body with
respect to the basic qualities of the elements. There need not
prevail such a great disharmony of the element a to set free a
visible effect which is called disease. For disharmony in the
form of sickness is already an essential disturbance in the
workshop of the elements inside the body. The main condition for
the novice is to concentrate himself absolutely on his body. The
outwardly visible expression of the body resembles that of a
beautiful garment, an beauty, in all its aspects, is likewise an
aspect of the divine nature Beauty, properly speaking, is not
only that which pleases us or appears to be sympathetic to our
taste, because sympathy or antipathy are dependent on the
interaction of the elements. Genuine health is rather a basic
condition of our spiritual rising. If we like to live in beauty,
we must form our house, our flat, or, in this case, our body
beautifully and fill it with harmony.
According to the universal law, the elements have to perform
certain functions inside our body. These are mainly: building up
the body, keeping it alive, and dissolving it. The positive part
in the body, the building up, is therefore the business of the
positive or active side of the elements. The preserving part is
brought about by the linking or connecting part of the elements,
i.e., the neutral, whereas the destructive or dissolving part in
the body is realized by the negative qualities of the elements.
It is obvious that the fiery principle in the active form with
its electrical fluid will exert the active, expansive,
building-up influence. The contrary will be the case in the
negative form.
The watery principle, in its active form, will influence the
building-up activity; in its negative form, it will produce the
disintegrating, dissolving activity of all the fluids in the
body.
With the principle of air rests the task of controlling the
electrical fluid of the fire and the magnetic fluid of the water
in the body, keeping them in balance. For this reason it has
been characterized as the neutral or mediating element.
It has been said in the fundamental key about the forces of the
principle of earth that it has the function inside the body to
keep together the influences of the three elements. In the
active form of the earthy principle, it has an animating,
vivifying, invigorating influence and, in the negative form, it
is the other way round. The earthy principle is responsible for
the thriving as well as for the ageing of the body. We could
mention quite a lot of analogies with respect to the influence
of the elements inside the body, but let it be enough with the
foregoing explanations.
Adepts of all periods never described the effects of the
elements in particular, probably to avoid any misuse, but they
did know very well all about it. They divided man in three basic
conceptions, attributing the head to the fiery principle, the
abdomen to that of water, and the chest to the airy one as the
mediating principle between fire and water. How very right they
were with their dividing man becomes obvious at the first look,
because all that is active or fiery takes place in the head. In
the abdomen it must be the contrary, the watery, the secretion,
the work of the saps, etc. The chest underlies the air and has a
mediating part, because here breathing takes place quite
mechanically. The earthy principle with its cohesive power or
ability of holding together represents the whole of the human
body with all its bones and flesh.
Now the question will arise were and how akasa or the etheric
principle occurs in the grossly material body. In doing some
deeper thinking, everybody will be able to answer this question
by himself, for the etheric principle is hidden in its most
grossly material form in the blood and in the seed and in the
reciprocal action of these two substances in the vital matter or
in the vitality.
As we have learned, the fiery element produces the electrical
and the water element the magnetic fluid. Each of these fluids
has two-pole radiations, an active and a passive one, and the
mutual influences and interactions of all the radiations of the
four poles resemble a tetra-polar magnet, which is identical to
the secret of the Tetragrammaton, the Yod-He-Vau-He of the
quabbalists. Therefore the electromagnetic fluid in the human
body, in its emanation, is the animal magnetism, the Od or
whatever name it has been given. The right side of the human
body is active-electric, provided that the individual be
right-handed. The left side is passive-magnetic. As for the
left-handed person, the contrary will take place. The emanative
power of this electromagnetic fluid is dependent on the
capacitance, i.e., the intensity of action of the elements
inside the body. The more harmoniously this action of the
elements is going on in the body, all the stronger and purer
this emanation will be.
With the help of certain exercises as well as by a correct
attitude and an exact observance of these rules, the
capacitance, strength and influence of this electromagnetic
fluid or Od can be increased or diminished according to whatever
necessity requires. The way of doing it will exhaustively be
illustrated in the practical part of the present work.
The electrical as well as the magnetical fluid in the human body
have nothing to do with the kind of electricity or magnetism we
know, although a certain analogy exists. This law of analogy is
a very important factor in the hermetic science and the
knowledge of it enables the adept to perform great miracles with
the aid of this key.
The food contains the elements mingled with each other. The
result of taking in food is a chemical process by which the
elements are preserved in our body. From the medical point of
view, the taking in of any kind of food, together with the
breathing, causes a process of combustion. The hermetist sees
far more in this process than just a simple chemical event. He
regards this combustion as the mutual dissolving of food, just
like the fire is kept burning by fuel. Therefore the whole life
depends on the continuous supply of fuel, that is the food and
the breathing. To supply every element with the necessary
preserving substances, a mixed food is advisable which contains
the fundamental materials of the elements. If we were to
restrict our whole life to a one-sided kind of food only, our
body would, without any doubt, fall ill, meaning that such a
kind of food would produce a disharmony in the body. By the
disintegration of air and food, the elements are provided with
the supporting substances and in this way their activity is
maintained. Such is man's natural mode of life. If an element is
missing, as it were, the fuel, all the functions depending on it
are immediately affected. If, e.g., the fiery element in the
body works excessively, we feel thirsty, the air element makes
us feel hungry, the element of water causes a feeling of cold,
and the earthy element produces tiredness. On the other hand,
every over-saturation of the elements causes reinforced effects
in the body. A surplus of the fiery element creates a yearning
for movement and activity. If this be the case with the watery
element, the secretive process will be stronger. Any
over-saturation of the airy element indicates that we must be
moderate in taking food at all. An over-saturation of the earth
element affects the aspects of sexual life, which must not
necessarily find expression in the sexual instinct in the
fleshly sense. It is quite possible -- and this will especially
occur in the case of elderly people - that they will feel a
longing for increased activity and for productive agility.
In their active and passive polarity the electric and the
magnetic fluids have the task of forming acid combinations in
all the organic and inorganic bodies, from the chemical point of
view, eventually from the alchemistic standpoint too. In the
active sense they are constructive, and in the negative sense
they are destructive, dissolving and disintegrating. All this
explains the biological functions in the body. The final result
is the circulation of life, which is brought into existence,
thrives, ripens and fades away. This is the sense of evolution
of all things created.
- Diet
A reasonable line of life maintains the harmony of the elements
in the body As soon as a disharmony in the effect of elements
becomes manifest, the elements being extant in a weakened or a
prevailing way, special measures have to be taken as far as food
is concerned to carry the elements back to their normal course
or at least to influence them favorably in this respect.
Therefore the most varying diets are prescribed for specific
cases. In times long passed, numerous observation led men to
this opinion, of which they ignored the exact reason.
If the disturbance of the elements is such as to render visible
this disharmony, it is no longer solely a disharmony but we have
to deal with an illness. This will mean that more drastic
remedies will be necessary to reestablish the indispensable
harmony, providing we desire to bring the body back to its
normal function and complete recovery. All the curing methods
known up to this day have been based on this fundament. I desist
from particularizing such methods, as most of them are generally
known. The natural therapy employs thermic effects such as
bathing, poultices, herbs, massages, etc. The allopathist
utilizes concentrated medicines, which are causing the effects
corresponding to the elements and destined to repair health. The
homoeopathist brings to life the contrasting element according
to the device "Similia similibus curantur" to achieve the
balance of all that is in danger in conformity with the polarity
laws. The electro-homoeopathist by use of his remedies,
influences the electrical and magnetical fluids directly to
balance the disorderly elements, according to the kind of
illness, by a suitable reinforcement of these fluids.
And so each curing method serves the purpose of restoring the
disturbed equipoise of the elements. By studying these
influences of the elements on our body, the magnetopath or
magnetizer has far more possibilities of influencing the body
through his powers, especially if he is capable to awake the
electrical or magnetical fluid consciously in himself,
increasing and transferring it into the part of the body that
has come into disharmony. I have dedicated a special heading of
this book to the practical side of this treatment.
So far the total functions of the body have been stated in
detail. But each part of the body is also, in analogy with the
effect of the elements in the body, influenced by a specific
element, which finds its expression in the polarity of the
responsive part of the body. It happens to be a very interesting
fact that in the workshop, respectively in the clockwork or
mechanism, which is to say in the human organism, some organs,
from the inside to the outside, reciprocally own the electrical
fluid, and from the outside to the inside they possess the
magnetical fluid, which affects the functions in the entire
organism in an analogous and harmonious way. In other organs the
reverse process takes place, the electrical fluid operating from
the outside to the inside, the magnetical one from the inside to
the outside. This knowledge of the polar emanation is called in
the hermetic art the "occult anatomy of the body". And the
knowledge of the effect of this occult anatomy is extremely
important for every adept who wants to know his body, to
influence and to control it.
I shall therefore describe this occult anatomy of the human body
with respect to the electrical and magnetical fluid, that is to
say, in the positive and in the negative sphere of action.
These arguments will turn to magnetopath's great advantage
because he will treat the sick part of the body wither with the
electrical or the magnetical fluid, according to the center of
the disease. But this knowledge will bring great profit to
everybody else too.
The Head: The forepart is electric, the back of the head is
magnetic and so is the right side; the left side is electric and
so is the middle.
The Eyes: The forepart is neutral and so is the background. The
right side is electric and so it is with the left side. The
inside is magnetical
The Ears: Forepart neutral, back part also. Right side is
magnetical, left side electrical, inside neutral.
Mouth and Tongue: Forepart neutral, back part as well. Right
side and left side both neutral, inside magnetical.
The Neck: Forepart, back part and right side magnetical, left
side and inside electrical.
The Chest: Forepart electromagnetic, back part electrical, right
side and inside neutral, left side electrical.
The Abdomen: Forepart electrical, back part and right side
magnetical left side electrical, the inside magnetical.
The Hands: Forepart neutral, back part also, right side
magnetical, left side electrical, the inside neutral.
The Fingers of the Right Hand: Fore- and back part neutral,
right side electrical, left side also, the inside neutral.
The Fingers of the Left Hand: Fore- and back part neutral, right
side electrical, left side as well, the inside neutral.
The Feet: Fore- and back part neutral, right side magnetical,
left side electrical, the inside neutral.
The Male Genitals: Forepart electrical, back part neutral, right
and left side also, the inside magnetical.
The Female Genitals: Forepart magnetical, back part, right and
left side neutral, the inside electrical.
The Last Vertebra & Anus: Fore and back part neutral, right and
left side as well, the inside magnetical.
With the help of this occult anatomy and the key of the
tetrapolar magnet, the adept may compile further analogies if
wanted. The alchemist will recognize that the human body
represents a genuine Athanor in which the most perfect
alchemistic process, the Great Work or the preparation of the
Philosophers' Stone is visibly performed.
Herewith the chapter dealing with the body is finished. I do not
assert that all has been regarded, but in any case, with respect
to the elements, I mean to say, the four-pole magnet, I have
treated the most important problems and revealed the secret of
the tetragrammaton in view of the body.
10. The Roughly Material Plane or the Material
World
In this chapter I will not describe the roughly material world,
the kingdoms of minerals, vegetables and animals, nor will I
deal with the physical processes in nature, because everybody
has already learned at school that there are such things as the
north and south poles, how rain originates, how storms are
brought about, etc. The incipient adept might not be so very
interested in these occurrences, but he will rather endeavor to
know all about the material world by means of the elements and
their polarities. It is needless to mention that on our planet,
there are fire, water, air and earth, a fact absolutely clear to
each reasonably thinking person. Notwithstanding, it will be
very useful, if the adept becomes acquainted with the cause and
effect of the four elements and knows how to use them correctly,
according to the corresponding analogies on the other planes.
How it is possible to contact higher planes through knowing the
grossly material elements, will be reserved to a further chapter
dealing with the practical use of magic. At the moment, it is
important to know that of our earth the working of elements in
the subtlest form is evolving off in exactly the same manner as
in the human body. By drawing analogies to the human body, one
will certainly find out how to draw the parallel to the
elements, and state that the analogy with the human body seems
justified. In the chapter relative to the human body we have
been discussing the mode of life and the functions of the
elements, with respect to the body and, if the adept succeeds in
using the elements in the most subtle form, he will already be
able to achieve wondrous things on his own body, and not only
this, he can, in all conscience, affirm that nothing is
impossible in this respect.
The earthy element implies the four-pole magnet with its
polarity and the effect of the other elements. The fiery
principle, in its active form, causes the vivifying principle in
nature and in the negative form the destructive and
disintegrating one. The principle of water, in its negative
form, is operating the contrary effect. The principle of air,
with its bipolar polarity, represents the neutral, the balancing
and the preserving essence in nature. The earthy element,
according to its peculiarity of cohesion, has as a basis the two
great fundamental elements of fire and water together with the
neutralization of the airy principle. Hence it must be regarded
as the most grossly material element. By the interaction of the
fiery and the watery element, we have, as already mentioned in
connection with the body, got the magnetic and the electric
fluid, the two basic fluids originating, according to the same
laws, in the body and having their mutual effects. Both these
elements, with their fluids, are the cause of all that happens
materially on our earth; they influence all the chemical
processes inside and outside of the earth in the kingdoms of
minerals, plants and animals. Hence you see that the electric
fluid is to be found in the center of the earth, whereas the
magnetic one is on the surface of our earth. This magnetic fluid
of the earth surface, apart from the property of the principle
of water or the cohesion, attracts and holds all material and
compound things.
According to the specific properties of a body, which depend on
the composition of the elements, each object, with respect to
the electric fluid, owns certain emanations, the so-called
electronic vibrations that are attracted by the general magnetic
fluid of the entire material world. This attraction is called
the weight. Consequently, weight is an appearance of the
attractive power of the earth. The well known attractive power
of iron and nickel is a little example respecting an imitation
of that which is happening, in a big measure, on our whole
earth. What we understand, on our earth, a magnetism and
electricity, is nothing else but an appearance of the four-pole
magnet. For, as we know already, by an arbitrary pole-changing,
electricity can be obtained from magnetism and, in a mechanical
way, we get magnetism through electricity. The transmutation of
one power into another, properly speaking, is already an
alchemistic or magic process, which, however, in the course of
time, has been generalized so much that it is no longer regarded
as alchemy or magic, but is simply ascribed to physics. For this
reason, it is obvious that the four-pole magnet can be used here
also. According to the law concerning the problems of magnetism
and electricity not only in the body - as mentioned in the
foregoing chapter - but also in the grossly materialistic world,
each hermeticist exactly knows that what is above is also that
which is below. Each adept who knows how to employ the powers of
the element or the great secret of the tetragrammaton on all
planes is also capable to achieve great things in our material
world, things which the outsider would regard as miracles. The
adept, however, sees no miracles in them for, backed by the
knowledge of the laws; he will be able to explain even the most
remarkable curiosity.
Everything on our earth, all thriving, ripening, life and death
depend on the statements made in these chapters. Hence the adept
fully conceives that physical death does not mean
disintegration, passing into nothingness, but what we consider
as annihilation or death is nothing else but the transition from
one stage into another. The material world has emerged from the
principle of akasa, i.e., the known ether. The world also is
controlled and kept by this same principle. Therefore it is
understandable that it is the transmission of the electric or
the magnetic fluid on which are based all the inventions
connected with the communication at distance, through the ether,
such as radio, telegraphy, telephony, television and all the
other inventions to be achieved in the future, with the aid of
the electric or magnetic fluid in the ether. But the fundamental
principles and laws were, are and always will be the same.
A very extensive and exciting book could be written solely about
the effects of the various magnetic and electric fluids on the
grossly material plane. But the interested reader who has
decided to walk on the path of initiation and will not be
deterred by the study of the principles, will find out by
himself all about the varieties of powers and properties. The
fruits and the insights he earned, in the course of his studies,
will indemnify him amply.
11. The Soul or the Astral Body
Through subtler vibrations of the elements, through the electric
and the magnetic fluid of their polarity, the man proper, the
soul has proceeded from the akasa principle or the finer etheric
vibrations. In the same way as the elements are functioning in
the material body, the soul or the so-called astral body will
behave. The four-pole magnet, with its specific qualities,
connects or amalgamates the soul with the body. This
amalgamation takes place, with analogy to the body, by the
electromagnetic influence of the elements. We, the adepts, call
the astral matrix or life this active behavior of the elements
or the so-called electromagnetic fluid of the soul. This astral
matrix or the so-called electromagnetic fluid of the soul is not
identical with the occultists' aura I shall speak of later. The
astral matrix or the electromagnetic fluid is the connecting
link between the body and soul. The fiery principle causes in
the soul what is constructive, the principle of water causes the
animating, the principle of air is balancing, and the earth
principle causes what is thriving, compound and preserving in
the soul. The astral body is performing exactly the same
functions as the material body.
Man has been fitted with the five senses corresponding to the
five elements, of which the astral body or the soul, with the
help of the bodily senses, makes use to receive perceptions of
the physical world. Our immortal spirit realizes this receiving
and operating of the five senses through the astral and the
material body. Why this spirit is immortal will be explained in
a later chapter. Without any activity of the spirit in the soul,
the astral body would be without life and dissolve itself into
its components.
As the spirit would not be able to operate without the
intervention of the soul, the astral body is the seat of all the
qualities the immortal spirit has. According to its development
and maturity, spirit has a different electric or magnetic fluid
vibration, which becomes outwardly patent, in soul, in the four
temperaments. In accordance with the predominant elements, we
distinguish the choleric, the sanguine, the melancholic, and the
phlegmatic temper. The choleric temper is due to the element of
air, the sanguine temper is due to the element of air, the
melancholic temper is born from the water element, and the
phlegmatic one is ascribed to the earthy element. The strength
and vibration of the respective element corresponds in the
various properties to the strength, vigor, and expansion of the
respective fluid vibrations.
Each of these four elements, which determine man's temper, in
the active form, owns the good properties, and in its passive
form, the contrary or bad qualities. It would be too prolix to
inform here about the effects of the elements, and it is better
for the incipient adept to find out himself further effects by
his own meditation. This manner also has a very special reason,
on the path to initiation. Here I shall a few examples only:
The choleric temper, in its active polarity, has the following
good qualities: activity, enthusiasm, eagerness, resolution,
courage, productivity, etc. In the negative form these qualities
are: gluttony, jealousy, passion, irritability, intemperance,
bent to destruction, etc.
The sanguine temper in its active form shows: capacity of
penetrating, diligence, joy, adroitness, kindness, clearness,
lack of grief, cheerfulness, optimism, eagerness, independence,
familiarity, etc. In the negative form: continual feeling of
being affronted, contempt, propensity to gossiping, lack of
endurance, slyness, garrulousness, dishonesty, fickleness, etc.
The melancholic temper in its active form: respectability,
modesty, compassion, devotion, seriousness, docility, fervor,
cordiality, comprehension, meditation, calmness, quick to give
one's confidence, forgiveness, tenderness, and so on. In the
negative form: indifference, depression, apathy, shyness,
laziness, etc.
The phlegmatic temper in its active form: respectability,
reputation, endurance, consideration, resolution, firmness,
seriousness, scrupulousness, thoroughness, concentration,
sobriety, punctuality, reservedness, objectivity, infallibility,
responsibility, reliability, circumspection, resistance,
self-assurance, and so on. In the negative form: insipidity,
unscrupulousness, misanthropy, dullness, tardiness, laziness,
unreliability, laconism, and so on.
The qualities of the temperaments, according to the preponderant
quality, form the basis of the human character. The intensity of
these qualities shown outwardly depends on the polarity, the
electric or the magnetic fluid. The total influence of the
effects of the temperaments results in an emanation
professionally called aura. Therefore this kind of aura is not
to be compared with the astral matrix, because between these two
conceptions there is a thumping difference. The astral matrix is
the connecting substance between body and soul, whilst the aura
is the emanation of the action o the elements in the various
qualities, having its origin either in the active or in the
passive form. This emanation in the whole soul produces a
certain vibration corresponding to a certain color. On the
grounds of this color, the adept can exactly recognize his own
aura of that of another being with the astral eyes. Backed by
this aura, the seer can establish not only a man's basic
character, but he also can perceive the action or the polarity
of the soul's vibration, and influence it eventually. I shall
speak of these problems in a more detailed way in a separate
chapter relating to introspection. Hence, a man's temperament
influences his character, and both together, in their effect as
total result, are creating the emanation of the soul or the
aura. This is also the reason for high adepts or saints always
being represented in the images with a halo identical to the
aura we have described.
Besides the character, the temperament and the activity of the
electromagnetic fluid, the astral body still has two centers in
the brain, the cerebrum being the seat of normal consciousness,
whilst in the cerebellum, there is the opposite to the normal
consciousness, the sub-conscious. As to their functions, see the
chapter concerning the "Spirit".
As it has been said before, according to the elements, the soul
is divided in exactly the same way as the body. The psychic
functions, powers and properties also have their seat
respectively in the soul and certain centers analogous to all
the elements, which the Indian philosophy designates as charkas.
The awakening of these charkas is named Kundalini yoga in the
Indian doctrine. I desist, however, from a comment on these
lotuses or centers, because the student interested in this
problem will find all the necessary enlightenment in the
respective literature. I will touch on it only slightly and say
that the lowest center is the so-called Muladhara or earth
center, having its seat in the lowest part of the soul. The next
center is that of the water, with its seat in the region of the
sexual organs and designated in the Indian terminology as
Swadisthana. The center of fire, as center of the soul, is in
the umbilical region and is named Manipura. The center of air as
compensatory element is in the region of the heart and is termed
Anahata. The center of the ether or principle of akasa is found
in the region of the neck and is named Visudha. Another center,
that of volition and intellect, is between the eyebrows and is
called Ajna. As the supreme and most divine center is regarded
as the thousand-petaled lotus, named Sahasrara from which derive
and are influenced all the other powers of the centers.
Beginning at the top, from the supreme center, along the neck,
down to the lowest center, like a channel runs the so-called
Susumna or the akasa-principle already known to us, liable for
the connection and control of the entire centers. Later on, I
shall come back to the problem of the evocation of the
snake-power in the single centers. In describing the soul, the
principal task will be to establish the connection of the
elements with their positive and negative polarities in the
soul, and give a neat idea of it. One will see that the body, as
well as the soul, with their effects are alive and working, that
their preservation and destruction are subject to the immutable
laws of the four-pole magnet, i.e., the secret of the
tetragrammaton, and governed by them. If he who is to be
initiated will attentively meditate about it, he will win a
clear idea not only of the bodily functions, but also of those
of the soul, and come to a sound notion of the mutual
interaction according to the original laws.
12. The Astral Plane
The astral plane, often designated as the fourth dimension, has
not been created out of the four elements, but it is a
density-degree of the akasa principle, consequently of all that
up to now, I the material world occurred, is actually occurring
and will occur, and has its origin, regulation and existence. As
said before, akasa in its most subtle form is the ether, well
known to all of us, in which, amongst other vibrations, electric
as well as magnetic ones are propagating. Consequently this
vibration-sphere is the origin of light, sound, color, rhythm,
and life in all tings created. As akasa is the origin of all
existing things, all that ever was produced, is being produced
and will be produced in the future is reflected in it.
Therefore, in the astral plane there is to be seen an emanation
of the eternal, having neither a beginning nor an end, as it is
timeless and spaceless. The adept who sees his way about this
plane may find everything here, no matter if the point in
question be in the past, the present or the future. How far this
perception will reach depends on the degree of his perfection.
Occultists and spiritualists and most of religions name the
astral pane the World beyond. However, the adept knows very well
that there is no such thing as Hence and Beyond and feels no
fear of death, which concept is quite strange to him. If, by the
disintegrating work of the elements or a sudden breakup, the
astral matrix which is connecting matter between the grossly
material body and the astral body has got loose, then will
happen what we commonly call death, which, however, in reality
is nothing else but a passage from the terrestrial world to the
astral world. Backed up by this law, the adept knows no fear of
death, being convinced that he will not approach uncertainty.
Through his control of the elements, besides many other things,
he also can achieve a slackening of the astral matrix, which
will result I a spontaneous separation of the astral body from
the mortal frame. Thus he will be able to visit the remotest
regions, transfer himself into various planes in the form of his
astral body. This is the positive explanation of so many tales
in which saints have been seen at the same time in different
places and even have been working there.
The astral plane has various kinds of inhabitants. First of all,
there are the deceased ones who having left the earth are
abiding in the corresponding density-degree, according to their
spiritual maturity, which is designated by various religions as
heaven or hell, the adepts seeing only symbols therein. The
nobler, purer and the more perfect an entity happens to be, all
the purer and finer will be the density-degree of the inhabited
astral plane. Little by little, the astral body is dissolving,
until it has become suitable to the degree of vibrations of the
respective step of the astral level, or identical with it. As
you see, this identification depends on the maturity and the
spiritual perfection the entity concerned achieved on this
earth.
Besides, the astral plane is inhabited by many other beings of
which I am mentioning only some species here. There are to
so-called elementaries, entities with one or only very few
qualities, according to the dominant vibrations of the elements.
They are living on the similar vibrations proper to man and
transmitted by him into the astral plane. Among them, there are
some which have already reached a certain degree of
intelligence, and some magicians are using these low-powered
beings for their selfish purposes. Another kind of being is the
larvae, which have been brought into life consciously or
unconsciously, by intense sensorial thinking, through the astral
matrix. They are not real beings, but only forms thriving on the
passions of the animal world, on the lowest step of the astral
level. Their instinct of self-preservation carries them into the
sphere of those men whose passions are responsive to them. They
will try, directly or indirectly, to raise and kindle the
passions slumbering in man. If these forms are succeeding in
seducing men to give in to their suitable passion, they are
feeding and thriving on the emanation of this passion produced
in man. Man laden with many passions will attract a host of such
larvae in the lowest sphere of his astral plane. A great fight
takes place and, in the problem of magic, this fact plays an
important role. More about it is to be founding the chapter
dealing with introspection. There are also other elementaries
and larvae, which can be produced in the artificial magic way.
As to further details, see the practical part of this book.
Another kind of being the adept often has to deal with in the
astral plane must not be overlooked, namely the beings of the
four pure elements. In the element of fire, their name is
salamander; in the air element they are the sylphs, in the water
element, they are called mermaids or undines, and in the element
of earth there are the gnomes or goblins. These beings
represent, as it were, the connection between the astral plane
and the earthly elements. How to establish the connection with
these beings, how to control them, what can be achieved with
their help, all will be reserved to the practical part of the
present book to which I shall dedicate the special chapter,
"Magic of the Elements".
Furthermore, there is a host of other beings such as satyrs,
woodmaidens, watergoblins, etc., who could be specified. Even if
all this sounds like a fairy tale, on the astral plane the
previously described beings are the very same realities as all
the other earthly beings. The adept's clairvoyant eyes can see
all of them, if he desires so, and is able to establish the
connection with them, so excluding any doubt of the existence of
these beings right from the beginning. That is why the adept has
to first and learn to examine, before being able to judge.
13. The Spirit
It has been said before that the spirit of man has been created
in the image of God and consists of body, soul and spirit. The
preceding chapters have made it evident that body and soul serve
only as a veil or garment for the spirit. The spirit is the
immortal part and the image of God. It is not easy to define
something divine, immortal, imperishable, and to put it into the
correct terms. But here, as well as with any other problems, the
key of the four-pole magnet will be a great help for us.
From the supreme prototype (akasa), the original source of all
beings, has proceeded the spirit, the spiritual EGO with the
four specific elemental qualities, proper to the immortal
spirit, which was created in God's image.
The fiery principle, the impulsive part, means the will
(volition). The airy principle shows up in the intellect (mind),
the watery principle respectively in the life and the feeling,
and the earthy principle is representing the union of all the
three elements in the consciousness of the ego.
All the other qualities of the spirit are based upon these four
original principles. The typical part of the fifth, say the
etheric principle (akasa) manifests itself, in the highest
aspect, in the faith and, in the lowest form, in the instinct of
self-preservation. Each of these mentioned four elemental
principles has many other aspects corresponding to the law of
analogy of the polarity or the positive and negative elements.
All of them together form the ego or the spirit. For this
reason, we can make the fiery principle responsible for
strength, power and passion; memory, power of discrimination and
judgment are ascribed to the air principle, conscience and
intuition to the principle of water, egotism and the instincts
of self-preservation and propagation to the earthy part of the
spirit.
It would be too long to quote all the properties of the spirit
with regard to the elements. The incipient adept can enlarge
these qualities by serious studies and deep meditation, with
respect to the analogous laws of the four-pole magnet. This
happens to be a very meritorious work which never ought to be
neglected, because it will lead to great success and secure
results.
These three chapters relating to body, soul and spirit have
represented man in his most perfect form. By now, the disciple
ought to have realized how very important it is to know one's
own microcosm for the initiation and especially for the magic
and the mystic practice, as a matter of fact, for the whole of
the secrets. Most of the authors, from sheer ignorance or for
other cogent reasons, have omitted this extremely important
part, the foundation.
14. The Mental Plane
As the body ahs its earthly plane, and the astral body or the
soul owns the astral plane, the spirit too has its own plane,
the so-called mental plane or mental sphere. This is the mental
sphere with all its virtues.
Both these spheres, the material as well as the astral one have
been born from the akasa or original principle of the respective
sphere, through the four elements, and also the mental sphere is
built upon the same foundation, and therefore likewise a product
of the akasa principle of the spirit. Similar to the spirit,
developing in a four-pole magnet by corresponding work and
showing an electromagnetic fluid analogous to the astral body,
on account of the effect of the elements, as a secondary
phenomenon of the polarity on the outside, the mental body
develops in the mental or spiritual sphere. Just in the same way
as the astral body, through the electromagnetic fluid of the
astral world, forms an astral matrix, the so-called astral od,
the electromagnetic fluid of the mental world forms a mental
matrix linking the mental body to the astral body. This mental
matrix or the mental od, the so-called mental substance, is the
subtlest form of akasa which controls and preserves the
spiritual activity in the astral body.
At the same time, this mental substance is electromagnetic and
is regarded as leaser of the ideas to the consciousness of the
spirit, from where it is put into activity through the astral
and the roughly material body. So this mental matrix or the
mental od, with its double-pole fluid, is the subtlest substance
we can imagine in the human body.
Simultaneously, the mental sphere is the sphere of thoughts
which have their origin in the world of ideas, consequently in
the spiritual akasa. Each thought is preceded by a basic idea
which, according to its property, accepts a definite form, and
arrives to the consciousness of the ego through the etheric
principle, consequently the mental matrix, as expression of the
thought in the shape of a plastic picture. Therefore Man himself
is not the founder of the thoughts, but the origin of each
thought is to be sought in the supreme akasa sphere or the
mental plane. Man's spirit, as it were, is the receiver, the
antenna of thoughts from the world of ideas, according to the
situation in which Man happens to be. The world of ideas being
all in all, each new idea, new invention -- in short, all Man
believes to have created by himself -- has been brought out of
this world of ideas. This production of new ideas depends on the
maturity and attitude of the spirit. Each thought involves an
absolutely pure element, especially if the thought implies
abstract ideas. If the thought is based on several combinations
of the ideal world, different elements are effective in their
form as well as in their mutual emanation. Only abstract ideas
have pure elements and pure polar emanations, as they descend
directly from the causal world of an idea.
From this cognition we may draw the conclusion that there are
pure electric, pure magnetic, indifferent and neutral ideas from
the standpoint of their effect. According to the idea, each
thought in the mental sphere has its own form, color and
vibration. Through the tetra-polar magnet of the spirit, the
thought arrives at the consciousness, from where it is forwarded
to realization. Each thing created in the material world
consequently has its cause in the ideal world through the
thought and the spiritual consciousness, and is reflected
therein. If the point in question is not exactly an abstract
idea, several forms of ideas can be expressed. Such thoughts are
electric or magnetic or electromagnetic, according to the
elementary property of the idea.
The material plane is bound to time and space. The astral plane,
sphere of the perishable or mutable spirit, is bound to space,
the mental plane being timeless and spaceless. The very same
thing happens with all the mental properties. The reception of a
thought in the mental body, through the link of the astral and
mental matrix bound to space and time in the total form, needs a
certain amount of time to become fully conscious of this
thought. According to the mental maturity, the train of thoughts
is different in each individual. The more advanced, the more
cultured man is, the faster thoughts will develop in mind.
Likewise as the astral plane is inhabited, so too is the mental
plane. Besides the ideal forms, there are principally the
deceased ones whose astral bodies have been dissolved by the
elements in the course of their ripening, and allotted,
according to the degree of perfection, to regions corresponding
to their mental sphere.
Besides the mental sphere is the sphere of the so-called
elementals, beings created consciously or unconsciously by man
as a result of repeated and intense thinking. An elemental being
is not yet so condensed to form or to assume any astral shape
for itself. Its influence is therefore limited to the mental
sphere. The difference between an ideal form and an elemental
lies in the fact that the ideal form is based on one or several
ideas. On the other hand, the elemental is equipped with a
certain quantity of consciousness and therefore with the
instinct of preservation, but otherwise it does not much
distinguish from other mental living beings, and it can even
take the same shape as the ideal form. The adept often resorts
to these elemental beings. The problem of how to create such an
elemental, how to preserve it and how to utilize it for certain
purposes, will be approached in the practical section of this
book.
There would still be quite a lot to be said about the
particular, specific properties of some beings. But all that we
have pointed out previously should be sufficient to stimulate
the work and contribute to a succinct enlightenment about the
mental plane.
15. Truth
Let us now leave the microcosm, I mean to say, man with his
earthly, astral and mental bodies, and turn to other problems
which also are imminent to be solved by the incipient adept.
First of all, there is the problem of truth. A great many
philosophers have already paid serious attention to this
problem, and we also will have to approach this task.
We shall deal here only with such kinds of truth about which we
must be thoroughly informed. Truth depends on the insight of
each individual. And as we cannot all have the same insight or
perception, it is impossible to generalize the problem of truth.
Therefore from is standpoint and in conformity with the degree
of his maturity, each one will have his own truth, providing he
sees it quite honestly. Only he who knows and masters the
absolute laws of the microcosm and the macrocosm is entitled to
speak of an absolute truth. Certain aspects of the absolute
truth will be surely acknowledged by everyone. Nobody, indeed,
will doubt that there is life, volition, memory and intellect,
and will refrain from arguing about these facts. No sincere
adept will impose his truth to anyone who is not yet ripe for
it. The person concerned would do nothing else but regard it
again from his own standpoint. Therefore it would be useless to
argue with non-professionals on higher kinds of truth, except
people eager to search the heights of truth and beginning to
ripen for it. Anything else would be a profanation and, from the
magical point o view, absolutely incorrect. At this point, all
of us will have to remember the words of the great Master of
Christianity: "Cast not your pearls before swine, lest they
trample them under their feet."
To truth belongs also the capacity of correctly differentiating
among knowledge and wisdom. Knowledge depends, in all domains of
the human existence, on the maturity, receptivity and
understanding of the mind, and the memory without regard to
whether or not we have been able to enrich our knowledge by
reading, transmitting or other experiences.
There is a wide difference between knowledge and wisdom and it
is much easier to win knowledge than wisdom. Wisdom depends, not
in the least, on knowledge, although both are identical up to a
certain degree. The source of wisdom is in God, that is to say,
in the causal principle (the akasa) on all planes of the
material, astral, and mental worlds. Therefore wisdom does not
depend on mind and memory but on the maturity, purity and
perfection of the individual personality. Wisdom could also be
considered as a developmental stage of the ego. Therefore,
insights are not passed on thought the mind, but - and this
particularly - through intuition or inspiration. The degree of
wisdom is therefore determined by the state of development of
the individual.
This will not mean, of course, that we ought to neglect
knowledge; on the contrary, knowledge and wisdom must go hand in
hand. The adept will therefore endeavor to get on in knowledge
as well as in wisdom, for neither of the two must lag behind in
development.
If knowledge and wisdom keep the same pace in development, the
adept is enabled to grasp all the laws of the microcosm and the
microcosm, not only from the point of view of wisdom, but also
from the intellectual side, that is, in a bipolar way, to
perceive and utilize them for his own development.
In al the planes, we have already learned how to know one of the
numerous laws, the first main key, the secret of the
tetragrammaton or the four-pole magnet. Being a universal key,
it can be used to solve all problems, all laws, all kinds of
truth - in sort, everything, provided that the adept knows how
to use it properly. As time goes on and his development unfolds
and he is advancing in hermetics, he will be acquainted with
many more aspects of this key, and be forced to accept it as an
unchangeable law. He will no more wander in darkness and
uncertainty, but he will carry a torch in his hand, the light of
which will penetrate the night of ignorance.
This brief summary will suffice for the adept to instruct him
how to deal with the problem of truth.
16. Religion
The incipient magician will confess his faith to a universal
religion. He will find out that every religion has good points
as well as bad ones. He will therefore keep the best of it for
himself and ignore the weak points, which does not necessarily
mean that he must profess a religion, but he shall express awe
to each for of worship, for each religion has its proper
principle of God, whether the point in question be Christianity,
Buddhism, Islam or any other kind of religion. Fundamentally he
may be faithful to his own religion. But he will not be
satisfied with the official doctrines of his Church, and will
try to penetrate deeper into god's workshop. And such is the
purpose of our initiation. According to the universal laws, the
magician will form his own point of view about the universe
which henceforth will be his true religion. He will state that,
apart from the deficiencies, each defender of religion will
endeavor to represent his religion as the best of all. Each
religious truth is relative and the comprehension of it depends
on the maturity of the person concerned. Therefore the adept
does not interfere with anybody in this respect, nor will he try
to sidetrack anyone from his truth, criticize him, to say
nothing of condemning him. At the bottom of his heart he may
feel sorry for fanatics or atheists without showing it
outwardly. Let everybody hold on to what he believes and makes
him happy and content. Should everybody stick to this maxim,
there would be neither hatred nor religious dissensions on this
earth. There would be no reason for disputes and all turns of
mind could exist happily side by side.
Quite a different thing is, if a seeker, dissatisfied by
materialism and doctrines, and longing for spiritual support,
will ask advice and information of an adept. In such a case the
adept is obliged to supply the seeker with spiritual light and
insight, according to his mental powers. Then the magician
should spare neither time nor pains to communicate his spiritual
treasures and lead the seeker to the light.
17. God
Since the remotest times, Mankind has always believed in
something beyond human understanding, something transcendental
that he idolized no matter whether there was question of
personified or unpersonified conceptions of God. Anything man
was unable to understand or to comprehend was imputed to the
powers above such as his intuitive virtue admitted them. In this
way, all the deities of mankind, good and evil ones (demons)
have been born. As time went on, gods, angels, demiurges, demons
and ghosts have been worshiped irrespective of their ever having
been alive in reality or their having existed only in fancy.
With the development of mankind, the idea of God was shrinking
especially at the time when, with the aid of the sciences,
phenomena were explained that previously were ascribed to the
gods. A lot of books would have to be written if one wished to
enter into details of the various ideas of God in the history of
the nations.
Let us approach the idea of God from a magician's standpoint. To
the plain man the idea of God serves as a support for his spirit
just not to entangle himself in uncertainty or get out of his
depth. Therefore his God always remains something inconceivable,
intangible, and incomprehensible to him. It is quite otherwise
with the magician who knows his God in all aspects. He holds his
God in awe as he knows himself to have been created in its
image, consequently to be a part of God. He sees his lofty
ideal, his first duty and his sacred objective in the union with
the Godhead, in becoming the God-man. The rise to this sublime
goal shall be described later on. The synthesis of this mystic
union with God consists in developing the divine ideas, from the
lowest up to the highest steps, in such a degree as to attain
the union with the universal. Everyone is at liberty to abandon
his individuality or to retain it. Such genii usually return to
earth entrusted with a definite sacred task or mission.
In this rise, the initiated magician is a mystic at the same
time. Only performing this union and giving up his
individuality, he voluntarily enters into dissolution which in
the mystic wording is called mystic death.
It is evident that true initiation knows neither a mystic nor a
magic path. There is only one initiation linking both
conceptions, in opposition to most of the mystic and spiritual
schools which are dealing with the very highest problems,
through meditation or other spiritual exercises, without having
gone through the first steps at first. This would be very
similar to somebody starting with the university studies without
having gone through the elementary classes first. The results of
such a one-sided training, in some cases, are disastrous,
sometimes even drastic, according to the individual talents.
Generally the error is to be found in the fact that most of the
matter comes from the Orient, where the material as well as the
astral world is regarded as maya (illusion), and consequently
little attention is paid to it. It is impossible to point out
the details, for this would overstep the frame of this book.
Sticking to a carefully planned, step-by-step development, there
will be neither a mishap nor a failure nor bad consequences, for
the simple reason that ripening takes place slowly but surely.
It is quite an individual matter whether the adept will choose
as his idea of God, Christ, Buddha, Brahma, Allah, or someone
else. All depends on the idea, in the initiation. The pure
mystic wishes to approach his God only in the all-embracing
love. The yogi, too, walks toward one single aspect of God. The
bhakti-yogi keeps to the road of love and devotion, the raja and
hatha yogi choose the path of self-control or volition, the
jnana yogi will follow that of wisdom and cognition.
Now let us regard the idea of God from the magic standpoint,
according to the four elements, the so-called tetragrammaton,
the unspeakable, the supreme: the fiery principle involves the
almightiness and the omnipotence, the airy principle owns the
wisdom, purity and clarity, from which aspect proceeds the
universal lawfulness. Love and eternal life are attributed to
the watery principle, and omnipresence, immortality and
consequently eternity belong to the earth principle. These four
aspects together represent the supreme Godhead. Let us tread
upon this path to this supreme Godhead practically and step by
step, beginning from the lowest sphere, to arrive at the true
realization of God in ourselves. Let us praise the happy man who
will reach this still in his earthly existence. Us banish fear
of the pains, for all of us will reach this goal.
18. Asceticism
From the remotest times, all religions, sects, turns of mind and
training systems have regarded asceticism as a very important
problem. Various systems of the Orient turned asceticism into
fanaticism, causing great damage by exaggeration and wild
excesses that were unnatural and unlawful. The mortification of
the flesh, generally speaking, is just as one-sided as
developing one part of the body only, neglecting all the other
parts. If asceticism serves the human body, say in the pattern
of a diet, to get rid of slag and other impurities, or to save
the body from illness and to compensate disharmonies, then
ascetic measures may reasonably be employed, but beware of any
exaggeration.
Somebody doing hard physical work would, indeed, be very foolish
to deprive the body of substances absolutely necessary for its
preservation, just because he is privately interested in yoga or
mysticism. Such extremes would doubtlessly end up with serious
and dangerous injuries to the health.
Vegetarianism is not implicitly important for the mental
progress or the intellectual development, unless it is supposed
to be a remedy to clean the body from slag. A temporary
abstinence from meat or animal food is indicated only for very
specific magic operations as a sort of preparation, and even
then only for a certain period. All this is to be considered
with respect to sexual life.
The idea that by eating the meat of an animal, the animal powers
or faculties could be conveyed to oneself is nonsense and
originates in a mental ignorance of the perfect and genuine
primitive laws. The magician does not pay any attention to such
misconception.
In the interest of his mago-mystic development, the magician
must be moderate in eating and drinking, and observe a
reasonable mode of life. It is impossible to fix precise rules
or prescriptions, the magic way of life being quite individual.
Each and all must know best what agrees or disagrees with them.
It is a sacred duty to keep the balance everywhere. There are
three kinds of asceticism: (1), intellectual or mental
asceticism, (2) psychic or astral asceticism, 3) physical or
material asceticism. The first kind has to do with the
discipline of thoughts, the second kind is engaged in ennobling
the soul through control of passions and instincts, and the
third kind is concerned with harmonizing the body through a
moderate and natural way of life. Without these three kinds of
asceticism, which must be developed at the same tie and parallel
to each other, a correct magical rise is unthinkable. To avoid
any one-sided development, none of the three kinds may be
neglected, and none of them may prevail. Further information
about how to accomplish this task will be given in the practical
training course of this book.
Before bringing the theoretical part to an end which has
illustrated the principles, I advise everybody that this part
should not only be read, but must become the mental possession
of the concerned person by means of intense reflection and
meditation. He who is going to be a magician will recognize that
life is dependent on the work of the elements in the various
planes and spheres. It is to be seen in great and in small
things, in the microcosm as well as in the macrocosm,
temporarily and eternally, everywhere there are powers in
action. Starting from this point of cognition, you will find
that there is no death at all, in the true sense of the word,
but everything goes on living, transmuting and becoming perfect
according to primitive laws. Therefore a magician is not afraid
of death, for he believes the physical death to be only a
transition to a subtler sphere, the astral plane, and from there
to the spiritual level, and so on. Consequently he will not
believe in heaven nor in hell. The priests of the various
religions stick to these fancies solely to keep their kids to
the point. Their moralizing serves only to provoke fear of the
hell or the purgatory and to promise heaven to morally good
people. Average people, as far as they are religiously inclined,
are favorably influenced by such a point of view for, from fear
of hell, they will try to be good.
But as for the magician, he sees the purpose of the moral laws
in ennobling the mind and the soul, for it is in an ennobled
soul only that the universal powers can do their work,
especially if body, mind and soul have been equally trained and
developed.
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