jmd said:
To those who see in the spiritual world but psychological dispositions and of 'philosophical principles' mere mental concepts, there are apologetics that are offered for Crowley's own clearer views as expressed in such a 'textbook' as his Magick in Theory and Practice.
"The spirits of the Goetia are portions of the human brain.
Their seals therefore represent (Mr. Spencer's projected cube) methods of stimulating or regulating those particular spots (through the eye).
The names of God are vibrations calculated to establish:
(a) General control of the brain. (Establishment of functions relative to the subtle world.)
(b) Control over the brain in detail. (Rank or type of the Spirit.)
(c) Control of one special portion. (Name of the Spirit.)
The perfumes aid this through smell. Usually the perfume will only tend to control a large area; but there is an attribution of perfumes to letters of the alphabet enabling one, by a Qabalistic formula, to spell out the Spirit's name.
I need not enter into more particular discussion of these points; the intelligent reader can easily fill in what is lacking.
If, then, I say, with Solomon:
"The Spirit Cimieries teaches logic," what I mean is:
"Those portions of my brain which subserve the logical faculty may be stimulated and developed by following out the processes called 'The invocation of Cimieries.'"
And this is a purely materialistic rational statement; it is independent of any objective hierarchy at all. Philosophy has nothing to say; and Science can only suspend judgment, pending a proper and methodical investigation of the facts alleged."
THE INITIATED INTERPRETATION OF CEREMONIAL MAGIC by Aleister Crowley as Introduction to the
Goetia.
Kwaw
