Part I-The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi

7/27/2019 Part I-The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi

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Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie

Translated by A. E. Waite

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Dogme et Rituel de la Haute Magie

Part I: The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

"y Eli#has $e%i &Al#honse $ouis 'onstant(

Translated by A. E. Waite.

)riginally #ublished by Rider * 'om#any+ England+ ,/.

Transribed and on%erted to Adobe Arobat !ormat by "en0amin Ro1e+

une+

233,.

Ty#eset in "auer "odoni and Waters Titling.

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Part I:

The Dotrine o!

Transendental

Magi

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I7TR)D8'TI)7

"EHI7D the %eil o! all the hierati and mystial allegories o! anient

dotrines+

behind the dar9ness and strange ordeals o! all initiations+ under the

seal o! all

sared 1ritings+ in the ruins o! 7ine%eh or Thebes+ on the rumbling

stones o! old

tem#les and on the bla9ened %isage o! the Assyrian or Egy#tian s#hin+

in the

monstrous or mar%ellous #aintings 1hih inter#ret to the !aith!ul o!

India the

ins#ired #ages o! the ;edas+ in the ry#ti emblems o! our old boo9s on

alhemy+

in the eremonies #ratised at ree#tion by all seret soieties+ thereare !ound

indiations o! a dotrine 1hih is e%ery1here the same and e%ery1here

are!ully

onealed. )ult #hiloso#hy seems to ha%e been the nurse or god-mother

o! all

intelletual !ores+ the 9ey o! all di%ine obsurities and the absolute


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and o! 9ings. It reigned in Persia 1ith the Magi+ 1ho #erished in the

end+ as #erish

all masters o! the 1orld+ beause they abused their #o1er> it endo1ed

India 1ith

the most 1onder!ul traditions and 1ith an inredible 1ealth o! #oesy+

grae and

terror in its emblems> it i%ili?ed @reee to the musi o! the lyre o!

)r#heus> it

onealed the #rini#les o! all sienes+ all #rogress o! the human

mind+ in the

daring alulations o! Pythagoras> !able abounded in its mirales+ and

history+

attem#ting to estimate this un9no1n #o1er+ beame on!used 1ith !able>

it

undermined or onsolidated em#ires by its orales+ aused tyrants to

tremble on

their thrones and go%erned all minds+ either by uriosity or by !ear.

or this si-

ene+ said the ro1d+ there is nothing im#ossible+ it ommands the

elements+

9no1s the language o! the stars and direts the #lanetary ourses> 1henit s#ea9s+

the moon !alls blood-red !rom hea%en> the dead rise in their gra%es and

mutter

ominous 1ords+ as the night 1ind blo1s thrugh their s9ulls. Mistro ess

o! lo%e or o!

hate+ oult siene an dis#ense #aradise or hell at its #leasure to

human hearts>

it dis#oses o! all !orms and on!ers beauty or ugliness> 1ith the 1and

o! 'ire it

hanges men into brutes and animals alternately into men> it dis#oses

e%en o! li!e

and death+ an on!er 1ealth on its ade#ts by the transmutation o!

metals and

immortality by its


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2 The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

and abominable ban


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an initiated in!idel o! the oult sienes. There is also another

1or9+ but+

although it is #o#ular in a sense and may be !ound e%ery1here+ this is

o! all most

oult and un9no1n+ beause it is the 9ey o! the rest. It is in #ubli

e%idene 1ith-

out being 9no1n to the #ubli> no one sus#ets its eistene and no one

dreams o!

see9ing it 1here it atually is. This boo9+ 1hih may be older than

that o! Enoh+

atually has ne%er been translated+ but is still #reser%ed unmutilated

in #rime%al

haraters+ on detahed lea%es+ li9e the tablets o! the anients. The

!at has

eluded notie+ though a distinguished sholar has re%ealed+ not indeed

its seret+

but its anti


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to a reoniliation o! siene and dogma+ o! reason and !aith+

hereto!ore regarded

as im#ossible.

We ha%e said that the 'hurh+ 1hose s#eial o!!ie is the ustody o!

the Geys+

does not #retend to #ossess those o! the A#oaly#se or o! E?e9iel. In

the o#inion o!

'hristians the sienti!i and magial 'la%i les o! Bolomon are lost+

1hih not1ith-

standing+ it is ertain that+ in the domain o! intelligene+ ruled by

the Word noth-

ing that has been 1ritten an #erish. Whatsoe%er men ease to

understand eists

!or them no longer+ at least in the order o! the Word+ and it #asses

then into the

domain o! enigma and mystery. urthermore+ the anti#athy and e%en o#en

1ar o!

the )!!iial 'hurh against all that belongs to the realm o! Magi+

1hih is a 9ind

o! #ersonal and emani#ated #riesthood+ is allied 1ith neessary and

e%en 1ithinherent auses in the soial and hierarhi onstitution o! 'hristian

saerdotal-

ism. The 'hurh ignores Magi = !or she must either ignore it or

#erish+ as 1e

shall #ro%e later on> yet she does not reogni?e the less that her

mysterious

ounder 1as saluted in His radle by Three Magi = that is to say+ by

the hierati

ambassadors o! the three #arts o! the 9no1n 1orld and the three

analogial

1orlds o! oult #hiloso#hy. In the Bhool o! Aleandria+ Magi and

'hristianity

almost 0oined hands under the aus#ies o! Ammonius Baas and o! Plato>

the

dotrine o! Hermes is !ound almost in its entirety in the 1ritings

attributed to

Dionysius the Areo#agite> Bynesius outlined the #lan o! a treatise on

dreams+

1hih 1as annotated subse but 1hat most #eo#le do not 9no1 is that he 1as one o! the

illuminated

and an initiate o! the !irst order: that he belie%ed in the unity o!

@od and in the


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---------------------------------------


uni%ersal dotrine o! the Trinity> that+ in a 1ord+ he regretted

nothing o! the old

1orld but its magni!ient symbols and its too graious images. ulian

1as not a

#agan> he 1as a @nosti allured by the allegories o! @ree9 #olytheism+

1ho had

the mis!ortune to !ind the name o! esus 'hrist less sonorous than that

o!

)r#heus. The Em#eror #aid in his #erson !or the aademial tastes o!

the #hiloso-

#her and rhetoriian+ and a!ter a!!ording himsel! the s#etale and

satis!ation o!

e#iring li9e E#aminondas 1ith the #eriods o! 'ato+ he had in #ubli

o#inion+ by

this time !ully 'hristiani?ed + but anathemas !or his !uneral orationand a sorn!ul

e#ithet !or his ultimate memorial.

$et us #ass o%er the #etty minds and small matters o! the "as-Em#ire+

and

#roeed to the Middle Ages . . . . Btay+ ta9e this boo9 @lane at the

se%enth #age+

then seat yoursel! on the mantle 1hih I am s#reading+ and let eah o!

us o%er

our eyes 1ith one o! its orners . . . . Jour head s1ims+ does it not+

and the earth

seems to !ly beneath your !eetK Hold tightly+ and do not loo9 right or

le!t . . . .

The %ertigo eases: 1e are here. Btand u# and o#en your eyes+ but ta9e

are

be!ore all things to ma9e no 'hristian sign and to #ronoune no

'hristian 1ords.

We are in a landsa#e o! Bal%ator Rosa+ a troubled 1ilderness 1hih

seems resting

a!ter a storm. There is no moon in the s9y+ but you an distinguish

little stars

gleaming in the brush1ood+ and may hear about you the slo1 !light o!

great

birds+ 1hih seem to 1his#er strange orales as they #ass. $et us

a##roah

silently that rossroad among the ro9s. A harsh+ !unereal trum#et

1inds sud-

denly+ and bla9 torhes !lare u# on e%ery side. A tumultuous throng issurging

round a %aant throne: all 1ath and 1ait. Buddenly they ast

themsel%es on the

ground. A goat-headed #rine bounds !or1ard among them> he asends the

throne+ turns+ and assuming a stoo#ing #osture+ #resents to the

assembly a human

!ae+ 1hih e%eryone omes !or1ard to salute and to 9iss+ their bla9

ta#er in


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their hands. With a hoarse laugh he reo%ers an u#right #osition+ and

then dis-

tributes gold+ seret instrutions+ oult mediines and #oisons to his

!aith!ul

bondsmen. Mean1hile+ !ires are lighted o! !ern and alder+ #iled u# 1ith

human

bones and the !at o! eeuted riminals. Druidesses+ ro1ned 1ith 1ild

#arsley

and %er%ain+ immolate unba#ti?ed hildren 1ith golden 9ni%es and

#re#are horri-

ble lo%e-!easts. Tables are s#read+ mas9ed men seat themsel%es by hal!-

nude

!emales+ and a "ahanalian orgy begins> there is nothing 1anting but

salt+ the

symbol o! 1isdom and immortality. Wine !lo1s in streams+ lea%ing stains

li9e

blood> obsene ad%anes and abandoned aresses begin. A little 1hile+

and the

1hole assembly is beside itsel! 1ith drin9 and 1antonness+ 1ith rimes

and sing-

ing. They rise+ a disordered throng+ and !orm in!ernal danes . . . .Then ome all

legendary monsters+ all #hantoms o! nightmare> enormous toads #lay

in%erted

!lutes and thum# 1ith #a1s on !lan9s> lim#ing sarabaei mingle in the

dane>

rabs #lay the astanets> roodiles beat time on their sales>

ele#hants and mam-

moths a##ear habited li9e 'u#ids and !oot it in the ring: !inally+ the

giddy irles

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I7TR)D8'TI)7 6

brea9 u# and satter on all sides . . . . E%ery yelling daner drags

a1ay a dishe%-

elled !emale . . . . $am#s and andles !ormed o! human !at go out

smo9ing in the

dar9ness . . . . 'ries are heard here and there+ mingled 1ith #eals o!

laughter+

blas#hemies and rattlings in the throat. 'ome+ rouse yoursel!: do not

ma9e the

sign o! the ross Bee+ I ha%e brought you home. Jou are in your bed+

not a little

1orn out+ #ossibly a tri!le shattered+ by your nightLs 0ourney and its

orgy> but youha%e beheld that o! 1hih e%eryone tal9s 1ithout 9no1ledge> you ha%e

been initi-

ated into serets no less terrible than the grotto o! Tri#honius> you

ha%e been

#resent at the Babbath. It remains !or you no1 to #reser%e your 1its+

to ha%e a

1holesome dread o! the la1+ and to 9ee# at a res#et!ul distane !rom

the 'hurh

and her !aggots.


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Would you are+ as a hange+ to behold something less !antasti+ more

real and

also more truly terribleK Jou shall assist at the eeution o! a


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#ersist in regarding him as a more #otent sorerer than all beause he

1as some-

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/ The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

times a yni and mysti!ier. What seret do these men bear 1ith them to

their

tombK Why are they 1ondered at 1ithout being understoodK Why are they

on-

demned unheardK Why are they initiates o! those terri!i seret

sienes o! 1hih

the 'hurh and soiety are a!raidK Why ar e they a


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al !orms o! the "iblial s#hin+ the 'herubim o! E?e9iel . . . . Here

I must #ause+

and I !ear that already I ha%e said too muh. I testi!y in !ine that

there is one sole+

uni%ersal and im#erishable dogma+ strong as su#reme reason> sim#le+

li9e all that

is great> intelligible+ li9e all that is uni%ersally and absolutely

true> and this dogma

is the #arent o! all others. There is also a siene 1hih on!ers on

man #o1ers

a##arently su#erhuman. They are enumerated thus in a Hebre1 manusri#t

o!

the siteenth entury:

Hereina!ter !ollo1 the #o1ers and #ri%ileges o! him 1ho holds in his

right hand the 'la%iles o! Bolomon+ and in his le!t the "ranh o! the

"los-

soming Almond. L A$EPH . = He beholds @od !ae to !ae+ 1ithout dying.

and on%erses !amiliarly 1ith the se%en genii 1ho ommand the entire

eles-

tial army. h "ETH . = He is abo%e all grie!s and all !ears. g @HIME$ .

= Hereigns 1ith all hea%en and is ser%ed by all hell. o DA$ETH . = He

rules his

o1n health and li!e and an in!luene e


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on a su#erior !ree 1ill+ or on an undisernible ause. + TBADE . = To

gi%e at

one and to all the most e!!iaious onsolations and the most

1holesome

ounsels. ! G)PH . = To trium#h o%er ad%ersities. 1REBH . = To on to #ro-


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due at night the #henomena o! day> to orres#ond instantaneously

bet1een one

etremity o! the earth and the other> to see+ li9e A#ollonius+ 1hat is

ta9ing #lae

on the other side o! the 1orld> to heal or in0ure at a distane> to

gi%e s#eeh a uni-

%ersal suess and re%erberation. This agent+ 1hih barely mani!ests

under the

unertain methods o! MesmerLs !ollo1ers+ is #reisely that 1hih the

ade#ts o! the

Middle Ages denominated the irst Matter o! the @reat Wor9. The

@nostis re#re-

sented it as the !iery body o! the Holy B#irit> it 1as the ob0et o!

adoration in the

Beret Rites o! the Babbath and the Tem#le+ under the hierogly#hi

!igure o! "a#-

homet or the Androgyne o! Mendes. All this 1ill be #ro%ed.

Here then are the serets o oult #hiloso#hy! + and suh is Magi in

history. $et

us glane at it no1 as it a##ears in its boo9s and its ats+ in its

Initiations and itsRites. The 9ey o! all magial allegories is !ound in the tablets 1hih

1e ha%e men-

tioned+ and these tablets 1e regard as the 1or9 o! Hermes. About this

boo9+

1hih may be alled the 9eystone o! the 1hole edi!ie o! oult

siene+ are

grou#ed innumerable legends that are either its #artial translation or

its ommen-

tary re#rodued #er#etually+ under a thousand %aried !orms. Bometimes

the inge-

nious !ables ombine harmoniously into a great e#i 1hih harateri?es

an

e#oh+ though ho1 or 1hy is not lear to the uninitiated. T hus+ the

!abulous his-

tory o! the @olden leee resumes and also %eils the Hermeti and

magial do-

trines o! )r#heus> and i! 1e reur only to the mysterious #oetry o!

@reee+ it is

beause the santuaries o! Egy#t and India to some etent dismay us by

their

resoures+ lea%ing our hoie embarrassed in the midst o! suh abundant

1ealth.

We are eager+ moreo%er+ to reah the Thebaid at one+ that dread

synthesis o! all

dotrine+ #ast+ #resent and !uture> that = so to s#ea9 = in!inite

!able+ 1hih

reahes+ li9e the Deity o! )r#heus+ to either end o! the yle o! humanli!e.

Etraordinary !at The se%en gates o! Th ebes+ atta9ed and de!ended

by se%en

hie!s 1ho ha%e s1orn u#on the blood o! %itims+ #ossess the same

signi!iane as

the se%en seals o! the Bared "oo9 inter#reted by se%en genii and

assailed by a

monster 1ith se%en heads+ a!ter being o#ened by a $amb 1hih li%eth and

1as


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dead+ in the allegorial 1or9 o! Bt. ohn. The mysterious origin o!

)edi#us+ !ound

hanging on the tree o! 'ithaeron li9e a bleeding !ruit+ realls the

symbols o! Moses

and the narrati%es o! @enesis. He ma9es 1ar u#on his !ather+ 1hom he

slays 1ith-

out 9no1ing = tremendous #ro#hey o! the blind emani#ation o! reason

a#art

!rom siene. Therea!ter he meets 1ith the s#hin+ that symbol o!

symbols+ the

eternal enigma o! the %ulgar+ the granite #edestal o! the sienes o!

the sages+ the

%oraious and silent monster 1hose unhanging !orm e#resses the one

dogma o!

the @reat 8ni%ersal Mystery. Ho1 is the tetrad hanged into the duad and

e#lained by the triadK In more ommon but more emblemati terms+ 1hat

is that

animal 1hih in the morning has !our !eet+ t1o at noon+ and three in

the e%eningK

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I7TR)D8'TI)7

Philoso#hially s#ea9ing+ ho1 does the dotrine o! elementary !ores

#rodue the

dualism o! Coroaster+ 1hile it is summari?ed by the triad o! Pythagoras

and

PlatoK What is the ultimate reason o! allegories and numbers+ the !inal

message o!

all symbolismsK )edi#us re#lies 1ith a sim#le and terrible 1ord 1hih

destroys

the s#hin and ma9es the di%iner Ging o! Thebes: the ans1er to the

enigma is

MA7 . . . 8n!ortunate He has seen too muh+ and yet through a louded

glass. A

little 1hile and he 1ill e#iate his ominous and im#er!et lair%oyane

by a %ol-

untary blindness+ and then %anish in the midst o! a storm+ li9e all

i%ili?ations

1hih = eah in its o1n day = shall di%ine an ans1er to the riddle o!

the s#hin

1ithout gras#ing its 1hole im#ort and mystery. E%erything is symbolial

and

transendental in this titani e#i o! human destinies. The t1o

antagonisti broth-

ers !ormulate the seond #art o! the @rand Mystery+ om#leted di%inelyby the

sari!ie o! Antigone. There !ollo1s the last 1ar> the brethren slay

one another>

'a#aneus is destroyed by the lightning 1hih he de!ies> Am#hiaraus is

s1allo1ed

by the earth> and all these are so many allegories 1hih+ by their

truth and their

grandeur+ astonish those 1ho an #enetrate their tri#le hierati sense.

Aeshylus+


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annotated by "allanhe+ gi%es only a 1ea9 notion onerning them+

1hate%er the

#rime%al sublimities o! the @ree9 #oet or the ingenuities o! the renh

riti.

The seret boo9 o! anti


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hal! o! the terrible seret into eile and the gra%e.

A!ter the olossal !able o! )edi#us 1e !ind the graious #oem o!

Psyhe+ 1hih

1as ertainly not in%ented by A#uleius. The @reat Magial Aranum

rea##ears

here under the !igure o! a mysterious union bet1een a god and a 1ea9

mortal+

abandoned alone and na9ed on a ro9. Psyhe must remain in ignorane o!

the

seret o! her ideal royalty+ and i! she behold her husband she must

lose him. Here

A#uleius ommentates and inter#rets Moses> but did not the Elohim o!

Israel and

the gods o! A#uleius both issue !rom the santuaries o! Mem#his and

ThebesK

Psyhe is the sister o! E%e+ or rather she is E%e s#irituali?ed. "oth

desire to 9no1

and lose innoene !or the honour o! the ordeal. "oth deser%e to go

do1n into hell+

one to bring ba9 the anti

but he onlyan use it 1ho understands the neessity o! ne%er re%ealing it. Had

)edi#us+

instead o! 9illing the s#hin+ o%erome it+ harnessed it to his hariot

and thus

entered Thebes+ he 1ould ha%e been 9ing 1ithout inest+ 1ithout

mis!ortunes and

1ithout eile. Had Psyhe+ by mee9ness and a!!etion+ #ersuaded $o%e to

re%eal


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himsel!+ she 1ould ne%er ha%e lost $o%e. 7o1+ $o%e is one o! the

mythologial

images o! the @reat Beret and the @reat Agent+ beause it #ostulates

at one an

ation and a #assion+ a %oid and a #lenitude+ a sha!t and a 1ound. The

initiates

1ill understand me+ and on aount o! the #ro!ane I must not s#ea9 more

learly.

A!ter the mar%ellous @olden Ass o! A#uleius+ 1e !ind no more magial

e#is.

Biene+ on


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anient Egy#tians+ had also its eoteriism and its %eils. When Moses

s#o9e to the

#eo#le+ says the sared boo9 allegorially+ he #laed a %eil o%er his

!ae+ and he

remo%ed it 1hen ommuning 1ith @od: this aounts !or the alleged

"iblial

absurdities 1hih so eerised the satirial #o1ers o! ;oltaire. The

boo9s 1ere

1ritten only as memorials o! tradition and in symbols that 1ere

unintelligible to

the #ro!ane. The Pentateuh and the #oems o! the #ro#hets 1ere+

moreo%er+ ele-

mentary 1or9s+ ali9e in dotrine+ ethis and liturgy> the true seret

and tradi-

tional #hiloso#hy 1as not ommitted to 1riting until a later #eriod and

under

%eils e%en less trans#arent. Thus arose a seond and un9no1n "ible+ or

rather one

1hih 1as not om#rehended by 'hristians+ a storehouse+ so they say+ o!

mon-

strous absurdities = !or in this ase belie%ers+ in%ol%ed by the sameignorane+

s#ea9 the language o! se#tis = but a monument+ as 1e a!!irm+ 1hih

om#rises

all that #hiloso#hial and religious genius has e%er aom#lished or

imagined in

the sublime order+ a treasure enom#assed by thorns+ a diamond

onealed in a

rude and o#a


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a #hiloso#hy sim#le as the al#habet+ #ro!ound and in!inite as the Word>

theorems

more om#lete and luminous than those o! Pythagoras> a theology 1hih

may be

summed u# on the !ingers> an in!inite 1hih an be held in the hollo1

o! an

in!antLs hand> ten !igures and t1enty-t1o letters+ a triangle+ a s


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#rehends t1o things+ a siene and a !ore: 1ithout the !or e the

siene is noth-

ing+ or rather it is a danger. To gi%e 9no1ledge to #o1er alone+ suh

is the

su#reme la1 o! initiations. Hene did the @reat Re%ealer say: NThe

9ingdom o!

hea%en su!!ereth %iolene+ and the %iolent only shall arry it a1ay.L

The door o!

truth is losed+ li9e the santuary o! a %irgin: he must be a man 1ho

1ould enter.

All mirales are #romised to !aith+ and 1hat is !aith ee#t the

audaity o! 1ill

1hih does not hesitate in the dar9ness+ but ad%anes to1ards the light

in s#ite o!

all ordeals+ and surmounting all obstalesK It is unneessary to re#eat

here the

history o! anient initiations: the more dangerous and terrible they

1ere+ the

greater 1as their e!!iay. Hene+ in those days+ the 1orld had men to

go%ern and

instrut it. The Baerdotal Art and the Royal Art onsisted abo%e allin ordeals o!

--------------------------------------- ,

I7TR)D8'TI)7 ,4

ourage+ disretion and 1ill. It 1as a no%itiate similar to that o!

those #riests 1ho+

under the name o! esuits+ are so un#o#ular at the #resent day+ but

1ould go%ern

the 1orld not1ithstanding+ had they a truly 1ise and intelligent hie!.

A!ter #assing our li!e in the searh !or the Absolute in religion+

siene and 0us-

tie> a!ter re%ol%ing in the irle o! aust+ 1e ha%e reahed the

#rimal dotrine

and the !irst boo9 o! humanity. At this #oint 1e #ause+ ha%ing

diso%ered the

seret o! human omni#otene and inde!inite #rogress+ the 9ey o! all

symbolisms+

the !irst and !inal dotrine: 1e ha%e ome to understand 1hat 1as meant

by that

e#ression so o!ten made use o! in the @os#el = the Gingdom o! @od.

To #ro%ide a !ied #oint as a !ulrum !or human ati%ity is to sol%e

the #roblem

o! Arhimedes+ by reali?ing the use o! his !amous le%er. This it is

1hih 1asaom#lished by the great initiators 1ho ha%e eletri!ied the 1orld+

and they

ould not ha%e done so ee#t by means o! the @reat and Inommuniable

Beret.

Ho1e%er+ as a guarantee o! its rene1ed youth+ the symbolial #hoeni

ne%er rea#-

#eared be!ore the eyes o! the 1orld 1ithout ha%ing onsumed solemnly

the


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remains and e%idenes o! its #re%ious li!e. Bo also Moses sa1 to it

that all those

1ho had 9no1n Egy#t and her mysteries should end their li!e in the

desert> at

E#hesus Bt. Paul burnt all boo9s 1hih treated o! the oult sienes>

and in !ine+

the renh Re%olution+ daughter o! the great ohannite )rient and the

ashes o!

the Tem#lars+ s#oliated the hurhes and blas#hemed the allegories o!

the Di%ine

'ultus. "ut all dotrines and all re%i%als #rosribe Magi and ondemn

its myster-

ies to the !lames and to obli%ion. The reason is that eah religion or

#hiloso#hy

1hih omes into the 1orld is a "en0amin o! humanity and insures its

o1n li!e by

destroying its mother. It is beause the symbolial ser#ent turns e%er

de%ouring its

o1n tail> it is beause+ as essential ondition o! eistene+ a %oid is

neessary to

e%ery #lenitude+ s#ae !or e%ery dimension+ an a!!irmation !or eahnegation:

herein is the eternal reali?ation o! the #hoeni allegory.

T1o illustrious sholars ha%e #reeded me along the #ath that I am

tra%elling+

but they ha%e+ so to s#ea9+ s#ent the dar9 night therein. I re!er to

;olney and

Du#uis+ to Du#uis abo%e all+ 1hose immense erudition #rodued only a

negati%e

1or9+ !or in the origin o! all religions he sa1 nothing but astronomy+

ta9ing thus

the symboli yle !or dotrine and the alendar !or legend. He 1as

de!iient in

one branh o! 9no1ledge+ that o! true Magi 1hih om#rises the serets

o! the

Gabalah. Du#uis #assed through the anti


21/154

ranorous and !anatial dotors o! his #eriod #ermitted him to

understand it. or

us the Tem#le has t1o Pillars+ on one o! 1hih 'hristianity has

insribed its

name. We ha%e there!ore no 1ish to atta9 'hristianity : !ar !rom it+

1e see9 to

e#lain and aom#lish it. Intelligene and 1ill ha%e eerised

alternately their

#o1er in the 1orld> religion and #hiloso#hy are still at 1ar 1ith one

another+ but

they must end in agreement. The #ro%isional ob0et o! 'hristianity 1as

to estab-

lish+ by obediene and !aith+ a su#ernatural or religious e


22/154

dotrine in its entirety> the other is onserated to the ultus+ that

is+ to 'eremo-

nial Magi. The one is that 1hih the anient sages termed the

'la%ile+ the other

that 1hih #eo#le on the ountry-side still all the @rimoire. The

numbers and

sub0ets o! the ha#ters 1hih orres#ond in both #arts+ are in no

sense arbitrary+

and are all indiated in the great uni%ersal 9ey+ o! 1hih 1e gi%e !or

the !irst time

a om#lete and ade it is !inished+ and 1e belie%e

it to be

enduring+ beause it is strong+ li9e all that is reasonable and

onsientious.

E$IPHAB $E;I .

--------------------------------------- ,

I L A

THE 'A7DIDA TE

DIB'IP$I7A E7B)PH GETHERI

WHE7 a #hiloso#her ado#ted as the basis !or a ne1 a#oaly#se o! human

1isdom

the aiom: I thin9+ there!ore I amF+ in a measure he altered

unonsiously+ !rom

the stand#oint o! 'hristian Re%elation+ the old one#tion o! the

Bu#reme "eing. I

am that I am+ said the "eing o! beings o! Moses. I amhe 1ho thin9s+

says the man

o! Desartes+ and to thin9 being to s#ea9 in1ardly+ suh a one may

a!!irm+ li9e

the @od o! Bt. ohn the E%angelist: I am he in 1hom and by 1hom the

1ord man-

i!ests = In #rini#io eras %erbum. 7o1+ 1hat is this #rini#leK It is a

ground1or9

o! s#eeh+ it is a reason !or the eistene o! the 1ord. The essene o!

the 1ord is in

the #rini#le> the #rini#le is that 1hih is> intelligene is a

#rini#le 1hih

s#ea9s. What !urther is intelletual lightK It is s#eeh. What is

re%elationK It is

s#eeh also+ being is the #rini#le+ s#eeh is the means+ and the

#lenitude or

de%elo#ment and #er!etion o! being is the end. To s#ea9 is to reate."ut to say:

I thin9+ there!ore I eistF+ is to argue !rom onse


23/154

e#erimental #hiloso#hy. I AM+ THERE)RE "EI7@ EQIBTB . Ego sum


24/154

man 1ho lo%es his o1n o#inions and !ears to #art 1ith them+ 1ho

sus#ets ne1

truths+ 1ho is un#re#ared to doubt e%erything rather than admit

anything on

hane+ should lose this boo9: !or him it is useless and dangerous. He

1ill !ail to

understand it+ and it 1ill trouble him+ 1hile i! he should di%ine the

meaning+ there

1ill be a still greater soure o! dis i! your 1ill be unertain and

%aillating+

either in good or e%il> i! logi alarm you+ or the na9ed truth ma9e you

blush> i!

you are hurt 1hen ae#ted errors are assailed> ondemn this 1or9

straight a1ay.

Do not read it> let it ease to eist !or you> but at the same time do

not ry it do1n

as dangerous. The serets 1hih it reords 1ill be understood by an

elet !e1 and

1ill be reser%ed by those 1ho understand them. Bho1 light to the birdso! the

night-time+ and you hide their light> it is the light 1hih blinds them

and !or them

is dar9er than dar9ness. It !ollo1s that I shall s#ea9 learly and ma9e

9no1n

e%erything+ 1ith the !irm on%ition that initiates alone+ or those 1ho

deser%e ini-

tiation+ 1ill read al l and understand in #art.

There is a true and a !alse siene+ a Di%ine and an In!ernal Magi =

in other

--------------------------------------- 2,

THE 'A7DIDATE 4

1ords+ one 1hih is delusi%e and tenebrous. It is our tas9 to re%eal

the one and to

un%eil the other+ to distinguish the magiian !rom the sorerer and the

ade#t !rom

the harlatan. The magiian a%ails himsel! o! a !ore 1hih he 9no1s+

the sorerer

see9s to misuse that 1hih he does not understand. I! it be #ossible in

a sienti!i

1or9 to em#loy a term so %ulgar and so disredited+ then the de%il

gi%es himsel! to

the magiian and the sorerer gi%es himsel! to the de%il. The magiianis the so%-

ereign #onti!! o! 7ature+ the sorerer is her #ro!aner only. The

sorerer is in the

same relation to the magiian that a su#erstitious and !anatial #erson

bears to a

truly religious man.

"e!ore #roeeding !urther+ let us de!ine Magi in a sentene. Magi is

the tradi-


25/154

tional siene o! the serets o! 7ature 1hih has been transmitted to

us !rom the

Magi.

"y means o! this siene the ade#t is in%ested 1ith a s#eies o!

relati%e omni#-

otene and an o#erate su#erhumanly+ that is+ a!ter a manner 1hih

transends

the normal #ossibility o! men. Thereby many illustrious hiero#hants+

suh as Mer-

urius Trismegistus+ )siris+ )r#heus+ A#ollonius o! Tyana+ and others

1hom it

might be dangerous or un1ise to name+ ame a!ter their death to be

adored and

in%o9ed as gods. Thereby others also = aording to that ebb-and-!lo1

o! o#inion

1hih is res#onsible !or the a#ries o! suess = beame emissaries o!

in!ernus or

sus#eted ad%enturers+ li9e the Em#eror ulian+ A#uleius+ the enhanter

Merlin

and that arh sorerer+ as he 1as termed in his day+ the illustrious

and un!ortunate'ornelius Agri##a.

To attain the BA7'T8M RE@78M + in other 1ords+ the 9no1ledge and #o1er

o!

the Magi+ there are !our indis#ensable onditions = an intelligene

illuminated by

study+ an intre#idity 1hih nothing an he9+ a 1ill 1hih annot be

bro9en+ and

a #rudene 1hih nothing an orru#t and nothing intoiate. T) G7)W+

T) DARE +

T) WI$$+ T) GEEP BI$E7'E = suh are the !our 1ords o! the Magus+

insribed u#on

the !our symbolial !orms o! the s#hin. These maims an be ombined

a!ter

!our manners and e#lained !our times by one another.

)n the !irst #age o! the "oo9 o! Hermes the ade#t is de#ited 1ith a

large hat+

1hih+ i! turned do1n+ 1ould oneal his entire head. )ne hand is

raised to1ards

hea%en+ 1hih he seems to ommand 1ith his 1and+ 1hile the other is

#laed

u#on his breast> be!ore him are the hie! symbols or instruments o!

siene+ and

he has others hidden in a 0ugglerLs 1allet. His body and arms !orm the

letter

A$EPH + the !irst o! that al#habet 1hih the e1s borro1ed !rom the

Egy#tians: to

this symbol 1e shall ha%e oasion to reur later on.The Magus is truly that 1hih the Hebre1 Gabalists term Miro#roso#us

= oth-

er1ise+ the reator o! the little 1orld. The !irst o! all magial

sienes being the

9no1ledge o! oneLs sel!+ so is oneLs o1n reation !irst o! all 1or9s o!

siene> it

om#rehends the others and is the beginning o! the @reat Wor9. The

e#ression+


26/154

ho1e%er+ re


27/154

iousnessK Do you onsent to #leasure only 1hen you 1ill+ and do you

1ish !or it

only 1hen you shouldK 7o+ is it not soK 7ot at least in%ariably+ but

this may ome

to #ass i! you hoose. The s#hin has not only a manLs head+ it has

1omanLs

breasts> do you 9no1 ho1 to resist !eminine harmsK 7o+ is it not soK

And you

laugh outright in re#lying+ #arading your moral 1ea9ness !or the

glori!iation o!

your #hysial and %ital !ore. "e it so: I allo1 you to render this

homage to the ass

o! Bterne or A#uleius. The ass has its merit+ I agree> it 1as

onserated to Pria#us

as 1as the goat to the god o! Mendes. "ut ta9e it !or 1hat it is 1orth+

and deide

1hether ass or man shall be master. He alone an #ossess truly the

#leasure o!

lo%e 1ho has on master your desires andyou 1ill

enhain her. The greatest in0ury that an be in!lited on a man is to

all him a

o1ard. 7o1+ 1hat is a o1ardly #ersonK )ne 1ho neglets his moral

dignity in

order to obey blindly the instints o! 7ature. As a !at+ in the

#resene o! danger it

is natural to be a!raid and see9 !light: 1hy+ then+ is it shame!ulK

"eause honour

has ereted it into a la1 that 1e must #re!er our duty to our

inlinations or !ears.

--------------------------------------- 24

THE 'A7DIDATE 6

What is honour !rom this #oint o! %ie1K It is a uni%ersal #resentiene

o! immor-

tality and a##reiation o! the means 1hih an lead to it. The last

tro#hy 1hih a

man an 1in !rom death is to trium#h o%er the a##etite !or li!e+ not by

des#air

but by a more ealted ho#e+ 1hih is ontained in !aith+ !or all that

is noble and

honest+ by the undi%ided onsent o! the 1orld. To learn sel!-on


28/154

death. E%ery man 1ho is #re#ared to die rather than renoune truth and

0ustie is

most truly li%ing+ !or immort ality abides in his soul. To !ind or to

!orm suh men

1as the end o! all anient initiations. Pythagoras disi#lined his

#u#ils by silene

and all 9inds o! sel!-denial> andidates in Egy#t 1ere tried by the

!our elements>

and 1e 9no1 the sel!-in!lited austerities o! !a9irs and brahmans in

India !or

attaining the 9ingdom o! !ree 1ill and di%ine inde#endene. All

maerations o!

asetiism are borro1ed !rom the initiations o! the Anient Mysteries>

they ha%e

eased beause those it 1ill laerate your

breast li9e a #on-

iard> it 1ill ran9le in your memory li9e a remorse> it 1ill #eo#le your

imagination

1ith himeras+ and 1ill dri%e you through !olly to des#air. Jou 1illendea%our to

laugh at it+ and 1ill only gnash your teeth> it 1ill be li9e the !ilein

the !able 1hih

the ser#ent tried to bite+ but it destroyed all his teeth.

$et us no1 enter on the series o! initiations. I ha%e said that

re%elation is the

1ord. As a !at+ the 1ord+ or s#eeh+ is the %eil o! being and the

harateristi sign


29/154

o! li!e. E%ery !orm is the %eil o! a 1ord+ beause the idea 1hih is

the mother o!

the 1ord is the sole reason !or the eistene o! !orms. E%ery !igure is

a harater+

e%ery harater deri%es !rom and returns into a 1ord. or this reason

the anient

--------------------------------------- 25

/ The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

sages+ o! 1hom Trismegistus is the organ+ !ormulated their sole dogma

in these

terms: That 1hih is abo%e is li9e unto that 1hih is belo1+ and that

1hih is

belo1 unto that 1hih is abo%e.F In other 1ords+ the !orm is

#ro#ortional to the

idea> the shado1 is the measure o! the body alulated in its relation

to the lumi-

nous ray> the sabbard is as dee# as the s1ord is long> the negation isin #ro#or-

tion to the ontrary a!!irmation> #rodution is e and there is no #oint in in!inite

etension 1hih

may not be regarded as the entre o! a irle ha%ing an e#anding

irum!erene

reeding inde!initely into s#ae. E%ery indi%iduality is there!ore

inde!initely #er-

!etible+ sine the moral order is analogous to the #hysial+ and sine

1e annot

onei%e any #oint as unable to dilate+ inrease and radiate in a

#hiloso#hially

unlimited irle. What an be a!!irmed o! the soul in its totality may

be a!!irmed

o! eah !aulty o! the soul. The intelligene and 1ill o! man are

instruments o!

inalulable #o1er and a#aity. "ut intelligene and 1ill #ossess as

their

hel#-mate and instrument a !aulty 1hih is too im#er!etly 9no1n+ the

omni#o-

tene o! 1hih belongs elusi%ely to the domain o! Magi. I s#ea9 o!

the imagina-

tion+ 1hih the Gabalists term the DIAPHA7E or TRA7B$8'ID .

Imagination+ in

e!!et+ is li9e the soulLs eye> therein !orms are outlined and

#reser%ed> thereby 1ebehold the re!letions o! the in%isible 1orld> it is the glass o!

%isions and the a##a-

ratus o! magial li!e. "y its inter%ention 1e heal diseases+ modi!y the

seasons+

1arn o!! death !rom the li%ing and raise the dead to li!e+ beause it

is the imagina-

tion 1hih ealts 1ill and gi%es it #o1er o%er the 8ni%ersal Agent.

Imagination


30/154

determines the sha#e o! the hild in its motherLs 1omb and deides the

destiny o!

men> it lends 1ings to ontagion and direts the arms o! 1ar!are. Are

you e#osed

in battleK "elie%e yoursel! to be in%ulnerable li9e Ahilles+ and you

1ill be so+ says

Paraelsus. ear attrats bullets+ but they are re#elled by ourage. It

is 1ell

9no1n that #ersons 1ith am#utated limbs !eel #ain in the %iinity o!

members

1hih they #ossess no longer. Paraelsus o#erated u#on li%ing blood by

mediat-

ing the #rodut o! a bleeding> he ured headahe at a distane by

treating hair ut

!rom the #atient. "y the siene o! the theoretial unity and

solidarity bet1een all

#arts o! the body+ he antii#ated and outstri##ed the theories+ or

rather e#eri-

enes+ o! our most elebrated magnetists. Hene his ures 1ere

miraulous+ and to

his name o! Phili# Theo#hrastus "ombast+ he deser%ed the addition o!Aureolus

Paraelsus+ 1ith the !urt her e#ithet o! di%ine

Imagination is the instrument o! THE ADAPTATI)7 ) THE W)RD.

Imagination

a##lied to reason is genius. Reason is one+ as genius is one+ in all

the %ariety o! its

1or9s. There is one #rini#le+ there is one truth+ there is one reason+

there is one

absolute and uni%ersal #hiloso#hy. Whatsoe%er is subsists in unity+

onsidered as

beginning+ and returns into unity+ onsidered as end. )ne is in one>

that is to say+

all is in all. 8nity is the #rini#le o! numbers> it is also the

#rini#le o! motion and

onse


31/154

Abo%e+ immensity: "elo1 immensity still Immensity e it is reation in hea%en

orres#onding to

the omni#otene o! the 1ord belo1. This letter is a #antale in itsel!

= that is+ a

harater e#ressing the uni%ersal siene. It is su##lementary to the

sared signs

o! the Maroosm and Miroosm> it e#lains the Masoni double-triangle

and

!i%e-#ointed bla?ing star> !or the 1ord is one and re%elation is one.

"y endo1ing

man 1ith reason+ @od ga%e him s#eeh> and re%elation+ mani!old in its

!orms but

one in its #rini#le+ onsists entirely in the uni%ersal 1ord+ the

inter#reter o! abso-lute reason. This is the signi!iane o! that term so muh

misonstrued+ 'ATH)$I' -

ITJ+ 1hih+ in modern hierati language+ means I7A$$I"I$ITJ. The

uni%ersal in

reason is the Absolute+ and the Absolute is the in!allible. I! absolute

reason

im#elled uni%ersal soiety to belie%e irresistibly the utterane o! a

hild+ that hild

1ould be in!allible by the ordination o! @od and o! all humanity. aith

is nothing

else but reasonable on!idene in this unity o! reason and in this

uni%ersality o!

the 1ord. To belie%e is to #lae on!idene in that 1hih as yet 1e do

not 9no1

1hen reason assures us be!orehand o! ultimately 9no1ing or at least

reogni?ing

it. Absurd are the so-alled #hiloso#hers 1ho ry: I 1ill ne%er

belie%e in a thing

1hih I do not 9no1F Bhallo1 reasoners I! you 9ne1+ 1ould you need to

belie%eK

"ut must I belie%e on hane and a#art !rom reasonK

'ertainly not. "lind and ha#ha?ard belie! is su#erstition and !olly.

We may

ha%e !aith in auses 1hih reason om#els us to admit on the e%idene

o! e!!ets

9no1n and a##reiated by siene. Biene @reat 1ord and great

#roblem Whatis sieneK We shall ans1er in the seond ha#ter o! this boo9.

--------------------------------------- 2/

II h "

THE PI$$ARB ) THE TEMP$E

'H)GMAH D)M8B @7)BIB


32/154

B'IE7'E is the absolute and om#lete #ossession o! truth. Hene ha%e

the sages

o! all the enturies trembled be!ore suh an absolute and terrible

1ord> they ha%e

hesitated in arrogating to themsel%es the !irst #ri%ilege o! Di%inity

by assuming

the #ossession o! siene+ and ha%e been ontented+ instead o! the %erb

T) G7)W+

1ith that 1hih e#resses learning+ 1hile+ in #lae o! the

1ordB'IE7'E + they ha%e

ado#ted that o! @7)BIB + 1hih re#resents sim#ly the notion o! learning

by intu-

ition. What+ in !at+ does man 9no1K 7othing+ and at the same time he

is allo1ed

to ignore nothing. De%oid o! 9no1ledge+ he is alled u#on to 9no1 all.

7o1+

9no1ledge su##oses the duad = a being 1ho 9no1s and an ob0et 9no1n.

The

duad is the generator o! soiety and o! la1: it is also the number o!

the @nosis.

The duad is unity multi#lying itsel! in order to reate+ and hene insared sym-

bolism E%e issues !rom the inmost bosom o! Adam. Adam is the human

tetra-

gram+ summed u# in the mysterious )D+ ty#e o! the 9abalisti #hallus.

"y adding

to this )D the triadi name o! E%e+ the name o! eho%a is !ormed+ the

Di%ine Tet-

ragram+ 1hih is eminently the 9abalisti and magial 1ord+ n%+ being

that

1hih the high-#riest in the tem#le #ronouned )D'HE;A . Bo unity+

om#lete in

the !ruit!ulness o! the triad+ !orms there1ith the tetrad+ 1hih is the

9ey o! all

numbers+ o! all mo%ements and o! all !orms. "y a re%olution about its

o1n entre+

the s " is the

#assi%e> the monad is ")AC> the duad is AGI7 . In the trigrams o!

ohi+ unity is the

JA7@ and the duad is the JI7.


33/154

--------------------------------------- 2

THE PI$$ARB ) THE TEMP$E

")AC and AGI7 are the names o! the t1o symbolial Pillars be!ore the

#rini#al

entrane o! BolomonLs Gabalisti Tem#le. In the Gabalah these Pillars

e#lain all

mysteries o! antagonism+ 1hether natural+ #olitial or religious. They

eluidate

also the #roreati%e struggle bet1een man and 1oman+ !or+ aording to

the la1

o! 7ature+ the 1oman must resist the man+ and he must entie or

o%erome her.

The ati%e #rini#le see9s the #assi%e #rini#le+ the #lenum desires

the %oid+ the

ser#entLs 0a1 attrats the ser#entLs tail+ and in turnin g about u#on

himsel!+ he+ atthe same time+ !lies and #ursues himsel!. Woman is the reation o! man+

and uni-

%ersal reation is the bride o! the irst Prini#le.

When the Bu#reme "eing beame a 'reator+ He ereted a )D or a

#hallus+ and

to #ro%ide a #lae in the !ullness o! the unreated light+ it 1as

neessary to hollo1

out a teis or trenh o! shado1 e man

destroys to reate+ 1oman builds u# to #reser%e> man is re%olution+

1oman is on-iliation> man is the !ather o! 'ain+ 1oman the mother o! Abel. What

also is 1is-

domK It is the agreement and union o! t1o #rini#les+ the mildness o!

Abel

direting the ati%ity o! 'ain+ man guided by the s1eet ins#irations o!

1oman+

debauhery on


34/154

subdued by the gentleness o! order and #eae+ #ride sub0ugated by lo%e+

siene

a9no1ledging the ins#irations o! !aith. It is then that siene

beomes 1ise and

submits to the in!allibilit y o! uni%ersal reason+ instruted by lo%e

or uni%ersal

harity. Then it an assume the name o! @7)BIB + beause it 9no1s at

least that as

yet it annot boast o! 9no1ing #er!etly.

The monad an mani!est only by the duad> unity itsel! and the notion

o! unity

at one onstitute t1o. The unity o! the Maroosm re%eals itsel! by

the t1o o##o-

site #oints o! t1o triangles. Human unity !ul!ils itsel! to righ t and

le!t. Primiti%e

man is androgynous. All organs o! the human body are dis#osed in #airs+

ee#t-

ing the nose+ the tongue+ the umbilius and the 9abalisti )D.

Di%inity+ one in its

essene+ has t1o essential onditions as the !undamental grounds o! its

being =neessity and liberty. The la1s o! su#reme reason neessitate and rule

liberty in

@od+ Who is o! neessity 1ise and reasonable.

To ma9e light %isible @od had only to #ostulate shado1. To mani!est

the truth

He #ermitted the #ossibility o! doubt. The shado1 bodies !orth the

light+ and the

#ossibility o! error is essential !or the tem#oral mani!estation o!

truth. I! the bu9-

--------------------------------------- 2

,3 The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

ler o! Batan did not intere#t the s#ear o! Mihael+ the might o! the

angel 1ould

be lost in the %oid or mani!ested by in!inite destrution launhed

belo1 !rom

abo%e. Did not the heel o! Mihael restrain Batan in his asent+ Batan

1ould

dethrone @od+ or rather he 1ould lose himsel! in the abysses o! the

altitude.

Hene Batan is need!ul to Mihael as the #edestal to the statue+ and

Mihael is

neessary to Batan as the bra9e to the loomoti%e. In analogial and

uni%ersaldynamis one leans only on that 1hih resists. urthermore+ the

uni%erse is bal-

aned by t1o !ores 1hih maintain it in e in #hysis they #rodue e


35/154

#rogressi%e re%elation. The anients re#resented this mystery by the

on!lit

bet1een Eros and Anteros+ the struggle bet1een aob and the angel+ and

by the

e


36/154

'ain. In the @os#el the ty#e o! 'ain is re#laed by that o! the

Prodigal Bon+ 1hom

his !ather !orgi%es !reely beause he returns a!ter ha%ing endured

muh.

There is mery and there is 0ustie in @od> to the 0ust He dis#enses

0ustie and

to sinners mery. In the soul o! the 1orld+ 1hih is the 8ni%ersal

Agent+ there is a

urrent o! lo%e and a urrent o! 1rath. This ambient and all-

#enetrating !luid>

this ray loosened !rom the sunLs s#lendour and !ied by the 1eight o!

the atmo-

s#here and the #o1er o! entral attration> this body o! the Holy

B#irit+ 1hih 1e

term the 8ni%ersal Agent+ 1hile it 1as ty#i!ied by the anients under

the symbol

o! a ser#ent de%ouring its tail> this eletromagneti ether+ this %ital

and luminous

alori+ is de#ited in arhai monuments by the girdle o! Isis+ t1ie-

!olded in a

lo%e-9not round t1o #oles+ as 1ell as by the ser#ent de%ouring its o1ntail+

emblemati o! #rudene and o! Baturn. Motion and li!e onsist in the

etreme ten-

sion o! t1o !ores. I 1ould thou 1ert old or hot+F said the Master.

As a !at+ a

great sinner is more really ali%e than is a te#id+ e!!eminate man+ and

the !ullness

o! his return to %irtue 1ill be in #ro#ortion to the etent o! his

errors. Bhe 1ho is

destined to rush the ser#entLs head is intelligene+ 1hih e%er rises

abo%e the

stream o! blind !ores. The Gabalists all her the %irgin o! the sea+

1hose dri##ing

!eet the in!ernal dragon ra1ls !or1ard to li9 1ith his !iery tongues+

and they !all

aslee# in delight.

Hereo! are the hierati mysteries o! the duad. "ut there is one+ and

the last o!

all+ 1hih must not be made 9no1n+ the reason+ aording to Hermes

Trismegis-

tus+ being the malom#rehension o! the %ulgar+ 1ho 1ould asribe to the

neessi-

ties o! siene the immoral as#et o! blind !atality. "y the !ear o!

the un9no1n

must the ro1d be restrained+F he obser%es in another #lae> and 'hrist

also said:

'ast not your #earls be!ore s1ine+ lest+ tram#ling them under their!eet+ they

turn and rend you.F The Tree o! the Gno1ledge o! @ood and E%il+ o!

1hih the

!ruits are death+ is the ty#e o! this hierati seret o! the duad+

1hih 1ould be only

misonstrued i! di%ulged+ and 1ould lead ommonly to the unholy denial

o! !ree

1ill+ though it is the #rini#le o! moral li!e. It is hene in the

essene o! things that


37/154

the re%elation o! this seret means death+ and it is not at the same

time the @reat

Beret o! Magi> but the aranum o! the duad leads u# to that o! the

tetrad+ or

more orretly #roeeds there!rom+ and is resol%ed by the triad+ 1hih

ontains

the 1ord o! that enigma #ro#ounded by the s#hin+ the !inding o! 1hih

1ould

ha%e sa%ed the li!e+ atoned !or the unonsious rime and established

the 9ingdom

o! )edi#us.

--------------------------------------- 43


In the hierogly#hi 1or9 o! Hermes+ being the Tarot or "oo9 o! Thoth+

the

duad is re#resented either by the horns o! Isis+ 1ho has her head

%eiled and ano#en boo9 onealed #artially under her mantle+ or other1ise by a

so%ereign lady+

uno+ the @ree9 goddess+ 1ith one hand u#li!ted to1ards hea%en and the

other

#ointed to earth+ as i! !ormulating by this gesture the one and t1o!old

dogma

1hih is the !oundation o! Magi and begins the mar%ellous symbols o!

the

Emerald TableF o! Hermes. In the A#oaly#se o! Bt. ohn there is

re!erene to

t1o 1itnesses or martyrs on 1hom #ro#heti tradition on!ers the names

o! Elias

and Enoh-Elias+ man o! !aith+ enthusiasm+ mirale> Enoh+ one 1ith him

1ho is

alled Hermes by the Egy#tians+ honoured by the Phoeniians as 'admus+

author

o! the sared al#habet and the uni%ersal 9ey to the initiations o! the

$ogos+ !ather

o! the Gabalah+ he 1ho+ aording to sared allegories+ did not die

li9e other men+

but 1as translated to hea%en+ and 1ill return at the end o! time. Muh

the same

#arable is told o! Bt. ohn himsel!+ 1ho reo%ered and e#lained in his

A#oaly#se

the symbolism o! the 1ord o! Enoh. This resurretion o! Bt. ohn and

Enoh+

e#eted at the lose o! the ages o! ignorane+ 1ill be the reno%ationo! their do-

trine by the om#rehension o! the 9abalisti 9eys 1hih unlo9 the

tem#le o!

unity and o! uni%ersal #hiloso#hy+ too long oult and reser%ed solely

!or the elet+

1ho #erish at the hands o! the 1orld.

"ut 1e ha%e said that the re#rodution o! the monad by the duad leads

o!


38/154

neessity to the one#tion and dogma o! the triad+ so 1e ome no1 to

this great

number+ 1hih is the !ullness and #er!et 1ord o! unity.

--------------------------------------- 4,

III g '

THE TRIA7@$E ) B) $)M)7

P$E7IT8D) ;)'IB "I7AH PHJBIB

THE #er!et 1ord is the triad+ beause it su##oses an intelligent

#rini#le+ a

s#ea9ing #rini#le and a #rini#le s#o9en. The Absolute+ re%ealed by

s#eeh+

endo1s this s#eeh 1ith a sense e in the-

ology = @od+ inarnation+ redem#tion> in the human soul = thought+ lo%e

and

ation> in the !amily = !ather+ mother and hild. The triad is the end

and su#reme


39/154

e#ression o! lo%e> 1e see9 one another as t1o only to beome three.

There are three intelligible 1orlds 1hih orres#ond one 1ith another

by hier-

arhi analogy> the natural or #hysial+ the s#iritual or meta#hysial+

and the

di%ine or religious 1orlds. rom this #rini#le !ollo1s the hierarhy

o! s#irits+

di%ided into three orders+ and again subdi%ided by the triad in eah o!

these.

All these re%elations are logial dedutions !rom the !irst

mathematial notions

o! being and number. 8nity must multi#ly itsel! in order to beome

ati%e. An

indi%isible+ motionless and sterile #rini#le 1ould be unity dead and

inom#re-

hensible. Were @od only one He 1ould ne%er be 'reator or ather. Were

He t1o

there 1ould be antagonism or di%ision in the in!inite+ 1hih 1ould mean

the di%i-

sion also or death o! all #ossible things. He is there!ore three !or

the reation by,4

--------------------------------------- 42


Himsel! and in His image o! the in!inite multitude o! beings and

numbers. Bo is

He truly one in Himsel! and tri#le in our one#tion+ 1hih also leads

us to behold

Him as tri#le in Himsel! and one in our intelligene and our lo%e. This

is a mys-

tery !or the !aith!ul and a logial neessity !or the initiate into

absolute and real

sienes.

The Word mani!ested by li!e is reali?ation or inarnation. The li!e o!

the Word

aom#lishing its yli mo%ement is ada#tation or redem#tion. This

tri#le

dogma 1as 9no1n in all santuaries illuminated by the tradition o! the

sages. Do

you 1ish to asertain 1hih is the true religionK Bee9 that 1hih

reali?es most in

the Di%ine )rder+ 1hih humani?es @od and ma9es man di%ine+ 1hih

#reser%es

the triadi dogma intat+ 1hih lothes the Word 1ith !lesh by ma9ing@od man-

i!est to the hands and eyes o! the most ignorant+ 1hih in !ine a##eals

to all in its

dotrine and an ada#t itsel! to all = the religion 1hih is hierarhi

and yli+

ha%ing allegories and images !or hildren+ an ealted #hiloso#hy !or

gro1n men+

sublime ho#es and s1eet onsolations !or the old.


40/154

The #rime%al sages+ 1hen see9ing the irst o! 'auses+ behold good and

e%il in

the 1orld. They onsidered shado1 and light> they om#ared 1inter 1ith

s#ring+

age 1ith youth+ li!e 1ith death+ and their onlusion 1as this: The

irst 'ause is

bene!ient and se%ere> It gi%es and ta9es a1ay li!e. Then are there t1o

ontrary

#rini#les+ the one good and the other e%il+ elaimed the disi#les o!

Manes. 7o+

the t1o #rini#les o! uni%ersal e but the su#reme eellene is abo%e both+ a##lying

e%il to the %i-

tory o! good and good to the amendment o! e%il.

The #rini#le o! harmony is in unity+ and it is this 1hih im#arts

suh #o1er to

the une%en number in Magi. 7o1+ the most #er!et o! the odd numbers is

three+beause it is the trilogy o! unity. In the trigrams o! ohi+ the

su#erior triad is om-

#osed o! three JA7@+ or masuline !igures+ beause nothing #assi%e an

be admit-

ted into the idea o! @od+ onsidered as the #rini#le o! #rodution in

the three

1orlds. or the same reason+ the 'hristian Trinity by no means #ermits

the #er-

soni!iation o! the mother+ 1ho is sho1n !orth im#liitly in that o!

the Bon. or

the same reason+ also+ it is ontrary to the la1s o! hierati and

orthodo symbol-

ogy to #ersoni!y the Holy @host under the !orm o! a 1oman. Woman omes

!orth

!rom man as 7ature omes !orth !rom @od> so 'hrist Himsel! asends to

hea%en

and assumes the ;irgin Mother: 1e s#ea9 o! the asension o! the

Ba%iour+ and the

assum#tion o! the Mother o! @od. @od+ onsidered as ather+ has 7ature

!or His

daughter> as Bon+ He has the ;irgin !or His mother and the 'hurh !or

His bride>

as Holy B#irit+ He regenerates and !ruti!ies humanity. Hene+ in the

trigrams o!

ohi+ the three in!erior JI7 orres#ond to the three su#erior JA7@+ !or

these tri-

grams onstitute a #antale li9e that o! the t1o triangles o! Bolomon+but 1ith a

triadi inter#retation o! the si #oints o! the bla?ing star.

--------------------------------------- 44

THE TRIA7@$E ) B)$)M)7 ,6


41/154

Dogma is only di%ine inasmuh as it is truly human = that is to say+

in so !ar as

it sums u# the highest reason o! humanity. Bo also the Master+ Whom 1e

term the

Man-@od+ alled Himsel! the Bon o! Man. Re%elation is the e#ression o!

belie!

ae#ted and !ormulated by uni%ersal reason in the human 1ord+ on 1hih

aount it is said that the di%inity is human and the humanity di%ine

in the Man-

@od.+ We a!!irm all this #hiloso#hially+ not theologially+ 1ithout

in!ringing in

any 1ay on the teahing o! the 'hurh+ 1hih ondemns and must al1ays

on-

demn Magi. Paraelsus and Agri##a did not set u# altar against altar

but bo1ed

to the ruling religion o! their time: to the elet o! siene+ the

things o! siene> to

the !aith!ul+ the things o! !aith.

In his hymn to the royal Bun+ the Em#eror ulian gi%es a theory o! the

triad

1hih is almost idential 1ith that o! the illuminated B1edenborg. Thesun o! the

di%ine 1orld is the in!inite+ s#iritual and unreated light+ 1hih is

%erbali?ed+ so

to s#ea9+ in the #hiloso#hial 1orld+ and beomes the !ountain o! souls

and o!

truth> then it inor#orates and beomes %isible light in the sun o! the

third 1orld+

the entral sun o! our suns+ o! 1hih the !ied stars are the e%er-

li%ing s#ar9s. The

Gabalists om#are the s#irit to a substane 1hih remains !luid in the

di%ine

medium and under the in!luene o! the essential light+ its eterior+

ho1e%er+

beoming solidi!ied+ li9e 1a 1hen e#osed to air+ in the older realms

o! reason-

ing or o! %isible !orms. These shells+ en%elo#es #etri!ied or

arni!ied+ 1ere suh an

e#ression #ossible+ are the soure o! errors or o! e%il+ 1hih

onnets 1ith the

hea%iness and hardness o! animal en%elo#es. In the boo9 Cohar+ and in

that o! the

Re%olution o! Bouls+ #er%erse s#irits or e%il demons are ne%er alled

other1ise

than shells = orties. The orties o! the 1orld o! s#irits are

trans#arent+ 1hile

those o! the material 1orld are o#a


42/154

them !rom asending. Indeed+ they an do so only a!ter in!inite

struggles+ and by

the mediation o! the 0ust+ 1ho streth !orth their hands to1ards them.

During the

1hole #eriod o! the #roess they are de%ourd by the interior ae ti%ity

o! the a#-

ti%e s#irit+ as in a burning !urnae. Th ose 1ho attain the #yre o!

e#iation burn

themsel%es thereon+ li9e Herules u#on Mount )etna+ and so are

deli%ered !rom

their su!!erings> but the ourage o! the ma0ority !ails be!ore this

ordeal+ 1hih

seems to them a seond death more a##alling than the !irst + and so

they remain in

hell+ 1hih is rightly and atually eternal> but souls are ne%er

#rei#itated nor

e%en retained des#ite themsel%es therein.

--------------------------------------- 45

,/ The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

The three 1orlds orres#ond together by means o! the thirty-t1o #aths

o! light+

1hih are as ste#s o! a sared ladder. E%ery true thought orres#onds

to a Di%ine

@rae in hea%en and a good 1or9 on earth> e%ery @rae o! @od mani!ests

a truth+

and #rodues one or many ats> rei#roally+ e%ery at a!!ets a truth

or !alsehood

in the hea%ens+ a grae or a #unishment. When a man #ronounes the

Tetragram

= say the Gabalists = the nine elestial realms sustain a sho9+ and

then all s#irits

ry out one u#on another: Who is it thus disturbing the 9ingdom o!

hea%enKF

Then does the earth ommuniate unto the !rst s#heri e the sins o! that

rash being

1ho ta9es the Eternal 7ame in %ain+ and the ausing 1ord is

transmitted !rom

irle to irle+ !rom star to star+ and !rom hierarhy to hierarhy.

E%ery utterane #ossesses three senses+ e%ery at has a tri#le range+

e%ery !orm

a tri#le idea+ !or the Absolute orres#onds !rom 1orld to 1orld by its

!orms. E%ery

determination o! human 1ill modi!ies 7ature+ onerns #hiloso#hy and is

1rittenin hea%en. There are onse


43/154

#le resolutions do o!ten determine an inalulable series o! bene!its

or e%ils+ abo%e

all in the a!!inities o! our DIAPHA7E 1ith the @reat Magial Agent+ as

1e shall

e#lain else1here.

The triad+ being the !undamental #rini#le o! the 1hole Gabalah+ or

Bared

Tradition o! our !athers+ 1as neessarily the !undamental dogma o!

'hristianity+

the a##arent dualism o! 1hih it e#lains by the inter%ention o! a

harmonious

and all-#o1er!ul unity. 'hri st did not #ut His teahing into 1riting+

and only

re%ealed it in seret to His !a%oured disi#le+ the one Gabalist+ and

he a great

Gabalist+ among the a#ostles. Bo is the A#oaly#se the boo9 o! the

@nosis or

Beret Dotrine o! the !irst 'hristians+ and the 9ey o! this dotrine

is indiated by

an oult %ersile o! the $ordLs Prayer+ 1hih the ;ulgate lea%es

untranslated+1hile in the @ree9 Rite+ 1hih #reser%es the traditions o! Bt. ohn+

the #riests only

are #ermitted to #ronoune it. This %ersile+ om#letely 9abalisti+ is

!ound in the

@ree9 tet o! the @os#el aording to Bt. Matthe1+ and in se%eral

Hebre1 o#ies+

as !ollo1s:

.

The sared 1ord MA$G8TH substituted !or GETHER + 1hih is its

9abalisti

orres#ondent+ and the e


44/154


45/154

I7 7ature there are t1o !ores #roduing e


46/154

nay o! light = East and West = and the yea and nay o! 1armth = Bouth

and 7orth.

As 1e ha%e said already+ aording to the sole dogma o! the Gabalah+

that 1hih

is in %isible 7ature re%eals that 1hih is in the domain o! in%isible

7ature+ or se-

ondary auses are in strit #ro#ortion and analogous to the

mani!estations o! the

irst 'ause. Bo is this irst 'ause re%e aled in%ariably by the 'ross =

that unity

made u# o! t1o+ di%ided one by the other in order to #rodue !our> that

9ey to the

,

--------------------------------------- 4

THE TETRA@RAM ,

mysteries o! India and Egy#t+ The Tau o! the #atriarhs+ the di%ine

sign o! )siris+the Btauros o! the @nostis+ the 9eystone o! the tem#le+ the symbol o!

)ult

Masonry> the 'ross+ entral #oint o! the 0untion o! the right angles

o! t1o in!inite

triangles> the 'ross+ 1hih in the renh language seems to be the

!irst root and

!undamental substanti%e o! the %erb to belie%e and the %erb to gro1+

thus ombin-

ing the one#tions o! siene+ religion and #rogress.

The @reat Magial Agent mani!ests by !our 9inds o! #henomena+ and has

been

sub0eted to the e#eriments o! #ro!ane siene under !our names =

alori+ light+

eletriity+ magnetism. It has reei%ed also the names o! TETRA@RAM +

I7RI+

AC)TH + ETHER + )D+ Magneti luid+ Boul o! the Earth+ $ui!er+ et.

The @reat

Magial Agent is the !ourth emanation o! the li!e-#rini#le+ o! 1hih

the sun is the

third !orm = see the initiates o! the shool o! Aleandria and the

dogma o! Hermes

Trismegistus. In this 1ay the eye o! the 1orld+ as the anients alled

it+ is the

mirage o! the re!letion o! @od+ and the soul o! the earth is a

#ermanent glane o!

the sun 1hih the earth onei%es and guards by im#regnation. The moon

on-urs in this im#regnation o! the earth by re!leting a solar image

during the night+

so that Hermes 1as right 1hen he said o! the @reat Agent: The sun is

its !ather+

the moon its mother.F Then he adds: The 1ind has borne it in the belly

thereo!+F

beause the atmos#here is the rei#ient and+ as it 1ere+ the ruible

o! the solar


47/154


48/154

re%eal it to a #ro!ane #erson is to lose it> to re%eal it e%en to a

disi#le is to abdi-

ate in !a%our o! that disi#le+ 1ho+ hene!or1ard+ #ossesses the right

o! li!e and

death o%er his master = I am s#ea9ing !rom the magial stand#oint = and

1ill er-

tainly slay him !or !ear o! dying himsel!. "ut this has nothing in

ommon 1ith

deeds the #ratial

#hiloso#hy 1hih

is the basis and #oint o! de#arture !or our la1s does not reogni?e the

!ats o!

be1ithment and o! oult in!luenes. We touh here u#on etraordinary

re%ela-

tions+ and are #re#ared !or the unbelie! and derision o! inredulous

!anatiism>

%oltairean religion has also its !anatis+ #ae the great shades 1ho

must no1 be

lur9ing sullenly in the %aults o! the Pantheon+ 1hile 'atholiism+

strong e%er in its

#raties and #restige+ hants the )!!ie o%erhead.The #er!et 1ord+ that 1hih is ade


49/154

attainmentK We thin9 not. "ut 1hen it is diso%ered the in%entor 1ill

understand

by analogy all the serets o! 7ature PR)@REBB I7 DIRE'T PR)P)RTI)7 T)

REBIB -

TA7'E The absolute mo%ement o! li!e is thus the #er#etual onse


50/154

to be nothingness. "eing and nothingness are t1o absolutely

irreonilable ideas+

1ith this di!!erene+ that the idea o! nothingness+ 1hih is altogether

negati%e+

issues !rom the %ery idea o! being+ 1hene e%en nothingness annot be

understood

as an absolute negation+ 1hilst the notion o! being an ne%er be #ut in

om#arison

1ith that o! nothingness+ and still less an it ome !orth there!rom.

To say that the

1orld has been #rodued out o! nothing is to ad%ane a monstrous

absurdity. All

that is #roeeds !rom 1hat has been+ and onse they are the #henomena o! li!e 1hih re#lae 1ithout destroying

one

another. All things hange> nothing #erishes. The sun does not die 1hen

it %an-

--------------------------------------- 53


ishes !rom the hori?on> e%en the most !luidi !orms are immortal+

subsisting

+ e al1ays in the #ermanene o! their raison dLtr 1hih is the

ombination o! light

1ith the aggregated #otenies o! the moleules o! the !irst substane.

Hene they

are #reser%ed in the astral !luid+ and an be e%o9ed and re#rodued

aording to

the 1ill o! the sage+ as 1e shall see 1hen treating o! seond sight

and the e%oa-

tion o! memories in neromany or other magial 1or9s. We shall return

also to

the @reat Magial Agent in the !ourth ha#ter o! the Ritual+ 1here 1e

shall om-

#lete our indiations o! the harateristis o! the @reat Aranum+ and

o! the

means o! reo%ering this tremendous #o1er.L

Here let us add a !e1 1ords on the !our magial elements and

elementary s#ir-

its. The magial elements are: in alhemy+ Balt+ Bul# hur+ Merury and

A?oth> in

Gabalah+ the Maro#roso#us+ the Miro#roso#us and the t1o Mothers> inhiero-

gly#his+ the Man+ Eagle+ $i on and "ull> in old #hysis+ aording to

%ulgar names

and notions+ air+ 1ater+ earth and !ire. "ut in magial siene 1e

9no1 that 1ater

is not ordinary 1ater+ !ire is not sim#ly !ire+ et. These e#ressions

oneal a more

reondite meaning. Modern siene has deom#osed the !our elements o!

the


51/154

anients and redued them to a number o! so-alled sim#le bodies. That

1hih is

sim#le+ ho1e%er+ is the #rimiti%e substane #ro#erly so-alled> there

is thus only

one material element+ 1hih mani!ests al1ays by the tetrad in its

!orms. We shall

there!ore #reser%e the 1ise distintion o! elementary a##earanes

admitted by the

anients+ and shall reogni?e air+ !ire+ earth and 1ater as the !our

#ositi%e and %is-

ible elements o! Magi.

The subtle and the gross+ the s1i!t and slo1 sol%ent+ or the

instruments o! heat

and old+ onstitute+ in oult #hysis+ the t1o #ositi%e and negati%e

#rini#les o!

the tetrad+ and should be thus tabulated:

Thus+ air and earth re#resent the male #rini#le> !ire and 1ater are

re!erable to

the !emale #rini#le+ sine the Philoso#hial 'ross o! #antales+ as

a!!irmed

already+ is a #rimiti%e and elementary hierogly#h o! the lingam o! thegymnoso-

#hists. To these !our elementary !orms orres#ond the !our !ollo1ing

#hiloso#hi-

al ideas B#irit+ Matter+ Motion+ Rest. As a !at+ all siene is

om#rised in the

understanding o! these !our things+ 1hih alhemy has redued to three

= the

Absolute+ the ied and the ;olatile = re!erred by the Gabalah to the

essential idea

o! @od+ Who is absolute reason+ neessity and liberty+ a three!old

notion e#ressed

in the oult boo9s o! the Hebre1s. 8nder the names o! GETHER +

'H)GMAH and

"I7AH !or the Di%ine World> o! TIPHERETH + 'HEBED and @E"8RAH in the

moral

--------------------------------------- 5,

THE TETRA@RAM 24

1orld+ and o! EB)D + H)D and 7ETBAH in the #hysial 1orld+ 1hih+

together 1ith

the moral+ is ontained in the idea o! the Gingdom or MA$G8TH + 1e

shall e#lain

in the tenth ha#ter this theogony as rational as it is sublime.

7o1+ reated s#irits+ being alled to emani#ation by trial+ are#laed !rom

their birth bet1een these !our !ores+ t1o #ositi%e and t1o negati%e+

and ha%e it in

their #o1er to a!!irm or deny good+ to hoose li!e or death. To

diso%er the !ied

#oint+ that is+ the moral entre o! the 'ross+ is the !irst #roblem

1hih is gi%en

them to resol%e> their initial on


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begin by being dra1n+ some to the 7orth+ others to the Bouth> some to

the right+

others to the le!t> and in so !ar as they are not !ree+ they annot

ha%e the use o!

reason+ nor an they ta9e !lesh other1ise than in animal !orms. These

unemani-

#ated s#irits+ sla%es o! the !our elements+ are those 1hih the

Gabalists all ele-

mentary daimons+ and they #eo#le the elements 1hih orres#ond to their

state o!

ser%itude. Byl#hs+ undines+ gnomes and salamanders really eist

there!ore+ some

1andering and see9ing inarnation+ others inarnate and li%ing on this

earth.

These are %iious and im#er!et men. We shall return to this sub0et in

the !i!-

teenth ha#ter+ 1hih treats o! enhantments and demons.

That is also an oult tradition by 1hih the anients 1ere led to

admit the

eistene o! !our ages in the 1orld+ only it 1as not made 9no1n to the

%ulgar thatthese ages are suessi%e and are rene1ed+ li9e the !our seasons o! the

year. Thus+

the golden age has #assed+ and it is yet to ome. This+ ho1e%er+

belongs to the

s#irit o! #ro#hey+ and 1e shall s#ea9 o! it in the ninth ha#ter+

1hih is on-

erned 1ith the initiate and the seer. I! 1e no1 add the idea o! unity

to the tetrad+

1e shall ha%e+ together and se#arately+ the one#tions o! the di%ine

synthesis and

analysis+ the god o! the initiates and that o! the #ro!ane. Here the

dotrine

beomes more #o#ular+ as it #asses !rom the domain o! the abstrat: the

grand

hiero#hant inter%enes.

--------------------------------------- 52

; E

THE PE7T A@RAM

@E"8RAH E''E

HERE87T) 1e ha%e e#osed the magial dogma in its more arid and

abstruse

#hases> no1 the enhantments begin> no1 1e an #rolaim 1onders and

re%ealmost seret things. The Pentagram signi!ies the domination o! the mind

o%er the

elements+ and the demons o! air+ the s#irits o! !ire+ the #hantoms o!

1ater and

ghosts o! earth are enhained by this sign. E


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li9e the soulLs eye+ and you 1ill be ministered unto by legions o!

angels and hosts

o! !iends.

"ut here+ in the !irst #lae+ let us establish ertain #rini#les.

There is no in%is-

ible 1orld> there are+ ho1e%er+ many degrees o! #er!etion in organs.

The body is

the oarse and+ as it 1ere+ the #erishable orte o! the soul. The soul

an #erei%e

o! itsel!+ and inde#endently o! the mediation o! #hysial organs+ by

means o! its

sensibility and its DIAPHA7E = the things+ both s#iritual and

or#oreal+ 1hih are

eistent in the uni%erse. B#iritual and or#oreal are sim#ly terms

1hih e#ress

the degrees o! tenuity or density in substane. What is alled the

imagination

1ithin us is only the soulLs inherent !aulty o! assimilating the

images and re!le-

tions ontained in the li%ing light+ being the @reat Magneti Agent.

Buh imagesand re!letions are re%elations 1hen siene inter%enes to re%eal us

their body or

light. The man o! genius di!!ers !rom the dreamer and the !ool in this

only+ that

his reations are analogous to truth+ 1hile those o! the !ool and the

dreamer are

lost re!letions and be1rayed images. Hene+ !or the 1ise man+ to

imagine is to

see+ as+ !or the magiian+ to s#ea9 is to reate. It !ollo1s that+ by

means o! the

imagination+ demons and s#irits an be beheld really and in truth> but

the imagi-

nation o! the ade#t is dia#hanous+ 1hilst that o! the ro1d is o#a

the light o!

truth tra%erses the one as ordinary light #asses through lear glass+

and is

re!rated by the other+ as 1hen ordinary light im#inges u#on a %itreous

blo9+ !ull

o! soriae and !oreign matter. That 1hih most ontributes to the

errors o! the

%ulgar is the re!letion o! de#ra%ed imaginations one in the other. "ut

in %irtue o!

#ositi%e siene+ the seer 9no1s that 1hat he imagines is true+ and the

e%ent

in%ariably on!irms his %ision. We shall state in the Ritual a!ter 1hat

manner this

luidity an be a


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--------------------------------------- 54

THE PE7TA@RAM 26

We say dreams+ beause dream is the onse to be in estasy is to slee#> magneti

somnambulism

is a #rodution and diretion o! estasy The err. ors 1hih our

therein are oa-

sioned by re!letions !rom the DIAPHA7E o! 1a9ing #ersons+ and+ abo%e

all+ o! the

magneti?er. Dream is %ision #rodued by the re!ration o! a ray o!

truth. 'himeri-

al !antasy is halluination oasioned by a re!letion. The tem#tation

o! Bt.

Anthony+ 1ith its nightmares and its monsters+ re#resents the on!usion

o! re!le-

tions 1ith diret rays. Bo long as the soul struggles it is reasonable>1hen it yields

to this s#eies o! in%ading intoiation it beomes mad. To disentangle

the diret

ray+ and se#arate it !rom the re!letion = suh is the 1or9 o! the

initiate. Here let

us state distintly that this 1or9 is being #er!ormed ontinually in

the 1orld by

some o! the !lo1er o! man9ind> that there is hene a #ermanent

re%elation by

intuition> and that there is no insu#erable barrier 1hih se#arates

souls+ beause

there are no sudden interru#tions and no high 1alls in 7ature by 1hih

minds

an be di%ided !rom one another. All is transition and blending+

1here!ore+

assuming the #er!etibility+ i! not in!inite at least inde!inite+ o!

human !aulties+ it

1ill be understood that e%ery #erson an attain to see all+ and

there!ore to 9no1

all. There is no %oid in 7ature: all is #eo#led. There is no true death

in 7ature: all

is ali%e. Beest thou that starKF as9ed 7a#oleon o! 'ardinal esh.

7o+ Bire.F I

see it+F said the Em#eror+ and he most ertainly did. When great men

are aused

o! su#erstition+ it is beause they behold 1hat remains unseen by the

ro1d. Meno! genius di!!er !rom sim#le seers by their !aulty o! ommuniating

sensibly to

others that 1hih they themsel%es #erei%e+ and o! ma9ing themsel%es

belie%ed by

the !ore o! enthusiasm and sym#athy. Buh #ersons are the media o! the

Di%ine

Word.

$et us no1 s#ei!y the manner in 1hih %isions o#erate. All !orms

orres#ond


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to ideas+ and there is no idea 1hih has not its #ro#er and #euliar

!orm. The #ri-

mordial light+ 1hih is the %ehile o! all ideas+ is the mother o! all

!orms+ and

transmits them !rom emanation to emanation+ merely diminished or

modi!ied

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2/ The Dotrine o! Transendental Magi

aording to the density o! the media. Beondary !orms are re!letions

1hih

return to the !ont o! the emanated light. The !orms o! ob0ets+ being a

modi!ia-

tion o! light+ remain in the light 1here the re!letion onsigns them.

Hene the

Astral $ight+ or terrestrial !luid+ 1hih 1e all the @reat Magneti

Agent+ is satu-

rated 1ith all 9inds o! images or re!letions. 7o1+ our soul an e%o9ethese+ and

sub0et them to its DIAPHA7E + as the Gabalists term it. Buh images

are al1ays

#resent be!ore us+ and are e!!aed only by the more #o1er!ul

im#ressions o! real-

ity during 1a9ing hours+ or by #reou#ation o! the mind+ 1hih ma9es

our

imagination inattenti%e to the !luidi #anorama o! the Astral $ight.

When 1e

slee#+ this s#etale #resents itsel! s#ontaneously be!ore us+ and in

this 1ay

dreams are #rodued = dreams %ague and inoherent i! some go%erning

1ill do

not remain ati%e during the slee#+ gi%ing+ e%en unonsiously to our

intelligene+

a diretion to the dream+ 1hih then trans!orms into %ision. Animal

Magnetism is

nothing but an arti!iial slee# #rodued by the %oluntary or en!ored

union o! t1o

1ills+ one o! 1hih is a1a9e 1hile the other slumbers = that is+ one o!

1hih

direts the other in the hoie o! re!letions !or the trans!ormation

o! dreams into

%isions and the attainment o! truth by means o! images. Thus+

somnambulists do

not atually tra%el to the #lae 1here they are sent by the magneti?er>

they e%o9eits images in the Astral $ight and an behold nothing 1hih does not

eist in that

light. The Astral $ight has a diret ation on the ner%es+ 1hih are

its ondutors

in the animal eonomy+ transmitting it to the brain. It !ollo1s that+

in a state o!

somnambulism+ it is #ossible to see by means o! the ner%es+ 1ithout

being de#en-


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--------------------------------------- 5/


e#eriment o! e%oation 1ith the Pentagram+ a!ter due #re#aration

aording to

all the 'eremonies indiated in the thirteenth ha#ter o! the RitualF.

The suess

o! this e#eriment+ details o! 1hih+ as regards its #rini#les+ 1ill

be !ound in the

orres#onding ha#ter o! the #resent dotrinal #art+ establishes a ne1

#athologi-

al !at+ 1hih men o! true siene 1ill admit 1ithout di!!iulty. The

e#eriene+

re#eated e%en to a third time+ ga%e results truly etraordinary+ but

#ositi%e and

unmied 1ith halluination. We in%ite se#tis to ma9e a onsientious

and intel-

ligent trial on their o1n #art be!ore shrugging their shoulders andsmiling. The

!igure o! the Pentagram+ om#leted in aordane 1ith siene and used

by the

author in his e#eriment+ is that 1hih is !ound at the head o! this

ha#ter+ and it

is more #er!et than any in the Geys o! Bolomon or in the Magial

'alendars o!

Tyho "rahe and Duhentau. We must remar9+ ho1e%er+ that the use o! the

Pen-

tagram is most dangerous !or o#erators 1ho are not in #ossession o! its

om#lete

and #er!et understanding. The diretion o! the #oints o! the star is

in no sense

arbitrary+ and may hange the entire harater o! an o#eration+ as 1e

shall

e#lain in the RitualF.

Paraelsus+ that inno%ator in Magi+ 1ho sur#assed all other initiates

in his

unaided #ratial suess+ a!!irms that e%ery magial !igure and e%ery

9abalisti

sign o! the #antales 1hih om#el s#irits+ may be redued to t1o+

1hih are the

synthesis o! all the others> these are the Bign o! the Maroosm or the

Beal o!

Bolomon+ the !orm o! 1hih 1e ha%e gi%en already+ and that o! the

Miroosm+

more #otent e%en than the !irst = that is t o say+ t he Pentagram+ o!1hih he #ro-

%ides a most minute desri#tion in his oult #hiloso#hy. I! it be

as9ed ho1 a sign

an eerise so muh #o1er o%er s#irits+ 1e in


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logos. 7o1+ a sign 1hih summari?es+ in their e#ression+ all the

oult !ores o!

7ature+ a sign 1hih has e%er ehibited to elementary s#irits and

others a #o1er

greater than their o1n+ !ills them naturally 1ith res#et and !ear+

en!oring their

obediene by the em#ire o! siene and o! 1ill o%er ignorane and

1ea9ness. "y

the Pentagram also is measured the eat #ro#ortions o! the great and

uni


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sym#atheti = identi!ying itsel! 1ith the indi%idual li!e o! the being

1hih it ani-

mates+ and it is by this


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an intoiation or #assion. Woe to the Bamson o! the Gabalah i! he

#ermit himsel!

to be #ut aslee# by Delilah The Herules o! siene+ 1ho ehanges his

royal

se#tre !or the dista!! o! )m#hale+ 1ill soon e#eriene the %engeane

o! De0anira+

and nothing 1ill be le!t !or him but the #yre o! Mount )etna+ in order

to esa#e

the de%ouring !olds o! the oat o! 7essus. Beual lo%e is e%er an

illusion+ !or it is

the result o! an imaginary mirage. The Astral $ight is the uni%ersal

seduer+ ty#i-

!ied by the ser#ent o! @enesis.L This subtle agent+ e%er ati%e+ e%er

%igorous+ e%er

!ruit!ul in alluring dreams a nd sensuous images> this !ore+ 1hih o!

itsel! is blind

and subordinated to e%ery 1ill+ 1heth

Part I-The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi

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Transcript of Part I-The Doctrine of Transcendental Magic by Eliphas Levi