Some Words of Wisdom
Qabalah:
"The Qabalah, or traditional science of the Hebrews, might be called the mathematics of
human thought. It's the algebra of faith. It solves all problems of the soul as equations,
by isolating the unknowns. It gives to ideas the clarity and rigorous exactitude of
numbers; its results, for the mind, are infallibility (always relative, however, to the
sphere of human knowledge) and for the heart, profound peace."
-- Eliphas Levi, The Book of Splendours, page 27
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"Speaking of the method of the Qabalah, one of the ancient Rabbis says that an angel coming
down to earth would have to take on human form in order to converse with men. The curious
symbol-system known to us as the Tree of Life is an attempt to reduce to diagrammatic form
every form and factor in the manifest universe and the soul of man; to correlate them one
to another and reveal them spread out as on a map so that the relative positions of each unit
can be seen and the relations between them traced. In brief, the Tree of Life is a compendium
of science, psychology, philosophy, and theology."
-- Dion Fortune, The Mystical Qabalah, page 13
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"If we would know the inner nature of man by his outer nature; if we would understand his
inner heaven by his outward aspect; if we know the inner nature of trees, herbs, roots,
stones by their outward aspect, we must pursue our exploration of nature on the foundation
of the Qabalah. For the Qabalah opens up access to the occult, to the mysteries; it enables
us to read sealed epistles and books and likewise the inner nature of men."
--Paracelsus, Selected Writings
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"The Qabalah, is a trustworthy guide, leading to a comprehension of both the Universe an
one's own Self.[…] But the Qabalah is more. It also lays the foundation on which rests
another archaic science-Magic. […] The Qabalah reveals the nature of certain physical and
psychological phenomena. Once these are apprehended, understood and correlated, the student
can use the principles of Magic to exercise control over life's conditions & circumstances
not otherwise possible. In short, Magic provides the practical application of the theories
supplied by the Qabalah."
-- Israel Regardie, A Garden of Pomegranates, pages i-iii
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Magic
"Magic may be defined as the use of some form of ceremonial, ranging from the simple
mantram or spell to elaborate rituals of which the Mass of the Church & the ceremonies
of the Freemason are examples. These are two representative types of magic,
whatever their exponents may like to say to the contrary."
-- Dion Fortune, The Training & Work of an Initiate, page 85
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"Nature is a magician, every plant, animal, and every man is a magician, who uses his
powers unconsciously and instinctively to build up his own organism; or, in other words,
every living being is an organism in which the magical power of the spirit in nature acts;
and if a man should attain the knowledge how to control this power of life, and to
employ it consciously, instead of merely submitting unconsciously to its influence, then
he would be a magician, and could control the processes of life in his own organism,
and perhaps in that of other beings."
-- Franz Hartmann, M.D. Magic: White and Black, page 24
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"…of all hindrances to Magical action, the very greatest and most fatal is unbelief,
for it checks and stops the action of the Will. Even in the commonest natural operations
we see this. No child could learn to walk, no student could assimilate the formulas of
any science, were the impracticability of so doing the first thing in his mind."
-- MacGregor Mathers, The Book of the Sacred Magic of Abramelin the Mage, p. xxiv
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"Magic is the art of manipulating the unseen forces of nature […] A white magician is one
who is laboring to gain the confidence of the powers that be, and to prove, through the
purity of his life and the sincerity of his motive, his worthiness to be entrusted with
the great arcana […] A black magician is one who seeks to gain authority over spiritual
powers by means of force rather than by merit. In other words, he is trying to storm
the gates of heaven; he's one who is seeking spiritual power & occult dominion with an
ulterior motive. […] The black magician's motto is "might is right (survival of the
fittest.) The white magician's motto is: "right is might" (survival of all.)
-- Manly P. Hall, Magic, pages 14-15
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"By means of the traditional Theurgic techniques it is possible to contact consciously this
(astral) plane, to experience its life and influence, converse with its elemental and
angelic inhabitants so-called, and return here to normal consciousness with complete
awareness and memory of that experience. This, naturally requires training. But so does
every department of science. Intensive preparation is demanded to fit one for critical
observation, to provide one with the researches of one's predecessors in that realm. No
less should be expected of Magic…"
-- Israel Regardie, The Art and Meaning of Magic, page 19
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"What would be a world without the magic power of love of beauty and harmony? How would a
world look if made after a pattern furnished by modern science? A world in which universal
truth were not recognised could be nothing else but a world full of maniacs and filled with
hallucinations. In such a world art and poetry could not exist, justice would become a
convenience, honesty be equivalent with imbecility, to be truthful would be to be foolish,
and the idol of "Self" the only god worthy of any consideration."
-- Franz Hartmann, M.D. Magic: White and Black, page 28
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"The path of knowledge is that of the occultist and the sage; that of love is that of
the mystic and the saint. The head or heart approach is not dependent upon the ray, for
both ways must be known; the mystic must become the occultist; the white occultists has
been the saintly mystic. True knowledge is intelligent love, for it is the blending of the
intellect and the devotion. Unity is sensed in the heart; its intelligent application to
life has to be worked out through knowledge."
-- Alice A. Bailey, A Treatise on White Magic, page 120
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"…when I speak here of Magic I have reference to the Divine Theurgy praised and reverenced
by antiquity. It is of a quest spiritual and divine that I write; a task of self-creation
and reintegration, the bringing into human life of something eternal and enduring.[…]
The result which the Magician above all else desires to accomplish is a spiritual
reconstruction of his own conscious universe and incidentally that of all mankind, the
greatest of all conceivable changes. The techniques of Magic is one by which the soul flies,
straight as an arrow impelled from a taunt bow, to serenity, to a profound & impenetrable
repose."
-- Israel Regardie, The Tree of Life, pages 31-32
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Magical Books:
"The literature of the ages is to the beginner in mystical studies by far the safest
approach. It is less dramatic than personal contact and less romantic than pseudo-adepts,
but the hazards of deceit and misinformation are greatly reduced.[…]The average person
who pays twenty-five dollars to some charlatan or only partially informed teacher can secure
more & better knowledge in his subject by spending a few evenings reading authentic text-
books from his free public library."
-- Manly P. Hall, Words to the Wise, pages 31- 32
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Good Teachers
"Simple, studious groups of intelligent men and women, making no pretensions but doing
and living a high standard of personal and collective integrity, without fads or
fetishes, & without elaborate political machinery, are the only groups worthy of even
passing consideration. There is no question but that such groups exist, but they
seldom publicize themselves. Functioning quietly, they are known by their works & not
by their words. To the "joiner," one passing thought: Weigh all things, and cling only
to that which is simple, good, reasonable, and honest."
-- Manly P. Hall, Words to the Wise, pages 27-28
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"Helping people on a spiritual path develop to the utmost of their capabilities is the
rightful duty of a group leader, whether he or she is called Grand Master/Mistress, High
Priestess/Priest, Imperator, Hierophant or by another name. Such a position is not one of
being all-powerful. Rather it is a position of responsibility and service to the
other members of the group. The duty of the leader should include helping each member
to improve on his or her path."
-- Donald Michael Kraig, "The Spiritual Necessity of Hierarchy,
Mezlim, Vol. IV, Issue # 4, Samhain 1994
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Bad Teachers
"So many times the follies and indiscretions of senior members, particularly in esoteric
orders, go unchecked because there is no datum mark by which judgements can be made. This
serious problem occurs so many times in esoteric groups that the ever-growing list of
licentious 'Business Gurus' appearing in the press is growing so fast it is embarrassing.
The public expects politicians to tell lies & business corporations to be devious & cheat,
& scientists to be two-faced and deny responsibility, but it is still not publicly
acceptable for those claiming to have transcended their lower nature to misbehave."
-- Rev. Allan Armstrong, The Order of Dionysis & Paul,
an address given at the 1997 Golden Dawn Conference in London
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"Students of a mind to affiliate with an occult organization should examine with the
greatest of care the merits and demerits of the movement. It is the height of folly
to impulsively link oneself with any organization which has not been thoroughly
examined & analyzed with all discrimination. Fantastically named organizations should,
of course, be entirely avoided. Any group claiming to be the only possessor of most ancient
& profound secrets should be avoided at all costs."
-- Manly P. Hall, Words to the Wise, page 27.
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"Charismatic leaders have long been able to take advantage of their followers. Some charge
huge sums of money for "initiations" and dues. Some use initiations as a way of obtaining
sex under the guise of spirituality. In short, an abusive leader may bully, abuse & coerce
followers into providing money, sex, obedience, work, adulation, etc., all in the guise of--or
preparation for--initiation."
-- Donald Michael Kraig, "The Darker Side of Initiation,"
Mezlim, Vol. IV, Issue # 1, Candlemas 1993
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"…teachers must keep their hands off students' wallets and bodies. After all, if a person
cannot rise above their appetites then they have no business instructing anyone, not even
themselves."
-- Rev. Allan Armstrong, The Order of Dionysis & Paul,
an address given at the 1997 Golden Dawn Conference in London
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Initiation
"It"s well known that like attracts like, & that sooner or later we tend to drift into
the society of our fellows. Especially is this true of those who have contacted the Divine;
the great mental currents which play through the cosmos, just as the invisible magnetic
currents play around the earth, bear him to his appropriate place. This is why the
esoteric science never goes out to seek its pupils."
-- Dion Fortune, The Training and Work of an Initiate, page 30
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"'When the ears of a student are ready to hear, then cometh the lips to fill them with
wisdom.'"
-- Three Initiates, The Kybalion, page 12
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Self-Initiation
"All spiritual development comes from within the individual, arising from discipline
& self-improvement. No man can increase the spirituality of another. To attempt to
do so is to disregard one of the most fundamental laws of nature--the law of Karma. Man earns
wisdom by right thought and right action. The legitimate schools of the ancient
wisdom, and the legitimate teachers of the doctrine offer spirituality to no one. They
merely indicate a path of action, which, if followed with consecration & intelligence over
a long period of years, will result in certain improvement of character & knowledge."
-- Manly P. Hall, Words to the Wise, page 30
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"Remember that God alone is our Light and the Bestower of Perfect Wisdom, and that no mortal
power can do more than bring you to the Pathway of that Wisdom…"
-- from the Neophyte Ritual of the Golden Dawn
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"We cannot remind our readers too often that the Great Initiator comes in the Silence to
the higher consciousness, and is never a human being, however supernatural and secluded.
All that can be done by the Servants of the Masters on the physical plane is the preparation
of the candidate."
-- Dion Fortune, The Training and Work of an Initiate, page 52
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"In stating that that the isolated student could now be his own initiator, one important
phrase is rendered imperative. And that is he must be persistent and as thoroughgoing and
exacting as if he were an initiator in a regularly constituted Golden Dawn temple under
the constant scrutiny of officialdom and higher adept authorities. The responsibility for
progress is thus placed inexorably on the student or candidate himself."
--Israel Regardie, The Complete Golden Dawn System of Magic, page 9
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"Here you prove that you have truly attained thus far of your own strength, and after, you
may progress by the higher Soul within you."
-- from the Portal Ritual of the Golden Dawn
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"The solitary worker is to some extent hoisting himself by his own boot straps. But
not entirely, for inner help is always at hand--and aspiration, sincerely, and constantly
held, will bring inner help & guidance….the actual presence & cooperation of inner beings,
built up generally over time, as faith, familiarity, & knowledge increase, can bring about
considerable progress, even for individuals who may be spiritually & psychologically uplifted,
their auras cleansed, informed, & changed, by a higher presence acting in any of the ways or
the levels that pertain for a magical group."
--Gareth Knight, "Images of Growth in the Hermetic Arts,"
The Golden Dawn Journal: Book III, The Art of Hermes, page 218
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"…just because self-initiation is possible, that doesn't make it easy. Nor should it
be done lightly. This path requires you to be your own task master, and have your wits about
you enough to see when you're cheating yourself, being lazy, or in other ways compromising
your discipline. Personally I think it beats worrying about whether your teacher is an
egomaniac, is leading you astray, or leeching money off of you. It's all a matter of
where you turn your attention: To the teacher outside or within."
-- Richard Kaczynski, "Self-Initiation,"
Mezlim, Vol. IV, Issue # 1, Candlemas 1993
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Alchemy
"Alchemy is also called Hermeticism. Hermes, from the mythical standpoint, is the
Egyptian God both of Wisdom & Magic--which concepts include therapeutics & physical
science as then it was known. All these subjects may, therefore claim just
inclusion within the scope of the significance of the terms Alchemy and Hermetic
subjects."
-- Israel Regardie, The Philosopher's Stone, page 14
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"...the study of alchemy, above all other branches of Occult science, demonstrates the
value of Analogy in our search after the real meaning of the mysteries of man and his
relation to the Universe. "
-- MacGregor Mathers, An Introduction to Alchemy
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"There is more to be gained in Alchemy than vain glory. In fact, vain glory cannot
be obtained in Alchemy. It has nothing to do with it and is as far from it as the day
separates the night. It comes back to the simple statement […] 'Alchemy is the
raising of vibrations.'"
-- Frater Albertus, The Alchemist's Handbook, page 10
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"Therefore learn from Alchemy, which is otherwise called Spagyria. This teaches you to
discern between the true & the false. Such a light of Nature is it that it is a mode of
proof in all things, and walks in light. From this light of Nature we ought to know &
speak, not from mere phantasy, whence nothing is begotten save the four humours &
their compounds, augmentation, stagnation & decrease, with other trifles of this kind.
These proceed not from the clear intellect, that full treasure house of a good man, but
rather are based on a fictitious & insecure foundation. […] Alchemy is, so to speak,
a kind of lower heaven, by which the sun is separated from the moon, day from night,
medicine from poison, what is useful from what is refuse."
-- Paracelsus, "Paramirum" Lib. I c.3, et "De Colica"
