spiritualism – Between The Pillars

The Grade System of Hermetic Initiation: Part One

September 10, 2022Tagged ceremonial magick, chakras, golden dawn, Grade system, hermetic order of the golden dawn, hermeticism, initiation, kabbalah, magick, Occult, religion, rosicrucian, spiritualism, spirituality, tantra, thelema, witchcraft, yoga5 Comments

Welcome back readers. It has been a while. A lot has happened to me since the last post on Between the Pillars.

First off, I just want to say that the prices of the magickal services have gone up. However, given that my prices are still very low compared to many others, I don’t think it should bother anyone.

Today, I want to write about something we haven’t touched upon yet: the 10 fold grade system of the Hermetic tradition. It is not the only grade system in the occult, nor is it only used in the Hermetic tradition. It has predecessors, as well as successors.

But that doesn’t matter. It’s a system that works, and quite well at that.

I have always insisted that Magick comprises the traditions from every corner of the world, and from every time period. To study only one system is like having only a few of the pieces of a puzzle, and trying to form a whole picture. In the 21st century, why handicap ourselves like that? So, my focus will not just be on Hermeticism or Western Ceremonial magick, but on mysticism and magick in general. But first, some background.

The Spiritual Ascent

What is the Tree of Life? Well, I have a whole book on that, but in summary:

The Tree of Life is a diagram whose modern form originated in the mystical western tradition called Kabbalah. It is based on the visions of ancient Hebrew seers, as they were led to the Throne of God by the Archangel Metatron. It describes the process of creation, wherein the the Divine Monad manifests itself through Ten distinct ’emanations’, called the Sephiroth. It has it’s origins in the ancient cultures of North Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe, and is similar to the Nordic Yggdrasil or the Hindu Sri-Yantra.

The first emanation is called the Crown (Kether), and the energy from it passes through another eight Sephiroth, until it finally settles down in the Kingdom (Malkuth), which is identified with the material world. It shows the process by which the Universe, and the Individual, and all other things are created and brought into the world. In simple words: it is an archetype.

The fundamental idea in Western magick is that a person seeking enlightenment, or spiritual ascension, or magical power, would ‘climb’ back up the Tree of Life, passing through all the Sephiroth, which are imagined as Gates, ruled by various astrological forces. The person would begin the journey in Malkuth, which is the world of waking consciousness, and slowly make their way to Kether, which is the Source. The Tree of Life is imagined as a ladder.

The most important milestone in this process is called Cross the Abyss, where the aspirant crosses the gap between the lower 7 Sephiroth, and the 3 Higher ones. This gap is called the Abyss (Tehom), and the illusionary Sephiroth there is called Knowledge (Da’at).

This journey, which is imagined as a straight and narrow path, is called Quetesh in Hebrew. It is imagined as the Bow, which shoots an arrow right down the Middle of the Tree of Life.

Another system of ascension is found in the Eastern world, with the system of Chakras and the Kundalini. The Chakras are Seven centres of power which lie along the spinal column of the Individual, and also along the Axis Mundi of the whole Cosmos. The first Chakra is called the Crown (Sahasrara: Thousand Petals), and the last one is called the Root chakra (Muladhara: Essence of the Root).

The Central Pillar is called the Lingam (the Spine/Phallus), and it is masculine and fixed. This masculine force is also at times called Purusha (the Man) or Yogi (Monk). The force which moves upward is called Shakti (Power), and it is feminine and moving. It is also called Devi (the Lady).

The idea is that the Chakras represent stages of consciousness, with Highest Chakra represents the Divine principle, while the lowest Chakra represents the waking reality. The spiritual aspirant moves their Consciousness up through their spinal column, through each Chakra, until it reaches the top.

That’s the gist of it. The journey of the aspirant is called the Sadhana in Sanskrit, and it is imagined as the straight and unwavering path traced by an arrow let loose from a bow. Those who have completed the Journey are called Siddhas, or the ‘righteous ones’

An important milestone on this journey is when the Consciousness reaches the Throat Chakra, at which point the Personal Shakti, called the Kundalini, rises from the base of the Spine and makes it’s way to the Top, which is at the nape of the neck. At this point, the individual begins to enter into a state of Spiritual Bliss called Sammadhi. This experience is identical to the Crossing of the Abyss of Kabbalah. A person begins to be freed form the world of Illusion (Maya) and can be called ‘enlightened’. Of course, the Kundalini shall rise further until it reaches the Crown, and can be projected even higher.

Combining the Chakras with the Tree of Life

It should be clear now that the Tree of Life and Chakra system are really talking about the same thing. The Western system, however, is more concerned with theory, and with mapping out the journey, and using it to understand the Universe. This is because Western magicians, due to heavy persecution in the middle ages, relied heavily on scripture and magickal texts to transmit their work. They had to disguise the Work as religious doctrine, and had to explain everything in great detail so that anyone reading it could follow the instructions and have all the requisite knowledge.

The Eastern system is much more practical. This is because such knowledge the source of power for the political and religious institutions in the East. There was never any real persecution, but it was closely guarded knowledge, passed down directly from master to student. It was rarely put into writing, nor was there much need to go into detail, because the Master (Guru) would be there with the student to guide them. In fact, merely being in the presence of a Master can cause the Kundalini to awaken. I can attest to this first hand. Thus, it was much more important to talk about the changes happening inside the body, and how to control the power, than try to create precise theories.

So in the West they ended up with a very well established theory, and in the East they developed a very effective practice. Both paths work, and it is worthwhile to combine them. As you know, the 10 Sephiroth of the Tree of Life are divided in such a way that they form Seven ‘layers’. These are identical to the Chakra centres. This means that many of the Chakras correspond to two sephiroth, not just one.

The following is the correct way to interpolate the Ten Sephiroth with the Seven Chakras:

1. Kether (Crown) – Sahasrara (Crown Chakra)
2. Chokmah (Wisdom) and Binah (Understanding) – Ajna (Third Eye Chakra)
3. Da’at (Knowledge) – Visuddha (Throat Chakra)
4. Chesed (Mercy) and Geburah (Power) – Anahata (Heart Chakra)
5. Tifaret (Harmony) – Manipura (Solar Plexus Chakra)
6. Netzach (Victory) and Hod (Glory) – Svadhisthana (Sacral Chakra)
7. Yesod (Foundation) – Muladhara (Root Chakra)

Malkuth (Kingdom) is not part of the seven places, fallen as it is from the place of Da’at. Thus, it can be identified with the dormant ‘Shakti’ of Goddess Power which rests at the base of the spine. Thus, malkuth is rightly called ‘Malkah’, or bride, just as Shakti is the bride of Purusha, or ‘The Man’.

The Ten Fold Grade System

Now we get to the actual Grade system of the Hermetic tradition.

There are ten grades, all arranged along the Tree of Life, along with two intermediary grades. It shows the entire process of spiritual evolution. Understand that, the path is the same, only with different ways of representing it. This is the Hermetic way of seeing it, but in essence this journey is found in all cultures of the world, in different ways.

As you move from one grade to another, so does your consciousness. This does have a biological component, and if you quiet your mind and focus on your bodily sensations, you can actually feel how far up the spinal chord the energy has risen.

The Grade system can be divided into three. The first four grades consist of the ‘outer’ order, and the work of the Outer Order involves working upon the lower self: purifying and mastering oneself and one’s own Being. Each of the four grades corresponds to four components of the lower self, and also to the four elements.

Zelator – Earth – Physical Body – Sensations and Habits
Theoricus – Air – Conscious Mind – Thoughts and Perception
Practicus – Water – Subconscious Mind – Emotions and Intellect
Philosophus – Fire – Will – Intuition and Willpower

The next three grades constitute the Inner Order. Those of these grades are considered ‘Adepts’, while those of the Outer Order are usually called ‘Initiates’. Of course, the word ‘Initiate’ can also just apply to everyone who has been initiated into the order, meaning anyone beyond the grade of Neophyte.

In the Inner Order, everyone is technically on equal standing. An Adept is someone who has learned to commune with their Higher Self, and thus cannot really be ‘told’ what to do. In reality, it is the Inner Order where ‘magick’ begins in any real sense. The Outer Order involves mostly study and spiritual practice, and its rituals and practices are designed to purify the student.

Only in the Inner Order does the Adept begin training to do actual magick. The work of the Adept, having communed with their Higher Self, is now to overcome the Shadow. In other words: illuminate the inner darkness.

The three grades here represent the sacred Masculine, Feminine and the Androgyne.

Adeptus Minor – Androgyne – Life
Adeptus Major – Feminine – Death
Adeptus Exemptus – Masculine – Rebirth

In theory, Adeptus Exemptus is the Highest grade that can be given to a person. The grades beyond the Abyss are called the Secret Order. ‘Secret’ because these grades cannot be conferred, only attained by oneself.

This is because only a student, themselves, can Cross the Abyss when the time is right. No amount of rituals, ceremonies or meditations can make it happen, nor can a Master else cause you to Cross the Abyss and enter Sammadhi. it is a lone Journey.

The three highest grades that make up this stage represent stages of liberation.

Magister Templi – Mother – Power
Magus – Father – Purity
Ipsissimus – Spirit – Love

Whenever talk of the grade system comes up, I see one very common question from beginners: is it possible to rise through the grades without having done any magickal or spiritual practice?

The reason is that people just starting magickal study or practice want to start at the grade of Adeptus Minor! No one wants to be a mere Neophyte, and spend years working towards Adepthood. And so, many newcomers are absolutely desperate to be told that they’re already an Adept, or that the grade can be attained without spiritual practice.

But can it? Well, yes. In fact, it is pretty much expected that if you’re drawn to magick in this lifetime, then your Soul has already done much of the Outer Work in previous incarnations. So then, why this whole routine of going through the outer grades?

Because, in truth, all people at all times, are at the Highest Grade. Everyone in the world is Enlightened…they just don’t know it yet.

This is why this Work is sometimes called ‘Self Realisation’ rather than Attainment. One is not attaining anything, but only remembering.

When one is young, there is at least some point where one is fully in touch with the Higher Self. But life happens, and we begin to deviate from the Great Work. The mind, body and spirit begin to be clouded or fall into decay.

And so, even if a person thinks they are an Adept, or are naturally gifted in magick, or very well read, it never hurts to start at the beginning. The Lower Self needs to be prepared and purified to commune with the Higher Self. This is why the lower grades are needed.

To attempt the work of Magick without first balancing and discipling oneself will be extremely detrimental, and this effect is often seen in religious fanatics or crazed cult leaders: people who have expereinced the energies invoked in the Inner Order, but are not balanced or mature enough to utilise these corectly.

Thus, shun not the Outer Order. It is the most exciting stage of this journey.

The Outer Order

We shall Discuss the probationary grade of Neophyte and the four outer grades of Zelator, Theoricus, Practicus and Philosophus.

Neophyte

The grade of neophyte is not a real grade. It is a probationary grade that typically lasts 6 months or so. Traditionally, it was designed to see if the student was fit to join an esoteric order, and to build up a basic foundation of both theory and practice. With self initiation, this grade is mainly for you to test, for yourself, if you can handle the path of magick.

The rituals of this grade consist of basic banishing and grounding rituals, along with an introduction to basic magickal theory and spiritual practices like meditation. It exposes a person to energies which will start to dramatically change their life and perspective, and it is expected that a lot of people will quit after this grade. And that is precisely the point.

Once the first grade has started, it is not possible to go back. The spiritual transformation shall then go through various stages, and the only respite is in the fifth grade of Adeptus Minor. In other words, Magickal initiation is not just something done overnight. It is a whole hearted commitment which will last years. The exact same commitment is asked for by Eastern practices like Yoga and the Tantra, contrary to the usual notion that Eastern paths are simpler or easier.

And the neophyte grade is like a free trial of what’s to come.

There is nothing wrong with not being ready. While the grade formally lasts 6-7 months, a person may practice the Neophyte material for years. Most magicians do just that, with daily banishing rituals, meditations and purification rites. Some people will spend their whole life simply purifying themselves and meditating, and getting comfortable with this knowledge.

There’s no rush whatsoever. Many who do take that first step onto the grade of Zelator have been prepared over lifetimes, and will be prepared still for lifetimes more.

Some authors make it seem like the neophyte grade is some test or gauntlet designed to separate the ‘worthy’ and ‘unworthy’.

But the fact is that each and every person in the world is worthy. It is only a matter of patience and practice. When one is ready, one will move on.

This grade typically consists of an initial exposure to magickal energy, and one might find that any serious imbalances in one’s life will disappear. In general, good health, vitality and a renewed sense of vigor should be expected by the end.

Zelator

The grade of Zelator, as the name suggests, is a time of Zeal and devotion. It is associated with the element of Earth, with the material body and the world of the senses.

The work of this grade represents perhaps the most important and long lasting stage of spiritual ascension: of mastering the body, and the world of waking consciousness. The rituals of this grade will often bring about shift in perspective and consciousness. The student may find themselves changing their lifestyle, cultivating better lifestyle habits pertaining to food, routine and physical fitness.

A great enthusiasm towards the diligent study and practice of magick may also come about. A person may begin to overcome social anxiety, develop greater work ethic, and see overall success in their studies and/or career. For those who are already well established in life, it can also lead to a lot of money and wealth coming in.

A lot of these things may seem very mundane to some readers. You may wonder what eating properly, sleeping on time and cleaning one’s room have to do with spiritual evolution. And my answer, dear readers, is that it has everything to do with it.

Only very late in my magickal practice did I realise the importance of physical fitness, displine, and cleanliness. Religions of the world have always emphasized these traits, and not without good reason. The spiritual energies that a magician invokes are very, very real. In the Inner Order grades, these energies have a very tangible manifestation, which can very quickly overwhelm and weak mind and body.

Without going too much into details: there have been many times where I was thankful for my physical strength and tolerance, and they were all that kept me from loosing consciousness or being unable to tolerate the very high vibration energies invoked during magick.

Cleanliness and ritual purity are also important, as they allow for an even flow of spiritual energies throughout one’s life. Such a system is found in China in the form of Feng Shui, where the arrangement of the house and placement of objects within it is said to affect how spiritual energies flow through it.

In a more mundane sense, one should also consider that the body is the Temple. The inner world is reflected in the outer world, and a strong body, clean and orderly surroundings and healthy lifestyle will also be reflected in the internal changes taking place.

It is often said that magicians focus too much on the inner world and neglect the outer, not realising that the two are one and the same. Inner transformation goes hand in hand with outer transformation. And finally, there is also the simple fact that magick should not be something that requires the sacrifice of ‘real’ life. It is not escapism.

After all, magick requires commitment, of time, energy and resources. Before such a commitment can be made, it is a good idea to put your life in order. It would be very difficult to go very far with magick if you’re are held back by, say, the lack of money, poor health or a loneliness.

Now, I should make it clear that this is an ongoing process. I’m not suggesting that a person’s material life must be perfect before starting magick. Rather, both go hand in hand. And the grade of Zelator is the time where you shake yourself out of the stupor that many people fall into. It is the simple acknowledgement that you will not use magick or spirituality to escape from the responsibilities of the ‘real’ world.

First we master the outer and material world, before we go to the spiritual planes. Contrary to common belief, magick does not involve shunning or rejecting the material world, which is after all a reflection of the higher worlds.

In this grade, the consciousness tends to be fixed in the outer body and outer world. The inner Shakti has not begun her ascent up the spine.

Theoricus

The grade of Theoricus is similar to Zelator, and revolves around magick Theory. It is associated with the Conscious Mind, with thoughts, and with perception. It is ruled by the element of Air.

Once the Zelator has put his daily affairs in order, they can start studying magickal theory. Just as the previous grade was about strengthening the body, this grade is about sharpening the mind. The rituals and practices of this grade bring about a strong intellectual tendency, and also a desire to learn about and understand the world around oneself. In pursuit of this, one may learn not just about magick, but about various other fields such as history, politics, science, artistry, linguistics etc.

In fact, knowing about the world and having many skills can be very helpful for a magician. Many magicians are known to be well read and proficient in various skills. But ultimately, the aim is not to learn a lot, but rather sharpen the mind. Unlike school, the student of magick is not learning a bunch of rote information, but rather engaging with the world and its people, history and cultures. The aim is not to learn some information, but learn how to think. For example, the study of politics and history is not about coming to believe in some ideology or memorizing a list of battles, but to familiarize the mind with the nuances and complexities of the society. The aim of learning a new language may not necessarily be to become a fluent speaker, but to see how different languages shape the mind different, and to expand one’s horizons.

A strong mind complements a strong body. This grade helps the student break free of dogmatic beliefs, to question the way things are, and to learn to reject beliefs and values that they have inherited.

For while the wisdom of the ages can have great value, it can also be a poison which blinds us from reality. It is good to expose oneself to new ways of thinking, and to start formulating one’s own beliefs and philosophy. It protects us from becoming reliant on someone else’s version of the truth, and especially from political, religious and cultural lies.

This is also the grade where one begins to experience the energies of planets along with the elements. The grade of Theoricus is ruled by the Moon, as it corresponds to the Lunar sphere on the Tree of Life. Additionally the energies of Saturn are also expereinced, because that is the complementary sphere. This kind of a complementary relationship exists for all grades.

The Moon, or Luna, affects the emotions and sense perception. Saturn affects the rational mind. Thus, this grade has a tendency to exaggerate those aspects. In fact, it is important not to get too caught up in trying to understand everything rationally or categorise everything perfectly.

The consciousness now resides in the Root chakra, which corresponds to the Lunar Sphere at the base of the spine. The consciousness, thus, is still fixed on the outer world, but on the more abstract, mental aspects rather than purely physical.

Practicus

By now you should have picked up a trend with the names. The grade of Practicus focuses, at last, on Practice. It is associated with the element of Water, with the Subconscious mind, and thus with, morals, values, emotions and desires. Whereas the grade of Theoricus focused more on the outward Conscious Mind, Practicus focuses on the deeper, subconscious mind. In this grade, the emotions are allowed to come forth from their usual suppressed state in most people.

One also begins to recognise the traits of the opposite gender within oneself. In fact, it is common for magicians in this grade to display such traits. Men may find themselves becoming more ‘feminine’ while women may become more ‘masculine’. This is because a magician must not have any complexes or reservations, such as imagining oneself as ‘manly’ or ‘womanly’. What exactly this means depends from person to person. The Anima/ Animus, which lies hidden in the subconscious, begins to show itself.

The first two grades, in my opinion, are almost intoxicating. While they are slow, they are also relatively easy. The rituals performed in these grades bring about a great transformation in the personal world, which is what most people are focused on. But Practicus is the first test of these apparent abilities. That is to say, the student may now be called upon to put his knowledge and strength into practice, and also the first time one faces real obstacles from the outer world, not just the abstract ones of the inner world.

To me, the grade of Practicus is a test, and I will not speak much about the trials of this grade because I don’t want to turn people away from magick. This is the grade where you must try to accomplish your goals and desires, and it should be evident that some of these will not come easily.

Most people have a vague idea of what they want in life. But rarely do people have the courage to pursue them. And this is because dreams and desires are often grand and untenable, and it is not easy to know how exactly they should be attained. So, people are content to simply do what they’re told, and wait until some imagined event will bring them these things. Think, for example, of people’s dream of winning the lottery, of finding the perfect job, of suddenly becoming famous etc.

Ultimately, most people just want to be happy and live in peace. All these grand desires are a means to that. The irony, of course, is that any person at any time can be content with their lot and find peace and happiness. In fact, it is the urgent pursuit of happiness that stops people from being happy.

So, people instead hold out hope for extraordinary fortune, living in the future rather than the present. Yet others give up hope entirely and become bitter, living in the glorious past when they still had their dreams, and once again ignoring the present.

But the magician who has crossed Theoricus may find that they suddenly have the courage to live in the present, and pursue exactly what they want. As I said, the changes of these grades are very powerful, and it becomes clear that nothing is actually beyond a person’s grasp.

But, the grade of Practicus is the grade of challenges and trials. These challenges and trials are important to purify and strengthen the individual. This is the a very important grade of spiritual ascension, where a person, for the first time, leaves their comfort zone completely in pursuit of their dreams. One should not underestimate a person who has set their life in order and learned about the world. The Practicus is already very far ahead of most people because of this.

For better or for worse, it is when a person stops living in their head, and starts living in reality. And some may find that reality, without comforting dogmas and illusions, appears unfair and unjust. Of course, even that is an illusion.

In this grade, the influence of Mercury, the ruler of the grade, is felt, as is the influence of the complimentary Jupiter. It is Mercury who is the initiator into magick and the mysteries, and the first step of that initiation is purification through pain. Mercury is also force that carries one’s ambitions aloft on his wings.

Jupiter is the teacher and mentor, and he helps the student retain hope and faith. It may be common for students to develop a ‘larger than life’ persona due to the influence of this planet, which may also mark them out as a target of scorn or resentment by those whose consciousness has not begun to develop.

Ultimately, both planets are associated with learning, and this is the grade of learning certain hard lessons and shattering illusions. Everything, good or bad, must be accepted as it is. Metaphorically, we may say that the waters of the subconscious begin to flood the conscious mind, dissolving boundaries and washing one clean.

Philosophus

Yes, this grade is now associated with Philosophy, with the Will and the Intuition. It corresponds to the element of Fire.

In my book, The Tree of Life: A Beginner’s Guide, I discuss the role of philosophy and it’s link to creativity at length, but here I will mention the importance of developing a personal philosophy.

Once the trials of the Practicus grade are overcome, the great realisation comes that many of one’s beliefs about the world are faulty, and often taken from somewhere else. For many magicians, it is the stage of awakening from the Ego, and realising that the contents of one’s mind are often not aligned with reality.

It is common for people to believe that the world is a certain way. People go their entire lives believing in absurd or false things, just because they sound rational or logical. Rarely, if ever, do people ever question or challenge their beliefs. And even when beliefs are questioned, they are often replaced with other, equally absurd beliefs.

it is only by repeatedly putting one’s beliefs into practice, as is done by the Practicus, that one realises what is real and what is imagined. It is almost like subjecting your beliefs to scientific scrutiny.

Every person has a inner value system, but people don’t normally try to live up to their own values. For example, a person who firmly believes that people should live freely in a primal state of existence, but works a standard corporate job in a big city. Such a person has never actually tried to live up to their own ideals, which is precisely why these ‘ideals’ exist. Trying to live up to such ideals may show they are at odds with the reality of the world and one’s present capabilities.

Some people, who’s ambitions are grounded, may actually end up getting exactly what they wanted, only to realise that it didn’t satisfy them. For example, someone who desperately wants to get into some prestigious college, only to find that they have no interest in their studies and aren’t suited to the competition. It would seem the person was more interested in imagining the scenario, but does not enjoy being in it.

Now that the Philosophus has tried to put their world view into practice, it is important to take a step back and consider one’s life and aspirations. There is no longer anyone to blame, no longer anything holding one back. Becoming freed from dogma and delusion, it is time to start developing a personal philosophy to live by, rather than live by the philosophies of others. It is time to no longer define oneself as belonging to some religion, creed or ideology, or subscribing to some belief system, or clinging to arbitrary labels or vague ambitions. A person must draw now upon their inner resources, and let their intuition guide them towards their purpose in life.

What makes you happy? What do you want from life? How would you like to spend each day of your life? Are you really an introvert/extrovert? Do you really want a lot of money? Can you really be self employed, or do you really believe in some chosen faith?

Discipline plays a role because, when your entire worldview is questioned, it may very well burn away. After all, this is the grade of Fire. And in times like this, it is of utmost importance to maintain some semblance of routine and structure, so you don’t slip into apathetic nihilism or become depressed. And even if you do, you still have to keep moving forward. Everything learned in the last three grades must keep you sane and alert.

The three great virtues of a magician are: Humility, Persistence and Determination. And the Philosophus must keep living their ordinary life, even as the world within is radically transformed. At the very least, all the basic day to day tasks needed for survival must be performed. You will find that the discipline and strength developed through this is invaluable. Very great is the one who can be comfortable with discomfort. Most people withdraw or flee at the hint of the slightest discomfort, but the magician must learn to endure and power through something as difficult as spiritual purification.

This grade is ruled by Venus, the great Goddess, and her counterpart Mars. Venus is the Goddess of Life and Fertility, but before one can feel her love, one must face her dark aspect: that of a life and universe that is seemingly unfair and unjust. Through patience and grace, the student will stand before the darkness and see it transformed into light, just as the cold harshness of winter leads to the fertility and joy of spring.

Mars, of course, is the one providing strength and courage throughout this grade, even as it awakens an inner fire within oneself. Not the explosive flame of ambition or zeal, but the steady flame of perseverance and discipline. Nothing happens overnight, and anything worth attaining takes honest work.

In the grades of Practicus and Philosophus, the consciousness resides in the Sacral Chakra, located around the abdomen. Sexual activity may be become much more increased or decreased than usual. These grades of purging see the consciousness around the digestive and excretory system.

A Short Allegory

The first two grades are those of preparation, and the second two are those of purification. It is actually an alchemical process. It is important, at this point, for me to describe the alchemical process, which is meant to reflect this process of Initiation.

Alchemy is the spiritual science of taking the fabled First Matter (Prima Materia), and subjecting it to a process of purification and exaltation, resulting in the legendary Philosopher’s Stone (Lapis Philosphorum). The Stone, also called the Red Stone, is said to be able to transform base metals into gold, as well as confer eternal life. I’m sure many readers already know the tale. At the very least, you’ve watched this referenced in the first Harry Potter film.

Here, the student themselves is the Prima Materia being perfected.

In alchemical texts, it is said that the Prima Materia must be first separated into it’s three components: Mercury, Sulfur and Salt. Each is then purified and recombined. These should be understood as alchemical principles, and not to be confused with the mundane elements of the same name. Meaning, here Mercury does not refer to quick silver, nor does Salt refer to sodium chloride.

In the Hindu and Buddhist traditions, the metaphor is dropped and these three principles are actually referenced directly as as the three Gunas (traits), present in all things. These are Satvva (positive), Rajas (neutral) and Tamas (negative). But here I will describe the process most commonly found in European texts, as these are the most methodical.

First, one must gather the Prima Materia and ferment it for a long period of time, allowing it to mature and and ‘ripen’ in the heat of the sun. This is the grade of Zelator, where the student prepares themselves for initiation by setting their life in order, and ‘ripening’ the physical body through a healthy lifestyle, and mastering the outward senses. Much like fermentation, this grade is simply a matter of time and patience.

Now, the Prima Materia is heated over a gentle fire for a long time, which causes the alchemical Mercury to distill over. This Mercury may be further distilled and purified. This refers to the grade of Theoricus, where the rational Mind (often symbolised by Mercury) is isolated, and then sharpened through study and intellectual engagement.

Next, the flask is heated over a more intense fire, which gets hotter and hotter, until the alchemical Sulfur distills over. This process is volatile and difficult, and what is left behind is the alchemical Salt, which is black and ashy. This refers to the intense grade of Practicus, where the student is tried and tested, and their stubborn illusions are ripped from them. The emotions, volatile and dangerous, separate out and show themselves, like the Sulfur. It is worth noting that the Eastern counterpart, which is rajas, literally means ‘passions’. The student may be left feeling tired, empty or hollow, like the black Salt left behind. This salt in it’s black state is seen as ‘dead’, and called as the dead head (caput mortem)

Now, the black Salt is heated over a gradually increasing fire, until is begins to incinerate, turning from black to gray and finally to white. To witness this mythical process is itself a spiritual experience, and it refers to the grade of Philosophus, where the Fire or Will slowly increases in intensity, purging the tired initiate, and purifying them, bringing forth a sort of ‘rebirth’ or ‘reawakening’, like the black salt turning to a pristine white.

Now, the Mercury Sulfur and Salt have been separated and purified. They are slowly recombined in a hermetically sealed flask (yes, the word ‘hermetically sealed’ comes from Hermeticism).

Portal

The grade of Portal is another probationary grade, and refers to the time between the Outer and Inner order. It is symbolic of the alchemical process where the three principles are hermetically sealed and recombined.

Here the Divine alchemist, which is the Higher Self of the Initiate, the Spirit, recombines the separated parts of the Prima Materia, which is the Lower Self of Initiate.

The grade of Portal is a period of 9 months where the initiate must withdraw from the outer world as much as possible, and spend time in contemplation and prayer. This is the transition from an Initiate to an Adept.

The primary work in this stage is to think over the journey so far, and prepare for communion with the Higher Self, which is also called the Holy Guardian Angel. This communion can be thought of as the religious experience, which Christians call Grace.

In the East, this same process is replicated when Yogis go into what is called ‘Tapasya’, which is a prolonged period of silent meditation. Hindus and Buddhists call the communion of the religious experience as ‘Darshan’, literally meaning ‘to see’. The Higher Self is called ‘Atman’, or Spirit, while the lower self is called ‘Jiva’, or ‘living being’.

The motif of this grade can be thought of as a wandering, or a self imposed exile, and such a thing is found in various mythologies. During this period, a dramatic shift in consciousness takes place as many redundant aspects of oneself are burned away.

In this stage, the ‘Body of Light’ is firmly established within oneself, and the Sphere of Sensation, often called the Aura, expands from an thin shell just over the skin, to a spherical ball of magnetic energy: a cosmic Egg. The hermetically sealed flask used by alchemists in this stage was often made in the form of a glass Egg, to represent this very Cosmic Egg. The alchemists knew that, as they were making the Red Stone, their own being was being transformed.

We are bringing about the same transformation not through chemical processes, but through rituals, meditation, chanting, study and practical action.

By and large, this stage is one of patience and faith. It is a time of preparation and rebirth, before one ventures out again as an Adept.

I will end this post here, and continue talking about the grades in Part Two. If you wish to learn more about magick, consider checking out my books. Subscribe to me on Patreon to learn about using magick to improve daily life, to gain spiritual insight through tarot, to invoke the great Angels who rule the heavens or conjure the mighty daemons who rule the material universe.

Peace and farewell.

~White Raven

The Great Secret of Magick Part 1: Science, Psudoscience and Occult Science

January 21, 2021Tagged jung, magick, magickal technology, manifestation, materialism, mysticism, Occult, occult science, pseudo-science, psychology, religion, science, secret, spiritual technology, spiritualism, spirituality, white raven2 Comments

Happy new year! I wanted to start 2021 off with a experience from a ritual, as is classic for this blog. Then I thought perhaps there are other, more pressing matters in people’s lives. But now, intuition had guided me to write about something I consider to be of great importance to all magicians in this time. This is going to be either a 3 or 4 part series of articles describing, to the best of my ability, the most important secret of Magick and the Occult. The actual key to manifestation. Before I can get to the matter itself, I shall give about 2-3 posts of background material, of which this is the first.

So, let’s get on with it, shall we? Keep an open mind, and feel free to take your time to understand everything. Remember, the Internet is your friend when it comes to terms and concepts that you aren’t familiar with. I try explain things as completely as possible, but people have different levels of familiarity with various subject matters. Knowledge is power, and the growth of knowledge, is the growth of power.

What Exactly is Science

Some of you might scoff at the title. Allow me to explain.

These days, many New Agers, Neo-Pagans and even full fledged occultists create various theories about spiritual and occult experiences. This is nothing new, since ALL science emerged as the result of people trying to explain the Unknown.

But then, we have materialists, skeptics, and sometimes scientists dismiss many of these explanations as “pseudo-science”, due to lack of peer reviewed evidence and the inability to replicate results. While they may be right, in the end they are simply motivated by their own biases. Then the new agers angrily insist that it is “science” after all, because there is an established cause and effect, as well as physical evidence. They are also largely motivated by their beliefs, and claim this quite proudly, and then the other side insists that all beliefs are nonsense, and they they “believe” in science (an idiotic idea).

Many of you in the West are likely familiar with this, due to the hard line between science and religion in Abrahamic/ Atheistic nations, as well as the deep divides between spiritual, religious and secular ways of thinking.

Secondly, you may have heard about people in ancient, classical and medieval times who came up with some ideas long before modern scientists, such as evolution, atoms, the idea of parallel universes, planets etc
As I’m Indian, you can imagine that I’ve basically heard this argument my whole life, and I’m sure anyone in any non western country that is sufficiently ancient, especially in the Middle East, the Orient and the Mediterranean, has heard it too. For example, “why should we credit Darwin with evolution when the ancient Greeks had a similar concept”, or “why credit Dalton with atomic theory when the ancient Indians had a similar idea”, or even “why credit Einstein with quantum mechanics when the Vedas speak of the various different lokas and the supposed relativity of time?”

This has led me to realise that many, many people don’t actually understand what is meant by “science” and how something becomes a “science” in modern times. This is a problem not just when discussing the occult, but any other field. In fact, these days it seems to be a particularly important issue, where people’s opinions and ideologies are so divided that we cannot even sit down and agree upon a single set of facts, let alone debate their interpretation.

So what is science?

First off, to say that you “believe” in science is a very, very stupid statement that I hear often from atheists. I draw a clear line between “scientists” and “science cheerleaders”. Anytime I hear people angrily defending science, I usually find that they are ‘cheerleaders’, because they often aren’t up to date in their scientific knowledge, and often don’t even understand what science is. To them, “science” is like a religion. Similarly to Christian fundamentalists who think everything can be answered by the Bible, these “cheerleaders” read the basics of Newtonian physics, some biology and maybe chemistry in school, and they’ve turned these into tenets.

Whenever they encounter someone who disagrees with them, they just angrily dismiss their ideas because it contradicts what THEY think are real facts. They often use science as a shield, but usually are not scientists at all, not even having any scientific or academic training. This is the type of person who thinks Carl Jung is too “out there”. As magicians, you will most likely meet such people throughout your life. My general advice is to avoid them and not get into it, since you won’t convince them of anything, anymore than you can convince a religious zealot that the modern English Bible was not literally written by God 6000 years ago.

So, back to the question. What is science? Let’s look at the most crude, basic and easily accessible source for knowledge, Wikipedia.

Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe.
~Some dude who writes for Wikipedia

In other words, a science means the study of things, or the expansion of human knowledge. Any field of study into some specific field is a “science”, and the sum total of this endeavor is scientific knowledge. So yes, you could say that it goes back as far as the birth of human civilisation, and even before. However, when we usually talk about Science, we are often referring to modern science.

We can draw a line between the natural curiosity of early man, the academic endeavors of ancient man, and the research conducted by modern people.

Modern science is conducted via the scientific method. A lack of understanding of what the scientific method means, is at the root of all these debates and misunderstandings by spiritualists, occultists and new agers, as also the general populations.

People often think the scientific method means providing physical evidence. This is why you have new agers insist that something is “scientific” if they have been able to provide material evidence, or at least established cause and effect. For example, claiming that a person can do telepathy because they were able to correctly predict what is present another room.

But this is wrong. There are many scientific theories, especially regarding interstellar objects, for which no physical evidence can be provided, and many areas of science where cause and effect are poorly understood or not at all, such as regarding gravity and dark matter.

Basically, people think that science involves creating a hypothesis, and then trying to prove that it exists.
However, the scientific method is the exact opposite. First, you create a hypothesis. Then, you actively try to disprove it. In other words, you test your hypothesis. If it stands up to all the scrutiny, not just by you but by others, then it becomes a theory (I’m simplifying it a lot here. Remember I’m not a scientist or researcher either, this is just my own understanding of it).
This does not mean that it is now proven. Much more evidence will be needed for that. This is why you often have different theories regarding the same thing within science, which contradict each other.

Do you understand now, why so much “research” conducted by New Agers is dismissed? This is because many New Age and alternative science theories do not follow this method of scrutiny, nor are they peer reviewed. Often, they are entirely based on one person or group trying to prove something they already believe, which in turn is often based on scriptures. This results in conformation bias. And as all of you practicing magick know, when you really want something to happen, your entire perception conspires to make it happen for you. So if you REALLY want to prove something to be true, you’ll probably succeed, at least in convincing yourself, and maybe others too.

And then, whatever the findings are, the new agers try to extrapolate very, very broad conclusions. For example, let’s say you freeze a camera and take a picture with it. This results in the appearance of “bubble” like structures around the pictures of people. New Agers take this as proof of the aura. While I personally believe in the aura, you have to remember that this doesn’t actually “prove” anything. You have proven that frozen cameras take pictures where living things appear to have a bubble around them. That is all, and all the remaining interpretations are based on belief. You cannot jump from there to “the aura is a bio-magnetic energy field generated by the heart of every living thing” so easily.

Like it or hate it, this is how the scientific method works. I’m not saying I fully agree with every aspect, nor that it is suitable to understand all of reality. But hey, it is responsible for many of our modern inventions and discoveries. It made possible things like this blog.

Opinion: In fact, I personally disagree with identifying the aura as “bio-electric” or “bio-magnetic”. Personally, I think the etheric energy which makes up the aura has no electro-magnetic basis. If it did, I should see interference with electrical appliances at the height of a particularly powerful ritual. Now, there are cases of lights going out or appliances going haywire when people do magick. I’ve seen it, others I know have seen it, and even some readers have reported this. But then again, why would it affect the lights of my building, but not my cellphone? Why isn’t it more “localised”. There’s something else going on there, something far greater which we cannot even begin to comprehend.

The Problem With Modern Science

On the other hand, while I trust in science, scientists can lie. Here, I agree with new agers. At the end of the day, scientists and academics are human beings. Like any person, they can be biased, bought over, manipulated or corrupted. You would honestly be surprised how often scientists have been bribed and threatened into suppressing information, or how often they allow their bias to cloud their pursuit of the truth. Did you know professional academics were once bribed and threatened into assuring people that smoking was safe, or that it was okay to use radium in paints, or that petroleum stored in lead barrels was not causing lead poisoning en masse? Keep in mind, how “scientific” knowledge and data were distorted during the Chernobyl incident, or how the world was lead to believe for centuries that our diets should have high carbs and low protein, and that fats and oils were the cause of obesity (when it truth it is sugar). Now Chernobyl is going to be radiated for another 120,000 years, and 40 years of high carb diets laced with artificial sweeteners have left us with soaring levels of obesity and diabetes.

After all, one of their most important goals is to secure funding for their research. In this sense, the modern scientific establishment have become nearly like the medieval Catholic Church. They are the arbiters of truth, and we are entirely beholden to them. We cannot cross check or test any of their claims ourselves, especially now that science has progressed well beyond what a person can do at home. We simply have to take them at their word, and truth that they’re telling the truth about their discoveries. We can only hope that there’s government or corporate sponsored suppression of information.

Well, would you look at THAT! The world is currently in the midst of a global pandemic that got out of control due to suppression of scientific information at an INTERNATIONAL level.

Now yes, the existence of an entire global network of scientists, all competing with one another, ensures that there’s only so far that deception can go. If a certain groups of scientists make a claim, another group from another country may be quick to dispute this. But that is precisely where we are now, and it’s actually a bigger problem. In the 21st century, the scientific landscape is littered with contradictory claims about even the most simplest of things.

I’d once heard it said that “the greatest embarrassment of modern science is that it cannot even give us simple, conclusive information on which diet is best”.

Go ahead, try to find out what is the best type of diet. Keto, carnivorous, high carb, high fat, vegan or something else? You’ll quickly realise that you can find “scientific” claims to support anything and everything you want to believe. Besides truly outlandish claims like the flat earth, you would honestly be surprised at how often we lack concise scientific knowledge on something as simple as diet, lifestyle and disease. Let us say that one scientists claims that he can prove with “evidence” that a high carb, low protein diet is great, and another says that a high protein, low carb one is great, and both claim the other is full of crap. Tell me, is this so different from medieval theologians arguing about witches, werewolves and possessions? At the end of the day, we cannot test the evidence ourselves. We are simply reliant upon the testimony of a person who has been given the authority to decide these things. And who gave them this authority?

An institution? One which seems “credible” to us, much like Catholic Church seemed “credibe” to medieval peasants. After all, the members of the Church were much more educated than the average peasant, and yet they were still routinely wrong, and more often they actively distorted facts.

Perhaps people in the future will laugh at us the way we laugh at the ignorance medieval peasants. Are we any different? Do we have much of a choice? We wonder why people in medieval Europe practiced bloodletting as a cure to illnesses. Did they not realise that it was making matters worse? Well, perhaps in the future they’ll say:

“ha ha ha, you’re telling me those primitve 21st century folk WILLINGLY created environments that made people depressed, wrongly diagnosed depression as a genetic disorder for decades, then gave them medicines that made matters worse? Were they just stupid?”.

Well maybe we are.

And let’s be totally honest. If tomorrow some crazy dude managed to create some sort of miracle cure in his garage, or find evidence of aliens, or successfully summon a demon, you think that stuff wouldn’t immediately be suppressed?

To be honest, I’m not discrediting modern science. I still believe that the scientific method is one of the best tools we have for conducting research, and so far there is no real reason to challenge it. I’m simply pointing out some issues with it, and that “scientific knowledge” isn’t as reliable as we think it is. At the end of the day, we aren’t all that different than we were in previous eras of human history. Many scientific and philosophical truths that we cling to, may simply be scoffed at and criticized, the way we criticize medieval superstitions. On the other hand, some of those medieval superstitions may turn out to be very true after all.

Scientists are regularly proven wrong about various theories and predictions they had, and this is largely thanks to the scientific method itself. If you actually follow scientific news on a daily basis, you’d be amazed how many firmly held facts are frequently shown to be untrue. Many of the facts you learned in school are probably not true anymore.

For example, did you know that water IS actually blue, and not colourless?

Ancient Modes of Science

We saw how modern science is built upon the scientific method, which began to be used only about 500 or so years ago, towards the end of the Islamic Golden Age, and became common during the European Enlightenment.

So what did people do before then? And why don’t we consider the various philosophical works of Greece, Rome, India, China and the Middle East to be “science”?

Well, you may have picked up on one word: philosophy. Science that was practiced before the scientific method is regarded as “natural philosophy”. The distinction is important, with regards to how this knowledge was gained. Starting around the time of ancient Mesopotamia and Egypt, people began to make extensive records and write books about various topics regarding the natural world. The tools used varied from time to time, but most common were logic and math, and also theology and reason in more sophisticated eras.

Science was considered a branch of Philosophy, and so the way people came up with scientific theories and concepts was through, well, philosophizing. If you’ve ever read any philosophical works, you’ll notice they do not use the scientific method. Instead, it is based on logical reasoning, discourse and insight. Basically, a person literally thinks their way to conclusions. Now, this works quite well for some branches of philosophy, such as moral or existential philosophy. Certainly, many achievements of humanity, such as art, literature, political and legal systems and yes, even the scientific method, are the product of philosophy. Secular reason and scientific method were born out of the the philosophies of Ibn al-Haythan, Rene DeCartes and John Locke.

And yet, philosophical methods were simply not good enough for a objective study of the material world. In truth, it was like an elaborate method of trial and error, based on how things seemed to be. For example, the reason why people of Ancient Europe and the Middle East believed that the Earth was the centre of the Universe was because that’s just what it looked like to them. Based on their “logic”, it made perfect sense for the Universe to be made of seven concentric rings. And you might ask, what “logic”. Well, religious logic (theology).

What annoys me when people say that quantum physics and atomic theory are mentioned in the Vedas, or that the Greeks understood evolution, or that the ancient Arabs and Persians practiced chemistry, is how often people forget how these discoveries were made.

For example, an ancient Indian Sadhu was once walking along the banks of a river. There, he saw grains of rice floating in the water, and how they would clump together. In that instant, he had a realisation that the whole world around him was also made of similar particles, which attracted to each other. He concluded that these must be like magnets, being of opposite poles. This led to the creation if Vedic atomic theory, where it was believed that all things in the Universe were made of two particles, armanu and parmanu. The Greeks also had similar conclusions, calling these particles “atomos”. And these are remarkable accurate.

But notice how this entire encounter was the result of insight. Natural philosophy was entirely dependent on such insights, followed by logical reasoning. Only exceptionally creative, intelligent and skilled people could do it, and only those who had both time, and an education, meaning the society they lived in needed to be both prosperous and progressive. If you ever ended up in a situation where such people were lacking, or suppressed (such as the European dark ages, or by things like the Indian caste system), a whole society could completely decline in it’s scientific understanding.

Besides, it really was just a case of belief. If enough people believed the natural philosopher, or couldn’t produce a counter argument, they just went with it.

This is the case with Aristotle. Many of you have probably heard of him. For someone who was consistently wrong about almost everything, he seems to be very popular. He is the one came up with the geocentric model, and the idea that planets were made of ether. You see, he was a very gifted speaker. He was so good at logical reasoning, and so confident, that most people just assumed that he knew what he was talking about. Despite being wrong, and having little evidence for his claims, it was assumed he was right because his conclusions appeared logical.

Now, let us take a hypothetical example. The ancient Hindus placed a great emphasis on purity and cleanliness. Some people claim that this was because they understood germ theory, but it’s more likely due to observation. They observed that people who stayed clean and lived in clean environments stayed disease free and lived longer. Why do you think the concept of untouchability came around?
Perhaps some day a priest observed a leather tanner coming to the temple. Perhaps this leather tanner had just finished his work, and his hands were still dirty from working with animal carcasses and skins. Perhaps, as was custom, he washed his hands and feet in the Temple basin before going inside, contaminating them. Perhaps, following this several people who used the basic or drank water from the same well fell ill and died. Maybe many such events happened.

The priest must have quickly consulted a local theologian, who drew the “logical” conclusion that leather tannery was a sinful, and impure profession, and all who were engaged in it were polluted. This led to this job being designated to the weak and ostracized members of society, and perhaps resulted in centuries of stigma against their tribes and communities, even toward those that did not work in leather tanning. This is the product of “natural philosophy”.

Logic and perception are not always true. Even the logical conclusions of gifted minds can be wrong. Yes, many of the insights they gained happened to be correct, because these are messages from the Divine, but they were also wrong very often, since not every thought the Ego has are divine messages. Often it’s just noise.

That is the fundamental difference between natural philosophy and the scientific method. In fact, in the early Enlightenment even the scientific method was reliant upon insights by gifted individuals. People like Newton and Einstein would have sudden insights that would suddenly and greatly increase human knowledge. But we cannot rely completely on such insights to develop human understanding forever. Yes, these still happen, but science now is also a profession. While the insights of brilliant individuals propel use forward from time to time, scientific research is also conducted side by side. Unlike insight, research is slow and incremental, but anyone can do it. Technically, you could study science and become a researcher in any field. You do not even need to have a very high IQ. As long as you are good at logical analysis and math, you can become a researcher and contribute to our slow and steady growth on knowledge. And even if you’re not all that good at math, there’s probably still some fields you can participate in, such as geology or archeology.

Some of you fellow magicians may feel bitter that people are overly cynical and skeptical of magick. But let me remind you, that very skepticism is what stops things like the Salem witch trials from happening. Since the scientific method places doubt and critical enquiry as the highest value, people cannot just get away with making stuff up. As far as the ordinary masses are concerned, it is better for them to disbelieve, than believe too easily. Can you imagine if tomorrow some crazy, charismatic cult leader came around and said he had a vision from Jesus and that the world would end in 3 years unless all the “heretics” were purged?

Heck, that still happens, despite such people being unable to prove anything. Think how much worse it would be if modern science was replaced with the insights, experiences and musings of gifted individuals, many of whom may not be all that benevolent.
In fact, the whole reason the witch hunts in Europe stopped was because a certain group of Dominican friars adopted skepticism over Church dogma. These friars insisted that just because someone was having strange experiences, did not mean they were a witch, and just because someone claimed to be in league with the devil, did not mean they really were. To us this may seem obvious, but thanks to this the Church was able to stop using forced confessions as evidence for devil worship.

Personally, I think the scientific method is the best toll we currently have for advancing human knowledge, at least until something better come along.

Occult Science

Now, let’s talk about matters that are important to us. What about our sacred science? And what of pseudo-science?

Personally, I think the line between pseudo-science and natural philosophy is quite blurry. You could say that pseudo-science is simply natural philosophy that came around after the scientific method. Many spiritualists, occultists and new-agers get accused of pseudo-science, largely due to the methodology. Even when they use math and logic, the lack of critical enquiry is the problem. That is to say, very rarely do people actively attempt to disprove what they have found, or get their work peer reviewed. But this isn’t all that different from ancient natural philosophy, and as we know the natural philosophers often stumbled upon truths about the Universe which were very deep, such as atomic theory, without being able to prove or understand it beyond a superficial level.

It is very difficult, even for an occultist, to say exactly how much that was given to us by our predecessors is literally true, how much is metaphor, and how much is willful distortion of secret knowledge, either to hide it or destroy it. Similarly, it is difficult to say how many non-scientific ideas present within the spiritual and occult community are true. For example, is the Aura really a bio-electric or electromagnetic field, or not? Are crystals really better at conducting magical energy, or would using plastic or metal have the same effect? In fact, what even is magical energy, and is it “energy” in the same way that the word is understood by science (i.e. kinetic energy), or is it simply a word we use for an entirely different kind of substance?

Do binaural beats truly work, or is it simply the belief in them? Do different metals have attributions to Planetary energies, or is it some totally unknown process? If all of these are true, then how do we justify the contradictions that exist within different traditions of magick?

I’m not saying that these questions have or don’t have clear answers, just posing some obvious questions that many occultists may considered.

One obvious answer would be that we cannot know for sure, and that we should subject all our findings to the scientific method. But then we run into another problem. The scientific method is built upon one single, extremely fundamental idea: that our thoughts and beliefs do not directly affect objective reality. After all, since the scientific method is based on critical enquiry, it works on the assumption that the result of any experiment will be the same regardless of the beliefs of a scientist. It is thanks to this that the scientist can actively seek to disprove something, in an attempt to prove it.

Now, all you who practice any kind of magick will see how amusing this problem is. Occult wisdom and practical experience with magick tells us that beliefs and thoughts are the SINGLE and perhaps ONLY factor that shapes and guides our reality. Objective reality is fluid, and I wonder how much it even exists. Anyone who has had spiritual experiences will know how quickly “reality” appears to shift and fall apart.

This is a major problem in uniting occult science with modern science. Modern scientific research often involves research on very subtle levels of reality, especially with fields like quantum physics, astrophysics and psychology. These are not simple and material fields where things can be easily tested and physically observed.

The result of this clash is that scientists simply disregard the occult (even though all science is and continues to be born out of delving into the occult) while occultists and spiritualists disregard science itself (even though without critical thinking we are simply left with unproven claims). Personally, for me this is a very major contradiction. I am a strong supporter of science and the scientific method, and yet I know that objective, material reality is fluid and illusory.

So, what is to be done? Well , nothing for now. For the time being, the scientific method reigns supreme. Until someone can come up with something better, we occultists should abide by it, at least publicly.

My personal approach has always been to keep my personal spiritual and occult experiences to myself. Yes, I write about them on this blog, but my approach is never to convince someone of anything, nor present any alternative frameworks to modern science. In fact, often I present them within the framework of modern science. My experiences are my own, as are my beliefs and understanding. I know what is true for me, and I know it may not be for others.

In my opinion, I suggest the same to all of you. Making claims beyond the realm of science, or trying to understand things we yet cannot is simply the Ego trying to pretend that it controls everything. And in fact, you may be wrong at times, or misunderstood by the masses, and unwillingly cause new dogmas and incorrect beliefs to persist, much like Aristotle.

The pursuit and study of Occult knowledge is a good thing, but it is kept secret for a reason. If you must share it, as I do, simply share experiences and leave it up to the reader to form their own opinions. True occult wisdom often falls within the realm of philosophy, which is far more flexible and open ended than science. Sometimes it is best to answer philosophical questions instead of forcing some sort of new scientific understanding onto others, unless you have some really ground breaking evidence.

Magickal Innovation

To end it off, I just want to say a few things regarding genuine innovation in magick.

To say that magick is opposed to science is a fallacy. As I have explained, a lot of people who talk like this don’t understand these words very well, and are strongly influenced by modern American politics. It never ceases to amaze me just how much the petty disputes among the American leadership affect and shape global culture.

Science is the study of the world. Occult simply refers to all that which is yet Unknown to humanity. Not necessarily just scientific knowledge, but also philosophical ideas and creative concepts can fall within the realm of “occult”.

Religion is something else entirely, and is not even in the same category as “science” or “history”. Religion is more like a collective set of beliefs, artforms, values, philosophies, mythologies, folktales, and histories possessed by any group of people. It is inherently linked to the culture from which it comes. I genuinely do not understand where the whole “science vs religion” thing comes from. If you think about it, it truly makes no sense. It’s like saying “music vs history”. A meaningless comparison. I suppose the correct terms would be “Theology vs Rationalism” or “Traditionalism vs Progressivism” or even “Mentalism vs Materialism”. But this would force both sides to actually have an honest discussion!

Spirituality is the development and evolution of the individual, and often within the framework of religion. After all, a set of symbols needed for spiritual growth and magick. And before the Internet, people simply HAD to rely on their own culture and religion to supply these symbols.

Spiritual development takes place when a person encounters the Unknown/ Occult. For the ancient people, this may have meant venturing into the dark forest or staring up at the sky. For us, it may mean using psychadelics or performing invocations. In the future, it may involve exploring the cosmos and understanding the nature of reality. By encountering the Unknown, the process of spiritual development is initiated (do you get it? That’s why spiritual Adepts are called ‘Initiates’. The word “initiate” means to “begin a process”. When you undergo Initiation, you are initiating this process!)

I suppose we can say magick/ yoga is simply an advanced state of spirituality. A person who is sufficiently developed spiritually, becomes able to detatch himself from the perspective of the world that he has inherited from his culture, or developed throughout his life without thinking much about it.

By doing this, the person is entirely left on their own, free to define their own reality and form an entirely unique and independent world-view. By altering their world view, they can literally alter reality according to their Will. This is true magick. (Keep this in mind, it’ll be really important in the next post)

I stated that all that is Unknown to us is “Occult”. But that word also means “Secret”, referring to the Secret knowledge held by Magicians. When magcians encounter the Unknown, they come into possessions of new understandings, ideas and information. Sometimes, they may also discover new phenomena of Nature. But revealing this to ordinary people usually leads to persecution, or worship. Often both together.

Think about the ancient alchemists. They made demonstrations of chemical processes, at a time when no one understood this. They had come into possessions of this knowledge through ancient teachings that were passed on to them, which they expanded upon. At times, they would become worshipped, butoften they would be tortured and persecuted out of fear. People desired their knowledge and tried to steal it, or simply reviled them for their knowledge. Often, the moment alchemical knowledge leaked out, pretenders would show up trying to make a quick profit, and this would tarnish the name of alchemy as a whole, and confuse the masses . As a result, the alchemists kept such knowledge secret and passed it on, and with each generation it expanded. By leaving social norms and tenets behind, those who chose to be alchemists would have been exceptionally brave, inquisitive and humble. They did not have text books or chemistry, and had to painstakingly decode secret knowledge left to them in form of metaphors and ciphers. This required tremendous patience, persistence and skill. Sitting by the fire of the furnace for long hours, gazing into flasks of boiling liquid, they entered an almost meditative trance. Every experiment was a new step into the Unknown. They would contemplate and learn about themselves, they would see how the chemical processes resembled their own trials and tribulations. Their strange experiments and observations became a canvas onto which the projected their inner Being. They combined this with prayers, hymns and chants. They built philosophies and stories to pass on their knowledge and wisdom. In the purification of gold ore, they saw the story of the magician himself becoming purified. In the production of herbal tinctures through repeated extarction, they saw how man’s spirit itself was reborn countless times. These insights initiated the spiritual process, and they became enlightened. It was also dangerous. Some metals were toxic, some experiments explosive. Only those who were undeterred and brave could proceed. Some did not make it. It was like Mother Nature revealing her mysteries to they who were chosen, amidst the seeming Chaos. Kalki turning into Durga. Black Isis turning to White Isis. Order from Chaos. Think of all the motifs! Of lady Venus appearing shrouded in veils, revealing herself to the worthy!

Do you see now?! It was never about the chemical processes! It was not the physical purification of metals or the herbal tinctures that contained the magick. The Magick was in the alchemist himself, not in some external object!

Finally, there came an especially progressive and open minded era, when many people became interested in this stuff, and humanity underwent a sudden burst of mass spiritual growth. The knowledge had grown to the point where it could be made public. The alchemists of the 17th and 18th century, who were able to formalise all this “occult” knowledge and reveal it to the world, made it the standard science known as chemistry. Now imagine this same process in every other occult and scientific field. It happened for astrology when it became astronomy, or for herbalism when it became biology, or even psychicism which became psychology.

Currently, the same is happening in the field of psychadelics, mediation, breathwork and deep psychology. Did you know, last month there was even a scientific paper that proved the similarities between neurons in the human brain and the web of galaxies in the Universe? After decades of being called a pseudo-science, some researches actually managed to prove these things through the scientific method.

Some day, the same may happen for invocations and evocations, sigils, crystals, psychic healing etc. And besides, who says all the secrets of alchemy or herbalism have been revealed? Even now, there are many experiments recorded by alchemists that have yet to be reproduced.

And, we ourselves may be wrong about many of these things. For example, when we invoke an archangel using sigils and incense, we only have a vague idea of what is happening. Due to our lack of understanding, we are forced to rely on archaic metaphors, passed down to us by our predecessors, where we recite Latin hymns to these “winged beings”. For all you know, in the future there will be a simple and straight forward method for contacting these “angels”, much like how simple chemistry is compared to the archaic and elaborate methods of ancient alchemy. Therefore, we should always keep an open mind and never get bound down by dogma and tradition. If something doesn’t work, we need to be more willing to cast it aside, as well as adopt new techniques that work better. This is how the knowledge grows and becomes refined with each generation.

My approach is to be completely open minded about magick, and not try to force pseudo-scientific dogmas of others, or even ancient religious dogmas of my predecessors, upon it. I form my own understanding and techniques, and keep developing my own frameworks and theories. A lot of it is based on intuition and insight, which is how the beings on the higher planes communicate with us and guide us. Remember, tradition is the preservation of the fire, not worship of the ashes. My suggestion to you ALL is to be completely free and open in your magick, and do not allow modern science or pseudo-science to limit it. What we are doing IS the sacred science.

It is good to be in touch with mainstream science (so you can think criticially), and good to at least understand the more popular theories in alternative science (since many of them may turn out to be true). But ultimately, be inquisitive and free thinking. If a magician combines critical thinking with open mindedness, they will truly be one among few, and very powerful. Save your energy, and don’t waste it arguing with zealots, materialists or anyone simply not open to new ideas.

That has been my take on science and magick. Hopefully you enjoyed this first part, and next time we shall look at philosophy.

Until Next Time
~White Raven Invictus