THEOREMS
I. The world progresses by virtue of the appearance of
Christs (geniuses).
II. Christs (geniuses) are men with super-consciousness of
the highest order.
III. Super-consciousnes of the highest order is obtainable by
known methods.
Therefore, by employing the quintessence of known methods
we cause the world to progress.
ESSENTIALS OF METHOD
I. Theology is immaterial; for both Buddha and St. Ignatius
were Christs.
II. Morality is immaterial; for both Socrates and Mohammed
were Christs.
III. Super-consciousness is a natural phenomenon; its
conditions are therefore to be sought rather in the
acts than the words of those who attain it.
The essential acts are retirement and concentration ---
as taught by Yoga and Ceremonial Magic. {196}
MISTAKES OF MYSTICS
I. Since truth is supra-rational, it is incommunicable in
the language of reason.
II. Hence all mystics have written nonsense, and what sense
they have written is so far untrue.
III. Yet as a still lake yields a truer reflection of the sun
than a torrent, he whose mind is best balanced will,
if he become a mystic, become the best mystic.
THE METHOD OF EQUILIBRIUM
I. THE PASSIONS, ETC.
I. Since the ultimate truth of teleology is unknown, all
codes of morality are arbitrary.
II. Therefore the student has no concern with ethics as such.
III. He is consequently free 'to do his duty in that state of
life to which it has pleased God to call him.'
II. THE REASON
I. Since truth is supra-rational, any rational statement is
false.
II. Let the student than contradict every proposition that
presents itself to him. {197}
III. Rational ideas being thus expelled from the mind, there
is room for the apprehension of spiritual truth.
It should be remarked that this does not destroy the
validity of reasonings on their own plane.
III. THE SPIRITUAL SENSORIUM
I. Man being a finite being, he is incapable of apprehending
the infinite. Nor does his communion with infinite
being (true or false) alter this fact.
II. Let then the student contradict every vision and refuse
to enjoy it; first, because there is certainly another
vision possible of precisely contradictory nature;
secondly, because though he is God, he is also a man
upon an insignificant planet.
Being thus equilibrated laterally and vertically, it may
be that, either by affirmation or denial of all these
things together, he may attain the supreme trance.
IV. THE RESULT
I. Trance is defined as the ek-stasis of one particular
tract of the brain, caused by meditation on the idea
corresponding to it.
II. Let the student therefore beware lest in that idea be any
trace of imperfection. It should be pure, balanced,
calm, complete, fitted in every way to dominate the
mind, as it will.
Even as in the choice of a king to be crowned. {198}
III. So will the decrees of this king be just and wise as he
was just and wise before he was made king.
The life and work of the mystic will reflect (though
dimly) the supreme guiding force of the mystic, the
highest trance to which he has attained.
YOGA AND MAGIC
I. Yoga is the art of uniting the mind to a single idea.
It has four methods.
Gnana-Yoga. Union by Knowledge.
Raja-Yoga. Union by Will.
Bhakta-Yoga. Union by Love.
Hatha-Yoga. Union by Courage.
add Mantra-Yoga. Union through Speech.
Karma-Yoga. Union through Work.
These are united by the supreme method of Silence.
II. Ceremonial Magic is the art of uniting the mind to a
single idea.
It has four Methods.
The Holy Qabalah. Union by Knowledge.
The Sacred Magic. Union by Will.
The Acts of Worship. Union by Love.
The Ordeals. Union by Courage.
add The Invocations. Union by Speech.
The Acts of Service. Union through Work.
These are united by the supreme method of Silence. {199}
III. If this idea be any but the Supreme and Perfect idea, and
the student lose control, the result is insanity,
obsession, fanaticism, or paralysis and death (add
addiction to gossip and incurable idleness), according
to the nature of the failure.
Let then the Student understand all these things and
combine them in his Art, uniting them by the supreme
method of Silence.
ALEISTER CROWLEY
{200}_