Occultism INTRODUCTORY ESSAY BY ALEISTER CROWL | Bg “How if ’a will not stand?” “Why, then, take no note of him, but let him go; and pres- ently call the rest of the watch together and thank God you are rid of a knave.”! NLY ONE SCIENCE IS NESCIENCE. Occultism, Why? O Never studied properly. What students! Cranks, degener- ates, old maids! What methods? Gossip. Lectures—to geese by asses. Are the terms of the science defined? Ask a Theosophist, who puts karma under his pillow at night, the meaning of the word. Nine times it has no idea; the tenth a false one. There are no facts in Occultism, no axiomata, no definitions. Any person can set up as a teacher—no qualifications are necessary. The educa- tion of a scholar is a handicap; that of a gentleman a disqualifi- cation. Is it not right that the world should treat the subject with scorn, its professors as reptiles? It is right. There is one organization and one only to which these remarks do not apply. It is known as the A.’.A... To all appli- cants it prescribes study; definite, hard study. The same kind of : (Shakespeare, Much Ado about Nothing, iii, 3.]Fas oe 1 [A note to the 1913 examination: amii works of reference in anemerig a full and satisfactory reply would attainment is concerned, to the f those who would be d -ab-drivers- jnust be mastered, not | horitative, D' Student may know w h peas iy che best thinkers of all ages. A\ subject a) ie oer’ fea vn examination is set. Flere 1s the achs (a 3 BS jown the principal correspondences of | ite d 5 1. Write do quarius, the planer Jupltes ani Fh. y Tiphareth of all the multiples of the Make a stu 2. Make 410, and endeavour £0 ttace a between them. z 3. Make a study of the various methods Pai: A, and endeavour to classify them heads as possible. 4, Give an interpretation of Tannbiiuser, Palamedes the Saracen in terms of the Qabalah 5. Write an essay on the mystical meanings piscis, the Right-Angled Triangle and the ‘Compare the mystical methods of Mé Give some account of the Hindu idea’ Body and Soul. i Compare the wands described by Eli melin, the Author of the Goétia, and stating which you would prefer, and why. Design a Pantacle to synthesize the nu ). Write out a Ritual complete wit Temple, etc., for producing a thun . Discuss the difference between Hindu with regard to dtman, stating to v incline, and why. Give either (a) a full and careful consecutive chapters in The Bi commentary and criticism on Hashish,” or “The Training c Soldier and the Hunchback.”! for 0 s is asked or even ¢ study @ are 1 12. should not imagine that too much j» Occultism = 3 \s paper is not t0 be answered at b, Bh about oscltism, Only cae aes : Jne set of answers to this pa cupi y-writeen iene paper occupied over 60 pages proceed to the next stage. The Student, hecomes a Probationer. For a whole year he occupies himself wih such experiments as he may think fit-—he is left to his axrg jdgnent—and he must keep a record of every day’s work, Ay te end of the year this record is studied by the examiners, and crivcized in detail, Only continuous and intelligent hard work cnables the Probationer to pass to Neophyte, Proceed to the next stage. The Neophyte for at least eight months must work at the acquisition of knowledge and control of what is called his “Body of Light” and the “Astral Plane.” These are no vague terms. He is again examined. Symbols are given him of such a character that no rational process can deci- pher them, and he must clearly and in detail give the meaning before he can pass to Zelator, the next grade. Here is one of the examination papers set in 1913. There are several other powers to be gained, but this example will suffice. having Passed, 1. Go through a door on which is engraved this figure and explain the figure in detail by means of your visions. 2. Invoke Mercury and Hod, and travel till you meet the Unicorn yy " mentioned in “Liber LXV,” Cap. Ill, verse 2. Report its conversa~ n tion fully. 3. Discover by visions the nature of the Alchemical princi- ples, Sulphur, Mercury, and Salt. How do they differ from the 3 gunas, and the elements Fire, Water, Air? 4. Give an account of the sign Aquarius in the Four Worlds, Assiah, Yetzirah, Briah, and Atziluth. 5. Visit and describe fully the Qliphoth of Aries. 6. Visit Iophiel and Hismael, and report their appearance, mode of life, and conversation. The Zelator of the A..A.’. is therefore one who has passed certain definite ordeals and examinations, and acquired certain e iTne Equinox 1 pass himself off for @ member o¢ A charlacan ¢ anny vagueness possible. Slipshod Work Further there ist noe do. The dl eeaa Of the work, jeneral oe easy-going platitidesaall fatuities, are all eas, power ade that ge « will not do. : 1 ro be evaded; are nol i 1¢ this train of thought. F, vi scessary tO purse ra He or eath ‘¢ End the principle is the same. Thy the beginning to th rom y ins he pupil knowing. id they insist on t know, and inal oe Is this w rage the aspirant? A sed thereby is unworthy of the nee le diosaunee | t the most difficult of all subjects, the science wonderful thal en occupied the’ minde: nee sreates which ae davin of history until todayy the Pyramid ep thier ere builder would hardly dare to claim that he had added ¢/singlevstonel shot ieinend more work, “a harder work, than any other? The subtlest of sciences, is it not the most need of precision? The most dangerous, is it not that which ait be fenced with every armour of caution, and cool judg- ment, and common sense? ; Does any man expect to learn trigonometry from a popular handbook in an hour? Does any man throw away a treatise on conic sections with the remark that it is “obscure” or “all rubbish”? What is the cost to life of every advance in knowl edge? How many men have died that other men might fly? How many lives were lost in the mere building of the Forth Bridge? Do you think that you will succeed where Plato half failed, tush in where Aristotle feared to tread? You may. But not without giving all that you have and are, Does this discourage you? Then it is not written in vain. Does this encourage you? Then you have passed the first ordeal. You are chosen, To the work!