Magickal Obsession.

I will now explain their creation and use; there is no difficulty about it, how pure and clear it all is*(1). Out of love for my foolish devotees I invented it. All desire, whether for Pleasure, Knowledge, or Power, that cannot find “Natural” expression, can by Sigils and their formula find fulfilment from the sub-consciousness. Sigils are the means of guiding and uniting the partially free belief*(2) with an organic desire, its carriage and retention till its purpose served in the sub-conscious self, and its means of reincarnation in the Ego. All thought can be expressed by form in true relation. Sigils are monograms of thought, for the government of energy (all heraldry, crests, monograms, are Sigils and the Karmas they govern), relating to Karma; a mathematical means of symbolising desire and giving it form that has the virtue of
preventing any thought and association on that particular desire (at the magical time), escaping the detection of the Ego, so that it does not restrain or attach such desire to its own transitory images, memories and worries, but allows it free passage to the sub-consciousness.

*(1) By this system, you know exactly what (you believe) your Sigil must relate to. If you used any form stupidly, you might possibly “conjure up” exactly what you did not want- the mother of insanity, or what always happens then, nothing at all. This being the only system, any result other than by it is accidental. Also you do not have to dress up as a traditional magician, wizard or priest, build expensive temples, obtain virgin parchment, black goat’s blood, etc., etc., in fact no theatricals or humbug.

*(2) Free belief or energy, i.e., a disappointed desire, not yet an obsession.

Sigils are made by combining the letters of the alphabet simplified. Illustration*(3), the word “Woman” in Sigil form is (example) or (example) or (example) etc. The word tiger (example) or (example) etc., etc. The idea being to obtain a simple form which can be easily visualised at will, and has not too much pictorial relation to the desire. The true method has a much greater virtue, which cannot be explained briefly, being the secret of thought form, as degrees of suggestion, and what exactly is in a name. We have now agreed as to how a Sigil is made, and what virtue it has. Verily, what a person believes by Sigils, is the truth, and is always fulfilled. This system of Sigils is believed by taking it up as a hobby at a time of great disappointment or sorrow. By Sigils I have endowed fools with wisdom, made the wise fools, giving health to the sick and weak, disease to the strong, etc. Now, if for some purpose, you wanted the strength of a tiger- you would make a sentence such as:- “This my wish to obtain the strength of a tiger.” (Message from person who typed up this file: In constructing the sentence of desire, beginning with “This my will,” has been said by some to be more efficacious.) Sigilized this would be:-

This my wish (illustrative example of this part of the sentence)

To obtain (ditto)

The strength of a Tiger (same as said above)

Combined as one Sigil (example) or (more simplified example).

*(3) There are six methods of Sigils employed in this book, each corresponding to different strata. The one shown here is illustrative and the fundamental idea of them all, from which anyone can evolve his own system. Conditions, etc., or necessity subsequently evolve themselves. Also a person has more power of creation and originality with a limited means of expression.

Now by virtue of this Sigil you are able to send your desire into the subconsciousness (which contains all strength); that having happened, it is the desire’s realization by the manifestation of the knowledge or power necessary.

First, all consciousness except of the Sigil has to be annulled; do not confuse this with concentration- you simply conceive the Sigil any moment you begin to think. Vacuity* is obtained by exhausting the mind and body by some means or another. A personal or traditional means serves equally well, depending on temperament; choose the most pleasant; these should be held in favour, Mantras and Posture, Women and Wine, Tennis, and the playing of Patience, or by walking and concentration on the Sigil, etc., etc. None is necessary to him who has (even symbolically) for a moment by the “Neither-Neither” conquered the dual principle (Conception), his Ego is free from gravity. If the Sigil is made an obsession by continual apprehension, its realization may happen at any moment, in the form of inspiration. This is done by reverting the mind to the Sigil when one is extremely worried- the time of exhaustion is the time of fulfilment. At the time of exhaustion or vacuity, retain only and visualize the Sigil form- eventually it becomes vague, then vanishes and success is assured. by the Ego conceiving only the Sigil, and not being able to conceive anything from it, all energy is focussed through it, the desire for identification carries it to the corresponding sub-conscious stratum, its destination. The Sigil being a vehicle, serves the purpose of protecting consciousness from the direct manifestation of the (consciously unacknowledged) obsession, conflict is avoided with any incompatible ideas and neither gains separate personality. It (the obsession) is either gradually assimilated and becomes organic or returns to its original abode, its purpose of illumination served. Hence the mind, by Sigils, depending upon the intensity of desire, is illuminated or obsessed (knowledge or power) from that particular Karma (the sub-conscious stratum, a particular existence and knowledge gained by it) relative to the desire, but not from memory or experience which was recent. Knowledge is obtained by the sensation, resulting from the unity of the desire and Karma. Power, by its “actual” vitalization and resurrection.

* This is not the passivity of mediumism which opens the mind to what is called external influence- disembodied energy usually having no better purpose than to rap-tables. There are many means of attaining this state of vacuity: I mention the most simple, there is no need for crucifixion. Drugs are useless. Smoking and laziness the more difficult.

This knowledge leaves its stratum in company with the energy or desire returning to the Ego. It escapes the Ego’s resistance by associating with similar images, memories, or experiences relative (recieved in this life), that the mind contains, and crystalizes itself by their symbolism. Hence most illumination is symbolic, and must be subsequently translated.

(Chapters on Symbolism, Automatic Drawing As Means To Art, & Note on Sacred Letters omitted.)