Transcendental Magic — Éliphas Lévi

p. 188of Christ is erect, gazing up to heaven, and awaiting the hour of His Father. Christ signifies priest and king by excellence. The Christ initiator of modern times came to form new priests and new kings by science, and, above all, by charity. The ancient magi were priests and kings, and the Saviour's advent was proclaimed to them by a star.

This star was the magical pentagram, having a sacred letter at each point.

It is the symbol of the intelligence which rules by unity of force over the four elementary potencies ; it is the pentagram of the magi, the blazing star of the children of Hiram, the prototype of equilibrated light ; to each of its points a ray of light ascends, and from each a ray goes forth ; it represents the grand and supreme athanor of nature, which is the body of man.

The magnetic influence issues in two beams from the head, from either hand, and from either foot. The positive ray is balanced by the negative. The head corresponds with the two feet, each hand with a hand and foot, each of the two feet with the head and one hand.

This ruling sign of equilibrated light represents the spirit of order and harmony ; it is the sign of the omnipotence of the magus, and hence, when broken or incorrectly drawn, it represents astral intoxication, abnormal and ill-regulated projections of the astral light, and, therefore, bewitchments, perversity, madness, and it is what the magi term the signature of Lucifer.

There is another signature which also symbolises the mysteries of light, namely, the sign of Solomon, whose talismans bear on one side the impression of his seal which we have given in our Doctrine, and on the other the following signature (p. 189), which is the hieroglyphic theory of the composition of magnets, and represents the circulatory law of the lightning.

Eebellious spirits are enchained by the exhibition of the blazing five-pointed star or the seal of Solomon, because each gives them proof of their folly and threatens them with a sovereign power capable of tormenting them by their recall

INTRODUCTION

p. 189

to order. Nothing tortures the wicked so much as goodness. Nothing is more odious to madness than reason. But if an ignorant operator should make use of these signs without knowing them, he is a blind man who discourses of light to the blind, an ass who would teach children to read. " If the blind lead the blind," said the great and divine Hierophant, " both fall into the pit." And now a final word to sum this entire introduction.

If you be blind like Samson when you cast down the pillars of the temple, its ruins will crush you. To command nature we must be above nature by resistance of her attractions. If your mind be perfectly free from all prejudice, superstition, and incredulity, you will command spirits. If you do not obey blind forces, they will obey you. If you be wise like Solomon, you will perform the works of Solomon ; if you be holy like Christ, you will accomplish the works of Christ. To direct the currents of the inconstant light, we must be p. 190established in the constant light. To command the elements, we must have overcome their hurricanes, their lightnings, their abysses, their tempests. In order to DARE we must KNOW ; in order to WILL, we must DARE ; we must WILL to possess empire, and to reign we must BE SILENT.

THE RITUAL

OF

TRANSCENDENT MAGIC

CHAPTER I PREPARATIONS EVERY intention which does not assert itself by deeds is a vain intention, and the speech which expresses it is idle speech. It is action which proves life and establishes will. Hence it is said in the sacred and symbolical books that men will be judged, not according to their thoughts and their ideas, but according to their works. We must act in order to be.

We have, therefore, to treat in this place of the grand and terrific question of magical works ; we are concerned no longer with theories and abstractions ; we approach realitiesr and we are about to place the rod of miracles in the hands of the adept, saying to him at the same time : " Be not satisfied with what we tell you ; act for yourself.

We have to deal here with works of relative omnipotence, with the means of seizing upon the greatest secrets of nature and compelling them into the service of an enlightened and inflexible will. Most known magical rituals are either mystifications or enigmas, and we are about to rend for the first time, after so many centuries, the veil of the occult sanctuary. To reveal the holiness of mysteries is to provide a remedy for their profanation. Such is the thought which sustains our