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A.'. A.'.
Publication in Class B.
Imprimatur:
N. Fra A.'. A.'.

0. This is the Book of Uniting Himself to a particularDeity by devotion.

1. "Considerations before the Threshold." First concerningthe choice of a
particular Deity. This matter is of no import, sobeitthat thou choose one
suited to thine own highest nature. Howsoever, this methodis not so suitable
for gods austere as Saturn, or intellectual as Thoth.But for such deities as
in themselves partake in anywise of love it is a perfectmode.

2. "Concerning the prime method of this Magick Art." Letthe devotee
consider well that although Christ and Osiris be one,yet the former is to be
worshipped with Christian, and the latter with Egyptianrites. And this
although the rites themselves are ceremonially equivalent.There should,
however, be "one" symbol declaring the transcending ofsuch limitations; and
with regard to the Deity also, there should be some "one"affirmation of his
identity both with all other similar gods of other nations,and with the
Supreme of whom all are but partial reflections.

3. "Concerning the chief place of devotion." This is theHeart of the
Devotee, and should be symbolically represented {39}by that room or spot
which he loves best. And the dearest spot therein shallbe the shrine of his
temple. It is most convenient if this shrine and altarshould be sequestered
in woods, or in a private grove, or garden. But let itbe protected from the
profane.

4. "Concerning the Image of the Deity." Let there be animage of the
Deity; first because in meditation there is mindfulnessinduced thereby; and
second because a certain power enters and inhabits itby virtue of the
ceremonies; or so it is said, and We deny it not. Letthis image be the most
beautiful and perfect which the devotee is able to procure;or if he be able
to paint or to carve the same, it is all the better.As for Deities with
whose nature no Image is compatible, let them be worshippedin an empty
shrine. Such are Brahma, and Allah. Also some postcaptivityconceptions of
Jehovah.

5. "Further concerning the shrine." Let this shrine befurnished
appropriately as to its ornaments, according to the book777. With ivy and
pine-cones, that is to say, for Bacchus, and let laybefore him both grapes
and wine. So also for Ceres let there be corn, and cakes;or for Diana
moon-wort and pale herbs, and pure water. Further itis well to support the
shrine with talismans of the planets, signs and elementsappropriate. But
these should be made according to the right Ingeniumof the Philosophus by
the light of the Book 777 during the course of his Devotion.It is also well,
nevertheless, if a magick circle with the right signsand names be made
beforehand.

6. "Concerning the Ceremonies." Let the Philosophus preparea powerful
Invocation of the particular Deity according to his Ingenium.But let it
consist of these several parts: {40}

First, an Imprecation, as of a slave unto his Lord.
Second, an Oath, as of a vassal to his Liege.
Third, a Memorial, as of a child to his Parent.
Fourth, an Orison, as of a Priest unto his God.
Fifth, a Colloquy, as of a Brother with his Brother.
Sixth, a Conjuration, as to a Friend with his Friend.
Seventh, a Madrigal, as of a Lover to his Mistress.
And mark well that the first should be of awe, the secondof fealty, the
third of dependence, the fourth of adoration, the fifthof confidence, the
sixth of comradeship, the seventh of passion.

7. "Further concerning the ceremonies." Let then thisInvocation be the
principal part of an ordered ceremony. And in this ceremonylet the
Philosophus in no wise neglect the service of a menial.Let him sweep and
garnish the place, sprinkling it with water or with wineas is appropriate to
the particular Deity, and consecrating it with oil, andwith such ritual as
may seem him best. And let all be done with intensityand minuteness.

8. "Concerning the period of devotion, and the hours thereof."Let a
fixed period be set for the worship; and it is said thatthe least time is
nine days by seven, and the greatest seven years by nine.And concerning the
hours, let the Ceremony be performed every day thrice,or at least once, and
let the sleep of the Philosophus be broken for some purposeof devotion at
least once in every night.

Now to some it may seem best to appoint fixed hours forthe ceremony, to
others it may seem that the ceremony should be performedas the spirit moves
them so to do: for this there is no rule. {41}

9. "Concerning the Robes and Instruments." The Wand andCup are to be
chosen for this Art; never the Sword or Dagger, neverthe Pantacle, unless
that Pantacle chance to be of a nature harmonious. Buteven so it is best to
keep the Wand and Cup, and if one must choose, the Cup.

For the Robes, that of a Philosophus, or that of an AdeptWithin is most
suitable; or, the robe best fitted for the service ofthe particular Deity, as
a bassara for Bacchus, a white robe for Vesta. So also,for Vesta, one might
use for instrument the Lamp; or the sickle, for Chronos.

10. "Concerning the Incense and Libations." The incenseshould follow the
nature of the particular Deity; as, mastic for Mercury,dittany for
Persephone. Also the libations, as, a decoction of nightshadefor
Melancholia, or of Indian hemp for Uranus.

11. "Concerning the harmony of the ceremonies." Let allthese things be
rightly considered, and at length, in language of theutmost beauty at the
command of the Philosophus, accompanied, if he has skill,by music, and
interwoven, if the particular Deity be jocund, with dancing.And all being
carefully prepared and rehearsed, let it be practiseddaily until it be wholly
rhythmical with his aspiration, and as it were, a partof his being.

12. "Concerning the variety of the ceremonies." Now, seeingthat every man
differeth essentially from every other man, albeit inessence he is identical,
let also these ceremonies assert their identity by theirdiversity. For this
reason do We leave much herein to the right Ingeniumof the Philosophus.

13. "Concerning the life of the devotee." First, let hisway of life be
such as is pleasing to the particular Deity. Thus to{42} invoke Neptune,
let him go a-fishing; but if Hades, let him not approachthe water that is
hateful to Him.

14. "Further, concerning the life of the devotee." Lethim cut away from
his life any act, word, or thought, that is hateful tothe particular Deity;
as, unchastity in the case of Artemis, evasions in thecase of Ares. Besides
this, he should avoid all harshness or unkindness ofany kind in thought,
word, or deed, seeing that above the particular Deityis One in whom all is
One. Yet also he may deliberately practise cruelties,where the particular
Deity manifests His Love in that manner, as in the caseof Kali, and of Pan.
And therefore, before the beginning of his period ofdevotion, let him
practise according to the rules of Liber Jugorum.

15. "Further concerning the life of the devotee." Now,as many are fully
occupied with their affairs, let it be known that thismethod is adaptable to
the necessities of all.

And We bear witness that this which followeth is the Cruxand Quintessence
of the whole Method.

First, if he have no Image, let him take anything soever,and consecrate it
as an Image of his God. Likewise with his robes and instruments,his
suffumigations and libations: for his Robe hath he nota nightdress; for his
instrument a walking stick; for his suffumigation a burningmatch; for his
libation a glass of water?

But let him consecrate each thing that he useth to theservice of that
particular Deity, and not profane the same to any otheruse.

16. "Continuation." Next, concerning his time, if it beshort. Let him
labour mentally upon his Invocation, concentrating it,and let him perform
this Invocation in his heart whenever {43} he hath theleisure. And let him
seize eagerly upon every opportunity for this.

17. "Continuation." Third, even if he have leisure andpreparation, let
him seek ever to bring inward the symbols, so that evenin his well ordered
shrine the whole ceremony revolve inwardly in his heart,that is to say in the
temple of his body, of which the outer temple is butan image.

For in the brain is the shrine, and there is no Imagetherein; and the
breath of man is the incense and the libation.

18. "Continuation." Further concerning occupation. Letthe devotee
transmute within the alembic of his heart every thought,or word, or act into
the spiritual gold of his devotion.

As thus: eating. Let him say: "I eat this food in gratitudeto my Deity
that hath sent it to me, in order to gain strength formy devotion to Him."

Or: sleeping. Let him say: "I lie down to sleep, givingthanks for this
blessing from my Deity, in order that I may be refreshedfor new devotion to
Him."

Or: reading. Let him say: "I read this book that I maystudy the nature of
my Deity, that further knowledge of Him may inspire mewith deeper devotion to
Him."

Or: working. Let him say: "I drive my spade into the earththat fresh
flowers (fruit, or what not) may spring up to His glory,and that I, purified
by toil, may give better devotion to Him."

Or: whatever it may be that he is doing, let him reasonit out in his own
mind, drawing it through circumstance and circumstanceto that one end and
conclusion of the matter. And let him not perform theact until he hath done
this. {44}

As it is written: Liber VII, cap. v. ---
22. "Every breath, every word, every thought is an
act of love with thee.
23. "The beat of my heart is the pendulum of love.
24. "The songs of me are the soft sighs:
25. "The thoughts of me are very rapture:
26. "And my deeds are the myriads of Thy Children,
the stars and the atoms."

And Remember Well, that if thou wert in truth a lover,all this wouldst
thou do of thine own nature without the slightest flawor failure in the
minutest part thereof.

19. "Concerning the Lections." Let the Philosophus readsolely in his
copies of the holy books of Thelema, during the wholeperiod of his devotion.
But if he weary, then let him read books which have nopart whatever in love,
as for recreation.

But let him copy out each verse of Thelema which bearsupon this matter,
and ponder them, and comment thereupon. For therein isa wisdom and a magic
too deep to utter in any other wise.

20. "Concerning the Meditations." Herein is the most potentmethod of
attaining unto the End, for him who is thoroughly prepared,being purified by
the practice of the Transmutation of deed into devotion,and consecrated by
the right performance of the holy ceremonies. Yet hereinis danger, for that
the Mind is fluid as quicksilver, and bordereth uponthe Abyss, and is beset
by many sirens and devils that seduce and attack it todestroy it. Therefore
let the devotee beware, and precise accurately his meditations,even as a man
should build a canal from sea to sea.

21. "Continuation." Let then the Philosophus meditate{45} upon all love
that hath ever stirred him. There is the love of Davidand of Jonathan, and
the love of Abraham and Isaac, and the love of Lear andCordelia, and the love
of Damon and Pythias, and the love of Sappho and Atthis,and the love of Romeo
and Juliet, and the love of Dante and Beatrice, and thelove of Paolo and
Francesca, and the love of Caesar and Lucrezia Borgia,and the love of
Aucassin and Nicolette, and the love of Daphnis and Chloe,and the love of
Cornelia and Caius Gracchus, and the love of Bacchusand Ariadne, and the
love of Cupid and Psyche, and the love of Endymion andArtemis, and the love
of Demeter and Persephone, and the love of Venus andAdonis, and the love of
Lakshmi and Vishnu, and the love of Siva and Bhavani,and the love of Buddha
and Ananda, and the love of Jesus and John, and manymore.

Also there is the love of many saints for their particulardeity, as of
St. Francis of Assisi for Christ, of Sri Sabhapaty Swamifor Maheswara, of
Abdullah Haji Shirazi for Allah, of St Ignatius Loyolafor Mary, and many
more.

Now do thou take one such story every night, and enactit in thy mind,
grasping each identity with infinite care and zest, anddo thou figure thyself
as one of the lovers and thy Deity as the other. Thusdo thou pass through
all adventures of love, not omitting one; and to eachdo thou conclude: How
pale a reflection is this of my love for this Deity!

Yet from each shalt thou draw some knowledge of love,some intimacy with
love, that shall aid thee to perfect thy love. Thus learnthe humility of
love from one, its obedience from another, its intensityfrom a third, its
purity from a fourth, its peace from yet a fifth. {46}

So then thy love being made perfect, it shall be worthyof that perfect
love of His.

22. "Further concerning meditation." Moreover let thePhilosophus imagine
to himself that he hath indeed succeeded in his devotion,and that his Lord
hath appeared to him, and that they converse as may befitting.

23. "Concerning the Mysterious Triangle." Now then asthree cords
separately may be broken by a child, while those samecords duly twisted may
bind a giant, let the Philosophus learn to entwine thesethree methods of
Magic into a Spell.

To this end let him understand that as they are One, becausethe end is
one, so are they One because the method is One, eventhe method of turning
the mind toward the particular Deity by love in everyact.

And lest thy twine slip, here is a little cord that wrappethtightly round
and round all, even the Mantram or Continuous Prayer.

24. "Concerning the Mantram or Continuous Prayer." Letthe Philosophus
weave the Name of the Particular Deity into a sentenceshort and rhythmical,
as, for Artemis: epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron-nu,
epsilon-pi-epsilon-lambda-theta-omicron-nu,
Alpha-rho-tau-epsilon-mu-iota-sigma; or, for Shiva: NamoShivaya namaha
Aum; or, for Mary: Ave Maria; or for Pan,
chi-alpha-iota-rho-epsilon Sigma-omega-tau-eta-rho
kappa-omicron-sigma-mu-omicron-upsilon, Iota-omega Pi-alpha-nu,
Iota-omega Pi-alpha-nu; or, for Allah: Hua Allahu alazilailaha illa Hua.

Let him repeat this day and night without cessation mechanicallyin his
brain, which is thus made ready for the advent of thatLord, and armed against
all other.

25. "Concerning the Active and the Passive." Let the Philosophuschange
from the active love of his particular Deity to a stateof passive waiting,
even almost a repulsion, the repulsion not of distaste,but of sublime
modesty. {47}

As it is written, Liber LXV.ii.59. I have called untoThee, and I have
journeyed unto Thee, and it availed me not. 60. I waitedpatiently, and Thou
wast with me from the beginning.

Then let him change back to the Active, until a veritablerhythm is
established between the states, as it were the swingingof a Pendulum. But
let him reflect that a vast intelligence is requiredfor this; for he must
stand as it were almost without himself to watch thosephases of himself, And
to do this is a high Art, and pertaineth not altogetherto the grade of
Philosophus. Neither is it of itself helpful, but ratherthe reverse, in
this especial practice.

26. "Concerning silence." Now there may come a time inthe course of this
practice when the outward symbols of devotion cease,when the soul is as it
were dumb in the presence of its God. Mark that thisis not a cessation, but
a transmutation of the barren seed of prayer into thegreen shoot of yearning.
This yearning is spontaneous, and it shall be left togrow, whether it be
sweet or bitter. For often times it is as the tormentof hell in which the
soul burns and writhes unceasingly. Yet it ends, andat its end continue
openly thy Method.

27. "Concerning Dryness." Another state wherein at timesthe soul may fall
is this dark night. And this is indeed purifying in suchdepths that the soul
cannot fathom it. It is less like pain than like death.But it is the
necessary death that comes before the rising of a bodyglorified.

This state must be endured with fortitude; and no meansof alleviating it
may be employed. It may be broken up by the breakingup of the whole Method,
and a return to the world without. This cowardice notonly destroys the value
{48} of all that has gone before, but destroys the valueof the Oath of Fealty
that thou hast sworn, and makes thy Will a mockery tomen and gods.

28. "Concerning the Deceptions of the Devil." Note wellthat in this state
of dryness a thousand seductions will lure thee away;also a thousand means of
breaking thine oath in spirit without breaking it inletter. Against this
thou mayst repeat the words of thine oath aloud againand again until the
temptation be overcome.

Also the devil will represent to thee that it were muchbetter for this
operation that thou do thus and thus, and seek to affrightthee by fears for
thy health or thy reason.

Or he may send against thee visions worse than madness.

Against all this there is but one remedy, the Disciplineof thine Oath. So
then thou shalt go through ceremonies meaningless andhideous to thee, and
blaspheme shalt thou against thy Deity and curse Him.And this mattereth
little, for it is not thou, so be that thou adhere tothe Letter of thine
Obligation. For thy Spiritual Sight is closed, and totrust it is to be led
unto the precipice, and hurled therefrom.

29. "Further of this matter." Now also subtler than allthese terrors are
the Illusions of Success. For one instant's<<WEHNOTE: Magick in Theory and
Practice has "But one instant's...">> self-satisfactionor Expansion of thy
Spirit, especially in this state of dryness, and thouart lost. For thou
mayst attain the False Union with the Demon himself.Beware also of even the
pride which rises from having resisted the temptations.

But so many and so subtle are the wiles of Choronzon thatthe whole world
could not contain their enumeration.

The answer to one and all is the persistence in the literalfulfilment of
the routine. Beware, then, last, of that devil {49} whoshall whisper in
thine ear that the letter killeth, but the spirit givethlife, and answer:
Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground, and die,it abideth alone, but
if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit.

Yet shalt thou also beware of disputation with the devil,and pride in the
cleverness of thine answers to him. Therefore, if thouhast not lost the
power of silence, let it be first and last employed againsthim.

30. "Concerning the Enflaming of the Heart." Now learnthat thy methods
are dry, one and all. Intellectual exercises, moral exercises,they are not
Love. Yet as a man, rubbing two dry sticks together forlong, suddenly found
a spark, so also from time to time will true love leapunasked into thy
mediation. Yet this shall die and be reborn again andagain. It may be that
thou hast no tinder near.

In the end shall come suddenly a great flame and a devouring,and burn thee
utterly.

Now of these sparks, and of these splutterings of flame,and of these
beginnings of the Infinite Fire, thou shalt thus be aware.For the sparks
thy heart shall leap up, and thy ceremony or meditationor toil shall seem of
a sudden to go of its own will; and for the little flamesthis shall be
increased in volume and intensity; and for the beginningsof the Infinite Fire
thy ceremony shall be caught up unto ravishing song,and thy meditation shall
be ecstasy, and thy toil shall be a delight exceedingall pleasure thou hast
ever known.

And of the Great Flame that answereth thee it may notbe spoken; for
therein is the End of this Magick Art of Devotion.

31. "Considerations with regard to the use of symbols."It {50} is to be
noted that persons of powerful imagination, will, andintelligence have no
need of these material symbols. There have been certainsaints who are
capable of love for an idea as such without it beingotherwise than degraded
by "idolising" it, to use this word in its true sense.Thus one may be
impassioned of beauty, without even the need of so smalla concretion of it
as "The beauty of Apollo", the "beauty of roses", the"beauty of Attis". Such
persons are rare; it may be doubted whether Plato himselfattained to any
vision of absolute beauty without attaching to it materialobjects in the
first place. A second class is able to contemplate idealsthrough this veil;
a third class need a double veil, and cannot think ofthe beauty of a rose
without a rose before them. For such is this Method ofmost use; yet let them
know that there is this danger therein, that they maymistake the gross body
of the symbol for the idea made concrete thereby.

32. "Considerations of further danger to those not purgedof material
thought." Let it be remembered that in the nature ofthe love itself is
danger. The lust of the satyr for the nymph is indeedof the same nature as
the affinity of Quicklime for water on the one hand,and of love of Ab for Ama
on the other; so also is the triad Osiris, Isis, Horuslike that of a horse,
mare, foal, and of red, blue, purple. And this is thefoundation of
Correspondences.

But it were false to say "Horus is a foal" or "Horus ispurple". One may
say: "Horus resembles a foal in this respect, that heis the offspring of two
complementary beings".

33. "Further of this matter." So also many have said trulythat all is
one, and falsely that since earth is That One, and {51}ocean is That One,
therefore earth is ocean. Unto Him good is illusion,and evil is illusion;
therefore good is evil. By this fallacy of logic aremany men destroyed.

Moreover, there are those who take the image for the God;as who should
say, my heart is in Tiphereth, and an Adeptus is in Tiphereth;I am therefore
an adept.

And in this practice the worst danger is this, that thelove which is its
weapon should fail in one of two ways.

First, if the love lack any quality of love, so long isit not ideal love.
For it is written of the Perfected One: "There is nomember of my body which
is not the member of some god." Therefore let not thePhilosophus despise any
form of love, but harmonise all. As it is written: LiberLXV, 32. "So
therefore Perfection abideth not in the Pinnacles orin the Foundation, but in
the harmony of One with all."

Second, if any part of this love exceed, there is diseasetherein. As, in
the love of Othello for Desdemona, love's jealousy overcamelove's tenderness,
so may it be in this love of a particular Deity. Andthis is more likely,
since in this divine love no element may be omitted.

It is by virtue of this completeness that no human lovemay in any way
attain to more than to foreshadow a little part thereof.

34. "Concerning Mortifications." These are not necessaryto this method.
On the contrary, they may destroy the concentration,as counter-irritants to,
and so alleviations of, the supreme mortification whichis the Absence of the
Deity invoked.

Yet as in mortal love arises a distaste for food, or apleasure in things
naturally painful, this perversion should be endured{52} and allowed to take
its course. Yet not to the interference with naturalbodily health, whereby
the instrument of the soul might be impaired.

And concerning sacrifices for love's sake, they are naturalto this Method,
and right.

But concerning voluntary privations and tortures, withoutuse save as
against the devotee, they are generally not natural tohealthy natures, and
wrong. For they are selfish. To scourge one's self servesnot one's master;
yet to deny one's self bread that one's child may havecake is the act of a
true mother.

35. "Further concerning Mortifications." If thy body,on which thou
ridest, be so disobedient a beast that by no means willhe travel in the
desired direction, or if thy mind be baulkish and eloquentas Balaam's fabled
Ass, then let the practice be abandoned. Let the shrinebe covered in
sackcloth, and do thou put on habits of lamentation,and abide alone. And do
thou return most austerely to the practice of Liber Jugorum,testing thyself
by a standard higher than that hitherto accomplished,and punishing
effractions with a heavier goad. Nor do thou return tothy devotion until
that body and mind are tamed and trained to all mannerof peaceable going.

36. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies.I. Rising on
the planes." By this method mayst thou assist the imaginationat the time of
concluding thine Invocation. Act as taught in Liber O,by the light of Liber
777.

37. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies.II. Talismanic
Magic." Having made by thine Ingenium a talisman or pantacleto represent the
particular Deity, and {53} consecrated it with infinitelove and care, do thou
burn it ceremonially before the shrine, as if therebygiving up the shadow for
the substance. But it is useless to do this unless thoudo really in thine
heart value the talisman beyond all else that thou hast.

38. "Concerning minor methods adjuvant in the ceremonies.III. Rehearsal."
It may assist if the traditional history of the particularDeity be rehearsed
before him; perhaps this is best done in dramatic form.This method is the
main one recommended in the "Exercitios Espirituales"of St Ignatius, whose
work may be taken as a model. Let the Philosophus workout the legend of his
own particular Deity, and apportioning days to events,live that life in
imagination, exercising the five senses in turn, as occasionarises.

39. "Concerning minor matters adjuvant in the ceremonies.IV. Duresse."
This method consists in cursing a deity recalcitrant;as, threatening
ceremonially "to burn the blood of Osiris, and to grinddown his bones to
power." This method is altogether contrary to the spiritof love unless the
particular Deity be himself savage and relentless; asJehovah or Kali. In
such a case the desire to perform constraint and cursingmay be the sign of
the assimilation of the spirit of the devotee with thatof his God, and so an
advance to the Union with HIm.

40. "Concerning the value of this particular form of Unionor Samadhi." All
Samadhi is defined as the ecstatic union of a subjectand object in
consciousness, with the result that a third thing ariseswhich partakes in
no way of the nature of the two.

It would seem at first sight that it is of no importance{54} whatever to
choose an object of meditation. For example, the Samadhicalled Atmadarshana
might arise from simple concentration of the thoughton an imagined triangle,
or on the heart.

But as the union of two bodies in chemistry may be endothermicor
exothermic, the combination of Oxygen with Nitrogen isgentle, while that of
Oxygen with Hydrogen is explosive; and as it is foundthat the most heat is
disengaged as a rule by the union of bodies most oppositein character, and
that the compound resulting from such is most stable,so it seems reasonable
to suggest that the most important and enduring Samadhiresults from the
contemplation of the Object most opposite to the devotee.[On other planes,
it has been suggested that the most opposed types makethe best marriages and
produce the healthiest children. The greatest picturesand operas are those
in which violent extremes are blended, and so generallyin every field of
activity. Even in mathematics, the greatest parallelogramis formed if the
lines composing it are set at right angles. ED.]

41. "Conclusions from the foregoing." It may then be suggestedto the
Philosophus, that although his work will be harder hisreward will be greater
if he choose a Deity most remote from his own nature.This method is harder
and higher than that of Liber E. For a simple objectas there suggested is of
the same nature as the commonest things of life, whileeven the meanest Deity
is beyond uninitiated human understanding. On the sameplane, too, Venus is
nearer to man than Aphrodite, Aphrodite than Isis, Isisthan Babalon, Babalon
than Nuit.

Let him decide therefore according to his discretion onthe {55} one hand
and his aspiration on the other; and let not one outrunhis fellow.

42. "Further concerning the value of this Method." Certainobjections
arise. Firstly, in the nature of all human love is illusion,and a certain
blindness. Nor is there any true love below the Veilof the Abyss. For this
reason we give this method to the Philosophus, as thereflection of the Exempt
Adept, who reflects the Magister Templi and the Magus.Let then the
Philosophus attain this Method as a foundation of thehigher Methods to be
given to him when he attains those higher grades.

Another objection lies in the partiality of this Method.This is equally
a defect characteristic of the Grade.

43. "Concerning a notable danger of Success." It may occurthat owing to
the tremendous power of the Samadhi, overcoming all othermemories as it
should and does do, that the mind of the devotee maybe obsessed, so that he
declare his particular Deity to be sole God and Lord.This error has been the
foundation of all dogmatic religions, and so the causeof more misery than all
other errors combined.

The Philosophus is peculiarly liable to this because fromthe nature of the
Method he cannot remain sceptical; he must for the timebelieve in his
particular Deity. But let him (1) consider that thisbelief is only a weapon
in his hands, (2) affirm sufficiently that his Deityis but an emanation or
reflection or eidolon of a Being beyond him, as was saidin Paragraph 2. For
if he fail herein, since man cannot remain permanentlyin Samadhi, the
memorised Image in his mind will be degraded, and replacedby the
corresponding Demon, to his utter ruin. {56}

Therefore, after Success, let him not delight overmuchin his Deity, but
rather busy himself with his other work, not permittingthat which is but a
step to become a goal. As it is written also, Liber CLXXXV.:"remembering
that Philosophy is the Equilibrium of him that is inthe House of Love."

44. "Concerning the secrecy and the rites of Blood." Duringthis practice
it is most wise that the Philosophus utter no word concerninghis working, as
if it were a Forbidden Love that consumeth him. But lethim answer fools
according to their folly; for since he cannot concealhis love from his
fellows, he must speak to them as they may understand.

And as many Deities demand sacrifice, one of men, anotherof cattle, a
third of doves, let these sacrifices be replaced by thetrue sacrifices in
thine own heart. Yet if thou must symbolise them outwardlyfor the hardness
of thine heart, let thine own blood, and not another's,be spilt before that
altar.<<The exceptions to this rule pertain neitherto this practice, nor to
this grade. N. Fra. A.'. A.'..>>

Nevertheless, forget not that this practice is dangerous,and may cause the
manifestation of evil things, hostile and malicious,to thy great hurt.

45. "Concerning a further sacrifice." Of this it shallbe understood that
nothing is to be spoken; nor need anything be spokento him that hath wisdom
to comprehend the number of the paragraph. And this sacrificeis fatal beyond
all, unless it be a sacrifice indeed. Yet there are thosewho have dared and
achieved thereby.

46. "Concerning yet a further sacrifice." Here it is spokenof actual
mutilation. Such acts are abominable; and while {57}they may bring success
in this Method, form an absolute bar to all further progress.

And they are in any case more likely to lead to madnessthan to Samadhi.
He indeed who purposeth them is already mad.

47. "Concerning human affection." During this practicethou shalt in no
wise withdraw thyself from human relations, only figuringto thyself that thy
father or thy brother or thy wife is as it were an imageof thy particular
Deity. Thus shall they gain, and not lose, by thy working.Only in the case
of thy wife this is difficult, since she is more to theethan all others, and
in this case thou mayst act with temperance, lest herpersonality overcome and
destroy that of thy Deity.

48. "Concerning the Holy Guardian Angel." Do thou in nowise confuse this
invocation with that.

49. "The Benediction." And so may the love that passethall Understanding
keep your hearts and minds through Iota-Alpha-Omega
Alpha-Delta-Omicron-Nu-Alpha-Iota Sigma-Alpha-Beta-Alpha-Omegaand through
BABALON of the City of the Pyramids, and through Astarte,the Starry One
green-girdled, in the name ARARITA. AMN.