201 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
201 lines
9.3 KiB
Plaintext
Copyright (c) 1988 by Phil Hansford. This article is
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is licenced for free non-commercial distribution only.
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** MAGICK 3 -- THE FOUR WORLDS **
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The ancients described man as mind, body, and soul.
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Psychologists of the twentieth century added the
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subconscious to that deffinition. This produces a four-fold
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classification. The universe is also divided into four
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corresponding parts ('worlds'), as shown below:
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WORLD BODY QUALITY
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===== ==== =======
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spiritual world spiritual body (soul or kia) intuition
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mental world mental body (conscious mind) rational
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thought
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astral world astral body (subconscious) emotions
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physical world physical body physical senses
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The astral body (subconscious) is the intermediary
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for intuition, magical and psychic phenomena, and is the
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'psychic link' to the physical world. J.H. Brennan says
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that the astral is the realm of visual imagination. It
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seems to be both a 'place' and a 'state of mind' at the
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same time. Most occult and magical phenomena originate in
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the invisible, non-sensate, non-physical realm (ie. without
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physical senses). Each of the four worlds interacts with
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the other worlds. Psychic energy flows from the spiritual
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to mental to astral to physical. The physical world is a
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projection (manifestation, reflection, or shadow) of the
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higher worlds. Our center of consciousness is generally
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within these higher worlds. "We are", to quote the rock
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music group the Police, "spirits in the material world".
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There are many similar terms used by other occult
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groups. For example, 'astral light' is another name for
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astral world, although it may sometimes also refer to the
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entire non-physical realm, as may 'inner planes' or 'the
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invisible world'. Planes are essentially the same as worlds.
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Vehicles or sheaths are the same as bodies. Some groups
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include an etheric or vital body between physical and
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astral: it is mostly 'physical' with a little of the
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lower 'astral' besides. And sometimes astral and mental
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are each divided into two parts (upper and lower). The
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'causal body' is the upper 'mental'.
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MICROCOSM AND MACROCOSM
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We have been describing 'traditonal' occult
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philosophy here, and certainly an important part of the
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tradition is the idea (and terms) microcosm and macrocosm.
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The greater universe, known as the *macrocosm*, includes
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everything that exists. It corresponds with the *microcosm*,
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or tiny universe, ie. man -- who is thought of as a
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miniature replica of the macrocosm (whole universe).
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This basic magical relationship is demonstrated in the
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Bible (Genesis 1.27), where God is the macrocosm; and in
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the writing of Trismegistus ("As above so below"). Since
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man is in the image of God (universe) it follows that God
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is in the image of man (in other words, man and the
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God/universe match each other). The magician, as a microcosm
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is thus connected with the macrocosm. There is an intimate
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relationship of energies between you and everything else.
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The universe is reflected within us and we are projected
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into the universe. This is an important theory behind magick
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and astrology.
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MAGICK WHITE AND BLACK
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'Personal magick' is that magick used to affect the
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self; often involving affirmation, self-suggestion, and
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self-hypnosis. 'Active magick' is outer directed magick (as
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in PK) used to affect someone or thing, or to bring about
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an event. 'Passive magick' is to be affected (as in ESP)
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by an outside non-physical cause. Everyone possesses some
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magical (and psychic) potential. Some are especially
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gifted. Usually people are better at one kind of magick
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(ie. active or passive) than they are at the other kind;
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only rarely does an individual excell at both. Traning
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and practice will, of course, improve ability somewhat.
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Although the forces of magick are neutral, various
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systems may take on the qualities of good and evil. There
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is so-called white magick or good magick, black magick or
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evil magick, and gray magick between them. When many people
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refer to white magick they mean magick for unselfish
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purposes, also healing and mental influence with specific
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permission. By black magick they refer to magick for
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self-interest and healing *without* specific permission.
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Using magick to forcefully control another's will is, in a
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sense, black magick too. There are also some people on the
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occult fringe who claim to be, possibly even think they are,
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'Satanists', devil worshipers, or black magicians. These
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people are most likely charlatans, hoaxters, dablers, or
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merely misinformed. They may be attracted by the 'art' of
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black magick, or even by the 'glamor' of doing something
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against the 'rules'. But a real black magician is very
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dangerous. Because he has dedicated his life to evil. We
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usually think of 'white magick' as having *unselfish
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intent*, and (in the extreme case) of 'black magick' as
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being actual Satan worship, human or animal sacrifice,
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dangerous unconventional magical practices, and other
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bizarre stuff as makes a nightmare. It is all a matter of
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degree. Most mild self-interest magick (one of the most
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common kinds) would be called 'gray'. Better terms may be
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*constructive magick* as being beneficial; and *aversive
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magick* as magick intended to work against the natural
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order, and to tear down. There is also the *high magick* of
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spiritual alchemy (ie. spiritual growth), also known as 'the
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Great Work'; and conversely there is 'low magick' which is
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concerned with materiality.
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Any magick act is likely to produce side effects
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regardless of whether or not the desired result is achieved.
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Such side effects are no problem for constructive magick,
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since they are benificial as well. However, aversive magick
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can produce aversive side effects which may even harm the
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magician -- aversive magick is dangerous!
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MAGICK IS A CONTINUOUS PROCESS
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What we have been calling 'magick' is actually a
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continuous process. Since your subconscious never rests,
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your environment is continually being shifted into line with
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your model. This is true whether you study magick or not.
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For most people, these effects are usually very subtle, and
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they are probably not aware of them. However, as you work
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with the occult, the flow of psychic energy and your
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awareness of it increases. Your true will is more likely
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to be strongly expressed. Your luck may be affected (either
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in a positive or a negative way). Remember, our lives tend
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to follow what we want down deep. That is why a positive
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outlook is so very beneficial to us.
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THE MAGICAL DIARY
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Sometimes it is helpful to keep a diary of your
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magical experiments and research. Such a diary should include
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the date, perhaps even some astrological data (or anything
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else you think may have a relationship to what you are doing).
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This is also a good time to begin recording your dreams --
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at least the important ones -- in a dream diary. Your dreams
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can tell you a great deal about yourself, and may sometimes
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reveal premonitions. Dreams are personal. Don't fall for the
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commercial 'dream book' gimmick.
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AFFIRMATIONS
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The mind is always open to suggestion -- especially the
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subconscious. Most of the time we censor any suggestions
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according to the model; but one way to break through the censor
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is with repetition. An affirmation does this exactly. By
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suggestion, we mean any statement which is capable of affecting
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your model. Usually suggestion is in the form of a positive
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statement (such as the hypnotist's patter -- " You are
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becomming sleepy"). An affirmation is the same kind of thing --
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a positive suggestion, which you repeat (affirm) to yourself
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aloud or silently (for example, "I remember my dreams"). If
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there is some quality you wish to change or develope within
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yourself, an affirmation is ideal. Repeat it several times
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every day at several different times throughout the day,
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expecially when you go to bed. Affirmations are subtle and may
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require a few months to work. Use them for changes, not
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miracles.
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SIMPLE BANISHING TECHNIQUE
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Visualization is another important method we use to
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influence the subconscious. A good example of this is the
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simple banishing technique which follows. Banishing is used in
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magick to 'clear the air' of negative 'vibes' and
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interference...
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Visualize a strong white light flowing out the top of
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your head, flowing down around you and covering you. At the
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same time imagine you are throwing away any 'problem' vibes.
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Maintain the visualization for a half a minute or longer.
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Good way to help you handle your emotions, and to control
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worry or anger.
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
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1) What is a microcosm?
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2) List the four worlds. Explain.
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3) What is an affirmation? Give an example.
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BOOK LIST
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Geoffry Hodson, Theosophy Answers Some Problems of Life.
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Marc Edmund Jones, Key Truths of Occult Philosophy.
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Marion Weinstein, Positive Magic.
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Nelson & Ann White, The Wizard's Apprentice.
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Beatrice Bruteau, The Psychic Grid.
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========
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Phil Hansford, 4/88
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Mysteria
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(818) 353-8891 (modem)
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P.O. Box 83
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Tujunga, CA 91042
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