The Aeon of Lucifer

To the true sorcerer there is no "good" and no "evil"; there is only his WILL. This is the basis of Crowley’s Law of Thelema. Those who interpret Crowley’s law "do what thou WILL" as "do what you want" fail to understand that it is the magical WILL Crowley is referring to. What the sorcerer desires (or thinks that he desires) may not be the thing which his "higher self" has truly WILLED to occur. Expanding upon the Law of Thelema, Michael Aquino conceptualized and proclaimed the Word XEPER, by which the sorcerer may "become" and ultimately attain his true WILL, and the realization of his "higher self". Without Thelema, Xeper could never have been, for it is by THELEMA that XEPER is possible.

XEPER is the Egyptian word which means "to become". In this context, it means the achievement of one’s higher self (what in Abramelin Magick is called the "Knowledge and Conversation of your Holy Guardian Angel.") Many "Aeon Strengthening" words were also spoken during the Aeon of Set. Magus Lewis conceptualized the cycle by which one "became" and declared it in the word REMANIFEST. Magus Flowers conceptualized the unknown, the hidden, and declared it in the word RUNA. As a traveler might walk for days and never reach the horizon, RUNA is that horizon. As a traveler might walk for days only to find that everywhere he sleeps is "here" not "there", REMANIFEST is "here". XEPER is the process of "becoming"; RUNA is the horizon of all that is unknown and beyond your understanding; REMANIFEST is "here" (the point at which you have "manifested"); and XEM is "there" (the place to which your "higher self" is guiding you.) XEM may be any destination, but realizing that man’s ultimate goal is to become God, XEM becomes DEITUS.

DEITUS is the achievement of the power of a God. To become a God, you must realize that you are a God. It has been commonly believed that God created the universe. It is actually the universe which is creating God. Satan is a metaphor for man. The rise of Lucifer is the rise of man to his eventual destiny. The Aeon of Lucifer did not destroy the Aeon of Set, but augmented it. Set is the "dynamic" of the universe, the source consciousness which - through man - is creating God. "The Word of the Aeon is - DEITUS - for man has become God, Lucifer has risen, the dragon has awaken, the gates have been flung wide and the heavens have been conquered. The Ancient Ones rule once more. By your WILL alone, the genetic code of man has been altered. By THELEMA and by XEPER, you are now DEITUS! A new race, a superior race, has been born. No longer shall you be called "Homo Sapien"; you are now "Homo Deitus"! No longer shall you be called Man for you have become God. You and your seed shall live immortal upon the earth, as gods upon the earth. The Aeon of Lucifer has begun! Nations of the earth bow down before my chosen ones. Men of the earth bow down before my chosen ones. Kings of the earth bow down before my chosen ones. You, who have served me faithfully, shall take your place as gods upon the earth!"

Each Aeon represents a stage in the non-natural evolution of man. DEITUS could not have been proclaimed as an Aeon enhancing word within the Aeon of Set since it changed this relationship between man and the universe. The Aeon of Isis was a time when man lived in close harmony with the natural world and the dominant religions involved the worship of nature (the pre-Christian pagan world.) The Aeon of Osirus, which followed it, was a time when man rejected the natural world, accepting self-denial and sacrifice of the flesh and body as the ideal. In the west, Christianity rose as a dominant religion during that time.

The Aeon of Osirus ended and the Aeon of Horus began April 4, 1904 when Aleister Crowley, Magus of the Aeon of Horus, uttered the Word THELEMA (the Greek word for Will). The WILL in this context was a magical WILL, for in the Aeon of Horus man would no longer be bound by the death-cults of the past. The Age of Satan began April 30, 1966 when Anton LaVey spoke the words "Indulgence instead of Abstinence," thus breaking the power of Christianity over its followers. With the Age of Satan, man was once again free to celebrate his carnal existence. The Aeon of Set began June 21, 1975 when Michael Aquino, Magus of the Aeon of Set, spoke the Word XEPER. In the Aeon of Set, man would seek to attain full realization of his "higher self".

The Aeon of Lucifer began May 5, 2000 with the declaration of the word DEITUS, an event coinciding with extensive research being conducted in genetic manipulation and increasing international cooperation between scientists on the "human genome project". In DEITUS, man need no longer "seek" his higher self for by THELEMA and by XEPER he has "attained" it. DEITUS depends upon THELEMA and XEPER just as XEPER depends upon INDULGENCE, THELEMA and RESTRICTION. Man must pass through each preceding Aeon in order to reach the current Aeon. DEITUS does not involve the dissolution of man’s consciousness into "universal consciousness". By dissolving his consciousness into the "universal consciousness" he would be unable to act separately and distinctly upon the universe and would thus be unable to ever attain DEITUS.

DEITUS does not represent the end of "becoming" or the end of XEPER and REMANIFEST. To believe for a moment that he has reached the end of the road, that he has become a God, and that his journey is over, the sorcerer would be making a terrible mistake. The Aeon is itself "becoming" within the universe and the universe is itself expanding. By attaining DEITUS, the sorcerer realizes that man is "becoming a God"and accepts "his place as a god upon the earth." His consciousness expands to the limits of the current Aeon and he then continues to XEPER and REMANIFEST in direct relationship to the universe.

The sorcerer realizes that his consciousness and his will are a manifestation of the universal dynamic, which man calls SATAN. Having attained DEITUS, man becomes the very embodiment of SATAN. The dragon (a second consciousness which contains the knowledge of his ultimate purpose) awakens. As man becomes the embodiment of SATAN and rises to become a God, Lucifer arises, for the rise of Lucifer is a metaphor of man’s ultimate purpose and direction. In DEITUS, you see not only the limits of the current Aeon, but become aware of future Aeons which shall come into being as the universe evolves to ever greater levels of consciousness and man rises to his manifest destiny.

Concerning Christianity

The earliest Christians approached Christianity as a philosophy compatible with other philosophical beliefs. The Gnostic Christians saw no conflict between the Christian religion and the mystery schools of Greece and Rome. Among the Celts, Christianity was adopted by the Druids and was practiced alongside the earlier pagan religion. The Greeks and Romans approached Christianity from an intellectual perspective. The scriptures were accepted within the context in which they had been written and were not interpreted as the literal Word of God.

The acceptance of Christianity as the official religion of Rome (and creation of the Roman Catholic Church) signaled the end of this intellectual Christianity and the start of a new authoritarian Christianity. In its rise to dominance, the Church proclaimed earlier pagan religions to be forms of devil-worship and condemned millions of innocent men, women, and children to death. Various Gnostic sects were among those executed. Intellectual freedom was suppressed and obedience to the Church was demanded.

With the Age of Enlightenment and the eventual separation of church and state, a new emotional Christianity took the place of the authoritarian Christianity. The new Christianity espoused faith in Jesus, the person, as the savior of man and the redeemer of the world. The Bible was accepted as the living Word of God by those claiming to be reborn in Christ. In emotional fervor many Christians would take up serpents, speak in tongues, and witness miracles performed by faith healers. This is the Christianity we have been left with today, a religion of blind faith and superstition - intolerant of all others faiths.

Many have rejected Christianity today because of what they see as the utter ridiculousness of its ceremonies and the complete ignorance of its followers. There is much wisdom to be found in Christian scripture, however, if one has the time to read the many books which have been published in the Bible. One should bear in mind that many other "holy books" have been written which have not been included in the Bible and that, in addition to "inspired" writings like the Bible and the Koran, there is much wisdom to be found in the writings of the many philosophers throughout history. Only by accepting the Bible for what it is, a book written by men and not the "living" Word of God, can one approach a true understanding of these scriptures.

Read from a "satanic" perspective, the Bible reveals itself as a history of Hebrew magicians and sorcerers. In a careful reading of the Bible, the prophets of the Old Testament are shown to be practitioners of the Black Arts and Jesus Christ, in his stance against hypocrisy and self-righteousness, is revealed as a great Satanic Priest and Black Magician. To the inquiring mind it is clear why the Magi of Persia (the Wise Men), were the first to acknowledge the birth of Christ, for through their Magical Art and the practice of Astrology, they recognized him as a naturally born magician. The eighteen lost years of his life were surely spent in the east studying the knowledge of the Magi. The practitioner of the Black Arts may be the truest Christian and he who would follow the Dark Path set out in this book the truest Apostle of Christ.

Who is right?

If power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely, then the omnipotent creator of heaven and earth must be the most evil son-of-a-bitch who ever lived. Non-Christians, we are told, are damned to hell because they have not accepted Christ as their personal savior. Non-Catholics, we are told, are damned to hell because they have rejected God’s Holy Church. And Catholics, we are told, are damned to hell for bowing down to and worshipping graven images. The irony of organized religious thought is the damnation of all, regardless of belief or quality of life.

It has often been said by scholars that devils are "fallen" gods, or deities men no longer worship. But then, are not gods simply devils men choose to worship? Could it be that Yahweh and Allah are simply more "politically correct" devils than Astaroth and Beelzebub? The followers of every religion have been condemned by others as "devil-worshippers" at some time or another. In the "tolerant" social climate of today, the Christian still condemns the Jew, the Jew still condemns the Muslim, and the Muslim still condemns the Christian. Each is willing to kill and commit heinous crimes in the name of his "god". Would it not be more honest for man to admit that he is a worshipper of devils and a believer in fairy tales?

BEING A TRUE FRIEND

1. Befriend yourself Friendship with oneself is all important, because without it one cannot be friends with anyone else in the world. This is an essential first step if you are to be a true friend. If you don’t even accept yourself, how can you accept others? You may have made mistakes in the past that you can’t forget. But forgive yourself for them. You perhaps don’t have the traits you want in life. But accept yourself as you are.

2. Accept others A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are. Unknown After you befriend yourself, you will be in a good position to accept others. Other people may do you wrong or have some bad habits you don’t like. But you are not perfect yourself so there is no reason for you not to accept them.

3. Make time At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent. Sometimes we are too busy to provide time for relationships, even for important people in our life. That most likely happens because we put

relationships too low in our priority list. If we regard relationships as high priority, time won’t be a problem. We will make time for relationships.

4. Be a good listener Friends are those rare people who ask how we are and then wait to hear the answer. The art of listening is one of the most difficult arts to master. I experience it myself. Sometimes I talk with a friend but don’t carefully listen to what he says. Sometimes I’m introduced to a new person but don’t carefully listen to her name. A true friend doesn’t do that. A true friend is a good listener.

5. Enrich others’ life Friendship is a treasured gift, and every time I talk with you I feel as if I’m getting richer and richer. A true friend provides value to others. She wants people who meets her to be enriched in their life. If you want to do that, you should live a lifestyle of value. This way you amass value in your life you can then distribute to others.

6. Understand first Everyone looks at life through his own lens. Often we expect others to see life through the same lens as ours, but that will create a lot of problems. A true friend is someone who is willing to look through other people’s lenses first. He tries to understand why they think and act that way. One thing I find helpful for this is learning about personality. Learning about personality helps me understand why people behave differently from me in certain situations. A good, easy-to-digest book on this subject is Personality Plus.

7. Find common ground Finding common ground helps you connect with new friends quickly. The common ground allows you to talk to others about something they are interested in and thereby build relationships with them. To make it easier to find common ground, you should enlarge your ground. The larger your ground, the easier it is for you to connect with others. Two simple ways to enlarge your ground is reading a lot and listening a lot.

8. Be interested If you want to be interesting you should first be interested. Be curious. Cultivate interest about many things. If you do that, you can genuinely be enthusiastic when people talk to you about something. People will feel appreciated and love to be around you.

9. Take initiative to help Make use of your friends by being of use to them. A true friend doesn’t wait until someone asks his help. Instead, he takes the initiative to help others. This, of course, is easier said than done. To do this, you should be on the lookout for needs. Be sensitive. Often you can find others’ needs through what they implicitly say. You may also see it through

their body language. When you sense a need, think about how you can help them and take the initiative to help.

10. Trust others Confidence is the foundation of friendship. If we give it, we will receive it. If you treat others as good and trustworthy people, they will also treat you likewise. Believe in your heart that people are naturally good, even when they seem to be the opposite. People will feel how you believe in them and they will be touched by your sincerity.

11. Rebuke when you should In giving advice, seek to help, not please, your friend. A true friend is not afraid of saying the truth, even if it’s not convenient to the ones who hear it. A true friend cares too much about the person’s wellness that he can’t afford to let him live wrongly. Always have others’ best interest in your heart and be honest to them.

12. Know the right time to do things Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing. There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it’s all over. A true friend knows the right time to praise, the right time to listen, and the right time to rebuke. She knows when to come and when to stay away. A true friend masters the art of timing.

13. Have integrity There can be no friendship without confidence and no confidence without integrity. Integrity is the foundation of true friendship. Be sure that you do what you say. You can only build true friendship if you are true to yourself and others.

14. Commend others Reprove your friend privately, commend him publicly. People need appreciation. They need to know that you appreciate them. Often we are quick to criticize but slow to commend. Let’s make it the opposite. Sincerely commend them when they do something right. Even better, commend them publicly.

15. Leverage others’ potential My best friend is the one who brings out the best in me. A true friend wants to see the people around them live up to their maximum potential. You can do this by helping your friends recognize and develop their personal strengths.

16. See the positive side of others A true friend is someone who thinks that you are a good egg even though he knows that you are slightly cracked. A true friend knows you good enough to see your weaknesses but he still believes in your potential. To become a true friend, you should believe that your friends are good on the inside no matter how bad their outward appearance might be. It’s by this belief that you can sincerely encourage them.

17. Be present in difficult times True friendship isn’t about being there when it’s convenient; it’s about being there when it’s not. This is the test of true friendship. Fake friends will be with you when you are happy since they want to share your happiness. But fake friends won’t be with you in difficult times. Only true friends will choose to be with you in difficult times. So, to be a true friend, be with your friends in their dark moments. Be with them even if you need to let go your own convenience. It may be the most difficult tip of all, but it’s the mark of true friendship.

Mirror Gazing to Contact the Spirit of a Deceased Loved One

This technique can be used during Samhain or any time of the year.

This is a mirror-gazing method.

This should be done in a dark and quiet room. Use a fan or a white noise device to block outside noises (ear plugs may also work). The lack of light and noise assists you in achieving a deeper meditative state while making it less likely that you'll be startled out of your trance by outside noises.

1. Set up a large mirror with a place for you to sit, either in the floor or on a chair. You should be seated so that you can see into the mirror, but not see your own reflection. So sit at an angle to the mirror.

2. Place a lit candle behind you. It will provide indirect light. You shouldn't be able to see the candle flame. It's meant to put out a very dim light in the room.

3. Gather personal items from the spirit that you wish to connect with and lay them around you close enough to touch them from your seated position in front of the mirror.

4. Sit quietly in front of the mirror and hold one of the items that remind you of your loved one. Think about your loved one and mentally ask them to come and communicate with you.

5. You may close your eyes or look away from the mirror as you take some time to relax. Breathe deeply. An easy way to relax is to breathe in to the slow count of five, hold the breath for five seconds, then breathe out very slowly to the count of five. After you do this several times you will notice that you are very relaxed.

6. With unfocused eyes, gaze into the mirror. You will eventually begin to see the mirror clouding over. Try not to focus on the cloudy shapes that pass by. Just let them pass and keep staring off into the space, into the mirror.

7. Continue gazing at the clouded mirror as you reach out and touch the other items around you and/or connect with the energy of the item in your hand. If you have a piece of fabric or a cologne bottle that smells like your loved one, pick it up and smell it as you continue gazing.

8. If you are in a deep enough trance state, you will eventually begin to see the clouds taking the form of a human shape or shapes. Or you may hear your loved one's voice speak to you, either aloud or in your mind. Many people using this technique have seen (in the mirror) their loved one walk up and stand next to them and they had a conversation or a mental exchange of thoughts and feelings. Sometimes the loved one will appear to you and simply smile or wave. You may first see a group of people and then your loved one will walk out from the group to greet you. A black mirror may be used in place of a regular mirror, but they are harder to find. Trophy shops or online occult stores may have them. 

You will almost certainly want to talk to someone about what happened so make sure that you have a friend or relative you can call afterward (or who is there waiting in another room). The visit with your loved one could be emotional, although most people feel elated after such a visit. Occasionally you will want to see a particular person, but another person will show up instead. Try to accept the spirit who visits you and see if they have a message to give you. They may have been sent on behalf of the person you wanted to see.

Mirror Gazing- Scrying

"Mirror mirror on the wall...who's the faorset of them all?"

Remember that line from the evil queen in the Disney classic Snow White?

Since the earliest of the time Sorcerers, witches, soothsayers and so on have used Black mirrors for Scrying.

Even in the Disney classic "Snow White"...the Evil Queen would Scry looking into  the mirror and ask questions concerning her vanity and her rivals. 

What is Scrying? It is divination of future or the past events or talking with spirits from another plane of existence by gazing into an object such as Balck mirror.

Now the black mirror is not hte only thing that can be used for scrying. It can be a puddle of water a crystal ball or a piece of shiny metal, even a regular mirror will work, One old favorite is to use bowl of water and part of black ink, which creates a very good black reflection. It can be almost any object that will allow you to stare into it for long period of time and gain vision from doing so. The two most popular are the Black mirror and the crystal ball. For me the crystal ball is too bright. The black mirror is my choice for the art of scrying. All in all the items are all used as a focal point. They have no real super magical power, they do not have magical energy after they have consecrated for the use and after they have been used a few times they will your own magical energies, but all in all it is the Scryer who has the power, the power to see within the mirror. The black mirror then becomes the window to the universe and to the spirit world. It can bring you visions of the past lives or things that are to come. It can show you your spirit guides for it is a doorway to the other side. You must understand that scrying takes quite a bit of practice to develops ones astral vision.

What is Astral Vision? It is the ability to see onto the astral planes. For some people who are psychic inclined it may come naturally easy for others it may take weeks or months to master Clearing the mind and concentration without stray thoughts is hard to master just as in meditation. So as i have stated it can be used for many different things in magical Divination. For those who are interested in studying High magic, then you know that the black mirror is used in the "Triangle of Solomon" for conjuring the demon or Celestial being into the mirror.The spirit does not manifests into the physical form it manifests as a vision in the mirror by the magician being able to see onto the Astral

Plane via the Black Mirror. The Mirror is also surround by 3 sacred names of God and Archangel Michael to help control the spirit. Ok now that I have given you some history and facts about Black Mirrors. It is time to teach you how to Scry. This is going to be a short lesson because there is not much to teach and there is no secret method to make it work instantly for you. It will be a

matter of practice makes perfect. He who is patient and continually works at this will have success in the art. Hopefully by now you have a small alter set up to do all your Magic Rituals. This is where you want to set up your Black Mirror. Mine sits dead center towards the back of one of my alters. You will want to arrange your candles on your alter so they are not seen in the reflection of the mirror and that they do not distract you in any way. The first thing you need to do before starting is decide what you will be Scrying for.

You will want to do the LBRP... but do the invoking version to start with... at the end of your Scrying you should do the normal Banishing LBRP to get rid of any spirits that may be still hanging around. If you have your own protection type of Rituals then you may use them instead.

Ok now that you have done the invoking LBRP you should sit on a comfortable stool that is the proper height of your Alter. You don't want to be standing for a long period of time.... that is why I myself use a stool or chair. Sit and gaze (stare) into the Black Mirror. Ask the universe to bring you a vision or call upon a spirit guide to show you what you want or need to know. You will need to sit there and gaze into the mirror for a good period of time.... you will know when it is starting to work when you own reflection vanishes and all you see is black. That is the key to knowing that you are getting close to success. From that point on is when your visions will begin to appear. the first few times you may not even see all black... you will probably get bored and quit. This is not the way of the Magician. Patience is a virtue with magic. So it may take a few times to get the total black out effect. From then on you must strive to keep gazing into the mirror. You may only get a glimpse of a unfamiliar face or an unknown landscape. But as the weeks progress you will have success. One of the other most important things besides practice is for you to communicate to the universe or to your spirit guides as to your desires when Scrying. Some of you will find this very easy and many others will simply say this does not work and you may never do it again. Like all magic nothing comes instantly or without true dedication and practicing the art. And all and all it takes an altered state of consciousness... however you so choose to get into that state of mind. I will say no more about that. If you look closely at this picture you will see that there is and incense stick which I just lit and there is one thin stream of smoke going upward and curling around in the

Black Mirror. Now the rest of the picture is covered in Astral Plasma... you can see that the Spirits have decided to show themselves for my picture. If you study this photo really close you will see a face of what looks like a woman in the Black Mirror.

So you can now see what could be in store for you as you journey into the art of Scrying and Magic.

Timing

Timing in every successful situation, one of the most important ingredients is the proper timing. In the performance of a magical ritual, timing can mean success or failure to an even greater extent. The best time to cast your spell or charm, hex or curse, is when your target is at his most receptive state. Receptivity to the will of the magician is assured when the recipient is as passive as possible. No matter how strong-willed one is, he is naturally passive while he is asleep; therefore, the best time to throw your magical energy towards your target is when he or she sleeps. There are certain periods of the sleep cycle that are better than others for susceptibility to outside influences. When a person is normally fatigued from a day's activities, he will "sleep like a log" until his mind and body are rested. This period of profound sleep usually lasts about four to six hours, after which the period of "dream sleep" occurs which lasts two or three hours, or until awakening. It is during this "dream sleep" that the mind is most receptive to outside or unconscious influence. Let us assume the magician wishes to cast a spell on a person who would usually retire at 11 o'clock in the evening, and rise at 7 o'clock in the morning. The most effective time to perform a ritual would be about 5 o'clock in the morning, or two hours before the recipient awakens. It is to be emphasized that the magician must be at his peak of efficiency, as he represents the "sending" factor when he performs his ritual. Traditionally speaking, witches and sorcerers are night people, and understandably so. What better schedule on which to live, for the sending of thoughts towards unsuspecting sleepers! If only people were aware of the thoughts injected into their minds while they slept! The dream state is the birthplace of much of the future. Great thoughts are manifest upon awakening, and the mind that retains, in conscious form, these thoughts, shall produce much. But he who is guided by thoughts unrecognized is led into situations that will later be interpreted as "fate", "God's will", or accident. There are other times in each person's day that lend themselves to the receiving of the will of the wizard. Those times when day-dreaming or boredom ensue, or when time hangs heavy, are fertile periods of suggestibility. If a woman is the target for your spell, do not forget the importance of the menstrual cycle. If man were not dulled through his stifling evolutionary development, he would know, as an allfours animal knows, when the female was most sexually inclined. Man's snout, however unsullied by cheap opiates, is not normally equipped to ferret out such tell-tale erotic scents. Even if he were so endowed with such olfactory powers, the object of his quest would most likely "throw him off the scent" through the use of massive doses of perfumery to cover and smother the "offending" effluvium, or eliminate detection completely, by the astringent action of powerful deodorants. Despite these discouraging factors, man is still motivated to desire or be repelled, as the case may be, by his unconscious recognition of the change in woman's body chemistry. This is accomplished in the form of a sensory cue, which is olfactory in its nature. To go backwards, in what would amount to a return to the all-fours animal, would seem to be the best exercise for the conscious application of these powers, but to the squeamish might smack of lycanthropy. There is, however, an easier way, and that is to simply ascertain the dates and frequency of the menstrual cycle of the woman who is your target. It is immediately before and after the period itself that the average woman is most sexually approachable. Therefore, the magician will find the sleep period during these times most effective for the instillation of thoughts or motivations of a sexual nature.Witches and sorceresses have a much greater range of time in which to cast their spells toward the men of their choice. Because man is more consistent in his sexual drives than woman (although there are many women with equal or even greater lusts), day to day timing is not as important.. Any man who is not already drained of all sexual energy is a "sitting duck" for the proficient witch. The time of the year following the spring equinox is the most fraught with sexual vigor in a man, and he asserts himself accordingly; but the witch, in turn, must work her magic stronger, as she will find his eyes will stray. Should the fearful ask, "Is there no defense against such witchery?" it must be answered thus -"Yes, there is protection. You must never sleep, never daydream, never be without a vital thought, and never have an open mind. Then you shall be protected from the forces of magic." Imagery THE adolescent boy who takes great care in carving, on a tree, a heart containing his and his love object's initials; the little chap who sits by the hour drawing his conception of sleek automobiles; the tiny girl who rocks a scuffed and ragged doll in her arms, and thinks of it as her beautiful little baby - these capable witches and warlocks, these natural magicians, are employing the magical ingredient known as imagery, and the success of any ritual depends on it. Children, not knowing or caring if they possess artistic skill or other creative talents, pursue their goals through the use of imagery of their own manufacture, whereas "civilized" adults are much more critical of their own creative efforts. This is why a "primitive" magician can utilize a mud doll or crude drawing to successful advantage in his magical ceremonies. To HIM, the image is as accurate as needs be. Anything which serves to intensify the emotions during a ritual will contribute to its success. Any drawing, painting, sculpture, writing, photograph, article of clothing, scent, sound, music, tableau, or contrived situation that can be incorporated into the ceremony will serve the sorcerer well. Imagery is a constant reminder, an intellect-saving device, a working substitute for the real thing. Imagery can be manipulated, set up, modified, and created, all according to the will of the magician, and the very blueprint that is created by imagery becomes the formula which leads to reality. If you wish to enjoy sexual pleasures with the one of your choice, you must create the situation you desire on paper, canvas, by the written word, etc., in as overstated a way as possible, as an integral part of the ceremony. If you have material desires, you must gaze upon images of them - surround yourself with the smells and sounds conducive to them - create a lodestone which will attract the situation or thing that you wish! To insure the destruction of an enemy, you must destroy them by proxy! They must be shot, stabbed, sickened, burned, smashed, drowned, or rent in the most vividly convincing manner! It is easy to see why the religions of the right-hand path frown upon the creation of "graven images". The imagery used by the sorcerer is a working mechanism for material reality, which is totally opposed to esoteric spirituality. A Greek gentleman of magical persuasion once wanted a woman who would satisfy his every desire, and so obsessed with the unfound object of his dreams was he, that he went about constructing such a wonderful creature. His work completed, he fell so convincingly and irrevocably in love with the woman he had created that she was no longer stone, but mortal flesh, and alive and warm; and so the magus, Pygmalion, received the greatest of magical benedictions, and the beautiful Galatea was his. Direction ONE of the most overlooked ingredients in the working of magic is the accumulation and subsequent direction of force toward an effective end. Altogether too many would-be witches and warlocks will perform a ritual, and then go about with tremendous anxiety waiting for the first sign of a successful working. For all intent and purpose, they might as well get down on their knees and pray, for their very anxiety in waiting for the desired results only nullifies any real chance of success. Furthermore, with this attitude, it is doubtful that enough concentrated energy to even perform a proper ceremony could be stored up in the first place. To dwell upon or constantly complain about the situation upon which your ritual would be based only guarantees the weakening of what should be ritualistically directed force, by spreading it thin and diluting it. Once the desire has been established strongly enough to employ the forces of magic, , then every attempt must be made to symbolically give vent to these wishes IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE RITUAL - NOT before or after! The purpose of the ritual is to FREE the magician from thoughts that would consume him, were he to dwell upon them constantly. Contemplation, daydreaming and constant scheming burns up emotional energy that could be gathered together in a dynamically usable force; not to mention the fact that normal productivity is severely depleted by such consuming anxiety. The witch who casts her spells between long waits by the telephone, anticipating her wouldbe lover's call; the destitute warlock who invokes Satan's blessing, then waits on pins and needles for the check to arrive; the man, saddened by the injustices wrought upon him, who, having cursed his enemy, plods his way, long of face, and furrowed of brow - all are common examples of misdirected emotional energy. Small wonder that the "white" magician fears retribution after casting an "evil" spell! Retribution, to the guilt-ridden sender, would be assured, by their very conscience-stricken state! The Balance Factor THE Balance Factor is an ingredient employed in the practice of ritual magic which applies to the casting of lust and compassion rituals more than in the throwing of a curse. This ingredient is a small, but extremely important one. A complete knowledge and awareness of this factor is an ability few witches and warlocks ever attain. This is, simply, knowing the proper type of individual and situation to work your magic on for the easiest and best results. Knowing one's own limitations is a rather odd bit of introspection, it would seem, for a person who should be able to perform the impossible; but under many conditions it can make the difference between success and failure. If, in attempting to attain your goal through either greater or lesser magic, you find yourself failing consistently, think about these things: Have you been the victim of a misdirected, overblown ego which has caused you to want something or someone when the chances are virtually non-existent? Are you a talentless, tone-deaf individual who is attempting, through magic, to receive great acclaim for your unmusical voice? Are you a plain, glamorless witch with oversized feet, nose, and ego, combined with an advanced case of acne, who is casting love spells to catch a handsome young movie star? Are you a gross, lumpy, lewd-mouthed, snaggle-toothed loafer who is desirous of a luscious young stripper? If so, you'd better learn to use the balance factor, or else expect to fail consistently! To be able to adjust one's wants to one's capabilities is a great talent, and too many people fail to realize that if they are unable to attain the maximum, "a half a loaf can be better than none". The chronic loser is always the man who, having nothing, if unable to make a million dollars, will reject any chance to make fifty thousand with a disgruntled sneer. One of the magician's greatest weapons is knowing himself; his talents, abilities, physical attractions and detractions, etc., and when, where, and with whom to utilize them! The man with nothing to offer, who approaches the man who is successful with grandiose advice and promise of great wealth, has the alacrity of the flea climbing up the elephant's leg with the intention of rape! The aspiring witch who deludes herself into thinking that a powerful enough working will always succeed, despite a magical imbalance, is forgetting one essential rule: MAGIC IS LIKE NATURE ITSELF, AND SUCCESS IN NATURE REQUIRES WORKING IN HARMONY WITH NATURE NOT AGAINST IT