The Practice of the Magical Diary
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Hermetic.com » Beast Bay Search up a level search main The Practice of the Magical Diary Posted by Nathan W. Bjorge on November 08, 2000 @ 10:21 AM from the composeyourself dept. Keeping a diary of one's spiritual exercises, experiences, and reflections is one of the most important and effective activities the aspiring magician can dedicate themselves to mastering. Why is this? It's not a necessary activity for spiritual attainment, since most other religious traditions do not promote a diary practice as a normative undertaking. Thelema does. Crowley was fond of describing his approach to magical training with the motto "the method of science, the aim of religion". This motto was used in every issue of The Equinox, which he also called the 'organ of Scientific Illuminism'. This idea of a scientific approach to mysticism and magick is a key component of the Thelemic way, and is at the basis of the usefulness of the diary as well. What is 'science' then? If we attempt to answer that question, we will discover that the word designates more of a variety of background assumptions, activities, and attitudes, rather than something really specifiable by a set of propositions that everyone would agree with. In the 19th and 18th centuries, 'science' was often used to connote any kind of knowledge arrived at through reason. Hegel uses the term in this manner, for example. Magick posits a transrational source of knowledge, however, so Magick is not scientific in this sense. Today, science is perhaps best understood as a set of methods for recognizing repeatable regularities. The goal of using these methods is not itself determined by the methods, so this kind of 'science' is not necessarily tied to a particular metaphysics such as materialism or physicalism. Many scientists are materialists. Many are not. This way of understanding the idea of science also has the attitude that beliefs, assertions, or theories should be subjected to some kind of appropriate testing or verification. Crowley's Magick does legitimately have some features of this type of science, and in few places more clearly then in his use of the record. The diary functions explicitly as a kind of lab notebook for various investigations that the magician undertakes. What is the nature of these investigations? The oath of the probationer of A.'.A.'. is to explore the nature of one's being. One's own being, one's self, is therefore the phenomenon to be subjected to experimentation. The aim of the experimentation is 'religion' and so this determines the type of experiments with which the phenomenon is interrogated. Our questions therefore are: what is this self, what is its nature, its limits, its meaning? It may turn out, in exploring this phenomenon, that the self is not at all like a physical object, and that it is opaque to analysis in quite the same quantitative manner as are the chemical properties of H 2 O, for example. Nevertheless, the method will remain scientific in the broad sense already outlined if one proceeds with attention paid to the observation of repeatable regularities, and if one refuses to be convinced of states of affairs by other then conclusive results. Skepticism is an important element but, as in physical science, as a means to an end rather than as an end in itself. The end is the attempted discovery of the meaning of one's existence. Most crucial to all of this is that a record of the procedure be made for oneself and others. This is the magical diary. As for the actual practice of the magical record, here are a few personal reflections from my own work along these lines over the years: First of all, don't worry too much about presentability in terms of what one writes on. Fancy manuscript books give a weight to the value of one's diary Related Links Articles on Self Realization Also by Nathan W. Bjorge Contact author
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This important collection includes Aleister Crowley's two most important instructional writings on the design and purpose of the magical diary, John St. John and A Master of the Temple. These were the only two works regarding the magical diary published in Crowley's lifetime. Both were first published in Crowley's immense collection of magical instruction, The Equinox. John St. John chronicles Crowley's moment-by-moment progress during a 13-day magical working. Crowley referred to it as "a perfect model of what a magical record should be." A Master of the Temple is taken from the magical diary of Frater Achad at a time when he was Crowley's most valued and successful student. It provides an invaluable example of a student's record, plus direct commentary and instruction added by Crowley. With commentary and introductory material by editor James Wasserman, Aleister Crowley and the Practice of the Magical Diary is the most important and accessible instruction available to students of the occult regarding the practice of keeping a magical diary. This revised edition includes a new introduction by Wasserman, a foreword by noted occult scholar J. Daniel Gunther, revisions throughout the text, a revised reading list for further study, plus Crowley's instructions on banishing from Liber O.
Transcript of The Practice of the Magical Diary
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3/28/2015 ThePracticeoftheMagicalDiary
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ThePracticeoftheMagicalDiary
PostedbyNathanW.BjorgeonNovember08,2000@10:21AMfromthecomposeyourselfdept.
Keepingadiaryofone'sspiritualexercises,experiences,andreflectionsisoneofthemostimportantandeffectiveactivitiestheaspiringmagiciancandedicatethemselvestomastering.Whyisthis?It'snotanecessaryactivityforspiritualattainment,sincemostotherreligioustraditionsdonotpromoteadiarypracticeasanormativeundertaking.Thelemadoes.
Crowleywasfondofdescribinghisapproachtomagicaltrainingwiththemotto"themethodofscience,theaimofreligion".ThismottowasusedineveryissueofTheEquinox,whichhealsocalledthe'organofScientificIlluminism'.ThisideaofascientificapproachtomysticismandmagickisakeycomponentoftheThelemicway,andisatthebasisoftheusefulnessofthediaryaswell.
Whatis'science'then?Ifweattempttoanswerthatquestion,wewilldiscoverthattheworddesignatesmoreofavarietyofbackgroundassumptions,activities,andattitudes,ratherthansomethingreallyspecifiablebyasetofpropositionsthateveryonewouldagreewith.Inthe19thand18thcenturies,'science'wasoftenusedtoconnoteanykindofknowledgearrivedatthroughreason.Hegelusestheterminthismanner,forexample.Magickpositsatransrationalsourceofknowledge,however,soMagickisnotscientificinthissense.Today,scienceisperhapsbestunderstoodasasetofmethodsforrecognizingrepeatableregularities.Thegoalofusingthesemethodsisnotitselfdeterminedbythemethods,sothiskindof'science'isnotnecessarilytiedtoaparticularmetaphysicssuchasmaterialismorphysicalism.Manyscientistsarematerialists.Manyarenot.Thiswayofunderstandingtheideaofsciencealsohastheattitudethatbeliefs,assertions,ortheoriesshouldbesubjectedtosomekindofappropriatetestingorverification.
Crowley'sMagickdoeslegitimatelyhavesomefeaturesofthistypeofscience,andinfewplacesmoreclearlytheninhisuseoftherecord.Thediaryfunctionsexplicitlyasakindoflabnotebookforvariousinvestigationsthatthemagicianundertakes.Whatisthenatureoftheseinvestigations?
TheoathoftheprobationerofA.'.A.'.istoexplorethenatureofone'sbeing.One'sownbeing,one'sself,isthereforethephenomenontobesubjectedtoexperimentation.Theaimoftheexperimentationis'religion'andsothisdeterminesthetypeofexperimentswithwhichthephenomenonisinterrogated.Ourquestionsthereforeare:whatisthisself,whatisitsnature,itslimits,itsmeaning?
Itmayturnout,inexploringthisphenomenon,thattheselfisnotatalllikeaphysicalobject,andthatitisopaquetoanalysisinquitethesamequantitativemannerasarethechemicalpropertiesofH2O,forexample.Nevertheless,themethodwillremainscientificinthebroadsensealreadyoutlinedifoneproceedswithattentionpaidtotheobservationofrepeatableregularities,andifonerefusestobeconvincedofstatesofaffairsbyotherthenconclusiveresults.Skepticismisanimportantelementbut,asinphysicalscience,asameanstoanendratherthanasanendinitself.Theendistheattempteddiscoveryofthemeaningofone'sexistence.Mostcrucialtoallofthisisthatarecordoftheprocedurebemadeforoneselfandothers.Thisisthemagicaldiary.
Asfortheactualpracticeofthemagicalrecord,hereareafewpersonalreflectionsfrommyownworkalongtheselinesovertheyears:
Firstofall,don'tworrytoomuchaboutpresentabilityintermsofwhatonewriteson.Fancymanuscriptbooksgiveaweighttothevalueofone'sdiary
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workbutloosebinderpapersheetshavebecomemypreferredmeansofrecordingentries.Theytransporteasilyandcanbecopiedwithoutdifficulty.Thevalueofthediaryiswhatiswritteninit,notwhatit'swrittenon.Nevertheless,aqualityboundbookhasarealmagicaleffectthatshouldnotbeoverlooked.Thisisamatterofpreference,butdon'tbeafraidtouseaformatthatgetsyoutowrite,butdoesn'tlookpretty.
Trytowritesomethingeveryday,evenifit's"didnothing",becauseifyougetthatdownyouhaven'tdonenothing,you'veatleastworkedonyou'rediary.CrowleywouldnotadvanceanyonepastProbationerinA.'.A.'.unlesstheycouldkeepacompletediaryforayear.Hedidn'tcareifwhatwasinitwasanygood,thatwastheProbationersbusiness,buttheyhadtodosomething,andtherehadtobearecordofit.Tryholdingyourselftothesamestandardandseewhathappens.Iguaranteethatwhateverpracticesyouaredoingorexperiencesyouarehaving,theywillbeenrichedbywritingthemdown.Theselfreflectionnecessitatedbythenatureoftheactivitywillacttodeepenyourspirituality.
Don'ttrytomaketoomuchofadistinctionbetweenyourspiritualactivitiesandyourdailylife.Lettherecorddealwithyourmundanegoingsonletitbearegulardiaryattimesbutkeepinmindasyoudosotheultimatelyreligiousnatureoftherecord.Letthataspectofthediarybleedintoandinfiltrateyoursupposedlyprofanegoingsabout.Seehowtheytieintoandareinseparablefromyourexplicitlymagicalpractice.Letyourselfdiscover,throughyourdiarywork,exactlyhowitisthatyourwholelifereallyisdedicatedtotheGreatWork.
Finally,don'tworryabouthowgoodawriteryouare.Theimportantthingistowrite.Ifyou'reapoorprosestylist,keepingaregulardiarywillmakeyouabetterone.
Therearemanymorekindsofworkonecandowiththerecord,aboveandbeyondthebasicusethathasalreadybeendiscussed.TwoparticularexercisesIhavefoundtobeofspecialvalue.ThesecomefromPhyllisSeckler.
Thefirstinvolveskeepingarecordeverydayfor3monthsofissuesrelatedtoyourhealth.Whatareyoudoingtokeepyourselfhealthy?Doyoufeelilloftenorhavechronicproblems?Whatareyoueating?Doyousmokeandifsohowmuch?Tryeachdaytodosomethinginapositivedirectiontowardmaintainingorenhancingyourhealth.Makeanoteofitinthediary.
Manykindsofspiritualitysufferfromakindofdualism,abeliefthatthephysicalbodyissomehowunimportantorinessential.Thisisalimitedpointofview.ThomasAquinassaysthatthehumanexistenceisaunityofbody,soulandspirit.Thesearedistinguishableinsomecontexts,andyetiftheyareseparatedthehumanbeingceasestobeassuch.Inalchemy,theanalogisthepresenceofthethreealchemicalprinciplesinallthings.Saltisbody,sulfurissoul,andmercuryisspirit.ThissacredtriadfurthercorrespondstothethreemotherlettersandultimatelytotheSupernaltrinitywhichistherebymanifestinallsubstance.Youcan'tabuseathirdofyourselfandhopetosucceedinyourgoalsofasuperiorlife.Thishealthpracticeisdesignedtoremedythattendencytoimbalance,andtokeeponeinabalancedandgroundedstate.
Thesecondpracticeistomakenotes,everydayforthreemonths,onone'sprocessofpsychologicalprojection.Thatistosay,onone'stendencytointerpretothers,ortoexpectthemtobehaveinamannerthathasnottodowiththewaytheyactuallyare,butwiththeprocessesandprejudicesofone'sownpsyche.Thiskindofthinggoesonallthetimetocolorourperceptions.Itisnotsomethingwhichwecaneversomehowstop,becauseallofourjudgementsandperceptionswillnecessarilybefromsomeperspective.Thetaskofthisexerciseisrathertobecomemindfulandawareofourownprocess,sothatwecanlearntoprojectinappropriate,rathertheninappropriateways.
Bothofthesetwodiarypracticesareintendedtodevelophabitsthatshouldpersistthroughoutone'slife.Theyaremindfulnessexercises,andwhiletheyhaveinitialtimelimits,theycanbereturnedtoformallyorinformallyinone'sfuturejournalwork.They'retools,sotospeak,whichonemaykeepinone'skittousewhennecessary.
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TheFinePrint:Thefollowingcommentsareownedbywhoeverpostedthem.
Re:ThePracticeoftheMagicalDiarybyRafaelKitoveronFridayNovember10,@11:28AM
ThanksforpostingthisNathan!
Afterhearingthispaperlastmonth,Iimmediatelystartedkeepingadiary.BeforeIwasn'treallysurehowitwouldhelp,orwhatuseitwouldserve.
Itdoesseemtohaveanenhancingeffectonanyspiritualexercises,andlifeingeneralasrelatedtotheGreatWork.Evenifjustrecordingthetimesofthings.
Ialsofinditveryusefultokeeptrackofwherethesunandmoonare,andeventuallyanyaspects.Thereareeasytousemonthlyephemerisesherewithaspects:
http://www.khaldea.com/ephemcenter.shtml
Andthere'saniftyastrologicalclockontheGermanOTOwebsite:
http://home.snafu.de/marcus/aclock.html
Cheers
Re:ThePracticeoftheMagicalDiarybyMissLeslieonTuesdayNovember21,@10:13AM
Dowhatthouwiltshallbethewholeofthelaw.
IhavefoundNathan'scommentsonthePracticeoftheMagickalDiaryveryinteresting...!Ialsotrytokeepadailydiaryup,anditistruethatoneisattimessurprisedtoreadhowonehasbehavedorwhatonehasdone,whenoneisreallykeepinghisdiaryas"scientific"aspossible,andascompleteaspossiblebyaddingdailyentries...KeepingaM.D.hashelpedmealottodiscoverhowIreactinortoparticularcircumstances,andthisaswellonthehealthplane,asonthepsychologicalplane.
AsforRafal:thankyouverymuchforthelinks!JustwhatIwaslookingfor,havingcometotheendofmyephemeridscopyoftheyear2000.Thesearetrulyneatlinks!
Loveisthelaw,loveunderwill.
Greetings!MissLeslie
Re:ThePracticeoftheMagicalDiarybysfumatoonWednesdayApril17,@09:06PM
iammarch231950heteromaleyoube?sorryforchildishintrobutthereismoretomethanthisabruptcharge...ikeepdiariesforthepasttwentyyears..iraprogroff,cjung,alanwatts,etal.wouldlovetoeventuallymeetmysorormystica...soundsdesperateiknowbutthisismywish..cettetouspleasewritebackicanbeacuriousitythatmayprovetobeinspiring,,,...ialsoplaysaxrunmyownpaintingstudioamingreatshapeformyageandtrytopracticetantrainallthings...hopeididnotfrightenyourchiaway..postme
TheFinePrint:Thefollowingcommentsareownedbywhoeverpostedthem.
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