r Articles from the Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal A) Elements B) Heretic C) Mens D) Nine World E) Oracle F) Editorial G) Snipe H) Spinster I) Trickster Pick one: [A-I,Q to quit] q MAIN MENU: Type `?' by itself for help M)essage section F)ile section G)oodbye (logoff) S)tatistics B)ulletin Y)ell at sysop C)hange setup E)xtra Info V)ersion Select: e Special Articles and Bulletins. Your suggestions for this section are always appreciated. Long, short, or no list [LSN]? s 0) Upcoming event calender A) "Open Circle Ethics" B) Pagan Q&A by Brad Hicks C) "The Wise Goodwife" by L.a. Hussey D) "Pornography and Paganism" by Mike Nichols E) Pagan BBS directory F) "Postcards for Proabationers" by AC H) HELP!!! hints and suggestions G) Pagan History by Tim Maroney L) List of nodes on the Magick EchoMail R) Rocky Mountain Pagan Journal P) Tao of Programming V) A verse of Crowley, most likely Your selection? (Q to quit, T for top menu) [ABCDEFGPQTLHRV0] f POSTCARDS TO PROBATIONERS by Aleister Crowley from EQUINOX Vol. I No. 2 THEOREMS I. The world progresses by virtue of the appearance of Christs (geniuses). II. Christs (geniuses) are men with super-consciousness of the highest order. III. Super-consciousness of the highest order is obtainable by known methods. Therefore, by employing the quintessance of known methods we cause the world to progress. ESSENTIALS OF METHOD I. Theology is immaterial; for both Buddha and St. Ignatius were Christs. II. Morality is immaterial; for both Socrates and Mohammed were Christs. III. Super-consciousness is a natural phenomenon; its conditions are therefore to be sought rather in the acts than in the words of those who attained it. The essential acts are retirement and concentration -- as taught by Yoga and Ceremonial Magic. MISTAKES OF MYSTICS I. Since truth is supra-rational, it is incommunicable in the language of reason. II. Hence all mystics have written nonsense, and what sense they have written is so far untrue. III. Yet as a still lake yields a truer reflection of the sun than a torrent, he whose mind is best balanced will, if he become a mystic, become the best mystic. THE METHOD OF EQUILIBRIUM I. THE PASSIONS, Etc. I. Since the ultimate truth of teleology is unknown, all codes of morality are arbitrary. II. Therefore the student has no concern with ethics as such. III. He is consequently free 'to do his duty in that state of life to which it has pleased God to call him.' II. THE REASON I. Since truth is supra-rational, any rational statement is false. II. Let he student then contradict every proposition that presents itself to him. III. Rational ideas being thus expelled from the mind, there is room for the apprehension of spiritual truth. It should be remarked that this does not destroy the validity of reasonings on their own plane. III. THE SPIRITUAL SENSORIUM I. Man being a finite being, he is incapable of apprehending the infinite. Nor does his communion with infinite being (true or false) alter this fact. II. Let then the student contradict every vision and refuse to enjoy it; first, because there is certainly another vision possible of precisely contradictory nature; secondly, because though he is God, he is also a man upon an insignificant planet. Being thus equilibriated laterally and vertically, it may be that, either by affirmation or denial of all these things together, he may attain the supreme trance. IV. THE RESULT I. Trance is defined as the ek-stasis of one particular tract of the brain, caused by meditating on the idea corresponding to it. II. Let the student therefore beware lest in that idea be any trace of imperfection. It should be pure, balanced, calm, complete, fitted in every way to dominate the mind, as it will. Even as in the choice of a king to be crowned. III. So will the decrees of this king be just and wise as he was just and wise before he was made king. The life and work of the mystic will reflect (though dimly) the supreme guiding force of the mystic, the highest trance to which he has attained. YOGA AND MAGIC I. Yoga is the art of uniting the mind to a single idea. It has four methods. Gnana-Yoga Union by Knowledge Raja-Yoga Union by Will Bhakta-Yoga Union by Love Hatha-Yoga Union by Courage add Mantra-Yoga Union through Speech Karma-Yoga Union through Work These are united by the supreme method of Silence. II. Ceremonial Magic is the art of uniting the mind to a single idea. It has four Methods. The Holy Qabalah. Union by Knowledge The Sacred Magic. Union by Will. The Acts of Worship. Union by Love. The Ordeals. Union by Courage. add The Invocations. Union through Speech. The Acts of Service. Union through Work. These are united by the supreme method of Silence. III. If this idea be any but the Supreme and Perfect idea, and the student lose control, the result is insanity, obsession, fanaticism, or paralysis and death (add addiction to gossip and incurable idleness), according to the nature of the failure. Let then the Student understand all these things and combine them in his Art, uniting them by the supreme method of Science. MAIN MENU: Type `?' by itself for help M)essage section F)ile section G)oodbye (logoff) S)tatistics B)ulletin Y)ell at sysop C)hange setup E)xtra Info V)ersion Select: