A Practice Guide

Supplemental Comments on Franz

Bardon's

Initiation into Hermetics Course

by
Seila Orienta
 Original German Title: Aus der Praxis für die
PraxisTranslated into English by Peter
Windsheimer
Additional material by Peter Windsheimer

Disclaimer
The author and publisher of this material are not
responsible for injury that might occur, physically,
emotionally or mentally, through misuse of the
exercises and instructions contained within this
publication.
Copyright© 2014 by Peter Windsheimer, Boca
Raton, Florida; USA
ISBN-13: 978-1503143579
ISBN-10: 1503143570

All rights reserved. No part of this publication

may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system
or transmitted in any form, electronic, mechanical,
photocopying or recording in any form
 Table of Contents
Preface
Foreword
Step I
Magic Mental Training I
Thought Control
Thought Discipline
Thought Vacancy
Magic Psychic Training I
Magic Physical Training I

Step II
Magic Mental Training II
Life Force

Step III
The Elements
Step IV
 Magic Mental Training IV
Magic Physical Training IV

Step V
Magic Mental Training V
Magic Psychic Training V
Annotation
Step V Supplement
Mastery of the Elements and Introspection

Step VI
Magic Mental Training VI
Magic Psychic Training VI
Step VI Annotation
A Meditation upon the Universal Nature of Human
Beings

Step VII
Magic Mental Training VII

Step VIII
 Magic Mental Training VIII
Magic Psychic Training VIII
Step VIII Annotation
Step IX
Magic Mental Training IX
Magic Psychic Training IX
The Impregnation of the Astral Body with the Four
Divine Virtues

Step X
Magic Mental Training X
Magic Psychic Training X

Epilog
Dear Reader!
 Preface
Before introducing the reader to this work, some
explanation is necessary about this unique little
book.
The title alone may seem a bit confusing, but this
little work already existed in Prague under the
tutelage of Franz Bardon. Master Arion did not just
write physical books, but to a greater extend, he
wrote astral books, including the entire library of
all 78 Tarot cards, to which a hermetic student of
rank may have access. Anion is such a student of
rank, who, under the pseudonym of "Seila Orienta"
conveyed this work from the realm of Akasha to
his students as a support on their hard path of
Initiation into Hermetics. Master Arion instructed
him to "translate" this book as a supplement for the
practicing student. I consider the content of this
small book extremely interesting and hope the
reader will be able to gain much by studying this
book.
The Publisher
 Foreword
The content of this book has been considered as
some of the most secret of the hermetic writings.
This work lifts the veil of silence and at the same
time show the quintessence of each exercise in
Initiation into Hermetics. Every exercise and
every step within Initiation into Hermetics can be
considered a mystery in itself and the practitioner
would have to spend years to recognize the
mysteries. Since many students complain about
failure and disappointment, it is the objective of
this book to help the practitioner along the way.It is
up to Divine Providence, how many practitioners
read this work and will gain from its content. This
book is a merely a supplemental companion to the
great work of Bardon’s Initiation into Hermetics.
Seila Orienta
 Step I
Magic Mental Training I

Thought Control
The exercise of thought control is not only the key
for all mental exercises that follow, but plays an
important role in the practitioner’s mundane life.
Through this exercise, the hermetic student learns
to live consciously and alert in every aspect of
life, no matter how minute. Once mastered, this
exercise will unconsciously influence the
practitioner’s thought process on all levels. The
magician will gain control over his or her thoughts
and thought control enables the student to adapt an
ethical lifestyle. The magician will foresee
possible mental missteps at the moment negative
thoughts germinate within the practitioner’s own
mental plane. Hence, this exercise influences one’s
mental karma. Many hermetic students fail to
observe their thoughts without exercising influence
upon the thought process unfolding before the
mental eye. The key is to just let the mind play out
the thought process as the thoughts appear and exit
the consciousness. Once the student masters the
role of the silent observer, the amount thoughts will
slow significantly to a mere trickle. However,
should the student become active in the process,
thoughts will rush to consciousness like an ember
erupting into flames after being fueled by gasoline.
Many practitioners lament the unmanageable
amount of thoughts passing through the mind during
this exercise. Now they will understand that their
participation in the thought process causes this
flood of thoughts. Once the student has mastered
his or her position as a passive observer, the mind
will grow stiller with every exercise.
 Thought Discipline
The first exercise of thought control, where we
observe our thoughts made us aware of the content
of our world of thoughts and their degree of
intensity (quantity and quality). Now, our task
consists of scrutinizing thoughts and blocking
unwanted thoughts from invading our
consciousness. A hermeticist trained in thought
discipline will, for example, always gain the upper
hand in an argument because the practitioner is
well aware of the prime thought that triggered a
particular argument. The average person will
quickly forget the prime cause of an argument and
become entangled in a web of incoherence. The
hermeticist, being aware of the primal thought will
therefore maintain composure and victorious end
an argument. The hermeticist will always be
aware of the primary thought that is underlying
other life situations. He or she will become aware
of his or her world of thoughts and confidently
recognize thoughts that cause certain situations and,
importantly, prevent unwanted thoughts and thought
processes altogether.
 Thought Vacancy
This exercise is associated with the Akasha
principle and is considered one of the most
difficult exercises to be mastered. In many
instances, it may take years of effort to achieve a
deep proficiency of thought vacancy. There is a
great mystery underlying the vacancy of thought.
The hermeticist who mastered 10 minutes of
thought vacancy, will notice an increase of the
health and strength of the mental body as well as a
noticeable increase of intellectual faculties,
intuition and creativity.

As the hermetic practitioner extends the length of

the vacancy exercise session, he or she will
experience space and timelessness. One will
become completely unaware of one’s physical
body and immersed in a feeling of complete
freedom.

Further intensification leads to contact with

Akasha, which manifests itself as a universal light
without time and space and impresses highest
devotion and enlightenment upon the hermeticist.
The neophyte will devise methods to ease the
initial difficulties of this exercise by fixation on
one point or imagine oneself in a vast universe of
blackness. Eventually, those auxiliary means will
not be necessary anymore.
 Magic Psychic Training I
Introspection constitutes of a systematic approach
towards the Akasha principle. What we call
hermetic (magic) equipoise is really an expression
of the Divine principle within us. The word
equipoise, or balance, describes what the Akasha
principle is all about: It keeps our universe as well
as humankind balanced. The hermeticist imitates
the highest being and brings bliss of the four
virtues of the TETRAGRAMMATON to his or her
surroundings by creating a soul mirror and
attaining equipoise.

The principle of introspection is not the

metamorphosis of all the negative attributes into
positive virtues. That would be a one-sided
undertaking. However, we must change our
character in a way so that we have an equal amount
of attributes not just in all four elemental
categories, but an equal amount in the negative
AND positive categories as well (e.g. 20 positive
and 20 negative attributes in the fire element
category; 20 positive and 20 negative attributes in
the air element category; 20 positive and 20
negative attributes in the water element category;
20 positive and 20 negative attributes in the earth
element category). This means if we are short of a
negative attribute in a certain element, we must add
one to our character to balance our character. If we
look at the macrocosm from a universal vantage
point, we would be aware that every positive
genius being has an opposite negative counter
genius. The principle of “that which is above is
also below” affirms the balance of the negative
and positive sides. Should we become all light,
the shadow would vanish and light would become
pointless. We recognize light only through the
existence shadow and vice versa. A one-sided
practitioner would lose his or her individuality in
the end. The saints and mystics are an example of
one-sided development. It makes more sense to
walk with both legs than just one. Balance is the
key and the reason that the hermetic science is also
called the golden middle path.

While creating a soul mirror, we begin working on

balancing the negative side first. Once successful,
we shift our attention to the positive side and work
on adjusting the number of positive virtues to the
number of the negative ones. Only then can we
speak of balance and counterbalance. Had we
annihilated all our negative attributes, we would
be helpless in all of situation that life deals us and
in the end perish prematurely.

Hermetic equipoise amounts to the strengthening of

our own Akasha or Divine principle, which guides
us throughout life in all our deeds and actions in a
way that we won't burden ourselves with the
results of the law of cause and effect. After all,
karma cannot incriminate God.
 Magic Physical Training I
Step I Magic Physical Training of Initiation into
Hermetics does not need any supplementary
explanation.
 Step II
Magic Mental Training II
The mental exercises of this step will strengthen
our willpower and general mental prowess by
schooling our five senses individually through
sensory exercises. While performing these
exercises, we are actually elevation ourselves
away from the physical realm to which we have
been bound until now.

In the second step, we will learn the principle of

evocation from the mental to the astral sphere.
Through our imagination, we learn to draw
something mentally invisible into the astral sphere
and render it visible. We will train all our senses
(four elements) this way. Through this schooling
process, we are able to evoke mental Akasha on
the astral level. Since Akasha is synonymous with
equipoise and the Golden Middle, it is most
effective on the astral level. The mental is above
the astral and the astral is above the physical,
Akasha and the astral have the principle of
equipoise in common. At this level, we will
become aware of a great mystery that Divine
interconnection can only take place on an astral
level. In other words, through drawing mental
forces down into the astral sphere we also
unconsciously draw the Divine principle into the
astral sphere in which we can achieve anything.
Aside from that, the schooling of the five senses
through imagination exercises poses as a
prerequisite for advancement through the program
of Initiation into Hermetics.
If we had more experience with life force at this
level, we could physically materialize anything we
imagine since faith, life force and imagination are
the keys to materialization. I urge the student to
think about this. More on the subject of life force
can be found in the next chapter.
 Life Force
We know that life could not be possible without
life force, called Prana in Sanskrit. This force
originates in the ether principle of the material
plane. Life force is closely associated with the
term magnetism, due to the nature of this force to
attract and absorb thoughts and events, regardless
of the electromagnetic constitution of thoughts and
events. Furthermore, life force is a direct
emanation of Divine Providence and a relevant
part of the astral and mental matrices. Without life
force, any alchemical process would be doomed to
fail.

In its natural form, life force is the subtlest part of

physical matter. Its level of physical concreteness
is directly proportional to its density. Herein also
lies the secret of transmutation. Once compressed,
life force that is impregnated with any thought form
or idea becomes physically visible. For the
hermetic practitioner, actively working with life
force is the key of success on the physical level.

Life force is not just a substance we inhale and

exhale, but also the highest Divine force of this
plane. We have to be aware of this fact when if we
want work with this force successfully. A
hermeticist with the ability to highly compress life
force could produce any material object, once the
force is impregnated by a thought or idea.

Here we see that we are working with both, the

quantitative and qualitative aspect of life force.
Quantity is the intensity of light and radiance, the
force that attracts and quality is the Divine
emanation with its four virtues. This is the way
God created life.
 Step III
The Elements
Once we are working with the four elements, we
must be aware through meditation that we are
working with the JOD HE VAU HE. In other
words, we are working with the name of God.

Once we are working with the fire element, we are

also working with the JOD, whose quantitative
attributes are force, heat and expansion. Fire’s
qualitative attributes are omnipotence (power) and
almightiness. Therefore, it would be unwise to be
working with the quantitative aspect of heat and
expansion alone. Such action could be considered
blasphemy. Master Bardon considered intuition
and solid faith prerequisites in pursuing the path
described in his books. He assumed that the
practitioner is intuitively aware that he or she must
not work only quantitatively with the elements, but
qualitatively as well.

As every practitioner knows, the water element’s

quantitative attributes are contraction and frigidity.
Its qualities are omnisentience (all-love) and
cosmic life. The practitioner would fail if he or
she would not consider the use of quality as well
as quantity of while working with the elements.
Although at this level of development, the
practitioner won’t be able to fully grasp the Divine
virtues in their entirety and use his or her
imagination to form a mental concept of the virtues,
but will be able to benefit from the lowest
oscillations of the Divine virtues by integrating the
qualitative aspects.

There is no need to describe the other two

elements because the student will know how to
proceed. Should the practitioner fail to work in the
manner described above, he or she will not have
the strength to complete the course of study up to
the 10th step of Initiation into Hermetics and be
unable to achieve union with his or her personal
Godhead. After all, this union with the personal
Godhead is crowning goal of the first Tarot card,
the true mystery that begins with element
absorption and ends in the union with the Godhead.
 Step IV
In the fourth step, we will expand element
absorption by placing each element quantitatively
and qualitatively into the corresponding zones of
the physical body. Attempting these element-
exercises without considering both aspects of the
elements will result in a one-sided development.
The student will realize just how important it is to
consider both aspects, by absorbing the
quantitative and qualitative aspects.
 Magic Mental Training IV
At this level, the practitioner will realize that the
mental body of a human being can assume any form
or shape and, therefore, it is not bound to the
human shape alone. This mystery will change the
practitioner’s attitude toward animals and plants
and ultimately he or she will treat all creatures
with respect and kindness. Like humans, they are
spirits as well; although in a different form.

It is considered a sin against the spirit for a human

to adopt animal characteristics because certain
character attributes of animals could turn a human
being into an individual that acts upon animal-like
characteristics that the individual has incorporated
as [art of his or her character. Humans do not
descend from apes. However, apes and humans
evolved from a homo genus of early humanoids.

While mastering the mental exercises of this step, a

mastery of shifting the consciousness enables the
practitioner to comprehend and control any living
being or object. A hermeticist could shift his or her
consciousness into a wild animal to tame the
creature in an instant. The human spirit has the
capability to shift consciousness and thus, guide
and manipulate an animal’s consciousness.
However, the true goal of this step’s exercises is to
prepare the practitioner’s mind to ultimately
connect with higher noble beings and Godheads.
Although in this case, the higher being or Godhead
will manipulate the practitioner’s consciousness,
which is inevitable since the higher will always
control the lower spirit. Furthermore, we will
learn that everything, no matter how small or large,
has been created through the Divine spirit, and thus
in everything we will find the four elements with
Akasha in the central position. The student should
meditate upon these words.
 Magic Physical Training IV
Master Bardon has dealt with the subject of rituals
in detail. I recommend that the practitioner should
adopt only one ritual at this time of development to
utilize, due to the great effort required in
constructing a force field within Akasha. Primarily,
the student should create a ritual that gestures
devotion to his or her personal Godhead.
Everything else would be preposterous in light of
the level of progress.
 Step V
Magic Mental Training V
The fifth step is considered the most prolonged and
arduous one within hermetical course of the first
Tarot card. Once the practitioner penetrates into
the epicenter of any object or the Akasha principle
of a human being, he or she will be positioned
within the so-called astral ether.

The astral plane is the product of a certain level of

density of the Akasha principle and the four
elements are projected from the astral ether. This
enables us to contact the dead or our guardian
spirit from within the depth point or epicenter.
After all, within the astral plane, we are able to
see from the present tense into the future and past.
The exercise of epicenter evoked in some initiates
the notion that the material world is merely a
changeable deception or Maya. However, those
initiates overlook the fact that the astral plane is
alterable as well.

The astral ether comprises of the subtlest

oscillation that is perceptible by an initiate, hence,
it is part of the essence of Divine Providence. It is
important to become oblivious of the existence of
the physical body while performing the exercise of
transplanting into the depth point in order to avoid
disorientation due to the physical distraction. Once
we close in onto the depth point, we should be in a
position to imagine ourselves as small as possible.
We must be able to shrink our mind significantly so
that any object no matter how small, will appear an
entire cosmos relative to our own imagined size.
Such a journey of exploration of the infinite to the
depth point or epicenter will evoke within us the
realization that there is neither large nor small.
Size and expanse are relative and in principle
everything contained within our cosmos appears of
equal size.

This revelation will later enable us to find our way

through the macrocosm, where known
measurements such as time, space and dimensions
do not exist. The projection of consciousness to the
depth-point, the absolute center of an object or
being, may be in contradiction to our normal
consciousness and mastery will demand many
repetitions. In order to avoid losing one’s
consciousness while transplanting the
consciousness to the depth point, the practitioner
will use affirmations such as: I AM THE
CENTERPOINT OF THE OBJECT/BEING; I
REIGN SUPREME OVER THIS COSMOS.

At the point of death, upon the rupture of the astral

matrix, the mental body of the deceased immerses
into this central depth point for a moment. Since
time and space are suspended, the deceased will
experience his or her entire life in a mere
“moment” once again for evaluating positive and
negative endeavors in life. Through this
knowledge, the practitioner is aware of the
paramount importance of astral equipoise. During
this post-life evaluation, imbalance causes
distortions within one’s consciousness, whether
positive or negative. These very distortions of
consciousness would frustrate any success of true
projection of consciousness to the central depth
point.
 Magic Psychic Training V
At the present state of development, the
practitioner may partake in the evocation or
densification of the elements. The student must be
using the highest level of faith — combined with
imagination — when releasing the elements into
our environment through our solar plexus. The
practitioner would not be able to densify any
element to the point of visibility by an untrained
eye without faith and imagination. At this point,
many practitioners may feel anguish, should a
given element fail to materialize to the point where
it can be perceived and felt physically.

The next exercise directs the practitioner to the

evocation of the elements directly from the
cosmos. Since the element is not drawn into the
practitioner’s body, and thus remains
uncontaminated, an element and maintains its
purity, free from any personal oscillations and
conditions. Therefore, we speak of pure elements.
During the process of evocation of an element from
the astral plane, the practitioner must use
imagination to keep the element as pure and
spiritually with the subtleness close to the Akasha
principle’s subtleness. Free of any activity aside
from purely existing, any element will be pure and
ethereal when we draw the element from its
cosmic source. The subtle nature of a pure,
ethereal element cannot be described by mere
words due to its profound radiance of its particular
Divine attribute (e.g. omnipotence). When the
element materializes, it loses its subtlety, but
retains its purity when it becomes visible to the
naked eye.
 Annotation
Once a particular element has been evoked, the
practitioner should use great caution by avoiding
any negative or destructive thoughts and deeds, as
they will be magnified by the element and cause
great harm. The practitioner is cautioned of the
possibility of great personal harm, as the element
will turn against the practitioner.
 Step V Supplement

Mastery of the Elements and

Introspection
At this level, the practitioner draws the elements
directly from the cosmos into his or her body, only
to release the element through the solar plexus into
the practice room and later dissolve the manifested
elements back into the cosmos. That constitutes the
quantitative aspect of the exercise. However, the
qualitative aspect must not be neglected in order to
succeed with the element practice. Here is an
example of qualitative element work: Once the
practitioner condenses the proper amount of an
element — for example the fire element —he or
she chooses a negative attribute of the fire element
column of the magic soul mirror and, utilizing
imagination, bind a particular negative fire
attribute to the fire element that was drawn into the
body. Once assured of the linkage of the inhaled
fire and the attribute, the practitioner will release
the fire element through the solar plexus into the
room. We must be absolutely certain that the JOD
has been impregnated by a chosen attribute and we
must feel that both, the Divine virtue of
Omnipotence and the attribute from the soul mirror
are securely anchored in the JOD. At this point, the
practitioner may release the JOD explosively back
into the cosmos. After several repetitions of this
process, the practitioner will be free of that
attribute that he or she chose to eliminate.
However, the hermetic student must have reached
this step to utilize this method.
It is a relatively simple way to work on one’s
character. This way, the practitioner will eliminate
attributes that might hinder him or her in
advancing, or if necessary, reestablish a
disconcerted equipoise. Since Master Bardon
knew that the student should have the proper
intuition to devise his or her own method, did not
mention this method in Initiation into Hermetics.
Far more can be drawn from Bardon’s works by
reading between the lines. Practice will open the
practitioner’s channels of intuition and wisdom.
 Step VI
Magic Mental Training VI
At this point of evolution, humankind exists in a
state of conscious oblivion. Most individuals live
semiconsciously in a mental twilight, because most
individuals lack the understanding of proper
schooling. Therefore, only a minority of
individuals lives fully conscious.

In the previous steps, we learned to shift our

consciousness into objects, animals and humans. In
step six, the practitioner learned to project the
spirit from its mental sphere down to the material
sphere. The practitioner knows that the
consciousness is analog to the earth element.
Therefore, we have mastered the use of the earth
element astrally as well as physically. It is the
purpose of this step’s mental training course that
we learn to draw all four elements down to the
physical plane.

This task may prove difficult since the mental body

lives in a state of space and timelessness. It may
prove quite problematic for one’s mental body to
adjust to physical conditions and laws, and may be
the subject to the displacement of one or more
elements.

A practitioner, who has successfully graduated to

this step, may attempt the task of drawing his or her
spirit to the physical plane in order to work
actively (as opposed to working passively) on the
physical plane. Although well trained, the
practitioner may experience vertigo or, in the
worst case even faint, which be a sign of an
inadequately schooled spirit and further self-
evaluation is recommended.

Drawing one’s spirit to the material plane implies

that in any situation, a fully conscious spirit will
exert its influence upon anything. We are now in a
position to act mentally, astrally and physically on
the material plane and the mental body will gain
much strength all the way through the material
vibrations.
 Magic Psychic Training VI
The psychic training of this step will teach us the
familiarization of the Divine principle in the form
of astral ether. The practitioner will experience
world-enrapture while performing these exercises,
due to the space and timeless nature of ether. These
exercises should be regarded as a supplementation
of the center depth-point exercise of Step V, Magic
Mental Training, because we now must identify
ourselves with the universal Akasha principle.
From the vantage point of Akasha, there is not any
interior or exterior. Therefore the projection into
the center depth point and identification with
Akasha immerse. Hence, they are the same.

The laws of Akasha dictate that infinite space is

non-space, and infinite time is timelessness. These
laws of the plane of course yield thoughts and
concepts and permit their manifestation on any
desired plane.

Mastery of the elements of this causal plane (while

the practitioner has immersed him/herself in
Akasha through center depth-point exercise) will
prove quite effortless since Akasha is the cause of
existence of all the elements. The extent of
hermetic abilities of a practitioner that has
conscientiously satisfied all requirements of this
and all previous steps will exceed the imagination
of any fellow human being. Now we are prepared
to utilize rituals properly: for each element and
each plane eight rituals. More about these rituals
can be discovered in Initiation into Hermetics.
There is no need for additional discussion of
Magic Physical Training of step six of Initiation
into Hermetics. Bardon’s exposition shall suffice.
 Step VI Annotation

A Meditation upon the Universal

Nature of Human Beings
We know that the mental body enlivens the astral
body through the mental matrix and the astral
matrix enlivens the physical body. The question for
the practitioner to ponder upon is: “How is it
possible for the mental matrix to draw thoughts
from the mental plane and its Akasha principle?”.
 Step VII
Magic Mental Training VII
In this step, the practitioner will be tasked to
analyze and examine his or her mental body and its
functions once more. Through previous meditation
and character training, the practitioner as attained
balance of the mental body and its matrix.
However, even at this advanced point of
development, there may be one or two elements,
for example, will and intellect that may cause an
imbalance. Every individual that was deemed
worthy by fate to walk the path of hermetics has
undergone some schooling in preceding times
(lives), which may be a disadvantage at this time.
The hermetic practitioner may have caused an
imbalance due to inequitable practices of some
Yoga systems or religious mysticism. Through the
practice of mysticism or other one-sided religious
training, the water element aspects of sentience and
love are especially pronounced. Or a pact with a
negative genius in a previous incarnation resulted
in a severe deformation of the mental body in the
present incarnation. In this case the extended use of
only one or two elements while working in the
domain of the demon genius will atrophy unused
element aspects of the mental body.

If we fail to thoroughly examine our mental

equipoise in this seventh step, we would fail to
achieve union with our personal Godhead and
disrupt our astral balance. It would have been
advantageous to recognize handicaps transferred
from past incarnations in the earlier steps, but only
the present development of working consciously
with the Akasha principle and the mental body on
the physical level, enables us to balance all
elements within our mental body through exercises
that strengthen the weakened element(s).
Otherwise, we had to become content with mere
sainthood.
The consequence of sainthood would be
inadvertent dissolution of one's self into the
Akasha principle. A one-sided mystic whose ego
was not dissolved, may acquire mental equipoise
in the course of many onerous incarnations, and it
may take many centuries to harmonize the elements
of the ill-balanced mental body; truly an
unenviable fate. There were saints within the
Christian Church, who toiled for centuries to reach
mental equipoise. For this reason, the practitioner
should secure mental equipoise through exercises
in order to succeed on the hermetic path. The most
gifted student will realize, that he or she has ever
achieved mental equipoise as this step's exercises
are mastered with ease.

Step VII Psychic Training and Step VII Physical

Training have been clearly described in Initiation
into Hermetics and there is no need for further
explanation.
 Step VIII
Magic Mental Training VIII
Mental travel proves to be fraught with great
difficulties since the traveler has to rely initially
on imagination and I advice the novice traveler to
visit nearby environments, people or animals first.
This way, the practitioner will be able to compare
and verify his or her visions with reality to be
certain that either true mental travel has occurred,
or the entire trip was a matter of imagination alone.
The practitioner will realize that the supposed trip
was merely imagined. Many lodges or systems
confuse imagined trips with real mental travel and
this way construct imaginary worlds or scenes and
even claim mental intercourse with great Godheads
or spirits.
The student who wishes to attain adepthood will
begin with very brief mental trips. Upon
completion, the traveler will compare the
environment he or she has experienced through
mental travel with the actual physical environment
to determine the reality of the wanderings.
Countless students will practice mental traveling
this way for many years until fully successful.
Once successful, the student may travel at his or
her leisure. At this point, the hermetic student may
travel the world and journey to other planes
without falling victim to illusory mental constructs.
The student will now feel a mental proficiency and
independence that allow travel to higher spheres to
accumulate practical knowledge.
 Magic Psychic Training VIII
Now, as the student has reached absolute mental
and astral equipoise, Akasha reveals itself as the
great moment of NOW. The student will come to
the realization that the dimension time ceased even
in the physical world; past and future will cease to
exist.

The student exists in this moment of NOW and thus

approaches the material aspect of the Akasha
principle. In this mind frame, every deed in daily
life will be completed in a state of full
consciousness. The finest nuances of thoughts are
captured and evaluated at a moment’s notice.
Again, the student is cautioned to refrain from
engaging in negative and destructive thoughts, as
they will create chaos in the student’s environment.
Before long, such a person will be blinded by
Maya to end chaos. Akasha will halt all
development.

We will realize that material Akasha or the

material ether will keep the entire evolution in
balance. Wars, disease, famine and other
adversities are a necessary part of development
and the balancing act of the positive and negative
principles cause the Akasha principle to gradually
manifest itself on the earthly plane. It is the task of
the Brotherhood of Light to create causes that
counterbalance the negative principle on earth and
achieve a harmonious balance. An adept will not
think destructively and will lovingly persevere
until evolution is complete. That is the great
moment of NOW and it will not just involve
presence, but rather omnipresence.
 Step VIII Annotation
The electric fluid originates from the fire element
and the magnetic fluid from the water element.
Instructions to use these fluids are well described
in Initiation into Hermetics.

However, there are no Quabbalistic explanations

for “OR” and “OB” Initiation into Hermetics.
They basically are the macrocosmic explication of
the act of creation. At close inspection of the first
Tarot card, we will find that Brahma personifies
the electric principle and Shakti the magnetic
principle. Both, Brahma and Shakti are portrayed
in Indian philosophy as creator pair. Therein lies a
great mystery, which demonstrates to the
practitioner the colossal might of both fluids.
In actuality, there are not four elements that were
created by Akasha. The electric and magnetic
fluids were generated from Akasha, a principle of
uncreated status. Akasha, therefore is the state of
pre-creation or non-existence, a concept that is
beyond human comprehension, because the human
spirit conceptualizes within creation. Akasha does
not exist, but it creates. There are no words to
explicate that which is not. Even “nothing” is a
concept and therefore part of creation. We can see
that trying to comprehend that which does not exist
leads to a philosophical dead end.

However, Akasha reveals and conceptualizes itself

as the God who cannot be discovered or
comprehended because both primal fluids fade
inside Akasha and no human can reach such depths
from whence these fluids originate. We obtain our
knowledge through the aid of the tetra-polar
magnet and through this magnet, we reveal the
mysteries of creation, but only the Quabbalist can
fully grasp those mysteries. Without Akasha’s
revelation and the conceptualization of a supreme
God as a creator, intelligent beings fail to
understand their existence.

The tetra-polar magnet dwells within Akasha and

each main fluid consists of two polar oscillations
of the passive and active. Thus, we count four
poles that allude to the four elements. In
Quabbalah, the number one symbolizes God. It can
be interpreted in a way that deep within the one
that can never be interpreted or grasped, the
electric and magnetic fluids are one. Zero being the
one who is not.

After the completion of the union with one’s

personal Godhead, all four Divine virtues
converge into one. The practitioner will do further
work with the Divine principle in step ten of the
initiation course.

Initiation into Hermetics, especially in step eight,

thoroughly explicated lower element work. Since
this kind of element work is considered lower
magic, anyone who successfully completed step
three can utilize the elements in his or her hermetic
work.

There is no further instruction on the magical

physical training. The instructions of step one
physical training should have become routine.
One’s life force must have become quite radiant
through meditation and practice.
 Step IX
Magic Mental Training IX
The mental exercises of step nine are thoroughly
described by Franz Bardon should be clear to
every practitioner.
 Magic Psychic Training IX
Only a small number of individuals have mastered
the conscious separation of the astral body from
the physical one. Bardon’s instructions in reference
to astral travel are excellent. However, the student
cannot be warned enough times of the dangers of
astral separation and only a student healthy of mind
and body should dare to commence with this
practice. The conscious separation activates
person’s sense of self-preservation intensely.
Although the separation will be conducted
deliberately, it constitutes the process of death and
dying. Once the student has conquered his or her
sense of self-preservation, which instinctively
evokes a natural fear of dying, the he or she will be
confronted with the absolute reality of astral
consciousness. While training for mental travel, the
student faces multiple hurdles in the form of
illusion and self-deceit. Illusion and self-deceit are
not found with astral travel.

Once the student has conquered his or her fears and

mastered the astral exit from the physical hull, he
or she desires to visit the student’s true home, the
astral world. The sensation of absolute freedom
and detachment from the material will draw the
traveler through a rotational movement of the astral
body right into the astral realm. Initially, the
student will be surrounded by a spectacular,
indescribable color display. After ascending
further into this realm, the student will begin to
discern shapes, eventually becoming aware of
plants, trees and animals. All these beings oscillate
from within their souls to display their unique
characters and attributes. No animal is shy or
malevolent and the whole scene can vaguely be
compared to the biblical paradise.

There are night and day in the astral realm.

However, nighttime is not as perspicuous as the
earthly counterpart. Would the traveler roam
through an astral forest, the radiance emanating
from the surrounding plant life permanently
illuminates the environment. Even the waters from
rivers, lakes and seas radiate a wonderful emerald
light.

As an astral being, the traveler can easily cross

any waters without the dangers associated with
material water and beautiful water creatures and
intelligences populate all bodies of water. Anyone
can read about water beings in detail in Bardon’s
Practice of Magical Evocation.

Principally, astral inhabitants do not travel by foot,

but rather “wish” themselves to a particular
location. The realms that the adept will enter lack
negative principles such as famine, war, avarice,
envy or animosity. The universal laws dictate that
the negative principle affects the adept only in the
physical realm and not in the astral world.

Astral beings communicate telepathically and

symbolically. The traveler will also find villages
and small towns that are composed completely
different from the material counterparts. There are
no factories or similar manufactories on this level.
A lower astral level, the realm of reflection,
contains anything that can be found in our physical
world. However, the practitioner would not desire
to visit such realms and only seek higher
development.

There is no requirement for food in this realm, as

we know it in the physical world. The astral body
gathers nourishment through the mental body,
which directs energy in the form of elements and
fluids into the astral body.

On the astral plane, there are places of study and

learning that are staffed by teachers who are
humans that are gifted with extensive knowledge of
the astral plane. These beings are well versed in
the universal laws of this plane and thus are
qualified to teach. From time to time, a universal
being from the highest realms manifests itself to
reveal mysteries that allow accelerated
advancement for the pupils.

The astral realm is also the home of the high

principle beings and genii. These beings do not
possess human form, but consist of energy fields,
colors and abstract shapes that mirror their
characters.

Aschmunadai and Lilith are the oldest astral beings

and are the prefiguration or prototype of
humankind. An astral traveler, who enters the
realm of Aschmunadai would find a vast empire
that is inhabited by highly advanced principal
beings that regulate the mental, physical and astral
realms through the electric and magnetic fluids. At
the epicenter of this realm stands a pyramid that
oscillates the spiritual virtues of Aschmunadai.
Should the traveler be permitted entry, then
Aschmunadai will assume human form and appear
before his visitor as a venerable white-haired king
with a magnificent crown of matchless beauty upon
his brow. He will be dressed in garments that shine
of pure gold and each finger id adorned by a ring
that each symbolizes a particular Divine virtue and
a universal law. Aschmunadai’s face appears
friendly yet strict and the radiance of his green
eyes initially paralyzes his unsuspecting visitor.
His mind is sharp and he has complete knowledge
and wisdom of the entire astral world, a world that
has no spatial limit. There is no principle of genius
found in the Zone Girdling the Earth that would
dissent his will. He is the primordial being of the
astral realm’s creative principle. It is a true
blessing for the highly schooled human to have an
audience with this that is magnificent being.

All religions are represented in the astral realm: A

Christian will find Christ, a Buddhist will find
Buddha, a Muslim will find Allah, etc. In order to
unify with one’s Godhead in the astral realm, an
individual must contemplate deeply upon the
desire to connect with God. God will appear to an
adept as a bright sun. An adept will be in the
position to unify with God, immerse in the Divine
light and experience things beyond any description.

We will notice that the negative principle is quite

ineffective in the astral sphere, except for those
unfortunate individuals in the lower spheres, who
are under the influence of negative genii. Owning
to the lack of negativity, we have to incarnate back
to the material world, where “good” and “bad” do
coexist. The human spirit can further itself only
through the contrast of light (positive) and shadow
(negative). A common individual will spend
between 25-70 years on the astral plane, whereas a
hermeticist will spend between nine months to
thousands of years, before incarnating, depending
on individual missions that the adept will receive
directly through Divine Providence.

This brief description should suffice. It is only

meant as a supplement to what Franz Bardon wrote
in The Practice of Magical Evocation. A detailed
account of every level of the astral sphere, from
the coarsest to the finest, would be impossible
because there are infinite degrees.
The Impregnation of the Astral Body
with the Four Divine Virtues
The practitioner will initially draw the Divine
virtues into his or her astral body. That same
process was employed in previous steps when
drawing individual elements and the Akasha
principle into the astral body. In order to give each
virtue the proper quantity, recommendations call
for seven inhalations. For example, as we inhale
the virtue of the fire element, we will feel
omnipotence. At this point we will begin to
meditate upon this Divine virtue most ardently. It
may take an hour or even days before we
consciously comprehend the concept of the
omnipotence that has entered the astral body. We
will sense that there is no higher force next to this
virtue and no power outside stands supreme,
physically, astrally or mentally.

We will proceed with the other elements in the

same fashion. The fire element is followed by the
air element, the water element and earth element.

The mental body will also experience apotheosis

through the apotheosis (astral impregnation with
the Divine virtues) of the astral vessel. The adept
knows that the mental body, as it was created,
epitomizes the image of God; in other words, the
mental body is part and parcel of Divinity. The
question may arise, as to how something already
Divine can be deified? In this step in Initiation
into Hermetics, the spirit expands modify
willpower to omnipotence, intellect into
omniscience, sentience into omnisentience or all-
love and consciousness into omnipresence. Thus is
the natural evolution of the human spirit. In the
beginning, there was an immortal human spirit,
which now has evolved into an IMMORTAL
HOLY SPIRIT, as Christian mysticism would
describe it.

Naturally, the practitioner will notice that these

virtues will influence the physical body as well.
We are placed on the path to sovereignty on all
three levels, mental, astral and physical, in the
mineral, botanical and animal kingdoms.

It is not recommended to remain impregnated with

Divine virtues in everyday life. The adept could
not function well in mundane situations and
circumstances. Furthermore, the adept would be in
violation of the law of silence. Surely, the adept
will comprehend these words.
 Step X
Magic Mental Training X
The adept has now achieved a level of training,
when visiting the realm of the elements will
become second nature. Of all four realms of the
elements, the water realm poses the most danger to
the practitioner.

Among initiates, it is known that some of the lovely

beings of the water element are allocated the task
to slow or even block an adept’s further
development. No one is immune and no one should
say: “THAT WON’T HAPPEN TO ME!”

Those water beings are of an intoxicating beauty

beyond all imagination. Their display of
loveliness, power of attraction and seduction tax
the adept’s power of resistance while visiting this
realm. The adept’s consciousness and senses are
highly aroused by these skilled temptresses (the
mermaids’ counterparts, the mermen, are just as
handsomely attractive and alluring to the psyche of
a female adept). Their clear and sharp minds
easily home in on any weakness the adept may
have hidden deep within. Aided by the magnetic
fluid, they are quite proficient in bewitching an
adept with ease. However, impregnating the astral
body with the Divine virtue of omnisentience as
the adept would violate the universal laws. Should
an adept, charged with omnisentience, enter the
realm of the water element, the native beings
would flee in fright and proximity or touch would
cause the immediate demise to the unfortunate
water being, because the oscillation of the Divine
virtue would disrupt the natural oscillation of the
water element within the native being. None of the
mermaids and mermen of any rank, with the
exception of the highest sovereigns of the water
realm, would be able to withstand such powerful
Divine oscillations. It may be compared to the
powerful electric charge of a lightning bolt
entering the body. More information on the subject
of elemental realms can be found in The Practice
of Magical Evocation.

Since the realm of the water element is directly

connected with the Venus sphere, the adept will
understand the attractive force of the water element
and it’s beings.
At this point, the adept will come in direct contact
with his or her guardian spirit if he or she has not
already done so previously while travelling the
astral sphere. Such an initial encounter with one’s
guardian spirit is quite memorable since the
guardian spirit has known and guided his protégé
for a long time. A guardian spirit of an adept is a
highly evolved human being and can justly be
considered the adept’s guru. This spirit will
supervise the adept’s further development and a
truly great friendship will develop between
guardian and protégé. Should fate test the adept
from time to time, the guardian spirit will always
support the adept and he or she will find comfort in
his or her guardian spirit.
 Magic Psychic Training X
In this step the practitioner will create a Divine
union by drawing virtues from the exterior cosmos
into the very soul. Such an apotheosis transforms a
human being into a Divine being. Now the student
will become a Divine being who is endowed with
all the spiritual honors.

Upon completion of the first Tarot card, the adept

will pass through a magnificent astral gate. All
beings, negative and positive, will bow before the
new adept. Divine Providence has prepared a
crown of polychrome light that represent the
adept’s spiritual qualities. A member of the
“Brotherhood of Light” presides over this highly
magical ceremony of coronation.
Covered with a robe of invincibility, the adept
radiates a greatness, which places him or her in
line of the greatest sovereigns and the entire
hierarchy stands at his or her disposal. During the
ceremony a ray of Akasha enters the adept and
transforms the adept’s astral and mental matrices
into supremely subtle receptors that facilitates a
close interconnectedness between the adept’s
microcosm and Divine principles of the
macrocosm.

No words can accurately describe a unique

ceremony that marks the beginning of the path into
high adepthood. During the ceremony, the newly
crowned adept will be rewarded for all previous
efforts along the path of initiation and all the
difficulties that the adept had to endure during the
course. All hardships are duly honored and
accredited.

Akasha now has transformed from a dark violet to

a radiant light that allows true proximity to the
Divine, evokes deep humility within the adept’s
spirit and awakens a deep desire to serve God.
This ceremony is part of the astral initiation
process and further descriptions may not be
divulged due to the code of silence.
 Epilog
It would let me have great joy if I had succeeded in
giving the practitioner a deeper insight into Franz
Bardon’s great work Initiation into Hermetics.
The purpose of this brief practice guide shows the
path and from a different perspective by bringing
to light on some of the profundity of the hermetic
course. May the seeker recognize the true
magnificence of initiation. The practitioner will
realize that the height of the goal corresponds
directly to the degree of effort necessary to
complete the path.

I wish all practitioners success and blessings on

their paths.
Seila Orienta
 Dear Reader!
So far we have translated the 4th and 5th Tarot
Cards, as well as The First Lesser Arcanum into
English. If there is a big interest in other books that
are presently only published in German, we will
make more works available to our English readers.
Franz Bardon has stated that all four Tarot cards,
and an introduction of the 5th card will be
revealed. Now the time has come to make the
missing cards available to English speaking
readers.

The next work that is being translated is "As

Above, so Below " which is an autobiography of
Seila Orienta, with whom I had personal contact.
Peter Windsheimer