Ritual Initiation - Dion Fortune 79

unequilibrated manner, and his natural instinct would be to resist

them. This would disturb the astral aspect of the ceremony, for
it is very needful to be of one mind in one place for ceremonial,
because the mind work is all important.
In dealing with subjects that are not generally familiar,
a clearer impression is created by an ounce of concrete
Chapter Sa
example than by many pounds of first principles. Let us
then consider the way in which an initiate makes use of the
RITUAL INITIATION technique of ceremonial, bearing always in mind that this i
Dion Fortune technique is simply a means of concentrating mind power.
It is a matter in which everything depends upon the
i
3
foundations laid in the preliminary training, unless the student 'f
Thete is, perhaps, no aspect of occultism upon which more has a firm grasp and an intelligent understanding of first 5
foolishness is talked than upon ritual, whether initiatory or principles, he will inevitably fall into either superstition or
evocative. The very mention of ceremonial magic is enough incredulity; of the two, the latter is much to be preferred, as
to ctisp the hair; but ceremonial magic is simply mind power it does no harm even if it does no good; but to credulity any
concentrated and co-ordinated by means of a formula. It has follies are possible.
its uses, and certain very definite applications, but it has also its We have already indicated the foundations that need to be
limitations; and to think that a magician has only to wave a wand laid - a grasp of the esoteric philosophy and the conditioning
and say Abracadabra, ot words to that effect, and all present will of the mind to the standard symbols. The first is achieved by
fall flat, is completely to misunderstand the modus operandi of theoretical studies ~ the second by the successive experiences
ceremonial. It is safe to say that if a spy were present at even of the initiation ceremonies of the grades. In these ceremonies,
the most exalted ceremonial, far from being blasted, it is only trained people make the thought-forms and build up the
curiosity that would save him from boredom. Equally, upon the atmosphere into which the newcomer is introduced; symbols
other hand, it is folly to deny the power of ritual, but it is only are shown to him under such circumstances, and if he is at
powerful to affect the prepared mind, the mind of a petson all responsive, he becomes definitely conditioned to them in
whe has been “conditioned” to the symbols employed; we have the way already described. Consequently there will be certain
already seen the amount of work that it takes to produce the symbols which for him will have the same power to affect his
necessary “conditioning”, It is obvious therefore, that no casual imagination ever after as have those that he learnt at his mother’s
observer will be even impressed, much less affected. knee when his mind was open and impressionable.
A person naturally psychic would receive definite psychic Butit is not enough that a student goes through a ceremony
impressions, possibly so strong as to be unpleasant; but these once, and has done with it. He must work upon the symbols
would be chaotic in nature because he would not know what to to which he has been introduced if their influence is to build
look for, or how to receive that which he perceives. Consequently up, and-not fade out; for his mind no longet has the plasticity
he would receive the influences of the ceremony in an of infancy, except under conditions of intense emotion,
80 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Ritual Initiation - Dion Fortune 81

which imprint upon a single exposure; consequently acquires skill and is habituated to the influences, and gets over
subsequent work has to be performed in order to consolidate any reactions due to repressed complexes that he is likely to
what has been achieved. make; for if there are pathologies in his own soul, it is best
To this end, the student practises daily meditation upon that he should make his reactions and adjustments at a low
the symbols that have been communicated to him, and in any voltage rather than a high one. Some reaction there always
system worthy of the name he practises it in such a manner will be to every effectual initiation, for no-one is perfect,
that everything is linked together into a synthetic whole and and all unbalanced force in his nature has its disequilibrium
cottelated about a central point. In the Jesuit system, for temporarily exaggerated by the influx of force concentrated
instance, it centres about the Passion of Our Lord; in the by the ceremony; but it should be the reaction of an
Hermetic aspect of the Western Esoteric Tradition everything inoculation, not an actual outbreak of the disease.
is co-ordinated upon the Tree of Life. This I have explained If candidates are wisely chosen and properly prepared,
in detail in my book The Mystical Oabalah, and I do not propose this is what occurs. For at least a year the student’s daily
to make any mystery about it; that book, and these articles, taken meditations are examined and checked, and at certain
together, explain the whole system. All that the student needs points in his course he is interviewed, and that interview
in addition are, firstly, the skill that comes from experience is no perfunctory routine, but a careful investigation by
- and this is not communicable; and secondly, the contacting experienced persons. Not very much gets through that is
onto the actual thought-forms employed; this is reserved, better kept out.
because inexpert use of these thought-forms damages them. As no initiation fees are charged, there is no point in
By his daily meditations, then, the student expands and advancing an unsuitable person. Whether they are poor as
extends that which has been revealed to him. Gradually the church mice or rich as Croesus makes no difference; to admit
symbols reveal their significance as he works at them; gradually unsuitable Croesuses would serve no useful purpose, as they
he sees their relationship to his own life and its problems, soon would speedily depart in disgust, explaining to all who would
he becomes expert at interpreting life’s experience in terms of listen that there is nothing in the system. Which we may as well
the symbol language of the Mysteries. Periodically he returns to admit, is the simple truth. There is nothing in the system except
watch the same ceremony being worked in which he received his what the student puts into it in the way of work and intuition;
original “conditioning”, and renews the experience with more and as I have so impolitely said of other people’s systems, all
understanding, until at last he has arrived at a realisation of its the teaching can be collected from the shelves of second-hand
significance and may be said to have completed the Degree. bookshops ot the popular translations of the classics. “The pearls
Then he goes on to the next, and the process is repeated with ate not mine, but only the thread on which they are strung.”
the additional material now available. As of old, the Outer Court leads into the Lesser Mysteries.
In this way he learns to realise himself as part of the In these the student learns the use of the occult technique.
cosmic whole; he learns to work with the technical methods Neither original research nor the production of phenomena is
of the Mysteries, and to contact the forces they are designed encouraged here, but the student is made to stick to a system
to bring through. All this is taught in a simple and elementary of work and discipline; everyone goes through the same course,
form, with the power well damped down, until the student and the many types of polygonal pegs have to accommodate
82 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Ritual Initiation - Dion Fortune 83

themselves to the same round hole. This is done for two reasons, Paths of the Sepher Yetzirah, conditioning himself to their
firstly, to ensure equilibrium of temperament by forcing a person symbols. Hoe opus, hic labor est. Or in plain English, this will
to strengthen his weak points and curb his exuberances; and keep him busy for some time.
secondly, to put the stamp of a common discipline upon all Now let us consider the use made of this knowledge and
members of the Fraternity, so that subsequent specialisation experience by those who, having completed the Paths, may
shall not lead to fission of the organisation or a development justly be considered adepts. Firstly, such a one works upon his
of a one-sided viewpoint in those who specialise. Even those own soul, perfecting it, equilibrating, purifying and harmonising

ee
who like the process least at the time can generally be found to character; freeing himself from the bondage of imperious
agree that it has been salutary and has broadened the outlook desires; strengthening and refining his intellectual powers, and
and given an understanding of the point of view of other

Se We Wee
stocking his mind with such learning as may bear upon his
temperaments. chosen subjects of specialisation.
The Lesser Mystery training is exactly the same as the At the same time he is establishing relationship between
exercises that build up the muscles of a dancer or the hands himself and the Cosmos; he is making himself part of a larger

ee
of a pianist; it is the essential basis of all that follows and can whole, living with its life, transmitting its energies, serving its
be put to a multiplicity of purposes with equal efficacy. The purposes; it is this realisation that we do not live to ourselves

AW
same technique that enables a ministrant to administer the alone as separate enclosed spheres of selfish interests, that is so

ESES b ou TeneFS
Eucharist with power also enables the alchemist to make that all-important to the ethics of the Mysteries; but we cannot enter
transmutation of the higher gold which is the Philosopher's upon it at the moment as we ate here only concerned with the
Stone of the Illuminati. ptactical technique. It is from this realisation, and this alone, that
Once this generalised technique has been acquired, the power of the magus is derived; without it, for all his learning
specialisation becomes the order of the day. The classification and self-discipline, he might as well cultivate cabbages.

OO RES
is a simple psychological one into the three temperaments
- the intellectual, the devotional, and the artistic, and
even in these there is no hard and fast division, and the
combination of two of the three is not only permitted, but
encouraged. It is rare to find a student who can combine
all three, and for practical reasons it is inadvisable to try
to do so at one time, but to alternate between them.
The devotional and the artistic temperaments have their
own special technique of training and operation, which will
be considered elsewhere in due course; let us for the moment
confine ourselves to the further developments of the Hermetic
method, the Way of the Middle Path.
Employing the technique we have already described, the
student works his way systematically through the Thirty-two
 Ritual Initiation - Gareth Knight 85

They may well be very competent and dedicated souls who

have in this life just received the inner call to seek the higher
wisdom and ate in the process of finding a teacher and a
system of training that is suited to them. The Outer Court
of the Lesser Mysteries enables the Seeker to see if this is the
Chapter 5b appropriate way without too much commitment on either side.
Progress through the Outer Court may take anything from

eee
RITUAL INITIATION a year to eighteen months, for anything less than this is unlikely

ae
Gareth Knight to provide a sufficiently rigorous screening process. It is not

Ses
unusual to expect a 90% drop out rate from an initial study
course of this nature, but those who do pass through it are

Say
The general custom and practice within the Western Esoteric likely to have found what they have been seeking with some

ee
Tradition so far as the training of a ritual magician is concerned degree of certainty.
is a series of graded initiations, about which there is considerable After successfully passing through the Outer Court and
glamorised speculation, perhaps encouraged by the colourful probably a personal interview whete any outstanding doubts
traditional nomenclature. The grades, however, ate no more ot problems maybe aired by either party, the Neophyte can be

a
mysterious than high school grades and serve very much the admitted to the Lesser Mysteties. And in a ritual organisation
same purpose. this is likely to commence with a ritual initiation.
Symbolic detail will vary from one organisation to another A ritual initiation is simply a ritual which is aimed to be of
but generally speaking there is an Outer Court for the sifting petsonal benefit to the Neophyte being admitted, and in a three

SE3 AA
and sorting out of general enquirers, followed by a system of degree Lesser Mystery system there will probably be an initiation

eS
Lesser Mysteries, very often with three formal grades. Beyond for each grade or degtee.

serra
that lie the Greater Mysteries where progress and training tends A ritual initiation, let it be said, is not an ordeal. Nor does
to be on a more individual basis. it have anything to do with the humiliating of an individual,
In the Lesser Mysteries the general basic techniques of ritual often with sexual connotations, that are the staple of many
are acquired, including the inner preparation of the individual mote public “initiation ceremonies”, such as those associated
in the practice of meditation and guided or spontaneous with apprenticeship ot entry to some closed group like the
visualisation. The Lesser Mysteries are likely to have what is police or the military.
called an Outer Court; an introductory stage usually conducted The purpose of initiation into a ritual training group is to
in the form of a correspondence coutse, for studying very basic introduce the candidate to the symbolism of the degree, and into
theory and laying the groundwork of a meditation discipline. the group mind of the body of people who currently constitute
Those unable to sustain the simple discipline imposed will soon that degree. There will be a curriculum through which everyone
go their own way, to mutual benefit. works, along much the same lines as study in the Outer Court,
This is a stage of the game where many applicants are at but individual study will now be supplemented by attendance
the phase of spiritual awakening known as that of the Seeker. at group ritual and other meetings.
86 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Ritual Initiation - Gareth Knight 87

The precise symbolism of each degree curriculum is the same sense that it is defined in the Catholic Church, that
confidential to its members for this enables a tight group is to say, a spiritual truth that is beyond the general processes
mind to be built, a psychic shell in which appropriate spiritual of reason.
development can be encouraged and accelerated. The candidate undergoing an initiation ceremony may be
‘To reveal the precise details of the symbols and rituals to those temporarily lightly bound and blindfolded. This is not part
outside the degree and group concerned would, to a large extent, and parcel of any bondage fetish but a symbolic signification

S
cause a leakage of their power. However, the general ptinciples that the newcomer to the Mysteries comes seeking freedom

ar
are much the same throughout the general tradition and various and enlightenment. Having been freed from the blinds and

= oe
systems have been published, as for example those of the Hermetic encumbrances of the outer world the candidate is shown the
Order of the Golden Dawn and vatious Masonic rites. (Although appropriate symbolism of the degree, and given instruction by

Sa
very few Freemasons ate ritual magicians, many of their rituals the ritual officers concerned, at various stations within the lodge.
can be very powerful indeed if worked by trained minds, which A promise of confidentiality and good faith 1s also given.
suggests something about their origin, if not their current practice). Traditional Masonic oaths have been couched in most
If we examine the structure of many of the published rituals violent and bloodthirsty terms and whilst there may be
we see a general pattern of pillars and altar, perhaps after the a certain justification in maintaining ancient traditions,
style of Solomon’s Temple as described in the Biblical Book according to a seventeenth or eighteenth century taste in
of Kings or the Chronicles, together with symbolic patterns such matters when some of these rituals were first written,
set in a mosaic pavement within a chequered floor pattern. such bizarre overstatements ate generally a thing of the
Two symbols of particular import for the initiate of the Lesser past. In practical terms in modern magical ritual practice
Mysteries may be in evidence, the rough and perfect ashlars. one prefers to say what one means, and mean what one says.
These signify that on entry to the Lesser Mysteries the soul of The same applies to dark references to modes of tribulation
the candidate is like a rough stone just hewn from the quarry, such as “the Punitive Ray” that was dear to the hearts of some
but having passed through the degrees of the Lesser Mysteries Victorian ritualists, concepts deserving more levity than fear. As
will become as a stone that has been squared and polished, made in many walks of life, the more colourful the talk, the less the
symmetrical, and fitted with a ring bolt so that it can be hoisted real threat, for real power has no need of braggadocio.
to its appropriate place in the edifice of the temple. That temple Even so, it should be said that breaking faith with the
of which the candidate aspires to form a part ts the temple of Mysteries in any significant way 1s not a matter to be undertaken
the Greater Mysteries. lightly. But this is not so much a matter of punishments being
In various schools however, the nomenclature may differ meted by vengeful spirits but more in the way of powerful
slightly. In the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, for pent up forces being released in an unbalanced manner by
instance, they used the term 1st Order, for the Lesser Mysteries, unbalanced attitudes, which can indeed give a rough ride to the
and 2nd Order, for the Greater, with a potential 3rd Order for malevolently disaffected.
those who had advanced sufficiently far in the Greater Mysteries. One welcome change in modern esoteric attitudes is
In other circles these latter categories might be termed the Outer that groups may divide and go their separate ways without
and Inner Greater Mysteries. The word Mysteries is used in vituperation and mutual condemnation for being schismatics.
88 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Ritual Initiation - Gareth Knight 89

like
It being more widely recognised that groups may seed Lodge - no outer label being entirely satisfactory. However, by
have an
dandelion clocks, According to their purpose, they the time the initiate is ready to make such a dedication there will,
me if nota
optimum size, beyond which division may be welco or should be, a vivid personal realisation as to just what exactly
its
necessity. Whatever overall occult unity that is required has is being offered, and to whom, and to what purpose.
base upon the inner planes. . The Unreserved Dedication should not be offered lightly,
ries

See
In general terms the three grades of the Lesset Myste and by this token it is not accepted lightly either, for “many are
the ist
ate divided by natural function. The Theoricus within called but few are chosen”. Any such dedication, whether or
ies,
Degree studies the general alphabet and theory of the Myster not accompanied by titual initiation, has to be ratified by those
symbolic
such as, for example, elementary Qabalah and the upon the inner planes to whom the dedication is offered.

R
correspondences of the Tree of Life and various branches In the terminology of the Western Mystery Tradition,
the
of mythopoeic story and legend. The Practicus within

ee
whosoever is so accepted is regarded as an Adept. There are
these
2nd Degree should be more concerned with building irideed various grades of adept but at the level of the Greater

Se S
mind, perha ps Mysteries advancement is more a matter of individual training
symbolic artefacts, both physically and within the
ting
constructing a petsonal ritual temple or shrine and collec and the undertaking of specific tasks initiated from the inner

A
together a personal armamentatium of fitual equipment. The planes. Indeed, another way at looking at this process is to

SS
to
Philosophus within the 3rd Degree should be proceeding regard the progtess of the Adept as being one whose task it is
conscious
the use of these artefacts as a means of personal to become more and more closely aware of the consciousness
es
contact with the invisible realities. And these should be realiti of a particular Master or Masters. The term “Master” should
various
indeed, and not just glamorous hypotheses linked to not be taken in the sense of “master and servant” even though
ic play-things. mutual service is a criterion of work in the Mysteries. The
of the 3rd Degree should therefore

=
ies relationship is more of the natute of inner guide, philosopher

=
ae oe
stay at
be a pretty competent magician and may well elect to and friend.

wa SS
this particular level, a skilled server of the mystery lodge of A titual initiation at the level of admission to Adeptus
of
which he or she forms a part. “A hewer of wood and drawer Minor is likely to be along the lines of a personal death and
water” in the traditional phraseology, but a particularly skilled resurrection dtama - for thatis what is intended. The Dedicand
iousness, is offering to give up the personality values of life in the outer
one at that, for the waters are those of higher consc
and the wood the wisdom framework of the Tree of Life. world, and to be te-born to the values of the inner world.
However, it may fall to some to be called to more dedicated This does not necessarily imply that the Adept must be free
and individual setvice, which implies entry into the Greater of all family and social ties and responsibilities. These, such
Mysteries. This requires a personal dedication that should be as they may be, will remain and by the fact of the Unreserved
ance
as serious and binding as any sactament or oath of allegi Dedication be the greater cernented and sanctified. It is the
what is
on entry to a religious order. The initiation consists of greatest treason for the initiate to presume to sacrifice others in
sometimes called the Unreserved Dedication. This dedication is the outer world for assumed spiritual ideals. But allegiance to the
imes
made to powers beyond the physical plane, to what is somet work of the Masters comes second only to normal obligations
Great White to dependants, whether children, espoused, or aged. There is
called the Planetary Hierarchy of Masters, ot the
90 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Ritual Initiation - Gareth Knight 91
no place for high minded inhumanity in the Mysteries. That one that necessarily confers any superiority in spiritual or moral
indeed is a short cut to the Left Hand Path, and one often well terms over others. Any mote than, in its true function, is
garnished with hypocrisy. it a
fantasy refuge for those who cannot cope with the outer world.
In the course of time the Adeptus Minor may be given
greater responsibility and initiatives and this leads gradually to
the grade of Adeptus Major. And one who is completely free

ae
by personal circumstance of outer ties and obligations, and who
has the ability to function fully as an adept upon the physical

a
plane, may be regarded as an Adeptus Exemptus. Needless to

a
say their ranks are few and nor do they advertise themselves.
Generally speaking the higher grades are inner plane
functions related to outer plane groups. The Masters or Inner
Plane Adepti working behind a group may well be regarded as
the Magestri Templi - the Masters of the Temple. The term

Tw Say es ee
Magus is an honorific one held by anyone who functions in
office by running a ritual or a group upon the physical plane,
but in terms of esoteric rank is confined to the Higher Masters,
some few of whom, who specialise in teaching, are known by
name and tradition. The term Ipsissimus may be considered as
a unique role as its meaning implies.

ers
The grades we have been describing are active functions and
it may well be that some schools or study groups use similar
titles in a much looser fashion. That is a matter for their own
realisation and responsibility. Esoteric schools and societies with
grand sounding names and titles are harmless enough, and may
well do some good at their own level, even if the gap between
function and title is a wide one.
Much of this may seem the excuse for some kind of élitism
but this would be a misconception. The world is not divided
between adepts and initiates on the one hand and the poor
benighted “once-born” on the other. In terms of function
there are some highly impressive human beings around who
have no need of esoteric grades to make the world a better
place. Magic is but one specialism among many. A specialism
that is somewhat misunderstood in our day and age - but not
 The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Dion Fortune 93

same mechanism may be at work in certain magical phenomena;

though even if it is, far from detracting from their value, it is
enhanced, fot many practical applications open up. It is a well-
known maxtm in magic that a basis of manifestation has to be
provided for the spirit that is invoked to visible appearance;
I have always maintained that the spirit exerts its influence
Chapter 6a
upon the operator’s personality, and he himself is the basis of
evocation, whether the manifestation takes place in all the tangibility |i
THE REALITY OF THE SUBTLE of ectoplasm, or mote subtly, as magnetic or mind power.
PLANES The metaphysics of these thought-forms, ensouled as
Dion Fortune artificial elementals, is very complex, but for all practical
putposes the operator acts “as if” they wete objective, and
induces in himself the same feelings of awe and devotion and
We have shown how subtle spiritual forces ate rendered self-confidence that he would have if they really were what
concrete, and therefore perceptible, by visualising them in he presumes them to be; and as the essence of the operation
the imagination as having forms. It is a moot question how lies in the mind of the magician, he is unwise to look even a
fat these actual forms thus visualised ate formulated in the spiritual gift-horse too closely in the mouth. Be that as it may,
astral light and have a definite objective existence, outside the extraordinary things can be done with these thought-forms,
consciousness. There ate many instances on record where whether one can prove their objective existence or not. They
psychics claim to have perceived them, but these instances serve their purpose of concentrating subtle and specialised
ate capable of more than one interpretation. It is extremely forces in a very effectual manner, which, so far as my experience
difficult either to prove or disprove anything in matters of goes, can be equalled in no other way. 1a

psychism, for so many factors enter in over which we have no Whatever may be said concerning these forms, the forces
control, and the simple and all-pervading factor of telepathy they serve to concentrate ate indisputable, though again it may
may vitiate everything, reducing all so-called objectivity to a be atgued that we ate simply freeing subconscious energies by
matter of subjectivity telepathically transferred. Nevertheless, their use. Now it is axiomatic that a rose by any other name
so wide a field is opened up in this manner that we need reject would smell as sweet, and as it is out confidence in these
nothing on this account, though it will necessarily modify our cosmic forces that enables us to make use of them, we ate
mode of approach and our estimate of the results obtained. For unwise, for practical purposes, to split hairs in the matter of
indeed if we have found a sure and certain manner of inducing metaphysics. If we find it inhibits our powers if we believe
given states of consciousness at will, we have found something these forces to be subconscious, for God’s sake let us believe
exceedingly valuable. There is a subjective objectivity, if the in God. If, on the other hand we, being congenitally sceptical,
term may be forgiven, in which the images in consciousness feel we are making fools of ourselves if we hold any such
take on power and become self-moving; we see this happen beliefs, then let us confide in the subconscious if we have
with compulsive ideas in psychopathology; something of the confidence in it. Neither party, so far as I know, can prove
94 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Dion Fortune 95

anything, or disprove anything, on the data available it is ptoblem as to which came first, the hen ot the egg, it is not only
simply a matter of opinion. very abstract, but also very practical.
So far as my personal opinion goes, I may say that it appears Do the phenomena of the subtle planes, which we
to me that the subconscious element is unquestionably very petceive psychically, exist apart from the consciousness of the
large, but that I find it hard to explain some of the experiences mind perceiving them? Are we, when we observe the inner
I have both had and seen on the assumption that it is planes with our psychic vision, simply looking into our own
subconsciousness and nothing more. I have always believed subconsciousnesses? The sceptic says we ate, and thinks he has
that by utilising the subconscious element in our minds we disposed of us. But has he? Do we ever perceive anything except
ate able to gain access to other planes of existence. Let us, our own mental content? Surely it is a manufactured product
then, accept the subconscious, of whose ways we know a that consciousness is awate of when the mind says it sees. Do
good deal, as our basis, but let us regard it as a means to an we not all, like the Lady of Shalott, gaze into a subjective magic
end and not an end in itself. mitror? People have been found to argue that this is the case,
Approaching the mattet thus temperately, we are enabled nevertheless, they eat the dinner reflected in their magic mirrot,
to make a start and learn by experience. Whereas if we just as Christian Scientists treat the non-existent matter for its
were to accept as axiomatic the objectivity of the subtle complaints and judge results by the changes in that which isn’t
planes, we might reject the whole concept from lack of there. I have yet to meet the idealist in philosophy who lived
knowledge of its implications. By going to work “as if” it up to his ideals.
had objective existence and could exert influence, we obtain Perhaps the truth of the matter lies, as usual, in a
results; it is noteworthy that the more confidence a person combination of both view-points. What the Lady of Shalott
has in its objective existence, the better results he obtains. sees is not objective reality, but the play of light and shade in
As Our Lord said, “According to your faith, be it unto you.” her mirror; but there is something beyond her island that is
The whole question of the reality of the subtle planes, and causing the play of light and shade. Therefore life for her does
the objectivity of the experiences related thereto, presents a not begin and end in her mirror; nevertheless, everything for
nice problem in philosophy, and one profitably to exercise the her depends upon the focus of her mirror, so for practical
powers of philosophers. If we accept matter, with its weight putposes the idealists have the last word. The old occultists,
and occupation of space as our standard of reality, of course in their dogmatic fashion, had a great deal to say about what
we must deny objective existence to the subtle planes; but they called the “sphere of sensation”, and attached gteat
who accepts such a standard nowadays? Only the very naive. importance to it. Now this sphere of sensation is none other
Modern physics has pushed matter itself right off the plane of than the magic mirror of the Lady of Shalott. The sphere of
reality if it is to be judged by these standards, and the unhappy sensation is, up to a point, an effective buffer State between
materialist sees his standard disappearing along with that which us and objective reality on all planes, as the Christian Scientists
he is applying it to. have discovered, though they call their discovery by the name
Our problem, then, is the old one that beset Bishop Berkeley of divine healing. Beyond that point, teality takes charge and
- does anything exist outside the mind of the thinker? Would obtrudes itself, and the divine healer ends up in the coronet’s
blue still be blue if no one knew it was blue? Like the old court. This is a matter of experience, and as such, not arguable.
96 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Dion Fortune 97

So then, we may say, that all things objective are reflected realise the possibilities of the objective universe in which we
into our magic mirror, the sphere of sensation, and that in play so infinitesimal a part. It is the expansion of this sphere
the management of that mirror, its focusing and directing and of sensation which is the end envisaged by the Mystery
burnishing, we have much to say, but there can be objective methods.
influences so widespread and potent that turn our mirror how Out spheres of sensation being entirely private affairs, and
we will, we cannot dodge them; thus does such a universal fact a primrose by the river’s brim meaning one thing to the poet
as death obtrude itself upon the magic mirror of that practical and another to the scientist, it follows that what we are pleased
idealistic philosopher, the Christian Scientist. There are also to call reality might bear little enough relationship to some of
classes of objective phenomena so remote from out normal its representations in such magic mirrors as one sees in side-
spheres of sensation that we never glimpse them unless we are shows, where one pays stxpence for the privilege of laughing
at pains to focus the mirror upon them. These are the subtle at oneself - a thing one’s friends would be pleased to do for
planes and the psychism which perceives them. . one free of charge. If we take the representations in our magic
Now it may well be, as the philosophers are never tired of mirrots as God’s last word on the subject of creation, we shall
rubbing into us, that the abbot on his ambling pad may be naturally err, and the sceptical will be able to poke holes in our
something quite different from what we perceive in the magic statements. If, however, we realise how much of the effect
mirror. Fort instance, if out mirror be of a bluish tint, the obtained in a magic mirror depends upon the handling of it, we
scarlet abbot may appear purple; or if the Lady of Shalott was shall be achieving a nice balance between the subjective and the
of Lollard tendencies, a perfectly amiable old gentleman may objective factors in our problem, and perhaps be on the way to
appeat as a horned devil. For all practical purposes, the sphere reconcile the viewpoints of the idealists and the realists, both
of sensation is out sphere of operation, and colours all that of whom have a lot of reason on their side even if truth will
comes into it with its own hue, and to a great extent can inhibit not die with either of them.
the entrance of anything alien and unacceptable. In this matter, Now let us return once more to practical considerations,
however, it obeys laws that belong to the whole man, not his but this time we shall know much better where we stand. The
sutface consciousness only, and the majority decisions of the occultist says, for all practical purposes all I can know is my
complexes can, and frequently do, give verdicts that startle the own sphere of sensation, therefore I take that as my sphere of
man he thinks himself to be: hence the alleged independent operation. I know that I can doa very great deal with my magic
action of the sphere of sensation. mirror in the way of focusing and burnishing, and I have been
Let us grant, then, the objectivity of the things that throw at great pains to achieve a technique for doing this effectually;
the images, and the subjectivity of the sphere of sensation, and this technique I call initiation.
then ask ourselves what about it? We shall see that the sphere No-one knows better than he does, if, that is, he has been
of sensation, if constricted, ctamps our style enormously; but, properly trained, that the sphere of sensation is subjective; he
being subjective, and therefore under our control provided is under no delusion that the images he sees thetein are the
we are able to control ourselves, and this is not as common a actual things they represent; he also knows, however, that they
power as might be imagined, the sphere of sensation is capable must be a working approximation to the things they represent
of indefinite expansion; only limited, in fact, by our capacity to or he will not be able to adapt himself to his environment,
98 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

and so will become extinct. But, and this is the real key to the
doctrine of the sphere of sensation and its relation to objective
reality, he knows that the images seen therein, although so far as
they go, they correspond to reality, are only a selection of reality,
and the selection may be so biased and incomplete as to distort
reality into utter unreality. The subjective world differs from the
objective in degree, not in kind; it differs in being a part and
Chapter 6b
not a whole, and it is its incompleteness which makes it a fallen
world. St. Paul expressed the hope that someday he would know THE REALITY OF THE SUBTLE
even as he was known, and this is the hope of every initiate, PLANES
and the end towatds which he/she directs his/her efforts. Gareth Knight

Thete would not be a great deal of point in performing titual

magic if there wete no such thing as the reality of the subtle
planes. It would be no more than subjective amateur dramatics
in a symbolic junk shop and for any who simply go through
the motions of what they conceive to be ritual magic without
adequate training, the same remarks apply.
An example of this is the reference made by Dion Fortune
to the “ghost hunter” Harry Price, now probably forgotten but
a minor sensation at the time, at any rate in tetms of personal
publicity. He performed a ritual from a medieval grimoire,
complete with goat, on a mountain, to no perceptible result.
A foregone conclusion as any ritual magician could have told
him at the time. Although, given the dubious and fragmented
nature of much of this old lore, he was probably fortunate to
be saved from results by his own lack of competence.
The ability to contact the subtle planes, and to work
effectively with a foot in both worlds, is also the hallmark of
what is known as a “contacted” group. A group that is not
“contacted” may be very effective as a discussion group, or as
a school of occult theory, and its leader may well be strongly
contacted to a certain degree, but unless capable of illumining
that contact in othets, then the group is not one that can initiate,
100 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Gareth Knight 101

ot function as a conduit of power or teaching between the evil provenance, but simply the potter testing his artefact by
planes. giving it a ringing clout. In the symbolic terms of the rough and
The way to the subtle planes however is always open, and smooth ashlar, to which we have already referred, a fait amount
the opening of the gates, even for an isolated individual, largely of knocking off rough corners and grinding and polishing is
a matter of persistence, dedication and right motive. “Ask and part of the process of preparation.
you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and it will be In the end, however, the reality of the subtle planes is
opened to you” is a very true and powerful adage in the mysteries measured by the quality of the beings we contact there and the
as in teligious dynamics. It is surprising how few are prepared standard of our channels of communication. In some schools
to take it at face value. this is referred to as a process of tuning consciousness, in
It may of course take patience. Contact with the forces of the others it is described as a process of merging one’s own with the
subtle planes may not at first be conscious, but they will develop master’s aura. The diverse terms mean much the same thing.
in time. Although in this period one of the principal difficulties In any teaching that is received it is not necessarily the
for the neophyte is recognising the subtle contacts for what meaning of the text that is of prime value. This may seem an odd
they are. Until then, the forces of the subtle planes may well be concept, butin some instances, particularly with higher contacts,
having a powerful effect upon the personality but simply being the real teaching and its benefit comes from the contact itself.
registered as swings of mood or other subjective states. The words (which may, when analysed, be largely pious truisms)
It is this that accounts for occasional strong irtational simply being a means to obtain and maintain attention, while a
antipathies or heady romantic attachments of the type that some larger, formless, intuitive or spiritual contact is implanted.
psychologists know as “projections” or “transference”. Inner There is also a marked difference between the type of
forces are being projected or transferred onto a convenient contact met with in spiritualist circles and those in a magical
external hook upon the physical plane. These are instances context. The former are more in the nature of social contacts,
of extremes, but the subtle planes make their presence felt in very little different from those in the outer world. The magical
many lesser ways, sometimes euphoric, at other times in more contact is more of a high powered affair, probably from one
depressive ways in terms of mood. In one sense this is part of who has been through all the grades of the mysteries to take up
the training, the finding and maintaining of personal equilibrium a position of power and responsibility upon the inner planes.
in the face of inner tides and winds, and discerning what is truly Such are sometimes called masters, sometimes inner plane
objective or subjective. adepti, sometimes simply guides.
One fairly reliable sign that it is the winds and tides of the However, although these magical contacts may prove
subtle planes that are the cause of an upset will be the lack of to be more exalted in certain ways than the shades of our
ptoportion between the emotional reaction and its apparent physical friends and relations, they are certainly not meant
physical cause. Over-reaction is always a tell tale sign. And ~ to be worshipped. Nor, while they may earn our respect,
although part of the problem may be a defect of temperament are they necessarily to be placed upon a lofty pedestal and
it is a function of mystery training to try to sort these things revered. They come as teachers and friends, and like all good
out, or at least to measure their degree, and so we are sometimes teachers and friends, all they seek of us is an effective working
put to the test. Thus any particular problem may not be of relationship.
102 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Gareth Knight 103

Let us quote from a conversation between such an inner care about you and want to protect you, and make
contact and an outer plane student in the early stages of themselves responsible for your welfare. Your relationship with the
interchange: Masters must be conducted along similar lines if you are going to be of
any great service to the Work. Itt no use trying to analyse our fallibility
Student: You mentioned last time that we both need to have
and question our authority - such suspicions achieve nothing. You just
unfuddled minds in order to embark, on the next phase of work. Do
have to let us take you by the hand and guide you, in the behef that
Masters' minds get fuddled?
we know what we are doing a little bit better than you do, and that
Master: Oh yes. Not in the same way that_yours does, admittedly,
our motivation is rooted firmly in love.
but it is quite possible for me to become depleted and not function at
100%. We are not perfect, whatever some like to think, In another exchange the importance of faith and the avoidance
S: That’ an interesting point. If the Masters are not perfect then on of destructive intellectual analysis was emphasised. This was in
whose authority are we following them? relation to a vision that the questioner had had as a preliminary
M: Tell me, would you want me to be perfect? to the Chapel of Remembrance work.
S: No. If you were absolutely perfect then you wouldn't be “human”
S: There’s something I don’t understand about inner plane
and I would find it much more difficult to relate to you.
contacts. Why are they always with famous people? Was it really
M: Good, I'm glad you said that. God is perfect, and the Masters are
Wilfred Owen I saw?
not God. I cannot make you understand exactly what our status is in
M: Right, now we've got an example to illustrate two of my earker
the cosmic scheme of things, so you will have to make do with more
points. The importance of faith and how unhelpful ideas and prejudices
analogies I’m afraid. As an adult human being you have a certain
can be quite a major interference factor in these matters. Were you
way of thinking, an objective, skghtly cynical way of thinking. In
thinking about Wilfred Owen particularly when you were doing the
order to understand the status of the Masters a kittle better you need meditation?
to regress a little, resume the unconditional mentality of childhood.
S: I wasn’t thinking about him at all, that’ why it surprised me.
Imagine yourself as a small child in an overwhelming situation - M: Good, that’s a start. Now what was your first thought when you
lost in a wood, or jostled in a city street. You are frightened and feel saw hime
helpless, even if you are not in any immediate danger. Then along
S: I thought - this must be an interjection from my own mind.
comes a grown-up, either a parent or a teacher or a family friend, M: Why?
who takes you by the hand and guides you. As a child, with a child’
S: Because I couldn't see any earthly reason why W.O. should want to
mentality, you don’t stop to consider the personal merits or faults
contact me - if indeed such contact were possible.
of that grown-up. You don’t complain that they are imperfect (even
M: And what did he say to you?
though they inevitably are), that they have no authority to guide you
S: Almost nothing. I saw him clearly enough, but it seemed he was not
when they are not necessarily much better than you are. No, you put
able to speak to me - he just stood there and looked at me.
your faith in them and go with them, and you are deeply comforted
M: And how did you interpret that?
by their presence. For the simple reason that if they are imperfect
S: I took tt as evidence that it wasn’t really him. If he really was
they are nevertheless somewhat wiser and more mature than you are,
there and wanted to communicate something then surely he would have
and - most importantly - they are motivated by love. They won't lead
done so.
you astray, and won't allow any harm to come to you, because they
104 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Reality Of The Subtle Planes - Gareth Knight 105

M: WRONG! Slide down the snake and miss a turn. Suppose the problems of trying to get stuff rammed through to incarnate souls.
I were to iell you that Wilfred Owen had every intention of Such a faithless lot!
communicating with you but YOU wouldn't let him. Is it
This particular Master, who first contacted Dion Fortune in
surprising that he just stood there without saying much when lack
1923, happens to have the personality, at least for purposes of
of faith, as I told you, is an insuperable barrier to communication?
communication, of another British officer of the Ist World
How the hell is a chap supposed to have an intelligible conversation
War. It may be fitting to conclude this chapter upon the teality
with somebody who refuses to beheve in him? Refuses to beleve in
of the subtle planes by a personal reference to his status.
him when he’s standing right there in front of them! How would
you like it if you went to meet a new friend and they took one look S: There’ one thing I have to ask you, although I understand that you
at you and said “nah, not talking to you, I dont beheve you really don't much like to be quizzed about it. There is a rumour (originating,
exist.” Poor Wilfred! as far as I can see, from Alan Richardson’s biography of Dion
S: Youre making me feel guilty now! Fortune) that David-Carstatrs-the-young-officer-in-the-Great-War
M: So you should be! It’s siveple esoteric good manners to give somebody did not exist.
the credit for objective existence. It’s just as daft to dismiss an inner Well, is it true?
plane contact as the product of a defective imagination as it would be M: Ooh, slander! What a thing to confront a chap with! To accuse
to dismiss an outer plane contact as the product of a defective optic him to his face (so to speak) of being non-escistent! We want Flanders,
nerve. For that matter, one might play devil’s advocate and ask how not slanders. Of course I really exist, you silly ass! Where do you
does Wilfred Owen know that you exist? You werent even born until think I got this personality, if I didn't incarnate in it? Do you think
Sifty years after his death, so you're occupying a time which was never in L just biffed along to the Personality Shop and said “Til take an army
his consciousness. At least you can look with hindsight and know that surplus one, please, with a cheerful demeanour, and ideally a tragic
he did exist in the material world at a particular time. He can have early death to go with it. That should get 'em feeling nice and sorry for
no such reassurance of your existence. Indeed, one might be surprised me.” Na, no, no, child, it doesn't work like that. (I'm being facetious,
that he has any concept of your existence. by the way, in calling you 'child' - you are twenty-seven; I was only
S: Is there any way I can correct this error now that I've made twenty-four. There, thats a little snippet of biographical information
it? that you didn't know before, isnt it?) And it’ no coincidence that all
M: B-E-L-I-E-V-E. the Masters ended their last incarnations with willing and honourable
S: Ive always had this kind of instinctive moral idea that its ‘deaths’ - its a hallmark of a mature soul; think about that. I could
fundamentally wrong to call people who are dead, that one should not just assume a personality that did not belong to me, that did not
always let them make the approaches. Would it therefore be wrong for develop through my own use of it. Remember what I said about
me to try to contact W.O,2 personalities being coloured by the soul that shines through them. If
Ms: I see no harm in it, since he approached you first. Just build up the this was not a genuine personality then you would know; its falseness
image of him, (should be easter for you to see him than it is for you fo would be obvious, you would not be able to feel the level of rapport
see me, what with all the photographs that have survived) and he wall and camaraderie that we have established. Besides which, I would be
come along to animate it if he’s inclined to do so. I dont think hell very Little use as a communicator with humans if I did not have the
hold it against you that you slighted him last time. We're quite used to benefit of human understanding and experience. Let me assure_you,
106 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

my personality is genuine. If I am a little hard to trace in terms of

documentary evidence then that is no bad thing - there is nothing to be
gained by taking the retrospective view, interesting though it may be to
you. Maybe one day I will tell you more, to satisfy your curiosity, but
Jor the moment you must work with me as I am, not as I was.
“Work with me as I am, not as I was” seems a fitting injunction
for all who seek to work with those on the subtle planes. And Chapter 7a
also perhaps a caution about any egocentric concern with our
own status in previous incarnations. All we have and need for FOCUSING THE MAGIC MIRROR
further progress is here now. We are the fruit of our past - the
Dion Fortune
seed of our future.

Let us grant, then, that the world as we know it consists of what

is reflected in our magic mirror, and is built up into images in
that treasure house of images, the sphere of sensation. The
objective reality, we shall find, is not intrusive, in fact, it is we
who collide with it, not it that seeks us out, and it will leave
us to stew in our own juice indefinitely for all the effort it will
make to assert itself. We shall find then, that in our sphere of
sensation we have scope for a very great deal of activity, and
that here is a world that we can remake nearer to the heart’s
desire according to our energy and discretion, though how we
will like it when we have remade it is another question; anyway,
we have no need to endure it if we do not like it, but can get
to work on it with every hope of results.
If, of course, we believe the sphete of sensation to be identical
with objective reality, we shall sit down under it and accept our
lot as inevitable; but if we realise the lesson of the Mysteries,
that our environment as we know it is subjective, being our
sphere of sensation, and that our magic mirror has exercised a
completely overruling influence in selecting what images shall
appear in that mirror, we shall see that we can modify our sphere
of sensation in proportion to our power to re-focus the mirror,
ot in other words, to change our standpoint.
108 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Focussing The Magic Mirror - Dion Fortune 109

The difficulty in the way of making this change is inherent collide with objective reality and find it hard, and turn our magic
in the mind itself, and not in the environment. The mind is a mirror how we will, we shall not be able to evade it.
creature of most rigid habit, and its ways are only changed in The real sphere of the operation of the occultist lies in the
the same way that the acrobat extends the normal limitation of selective capacity of the magic mirror, so that he can choose to
his sinews by patient exercise that little by little stretches them a very gteat extent with what images he will people his sphere
till they will accommodate themselves to the desired position. of sensation. In this he is one with the Christian Scientists; but
This is not done in a day, and because an effort of the will unlike the Christian Scientists, he recognises the ultimate limits
cannot do it, we jump to the conclusion that it cannot be done imposed by objective reality, and being a wise man, he bows to
and that we must accept our fate as inevitable, and the contents them and keeps out of the coronet’s coutt.
of our sphere of sensation as corresponding accurately to But even within this limitation of infinity, much can be done;
objective reality; we do not allow for what can be accomplished and it is the enormous amount that has and can be done which
by the cumulative effect of repeated efforts, Because, with one constitutes the occult tradition. The initiate, then, goes to work
spraining wrench our legs cannot be made to do the splits, we in his own sphere of sensation, and he may say to himself:
say the splits are impossible to the human form, and if some “Something is lacking here”, or “Something is inconveniently
trained gymnast exhibits them in front of us in all their skilful redundant there”, and decide to make changes. This is called magic.
gracelessness, we say like the small boy when he saw the giraffe at He knows that the thing he must aim at is equilibrium
the Zoo, “I don’t believe it”; or at best attribute the phenomena of forces, and that redundancies are best equilibrated by
to the intervention of spirits. concentrating upon their opposite number. So he considers what
If we would realise that the objective is real but unobtrusive, will best equilibrate his redundancy or supplement his lack as
we would understand the problem of Berkeleyian idealism. If the case may be, and he decides, according to such wisdom as
we would realise the tremendous adaptability of the sphere he may possess, that such and such an influence would meet his
of sensation, provided we would treat it as the gymnast treats need. If he is trained on the Qabalah, he expresses his ideas in
his limbs, with graduated exercises, and not as the bone-setter terms of the Tree of Life, which is expressly designed to enable
treats them, with brute force, we would soon discover what him to do so, briefly and comprehensively.
tremendous possibilities the subjective mind contains. It is He knows that any given force is lacking or redundant on
these possibilities which are the subject of the research work account of the selective action of the mirror, and that objective
of practical occultism; it is the application of them which reality is there all the time, even if not obtruding itself. It is,
constitutes the basis of magic and psychism. We are all the time in fact, this peculiar passivity of objective reality in relation to
manipulating the sphere of sensation; but because the sphere ourselves thatis so surprising, for it is the exact opposite of what
of sensation is all-important to us, and objective reality so one has always been accustomed to believe. It is, however, as
unobtrusive, we have here a field so extensive that it is difficult the psychoanalysts have discovered, and the Christian Scientists
to set any limit to its possibilities, always remembering, (a) that have used without discovering, that if you change a man’s state
the work has to be done gradually, and (b), that objective reality of consciousness, you can bring about profound modifications
imposes definite though amazingly wide limits within which in what he is pleased to call his environment, but which is really
we must work, and that if we transcend these limits, we shall his sphere of sensation, his environment remaining constant
 110 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Focussing The Magic Mirror - Dion Fortune 111

all the time, as it always has been and always will be, and his matter in hand, and in many cases delivers the goods, provided
selective activity alone being modified; but even that, thank they are in stock; but if something more elaborate is required
God, goes a very long way. than the simple stock-in-trade of human harmony, more
Let us now consider the practical problem of altering the elaborate methods are necessary in order to obtain a clear-cut
selectivity of the magic mirror, and consequently the contents focus and concentration.
of the sphere of sensation. I will not argue metaphysics any These methods have all been worked out in the greatest
longer, but tell what is done by the operative occultist when he detail by the generations of initiates who have made use of
embarks upon the operation which is none other than magic. He them. There are different techniques in different traditions; for
knows by experience, and this is a point we cannot argue, but can instance, the Eastern Tradition uses a technique which it calls
demonstrate experimentally, that just as a given influence from yoga, which differs in many respects from that which we use in
the objective world will produce approximately the same images the West, and which we call magic, though the principles are the
in all magic mirrors, blurred in some, distorted in others, clear-cut same. The differences are due to differences in temperament
in a few, but always recognisable for what it is meant to be, so the and training, not to any fundamental divergence of principle.
building up of an image in the sphere of sensation will attract to The modern Western occultist takes the Qabalah as his basis,
it the corresponding influence from reality. How this works, we and codifies all his systems around it, for the Western Tradition
do not know, but we do know that it works within the limitation is a synthetic tradition, and is made up out of the converging
of natural law, and that it forms the basis of sympathetic magic. streams of Greek, Egyptian and Chaldean influence.
Sympathetic magic is indeed a crazy and superstitious affair When a Western initiate wants to construct in his sphere of
when applied to the alteration of objective reality, but when sefisation an image of a particular type, he refers to the tables of
applied to the sphere of sensation it is quite another matter; it symbols that ate associated with the Tree of Life; these are given
is, in fact, the kindergarten principle of “learning by doing”, in my Mystical Qabalab in relation to each of the stations on the
or as St. Ignatius Loyola told his Jesuits, “Put yourself in the Tree. From these he picks out the one that he feels to be suited
attitude of prayer, and you will soon feel like praying.” Make a to his purpose. If he lacks courage and energy, he would choose
suitable image in the sphere of sensation, and it will soon attract Geburah, the Sphere of Mats. If his problems concern the
the corresponding force into your life. love-life, he would choose Netzach, the Sphere of Venus; if he
These images ate made with the pictorial imagination, and wants spiritual illumination, the sphere chosen would be that of
that is the reason why we train it so carefully in our meditation Tiphareth, the Sun. If he wants magical power, he would work
exercises, for it is to form the basis of future magical work. with Yesod, the Moon-sphere. These things are not fool-proof,
These magical images, however, cannot be made just anyhow, as is the simple method of prayer and devotion; the results he
even with intention, and obtain adequate results. They have to obtains depend upon his judgement in choosing and his skill in
be adapted to the force they are intended to attract, and they using. If he invokes Geburah for more strength in the fight, when
have in consequence an elaborate technique. The occultist does what is really needed is the stabilising influence of Gedulah, or
not content himself with saying “Every day in every way I get Chesed, the Sphere of Jupiter, the benign lawgiver, then he will
better and better,” and leaving it at that, though this is a good find himself coming into touch with the destructive aspect of
deal better than nothing, for subconscious intention takes the Gebutah, and will learn some bitter lessons from experience.
112 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Focussing The Magic Mirror - Dion Fortune 113

This method can only be used rightly by those whose nature realised in the ordinary way - by the actions and reactions of
is putified, equilibrated, and stabilised, and who have risen living creatures, so that they become manifest on the plane
above the baser aspects of life and the limitations of selfishness of form. It is the changing and energising of the mind of
sufficiently to see life steadily and see it whole, and to realise the operator that is the end aimed at in magic, and the result
that they are part of that larger whole and cannot separate obtained. The mind, thus energised, becomes endowed with
themselves from it. The consequences of using this method gteatly extended powers, among which ate clairvoyance, and
wrongly are the same as the consequences of driving a car badly telepathy of a type quite unrealised by the uninitiated, and the
- the higher the power, the bigger the smash, The consequences capacity to get into touch with cosmic forces which further
of using it rightly are to obtain results quickly and effectually. reinforce its energies.
The truly dedicated man never uses it for his own ends, or to
further ambition, but always in relation to spiritual values. He
says, “Not my will, but Thine be done”; surrenders himself
unreserved to cosmic law, and invokes the One and Supreme
Good at the commencement of each operation.
Having made his dedication and preparation, and accepted
the responsibility for what he is about to do, he then proceeds
to assemble the symbols associated with the sphere in which he
proposes to work. Some he will make with his hands; some he
will make with his imagination in the sphere of mind; but above
all, he must be deeply imbued with the spiritual significance of
the operation he proposes to perform.
This assembling of the symbols and formulating of the
images has a two-fold function to perform; firstly, it induces
long continued concentration; and secondly, it builds up the
channels that shall serve to conduct the chosen force and puts
the operator in touch with the source of this force. I have
already given the principles involved in each stage and aspect
of the operation, and the reader must bear these in mind in
relation to the explanations being given in the present pages.
The operator uses the symbolic objects he has assembled as a
means of inducing prolonged and profound concentration and
stimulating his tmagination; their function is to aid his mind-
work; it is by means of the mind-work that the actual magic is
done. It is in the plane of consciousness, the astro-mental plane,
that results are experienced; and from this plane that they are
 Focusing The Magic Mirror - Gareth Knight 115

for a musician to try to play every musical instrument in every

possible style and genre. By the very nature of things we have
to be selective, but this still leaves plenty of room for variety
of expression.
We will find that there are sets of symbolism that make up
into what we might call cosmic maps. That is to say, a whole
Chapter 7b complex of symbols held together in a patterned system of
relationships. These will vary in style and detail but each will be an
FOCUSING THE MAGIC MIRROR attempt to provide a model of the universe. And this also means
Gareth Knight a model of the human soul; for one of the axioms of esoteric
philosophy is that the szicrocosm (thatis to say the human being) is
built to the same pattern as the Macrocosm (the universe at large).
Focusing the magic mirror is what in other terms might be called One of the most familiat of esoteric symbol systems is the
the tuning of consciousness, and it is done by concentrating Tarot. It consists of a pack of 78 cards upon which are depicted
the mind upon specific symbolic images. a series of symbolic images. This readily breaks down into a
There ate very many of these and the earlier part of esoteric pattern of four different suits numbered 1 to 10 together with
training lies in learning how to identify and to work with four court cards. Beyond this four-fold pattern there exist 22
them. This comprises the basic five finget exercises of occult Trump cards, each representing a different archetype. A whole
meditation. As someone learning to play the piano needs to esoteric philosophy can be gleaned from meditating upon these
know their scales, and to play them with facility, so does the images and the patterns they form.
magical apprentice need to learn the various scales of symbolic Because of its universal application it can be used in different
correspondences. ways: in terms of ritual and directed visualisation, as I have
In their totality these are of infinite variety. For instance described in my book Tarot and Magic (originally entitled The
the esoteric symbolism of the East is different from that of Treasurehouse of Images); ot in the self instructional meditation
the West; and different cultures throughout the world have and divination system I have demonstrated in The Magical World
their own pantheons of gods, their own body of legend and of the Tarot.
mythology. At first sight, this whole panoply may look like a There are also other systems. The most comprehensive
vast confusion, as when, for instance, we scan the pages of an pethaps is the Tree of Life of the Qabalah, which is capable
encyclopaedia of world mythology. But beneath the surface of relating a vast range of esoteric images including Tarot,
differences there is a common core, a bed rock of similarity, astrology and the deep lore of the Hebrew number and letter
which is the common heritage of the human race as a whole. system. It is also capable of throwing light on relationships
If we are universally minded, we may try to integrate between different god forms in various mythological systems.
and synthesise a number of these systems by plunging into Small wonder then that it acts virtually as the back bone of
comparative mythology, and a fascinating exercise this can be. the western esoteric tradition, with various text books on it
It is largely impractical though, just as it would be impractical including The Mystical Qabalah by Dion Fortune, and my own
116 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Focusing The Magic Mirror - Gareth Knight 117

A Practical Guide to Qabalistic Symbolism which also owes much If so, above the earth, or among strange planets, or in space
to Dion Fortune and her school. between the stats? Do we seem to be in another time? Is it
The Tree of Life, so very simple in its basic principles, is spring, summer, autumn or winter? Is it light or dark?
a network of triangles showing how inner forces inter-relate In all or any of these scenarios we have a different
up and down the planes. It is thus capable of carrying a vast symbolic ambience. And one as wide and far ranging as may
amount of symbolism, and making it readily available and be met with in the whole of human imagination and human
comprehensible. It makes an ideal cosmic map when considered physical experience. It is the stuff of any human story, in fact
as a whole. or fiction or fantasy. Indeed story is the basic element in all of
What is even more helpful is that it structures and subdivides this. It is a form of the ultimate Quest. The search for who
the cosmos in a way that makes it more immediately and we ate, from whence we come, and whete we ate going.
easily accessible. That is to say, that it is not only like an aerial Passing from the landscape or the background of our
photograph taken from such a height that one can see the city journey, what symbolic place is it that we are making fot?
as a whole, but it is also sufficiently detailed to serve as a street Is it a temple? A castle? A stone circle? A church? A hermit’s
map! That is to say, it has ten principle nodal points or spheres hut? A tower? Even if found in the middle of a city it is likely
of influence which are joined by twenty-two paths, and a sound to be a building of some kind.
system of training can be based upon treading these paths in turn. And once within the building, what kind of room will we
Although there is a set formal tradition about the images find ourselves in? A great hall? A dungeon? A chapel? A shrine?
and symbols that may be met with upon each path, this A meeting place?
structure can be amplified and modified by much ancillary And what is to be found there? An altar? A table? A window?
symbolism and an important part of the training is not just And are there any objects to be seen on it or through it? A
to learn off by heart the traditional symbols but to develop cup? A sword? A wand? A gem? A crown? The possibilities are
the ability to discern with accuracy any related symbolism. endless - and all this is just in the realm of the inanimate.
Symbolism that is not necessarily published in books, that When we turn to animate symbols we find that the power of
may be thrown up into consciousness when one treads each our working may considerably increase. Are we seeing humans,
path at various levels. ot animals, or some other type of being?
There ate various basic forms in which magical symbolism If human ate we meeting up with historical characters, with
can be met, and the first obvious divide is between animate and famous chatacters of fiction, with old friends, with relatives,
inanimate images. with strangers, living or dead? Are they offering something or
Inanimate imagery can first of all be regarded as the type ate they seeking something from us? Is it power, love, teaching,
of landscape through which we may pass on a visionary healing, the exchange of tokens or gifts? Here we have in
journey. Are we climbing a mountain? Following an ancient potential the whole range of spirit guides at one level, or of
track over rolling hills? Going through a forest? On board a “ascended masters” at another.
ship crossing the ocean? Or on a boat passing across a lake If they are not in human form? Well there is a whole range
or along a rivet? Are we entering a cave or descending a of animals, birds, fish, mythical beasts - even unicorns and
tunnel into the earth? Are we under the seaP Are we flying? dragons - some of which may be met with in the form of totem
118 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Focusing The Magic Mirror - Gareth Knight 119

animals that will be like hacky mascots for us, ot which may some above the water and some below. It is very difficult to
guide us further on our way, or have some heraldic or symbolic distinguish, when one looks into the waters, between weeds
significance to demonstrate. which are actually growing under the water and the reflections
What of animate forms that are beyond those found in the of weeds which are actually growing above. We have a
natural forms of physical nature? The whole tradition of faery similar situation in the assessment of the reality of magical
folk, be they sylphs, undines, salamanders, pixies, elves, hob experience.
goblins or whatever. From “lordly ones of the hollow hills” That is really what we mean when we talk about the ability to
of the ilk of the Fairy King or Fairy Queen, powerful beings focus our magic mirror. And also why the only valid criterion is
who in tradition can take human beings to another world where the wisdom brought about by sustained practical experience.
another form of time exists. It includes too the various ladies
of the lake of Arthurian tradition. And all the way down to the
gossamer fancies of the nursery. And also indeed the giants.
There is also the whole great and ancient tradition of the
angels and various angelic beings, from the personal guardian
angels that look after the destiny of individual human souls,
to the principalities and powers that govern the destiny of
nations, and ideas in the affairs of men and the rise and fall
of cultures and civilisations, or the mighty beings all fire and
devotion that cluster about the throne of God, the strange
forms seen in vision by Ezekiel, and of course the more familiar
archangels known by name as Gabriel, Michael or Raphael
with particular vocations for bringing divine messages, giving
protection, or healing. In more modern imaginative forms we
may meet up with beings that might have come from science
fiction stories.
So we find that we have a whole interior imaginative
universe to explore, a veritable treasure house of images. But
the fundamental question in our working with all or any of
these images is how far do they represent our own imaginative
projections and how far do they represent a reality of their
own.
Thete is seldom likely to be a cut and dried answer to this,
and only experience will bring anything approaching certainty.
The poet Coleridge likened the situation to looking down into
the waters of a well which has weeds growing upon the sides,
 Channelling The Forces - Dion Fortune 121

The result of being “on a contact” is very marked. It is

exactly like putting an engine in gear. There awakes in the soul
a tremendous sense of dynamism and driving-power. The
reason for this lies in the fact that by means of the appeal to the
imagination of the symbolism of the ceremony, consciousness
and subconsciousness ate brought into alignment; there is a
straight run-through of energy; the elemental dynamism of our
Chapter 8a nature is set free from the primitive levels of the mind, and at
the same time is directed by the image held in consciousness by
CHANNELLING THE FORCES the imagination concentrating on the given symbol.
Dion Fortune These symbols affect the subconscious mind in this manner
because they ate images belonging to the most ancient racial
life. By their means consciousness and subconsciousness are
Ceremonial rites are of varying degrees of efficacy. There are united. It is a kind of tabloid psychoanalysis. The same results
those, like the blameless and innocuous revels of the Buffaloes, that the psychologist obtains by the prolonged and painful
which are incapable of bringing through any power of any sort; analysis of the dream-images are obtained quickly, effectually,
there are those like the Masons, which arte usually inert, but are and with a controlled reaction, by the occultist who knows the
capable of power in the right hands; there are those like the symbols to which the subconsciousness is conditioned by its
Lord’s Supper, which are never totally inert. The efficacy of a racial heritage.
rite depends upon whether it is “contacted” or not. The ritual is But although the release of subconscious energy explains
simply a piece of psychological machinery; and just as a machine a very gteat deal, it does not explain everything. The initiate
is designed to employ coal or petrol as a source of power, so simply regards it as a self-starter, and just as the motorist would
tituals are designed to develop one ot another type of spiritual not expect to run the car off the battery, so the initiate does
energy. The principle of the transmission of power by means of not expect to achieve his ends simply by the use of his own
geats remains constant, however, in every type of machine; and subjective energy, though it is the release of this energy which
equally in rituals, the principle of the psychological technique enables him to pick up the corresponding cosmic force which
for the exaltation of consciousness remains the same. is his objective.
It only requires a very small amount of psychism to know This brings us to the consideration of the nature of these
whether a lodge is “on its contacts” or not: whether an adept is cosmic forces which form the objective of the practical occultist,
working with power or not. These things fluctuate considerably, and which, according to the traditional terminology he aims at
both as to quantity and quality, and are never twice alike. The “evoking to visible appearance”. For the understanding of the
same familiar ceremony is not, therefore, boring to those who nature of these forces we must refer to first principles, setting
know what to look for, for one never quite knows what it is aside the practical approach we have pursued hitherto. In order
going to produce, within certain broad limits, in the way of to be brief I must be dogmatic, referring the reader for a fuller
inner experience. exposition of the subject to other of my books, notably, The
122 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Dion Fortune 123

Mystical Qabalah which explains the methods employed by form be a planet, a genus of plants or animals, or a race of
metaphilosophy in its researches. human souls. Whatever has an organised form is organised
Metaphilosophy conceives of the manifested universe as about a spiritual nucleus, says the esotericist; and this form is
being emanated from what it calls the Great Unmanifest, which the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual force
is beyond our conception as finite beings adapted to life on the evolving through experience.
planes of form. It does not, therefore, attempt to explain or This is a concept as widely removed from the accepted
define this source of all manifestation, but conceives of it by scientific doctrines as was the idea of an ever-becoming First
means of the symbol of an ever-welling fountain from which Cause from the doctrine of a closed system of physical energy.
primal force rushes forth under pressure. This channel of Science, however, has bridged the gap in one case, so there is
becoming it calls the First Manifest, or God. The Unmanifest a possibility that it may do so in the other, and the esotericist,
itself it conceives of under the symbol of interstellar space. having seen science get across one ditch, is unwilling to be called
There was a time when science declared the material universe a fool for biding his time to see if, it will get across the other.
to be a fixed system of energy, and gave a categorical denial to Meanwhile, though unwilling to dogmatise in a matter which he
the doctrine I have outlined above; but nowadays it has come cannot in the very nature of things hope to prove objectively,
to the opinion that the sun receives energy from some point he takes his concept as a working hypothesis and bases it on a
in Outer space, so the esoteric concepts are no longer as alien method which is traditionally called magic.
to accredited opinions as they once were. Let us now return from our digression to the consideration
The esotericist conceives of this primal force as evolving of magic as such. Granted that there are these different types
through successive phases; developing special characteristics at of manifestation of primal energy, is it possible in any way to
each phase, establishing that particular mode of manifestation in dissect them out and obtain them in a pure state at will? If this
existence, and then proceeding to overflow from it and evolve could be done, it would be an exceedingly valuable contribution
a further phase; the previous phase, however, still retaining its to the world of applied science, even if it were arrived at purely
place in the scheme of things, just as the vertebrates evolved etnpirically. One could, for instance, pick out a particular type of
from the invertebrates, and then continued to exist side by spiritual force, concentrate it, and applyit to remedy a deficiency or
side with their ancestral types. In esoteric terminology this is check an overphus of its opposite after the manner of a medicine.
called the doctrine of emanations, and as Richard Payne Knight This is what the occultist tries to do, and this is how he
points out, it is found in all the ancient mythologies, eastern does it. He says that were it possible to contact any aspect of
and western. this evolving cosmic force in one of its primary phases, and to
Each phase of manifestation, being established, continues to construct a channel for it to come down through the successive
evolve in its own way, thus giving rise to contending stresses in levels of evolving manifestation without getting diffused or
the cosmos, which gradually achieve synthesis and equilibrium, confused with them, it would be possible to obtain it in a pure
giving rise, likewise, to the infinite diversity of manifesting state, free and active. Now how is this to be done? He returns
life. These forces, primarily spiritual, pass through a phase of to his first position, that all force is primarily spiritual, evolving
development analogous to consciousness of a vety primitive into consciousness and then into form, and presumes that
type, and so on into manifestation in form, whether that the spiritual force he is trying to contact has in it the capacity
124 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Dion Fortune 125

to be reduced to a mental form. He says that it 1s reduced to but which subsequent generations would be doing no violence
that form when a mind conceives it, just as inorganic matter to terms if they called applied meta-psychology.
becomes organic when a living creature assimilates it; and as Putting aside the primitive philosophy of primitive man,
the building up of the inorganic into the organic is a function let us examine his method. He petsonalised the forces behind
of life, so the conceiving of abstract spiritual force under a the manifold appearances of the manifested universe, and
concrete mental form is a function of a supet-consciousness, concentrated his attention on these petsonifications by means
which bears the same relationship to subconsciousness that of ritual. Did he obtain any results by so doing? That is
subconsciousness bears to consciousness. exceedingly difficult to prove; the more important rites were
By means of this abstract apprehension, then, it is possible, done behind closed doots by initiates only, and everything
granted the necessary capacity in the individual, to come into that priestcraft and statecraft could do was done to conceal
touch with primary spiritual energy. Admittedly the untrained, the reality and impress the populace. Truth, therefore, is hard
uninstructed man will not achieve very much in these high fields, to come by, and the real facts concerning the results obtained
but granted the possibility of the trained and instructed man by the ancients will never be known.
achieving something therein, what then is the next move? Thete is sufficient data available, however, to enable us to
Let it be remembered that this method was worked out repeat their experiments, and that is what the modern occultist
during a very primitive phase of man’s history, and has come is engaged in doing; the results he obtains are exceedingly
down to us traditionally, and it bears the marks of its origin. interesting and instructive, and yield information about the
These marks have obscured its value in the eyes of many mind, especially the unconscious mind, which could be of
at the present time, and made it the prey of the credulous, the greatest value in the right hands. Unfortunately it seldom
who alone were prepared to accept it without requiting it to comes into hands that can make it available, being collected
change its spots. Spots, however, are only skin deep, and below under the conditions of occult secrecy which I have already
the surface markings lies something fundamentally sound deplored.
and useful, and this will become apparent when its archaic But although I have no hope that any words of mine will
expression is restated in terms of modern thought (which induce the generous pooling of resources which could be
restatement is my sole original contribution to the subject). so valuable, I can at least offer my own observations and
Primitive man, uninstructed by science, anthropomorphised, experiences for what they are worth.
and concluded that intelligences similar to his own were behind It is not easy to find the right operators for an experiment
natural phenomena. Now he would not have been very far out with the traditional techniques. The credulous and the
if he had said that life is more akin in its nature to mind than incredulous both falsify the results. Neither the credulity of a
matter, and that the difference between animate and inanimate Bishop Leadbeater nor the incredulity of a Harry (Billygoat)
is in degree and not in kind; but he had not arrived at the point Price are going to yield anything useful, because both start
when he could conceive an abstract principle, and could only out with fixed ideas which would yield to nothing short of
reason from the known to the unknown by very short removes; blasting-powder. For myself, | came to occultism with practical
nevertheless, limited as were his resources, he succeeded in experience of psychoanalysis behind me, and I knew that the
building up a very remarkable system which he called magic, human mind had possibilities that were but little realised. I
126 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

was not, therefore, incredulous of marvels as such, though ] was

decidedly sceptical of the explanations that were offered me.
Putting aside the explanations I tried out the technique and found
I got results. That was good enough for me. I knew that I was on
the track of some form of reality; what it was, I did not know; but
I was confident that if I worked at it boldly, and became expert
in the rule of thumb technique I was being taught, I should get Chapter 8b
further insight into the nature of the forces with which we were
operating and the phenomena we were producing. My position, CHANNELLING THE FORCES
therefore, might be described as one of devotional agnosticism. Gareth Knight
This, I believe, is the right one for the experimenter. Let us
accept the possibility of an invisible reality behind appearances;
give the ancients credit for a system which was empirically Ritual magical working is essentially 2 matter of handling
sound, and try to find the conditions under which it can be polarities and this is why the symbolism of two pillars of
made to work - rather than try to make it work under modern contrasting colours appears so frequently in magical diagrams.
experimental conditions. Once experience and expertness are A more dynamic way of representing this is in the Caduceus
achieved, the conditions can be tightened up. of Mercury, which shows two snakes coiling up a central wand
giving a counterchange of colours at each level.
Polarity is of course a universal phenomenon, not only
in the natural world but in the field of human relationships.
Every conversational interchange, be it simply buying a postage
stamp, has its polar aspect and the positive/negative aspects of
this personal interchange are constantly free flowing and ever
changing. Indeed if one unit in the equation were to be positive
all the time and the other negative then we would have a very
unusual and probably unhealthy situation indeed. The complete
domination of one person by another, or of one group by
another, is the mechanics of tyranny.
One may have certain reservations about hypnosis as well,
in this respect, where the will of the entranced is in a highly
negative state in relation to the suggestions of the hypnotist,
although such situations may have a justification in therapy.
Very often circumstances in ordinary life lead to highly
polarised situations. A commonplace example is a nervous cat
passenger who, feeling completely passive and at the mercy
128 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Gareth Knight 129

of the driver, seeks to restore the polar balance by being a very then mediates the power of that contact into the lodge (a
positive “back-seat driver”. horizontal polarity).
Sexual dynamics tend to spring to mind at the mention There are thus within this operation two skills that need to
of human polarities but though they may be very strong, be cultivated. The ritual officer should have a foot in each of
they form but a part of the very wide spectrum of modes two worlds, and act as a link between them. Failure to work
of human relationship. Freud may have seen the sexual drive efficiently in either is to fail in the work as a whole.
at the back of most human activity but other psychologists, Thus we have the two poles, when taken to extremes, of how
such as Adler or Jung, felt they could put equal importance notto work a ritual office. An officer who operates only vertically
on the drives for power or psychic integration. But whatever may well have wonderful personal realisations but will not be of
labels we seek to apply, most of our lives are taken up much help to the work of the lodge as a whole. While an officer
with polar interchange of one kind or another, whether in who operates only horizontally is simply putting up a facade. This
work or play, in close relationship or chance acquaintance. might perhaps fool or even impress an inexperienced onlooker
Magical polarities in ritual are simply another mode of these but will plainly be a sham to anyone of psychic sensitivity.
general human principles and of no particular relevance to Thete is a lot more to ritual technique than graceful movement,
sexual relationships. Although as powerful dynamics are used good voice production and projection, or even an imposing
in magical work, it follows that practitioners will prefer to avoid ptesence. Yet the absence of these is a dire disadvantage
working with those who are looking to magic as compensation in ritual however powerful the individual’s inner contacts.
for some lack in their lives, be it in terms of sex, prestige, or Traditionally ritual magicians learn their skills by the
other social deficiency. apprenticeship system. They sit in upon the work of their more
Tantrik yoga is an eastern system of spiritual development experienced journeymen or master craftsmen and gradually ate
that utilises sexual union in a highly disciplined form, but where accorded greater responsibility according to their developing
the demands of self control exceed in rigour anything likely abilities. It has to be said, however, that as with many skills in
to be found in regimes where the ideals are those of chastity. life, some may be mote adept at ritual performance than others,
Attempts at western practice of the art suffer similar problems irrespective of their innate spiritual worth or condition. Much
that pertain to adapting other advanced forms of yoga, and may the same kind of thing applies in any other performance related
well end up as an esoteric cloak for sexual adventure seasoned att . It can happen though that some, although not gifted ritually,
with hypoctisy. All too often, when sex comes in the door of may be very perceptive of inner conditions and thus can play
the lodge, any worthwhile magic flies out of the window. a very useful role in reporting their psychic impressions of a
Magical polarities are of two kinds - usually called horizontal working.
and vertical. The horizontal polarity is that which goes, so to One of the difficulties and skills of being a ritual officer is
speak, across the floor of the lodge. Vertical polarity is an inner having to function on more than one plane at once. Coping with
relationship between a lodge officer and an inner plane source sctipts and ritual actions of one kind and another is without
of power. This is a priestly or mediating role. doubt a distraction from sustained inner plane awareness and
In practice, the two forms of polarity work together. An mediation of subtle forces. It follows that anyone who attends
officer gets on his or her “contacts” (a vertical polarity) and a titual without the responsibility of taking office has a better
130 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Gareth Knight 131

chance of appreciating all that is going on. This is not to deny the lodge either directly or via the northern office. This is the
that, for the officers concerned, there is a great thrill and sense functioning of horizontal polarity as magically understood. The
of satisfaction in being able to mediate a hefty ritual office on source of the power however lies on the inner levels, which is
full bore. tapped by means of vertical polarity. There are many vatiants
Another type of valuable lodge member, who may not to this basic pattern that are beyond our present scope but what
necessarily be well gifted at ritual performance, is the “catalyst”. we cite may serve as a general guide for channelling the forces
The term is borrowed from chemistry where it signifies an involved in ritual.
element or compound whose presence is necessary for a These forces may then be directed beyond the lodge to the
chemical reaction to take place but which apparently seems to world at large, which can also be done in various ways. In essence
take no active part itself. There are also people like this, who the whole ritual is a form for channelling or preserving powers
sometimes feel frustrated about their seeming lack of psychic made available by spiritual beings upon the inner planes who
ot ritual ability, yet about whom things seem to happen the have been contacted by the work in hand.
mote easily. This is no doubt because the human being is a An example of this is the evocation of the Chapels of
very complex psychic and spiritual organism indeed, and like Remembrance which we have already cited. Here we have the
an iceberg, all our gifts and latent powers may not be apparent formation of a particular imaginative complex upon the inner
when viewed above the surface level of physical perception. In planes which may remain in being for use over a considerable
such a case the vertical and horizontal polarities are working at petiod of time. It remains in form and function, rather like an
an unconscious level. astral satellite, for those upon the inner or the outer planes who
In the classic type of ritual set-up as exemplified in published have need of it.
Masonic rites, the horizontal polarity of the lodge works initially The action of vertical polarity may also bring about the
in an east-west direction, the magus or chief officer of the manifestation of what are sometimes called “signs following”.
lodge being seated in the east and the next senior being directly That is to say coincidental happenings upon the physical plane
opposite, in the west. The magus is in some respects like a faucet that are telated to the inner plane work in hand. To some
situated midway between inner and outer planes, between the extent there is a subjective side to this. Anyone who has been
assembled lodge upon the physical plane, and the assembled an expectant mother or father knows the phenomenon that
spiritual beings associated with the lodge upon the inner planes. suddenly the streets seem full of pregnant women. There are
And while this mediating function is part and parcel of every of course no mote than there always were, it is simply that now
lodge officer, and indeed of every person present, its main they are being consciously noticed, through the sympathy of
thrust and burden falls upon the eastern officer, who may have shared experience.
to carry the brunt of any unbalanced force if for any reason An example of this in a magical context might be that on the
the lodge is not working in an equilibrated way. way home from a ritual concerning Robin Hood one is struck
The power thus comes from the east, the direction of by the sign of a public house called “The Sherwood Fotester”,
greatest symbolic light, and moves like the sun toward the west. not noticed before, despite passing it many times. Needless to
From here, in the normal course of events it will circulate round say it was always there, but it comes into conscious recognition,
to the southern office and then be distributed to the rest of not by coincidence or as a genuine following sign, but
132 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Gareth Knight 133

simply because by virtue of the recent work the mind is yourself hard done by that you had to fork out twenty pence to purchase
magically tuned to it. it, just bear in mind how much effort it cost mel I think you got the
This is the subjective element of signs following but there bargain end of the deal. No doubt you are thinking though that it
can also be an objective side, an example of which is the way is a bit of a rummy coincidence that a card from Ypres of all places
that various First World War related objects came the way of should turn up among a handful of bits of old junk in a bookshop,
the initiate bringing through the Chapel of Remembrance and that there must be more to it than my simply steering your
imagery. This involved being closely in touch with an inner subconscious mind towards it. Indeed there is. Various conjunctions
plane contact who was working through the personality of of circumstances have come together, possibly over many years, to
a British officer of the First World War who had allegedly enable that card to be for sale in a bookshop in which you will be
been killed at Ypres. And one of the objects that came her able to find tt at the appropriate time. It is indeed possible (note that
way was an old picture postcard of Ypres of the period. I say possible, not probable, nor certain) that the card was destined
Sor you from the moment it was first purchased, and has spent the
S: May I ask you an awkward question? How did you get that
last eighty years or so finding its way from Belgium to England and
postcard to me?
gradually working its way towards that particular bookshop on the
M: Aba! Now that would be giving away an Inner Plane Adeptus
tides of destiny, to enable it to be collected by you at the moment
trade secret. But just so you don't think I’m trying to wriggle out of
when your fate conjoins with the cards fate. This may seem quite
the question I will endeavour to explain a bit about how it works, As
preposterous, the cdea of your destiny being inked with the destiny
ofien as not it's a simple case of leadingyou to discover something that’s
of a picture postcard, to the extent that tt ts on its way to you half
already there, by dropping the relevant directions into your subconscious.
a century before your birth, especially bearing in mind that this
That - to all intents and purposes - is how you happened upon that big
conjunction of destinies has been instigated by me - which seems to imply
bucket of poppies the other day when you went out to buy lamp oil. You
that I was aware of you fifty odd years before your birth and was also
were only buying the lamp oil in the first place because your supplies had
aware that you would make conscious contact with me twenty-seven
been depleted by your candle-lit conversations with me, so that was an
_years into your incarnation and that you would frequent a particular
easy one to steer you into. The Ypres postcard was a little more tricky,
bookshop at this time. Rather an unlikely contingency! But it’s actually
and the fact that it is now acting as a strong talismanic link, powerfully
quite simple when you bear in mind (if you can) that time as a linear
charged with a sense of my presence, 2s an indication of the level of effort
concept is an illusion innate within human consciousness. Obviously
required from me to put it in your possession. It is extremely difficult for
there is nothing I can do to induce an understanding of time as it exists
us here to effect changes on the outer plane without the aid of mediators
on the inner planes, since your consciousness 13 programmed lo perceive
such as yourself, and it necessitates a great deal of force from this end,
it as a rigidly iinear concept. Suffice to say that I am not bound by
with no guarantee that it is going to work anyway. All we can do from
such time restrictions, or should I say not the same time restrictions,
here is project our own wills with as much gusto as possible and rely on
and that is how I appear to make things happen retrospectively. It ts
the natural tides of psychic force to carry out the action. Its not unlike
important to note that it is a mere appearance, and that I am not
sending a message in a bottle - you have to throw it out to sea with
actually manipulating your past - that ts simply how it will seem to
substantial force to get it far enough away to be picked up by the tide,
you in your human perspective. Thus I can attempt to set a chain of
and you can never be sure whether it’s going to go the right way. So I
Linked ciresmstances to knock each other along (like knocking over a
am as pleased as you are that the postcard turned up, and if you think
134 An Introduction To Ritual Magic Channelling The Forces - Gareth Knight 135

Line of up-ended domino pieces) to enable that card to be in that shop at could think about that same item or concept until you're blue in the
the moment in time that you call 2nd March 1996 (although all that, face too, and nothing would happen. But if we overlap our thoughts so
as you know, is a useful but meaningless intellectualisation, since time that I am conscious of your consciousness and you are conscious of my
is far too abstract to be thus measured and labelled), but it will seem consciousness (which is exactly what’s happening now) then our mutual
to you in your ‘iinear time‘ perspective that all those carcumstances have concentration sets up a kind of energised imprint which straddles the
already happened, and are ‘tn the past’, whereas in the cosmic scale of planes (I'm really struggling to get this into words without misleading
time (scale being a misnomer, because as I said, time does not lend itself you) and this acts as a kind of cosmic magnet, so that as those force
well to being quantified) these events may be effectively simultaneous, tides flow over and around it they are pulled in towards it. There, you
or in a different order altogether. This is a vastly complexe subject, and do understand, and I’m very pleased. Thus our conjoined consciousness
I fear that I have done kittle to elucidate it. Rather, I am bombarding has been focused on the sacrifices of the Great War, and this (although
you with concepts that you are not equipped to comprehend. But it is you may well not have been aware of it) created an energised imprint
quite enteresteng to see how far 1 can piesh these ideas in your human “inking the inner and outer planes. And then along came the forces (on
intelligence - I don't see how incarnate souls can be expected to evolve my plane, I should add, as well as on yours) which were immediately
untess they are pushed a little beyond their natural boundaries every drawn in towards our imprint, as if to a magnet, and caused the forces
now and then. to flow in that direction - hence the sudden spate of coincidences. Of
course, these forces cannot over-ride your free will, so they cant necessaril
And later:
make things happen to you, but they do create a certain tendency for any
M: I would hike to start by adding a few comments to our last topic objects linked with the Great War to gravitate towards you. Compree?
of conversation, concerning the way in which Inner Plane Adepti can These poppies and wartime postcards and photographs and such like
induce some of these odd kttle coincidences that hven up your outer are as steel pins to the magnet of your energised consciousness. So tt
Plane work. As I said, we can have no direct controlled effect upon is really just a coincidence that you keep finding things in the physical
the physical plane, for the simple reason that we don't have bodies world which seem to link up with whatever you've been meditating on
(a small price to pay for such freedom, I must say!) and we rely on recently, but it is induced coincidence if you like, a kind of side effect
the ambient tides of force to carry our intentions into actuality. This of the work you are doing. So you see it was me that made_you find
has probably given you the impression that its rather a bit and miss that Ypres postcard, but not through direct control - rather through
affair. And so it is, but not so much as you might think. There is a a fortunate coincidence. No doubt you are wondering whether similar
cosmic law to the effect that these tides of force (the forces responsible things are happening to me on the inner plane. Well, its all a bit
Jor the general trends in outer plane experience, the tendencies and the different here, and our little vortex on the Great War isnt causing me
coincidences) are attracted to that grey area of merged consciousness to see poppies everywhere, but it is having a real and very positive effect.
which I once referred to as No Man’ Land. Or perhaps it’ the other Meaningful coincidences are really an outer plane phenomenon, and very
way around, and our merged consciousnesses are attracted to the tides positive in their own way. There’ nothing better for concentrating the
of force which abound on the physical plane. Anyway, it’s that vorterc mind, and they help to reassure you that you are properly linked
produced by our mutual thoughts, our conjoined consciousness, that does up and on the right track. I have of course been talking about
the biz, Thus I could think about a particular item or concept until this on a pretty simplistic level. But the same principle does
apply to high-powered group ritual magic, if the mere tuning
I'm blue in the face (50 to speak) and nothing would happen, and you
in of your mind to my mind and vice versa is sufficient to spark
136 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

off all those interesting coincidences, just think how big and
powerful an imprint is produced when there are ten or twelve
trained minds sitting in a circle linked up to the trained minds
of the Inner Plane Adepti and any other inner plane contacts
which are working within the group. All that lot, energised by
meditation, ritual intention, and invoked forces, consolidates
into a whopper of a magnet. The effect of such high-powered
working on the ether of both inner and outer plane is pretty Chapter 9a
formidable, and the forces which are drawn in towards it can
bring about some powerful and very positive effects. That's THE FORM OF THE CEREMONY
magic! Dion Fortune .

Let us next consider what ate the criteria by which we are to

judge whatever results, or lack of them, may be obtained. Are
we to look for phenomena manifesting upon the physical plane?
Under certain conditions, I think we can; the condition being

en
that a materialising medium is present. When I first began

sae
to work along these lines there was quite a lot of incidental

A
phenomena in the shape of raps and bangs and a curious
sound as if a cracked wine glass were being struck with a knife
blade; balls of light rolled about in an aimless fashion; we heard
bell-like notes and voices calling the names of those present,
and on one occasion a door panel split right across when a
banishing ritual was being done. I made no attempt to produce
such phenomena; I did not expect them, and I had no control
over them. I noticed, however, that they always appeared when
I was feeling depleted and nervy, a condition of which I saw a
great deal in those days, and the worse I felt, the more marked
were the phenomena. Some years later an occult operation was
performed that sealed up my aura, and I have had no more of
the exhaustion and no more of the phenomena save on rare
occasions when I have been in occult difficulties; I have had
occasional slight returns of the depletion, and with it, of the
phenomena, the two coming and going together. Therefore, I
138 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Form Of The Ceremony - Dion Fortune 139

conclude they are associated together. If physical phenomena diffused and indirect, but nevertheless very definite. If we
are produced by the erudition of ectoplasm, whatever that apptoach ceremonial magic from this point of view, we can
may be, from a materialising medium, the coincidence of my learn a great deal, and we can also do a great deal; but if we
exhaustion and my phenomena would be explained. None expect of it what it is not designed to perform, we shall be
of my work has ever been done under test conditions; in disappointed. The treason that so many magical experiments
one way this is unfortunate, for nothing can be conclusively undertaken for reseatch purposes prove abortive is that too
proved by it; but in another way it has been fortunate, for I much is expected and too little is done. Certain conditions
have obtained a range of experience which I think would have have to be fulfilled; these are laid down very specifically in
been nipped in the bud by more exactness in the early stages. all the ancient rituals; the difficulty is to obtain moderns who
Thete is unquestionably a great deal to be learnt from will carry them out.
physical phenomena, and their bearing upon physiology It must be clearly realised that magic can only be done
and biology should be recognised. Here is a field for exact effectually by a trained person, and that results are not
research where the methods of the laboratory are valuable. a foregone conclusion, but in proportion to skill and
But it is by no means the whole sphere of operation, and experience. Natural aptitude also plays a part. The first
when one leaves the tangible behind and passes over into requisite is the power to concentrate; the second, the power to
the sphere of psychic experience, one passes out of the build up an image in the imagination with the same clarity as a
tealm of physical science and enters upon psychology, and novelist visualises his characters; the third is the power to throw
methods must change accordingly. Freud and Jung obtained consciousness out of gear and let the subconscious mind “take
their results by examining enormous quantities of mental over’’. These are all things which can be learnt by practice along
material upon its own level, making no attempt to reduce it the tight lines, They take time, and they require work, but it
to the plane of dense matter, unless the word reaction tests can be done. It is also necessary to have a thorough knowledge
of Jung can be conceived to do so. This, I believe, to be the of the cosmic principles outlined upon an earlier page. One
right approach to magical phenomena. Let us examine the then knows what types of force are available for contacting,
mental content of the experimenters and see what we find and how, when and where they can be contacted; likewise
there, and how the contents classify when we have collected whether the conditions are available for a specific operation.
sufficient bulk to strike an average. If we expect to see the The operator, and I am talking now about the initiated adept
Devil appear in the Triangle of Art, complete with pitchfork and not the rule of thumb dabbler in the psychic, next proceeds
and leaving behind cloven scorch marks on the carpet, we to gather together the instruments of the operation. Two rules
ate barking up the wrong tree. A great Authority said “The ate observed: first, that everything must be virgin, that is to
Kingdom of Heaven is within you”, and I have myself seen say, it must never have been used for any other purpose; and
several very adequate private hells. secondly, that the more trouble it costs, the better. The reason
Ceremonial magic is not primarily designed to produce for the first rule is that any sensitive can feel the influences that
objective phenomena, but to operate in the invisible have been associated with an article he handles, and when one
kingdoms. The immediate results are not observed by the is doing ceremonial, one gets into a sensitive condition; as the
physical eye, but by psychic vision, and the end results are most important point in magical workings is concentration, one
140 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Form Of The Ceremony - Dion Fortune 141

does not wish to be distracted by alien influences. The how, why are of different types, and the imagination of the trained
and wherefore of this fact I will not digress upon at present, occultist has been “conditioned” by years of work and
but refer the reader to what I have already said concerning the psychic experience, and each experience will be associated
power of the Astral Aether to take on forms. with a particular symbol, and it is to this “conditioning” that
Concerning the second point, that the more trouble one the equipment of a temple is designed to speak. That is why
takes the better, the explanation is readily understood, for it outsiders are never admitted, for they must be “conditioned”
comes within known territory. The trouble you take helps you to to a symbol before it will mean anything to them.
prolong yout concentration. It is much easier to concentrate on Next comes the choice of the teat for the performance
your hazel wand while you ate whittling at it than to concentrate of the specific rite. They have to be chosen on type, granting
upon it with your hands folded in your lap. It is the Froebel of course, the necessary training. One would not invite an
action song principle that we have noted before. elderly and repressed spinster, given to good works, to assist at
The whole ceremonial upon the physical plane is directed to a tite of Pan. Ceremonies vary enormously in type, but let us
this end, being expressly designed to assist concentration and take for example a ceremony of invocation. Now invocation
exalt imagination. When, however, one knows the principle and evocation are not the same thing. Evocation is what the
involved, it is not necessary to go to the enormous amount of spiritualists do when they get a departed soul to communicate;
expense and trouble suggested by various writers. The person invocation calls down the primary spiritual forces.
trained in concentrating will put in half an hour’s hard mental It is a maxim in magic that all the gods are one god, and
work and obtain the requisite result. As a matter of fact, the all the goddesses are one goddess, and there is one initiator;
initiate in the course of his training works with the different nevertheless, the gods and goddesses of the different pantheons
cosmic factors and gains mastery of each in turn, so when he and the archangels of the Qabalah represent different
comes to the specific work of a magical experiment he has, as specialised aspects of force. The particular deity you elect to
it wete, the raw material ready to his hand and has merely to use as a channel of invocation is purely a matter of taste and
mould it into the requisite form. To the experienced operator no expediency. Isis, Ceres, Aphrodite and the Archangel Haniel are
paraphernalia is necessary. He can sit in his chair and visualise all different notes in the same scale; they will not yield identical
the whole temple and ceremony and obtain as good, and even tesults, but they all represent different aspects of the same
better results than are obtained by the actual rite; but when a potency. The same temple and equipment will do for
team of operators are working together, as is usual in magical all of them.
operations, it is essential to have a properly equipped temple For such a rite, according to tradition and experience, three
and a set ceremony in order to co-ordinate their efforts. In fact, persons ate necessary, one to direct, control and steady the
even for the solitary worker, it is a great help to go through the ceremony; one to bring through the power, and one to receive
rite on the physical plane. It assists concentration and enhances it. The first of the three must keep his wits about him; the
the imagination. other two should lose themselves in the ceremony. It is by the
The temple is equipped with the symbolic furniture in such a action and reaction between these two, as between two actors
way that it appeals to the imagination and turns it in the desired on a stage, that the atmosphere is worked up; the first operator
direction. That is the real principle involved. But imaginations might be likened to the producer.
142 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Form Of The Ceremony - Dion Fortune 143

The work starts by building up in the imagination of all will bring out anything of a corresponding nature that is latent in
concerned an imaginary temple, which is conceived of as just the same way that hypnotism will, and for the same reason
covering and enclosing the physical temple. This is usually done - that it touches the deepest levels of consciousness and releases
by drawing signs in the air towards the four cardinal points and inhibitions. It is for this reason that ceremonial will do in an
visualising a ring of light connecting them. This is conceived hour what can only be done by meditation in months or years.
to form an astral barrier. Next the operators solemnly dedicate Being a very potent method, it has to be in skilled hands, but
themselves to the power that is to be invoked. Then, if the rightly used, it is exceedingly effective, and there is no reason
method of assumption of god-forms is to be used, one of their whatever why it should be in any way harmful or dangerous.
number sets to work to imagine that he is the priest of that god The persons taking part must be carefully chosen, both for
and that the god is descending and taking possession of him; their own sakes and for the sake of the success of the operation;
the others act accordingly. This, of course, is obviously the they must be properly trained and know what they ate about,
method of a medium going under control; the being invoked, and they must gain experience with minor potencies and rites
however, is not a departed spirit, but a cosmic force deliberately before they attempt the high-powered ones.
personified under an imaginary but standard form. Some exponents of occultism decry all ritual as dangerous,
The result of such an operation, if successful, is to produce and no doubt it would be so tn their hands; but there is no reason
a ptofound psychological effect on all concerned and an why foxes who have got tails should cut them off. I have taken
extraordinary atmosphere in the room where it is performed. part in many hundreds of rituals, and I have upon occasion
If bungled, or used injudiciously, the results can, of course, be seen things go wrong and accidents happen; I consider that in
unpleasant; but used well and skilfully, the results have to be untrustworthy or ignorant hands one has the makings of very
seen to be believed. They are capable of very wide practical serious trouble; I have had trouble with magic myself, and I
applications, especially in the sphere of psychotherapy. have helped to pick up the pieces after other folks’ trouble; I
And what ate these results? No-one but a psychic will see have never, however, seen a normal person take any permanent
anything, for there is nothing physical to be seen; but people harm provided the appropriate occult remedies were promptly
who normally are not psychic at all are often made temporarily applied when things went wrong; but no ceremonial working
psychic by the ceremony. No-one, I should think, could sit ought to be attempted except under the direction of someone
through a ceremony worked with power and not be affected who knows what they are about and has had experience of
by it, even if the effect produced is no more than exasperation. this line of work, so that these remedies may be to hand when
Those who ate in sympathy with what is being done experience required. The only serious danger is to mentally unbalanced or
a vety marked exaltation. neurotic persons, and a ceremony might be quite enough to
Nowif temporary exaltation and nothing more were produced, push such a one over the borderline of insanity who otherwise
ceremonial magic would rank with alcohol as an intoxicant with would have managed to get along all right. It 1s for this reason
possible medicinal uses and a definite entertainment value; but that alienists say that spiritualism and occultism drive people
such an exaltation extends consciousness, develops capacity, insane. They will not drive normal people insane, but they soon
and affects character in a very marked degree. It will not change prove too much for the unstable. On the other hand, however,
a petson’s character, making him something he is not, but it the knowledge gained in practical occultism could be of
144 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

extraordinary value in certain types of mental disease; those

types, that is to say, that are diseases of the personality and not
due to organic or toxic causes.
I maintain, therefore, that ceremonial operations justify
themselves just as surgery justifies itself by obtaining quick and
radical results; but I not only admit, but warn, that it is subject to
the same risks as surgery - faulty yadgement and faulty technique Chapter 9b
on the part of the operator, and bad risks among patients.
THE FORM OF THE CEREMONY
Gareth Knight

A ritual can take various forms according to the type of

symbolism that is being worked with - be it Qabalistic,
Greek, Egyptian, Christian, Celtic or whatever. However, the
underlying structure will be very much the same, conforming
to specific general laws, in much the same way that a toom may
be furnished in many different styles but fundamentally must
comprise a sound floor, a sound ceiling, sound walls, at least one
door and probably some windows, with provision for heating,
lighting, ventilation and possibly running water.
In like manner, a ritual will consist of some form of opening,
a statement of intention, contacting the forces concerned,
channelling them to a particular aim or climax, and then a
closing.
As to basic furniture, the minimum is probably a circle of
chairs - unless the work is performed standing. However a
central focus will be a common requirement, and this will usually
be marked with a simple light or with an altar or central table
upon which various symbols may be set. Raised daises or rather
more ornate chairs at the quarters for the officers are an optional
extta - the important factor being the efficiency of the officer
who is sitting there, the practicality and comfort of the chair,
rather than its symbolic or aesthetic lineaments. A beautifully
catved ritual throne is more of a liability than an asset if it
146 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Form Of The Ceremony - Gareth Knight 147

squeaks at the slightest movement, or tortures the incumbent powers are functioning in the lodge.” When this is done, a
with discomfort after fifteen minutes. salute may be exchanged between the officer and the magus.
Other symbolic furniture such as pillars or floor cloths The whole intention is a steady build up of power and
may be utilised but are the gilt upon the gingerbread. The focused attention, affirming who is running the show, what
basic purpose of such accoutrements is simply to direct the its intention is, and sounding out the individual notes that go
attention to the operators (inner and outer) to appropriate to make up the vibrating chord of the whole ritual.
places in the lodge lay-out. It serves much the same basic The element of repetition is psychologically as well as
purpose as white lines in the roadway for pedestrians and magically effective in building up the framework of the
motorists. Similarly bells or knocks at appropriate places are ritual. The ultimate effectiveness of the rite will depend on
aids to inner plane presences to key in to the different phases - the degree of vertical polarity that can be rendered available
of a complex ritual, or to mark particularly important points. as horizontal polarity, as we have previously defined. This
One elementary mistake with beginners is to spend so will be felt very forcibly by the officers concerned, very
much time and effort on an elaborate opening that energy often with physiological sensations of heat, or at the head
levels and attention span have been considerably reduced by chaktas increased heart beat, or prickling or itching sensations
the time one gets to the main work of the lodge. There ts particularly
no point in getting so stuffed up with Aors d'oeuvres that one Thete will also be, in major rituals, a marked change in the
cannot do justice to the main meal. atmosphere, which can be detected by sefisitive persons, even
The basic formula is for the magus, or senior officer, to if they are not actually present at the ritual but are within the
circumambulate the lodge. That is, to walk round it three times same building or near vicinity. Anyone of a sceptical turn of
intent upon focusing and concentrating some etheric force from mind, ot otherwise out of sympathy with the work in hand,
the electro-magnetic aura of each one present. Then to make and perhaps not even realising their latent psychic faculties,
a statement of reverent dedication at each of the four quarters may tegister the effect in some other way, often by a minor
by means of a short verbal formula and some appropriate sign. emotional upset, such as a feeling of irritability.
This is at root a balancing up of the lodge, like a boat, upon Physical phenomena ate extremely rare, in or out of the
the waters of the unseen. lodge, to the point of being regarded more as pathologies than
Following this the magus should state the purpose of the desiderata. They are only likely to occur when a particularly
rite. This is an important element in magic, however brief, powerful personality has what might be termed a leaky aura,
as it formulates and focuses the combined spiritual will of ot of the type that in the spiritualist world is regarded as a
those assembled. Then the magus makes formal contact “materialising medium”. That is to say, giving off a raw kind
with each of the lodge officers. This is generally done in a of subtle energy at the boundaries of physical substance which
somewhat repetitive fashion by a series of formal questions can be manipulated by thought power.
and instructions to which the officer responds appropriately. Anyone of this fairly rare condition is likely to feel
“What is your situation in the lodge?” “Why so situated?” somewhat depleted as a result of this, but all present at a ritual
“What quality do you represent?” “What is its symbol?” conttibute some degree of etheric magnetism to the work
“Then place that symbol upon the altar to signify that those in hand, whether they realise it or not. For this reason any
148 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Form Of The Ceremony - Gareth Knight 149

who ate working on low energy levels or are nervously run credulous ambience that attaches to magic as a result of its
down in any way, may tend to drop off to sleep in ritual treatment in fiction, and the antics of its lunatic fringe.
conditions. This is a relatively harmless condition but is best The principal purpose of a closing formula is not to do with
avoided, as it indicates a temporary lack of control on the keeping demons at bay. But when a ritual performance has tuned
etheric levels, and alternately sagging and jerking heads and the consciousness of individuals to a particularly high level it
even light snores are not particularly contributive to the work is appropriate to close things down gently so that they can go
of the lodge! and catch their buses or drive their cats without being a hazard
Other slight problems that sometimes occur with beginners to themselves or to others. However, if circumstances permit,
at ritual is the stimulating of the psychic centre at the throat, as perhaps in a residential environment, and when the place of
which can lead to distracting fits of coughing. In such working is not immediately needed, then it can be beneficial
circumstances it is best for the person concerned to have a not to close the rite down completely, but to let the beneficent
good cough and have done with it, as the growing sense of forces continue to flow.
desperation and embarrassment in trying to suppress it is When a formal closing is used, it is generally similar to the
likely to be even more disruptive upon the subtler planes. opening, only in reverse. The object is to bring back the focus
Seasoned ritualists will not be distracted by coughs, sneezes of consciousness to normal functioning upon the physical plane,
ot any of the thousand and one noises from the immediate which means that there is not likely to be quite the elaboration
environment. Indeed suppressing noise without an impractical and evocatory charisma of the opening. The words may be
degree of soundproofing is almost a physical impossibility rendeted in almost a matter of fact but firm manner rather than
in modern conditions. It is easier to learn to live with it and chanted ot intoned. The reverse citcurmambulations of the magus
work through it. are intended to disperse any accretion of etheric force back to
When the opening has been fully completed, which should the members of the circle, a matter simply rendered by spiritual
not take more than twenty minutes at the most, the main work intention rather than any formulary, and then the members of the
of the day can commence. This may be a matter of moving lodge dispetse. In some circles the magus and officers may march
symbolic objects about but is more likely to consist of directed out ceremonially and the rest be ushered out by a minor officer.
visualisation. Even where physical ritual actions are performed, In others membets may simply leave quietly in their own time.
the accompanying inner visualisation is a highly important The ideal working place is a temple set apart from all
part of the process. This is where the skill comes in to ritual mundane activities. This is rarely possible, but fortunately is
office - in working upon two levels at once. Remaining deeply not essential, and nor is the permanence, cost and elaboration
on contact and in meditation without setting fire to oneself, of ritual furniture directly proportional to the effectiveness and
spiking the ceiling with a ritual sword, spilling the chalice over power of ritual being performed. A good ritual group, even if
your neighbour, and coping with the many things that can and it is working in uncongenial surroundings with transportable
may go wrong but which cateful forethought and rehearsal equipment will make its own atmosphere, its own power points
should avoid. in the inner ethers. Just as a good dance can be had by rolling
Closing is another patt of ritual work that is fraught with back the carpet and pushing the furniture to the walls, so can
misunderstanding. This is largely a result of a fearful and a good ritual.
150 An Introduction To Ritual Magic

We have mentioned the general problem of noise and it is

well to remember that this is a two way thing. The enthusiastic
chanting of magical formulae, to say nothing of the smell of
incense wafting into the outside world, is not likely to go without
comment - or at least suspicion of dire goings on. However,
as long as the incense does not smell too much like illegal
substances there is not likely to be a police raid.
On the subject of incidental hazards to ritual however, it
is reported that the New York Police Department do not take Chapter 10a
kindly to ritual swords being transported in public places, and
this form of official nervousness could pertain elsewhere.
THE PURPOSE OF MAGIC
Certainly I have been somewhat apprehensive in transporting
Dion Fortune
hollow pillars past London Airport when the IRA was currently
using drainpipes for mortar attacks. It is possible, of course, that
ritual robes accompanying such ritual artefacts may persuade
There are three schools of thought in regard to the occult
the authorities of one’s non-violent intent.
atts. The first, which I will call the rationalistic, attributes
Ritual robes are largely a matter of local custom. Certain
them altogether to the power of the subconscious mind. The
pagan groups dispense with them, along with the rest of their
second attributes them wholly to supernatural agencies such
clothing, altogether. Organised groups traditionally have a
as the intervention of the spirits of the departed, elementals,
uniform set of robes or even cassocks. When it comes to
atchangels, and hoc genus omne. This we will call the credulous
expense and elaboration much the same criteria apply as to ritual
school of occult thought. The third, of which I believe I am
location and furniture. A poor ritual performance is not likely
the founder, and of which I am at any rate a member, attributes
to be much improved by gorgeous robes and a richly furnished
the phenomena produced by means of the occult arts to the
temple. Whilst the experienced ritualist will be able to operate
interaction of both factors, together with an intelligent practical
effectively in ordinary clothes in any environment.
application of certain esoteric knowledge concerning the
However, there is a certain “magic” in dressing up, particularly
nature of the universe. The viewpoint I would like to label the
if the robes have attained a certain ambience through exposure
metaphysical school of occult thought.
to incense on various occasions - which does not mean to say
First, then, let us recognise that all occult art, like all pictorial
that they should not be washed when necessary! They will also
ot musical art, must rest upon a basis of the natural and acquired
catry an association of ideas, which is helpful to personal ritual
skill of the artist - in the case of the occultist, the development
preparation, and putting on robes can and should be a little
of certain little-understood capacities latent in every mind in
ptivate opening ritual in itself. Taking off the consciousness
varying degrees, but totally absent in none, and comparable in
and preoccupations of the outer world with one’s ordinary
this respect to the capacity for musical expression. Without this
clothes, and putting on the elements of higher consciousness
basis, the most powerful magical formula is like a violin in the
with one’s magical robe, cloak, shoes, lamen, cord, head-dress
hands of an orang-utan, to adapt Balzac’s famous comment.
or whatever is customarily used.
152 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Purpose Of Magic - Dion Fortune 153

But however great the development of the human mind as mind.” Now this is an important point in the occult hypothesis
such, it has its limitations, and it is here that the consideration ~ the freedom of mind apart from matter, and the fixation of
of the supernatural begins. According to the occult hypothesis, mind by means of matter. It should be carefully noted, for upon
matter is the end product of a long course of evolution it the whole occult technique is based.
involving phases of gradually increasing density and definiteness The first aim of an occultist is to learn to detach mind from
of organisation. We must look for the sources of matter in matter, and having so detached it, then to control it by attaching
this subtle background of unembodied forces, and in their it to chosen forms. If he can detach mind from matter, he can
combinations and permutations for the root causes of the direct it as he will, but not otherwise, for the stimuli of the
events that appear in the physical world and for which no senses direct it for him. But unless he immediately re-attaches it
satisfactory physical explanation 1s forthcoming, such as the to the plane of form, it will degenerate into formless force that
appearance of life itself on this globe; the intrinsic nature of like the wind that bloweth where it listeth, and he heareth the
chemical and physical activity; birth, mating, death; disease sound therof, but that is about all. In actual practice therefore,
and regeneration, not to mention all the processes dealt with he does not risk allowing thought to escape from his control,
by psychology, which by all save the die-hard materialist are but detaches it from matter - that is to say, attention to the
regarded as primarily non-physical, though admittedly modified objects of sense - by attaching it to objects that do not belong
by physical influences. to the world of sense though derived therefrom. In other
Much of the subtle substance of this invisible realm as is words, the reflections in his imagination of the objects of the
organised in the form we ate familiar with as dense matter, is world of form serve as moulds in which to hold, channels
held in firm bondage to the laws of the plane of matter and in which to canalise, the subtle forces that would otherwise
is very hard to detach therefrom. Nevertheless, the rigidity prove too elusive to handle. These subjective images are the
of the bonds varies in different forms of organisation, from link between form and force, and they are very important
the associations of electrons into those stable forms which in occult practice. One can safely say that the person who
chemistry calls the elements, to the exceedingly labile physiology cannot use the visual imagination cannot do magic, and the
of the neurotic. As every chemist knows, organic chemistry better a person can visualise, the better magician will he be.
is one thing, and inorganic chemistry is another; and as every This art of visualisation is employed in meditation until
doctor ought to know, thete is a very great difference between expertness is arrived at, and then it is given a further definiteness
the stably organised physiological orchestra of a healthy and concentration by being combined with action on the
agricultural labourer and that of a highly strung emotional physical plane. Thus is developed a ceremonial with mind power
actress. The more creative the intelligence, the more labile is behind it - the mind-work that brings power into a ceremony,
the physiology. and the ceremony that gives concentration to mind-work.
This shows us that the greater the proportion of mind to If we ask which is done first, we are but proposing a new
matter, the greater the influence of mind over matter. The version of the old question, “Which came first, the hen or the
occultist carries his deduction a step further, and says: “Detach egg?” When the man with a trained mind works a ceremony,
mind from matter and you have free-moving force; it is matter, there is an immediate influx of power into the ceremony, and
and matter alone that imposes any degree of fixity upon as he works the ceremony, there is an influx of power into
 154 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Purpose Of Magic - Dion Fortune 155

himself and he works with enhanced power. It is the syphon If these principles be applied to the consideration of that
principle, whereby water running out of a pipe draws water into example of ceremonial magic with which everyone is familiar
the pipe. An even more illuminating analogy is found in the - the Eucharist, it will be seen that they are represented by
system of pulleys and blocks that can be used to magnify the the faith of the worshipper, the Real Presence, and the power
energy exerted, but that, without the exertion of some energy, of the Cosmic Christ. Be it noted also the stress laid by the
would be inert. Catholic upon the Real Presence, and the consequent potency
We have then, in magic, a device for controlling subtle of his Mass; and the denial by the Protestant of the miracle
invisible forces that ate behind the world of formas itis known of Transubstantiation, and the relative inertness of his Holy
to us; these forces are controlled by freeing the corresponding Communion. From this we learn a very important lesson in the
level of consciousness from the bondage of the world of form, practical att of magic - we must believe in the equivalent of
but at the same time retaining it under control, like a horse on the Real Presence in any operation, or our magic will be inert,
a lunging rein. The mind is freed by training in meditation, and the Real Presence being that of the Angel of the Operation,
kept under control by means of ceremonial. the elemental spirit invoked, the Master of the Degree, or
By means of the discipline of specially designed and graded whatever may be the astral form that is built up by the magical
meditations the mind is habituated to the exercise of a higher mind as the channel of power that conveys the subtle to the
mode of consciousness than that which is developed in it by dense. Have faith in the coming of a Real Presence, of whatever
the experiences of the senses; and with the development of nature, and power comes into your rite. Disbelieve it as a mete
this higher mode of consciousness it becomes conscious of ignorant superstition or rationalise it away, and your ceremony
higher things. A whole new world opens to it - the world of will be inert.
the subtle forces behind appearances, which we know must be Believe in it superstitiously, and you will be haunted by
there, yet which we have as yet found no way of assessing save bugaboos; but understand the power of the thought-form to
in the subtle reactions of the mind of the psychic. bring through a cosmic force that ensouls and rendets it real
If the development brought about by the occult training and potent, and you have the means of performing the miracle
were limited to the development of psychism alone, the initiate
of Transubstantiation upon whatever symbol you elect to use.
would in no way differ from any other psychic; but in addition Make yout thought-form after the appropriate manner, and
to learning to perceive these forces, he also aims at acquiring the corresponding force will ensoul it and you have a Real
control over them. To this end he uses the different factors in Presence.
his own nature as the man-power that is put behind the pulley This constitutes the technique of magic, and is applied
and block, and he uses his ceremonial as the tackle and ring-bolt to whatever matter is in hand. The magical operations
with which he lays hold of the particular type of cosmic force themselves are differentiated not by method, for the same
which corresponds to the factor in his own natute that he has method is adapted to all the different processes, but by the
applied to the work of magic. end to which they are directed, which may be the initiating of
It will thus be seen how the three factors enter into the a candidate, the charging of a talisman, ot the energising of
Operation - mind power, the astral forms, and the cosmic the mind and the enlarging of the experience of the operator.
forces.
 The Purpose Of Magic - Gareth Knight 157

The spiritual world is the bosom and being of the Creator,

the One, the Only Begetter of all that is, and our own souls
into the bargain. The religions of the world seek to bring the
individual soul into a rightful relationship with God, who, by
definition, comptises all we can conceive of a spiritual world.
They do this by means of systems of belief that are expressed
Chapter 10b
in various acts of worship and of codes of living, the details
of which vary according to contemporary culture.
THE PURPOSE OF MAGIC The psychic world is that which lies between the physical
Gareth Knight and the spiritual. The unbeliever will deny that any such world
exists, save in an entirely subjective sense that can be investigated
according to the laws of psychology. The more liberal of the
To understand the purpose of magic we need first to understand religiously orthodox in the Judaeo/Christian/Islamic traditions
the world view of the magician. This differs from the may well go along with this materialistic view. The more
assumptions that are generally current in the modern intellectual conservative, however, may well admit that an objective psychic
climate. However, the magical world view ts one of considerable world exists but will regard it as forbidden territory, fraught with
antiquity and respectability, serving human cosmic speculation traps and dangers and demonic forces.
well before the time of Aristotle, through medieval times and The magician believes that this psychic world exists but
on into the Renaissance. Since the middle of the seventeenth declines to regard it as forbidden territory, but rather as a large
century the magical view of the universe has gradually given and unknown country that is there to be explored. As with any
place to a more materialist conception, encouraged by the physical exploration there are various means by which this can
benefits of technology that have accrued from a rigorous be undertaken and various motives for doing so.
application of the scientific method. Yet scientific discoveries At one extreme is the attempt to explore the psychic worlds
that may validly have changed our views about the way the with the same experimental rigour as in the pursuit of physical
physical world is put together, do not necessarily invalidate the science, and using physical apparatus. Such were the intentions
old conceptions regarding the existence and the structure of of the Society for Psychical Research, founded in the nineteenth
the psychic and spiritual worlds. century, where an extensive archive has been built up but one
‘To put things in their simplest terms, the magician reckons to which by its very nature remains very close to the limitations
live in a thtee tier universe. One that is divided into the spiritual, of physical science. For the psychic realm to be explored in any
the psychic and the physical. depth then psychic means have to be employed, which, for the
The physical world is that world of teeming phenomena of tigotous physical scientist, are too subjective to be seriously
which we are conscious by means of the sensory organs of our considered.
physical body and sometimes with the assistance of scientific One can sympathise with the scientists' reservations in light
instruments. The atheistic materialist considers that this is all of the considerable amount of self deception and superstition
that exists. that is all too often evident in psychic circles. And apart from
158 An Introduction To Ritual Magic The Purpose Of Magic - Gareth Knight 159

this, accuracy of observation depends upon the accuracy of our They can be an opening of the gates of the psychic world,
faculties of psychic perception, and these are more subject to and sometimes in none too salubrious a fashion. A High Church
ertot than our physical faculties (not that these are by any means mass would have figured high in their detestation, for a religious
infallible, as is revealed by conflicting accounts of witnesses in setvice with ritual, apart from its spiritual element, can have a
courts of law). significant magical content.
Also, what we meet within the psychic realms will be largely The spiritual element of any religious service may be
conditioned by our own attitude as participators or observers. A considered as a level set apart from any magical or psychic
fundamental law of the psychic realm also is that Like attracts aspects. This is because there is a direct relationship between
Like. This means that when we approach the psychic world spiritual intention and physical activity resulting therefrom,
we ate going to be met with a close reflection of our own which transcends any psychic or magical considerations. It is
expectations. If we assume that all we meet there is going to this that justifies the theological teaching that the administration
be of the devil, then certainly some mirror images of our own of the sacraments ate valid no matter what the moral standing
fear-ridden prejudices may be expected. Those, on the other ot mental preoccupations of the priest.
hand, who approach these realms in a state of high mystical This is a ruling open to cynical criticism, the more so because
expectation may well find themselves apparently raised into in magical and psychic affairs, the personal performance and
colloquy with saints and with angels. integrity of those concerned is crucial to success. However,
As to motivation, if we approach this realm looking for the magical or psychic element within any divine service fall
what we can profitably exploit in material terms, like empire into an intermediate level similar to the degree of upliftment
builders of old, then we are likely to meet up with simular that may be felt according to the way that the organ is played
opportunist exploiters and scavengers upon the inner planes. or how well the choir sings.
These may perhaps themselves be looking for vicarious A religious service is therefore not aimed at working magic,
thrills through the overshadowing of some personality still in although some forms of prayer may well come close to certain
incarnation. This is the basis of the traditions of the earth- types of magic, at any rate in intent. Those, for instance, that
bound, or of the incubus and succubus - feeding upon sexual seek specific physical intervention ot intercession by particular
acts and fantasies. Other yobbish entities may get a charge saints into the peoples' lives. Conversely, it is very rare that a
from vicatious violence, which is at the root of mob law. This magical ceremony is intended to be simply an act of worship.
is a pooling of auras in a very magical way that does not call for Personal enlightenment is one aim of ceremonial magic, but
sophisticated magical techniques, for it happens instinctively. the overall purpose is not limited to psychological self help,
Different types of music and theatrical performance attract a even if with a spiritual dimension. The ethic of the Western
similar interaction between the planes, The performing arts, Esoteric Tradition, which includes ritual magic among its other
good and bad, are very magical acts, for magic is a universal disciplines, is encapsulated in the aspiration: “I desire to know
phenomenon and in its broader sense far from being confined in order to serve.”
to a few esoteric specialists. Initiates, by means of their specialisation of being able to
With this in mind, we may pethaps see why puritan enthusiasts open the gates to the inner worlds, (of which there are many
in olden days tried instinctively to ban theatrical performances. modes and levels, each with their particular type of intelligence)