Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher.
Lesson One
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
1
Dear Student, Welcome to studying with Ophiel! In Lesson One of this Correspondence Course in these Foundations of Occult Knowledge you will find a great deal of information that is preliminary to the Course itself. Don't be disappointed that Lesson One does not give you any startling revelations of Occult "secrets." Certain things have to be taken care of in a certain sequence, and you will find all the Occult Knowledge that you can handle as you progress in your study-work. Lesson Two begins the study of the "planes", and goes into detail concerning the Physical Plane, our relationship to the Physical Plane, and the necessity for starting our Occult Work on the Physical Plane where you are now. You will also begin your first practical work with Occult Symbols. Lesson Three carries you on to the study of the Etheric Plane and its relationship, and control over, the physical Plane, and continues your practical work with Occult Symbols, And each lesson carries you one step further in both the acquiring of Knowledge and the practical work that brings to you the Inner Meanings of your studies. If you are registered under either of the automatic plans, you will receive your next lesson around the 15th of the month. And each lesson will come to you automatically every 1st and 15th day of each month for one year. If you are under the single lesson plan, make a note in your calendar now to send for Lesson Two in about two weeks, and make additional notes so that you send for a new lesson every two weeks or so. We do not feel that you work any faster than this as the Course is designed to allow certain underlying growth to occur. If you wish, however, you can fill in your background knowledge between lessons by studying the suggested books recommended with each lesson. Now, we want to wish you every success in your Occult study-work. Remember, Ophiel's Course, is designed to be put, to practical use to make your life better. As you study the lessons you will see how this is done. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* LESSON I - Preview of the Course A Personal Message This first lesson is preparatory to the entire Course, and your reading and understanding of it will be important to your study and assimilation of all of Ophiel's work. I want you to pay particular attention to the following points: 1. As students, you should know that on, and of; the study of the Occult there exists no real standard, for a student, whereby a definite value can be set up and an Occult Course judged thereby.
2
2. The "OCCULT WORLD" is full of self-styled teachers, each with his own ideas and standards, and each claiming that he is the “Only one" teacher that is right and all others are wrong. 3. I in my searching-work over the past thirty years, have contacted every system I ever heard of; and as far as getting out good basic OCCULT KNOWLEDGE that could be "used" to obtain results of a definite nature here, on this Physical Plane, they were all of a negative nature and of no real practical value. However, do your own testing! Maybe a new one, or one that I have overlooked, will come along and be highly satisfactory in every respect --but-- I have come to doubt it. 4. In this Course that you are now pursuing, you will be given the very best OCCULT KNOWLEDGE I possess, which knowledge came from sources connected with meditation work upon the "purest" Occult System we have, the Qabalah. 5. This first foundation course contains OCCULT KNOWLEDGE. You can do nothing unless you know what you are doing, and this is why this is called a "foundation" course. It is upon the foundations that all your occult work and life are built. 6. The second foundation course will contain OCCULT PRACTICES based upon the Knowledge gained in your study of this first course. This second course will not be released until a certain number of students have completed the first course and satisfactorily demonstrated their grasp of the principles of occultism. Upon completion of the two foundation courses you should be able to accomplish some degree of CONTROL OF, AND OVER, MATTER. There are a number of preliminary things concerning these lessons that I would like to take care of in this first lesson - so that I will not have to refer to them again, and you and I can both rest easy concerning them from now on. These matters are both personal and general. 8. In any kind of teacher-student relationship there are all kinds of opportunities for misunderstandings to arise. Should any misunderstanding arise between you and Ophiel, you are to address your complaints direct it to Ophiel and then wait for an answer. This may be slow in coming because Ophiel is 1) very busy teachings and preparing new material, 2) swamped with letters from all over the world, 3) may be away on a trip of importance to this occult work. Ophiel travels constantly looking for new sources of knowledge and for other reasons connected with the Occult School. Patience is just as important to all your occult work and study as is application and persistence. It is to be understood by you that Ophiel assumes no responsibility for the loss of monies and/or checks sent to hum unless he cashes them personally. You should never send currency through the mail unless you register the letter. In the past, checks and money orders have been stolen out of Ophiel's own mailbox, and his name forged and the checks cashed. To protect some other innocent victims, Ophiel paid -- in the past -- all the monies back, but now new safety procedures have been set up so that Ophiel is responsible only for what he receives himself personally. If your money is lost in the mail you are to hold the Post Office responsible, BUT DON'T FILE ANY COMPLAINTS WITH THE POST OFFICE OR ANY OF THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAUS, IMAGINED REAL THOUGH THEY MAY BE. AGAINST OPHIEL! 3
Ophiel, as worldly goods go, is well off and does not have to steal your money, or deal under-handed with you in any way, shape, form, or manner. Therefore anyone so filling such a complaint against Ophiel is instantly cut off from any further communication of an Occult nature. The student's immaturity, in so filing such a complaint, is plainly evident, and he obviously is not ready for Occult Knowledge and Training. The whole matter is also referred to Ophiel's attorney who is retained by the ear. Please read the above over until you understand it thoroughly. This is the way matters sometimes work out between a teacher and a student who are not ready for each other, and Ophiel wishes to minimise the "wear and tear" on him self. He must do this so that he can keep up the Work. 11. In the lessons in this Correspondence Course, and in the books and pamphlets written, and still to be written, by Ophiel, you are going to find a different kind of appearance than is usual in most books. You will find "heavy" punctuation, the use of italics, and lots of CAPITALIZATION. There is a reason for this! And you will always find a good reason for everything Ophiel says and does. The reason here being that when Ophiel capitalizes and punctuates a word he does so to call your attention not to the casual, usual, familiar meaning of the word, but to A DEEPER, UNDERLYING AND HIDDEN, INNER MEANING FOR THE WORD. Therefore, when you come across such punctuation and capitalization, take another look and strive to get a “DEEPER” meaning to the word. The reason we must do this is that in the English language there are no real "spiritual" words – words, which carry deep, hidden, in-trans-cen-dent meanings. Therefore you have to "look" and probe for a deeper, inner meaning when you deal with Occult matters, and the heavy punctuation and capitalization is your cue to do so. You must also get hold of a good dictionary and check, look-up, the etymological meanings of words; especially those capitalized and punctuated words. For example, take the above word - etymological. - A search in the dictionary, a larger one, shows that this word comes from a Greek root word, etymon, which in turn means TRUE, REAL. Thus, etymological means to hunt for the "true" root word which gives the meaning to the word itself. It is only in this way that you can truly progress in the Occult, or, indeed in any other line of endeavour. Now we will take up another subject of the Occult that we hear so much about, and that is the "danger" of Occult studies and work. How much danger is there, really? In all my years of Occult work there are just two "dangers" that I have found to be somewhat real and to be looked-out for. There are, first, plain over-doing of Occult work, exercises, and so on. Too much intense concentration will have the same results, however, so this is not something confined to the Occult alone. And this is especially true in the beginning of your first real Occult study and work. Later you can carry on heavy concentrations and all that quite easily, but for he start you must make haste slowly and not let enthusiasm interfere with your self-discipline - any more than at some later time can you let laziness or disappointment interfere with the program of work and study. And the second thing is the fluctuating Astrological, forces. The whole Physical Universe is made up of Forces, or "vibrations", which we "receive" somewhat like a radio set does. These forces ebb and flow, back and forth, strong and then weak. Your Occult training-study will make you sensitive to the reception of these forces, and when some depressing or adverse set of forces come along, in the daily course of astrological events, you will feel it and it will definitely affect you. This has happened all your life, but you were not sensitive to it before. Now you will be! 4
When these astrological forces are waxing you will feel strong and powerful as you respond to their increase. When they are waning you will feel weak and depleted. There is another matter, which I should also mention at this point. The chances are that you will not encounter what I am about to describe until you are far advanced in your Occult work - so for God's sake don't be suggestible and imagine you have this problem before you actually do. And it may never happen to you at all. A time can come, in the life of an Advanced Occultist, when one of these, ‘ebb-ings’ does occur that is almost a complete withdrawal of all forces for a period. This may not sound like much to you now, but there then exists an empty feeling that is quite unique and one that I do not want to experience again for a while. So you see that an Occultist's life is not a bed of roses at all. So those are the so-called "dangers" Be warned! I must say a word about Astrology, which concerns the ebb and flow of the forces above noted. Astrology is part of the Caballa, but only a part. You can learn a great deal of how to deal with the Physical World in a day-by-day awareness of the positions of the astrological forces, and this awareness of their daily effects. But, do remember that the effects spoken of apply to a great number of people and cannot be easily applied specifically to individuals as such, and especially to yourself alone. The way to use these Astrological Forces is to become aware of them in the background - to concentrate on the ones you want to affect you and to negate the ones you do not want to affect you. This concentration and negation is Magic and the true use of occult Knowledge. So learn the general knowledge about Astrology if you don't know it. The annual MOON SIGN BOOK and the STAR BOOK ASTROLOGICAL CALENDAR published by Llewellyn Publications are both quite valuable in this respect and much of the work is already done for you. They are all you will need for a long time. Find your birth-sign and read all about it in the MOON SIGN BOOK. Then read about and study your planetary ruler. One of the Occult projects you will be going later is to make a birth talisman, to paint it, and learn to INVOKE it, i.e. to in-voice-in-call it. This will be an early part of your advanced course work. I have not given too much "Occult" in this first lesson, and I apologize for it, but I wanted to get several other matters out of the way and especially the matter of any possible future misunderstandings with your teacher, Ophiel. Many people expect the "Occult" to be something other than what "it" is and are greatly disappointed then they become very angry at the/a teacher and raise, ‘hell’ with him or her, or become discouraged with Occult study and spend the rest of their lives being superficially interested in various "new thought" - "eastern" - "metaphysical" etc., philosophies and cults without ever having that which first brought them to the Occult satisfied. That is what I am trying to avoid in advance, now, at this time and place in this Course of Occult Study - to spare you - this disappointment and discouragement, and an adverse reaction between you and Ophiel. There is no need for you to become disappointed or discouraged if you are willing to use common sense and to be patient and apply yourself to the practices and study to be described in these Courses. There is an "Occult". There are Occult "Powers." "Things." Can be done by Occult Means, I will teach them to you as best I am able.
5
Now! Whether you can receive these "teachings" or not is beyond my personal influence. I do believe that every student can get something out of these teachings; but the amount of degree of this something depends also on you and your aptitude and work at it. Maybe you cannot all become Occult "big shots" and conquer the Occult World by storm, but you should all learn something - and enough to benefit yourself in living your life in this "hard" Physical World. This will conclude the first lesson. Much of the following lesson material will be given in an informal, personal manner, rather than in the formalized style usual with correspondence and self-study courses. Do not be misled by this informal manner of presentation. Remember that there is a reason for everything thee Ophiel does in his teaching. On the next page you will find a few questions. Some lessons will have such questions and some lessons will not. - Answer these questions. Study the MOON SIGN BOOK and the STAR BOOK ASTROLOGICAL CALENDAR daily. You will also find a few books for suggested background reading. They are in no way necessary for your completion of the course, but you may wish to undertake some supplementary reading.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
QUESTIONS 1.
What is your birth sign?
2.
Do you like your birth sign?
3.
Who is your planetary ruler?
4.
Do you like him or her?
5.
How closely do you resemble the characteristics of your sign? (Be honest!)
6. Did you note that some signs were called, "Fire” "Air" "Water" and "Earth" Signs? Do you know what this means? Did you wonder what it meant? What do you think it means?
Save your answers until asked for them. SUGGESTED READING 1. The annual MOON SIGN BOOK. Also the annual STAR BOOK ASTROLOGICAL CALENDAR. 2. HOW PLANETS AFFECT YOU, by Llewellyn George. This book explains how the Sun, Moon and Planets actually do have influence on your mind, body and 6
emotions, and how they affect health, plant life, business cycles, and shows how we can exercise FREE WILL despite the appearance of FATE. 3. BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ASTROLOGY, by the American Federation of Astrologers. Answers questions about the relationship between astronomy and astrology, the place of astrology in modern science, and how astrology works, what a horoscope says about a person and about the "future," etc. Illustrated.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
7
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher.
Lesson Two ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student Here is the Second Lesson in your Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. In this lesson you are starting your basic work with Occult Symbols. You will see that you are required to secure some simple drawing and painting materials. As pointed out in this lesson, these are available in more stationary and artist's supply stores - but if you live in a area where you find difficulty in buying these supplies, Ophiel will supply a set for you at the current cost of $8.00. Just ask for the BASIC SYMBOL DRAWING SET. Occasionally students ask if they cannot receive all 24 lessons at once, and proceed with the Course at their own speed. The answer is no, as much as we want to encourage your own initiative in Occult study this Course is not prepared in that way. First, we believe that a certain "inner working time" is needed between each Lesson, and that is why we space the lessons about two weeks apart under the automatic lessons plan, and recommend that the single lesson students proceed at this pace also. Second, this Course is not printed in large numbers of lessons. Each lesson is printed only in relatively small quantity so that lessons can be revised to meet the students' needs. We want you to think of this series of lessons as a real COURSE OF INSTRUCTION, and not just as a set of booklets. You will gain the greatest value from it by following the planned combination of study and practice. In occultism, even more than in other fields of study, self-discipline is important - because you are working at the inner level as well as the outer.
1
In Lesson Three you will study the Etheric Plane, and do more symbol work. Don't neglect answering the questions at the end of Lesson One and Two just because you are not being asked to send them in as yet. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* I trust that, without feeling yourself to be under any amount of pressure, you have accumulated a little store of the Basic Knowledge from your first lesson work and study. I am going to make a statement here, which will pertain to all the lessons, and work that you will undertake in this course. So consider this statement as applying to all further lessons without any further repetition. The following knowledge is very important to your future growth and advancement, and you must make a strong effort to understand, master, and “use it" without, however, as said before, working under a feeling of pressure. Advance at your own speed, and pleasure. All your future Occult work depends upon your personal understanding and mastery of Occult Knowledge. Without your knowledge, of this Occult Knowledge, understood completely, you cannot accomplish anything of any value along Occult lines. When some projected ideas of this work were given out in advance for comment and criticism, I was advised to hold back some of the Knowledge, and to give the Knowledge out in dribs and drabs, and to charge more for the lessons. But my answer to this was! The subject is so vast that a hundred courses like this will never put a scratch on the surface! So much for that! The Knowledge I am going to give you for some time is bone-basic. If you read my books, and take other lessons from me, you'll find this basic Knowledge coming up again and again. But you will also find something is added each time. So learn each basic knowledge-bit, and watch for the additions. This Occult Knowledge is a growing knowledge and is not standing still. Fit it into your life and let it grow from there. So, to proceed: At the outset, I will tell you the one and only Great Secret: ALL IS (comes) (from) ONE! Now, from ONE (no-thing) to ALL THINGS is quite a jump, and that jump concerns – contains - all the occult Knowledge that exists. (Everything that follows is connected with that statement, so look for the connection.) So, it its along this line, in this way, that we will make a start to master the foundations of Occult Knowledge. The Physical Plane, the plane we are no on and which we know best, is the, tail-end, of an entire series of "planes," which series ends "here," as aforesaid, "HERE." Again, I repeat, all Occult Knowledge, as well as all other knowledge that exists, consists of descriptions of the effects of the descent of these original "upper" Forces on their way "down" to these planes, from above to "here". All that is only what the physical plane IS! In the next lessons immediately following this one, we will attempt to study these Inner Planes and trace some kind of connection between them, and also attempt to notice the Forces in their descent. (Knowledge of this leads to all the magick powers there are.)
2
We begin with the Physical Plane! The outstanding characteristic of the Physical Plane is.' Hardness - not-easy-tochange-ness - not-easy-to-move-ness, - you think of some other words that describe this characteristic of the Physical Plane, such as Inertia, Stability, etc." Here," as you know, "We" " Occupy" a physical "Body." Apparently we are supposed to have something called a "Soul." (What is that? I have never seen one, have you? I have seen glimpses of other "bodies", but no soul, so-called.) Also there is something funny about this soul. It is supposed to be easily "lost" (!!?!!) It is something like a little "YOU"- shaped, balloon-like, appendage, - attached to the physical body by a sort of string, and floating over you???!!! This "soul" is obviously not a - physical object - it is alien to all things physical, and yet is "attached" to a physical body and is forced to live in and deal with a solid physical planeworld. (Doesn't this seem strange to you? Well it is darn strange. This whole world's ideas are all strange when you think of it.) So, to proceed further, ‘Being,’ that physical Be-ing is a fact there must be a reason for it. Although, we may never know what it is - not - while living here on this plane. The only possible reason for our physical existence is that we are "here" for some Reason, and this Reason is not connected with our personal Wills and Desires. This is a guess of mine, but if you can make a better guess let me know about it. Therefore, I repeat (for clearness,) it is the object of these lessons to start your Occult work now, on the Physical Plane, where you are now, and work "back up." I mean, you must master the Physical Plane first, and then work to understand, and master, the Inner Planes "back-up" each in turn. However, there is another matter connected here at this point that you should know and understand thoroughly, and which is still another reason why you have to start here, and that is, there seems to be a Law that YOU cannot control any one plane unless you control the plane above that one. Thus, according to this Law, you will not be able to control-handle the Physical Plane without first, handling controlling, the plane above the Physical, the Etheric Plane (which we will begin to study in the next lesson.) But, as aforesaid, the first part of your Occult Work will start on the Physical Plane. You must learn all you possibly can about YOUR Physical Plane. (None of us do.) Remember, the object of your control work is to master Physical Matter, not let it master you! To gain this Physical Plane Control-understanding you must use all approved physical methods first, such as concentration, attention to details, learning to master the use of at least one physical tool!!! By, - hard-physical-application, - all of these and whatever special physical requirement applies in your life-situation. Notice and study the basic structure of the Forces you bring to bear on Physical Things. Now, in preparation for you first practical work: As a large part of your necessary practices for learning about the Physical Plane it will be necessary for you to develop skills in drawing and painting symbols. And, when you reach the point when you will want to create magical Talismans for Magical uses you will need this knowledge and skill very much. Now, don't get all worried that you are going to "fail" this Course if you are not an artist - the important thing is to do your best, be neat and clean, measure accurately, and draw carefully. You will surprise yourself at finding it is easier than you thought. Here is a list of drawing materials you will need:
3
1. A simple drawing (or drafting) set consisting of both a pencil and an ink compass, and two pointing compasses for transferring measurements, and a good ink drawing pen. Drawing ink, or "India" ink.
4.
2.
Watercolour paint set.
3.
Some good paint brushes, small ones.
Mixing pan.
5. A good ruler. You will save yourself a lot of disappointment if you invest in a geed metal ruler with a non-slip back. 6.
A good artist's eraser.
7. Some paper to practice on, and some artist's white drawing card board cut to size 4 inches by 4 inches square (10.2 cm x 10.2 cm). If you live in a large or medium sized city you'll have no trouble getting these things and in any quantity you desire. Just go to any good stationary or artist's supplies store, or to most any large department store. For those of you who do not live in a large city, I will try to carry a set of materials for your convenience. Try to obtain them locally first, but if you have trouble, write me and I will advise you the cost of a set. The following directions pertain to all the symbols. There are many ways to draw make these symbols. If you are a professional draftsman, and have all the professional instruments and skill, you will make these drawings differently than the student will who follows these instructions. As most of you are not professional draftsman and are without expert drawing skills, I have devised the following step-by-step instructions for your guidance. If you first set up the drawings described in this lesson and the following lessons in pencil and then ink them in several times you should be turning out good work in a reasonable time. But follow the instructions step-by-step! Practice until you acquire the necessary skill. Ophiel had to do them many times and he still spoils a drawing occasionally. Developing a drawing skill is part of your first Occult Training, and it is something you must do for yourself. “HOW TO DRAW THE SYMBOL OF THE ELEMENT OF EARTH.” First of all study the diagrams at the end of the lesson. Take your practice paper and draw a 4" x 4" square (102 mm x 102 mm) with your pencil and ruler. You can make a square by measuring along the top edge of the paper and the bottom edge and in each case marking the centre with a pencil dot, and then draw a straight line with your ruler between these two dots. You now have a line down the centre of the paper. Now measure along the two side edges of the paper and make dots two inches on each side of the centres, and then use your ruler to draw two lines in pencil across the paper from edge to edge. You will have two lines parallel to each other and 4 inches apart now. Now, starting at the point where each of these horizontal lines cross the vertical line, measure two inches out towards each side and make a mark. Join these two points together with two vertical lines that will be four inches apart parallel to each other, and you have a perfect square. These instructions may sound a bit complicated, but you will find that it is easier that you at first
4
think. And after drawing a few squares you will probably find other ways to do it. The point is, make your squares as near perfect as you possibly can. Next, with your ruler draw a line in pencil from each corner of the square across to the other corner. Take your pencil compass and setting it to the distance shown on the diagram (a radius of 1 3/4", or 45 mm), make a circle with its centre at the intersection of the two cross lines (which is also the centre of the square). With ruler and pencil connect together the points where the circle's circumference, and you will have a perfect inner square. I suggest that you make a number of these practice diagrams until you get them perfect. You must develop this skill; no one else can do it for you.
After you have developed your skill so that your squares are perfect, take, or make, a 4" x 4" square of white card board, draw the cross lines. Make a pencil circle and draw the inner square. Then take your ink pen and heavily ink the two squares - inner, and outer along the edges of the cardboard. You may have to make several of these cardboard squares before you have a perfect one. Erase the pencil lines. The last step is to use your water colour set and paint the inside of the inner square yellow, and the space between the outer squares a deep blue. Do a very careful job, and bring the point of the brush just up to the black ink lines. You can see now what you should use small, fine pointed, brushes. If your finished symbol is not perfect in your eyes, then you must do it over until you feet and know it is a good job. These symbols - all of them that you will do in this lesson and the following lessons - must be as perfect as you can get them. Later on you will make these symbols on parchment, and parchment is expensive and can't be wasted. Practice the painting and drawing work until the next lesson. You will not regret the time taken in increasing your drawing skills. To close this lesson, I will give you some material to ponder over. The symbol you make in this lesson is the symbol off the Element of Earth (not physical earth). Physical Earth is the representative reality of the Symbol of the Element of Earth. There are four of these Elemental Forces Symbols that you will make and use. They are Earth, Fire, Water, and Air. Actually there are five elemental forces, but the fifth one is not going to be used by you for some time and you will make it last, and then only for knowledge rather than use. This fifth elemental force is named Akasha (or Akasha). Ether (not the anaesthetic used to put you to sleep before an operation, which is ethyl oxide) is the nearest English name for this Force. I repeat, Akasha is not used except by the highest type of Occult worker, and then only for a very special kind of work. You must learn to think of these Forces as Elemental Forces or the Powers named, and not as the actual physical existencerealities themselves of actual Air, Fire, Water, and Earth You must also learn the Hindu names for these forces as Occultists use them quite frequently. Air - Vayu, Fire -Tejas, Water - Apas (or Ap) and Earth - Prthivi. Learn these names, and learn them well!
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
5
QUESTIONS 1. What do you consider to be the difference between your "personal understanding and mastery of Occult Knowledge" and mere book learning about the Occult? 2. Why do you think that, "without” your knowledge, of this Occult Knowledge, understood completely, you can not accomplish anything of any real value along Occult lines?" 3. Why must we begin our Occult study and work with the Physical Plane? 4.
Do you understand the difference between physical earth and Elemental Earth?
5. Why do you think perfecting your skills in drawing and painting the Elemental Symbols be so important in your Occult work?
Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1.
Practice drawing the Symbol for Elemental Hearts until prefect.
2.
Learn the Hindu names for the Elemental Forces.
SUGGESTED READING 1. ASTROLOGY, HOW AND WHY IT WORKS, by Marc Edmund Jones. The basic factors of horoscope analysis are explained and illustrated in terms of everyday experience so that you learn as you read. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
6
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher.
Lesson Three ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Three of your Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. Now that you have reached this point you probably are already accumulating some questions you want to ask, you have the questions you yourself have answered at the end of each lesson, you have notes that you have made as you read the lessons and supplementary readings, and you have the Lessons themselves that you want to keep in good order. We would like to suggest that you buy a two or three ring loose-leaf notebook binder and an inexpensive hand punch at any stationary store, or most drug or variety stores. And that you punch the pages of these lessons as you receive them and keep the lessons in numerical sequence in the notebook binder, and that you add additional sheets of paper upon which you keep your notes and questions to insert next to the lessons. We don't sell these notebooks, and we are not trying to get you to spend money on anything that's not needed, but you will find the keeping of a notebook very helpful in your studies. For one thing, you will find that it becomes both easy, and somewhat automatic, for you to occasionally review the earlier lessons and your own notes. And you will find that you will benefit a great deal by this natural review. And you should realise that all study - of whatever subject - is a personal systematisation of knowledge and data, and a notebook is a very basic help along this line. Lesson No. 3 is one of the shorter lessons, but you are introduced to a number of very important concepts for your study of the Etheric Plane. You are again expected to draw one of the symbols, and to add this to your growing collection of Occult symbols on the 4" x 4" white cardboard squares. And again there are some questions we want you to answer, but to continue holding these answers rather than sending them in at this time. 1
The Gnostic Institute. You will recall from Lesson Two that I said that you could not control, or even understand, ant Plane unless you understood, and controlled, the plane above the plane you were trying to control. This is shown in the esoteric side of the myths and legends that form part of the history of the civilizations that make our cultural heritage and individual psychological backgrounds. In the Greek myths the God System is set up as a family. Each God has a Goddess as a sister or wife who is his opposite counterpart. Thus, in effect, each God is positive male to the Gods below and negative female to the Gods above him/her. Read this again and think on it. Much practical wisdom is hidden in this ancient lore, but it has to be modernized and brought up to date to be understandable to us today. The plane we are going to examine in this lesson is the "Etheric Plane". It is usually said that this plane is the plane next "above" the Physical Plane, and so it is. I am constantly XXXXX in writing these lessons as to what, among the endless amount of material available, to put down here at this time. What I am trying to achieve is to give the necessary occult information so that you can start to use this knowledge as quickly as possible. We must save the "deeper stuff' for other lessons - much as I wish I could give it all here and now - (of course, there is no "all") I am sure, too, that you realise that your progress in Occult Work is not just a matter of getting information about all things Occult, but also the balanced inter-relating of various facets of information with your own background experience - and this takes a certain amount of time even though you are not consciously aware that there is a process of "psychological digestion" going on in the meanwhile. Now, to start over again, the next plane to this ‘Physical Plane,’ is the ETHERIC Plane. The word "Ether" comes from the Greek word meaning to “Burn" (But not, ‘Fire burn’) or to, “Glow," which is a description of its appearance to psychic sight. (All things/appearances on the Inner Planes are, ‘Light-glowing,’ i.e. full of light - and that is why it is called the INNER LIGHT.) Here I must move cautiously. There are really, ‘Two Ethers.’ There is the original, ‘Ether,’ that is the, ‘Elemental Ether,’ (For want of a better name,) and there is the, ‘Etheric Plane Ether.’ They are related, but they are not the same thing. Be sure you remember this distinction, for the confusion of concepts that result from ambiguity of terms has been one of the difficulties on Occult study. We are dealing here with the, ‘ETHERIC PLANE ETHER,’ and not the, ‘Element of Ether,’ or ‘Akasha.’ (Remember, in ‘Lesson Two’ I told you that there is a fifth elemental force in addition to the elemental forces of Earth, Fire, Water, and Air.) On the Etheric Plane (Lower down "near" the Earth Plane.) There "exists," the ‘Etheric Plane Counterparts,’ of all physical things. Higher up is the reflecting ether of the storage house of all images ever conceived of on earth since the beginning. It is with the Etheric Counterparts that we are now to learn to deal, but you cannot "Command" them as of now. You deal with, not “Command!” But in learning to deal with the “Counterparts,’ you are achieving a tremendous step forward by understanding them. And your understanding is in part achieved, in the ‘Psychological Growth,’ process related to your work on the, ‘Symbols,’ so don't neglect it. The 'material" of the Etheric Plane is more plastic than the material of the Physical Plane. Being plastic, in its peculiar way, it is subject to manipulation by both semi-physical and quasi-mental means. Most of you have my books THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION and THE ART AND PRACTICE OF GETTING MATERIAL THINGS THROUGH CREATIVE VISUALISATION. Some of you have some of my Sealed Lessons in Occult Power.
2
All my work deals with inner plane/outer plane controls. I wrote them for you. I'm sorry they're not free but all material work and supplies necessary to produce the books cost material money just to produce the physical part of the books - and this takes in no account the years of study and work practices, and the personal sacrifices necessary to acquire the knowledge in the first place. Both the books and the lessons deal with the subject of - Etheric work cooperation work to compel the Etheric and the Physical to cooperate. This cooperation can greatly help you through life - and that's the understatement of the year! Now, as each of the elements has a symbol, also, in a very definite sense, each elemental "FORCE" has a "plane", which plane it rules by "governing". (By governing we ‘Mean’ to make the, ‘Laws’ which "Govern" the immediate lower plane.) Also, each Elemental Force rules its plane by virtue of the emanations of its own peculiar "FORCE", which force is rampant-supreme of that plane. I can add here, and you will be given more of this later in Lesson No. 10, that each element also consists of "parts," in some degree, of each of the other elements, all combined in a natural manner according to certain rules. (Which is all I now know about the matter, except that it is so!) I will also mention here that man is a four-fold creature - all four elements are therein combined in man, and equally. This is the reason that, ‘MAN IS THE REAL RULER OF THE PHYSICAL WORLD.’ When he learns how to grasp the powers of the Elemental Forces, and rules them instead of allowing the Forces to rule him. There is THE Elemental Force, back of the other Forces, which is called, as you will recall from Lesson Two, AKASHA. You will not use this force at first, and then not for a long time, but keep it in your memory-background. (This is how much of your real learning takes place - by keeping a new concept in the background you begin to surround it, so to speak, with other bits of knowledge and experience in a natural way.) Akasha is the basic original Force of all the other Forces and into which they all change back into, back and forth. The Hindus call this changing Akasha the "bowl" into which all the others are poured and also poured out of. In "back" of, "above," the first Elemental Force of Akasha is still another "First" substance, called in Hindu PRAKRTI. The English translation-definition of "Prakrti" is undifferentiated Cosmic Matter. Now this undifferentiated Cosmic Matter is pretty "thin" stuff, thinner than the "Stuff dreams are made of.” You will hardly ever be called upon to use this Knowledge in practice, but I do want you to think about it once in a while. To complete this Lesson, you will now make your personal symbol for the Etheric Plane, the symbol of the Element of Water. Note: Even though this drawing is a symbol of the Elemental Force known as the Element of Water, it is sometimes referred to a merely "Water". Don't be confused by this. Remember always that it is the Element of Water, which is referred to, and not actual physical water itself HOW TO DRAW THE SYMBOL OF THE ELEMENT OF WATER 1.
Make your 4" x 4" square as instructed in Lesson Two. 2. 3. 4.
Measure off and make a line vertical down the centre of the square. Using your measuring compass make the dots as shown in the first illustration. Set your pencil compass and make the half circles as shown. Ink in the outlines so that you now have a "half moon". 3
5.
To paint, leave the half moon white, and make the rest of the space on the card black. You can use black ink with a brush for this, but don't forget to wash the ink out of your brush before it dries. XXXXXXX ILLUSTRATION 3 0 X ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS
1. Does the statement in this lesson Each God has a Goddess as a sister or wife " really mean that there is a Goddess for each God, or does it mean that both are aspects of the same God? 2. What is meant by a, ‘God or Goddess,’ being positive or negative? 3. What do you think "God" or "Goddess" means in the context of this lesson? 4.
What, is meant by the "Inner Light?"
5.
Where, do you think the ‘Etheric Plane is?’
6. What is meant by "Etheric Counterparts" as used in this lesson? 7. How can, Etheric "Things" be manipulated by Occultists? 8. Why is Man the "ruler of the physical plane?" Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Practice drawing the Symbol for Elemental Water, and then make a perfect one on your 4" x 4" square of white cardboard as you did with the Earth Symbol. SUGGESTED READING 1. HOW TO CREATE A FAMILIAR, by Ophiel. Shows you how to, ‘Create a Being,’ out of the Etheric and Astral Planes that works as an extension of yourself, and as a means to your attainment of mastery over this physical life. 2. ‘THE PULSE OF LIFE,’ by Dane Rudhyar. Astrology as dynamic life process. Rudhyar shows how the birth-signs reveal how consciousness and cosmic purpose are being fulfilled in your life, and how you can effect the, ‘CREATIVE RELEASE,’ of Spirit in your life through recognising and responding to planetary cycles. 4
3. THE ETHERIC DOUBLE AND ALLIED PHENOMENA, by A.E. Powell. The Etheric Body is the vehicle between, man's physical and his astral and the "inner" worlds. It is of the utmost importance in health and healing, and the study of the, ‘Etheric World,’ is truly the study of man's energies - including Prana, Fohat and Kundalini, or the "Serpent Power". It is the, ‘Etheric Body’ that is employed in "Magnetising" objects, in various psychic phenomena, telekinesis, materialisations. 4. THE ART OF TRUE HEALING, by Israel Regardie. Mind discipline and magic that can be used in almost any circumstance of daily life, including the visualization and vitalisation of the psychic centres. This book, however, is not a rehash of Eastern Yoga, but is soundly based on the Western Magical Tradition and upon the Qabalah. Shows how to use psychic force in healing, the principles of prayer, sound vibrations of the voice, etc. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher.
Lesson Four
********************* END OF PAGE ********************* THE ASTRAL PLANE (S) - Two of them! The next plane we will deal with, in order of expansion, "up" from the Physical, is the ASTRAL PLANE. I am struck here again with the difficulty of dealing accurately, in the English language, with this subject. We are talking about an INNER PLANE and there is not very much that can be said about it clearly - in words - because it is so very different from/than the Earth Plane. I can only speak of the Astral Plane in terms of the Physical Plane, and then only in Physical Plane words. You are still living on the Physical Plane. I am still living on the Physical Plane 99.94% of the "time". I have a strong conviction, based on my work, that we do - during our sleep - freely enter and move about on/in the Astral Planes, but we do not recognise the, ‘Inner Planes,’ because they are so different than/from the Physical - and being so different - you simply do not recognise the Astral Plane when you are there. Your work is therefore clearly cut out for you. “YOU MUST LEARN TO ENTER THE INNER ASTRAL PLANES AND LEARN TO RECOGNISE THE PLANE'S "INNARDS" FOR WHAT THEY ARE, BY THEMSELVES, AND NOT LOOK FOR, AND EXPECT, SOME KIND OF A GLORIFIED PHYSICAL PLANE - SET UP - EXISTENCE.” This is the method of all correct systems of the Occult which lead to control over the Inner Planes, and thus lead to knowledge and control over MAGICAL PROCESSES - which means, basically, knowledge and control over the Planes, one over the other, like the higher controlling the lower, until the "effects" reach the Earth Plane. So, therefore, you will have to take the following material with - not a grain but a POUND OF SALT! (Salt - alchemical symbol of the, ‘Element of Earth.’) You should now understand that I have to write here in material terms as if the Astral Plane was physical. You must understand this and assimilate and adapt it as you follow these directions and penetrate into the Inner Planes. Now that you understand this fully (and I admit, I still don't understand it completely myself), let us go on!
1
All of the Planes seem to have progressive densities to them, a "higher" and a "lower" part. The lower part of any Plane is, of course, the most "dense". You may, or may not, have reasoned this out from your studies of the previous two planes - the Physical and the Etheric. - I will admit that the "higher" part of the Physical Plane is hard to detect from the "lower" Physical, but you should learn to notice this point after you have done some exploring of the Etheric. Those of you who have read my book, “THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION.” Will recall the statements about the "sinking" feelings generated in a person's stomach when travelling up or down in a, ‘High-speed elevator.’ This sensation is your physical experience of the separation point between the Physical and Etheric Planes, and represents the "high point" of the Physical Plane. The lower part of the Etheric Plane is very much like the upper part of the Physical, and this rule holds good throughout the planes' transition points. At all these transition points any two planes most closely resemble each other. With the foregoing out of the way, we can now proceed with our study of the Astral Plane. The Astral Plane demonstrates this idea of graduation more strongly than any other plane. From this it could be said that the, ‘Astral Plane,’ is one of the most important planes existing, both on the path "down" and the path "up". One of the many reasons for this is that there is a, ‘TREMENDOUS CONCENTRATION OF EMOTIONS (E-MOTIONS) CONNECTED WITH THIS PLANE.’ It is here, in the Astral Plane, that these "raw" emotions are changing into " forms", becoming imprisoned in form from a previous free state. This transformation accounts for the violent disturbances in connection with this plane. These "disturbances" on the Astral Plane come from both directions - those people coming "up" from "below" encounter here the first place in which, ‘MATTER,’ dissolves into some kind of ‘NON-MATTER,’ which, they find can be manipulated; and those who are coming into, ‘Incarnation,’ find that they are "cribbed" and "confined", and there are the usual wild struggles against confinement. For these reasons, and many other connected reasons, the Astral Plane is divided, more or less, into two parts, and the differences between these two parts is so, ‘marked’ that in the Hindu terminology this actual, ‘One plane,’ is classified as, ‘Two planes.’ We shall discuss some of the differences between the Hindu and the Western terminology later in this lesson. The "lower" part of the Astral Plane is, as mentioned before, rather like the "upper" part of the Etheric Plane where they connect, as it were. This section of the Astral is well known. It has been called the Storehouse of Images. I am told that every thing and every thought ever said, thought, and done since the world began is recorded/stored on this "reflecting" material of the Higher Etheric and Lower Astral. Everybody is somewhat "psychic", and everyone thus comes, more or less, into inward contact with the Lower Astral and "sees" and "feels" these images. Now note that I said that, ‘Upper Etheric’ and ‘Lower Astral,’ formed the place of the "Storehouse of Images". This is true, but what I want to emphasise in that this place where the two planes merge into each other is not so well defined as the material world is. In the Inner World, the planes merge into each other - there is not an, ‘Abrupt changeover.’ Seeing, feeling, sensing, these images is all right by itself. No harm can be, done by that ‘AS LONG AS YOU KNOW WHAT THE IMAGES ARE.’ It is regarding these "reflecting ether" images as REAL - in the sense of Physical Real - that the trouble can come. I repeat, it is in regarding, in believing the stored up reflecting ether images to be REAL that leads to all sorts of trouble. The main trouble comes from the fact that these images are plastic and easily respond to any and all kinds of thoughts and influences. Thus they "act" accordingly as you wishfully thing of them doing. They do, and even say, just what you "think"/desire then to do and say. So you can see how you could easily deceive yourself by unconsciously influencing these contacted images. And the images, thus responding to your unconscious desires, give you back what you inwardly desire and thus filling you with delight - but based on nothing really real.
2
Even some of the most intelligent and advanced ‘Occultists’ in the world have been selffooled by their, ‘Unconscious manipulations,’ of these Lower Astral images into all kinds of fake religions and "revelation" movements. This Lower Astral is truly a fairyland where everything is, as you want it to be and does what you want it to do. However, in spite of my warning you will probably be fooled by these images, ‘Everybody,’ is sooner or later. All I can do is warn you. For example, in the newspapers at this time of writing is an account of a black woman in Africa named Alice who claims to have been talked to by God and given different sets of distractions as to what to do here on earth, etc. Her "revelations" have resulted in cruel deaths for many, which is always the result of this sort of thing, especially in a more primitive society. Also Pearl Buck, in her story of the, ‘Last Empress of China,’ tells how a man, in one of the southern provinces, got a bee in his bonnet from the missionary's talk of Jesus and claimed he was the reincarnation of ‘Christ,’ going to change things around, and raised, ‘Hell,’ so that 20,000,000 people lost their lives as an end result. These two people were, ‘Psychics,’ who had contacted this ‘Store house of Images’ and, guided, by their, ’Own wishes’ and nothing else, manipulated them about to suit themselves. If you will look at history you can detect many other examples of this now that you know what to look for. SO LOOK OUT!!!! It is necessary that you should learn your way through this plane as quickly and easily as you can. The higher part of the Astral Plane is more; calm, and not so easily ‘Contacted’ with what come sup from "below". It is rather more filled with what comes down from "above". And it appears to be here in the, ‘Middle Astral,’ where these two kinds of "creations" meet. I don't know the exact reason for this, but ‘Accept it,’ and act accordingly. In regard to the densities "inside" the ‘Inner Planes,’ note that the Hindu teachings refer to a plan of ‘SEVEN’ steps up or down through the planes. We, however, will use the, ‘Western Caballa’ idea of a ‘FIVE-step,’ change through the planes up or down. This five-step change would be either way in this order: Akasha - Air - Fire Water - Earth, with, of course, Akasha being the "lightest" and Earth the "heaviest." Now each of these single five steps also changes by five steps from one into the other, and you will make all the symbols of these five steps later in the Course. Don't fret over this knowledge now if you don't immediately understand it as this knowledge is advanced and definitely not too easy to understand so hidden it is, as it were. You may also find the, ‘Concept’ of ‘EMOTION,’ ‘Changing’ into ‘FORM’ to be somewhat baffling. On our present type of physical plane existence we do not usually associate emotions-feelings with Physical "forms". Can you, do you, for example, "feel" a chair? Well actually, in a hidden Occult sense Operation, you do! However, it is easier for us to understand the mental ideal of a chair, creating a chair, than feeling a chair. But stop and think - what is back of this mental "thought" of a chair? Is it not first the desire "to sit"? A mental picture is then formed of the desire "to sit" which begins in a mental image of a chair and ends in a Physical Chain. So you can consider, even from the work-a-dayworld idea that a "chair" is the, ‘Crystallized Emotion,’ of the, ‘Infinitive verb,’ to “sit." The MENTAL Astral Plane is where these two conceptions meet, where the chair - "to sit" - coming down from "above" meets the point of changing from an emotion to a form, and where your form desires/ideas coming up from "below" change back into emotions-desires. The student viewing this section of the Inner Planes from a projection exploration has a terrific experience. The Operation, with all its ‘Flashing Lights,’ and wild, ‘Inner Plane,’ movements bewilder our untrained earth-experience senses. There is a Universe of this Knowledge tied up in this exploration of the Inner Planes, and the real knowledge of the Occult you will have to get when you project/explore it for yourself.
3
Much Occult literature is concerned with the Astral Plane, and some of it is ‘good’ and will help you gain a background understanding that will be useful in your own exploration. That's the value of all the ‘textbooks’ and ‘guidebooks’ to give you the background so that you will recognise necessary, ‘Landmarks’ in your own travelling of the path. I am working on an idea’ for the exploration of this, ‘Astral Plane,’ by means of building a permanent path "in there", and keeping it "in place" by means of a physical map on the physical plane as a help to students. Refer to the remarks about "counter parts" in Lesson Three. Your physical-astral plane work this time will be to draw and paint the symbol of this plane, i.e., the symbol for the Element of Fire - a red triangle on a green background. HOW TO DRAW THE SYMBOL OF THE ELEMENT OF FIRE 1. Make your 4" x 4" square as instructed in Lesson Two. 2. Measure off and make a line vertical down the centre of the square. 3. Using you’re measuring compass measure off and mark the dots as shown on the sample drawing below. Fill in the lines connecting the dots in pencil. 4. Ink in the lines that form the outer square and the inner triangle and erase your pencil lines. 5.
Paint the space inside the triangle red, and the space between the triangle and square green. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
QUESTIONS 1. Do you understand the problems of describing, and of recognising, the phenomena of the Astral Plane? 2. Do you understand why people who do contact the Astral Plane, and the Store House of Images, often become victims of self-illusion unless they have been properly prepared for this experience? 3. Can you think of some samples in history, or your own experience, of such illusions? 4. Why is it that you cannot just be taught about things Occult, but must also experience things for yourself?
4
5. Where do you think the "heavens" of the many religions (and the "Summerland" of Spiritualists) have their existence?
Do you see any connection between the teachings in this ‘Lesson’ and the instructions in the various BOOKS OF THE DEAD? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1.
Make your Symbol for the Element of Fire.
2.
Watch your dreams for experiences of an ‘Astral nature.’ SUGGESTED READING
1. THE ASTRAL BODY AND OTHER ASTRAL PHENOMENA, by A.E. Powell. A complete description of the astral world, the nature of the astral body and its relationship to clairvoyance, the Chakrams, Kundalini, astral entities, development of astral bodies, spiritualism, thought forms, etc. 2. THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION, by Ophiel. This is by far the most important book on the subject, and the only truly practical one that teaches you how to project your consciousness via the astral body with absolute safety. Teaches four different methods, including the BODY OF LIGHT and SYMBOL techniques, and also a system of ETHERIC projection. Illustrated. 3. THE SECRETS OF DR. TAVERNER, by Dion Fortune. Fictionalised accounts (Based the author says, on true cases known to her.) of contacts with the Astral Plane that illustrates various Occult phenomena. 4. THE HUMAN AURA, by Walter J. Kilner. Description of the, ‘Aura’ in health and disease as seen with the aid of filter of dicyanin dye, and a description of the use of such a filter. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Five ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, With this lesson, Lesson Five of the Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge (first series), we end the preliminary study of the planes. In the first lessons you have learned something about the "material" of the physical world and the Inner Planes, and something about the "Forces" operating through the inner planes. With your next lesson, Number Six, you are going to start your introduction to the study of the Qabalah with the, ‘TREE OF LIFE.’ The ‘TREE OF LIFE,’ as you will study it here, is a "guide" to a way of thinking, a system into which you can place the different things you learn and observe so that they fit into an overall pattern of relationships. With this pattern of relationships you will have a guide to the ways in which the Forces of the Universe function. With this lesson you will begin to see that the fundamental to Occultism is a way of looking at the world. This is true of all systems of study. Science, for example, is really "the Scientific Method", and part of the study of science today is the "Philosophy of Science" which is an analysis of the way in which the scientist must look at the World. The Occult Way of Looking at the World is concerned with what goes on behind the appearance of things. It is important to remember, however, that the Occult does not confine itself to just the "Inner Side of Things," for Occultism is also concerned with using your Occult Knowledge to make a better life for you. And as you begin to see a broader pattern of relationships, as you begin to perceive some of the inner factors that lead up to your present outward circumstances, you will unconsciously begin the process of a new adjustment and control over your life. Later in your Occult study and work you will take a more conscious direction over your environment and life. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE ******************** END OF LETTER ********************
1
We now come to the next plane above the Astral Plane/s. This is the so-called MENTAL PLANE. "Mental Plane" is not a very satisfactory name for this plane, but again we are faced with the inadequacy of the English language and this is the closest we can come. Let us attempt to explain the use of the word "Mental" in this connection. The word comes, of course, from the Latin ‘Mentes,’ meaning: the MIND - Thinking, Thoughts, Ideas and Images. In these lessons, when we refer to "mental," "emotions," "desires," etc., we are, of course, referring to the essence of these things, and not so much to our personal expression of these things - although we do partake of the prime essence of these states when we express these states ourselves. All our physical existence consists of the qualities of these planes fused together, as it were, and ex-(out)-pressed in/or the Physical Plane as a final resultant. How this is done is part of a later study. After you have accumulated enough of the basic data of Occultism we will take up the details of this work in later lessons. So, for now confine your understanding of the word "Mental" to the idea of, ‘ARCHETYPAL.’ The word "archetypal" comes from two Greek words, ‘Archi’ - meaning ‘Beginning,’ and ‘Typos,’ - meaning ‘Stamp/Pattern.’ Therefore, the Mental Plane consists of, and deals with, beginning, original patterns already set up and clearly delineated - but only of a mental-idea-image-nature, and having no qualities yet of desire to be "real" (Astral Plane), to "exist" (Etheric Plane), and to "force to be existent" (Physical Plane). This will all be treated later. To those of you who have my book, ‘THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION,’ and who follow the instructions therein, with time and with practice you may make a cautious personal contact with this Mental Plane. When you "see" the Mental Plane all that you will "see" are colours, a wild "assembly" of colours. These are the basic colours of the, ‘ELEMENTAL FORCES,’ them selves as they exist in the, ‘Pure-State,’ of just, ’BE-ING.’ You cannot do mush with, or about, the "raw" forces on the Mental Plane in any direct manner. Much, ‘Moulding’ and ‘Forming’ work has to be done, and the raw Mental Plane Forces are conducted down through the "lower" planes to HERE. You will not use the Mental Plane directly but only through the agency of the DEMIURGOS (Look up the meaning and etymology of this word.) As this subject is rather hard to assimilate I am going to review it for you. As I said, the next plane above the "two" Astrals is called the Mental Plane, and it is given that name because of the distinct mental quality of this Plane. So far we have dealt with the following planes: Physical, Etheric, Astral, and now, Mental. Please decide for yourself a quality that characterizes each of these planes - such as Physical - inertia, etc. The sight/view of this Plane to those of you who will penetrate that far in the Inner planes, and probably you all can/will get a glimpse of it sooner or later (a glimpse is all you'll need!), will be that of lots of colours. The Mental Plane consists of Mental Forces, and the colours you see are the "forms" of the Mental Forces - if you can conceive of colours as anything like a form appearing to the drawn-out semi-physical sight of the clairvoyant. As you should be beginning to know/think by now, it is in/on the next plane further "down" that these colours-forces become the "watery" forms, and later becomes "solid" forms. We will deal with this process later, but for now IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU BEGIN TO THINK ALONG THESE DIFFERENT LINES ABOUT LIFE, and to switch away from your former way of, ‘Thinking.’ I said that your future glimpses of the Mental Plane would show it to be all colours, which colours represent, Forces. Where do these Forces come from? An answer, of course, is that these Forces come from "above" the Mental Plane. In this first course of lessons we will not go above the Mental Plane for the reason that the object of our studies at this point is to gain basic Occult Knowledge that can be used in living Life, or, as could be said, dealing with Forces when the reach the lower planes where we, as Physical lives, are presently in existence.
2
We will not use the planes higher than the Mental, but we will deal with them in a knowledge manner. Dealing thoroughly with the Inner Plane Forces, and handling them properly, then becomes an ART, the proper use of which can enable you TO LIVE A PLANNED PHYSICAL LIFE. You should realise that all Magic, Metaphysics, Clairvoyance, Witchcraft, Second Sight, Medium-ship, etc. has to do with the different planes and with YOU SHIFTING YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS AROUND BETWEEN THEM, BACK AND FORTH, TO AND FRO, etc. Your thinking about these things, and about life itself, should, therefore, become adjusted accordingly from now on to this Occult Way of Looking at Things, and will become still more adjusted towards this point of view the further you proceed in these lessons. Try to adopt the approach to life that asks yourself the question: "How would this (thing, event, problem, etc.) Look to me from the Inner Planes?" Remember that Physical Plane things are the end result of a long, behind-the-scenes series of Inner Planes' processes. It is not that the Physical Plane is just an "illusion" as some of the Eastern philosophies say - it is "real" enough - but it is part of a much larger reality of which you have had, at best, only a partial vision. In fact, it may be very helpful for you to try looking at some of the more ordinary things that happen on the Physical Plane as if you were witnessing a theatrical production, and trying to think about the various operations that have occurred leading up to this outwardly visible performance. In the case of the play there is the creation of the stage scenery, then there are the many rehearsals in which the performance took its final shape, and before that there is the bringing together of the various elements and resources that make the play possible, and before that there was the writing of the play itself, and still earlier there were the idea that lead to the writing of the play, and so on. In Physical Life Happenings there are many levels of activity behind-the-scenes too. From your Occult Way of Looking at Things you will become increasingly aware of these Inner Plane activities, the "Inner Side of Things." Now make your symbol for the Mental Plane. HOW TO DRAW THE SYMBOL FOR THE MENTAL PLANE - THE ELEMENT OF AIR I. Make your 4" x 4" square as instructed in Lesson Two. 2. Draw two pencil lines from opposite corners to intersect. This establishes the exact centre of your square. 3. Set your compass to correspond with the diameter of the circle shown below, and make the circle from the centre of the square. 4.
Ink in the outlines.
5. Paint the circle blue, and the space between the circle and the inner edges of the square orange.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
3
QUESTIONS 1.
Describe in your own words and ideas what the Mental Plane consists of, and deals with?
2.
What is the meaning of the word "Demiurgos", and what is its etymology?
3.
What are the qualities of the, Mental Plane Astral Plane Etheric Plane Physical Plane
4.
Where do the Forces of each Plane, come from?
5. Write at least one paragraph answering this question: What did you think the Occult, or Magic, Metaphysics, Witchcraft, Medium-ship, etc was before your study of these lessons. Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Make the symbol for Elemental Air. 2. Take some Physical Plane Happening, and write down a description of it in terms of the "behind-the scenes" operations as if it were a theatrical production you were seeing. Do not try, as yet, to describe the, ‘Inner Plane,’ operations behind the Physical Plane Happening, just confine yourself to getting the feel of thinking in terms of the various levels of activity on the Physical Plane that lead up to the production of a play. SUGGESTED READING 1. THE MENTAL BODY, by A. E. Powell. The nature and function of the highest of man's mortal bodies, and the mechanism of thought transference, mental creation, the Akashic Records, the Devas, concentration, meditation, etc. 2. THE ART AND PRACTICE OF GETTING MATERIAL THINGS THROUGH CREATIVE VISUALIZATION, by Ophiel. This book shows how to use the Laws of the Inner Planes in order to gain material things, and how to develop your power of, ‘Creative Visualization,’ to gain positive control over the Inner Plane factors in your life. 3. REGENTS OF THE SEVEN SPHERES, by H. K. Challoner. A poetic description of the Devas, the beings who build in etheric matter, that gives the reader an introduction to the ways in which the various creative intelligences of the Universe function and the ways by which they can be contacted by man. Illustrated in colour. 4. THE SOLAR SYSTEM, by A. E. Powell. An occult description of our Solar System and the various streams of life evolving within it, demonstrating the importance of the Mental Plane in man's evolution and showing the relationship between the various kingdoms of being, angels, man, etc. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Six ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Six in your First Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. With this lesson you begin your study of the Qabalah and the "Tree of Life". You will find that your study of the Tree of Life is something that is going to continue for as long as you are interested in the Occult, so it is probably going to continue the rest of your life! Not only are you going to study the Tree of Life, but also you are going to learn to use it as a means of study. Soon you will begin to think of it as a "filing system" (or even as a "computer program") by which you classify your knowledge and observations into an inter-related whole. In your studies of the Tree of Life and the Qabalah you will learn how to look behind things to see how they are to be classified into this filing system or program, and as you study "things" you will learn to think in terms of their interrelatedness. Also, as your studies of the Occult continue, you are going to see more and more how the Occult becomes part of your entire life - not just a special compartment - not just a "Sunday religion" - not just a "party dress" - and everything in life is going to have new meanings for you. You will find that you can look upon other fields of study as rather specialized studies in various aspects of the Occult. In your next lesson after this, for example, you will read something that could give you a new insight into that interesting school of modern philosophy known as "phenomenology", or a new understanding of what happens in cases of hallucinations, or a better appreciation of the different kinds of realities presented by different artists. In later lessons you are going to develop a new concept of the material cosmos, and of your relationship to it. So, don't neglect your study and work on the Tree of Life. The effort you put into your study now will be reflected in your later work. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
1
This lesson is the introduction to the Occult Knowledge data called the "TREE OF LIFE." The TREE OF LIFE is a part of the system of the Caballa. (The name "Caballa" is spelled several different ways - Quaballa, Qabalah, Quballah, Kabbalah, Cabalah, etc. I will use various different spellings in these lessons because I want you to recognize the older spellings if and when you run across them in your readings.) In the sphere of the Occult there are two great systems: The WESTERN SYSTEM and the EASTERN SYSTEM. These two are further subdivided in many different ways, and this is especially true of the Eastern System. If I had the space to give you just a list of these divisions you would be astounded at their diversity and complexity. This basic-basic system of the West, or the Occident, is the System called the Caballa". The word "Caballa" means to receive (roughly) in Hebrew. The exact origins of this system are lost in the mazes of antiquity, but I'd say that it originated by becoming composed of fragments of demonstrable metaphysical truths which advanced persons of all nationalities and nations exchanged with each other as they progressed enough to recognise the deep basic Truths of the Physical Cosmos. Thus, the Caballa system grew from beginnings of simple Natural Magic - with many additions from Egypt, Greece, Babylon, Persia, Africa, and many other mystery systems of places this side of the Orient. There is only one Truth, and when you reach the top - by any religious system - you find the same thing/truth at the top. The Truth you arrive at, and which you are seeking for in this course of lessons, is a thing you gain through being guided "there" by means of a System of thinking and corresponding acting. And certainly this system does not consist of any kind of merely "believing" in something! No! It consists of all kinds of - WORK - gaining knowledge of what has to be done, how to do it, and then doing it. In point of ‘text,’ this lesson may seem a bit short. But you should have plenty to do in making up the diagram. Part of the diagram is made with your compass and ruler in pencil, and later parts will be written in free hand. Copy this diagram now, and then fill it in with the names, symbols, and other material as it is given to you. You will make a number of these diagrams and be adding new material from time to time, so you don't have to be over meticulous with this first one, but still, do a good job. Also in this first diagram you can feel free to make a few arrangements of your own. It’s a good idea to make several of these diagrams until you feel you understand the layout. In time your thinking can become very "POWERFUL" in that it can bring about changes in your physical plane surroundings quickly. In fact we all do it all the time, but now the thoughts of power do not always work fast enough because of the Astrological "blocks" (see Lesson One) set up in our life paths. I do not know the reason for these blocks. All I know is they are there, and some people have them more than others, and some people learn to avoid them and to work round them, and others never learn at all how to live a life by working around their astrological blocks. I can give a hint here. These Astrological blocks are not "solid set" things. They are movable, and they shift about. Let us imagine some picture like this - Let us say that we are faces with a series of doors through which we must pass, through all the doors not just any one of them, to get where we want to go. Let us say that these six doors are opening and closing all the time so that at some times more doors will be open, or closed, at the same time than at other times. There are even time when all six doors are open at once and you can get through them quickly and easily. Well now, naturally if you are an aggressive person you will always be on the alert and always pressing against the astrological doors - and when suddenly they do fly open you dart on through even though you may have been waiting a seemingly endless time for them to open. So you see your part in and of life is very important - how you go about living your life is a big factor in a successful life's living, and these things go for non-business types of life, too. For living a spiritual life too, if you are not interested in Physical Success. ‘More about this later.’ 2
Now with regard to the diagram you are going to work on for this lesson. Follow the sample illustration on the next page pretty closely this first time, and do your first work on this diagram in pencil so that you can continue to add new material as it comes to you. Next, divide the drawing into four sections as indicated and label them 1 - 2 - 3 - 4. These will be rough approximations of the idea of the four planes we have studies so far. As I mentioned before, you have probably heard or read of "seven planes", "ten planes" and even other numbers of planes. These number divisions are, all true, and are in, these ‘four planes,’ we are concerned with here. The other numbers are all arrived at, by making other kinds of divisions of these four planes. For example, each of the, ‘Ten Circles,’ in the diagram can be considered a, ‘Plane,’ by itself alone. Also, as mentioned before, the astral Plane can be divided into two parts and each part listed as a separate plane. Also the Mental Plane can be divided into a higher and lower, and each of these sections considered as a separate plane. So if you have heart about these other systems of division forget about them now, and work with the Four until you are more advanced and can work the others out for yourself Make your drawing of the diagram on the left side of your paper as per the sample on the next page. Draw three pencil lines connecting the three columns of the circles as indicated. Then fill in the information on the next page after that. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
What is the basic system of Western Occultism? If "there is only one Truth", then how is it that there are in the Occult "two great systems: The Western System and the Eastern System?"
2.
What do you understand to be meant by the word "system" in this context?
3.
Do you feel that you are a person who has more "astrological blocks" than most other people you know? Or do you feel that you have learned to work around these blocks? How do you think these blocks generally work in your life?
4.
How do you think that you can change your approach to life to live your life more successfully?
Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1.
Make the drawing of the TREE OF LIFE as instructed.
2. Think about this matter of learning to live around the astrological blocks, and make a plan for doing this in your own life. SUGGESTED READING 1. THE KABBALAH, by W. J. Colville. This is a good introductory book to the study of the Kabbalah. Its history, its literature and its views of the Soul and its relationship to Biblical traditions, (Additional books on the Kabbalah will be suggested in subsequent lessons.) This study is so fundamental to your building of a, foundation knowledge, of Occultism that you will probably build an extensive library of books on the Kabbalah. The above book is not the "best" book on the subject, but it is a good "starter", and - as the subject is a complex one - we recommend this one to prepare you for later books.) 3
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Seven ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Seven in your First Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. You have now completed one/fourth of the first course. In the Practices prescribed in this lesson, you are again called upon to make a drawing of the TREE OF LIFE, and asked again to meditate upon the metaphysical process described in this lesson. More and more you should realise that the study of the Occult is much more than merely reading some books and lessons. We have already said it several times, and we are going to be saying it many more times, the real study and work in Occultism depends upon your DOING the things called for in the lessons. Don't neglect these Practices, and don't just do them "in passing", but put a great deal of effort and attention into them. This is important. But now you should also begin to see how what you are learning in your Occult Studies could be applied to your daily life and you should begin to make this application as you begin to see how it can be done. You should begin to "think" Occult! That is, you should make your Occult Knowledge part of the way you see the world, and the way you see yourself. As you learn to THINK OCCULT you will find that you experience a much greater reality than ever anticipated. It is like putting on a new pair of eyeglasses - suddenly you see more, and you see more clearly. Another thing you should note. Occultism does not tell you how you should act. It does not give you sets of rules or commandments but, as you begin to see things differently, as you THINK OCCULT, you will begin to make your own determinations of how YOU should act, and what YOU should do in given circumstances. Occultism places the responsibility for your life right in your own shoulders. But it also shows that you have the POWER to make your own life what you want it to be, ‘Power and Responsibility,’ always go hand-in-hand, in Occultism as in all things. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* 1
A few Teachers and a few Schools do have material on this subject of THE TREE OF LIFE. Some of this material is valuable, but much of it is worthless when it comes to "What the heck can we do with it, or use it for after we learn the Knowledge part?" (!!!) In this Course, after you learn as much of the Knowledge as I have available, I will give you all the PRACTICES I have. The reason I can do this is that I have received the Working Knowledge direct, while "they" received it through some Occult Lodge they joined under oaths of secrecy - and therefore they are forever barred from giving you anything, and much of what they received in the first place was not of too much value because of a lack of the BASIC KNOWLEDGE, which Basic Knowledge you are now getting. Get out your drawing materials and make another "Tree" diagram. Make it in pencil first and then ink it in (for some of this work you can make free hand drawings, but always end up with a good inked drawing.) Now look at this diagram, you cannot help but notice that the diagram consists of ‘triads,’ triangles. ‘Three,’ of them. You cannot help but notice that the first triangle has the "point" upward, while the other, ‘Two triangles,’ have the point downward. There is still another kind of a triangle on the last circle, at the bottom of the Tree. This circle is divided, as shown on the inside covers of my book, ‘THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION,’ as if with an "X". (Draw a free hand circle and put an "X" in it as in the diagram. The reason for this will be explained later, but get used to the idea now.) You have been making 10 circles in and on a certain kind of diagram. I will not give you the basic name for these circles. Each single circle alone is called a ‘Sephirah,’ and the whole ‘Ten’ of them altogether are called the, ‘Sephiroth.’ The word "Sephirah" means Emanate, from the Latin ‘Emanare,’ meaning "e" = ‘out’ and "manare" = ‘to flow,’ hence to "flow out", to "emanate.' These, ‘Ten Sephiroth,’ on the diagram of the Tree you have ‘made’ is a symbolic representation of the Physical Cosmic Universe! Everything in our Physical Cosmos can be classified and filed away in and/or on these 10 pattern/filing cases! This, ‘10-circle pattern,’ is the/a Physical Cosmos symbol. And now we had better go into another subject, which is, ‘Just what is the Physical Universe?’ (This is the most difficult subject I ever tried to explain! I will make a start here, and then add/refer to it many times later on.) First (of all) let us start in a simple way. Let us say, for example, that you are sitting at the kitchen table and looking at the, ‘saltshaker.’ Now, in reality, just what are you doing? A ‘saltshaker,’ that is sitting there on the table and you "looking" "at" "it?" The answer is ‘NO!’ You are not, “Looking at" a saltshaker sitting "there" "on the table". Rather, YOU ARE ‘CREATING?’ BY YOUR DIVINE POWERS, THAT, ‘SALTSHAKER’ ON THE TABLE!!!! This requires some explaining, and will take up the rest of your incarnations for a long time. But you can make a start in "doing" as soon as you understand some of the Knowledge part. Again let us ask: "What happens physically when you sit at a tale and look at a saltshaker sitting there?" I should say "physiologically" speaking. Well to start at the beginning, you look. Your eyes look at the saltshaker and what happens is the, ‘LIGHT,’ reflected from the salt shaker object, enters the cornea of the eye and hits the back of the eyeball, where it is changed into an electrical current which travels along a nerve, as an electrical impulse, to a portion of the brain in which memory images are "stored." Arriving at the memory library point the electrical impulse sets off, or activates, the stored up memory images of saltshakers and identifies the object on the table as such. Now, this I say, is ‘physiologically speaking,’ is what happens.
2
But what happens, metaphysically speaking? (It will be hard for you to grasp because it is so different from our usual material conception of how things are.) YOU DO NOT "SEE A SALT SHAKER "THERE" in the "first place". YOU SEE, ORIGINALLY, PHYSICALLY INVISIBLE EMANATIONS, COMING FROM A METAPHYSICAL OBJECT WHICH RESEMBLES A ‘BASIC PRIMAL ARCHETYPAL IDEA’ "IMAGE", AND WHICH ORIGINALLY INVISIBLE EMANATIONS YOU CHANGE, BY YOUR NATURAL MAGICAL POWERS, IN, INTO (In this case) THE SALTSHAKER!!! It therefore follows that everything material around, and about, you, ‘YOU CREATED!!’ and, ‘ARE CREATING CONTINUALLY, AND SUSTAINING, CONTINUALLY!!!!’ This is quite a radical conception, departure, from the usually accepted idea of the physical Universe. This idea followed out can make a great difference in your life. Somewhere along the path of the above outlined process you should be able to "interfere" and change things about to suit your new power ideas. In one of the few magical books of any value that I have found (you don't need t now, so don't ask about it) this "oval space of self creation" surrounding us is called the "Magic Mirror of the Universe." Now, “THE ABOVE PROCESS IS EMBODIED IN THE DIAGRAM OF THE TREE OF LIFE,” which you are now, making freely, the connections will be made in the following lessons. Make your TREE OF LIFE diagram. I do not know how much "occult" you now know and possess, and therefore some the, these words-materials you are going to put on your chart may be strange to you now. However, put it down and you will grow into the Knowledge of it as we go along with the lessons. This is often the way with learning the Occult. And just because we include an illustration of the diagram with this lesson don't think you don't have to make your own drawing and think it out just as if you didn't have a sample. As we have said before, there is an inner learning process going on as you do the practices as instructed n these lessons. In this case, think of the illustration that we include with the lesson as if it were a diagram drawn on a blackboard in a class room, and you are told to make your own diagram in your note book. Now, as instructed in Lesson Six, starting from the top of the chart label the first "plane" section "1" Next one down "2" The next one down "3" And the last space "4." Better make all these in pencil so you can erase them and make better marks in ink when you have mastered this idea behind this phase of the work. Now do try to make good drawings, as much of your future success in magical work depends on your own work. The first material to put on the chart is the elemental symbol for the number 1 top section-plane. You place t where you feel it belongs. The symbol that you will place there will be the circle of AIR. Do not make it larger than approximately 112 inch across. If you can't decide of yourself an exact place for the AIR symbol, then I suggest you place it in the centre of the space to the right of the three Sephiroth. You do this because this is the plane that AIR "rules." Next you drop "down" to the plane below the top one, the plane labelled "2". Here, in the same location, make the symbol of that plane, a triangle, the symbol of FIRE. Now come down to the next plane, the one labelled "3", and in the same general location draw the half Moon symbol of WATER. And then come down to the last plane and in the same general spot draw the symbol of the EARTH plane, a square. In the next lesson you will learn something about Y.HV.H. or YODHEH-VAV-HEH. So put them down on your chart this time. Just to the right of the right upper Sephirah and above near the top write the Y, which stands for Yod. In about the same spot in No. 2 lane write H for Heh. And there in No. 3 plane write V for Vav. And in about the same place in the No. 4 plane write the second H, which stands for the final Heh, and put adot beneath it. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* 3
QUESTIONS 1. Why is it that Ophiel is able, through these lessons and in his other writings, to give out real Working Knowledge of the Occult while other teachers and schools seemingly can only hint at the "great Truths", etc.? 2.
What is the name of each of the circles on the Tree of Life?
3.
What is the name for all the circles together?
4. Describe, in your own words, what happens metaphysically when you look at a physical object. 5.
What do you think Magic is, after studying this lesson? Save your answers until asked for them. PRACTICES
1. Make the drawing of the TREE OF LIFE as instructed. Sit down, and look at a saltshaker or some other simple physical object, and think about the metaphysical process as you have learned it in this lesson. 2. Think about how this new Knowledge can affect your life, and write a note to yourself about how you can now take a more positive approach to life. SUGGESTED READING 1. THE MYSTICAL QABALH, by Dion Fortune. One of the best books on the subject! Explains the system of the Qabalah and the use of the Tree of Life as a meditation symbol transmitting the Western Occult Tradition. One of the particular values of this book is in answering the question of why this method of Occult Knowledge and Work is most suitable to the Western temperament. ‘THE MYSTICAL QABALAH,’ is a complete text and reference work, and should be one of the most important books in your occult library, and one to which you will be able to refer throughout all your occult studies. This is a book for actual use, rather than for mere reading, as are the many other books dealing with the, ‘Kabbalah,’ as an occult curiosity or abstruse subject. Cloth bound, illus. 306 pp. 2. ‘THE ROMANCE OF METAPHYSICS,’ by Israel Regardie. One of this century's great occult writers examines the history, theory and psychology, of some of this century's main metaphysical movements, and shows how that they are all related in a common, ‘unity,’ of practical application in the achievement of physical, emotional, and mental health and vitality. Cloth bound, 288 pp. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Eight ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Eight in your First Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. In this lesson you will learn something "practical" in the way of the application of an Occult Formula. Now, you certainly should know by now that there is nothing "magical" (In the ‘Sense’ of ‘Being Easy.’) in the practice of MAGIC, or the application of Occult Knowledge. On the other hand, it is a tool that augments ordinary work and increases the certainty of bringing success to your efforts. As such, it would be foolish not to employ MAGICAL TECHNIQUES to make your ordinary work more productive and successful. For most of us, merely reading about this Formula will not mean that we will automatically get everything we desire, and the best way to do this is to put the formula to work, and studying what you do and how it works. As the practice prescribed in this lesson, we have requested that you do just this and we want you to keep on doing it, and recording each step as you do it and how the formula works in each case. Do this, and study the record (or "Magical Diary") you make, for you will learn from studying the working out of the process. In your next lesson you will be called upon to use your paints again and your 4" x 4" cards, so check your drawing and pain supplies now. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ******************** END OF LETTER ****************
1
As I continue writing out these lessons I am struck by a peculiar fact that I seem to be teaching in a certain manner, and that manner is: I lay out a series of Occult Knowledge facts; Then later I follow these first lay-outs with additional facts; And then later I still further expand these basic facts and the additions. This procedure seems to be my modus operandi of teaching the Occult. I seems I can only proceed by additions and/or expansions of the basic-basics of Occult Knowledge. I tell you this because this manner of presenting these lessons seems to be almost beyond my control. So be aware that there is always more coming that every bit of Occult Knowledge presented here will be later expanded and added to and later you too will learn to add to the treasury of the Occult. Therefore we will return again to the concept of the Four Elemental Forces which make up the Physical Cosmos we are all so familiar with and, then again, which we know so little of, really. As aforesaid, the word Elemental means BASIC (note how the word basic appears in these lessons over and over again) first, a material things (or, in a sense, a fact.) Which is "final" and cannot be divided any further. In this sense we are dealing with, and attempting to develop a concept - a concept of a material cosmos "becoming" out of a non/physical material Cosmos. You might (and possibly not be too far wrong) even think of this change/becoming as a "turning inside-out" of a non-physical "world" "into" a "physical world"!!! (Remember this is a first basic course, and much additional material, and expansions, will have to be handled later in other courses.) Some of this material has been given in previous books and lessons of mine. If you have had some of this material before, don't skip over this presentation here, and if you run into it again in another book or course, do not skip that either, as each presentation will be different, either more or less advanced, and each will help you see a little different facet of that which is being presented to you. I'll try to cram into these lessons all the knowledge-material you can possibly use for the present time. Grasp all you can for now and read-study it over and over until you have absorbed it fully. Then when you are ready for more, and for more advanced work, it will be ready for you. (At this point refer back to Lesson Seven and what was said about the "Magic Mirror")I am going to say it again, and I want you to ponder it: “YOU CREATE YOUR PHYSICAL UNIVERSE!!” Your self!! By your own Magical Powers!! Now, of course, a statement like this brings up endless protestations and denials. All kinds of paradoxes can be brought up as evidence that the statement is not true. BUT TRUE IT IS, although I cannot prove it to you. You must prove it to yourself, by using it, and you use it by acting as if it were true, and then following the results. And this statement itself is well worth pondering, for it contains a great deal of wisdom. Your natural question at this point is: Well, if what you say is true, just HOW is my Physical Universe created or just HOW do I create it? The answers are: “YOU CREATE YOUR PHYSICAL COSMOS THROUGH YOUR USE OF THE BASIS FORCES,” known as the, “ELEMENTAL FORCES.” You are going to be hearing more about these ‘Elemental Forces,’ from now on, and, in fact, that is all you are going to hear because, “THESE ELEMENTAL FORCES ARE ALL THERE IS, THERE IS NOTHING ELSE IN ANY PART OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE.” (NOTE, THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE ONLY, NOT ANY OTHER.) Many different people have called the knowledge embodied in the above statements, in many different times and many different places. This knowledge has been called, ‘The Philosopher's Stone,’ ‘A Magick Wand,’ ‘The Law,’ ‘Jehovah,’ ‘Eldorado’ and all those other, ‘things,’ which mean a wonderful happy place or condition.
2
The little, as yet incomplete, table you started to make in Lesson Six will contain all the secrets of the Physical Universe and also, by implication, how to gain them! YOD, HEH, VAV, HEH is pronounced JEHOVA. It is not a word, but a formula, the formula of the Physical Universe! This word is translated as ‘LORD’ in the Bible. The absolute correct translation should be, ‘LAW’ or ‘The Law,’ as that is distinctly what it is, a "Law" and also "The Law of all Laws." Those of you who read the Bible, especially the Old Testament, will remember how Moses was given the "Law" in the desert. It is popularly supposed that the "Law" given to him was the Ten Commandments, and this is what the world was supposed to ‘think,’ as thus, real attention was diverted from the real secret recorded therein, the secret you are about to be given. I will first tell/explain the matter in a very easy manner and then elaborate as fully as I can in later lessons. The "secret," as I said, is in the four (sacred) letters, which constitute a formula, ‘A Formula of Action/Creation.’ (Look again at your chart.) The Formula works this way. The letter YOD stands for Air, whose symbol is a Sword. The essence of Air is MOVEABILITY. A sword is certainly something that is moveable. In applying this formula to yourself it goes as follows: "YOU", you in your capacity as a free agent, decide to desire something, a thing. Your decision arouses the/an Emotion of Desire. E-MOTION IS A MOVEMENT - thus the first state/condition if the letter YOD is fulfilled. Now "YOU" continue the Air action of Desire and "EXPAND" the desire into an image of the Thing (or state) desired. Thus, you fulfil the condition governed by the second letter HEH (Hay). The letter HEH itself means "WINDOW" (wind-door). It does not take too much thought to see that you can look out of a window (wind-door - "wind" "desire" "air") and see something, an image - you want. And to look "into" your mind, as through a wind-door and see a mental image of something you want-desire, thus, the two actions are somewhat exactly alike, only one is physical and the other is, of course, mental. So by the action of connecting your ability to move, YOU DO SO, with the image of a thing, YOU EXPAND IT, to this state, you fulfil the conditions of the second letter in the Formula. (You will find this easier to follow if you draw a new chart as you go along.) Now that you have fulfilled the first two parts of the "Law." The next natural thing to do is to "UNITE" the Image of a thing by bringing it "down" to Earth by doing a number of other actions such as "seeing" and "feeling" as real, "REAL," the heretofore "Image" (Any mental image.) The name of the next letter in the Formula is VAV and this letter means "NAIL". Do I have to tell you the obvious connection between the VAV, nail, and the "action" you do when you "fasten" the two together? You see it, don't you? (Look at your chart.) You have fulfilled the first three parts of the Law. The action covered by the last letter hen happens, and happens as a result of the first three actions. Every action in and on the Physical Plane happens according to this Formula. This last letter is another HEH with a dot in it which dot then signifies the solidity of the previous mental image. At this point a great deal of misunderstanding arises. While the above Formula is absolutely true the most common sense should tell you that you could not work the Formula, ‘EVERY TIME ON EVERY THING,’ there are a million other factors, which also operate here and unless all of them are in one straight line at once, the Formula will not work instantly. NOW, ‘ADD TO YOUR CHART,’ the Four Quarters: Top Line - East, 2nd line - South, 3rd line - West, and 4th line - North.
3
Also add the, Four Winds: The East wind is Eurus, The South Wins is Notus, The West Wind is Zephyrus, The North Wind is Boreas. Try to keep these in mind, as you will use them later. Boreas is the most important to us, as you will see later. Your Chart, which has been growing since we started it in Lesson Six, will now contain, besides the "Tree of Life" a basic elemental symbol for each of the four planes - YODHEH-VAV-HEH. Also, you added the, ‘Four Winds,’ in this lesson and their direction/quarters. These Winds represent the singular "Forces" to their respective Quarters. They are the vehicles, which carry out the, ‘Powers of Expression,’ of the Four Quarters, which ex-press-ion, constitutes the/YOUR PHYSICAL WORLD. I wish I could give you this knowledge in someway that I could force you to ‘grasp it,’ with your, ‘mind,’ but I just don/t see any other way than going over it again and again in a different way each time. You are going to add some more symbols to your chart, and in may cases these symbols will mean the same thing, only with a shade of difference each time a new symbol is presented. For example, the name of the East "Wind" is EURUS. As I said, "he" is the carrier of the ‘Powers of the Quarter,’ of the East (Not of the, ‘Physical Direction,’ East, get that conception, correct once and for all. The reason that you are learning about this is so that you will know him and ‘LEARN TO CONTACT HIM,’ through your powers of imagination. You will be given a ritual. The object of this ritual will be to develop the Powers of your Imagination along Occult lines. Ordinarily you contact an Occult Force by visualising the accepted Occult form/pattern of the Force. In the case of the, ‘East Wind,’ I find that not many images in Greek art are available for him, and the same is true for the South Wind. It is only when we come to the West Wind, ‘ZEPHYRAS,’ and the North Wind, ‘BOREAS,’ that we find some images in Greek sculpture for these two Force bearers. Why is this? You should recall that I told you AIR was the "thinnest" of the Elemental Forces and EARTH the "thickest." The ancient Greeks had this Knowledge and dropped a, ‘Fat Juicy Hint,’ when they portrayed the, ‘West Wind’ and the, ‘North Wind,’ rather ‘Abundantly’ but the other’ Two Winds,’ hardly at all. Therefore in your work in the Ritual you will "Feel" the, ‘East Wind,’ in fact you will "feel" all the, ‘Winds’ and not bother with the ‘Images,’ of the Winds at all. We will make one more addition here at this time. In the upper first section write the word AIR near the East - Eurus. In the second section write the word FIRE near the South - Notus. In the third section write the word WATER near the West - Zephyras; and in the last section write the word EARTH near the North Boreas. All this is done in pencil on your chart so far, and if you want to later change the positions of a symbol just erase it and do it. I want you to make a strong effort to develop your own ideas about your chart.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
QUESTIONS 1.
Define, in your own words, the occult meaning of the word ELEMENTAL FORCE. 2.
What is The Philosopher's Stone?
3. Describe your reaction to the statements in this lesson: YOU CREATE YOUR PHYSICAL UNIVERSE! Yourself)! By your own Magical Powers! 4. Describe your reaction to the statements: THESE ELEMENTAL FORCES ARE ALL THERE IS - THERE IS NOTHING ELSE IN ANY PART OF THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE. 5. What are the, ‘Four WINDS?’ (Not just their names?) Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1.
Add to your chart the material given in this lesson. 2. Apply the, ‘FORMULA OF ACTION/CREATION,’ as given in this lesson toward the ‘Realisation’ of a ‘Specific Desire,’ you have and write out each step of the, ‘Formula’ in terms of the specific, ‘Thing,’ you want.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Nine ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson-Nine in your First Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. In this lesson you will learn more about your Powers of Creation, and how it is that you gain control over your own life. But, you also learn that it is important to work in harmony with the Universal Forces - and so you are given information about the PLANETARY HOURS, which is part of the background of practical astrology you are building. You are also given some preliminary information about the TAROT CARDS and about CONTROLLED BREATHING. As you have found throughout this course, these bits of preliminary information will be later followed up with more information, and then with still more intensive data. In the meantime, your continued study and work with Symbols and the Analysis of various physical data into the connection with the Tattvas will prepare you for this later study and work. In the next lesson you will learn more about how the Tattvas combine together in making up the Physical Cosmos, so pay particular attention to the preliminary information about this given in this lesson. And you will soon be starting some very important work involving these combinations, so this would also be a good time to review the earlier lessons. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER *******************
1
In the last lesson I gave you some knowledge about the GREAT LAW and a rather sketchy illustration of how it worked. I have written a book describing the workings of this Law in greater detail and to the best of my ability to get it down on paper. In this book, THE ART AND PRACTICE OF GETTING MATERIAL THINGS THROUGH CREATIVE VISUALISATION, I confined myself to the phase of the Law pertaining to the acquiring of necessary material things to live a successful life. I wrote this book for a single purpose of helping people who need material help. Make up in your own handwriting a chart like the one in this lesson. (You will transfer this information to your own chart later, so make it up like this example for now). Note the differences and additions. The columns listing the senses are the most important in this cart. It is through these senses that you create the/your Physical Cosmos; as said before, the process is a terribly complicated one but it is true nevertheless, and by studying these now you are starting to learn their mastery. As I have already said, we can never, as human beings, learn all the million processes embodied in the Life Process - the Life Process in which we each create the Physical Cosmos by our own magic powers. But, we can attain a degree of FEELING for this Process and even, in time, obtain a degree of DIRECTION over our lives in somewhat the same manner as we can learn how to drive an automobile. Of course, to carry out that simile, we can learn to be good drivers but we must still look out for other drivers all the time. So it is with those of us who attain a certain degree of direction and power over this control of the Tattvas, for the whole of the Physical Cosmos, OUR PHYSICAL COSMOS is made up of the Tattvas and their play and counter play with and upon each other. Therefore in pursuit of our avowed object, the Control of Matter, through the understanding and control of the Tattva Forces we will take up one of the many phases of Control over Physical Matter and the Tattvas: the so-called Science of Breath-Breathing. Much ado about Breath-Breathing has been given out in the past by "teachers" of the Occult. I myself was exposed to this several times in different "courses". In each case my requests for further information as to WHY the breathing work was being done met with a dead silence or an admonition that I was to obey, shut up, and do what I was told to do, or else! I know now that the two answers were given because the "teacher" didn't know anything about the subject himself and merely acted from rote. Somebody had given it to him that way without an explanation and it was being passed on in the same way. The basic idea of controlled breathing has some value. It is an attempt to harmonize ones self with the Great Law I mentioned before through the Great Law's general manifestation of the Universality of the Tattva Law. The Great Law and the Tattvas are connected they are the same. ALL IS THE TATTVAS, and the Tattvas as shown in this lesson are what are called PRANA. The whole human body, and indeed all bodies human or otherwise, show the Tattvas in the construction. Later, when you know more about Prana, you will note these relationships all the time, every time you observe any thing in the Physical Cosmos. The idea of Breath controlled Breathing is connected with this Universal distribution of Prana. But again, you don't have to know ALL about Prana to use and work with it - but just enough to get the feel of it. The first things of the Universality of Prana we will consider are the DAYS AND NIGHTS. Anyone who has done some Occult reading and research has heard of the teaching that, beginning with sunrise, and continuing on through the 24 hours, each hour is ruled by a planetary ruler.
2
For example, the first hour of Monday is "ruled" by the Moon, that of Tuesday by Mars, that of Wednesday by Mercury, Thursday by Jupiter, Friday by Venus, Saturday by Saturn, and Sunday by the Sun. The order of the hours in each day is always Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars - and then starting over Sun, Venus, Mercury, Moon, and Saturn. Hence the, second hour of Monday is ruled by Saturn the second hour of Tuesday by the Sun, Wednesday by the Moon, and so on. Now, of course, each "hour" of each day is of a different length according to the season of the year. So therefore an "hour" of 60 minutes cannot be used exactly for each planetary hour of the day. At any time of the year the whole period of daylight and the whole period of darkness will have to be divided into 12 equal periods and a planetary ruler assigned to each period in the order given. This knowledge is used in certain kinds of Magical Work, otherwise you will not use it much now, but do keep it in mind at all times. Most of you will remember the old time applications of this system, so that the family's wash was always done on the Moon's day, Monday. Baking was done on a Saturday because Saturn rules the Baker. The Moon rules water. Saturn rules agriculture, from whence comes the wheat, the flour, etc. Dig out the connections for the other days yourself. Now the same thing holds good in the same manner for the Tattvas. The first "hour" of the Day is ruled by Akasha, which then changes into Air, which then changes into Fire, which then changes into Water, which then changes into Earth. HOWEVER, the changes are made in a certain manner, which is very important, so learn it. The Tattvas change back and forth into and out of each other in this way - you can consider the Akasha Tattva as the "lightest", and the Prthivi (earth) Tattva as the "heaviest". Back in Lesson Two I gave you all the Tattva names in Hindu, but generally I have been using the English names except for Akasha, for which there isn't any good English equivalent. The nearest is Ether, but all the Tattvas are Ethers. Add the Hindu names of the Tattvas to your chart. (I will try to spell the Tattva names the same all the time, but you will probably run across these names elsewhere, and frequently you will find them spelled differently. So I will put down all the common spellings, and from that you will recognise the others.) Now going back to the changes in the Tattvas for each hour - the change is from "light" to "heavier". To start, the first "unit" of a day from sunrise, is ruled by Akasha, and you know by now that the next Tattva is Air (Vayu.) HOWEVER, IN BETWEEN THESE TWO "LARGE" CHANGES ARE FOUR OTHER "ETHERS", EACH SEPARATE AND DISTINCT BY ITSELF. After you have made a chart for this lesson, proceed to make the cards as indicated on the next page. Please note that all these symbols you have added to your chart are interchangeable with each other. These symbols come from different sources and different ages and different systems, but they all mean the same thing - or rather stand for the same thing, which is what a symbol does (stand for.) Much ado has been made in certain Occult circles over the TAROT CARDS. Many teachers have attempted to build an enduring solid Occult system upon these cards alone but the Tarot Cards, like Astrology, are only A PART of the Caballa system and being only a part of the Caballa are incomplete when it comes to the idea of final perfection in Occult Knowledge studies. Many centuries ago the Tarot Cards were converted to "playing cards" by some "sharpie", in all probability an Occult Adept, and he did this, I feel, to preserve the cards from being lost through lack of use. And lost they were not today millions of people play cards, and as soon as anyone is given the right hits they can recover the entire Occult Knowledge "hidden" behind the cards. So, therefore, this will explain the inclusion of Spade, Club, Heart, Diamond, and of Kings, Queens, Jacks, Princesses there is not a princess in the playing cards now-a-days.
3
The Princess card is now represented by the TEN card. As you know, a deck of cards consists of three picture cards, King, Queen and Jack (the Prince) and numbered cards ACE through TEN. In Lesson Six you first made a basic outline chart and you have probably made several more like it since. It is my intention to have you transfer all the data in the list on the next page to that type of chart. Some of it you have already done in Lesson Seven and Eight. Now that you have started this list you will find it is a growing list, and in fact it could grow to cover the whole Physical Universe - so I will now limit it to what is already listed. BUT, YOU CAN NOW START TO MAKE ADDITIONS TO THE LIST YOURSELF, WHICH SHOULD BE PART OF YOUR OCCULT WORK THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. ********************* END OF PAGE ******************** Questions. 1. Write down your reaction to the statement in this lesson "It is through these senses that you create the/your Physical Cosmos" 2.
What is the basic idea behind "Controlled Breathing?" 3. Why is there a difference in the number of minutes in a PLANETARY HOUR and a "Clock" hour?
4.
What is the order of changes in the Tattvas for each hour?
5. Why do we say that an occult system built just on the Tarot Cards, or just on Astrology, is incomplete?
Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Make the chart as described in this lesson, and study this information along with the information already noted in the last lesson and on your chart of the Tree of Life. 2. Try to think of an example of how you yourself have experienced the fact of the statement "it is through these senses that you create the/your Physical Cosmos....", and write down a description of the experience. 3. Pick a day during the same week in which you receive this lesson, and write down the order of the Planetary Hours for he entire Day and Night periods, and give the time as you work it out when each hour starts. (Many newspapers give the time of Sunrise and Sunset for your town.)
********************* END OF PAGE ********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Ten ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In this Lesson No. 10, you are going to learn more about the Tattvas, and you will continue studying this subject for the next several lessons. Study this subject well! It is more important than you can now realise. Lesson 10 is short, but your next lesson will be longer, and it will start you on a series of exercises and work that will become the central point of your Foundation Occult Study. You had better get your drawing and painting supplies in good order. In this lesson, you also are introduced to a new phase in your understanding of symbolism. Again, this apparently simple beginning is of much greater importance to your Occult Work than you can realise now so meditate on the last sentence in Lesson 10, and let it's meaning grow as your studies advance. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ***************** This lesson will contain, I am afraid, some diagrams and tables, and not very much text for which you'll probably be thankful) I want here to acquaint you with some of the general properties of the Tattvas the common properties I mean and I want you to learn them well. I did not discover this material ""from the void", as it were, I gathered it together from many different sources and reorganised it so that it could be understood better and more clearly.
1
Much of the material is from a book written by a Hindu in 1889. He did his best with the English he knew, but/and, like all good Occult books, he left out many connecting links, and between that and his English I had a time make a course that was workable out of it. As I said before, EVERYTHING IN THE PHYSICAL UNIVERSE CONSISTS OF A FIVE-FOLD "MATERIAL" (4) (Read the following carefully. I have to write in this way but you must make your own translation/transition). At some/the/a BEGINNING, the "material" of the Cosmos was un-differentiated, that is, all the material was, one - alike - all like. In this state it could be said that the Tattvas were SINGLE - alone - they did not, had not, combined with each other UNDER YOUR DIRECTION TO FORM YOUR/THE COSMOS. Once you do force the un-different Tattva material to take on FORMS, each molecule of a Tattva takes on some part of the others to become a five-fold molecule. It has to be this in order to ACT by your direction in the Physical Cosmos. Study the following tables. This shows the composition of a molecule of AKASHA. MAKE THE TABLE FOR YOURSELF. ONE molecule Akasha = 1/2 Akasha + 1/8 Air + 1/8 Fire + 1/8 Water + 1/8 Earth, or using initials Ak = Ak/2 + A/8 + F/8 + W/8 + E/8. To make this clear, look at just the arithmetic side of it: 1/2 + 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/8 + 1/8 = 1 Or, like in a recipe, One Akasha Molecule consists of 4 parts of Akasha, plus one part Air, one part Fire, one part Water and one part Earth. Now I have to introduce you to another way of naming the Tattvas. You should learn this for now so what it is about, but you will not use it for some time. In fact, I do not have the full technique on hand and I will have to get it for you and give it out in another more advanced lesson. Please notice that I do not say: "I have to contact my master and get it from him!" THERE ARE NO MASTERS. The Masters, what they are, are all busy on their own work and as you have to get it all yourself they cannot "GIVE" you anything. If you will take my advice I say shun all teachers who speak, or hint, about having a Master! But, you must do as you please. The following names for the Tattvas, are used by Occultists, for magical work: Akasha Ham Air Pam Fire Ram Water Vam Earth Lam All I can tell you now is - you all know about the "sacred" word, AUM, which "Occultists" love to chatter about but of which no one knows the meaning or how to use it? Well, these five words are connected with AUM. That's all for now. In order to enable you to learn the new names quickly and easily, Ophiel has invented the following nonsense sentence: "Harold puts rags very low." Now this nonsense sentence if very easy to learn and in it are all the names of the five Tattvas, starting with Akasha and ending with Earth. So, set up your first table again this way. (I) (2) (3) (4) (5)
H=H/2+P/8+R/8+V/8+L/8 P=P/2+H/8+R/8+V/8+L/8 RR/2+H/8+P/8+V/8+L/8 V=V/2+R/8+H/8+P/8+L/8 L=L/2+V/8+R/8+H/8+P/8 2
Here is another table for you to study – now remember Cosmic undifferentiated material is at "first" homogeneous in all ways. Remember this - it is only after it has been forced into a 5fold state that it becomes the Tattva state. ALSO REMEMBER THAT ALL THESE STATES ARE THE SAME STATE ONLY "THROWN" INTO THESE DIFFERENT FORMS BY YOUR POWERS. They change into each other (Remember the Great Law) and go back and forth into and out of each other state all the time. This table illustrates the 5 qualities of the Tattvas after the division into 5. STUDY WELL. Sound, Touch, Taste, Sight, Smell, (Colour.) 1.H ordinary 2.P very light rather cool, acid blue acid 3.R tight very hot, hot red-hot 4.V heavy cool astringent, white astringent 5.L deep slight hot sweet yellow sweet Lesson ten's little tables are important in that they give you some idea of the nature of the Tattvas which constitute all physical matter. If you don't understand them immediately, don't fret, just study them until you do. I now find that the list has grown too long for the old chart I made, so make another chart outline and transfer to the new chart the previous list as directed. A copy of this chart is attached. I made this chart outline a little larger as you can see. Do this transfer all in your own careful handwriting. The lines, on which, the circles are drawn, are called "Pillars" by Dion Fortune. I had better deal here a little more with the subject of symbols. Now here we are obviously on the physical plane "looking back up" the series of Inner Planes that precede this one. As I said before, everything now "here" came here from "above" here, and what we see here now is the final resting form, of everything, pre-ceding "here." The things preceding "here" are not physical, and we cannot perceive them by our physical senses, but often perceive them by the use of the pre-physical senses which is then called Clairvoyance - and that is all clairvoyance amounts to. When we have to deal with pre-physical Forces from here, we have to use Symbols to do so. The dictionary definition of symbol is a sign by which one knows or infers a thing. The etymological meaning of the word symbol is from the Latin-French SYN, which means "with," the BALLEIN - to throw together something like a picture, and is a concept, which is an inner force of some thing/kind/type. Thus, all of the things, symbols you put on your chart are symbols for Inner Plane Forces, and all these Forces are the Four Elementary Forces and modifications there of!
********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
What is clairvoyance, as defined by this lesson?
2.
What is your idea about how you influence matter?
3.
What is a symbol? Save your answers until asked for them
3
PRACTICES 1. Write a paragraph description - in your own words - of "Beginnings" of the Physical Universe. 2. Study the tables. 3. Make a new Tree of Life chart as directed. SUGGESTED READING THE SECRET DOCTRINE IN ISRAEL by A. E. Waite A complete text and exposition of the Kabala and its relation to the Occult Sciences and to the religions of the West. The author treats such traditional Biblical Legends as that of the Deluge, the Covenant with Abraham, Moses and the two tablets, etc. as symbolic presentations of basic Occult Wisdom. This book is of considerable value to occult students for its chapter on the Soul in Kabalism, the Doctrine of Sheol, the Mystery of Shekinah, Sex, etc.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Eleven ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In Lesson Eleven of your First Correspondence Course of Occult Knowledge, you are starting work on the twenty-five Tattvic Combinations. Ophiel asks you to draw and paint a perfect set of 4 x 4 cards containing these symbols - and it is important that you do so! Don't neglect this work, and even if you worry that your "artistic" ability is not as good as it might be, do your best and your best will be good enough! You will also start some practical work on Breathing in this lesson, and you will continue this over the next several lessons. Always remember, even if you have some familiarity with the ideas and work you are given in any of these lessons - do the work and study as if this were the most important subject in your life. It is! In this course, we are taking the bits and pieces that you may have gathered in your precious Occult reading and are making them into a solid foundation for your further study and work. In the instructions for painting the combination symbols, mention is made of "complementary colours". You can check the complementary colour out for yourself by staring at the primary colour in a good strong light for a minute or two, and then focusing your eyes on a plain white piece of paper of closing your eyes; you will see the complementary shade in the same outline as you saw the actual primary colour. Don't let ideas or words "throw" you, but let them "grow" on you. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
1
Much of the previous material has been rather theoretical, in a sense, in that much of it cannot be proved exactly, one way or another (not that this matters much either one way or another). The actions described are fair approximates of the workings of the Great Law through its "agents" the Tattvas. There is very little that you can do to change or alter these workings, nor would you want to if you could. No, the occult object is to bring yourself into as close a harmony, a personal harmony, with these automatic Tattvas workings as you can. There are a number of ways to aid in bringing yourself into harmony with the workings of these Laws. One of them, and about the simplest, is breath. Breathing with a degree of control and simple regulation. A word here your breathing is automatic, so under no circumstances should your work be carried to the point where there is some interference with your automatic breathing! Fortunately, very few people persist in this work that far, but I felt I should mention it again, no over work. The control way of the breath lies and depends upon the fact that "day" and "night" are ruled-governed by a succession of Tattvas in ordersuccession. Now if we were in perfect harmony with these Tattvas, we would get along much better and easier in Life. In fact, all "things" would come to us easily and even would be propelled to us by the Tattvic forces, if we were in harmony with them. Thus, what you are trying to do by your Occult studies is to come into this harmony, or it could be said to "regain" the harmony you might have once had on some other plane where things are easier in all ways. To return to the breath idea. You recall I told you that each "hour" of the day was "ruled" by some Tattva of combination of Tattvas. Of course, the order of these Tattvas change all the time, each passing day is a different order of procession. Thus, if you were in harmony with the daily order of the Tattvas, you'd be in harmony with all things in nature, the cosmos, etc., all the time. But life is different than that. MAN, being a creature created of and consisting of all the Four Elements - Tattvas, HAS THE POWER TO RULE, DISPUTE THE ORDER OF THESE TATTVAS and pervert them to his own "uses", which is what he (we) does (do) all the time. But all is not lost. We can "get back" into "tune." How? Easy! As you know we breathe! at an average rate of 72 time a minute. In and out: Now you might think that you breathe steady each time but if you stop and watch your breathing, you will find that you interfere with the steady breathing, all the time. You will find that you hold your breath inhaled for short intervals, and you will find that you hold your breath expelled for short intervals. You do this because of emotions affecting you at different times. It is this interference I am referring to when I say you interrupt your breathing rhythms. Now I will have to leave that part for a while and develop another phase of this breathing matter. In accordance with the Tattvic law set up in our Physical Cosmos, the body has a curious way of breathing. If nothing interferes with the normal breathing processes, the body will breath first on one side, and then on the other, first on the left side and then on the right side, or vice versa. AND THESE REVERSALS ARE SYNCHRONISED WITH THE CHANGES IN THE TATTVAS AS THEY CHANGE FROM ONE INTO THE OTHER!!! These changes have some connection with positive and negative forces. A tremendous amount of confusion exists over these two words positive and negative. The usual meanings of these two words have a connection with Electricity. Generally, the word positive, in electrical terminology, refers to the copper wire, which the electric current flows, but of, and negative refers to the copper wire end, which the current returns through. (There are also other things, such as positive and negative ions, etc.)
2
In connection with the Tattvas, the words positive and negative refer to the following: Conceive/picture a stream of creative force/vibration ready to express outward from a "no"/nothing state to an "all" something state. The normal course of this out-pressing is, of course, from Akasa to Prithivi, "Spirit" to "Matter." (The different states - air, fire, water, and in-between states, are all the same thing differing only in vibrations, one from the other.) It seems that the manifestations NEAREST the beginning are considered positive and the (complete) manifestations furthest "out" are considered negative, they are also considered "cooler.") This conception of positive and negative is, as I said, considerably different from the usual electrical-physical idea. You can conceive of the "same thing" as making a/the change from no-thing physical to some-thing physical (positive to negative) and then affecting itself due to these out-changes. The same thing affects itself according to its position. There seems to be a further extension of this idea of self-influence. It seems that the impulse to go out is also directed/changed to the reverse impulse as soon as the go-out reaches its limits - negative changes back to positive, and ebb and flow. Now, of course, "time" does not enter into this in all phases. There are many of these ebbs and flows that are counted in minutes, even seconds. There are many that you can see with your own eyes, and there are others that take millions of years to even start back on their cycle (circle.) Now I must apologise for giving you some material that is not immediately usable. That trick has been done times without number by others who ran societies or groups, and whose "teachings" bog down in endless chatter, and all kinds of heavy background material which gets nowhere. I do not want to do that, to take up space in your lessons, but it seems I could not avoid it this time. In the next lesson we will continue with breath study. For now, I would like to have you continue the series of cards containing the changes I just mentioned as taking place when Akasa (no thing) becomes Prithivi (Physical Earth.) You should make, draw, and paint these cards (Called compound Tattvas) a perfect set of them. You should study them frequently and as you study them recall that they represent the working pattern of our Physical Cosmos. There will be two names for each of these compound cards and the names can become confusing - for instance, you'll have Air or Akasa and you'll have Akasa of Air! Which is which? You can tell it in this way - reread the cards. There will be two names in and on each card. THE LAST NAME IS THE MAIN NAME, THE FIRST NAME IS THE COMPOUND NAME; for example, Air of Akasa, the basic force is Akasa changing into air, the air being the first step outwards as aforesaid. I'm going to draw out the next twenty-five cards. You draw them up as perfectly as you can, on 4" x 4" cards. Try hard to do a good job. I trust you are able to paint these cards properly. Painting them necessitates your mixing the colours your self, and learning this. Do the best you can for now and learn all you can about colours. There are some things I just can't teach you, you must master them yourself. Start with the second line, the compound Tattvas of Air. Leave Akasa to the last. I, frankly, got a little confused in the lessons over the presentation of these compound cards. What we will do, I finally decided, is this. I am going to give you here the entire twenty-five Tattva Compounds in a freehand drawing. What you are to do first is to study these freehand drawings so as to become familiar with them. When you are familiar with them and have an idea of what they consist of; then turn your attention to the composite drawings.
3
Each of these composite symbols are the entire five compounds in one symbol. When you are ready to start to draw good final symbols, you can find the symbol you want by studying the composite symbol. Later in more advanced courses, you will make them on Parchment, a very expensive material. The most difficult symbols to make are the Akasa of Akasa - Air of Air - Fire of Fire - Water of Water - and Earth of Earth, due to the fact that there must be a space provided to indicate their basic basics. (Please Note.) If you should have a little bit of trouble making these compound Tattvas, you can write and ask for some more directions, but due to the press of time, I can only answer those who enclose $1.00, as the secretary gets that, not me, although I do try to answer all letters eventually. We are planning to keep these compound symbols on hand at all times for those who just cannot draw the outlines. Please note in colouring the compound symbols, in the case of the compound, the minor Tattva is coloured only in its own main colour and not in its complementary colour. Example: In Air of Akasa, the inner circle Air is coloured blue, the next outline, the Akasa outline, is coloured indigo, and outside that is coloured amber. Follow this idea all the way through. Note, in the case of the compounds of Water, you were given a simple half-moon in the original symbols; in these compounds, you are given a circle with another half-circle above that, this half-circle is coloured black and the bottom half is left white. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
What is the object of your occult work as explained n this lesson?
2. What is the basis for breath control? What is its purpose? Why do we need to exercise some control over our breathing in occult work? 3.
What is the Occult conception of "positive" and "negative"?
Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES I. Make the set of 25 cards of Compound Tattvas*Do the second row first, the Air cards during the next two weeks, and then work on the subsequent rows of five cards each during the successive two week periods). SUGGESTED READING None. You will have a great deal of work to do with the 25 Tattva cards. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twelve ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Twelve, in your First Correspondence Course of Occult Knowledge. In the previous lesson, you were told that the occult object of your work was to "bring yourself into as close a harmony" with the automatic workings of the Tattvic Forces. In this lesson, you are going to learn more about how you can restore your body to this NATURAL condition through a controlled breathing exercise. You will also learn one of the major ways in which we get "out of tune" with the natural rhythm of the Tattvic Forces and how we can relieve the pressure that the rather necessary, but "unnatural" ways of civilised life require. You will also continue your work on the Tattvic compound cards. You should have completed the Air Combinations given in the previous lesson, and now should proceed with the Fire cards. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* In the last lesson, I went into detail about the Tattvas. In this lesson, we are going to return to the idea of breathing control. Read over the details in the previous lesson and lessons. There is a sort of discrepancy here, which I had a hard time accepting in my own mind, but I finally got a grip on it. Occult teaching says that one side of the body, the right side, is positive, and the other side, the left side, is negative (To prove this is too much, but if you accept it for now and act on it, you will experience results.)
1
A little thought will also show that you cannot be all positive and/or a negative or neutral ALL the time, so there has to be some/a change, now and again. You will also recall that I told you the positive and negative sides of the Tattvas were not like the positive and negative sides of our electric systems, but that the Tattvic positive and negative is a matter of distance out from the source, the further out, the more cool, the more cool, the more negative. The body, the/a physical body is just about as far "out" OUT as you can get. Remember these Tattvas Forces started out from the top of the Cabalistic "Tree" and came down to the outpost of the/a physical body. There remains one more point to clear up. It would seem at first, that, in point of distance, the right and left sides of the body are of equal "distance" as far as being "out" from the original course. Actually, the left side of the body is more passive than the right side of the body. The heart is more to the left of centre than to the right in the body. The heart is the active centre of the watery blood-negative system of the body. The nerves are the electric centres of the body. I explained to you about the flow of the Tattvas and how they change from one into another, and also how they change from one to another by means of the compound Tattvas. Now I tell you that your breath changes from side to side in your nostrils in accordance with these negative changes!!! (How it changes to adjust to the body's needs is stated below.) For clearness, I'm going to repeat some of the above. Now while the above changes do take place, there are probably triggered BY THE NEEDS OF THE BODY TO RESPOND NEGATIVELY OR POSITIVELY, ACCORDING TO THE NEEDS OF THE MOMENT. As long as you do not interfere with the body reception, the response of the body to the changing incoming Tattvas is quite natural and correct and automatic. So, the knowledge instructions I am giving pertain more to how not to interfere with your natural breathing than otherwise.You can, however, give enough attention to your breathing so that you can note which nostril you are breathing out of at the moment, and at the end of this lesson, I will give you a first breathing exercise you can start to do - with moderation. Then, later, some other exercises, which can help you, establish a return to the proper state. I am going to interrupt at this point to tell you about a book, which, I think you should have. The book is called, ‘THE ART OF TRUE HEALING’ AND IS BY ISRAEL REGARDIE. This book has been out of print for many years, but Mr. Regardie has just allowed it to be reprinted (July 1, 1964) in England. We will try to have supplies of this book available here for you at all times. I advise you to get this book and study it carefully. Although he does not directly refer to the Tattvas themselves in this book, Mr. Regardie has them in mind, and it is these effects to which he refers in the book. His book also has another good expostulation in connection with breath, which I strongly advise you to read. All "things" and all actions are connected with the Tattvas and are "ruled" by the Tattvas. Hence, it follows that is all of us dealt only in things Universal at the time, we would employ the continual flow of the Tattvas easily, changing front one to another with no shock or disarrangement of any kind. Even then, at certain times the works we were doing would be much "easier" to do because the work pertained to "things" ruled by a certain Tattva, which also "ruled" at that "time." However, the way things are now in the world, practically all of us deal/work/labour at only one "thing," which one "thing" occupies "all" of our working hours, i.e., the more or less 12 daily working hours which make up our working day. So, now you should be getting an idea of what is constantly happening to all of us all the time when we work or engage in daily activities. Let us illustrate this by an example.
2
Let us take a man who tends a furnace-boiler all day. Now obviously, the furnace-boiler is ruled by Fire, or, as Fire and Water are involved here, some combination of Fire and Water (or is it Water and Fire?) (It could be both Water of Fire and Fire of Water) which combination of Tattvic Forces is not constant throughout the day? Such a favourable combination comes along only twice in 24 hours. All the rest of the time, the combinations are not favourable to this job, and may even be antagonistic to it! Yet, the man (all of us) has to stick to his job no matter what the Tattvic flow is. Now I hope you can see what we are all up against. We all, or practically all of us, have to work with one Tattvic for long periods, and this prolonged dealing is what tires us and wears us out and finally does us in at an/the end. We cannot change the pattern of the whole world, but there is one little thing we can all do, which is what I have been leading up to. There is one little breathing exercise we can use to balance the Forces. Here it is: Hold the right nostril closed and take four deep breaths through the left nostril, exhaling through the same nostril. This is called the Negative Breath. This Breath will counteract the intense wear, tear, and pressure from the concentrated application of our work, the concentrated application of one Tattva on our physical Being. You can also see from the principle of stopping what you are doing and making a change, how such a thing as a "coffee break" and/or a rest period during our work day is of such a great benefit. Anything, which reduces the preponderance of one Tattva, is of benefit to our physical Being. To summarise - We are engaged in living our lives. In living our lives, we have to deal with all things. All things are "ruled" by certain single or combination Forces known as Tattvas However, since we all have to work at some job or profession, we usually have to deal with one subject all the time, which subject is ruled by one Tattva alone. The continual dealing with a single Tattva creates pressures, which act upon us and upon our nervous system. This pressure can be greatly relieved by using the negative breathing exercise occasionally, so use it. There is a great deal of popular misunderstanding about the subject of YOGA. First of all, there are many kinds of yoga, but the one essential feature is the control of the Tattvic Forces as they relate to your personal lives. The form of yoga that we in the West are most familiar with, and yet, greatly misunderstand, is called HATHA YOGA. This form of yoga emphasises breath control and intricate postures to regulate the flow of the Tattvas to the various portions of the body and to certain specific "organs" in the etheric body. In India, this form of yoga is undertaken only under the direction of a Guru (teacher), who from his long experience in training Chelas (students), and from his clairvoyant abilities, is able to determine the exact breathing exercises and body postures suitable in the individual student situation. What you are learning here about breath control is not yoga. Yoga is a highly developed and specialised Occult technique that is not generally suited to the physical bodies of the Western student nor even generally possible for a student to undertake in our complex and nerve-racking industrial civilization-environment. Yoga increases one's sensitivity to the Higher Forces. Magic, the Occult technique of the West, enable you to regulate the Forces themselves and control your own sensitivity to them, just as we have learned to turn on and off electrical switches to regulate the electrical currents we use for out convenient living. Yoga may be use by the Western student as a good health regimen under the direction of an expert teacher. And, you will learn a great deal of valuable Occult knowledge by studying good books on yoga, but in general, we advise a great deal of caution and temperance in your approach to this subject. In these lessons and in good Occult books, you will find some borrowings from yoga and the Occult techniques of India that have been adapted to the needs and situation of the Western student. 3
We might go further and suggest that not only is Magic the Occult technique for the West, but that it is the technique most suitable for the present-day student no matter where he lives in the world today. In closing, let me again emphasise that the breathing exercise you are being taught have a place in your Occult studies, but you must be cautious in overdoing anything of this sort. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* NO QUESTIONS ETC.!!
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Thirteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Lesson-Thirteen of this Correspondence Course gives you the basic introduction to the subject of "MAGIC." Sooner or later in Occult Study you will meet people who tell you that the use of Occult Knowledge for personal ends of any kind is "wrong" or "evil." Don't you believe it! Using Occult Knowledge is no more wrong in itself than the use of knowledge about agriculture or the use of knowledge about nutritional values in preparing a healthful, balanced meal. In fact, the use of Occult Knowledge to help accomplish personal ends is right! What may be wrong is the study of the Occult merely to gain "POWERS," just as it may be considered bad to merely accumulate a great store of other tools, such as hammers, screwdrivers, etc., and never put them to any kind of practical use. You are being taught Occult Knowledge to help you make your life better, and that includes making it better in a material sense. It is a goal of your Occult Work to become a maker of your own destiny. In once sense, you always have been the maker of your own destiny, but now, as you become an Occultist, you will consciously select goals and set out to accomplish them and to make these goals part of the purpose of your individual life. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER *******************
1
Although it is really a little too early in this course, and your use-application of it, for it is to be "working" for you, you should be arriving at a point wherein you are beginning to understand that all magic consists of the understanding and intelligent application of the Forces of the Tattvas. (Some of this has been mentioned before.) THE TIME CAN AND WILL COME WHEN, HAVING A NECESSITY TO DO SOME CERTAIN OBJECT IN LIFE, YOU WILL DO IT BY "SUMMONING" THE APPROPRIATE TATTVIC FORCE AND, THROUGH THIS FORCE, ACCOMPLISH THE CHANGES YOU WANT TO MAKE IN YOUR LIFE-LIVING OR IN THE LIFE-LIVING OF OTHERS. Naturally, you are all wondering if Ophiel can and does do this easily and all the time. Ophiel is in a very strange position. Ophiel had to do many things in order to get this knowledge and then get it on paper this way. At all times, there is a terrific resistance to the clear revealing of this knowledge. You must appreciate that a person living an ordinary daily life would not come into contact with this kind of knowledge in a, 1000 years. Ophiel had to make huge sacrifices for many years in order to penetrate this far into this knowledge, and it becomes worse as time goes on and more comes. Therefore, in answer to the above, Ophiel, in order to first get this knowledge and its workings, has lost much desire for things and to do things. He can do many things (not healings however) but he doesn't want to do them, or to attain them! You should be able to use, and develop the use of, these things BETTER THAN OPHIEL DOES IN THE FINAL END, because you did not have the impact of all the difficulties Ophiel had in researching for this material. These researches, left many scars, believe me!! Enough of that for now: to proceed. There is an additional concept I must emphasize here at this point in these lessons, as the place/time seems right for it. I'm afraid I've given the impression that you are/could be a helpless victim of these forces. What I really meant to convey is that it is the over-use or misuse of these Forces that can injure you, not the use of the Forces themselves. In point of fact, it is you who are the User of these forces, and not they who Use you; and it is the ignorant, mistaken, daily-hourly, hit-or-miss impact of the Forces, which injure us, not otherwise. When you become a/the Master of the Tattvic Forces, you are indeed a controller-maker of your own destiny. It is through the Tattvas that all actions, "bad" and "good," are done and come about. Now I do want to emphasise here again that your control over the Tattvas is automatic - your control over the Tattvas, "good" or "bad", is automatic. There are many people in this world who do make a fine job of Living Life, who have no control of and over the Tattva Forces which, I repeat, are life, and who have not a smidgeon of knowledge about the Occult or any idea at all about the Tattvas and what they are or consist of or anything else about them. You can well understand this since you know, as Occultists, that there might well be a system of repeat living called re-in-carnation. It would naturally follow that a person/man "soul," who had accumulated some experience and knowledge of the Tattvas during previous lives could come into this life with better basic equipment than one who had not lived many times before, or who had neglected such learning in previous lives. Such a one would naturally make a good showing living life. The world about is full of these successful people, and you would do well to note them and study them and their successes, which ignorant people call "luck." However, you yourself are probably looking forward to success in the future, or you'd not be reading these things in the hope of learning how to regulate your life through Magic. Well, don't worry too much about it. Ignore the bad part and start here, now, to set yourself the best future you can for the rest of your life. 2
It is indeed a good thing for us that when, in our daily round of living activities, we overload one single Tattva too much, thus disturbing the normal change-flow of Tattvas from one to the other, that we can perform one of a number of simple breath-control exercise-movements and restore the normal balance-flow for all purposes for our well-being. The next thing you will do is to increase the holding time of the first negative exercise. The purpose of this is quite simple, of course; it is just to increase the negative accumulative effects of the rectifying action. There is another phase of this one-closed-nostril effect that you can try and see what kind of results you can get. At night, when you are ready to sleep, you can reverse this process and take four deep breaths through your right nostril while holding the left nostril closed. In many people, this type of breathing will have a very seething effect. The reason being that at night, the preponderance of positive and negative is reversed, and the negative is the strongest in the heart section of your body. Because of this, the positive held-breath action is then of a balancing benefit at that time. There is a lot of confusion here about the inhaling of air in connection with these breathing exercises. Actually, it is not the air that contains the Tattvas, as many people seem to think, even though such pure air is essential to life - Physical Life - of course. To clear up this point, I feel reasonably sure that the actual Tattvic connection with physical air is through the etheric counterpart of physical air. You will recall that I told you that all physical things had an etheric counterpart, and indeed, have counterparts of the "materials" of all planes on up to the "highest." There is no reason why air, should not have the same set-up on the Inner Planes. It is not quite as simple as this, though, but the fact remains that breathing the two exercises you were given, and the others to come, will have an effect to you, but this effect is one of integration into a more perfect state. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
QUESTIONS 1.
What is Magick?
2. How does the more advanced Occultist accomplish desired changes in his life, or in the life-living, of other people? 3.
How can the use of Occult Knowledge lead to self-injury and how is this avoided?
4.
What is luck?
5. How do we make simple adjustments in out daily work life to meet the changing "tides" of the Tattvic Forces? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Continue your work with the 25 cards. (You should be on the Water cards by now.)
3
2. Write a paragraph describing your beliefs concerning -the idea of reincarnation - what it is, do you believe in it, why? SUGGESTED READING 6. AN ABRIDGEMENT OF THE SECRET DOCTRINE by H. P. Blavatsky, edited by Elizabeth Preston and Christmas Humphries. This is a more readable and valuable condensation of the great occult reference work. Here you will find the whole description of the formulation of the Universe and the appearance of Human Life, the basis of Occult symbolism, and the evolution of consciousness. Few occult students ever read the entire SECRET DOCTRINE, but they all should have a good acquaintance with it. This abridgement is both a complete reference work, and an introduction to a complete study of the larger work. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Fourteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In this lesson, Lesson fourteen, of your, First Correspondence Course of Occult Knowledge, you will learn one of the reasons why you should not expect your growing knowledge, and the powers you are developing, to enable you to accomplish "miracles" overnight. In your Occult Work, you are changing your basic approaches to some of the problems of life, and you are also making changes in your relationship to the Forces of the Cosmos. These changes are slow, and they are made both consciously and unconsciously, and both in your "outer" life and “deep in” the Inner Side of your Being. You will learn to accomplish things, but you cannot become an expert overnight! In this lesson, you are given some preliminary work on the Cabalistic Cross Ritual. This is important. Do it "religiously!" This is only the beginning of a new phase of your occult Work and the development of real Occult Power. Sincerely,
THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER *******************
1
These lessons are becoming more and more difficult to prepare and write. And again I say it; this is not due to a lack of material but a surplus! If I were dealing in nothings as many do, I'd have it easy, but I am constrained to produce "hard" occult stuff that can lead to genuine use, and to select the one line out of so many millions is what is difficult. Accordingly, I will proceed with more One Breath and the Tattvas. I do not attach the terrific importance to breath and breathing that so many occult schools do. Breathing is of some importance, but it does not possess the powers many schools attribute to it. (Note especially, that these schools don't explain to you WHY, because they don't know themselves, many times.) Actually, the WHY is not too hard to come by? The answer, expand omit as I may, is in the previous lessons, and is summed up in a single word "REGULATION." As I said before, every natural Force that exists has a tendency to work correctly for and with us, according to its own being/Law. However, the second the Tattvic Forces contact and enter the/a human body, surrounded by its egg-shaped Aura, they encounter the/your present residual Tattvic Forces and become influenced and altered by them, either for "Good" of "Bad." I would like to say here that the “bad” noted above can, extend to physical states called sickness. More than this, I cannot go into here. I have never been a "healer" many people, Occult teachers, and others, have a definite amount of Healing Power, but my talents have never gone in that direction, rather having gone more towards the Intellectual aspects of the Occult, more to "what is behind it all?" Therefore, do not expect that a few breathing exercises and some thought about the Tattvas will cure you or others of sickness. All we can do here is to start to understand the existence of the Tattvas and to start in their use, and to attempt to get all we can out of their intelligent use later when we know and understand more. I will proceed to give you the next exercise in point of growth - you will recall the first simple little exercise wherein you used the left nostril only - you closed the right nostril and then you breathed four times in and out through the left nostril. Perhaps I had better repeat here that the left side of the body is considered the negative side of the body (remember I said the forces are dual, all forces are positive and negative, both in one). Further, the Negative side is considered as having all THINGS in potential, while the Positive side has SPECIFIC things already expressed. Hence, long concentration on one single Thing can become overwhelming and over-pressure the nerves and the nervous system. This pressure is relieved by the negative breath exercise as given above. Do you understand this? As a preliminary to your next breathing exercise, then, I offer a further explanation for it. You will recall that I explained before that the Tattvas "moved" in a certain order from dawn to dark and then from dark to dawn. I further said that this order of flow was a natural flow, and all "nature" was in harmony with it, and it with nature, or, in other words, no Tattva became "overloaded" or "overworked," because each ran its course in time and order. If only things were like this! You will recall that I said that pour daily activities were usually duties, which consisted of work and concentration on one specific thing. This work on one specific Thing overloads the body, and whatever else there is of you, by a positive pressure, which positive pressure could be relieved by the negative breathing exercise. I hope you have been doing it. Remember that it is mostly for daytime use. The next exercise is, of course, rather different. What is required in our lives is to bring our selves into harmony with the "Flow" of the Tattvas.
2
This is accomplished by the following exercise. (1.) Place the thumb and forefinger of your right hand over the nostrils so that by alternative pressure you can close first one then the other - the right side and then the left side. Get set - Begin by a deep exhalation. Then close the right nostril and inhale through the left nostril, hold a second, then exhale through the right nostril; then inhale through the right nostril and exhale through the left nostril. Do this four times - four negative breaths and four positive breaths. There are no, definite number of times per day for you to do this. I suggest that you do one about mid-morning and one about mid-afternoon, certainly, at first. If you feel better after a time, then increase the exercise one more time for each period. There is a little variation to this exercise, which I want you to start on. I plan to keep adding to the exercise for the rest of this course. In fact, it will be almost like practices, which I said were to be given another, more advanced, courses later. However, what you are going to do is to start to develop, and use, a ritual. This ritual is pretty old and is rather well known, so no advanced work will be done in this lesson, but it will be a splendid practice for the advanced work to come. At the moment, my plan is to develop the ritual from a rather simple beginning into an elaborate work of the Magic Art. The ritual is called, “The Ritual of the Cabalistic Cross.” I used this ritual in several different forms in my books and other lessons, and it was in so doing that I discovered that the possibilities that lie in this ritual are endless and capable of unlimited expansion. And this was very much to my surprise, because I had not given the ritual much attention when I first saw it. DON'T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKE. For your first work then: Select a place to work where you are alone and won't be disturbed for the few minutes necessary to perform the Ritual. (1.) Face the East. (2.) Make a cross over the front of your body, not a Calvary Cross: but an equal-armed Cross, touch the forehead, then the chest, then the right shoulder, and then the left shoulder. Then close the nostril, as explained before and take two complete breaths, that is, inhale left, exhale right; inhale right, exhale left; inhale left, exhale right; inhale right, exhale left. Then, turn to the South and repeat, turn to the West and repeat, turn to the North and repeat, and finally, turn to the East again and make another Cross. That will be all for this first time. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1. you? 2. 3.
Why does Ophiel say that he finds it difficult to prepare these lessons for What is the importance of breathing control? What is the purpose of the breathing exercise given in this lesson? Save your answers until asked for them. PRACTICES Do the breathing exercises prescribed in this lesson.
1.
Do the initial Cabalistic Cross Ritual described in this lesson. 3
2.
Continue your work on the 25 Tattvic Combination cards. (You should be on the Earth cards by now.) SUGGESTED READING
THE ESOTERIC ORDERS AND THEIR WORK, by Dion Fortune. This book provides the serious Occult student with a background of information concerning Occult schools and orders, and describes the kind of training that they offer. In an introduction to this book, Gareth Knight explains the difference between Eastern and Western Occult methods, and why these differences are necessary even though both traditions are based on the same wisdom. This book also, tells you what an Occult Order really is, who the "Masters" are, and how to build a direct mind-to-mind contact with an adept.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Fifteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In the previous lesson, you were given some beginning work on the Cabalistic Cross Ritual, and you were told that more material on this Ritual would be given in later lessons. Already in this Lesson Fifteen, you are being given the first of these promised enlargements In this lesson, you are told that this Ritual is of really great importance to your Occult Study and Work and we cannot emphasize this too much. The more you practice this, the more dedication and work you do on it, the greater will be its results! Remember too, that the whole purpose of your Occult Study is to master the Tattvic Forces and to use them consciously. This Ritual, and its coming additions, will make your learning about these Forces an Inner Reality to you.
Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER ******************* In the ancient spot in Greece called Delphi there was the famous Temple of Apollo. This Temple contained an Oracle, which was used by the then existing Greek Nation of City-States. Over the archway of the Temple was a famous inscription cut into the stone. We, today, are confronted with a part of that inscription all the time. The part we generally have thrust at us is the phrase, “KNOW THYSELF!” There happens to be more to the inscription than that. The whole reads, "Know Thyself. Thou Art Indeed, Oh Man, The Tabernacle of the Living God, and Within This very Temple, Thou shall see God Face to Face." 1
Well, of course, this is a very heavy promise/statement. I don't suppose there are any of us who would refuse to "see" God face to face, but we know, instinctively, when we read these words, that it is for some kind of an end future. While we would not turn it down as I said before, many of us, until the bog event comes off in the end future, would still like to have some little help in our daily living experiences here and now. Many of us would like to have the taste of some success in a human way. It was more to the human success end that these lessons were written, as I have intimated in the beginning, and not so much to divine contacts. I trust you have noted that I have started several different approaches to the subject of SUCCESS IN DAILY LIVING in the previous lessons. To review a little, you have been given a bit of physical work, some mental work, some basic Occult work, etc., so that now you have some different approaches to the same goal, a combination of success here and now and a look forward to a future achievement on a "spiritual" level. In order to achieve these two goals, the one now and the other in the future, it will be necessary for you to work these several different approaches until they come together in and at a final end/result/point. Hereinafter, I will take up again one, or another, of these various approaches and follow, it along for a while. I am not going to tell you about the switches from one to another as I make them. Instead, I am going to leave you to figure it out as to what category I am dealing with at the time and also, whether it is concerned with a "mundane" object or a "spiritual" object, a "now" or a "hereafter" object. So, off again: As far as the Physical Cosmos is concerned - your physical world Cosmos, your success will rest on a foundation of correct Knowledge and use of the Tattvas. Basically, Tattvic knowledge is All Knowledge - all the real Knowledge there is. Now, I am not saying that unless one had, and masters, this Tattvic knowledge, there is no success, physical or otherwise in the world. Oh never! Many men and women, automatically and instinctively, grasp and use the Tattvas, often while very young in years. However, if you will study these people, you will find that many of them end up burnt-out physical wrecks at an early age - especially those who OVERDID the forces and didn't use ordinary common-sense restraint in their uses, or rather, in their over uses. I am mentioning these people because these are the ones you hear about most, and you are apt to draw the wrong conclusions from them as examples. In the other hand, many men and women do use the forces and do not over-do them. At the time/date that I am writing these words, Mr. Herbert-Hoover is just being laid to rest in this hometown of West Branch, Iowa. If you will study his career, you will note a conventional use and successful application of these Tattvic Forces. You, however, are different - YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN TO USE THE FORCES CONSCIOUSLY. BUT, you must remember that other things are not to be overlooked, and you will have to develop some of these other things also, if you are going to achieve an all-round success. It is necessary for you to make some more drawings at this point. I told you before that the Tattvas changed back and forth into each other. You can understand this readily, since you have been taught here that: All comes from One and One is All: You hear this all the time in almost all religions, but they never have explained what it meant. We will take up, at this point, the making and painting of simple Akasa symbols which I put off making at first because of the nature of Akasha. I do this so that you will understand that Akasha is not used as the others are used (except in very unusual conditions.) Take your 4 x 4 cards. Using a pencil, make the border first. Divide the 4 x 4 card in the middle horizontally. Then, following the sample design given in Lesson 11 and in this lesson, make the half-circles on both sides, as shown.
2
Then ink in the outline and finish the border. Paint the centre symbol indigo - blue - red, and the space outside the symbol Amber. (However, check the complementary colours for yourself each time.) You will not have the symbol of Akasha (Also spelt as Akasa.) There are actually no simple symbols such as I have given you up to now. I had to give you these simple symbols to introduce you to the subject. You have to make them for this purpose, part of which was also practice in drawing and painting. For those of you who did the symbols quickly, and also for those who can do the work when they get around to it, I am going to give another part to the Cabalistic Cross exercise. Look at the drawing of the two stars accompanying this lesson, practice making this star on a piece of paper and then practice making it in the Air in front of you. Use your right hand. There are two starting points, depending on whether it is morning or night. In the morning, when you arise, make the star starting from the top point, come down to your left hip (approximately), cross over to the right side, then to you (left side, then down to your left hip, and then back to the top, completing the star. This is for the morning. At night, make the star by starting at the lower left-hand point and go up to the top and then around, as shown practice making this star in front of you, until you get the motions down perfect. Now, add this star to your ritual, which is called the Cabalistic Cross Ritual. Start by facing the East; make a star and complete it. Then turn to the South and repeat. Turn to the West and repeat, then turn to the North and repeat, and finish by turning to the East. Meditate, and get firmly fixed in your mind, that the "directions" you are facing, each in turn, are more than the "directions" of East, South, West, and North. THEY ARE THE "QUARTERS" OF THESE DIRECTIONS. In this case, "Quarters" means the spheres of Actions for our life-living movements. And, while they are related to the directions, the Quarters have a much wider sphere of Action, extending on through and into the Inner Planes. In lessons following, you are going to add to this ritual progressively, so give some meditative thought to each development as you go along. Actually, this ritual will be as important as any other practical "working" in the Occult that you will ever learn. As you study the lessons of this first course and the lessons of successive courses, you will learn to add to the ritual and you will learn to use the ritual itself for different purposes. Try to do the ritual every morning and evening in the way that you are being instructed, but never feel guilty if you miss occasionally. Your constant use of the ritual will slowly bring you into contact with Occult Forces, and will slowly transform your thinking so that you will be able to handle these Forces safely and constructively. In addition, your performance of the ritual will develop some very practical powers that you will utilise in all phases of your life and this, of course, is true of all your Occult work. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1. Write a paragraph giving your own interpretation of the inscription over the archway to the Temple of the Oracle at Delphi. 2.
What is the foundation of your success in the Physical Cosmos?
3. What danger? Is faced by people who instinctively, but without full knowledge, make use of knowledge about the Tattvas? How are you going to use them?
3
4. What are the "Quarters" you face in the Ritual? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1.
Make the drawings of the five Akasic Compounds as instructed.
2.
Learn, and practice every day, the Cabalistic Cross Ritual.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
Start Night Time Banishing Diagram A
Morning invoking
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Sixteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Again in Lesson Sixteen you will see that we are concerning ourselves mainly with the Tattvic symbols and the Forces they represent. You must give this study of the Tattvas more effort than anything else you have undertaken in Occult Study and Work previously. Review the Lesson on the Planetary Hours (The changing "tides" of the Tattvic Forces throughout the day and night,) review Lesson Ten showing how the Tattvic Molecule is made up, and review all your twenty-five symbol cards. In this lesson, and in the next four lessons, you will makeup Composite Symbols of the Tattvic Molecules described to you in Lesson Ten. In this lesson, you are again given an addition to the Cabalistic Cross Ritual. THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ADDITION! Be sure to devote a considerable effort to it. Keep up all your work, and you will soon be "over the hump" in your studies. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ***************** In the past lessons, you drew the single symbol for Akasa. Even though you drew one symbol at first, the other, double symbol was still that for Akasa. The "second" symbol, the "double" symbol, is the real one. You will recall that you drew similar symbols for the other Elemental Forces and that you were directed to do this because this was an introduction to the subject. From the Occult viewpoint, there is no symbol, no Elemental Forces symbol that is single. All Elemental Forces are "compounds" of one kind or another. The double Akasa symbol you drew is called Akasa of Akasa. This means that the symbol represents the ultimate of Akasa. This same situation is true of the other Four Elementary Forces, which you drew and painted. I might as well give you their names again here since you have made and painted then in the past few lessons. 1
Their names are Akasa of Akasa, Air of Air, Fire of Fire, Water of Water, and Earth of Earth. To repeat for your better understanding, the above names represent the names for the symbols, which are doubles of them selves and represent the ultimate Force shown by the symbol. They are the only Forces, symbols of Forces, which are "pure"; all the others are compounds. You can now really begin to understand that these Forces change one into another. The change is by means of increasing changes in weight, as you might say. Certainly Akasa of Akasa is "lighter" than Akasa of Earth. I will review some of the previous Knowledge in this lesson. A compound Tattvic symbol, then, is basically a combination of two Tattvas. As you have seen, a compound Tattvic symbol is a large Tattvic symbol with a smaller symbol on it. These symbols are used in Magical work, and when a compounded symbol is uses, it is called a "charged" symbol. I might add here that there is a corresponding "plane" for each of these charged symbols, a plane different from the other planes. All these things figure in later Magical Operations. I trust that you are having no trouble in making your symbol cards perfect. Please work on them and keep working until you have them quite perfect. Your later work in making Talismans will depend on your symbol-making abilities, of which these are the basics. If you do not get the colours quite perfect now, it won't matter too much in these learning-drawings. Later, however, you must get the proper colours for the proper symbols, and this will necessitate learning something about colours, their names, and to recognise them at all times. When that time comes, however, I hope to be able to supply you with an exact line of colours and shades, which I will have to find available somewhere and at the right prices then. We will now return to the ritual you are learning. By now, you should be facing the Elemental Quarters, each in turn, and making a Star, and then passing on to the next Quarter and making a Star, etc. The next work will be mostly practice, but try hard. Start by facing East. Make a Star. NOW WATCH YOURSELF VERY CLOSELY. STUDY YOURSELF HARD WHILE YOU PERFORM THE RITUAL. Repeat a number of times until you can feel of yourself while you are doing the Ritual. Shut your eyes while doing the Ritual and FEEL the DOING. How many of you know a little, or a lot, about Astrology? I must confess that when I was first studying the Occult, I was much taken by the prospects of solving all material questions and material troubles by Knowledge of the Astrological Forces AND THEIR APPLICATIONS TO DAILY LIFE-LIVING. Well, my early expectations were not fulfilled to any degree. I found that I could predict nothing with any degree of accuracy. Conversations with those of higher types (!) brought forth some grudging information that the Cosmic Forces were too vast to be pinned down to any one single individual or event, with any degree of accuracy. A HOROSCOPE, TO BE USEFUL, WOULD HAVE TO BE CAST IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: THE PERSONS HOROSCOPE, THE PERSONS PARENTS' HOROSCOPES, AND THE PERSON'S GRANDPARENTS' HOROSCOPES, ALL SIMULTANEOUSLY CAST AND SIMULTANEOUSLY PROGRESSED AND DELINEATED ALONG WITH THE HOROSCOPE OF THE CITY-TOWN-COUNTY-STATE AND NATIONS, I REPEAT, ALL AT ONCE. You can see this is a job, and even if you got a computer to do it, it still would have to be interpreted properly! You can get some general help from Astrology, but it is better b y far to build up your own personal Powers in such a way that you "lift yourself over" and avoid much of the ordinary trouble in life, and to do this is the object of this course.
2
I told you before about the Moon Sign Book and Calendar which are published by Llewellyn Publications. These two publications contain all the available assistance that you can get out of Astrology, and it is assistance that you can USE. Get a copy of each and glance at it every day. Try to time your actions and note the results. Later in this course, we will tackle the Astro-signs and their relation to the Elemental Forces, which is the only true relationship that exists between these two "Things." You were given a table previously in Lesson No. 10 which showed the composite make-up of each of the Elemental Forces. You will recall that each of the Elemental Forces was made up of, or consisted of; one-half of "itself' and one-eighth part of each of the other Four Forces which adds up, of course, to a complete one hundred or 100% whole. Now, in order to bring this valuable lesson home to your consciousness, you should make up - create these two composite symbols and colour them in their natural, proper colours. Some of these colours in these composite drawings are not going to be too easy to colour, and I'm sorry I cannot give you some samples to follow, but you really do not need a sample -just follow your own ideas and the lines (Remember that the guide lines shown in the sample drawings are in pencil and are erased when the ink is thoroughly dry.) Remember, the basic Elemental Force of each of the next five composite drawings is the main one-half of the basic Elemental Force involved therein and the others should be one-eighth, as you know. Sometimes, however, other proportions may vary. There is plenty of room for your own ideas as to the expression of your own creative personality in the colouring of these symbols. If you wish you can colour the main symbols and leave the space between the edge of the symbol and the edge of the 4 x 4 card blank - white, or you can paint of in the complementary colour of the main colour. Do what seems desirable to you follow your own ideas. The first drawing will be that of Akasha or Akasa (different people spell it in different ways). I suggest that you start by making a good outlined 4 x 4 card. Set up the pencil guidelines. Make your Elemental Earth square first and then "work out" from there. Here is an example of what I mean by using your own ingenuity - if you want to paint the upper part of the moon crescent black, then this will not leave much for the Elemental Force of Earth only the four corners will be showing; if you leave out the black upper top, then more Earth will show. So, as I said, use your own judgement, which do you like best? This is the way the different Elemental Forces appeal to and affect you. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
Why do we say that there is no Elemental Force Symbol that is single?
2. Name all 25 Tattvic symbols and indicate which ones are "pure" and which are compounds. 3.
What is a "charged" symbol? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES
1. Practice the now expanded Cabalistic Cross Ritual. Get that "feel" of yourself doing the Ritual.
3
2.
Draw the Composite Symbol for Akasa as instructed. SUGGESTED READING
THE MAGICIAN, HIS TRAINING AND WORK, by W. E. Butler.. This is an excellent book to read about magical training - with much valuable material on the Tattvic Tides. The Body of Light, Building of the Ritual, the Magical Use of Sound, the Astral Light, the Flashing Colours, and the general background preparation for magical work. This is a good book to use fro reference, but the reader must also keep in mind that the author allows certain of his prejudices and personal attitudes to be reflected in his remarks. (But - this is true of a great many books, and probably more true about books on the Occult than any other field, and hence should not deter one from using them judiciously,)
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Seventeen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In Lessen-Seventeen, you are going to make the Composite Symbol for Air. You are also given an example, the automobile, of how you should analyse objects to reveal the Elemental Forces at work. Do this for other objects. Try to become conscious of the Forces at work - in their combinations - in the objects and conditions around you. Try to become conscious of the Forces at work - in their combinations - in the moods and character of people around you. Learn to think in the "Tattvic" way. Try to apply this thinking to making improvements in things and conditions around you. This is the method of the Occultists. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* In this lesson, you will draw and paint the Composite Symbol of the Element of Air. You see, as I explained before, all the Elemental Forces change into each other back and forth. Also, all the forces come from Akasa and return to Akasa, Air, Fire, Water, Earth, and also this order in reverse. Please give it some study. These changes are, in a strong sense, automatic, and are taking place constantly all the "time." Of course, on the Inner Planes they change rapidly but "slow" up by the time they reach this "outer" plane.
1
At this point, I would like to introduce a concept for you to mediate on. I will do a little more than introduce the subject now, but please give it your best attention. I told you before that the Tattvas were "in" every thing, ruled every thing, and all physical objects in final physical existence were the result of Tattvic Forces. Let us proceed with this conception a bit further. Let us take a final object/product, which exists on the Physical Plane and with which we are all familiar. Let us take an automobile, a large sedan of no particular make. Now the thing you should notice is that, as the automobile is in "final" EXISTENCE, IT HAS, a "square" shape, and square is the "shape" of the Elemental Force of Earth. Think, in your mind, of how many of the "final objects" on this Physical Plane are square. Are not most buildings and houses square? The desk I am working at is oblong/square, and it is certainly at "rest" here 0 "final. So, therefore, the basic shape of the sedan is square, which square-ness is due to the influence of the Element of Earth, the symbol of its "final" "resting" on the Physical Plane. Now, although the basic shape of the sedan is symbolic of its final being on the physical Plane, the - also basic - object of the Sedan's existence is movement - move-ability; and now you know that move-ability of the characteristic function of the Element of Air, which is symbolised by a "round" circle. Accordingly, check over the "things" "parts" on, and of, an automobile which pertain to MOVEMENT, of the basic square. The wheels are, of course, round, as are the tires, the rims, etc. Consider also the shafts, axles, and gears. They all pertain to and are creators/conductors of movement. Thus, the functions of Air and Earth are dearly seen in the movement/operation of the automobile. The function-operation of Fire and Water are not so clear, however, especially the function of Water. The symbol of Fire is a triangle. When Fire and Air are combined, the shape becomes a cone-shape (Remember the combinations of the Tattvas.) As Fire does not contribute too much to the shape of the Sedan (You figure out the reason.) you will have to look for it in the "workings" of the engine, and then look for it in the "effects" Fire would-does-have. The place Fire functions in the Sedan is in the engine and, more particularly, in the cylinders and against the pistons. These show no signs, when new, of being cone-shaped; however, upon long usage, the cylinders become "cone-shaped," or tapered, as they call it, which tapering is an effect/shape of Fire, as I said. Also, it was found many years ago that the pistons would function much better if they were designed in a rather cone-shaped pattern so that the lower part could expand when heated, thus giving the pistons a rather cone-tapered shape, not pronounced, but still there. The function of the contracting quality of Water is also not so plain, nor is it very strong. Water is used in the operation of the Sedan, however, as you know. The fuel of the car is a waterlike substance in which the principle of condensation has already taken place. My desk is a square oblong and has no moveable function. Its only function is to be stable. The Sedan referred to, was square, but it was intended for moving, and so one can note the many rounded parts on the edges of the body, which are of the influence of the Element of Air. We will return to this subject again and again, but for now, you start to look at and study the Physical World about, you, noting the, ‘Outward Effect’ of the, ‘Inward Forces,’ upon the objects of the Physical World. You will find many objects,, which will not conform to the Tattvas. Remember, I told you that Man had many powers, and among these powers was that of modifying the Tattvas in many/all ways. You should strive to act, however, in accordance with the properties of the Tattvas and not against them. For example, it would be senseless; it seems, to make a cone-shaped automobile or a round one. And yet, many of the world's greatest inventions and designs are now modifications and combinations of different Tattvas.
2
So, really, you can't lay down any hard and exact rule on it. Continue the/your work on the ritual which I gave you the last time. Learn it so well that you can perform it without stopping to think what comes next. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1. Give the order of change for the Elemental Forces. 2. What is the basic shape of most things on this Physical Plane? 3. What is the basic shape of things that are moveable? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. 2. 3.
Make the Composite Symbol for Air. Try to pick out some object and describe its parts and functions in terms of the Elemental Forces, just as the example of an automobile was used in the lessons. Continue practising the Cabalistic Cross Ritual as given in the last lesson. SUGGESTED READING
“THE POWER OF SPEAKING THINGS AND CONDITIONS INTO EXISTENCE,” by Ophiel.
This is number 5 of the first series of Sealed Lessons in Occult Power. Everything in the Universe has two sides, and in seeking to create the kind of things and conditions you desire, you also create the very situation, which takes them away from you unless you learn the secret of, “BINDING” the action you don't want so that you can keep your gains.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
3
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Eighteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Lesson Eighteen is again one of the more important of your lessons in this First Correspondence Course of Occult Knowledge. Be sure you do the practices described! All your lessons are, of course, important and when we say that one is "more important" we mean only relatively so, for all the lessons taken together form a, PSYCHOLOGICAL INNER WHOLE. But you must constantly remember that you are wasting your own resources and potential if you do not follow the instructions and undertake the various practices called for. Occult growth does not come through mere reading! Nor does Human Growth (Your development of the inner evolutionary potential of humanness.) come only through good intentions sometimes vaguely described as "love." You must act! You must complete the life-role your Inner Self has assigned to you on this Physical Plane as well as on the Inner Planes. You are a WHOLE BEING, extending from the Physical Body through to your "spiritual" nature and you must learn to live your life as an integral whole. That too is part of the Occult! Keep up your good work, and remember that you are now two/thirds of the way through to your first goal completing this Course you will soon want to start reviewing and getting ready to send in all your answers. And, there will be a final, rather comprehensive examination! Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* 1
In this lesson, we will return to the Ritual. Some of you may have previously acquired my little lesson called, ‘HOW TO CREATE A FAMILIAR TO HELP YOU THROUGH LIFE,’ or, you may have acquired it since you started these lessons. At any rate, some of the work is going to be repetitive, but do it all again as you can never get too much practice on Occult Work. Also, in these lessons we are going to expand that FAMILIAR work in another way/manner. At this point in your ritual work you are facing each of the Elemental Quarters in turn and making the sign of the five-pointed Star, making the Star differently in the morning and in the evening, as indicated before. The morning Star is considered an invoking sign and the evening Star is considered the banishing sign. Later, we hope to expand these signs in other ways. Now you can add the following new motions to your ritual: make a cross by touching your forehead with the fingers of your right hand, then touch your breast, then your right shoulder, and then your left shoulder. This "Cross" is called the Cabalistic Cross. Now this, Cross, is not a "Calvary" Cross, which is a cross in which, the vertical line is longer than the horizontal line. In the, Cross you will make, the lines are equal. When the further study of the Tree of Life is resumed in these lessons I expect to go into the reason for this Cross very exhaustively, but for now, let us say that the vertical line represents NOW-NESS - the horizontal line represents (You facing it) the right side - THE PAST - and the left side - THE FUTURE. - Please do a little meditative work on this. In the Ritual, your making of this, Cross is a sort of salute to your present existence and an acknowledgement of your present situation combined with a resolve to conquer the conditions represented by this symbol! While making the, Cross, say the following words and learn then so well that you can always repeat them without hesitation. The words are - Thou Art - touching the forehead; - The Kingdom - touching the breast; and - The Power - touching the right shoulder; and The Glory - touching the left shoulder; and then clasping the two hands together in front of you, For ever and ever, Amen. - Later you will learn these words in another language and will hum or sing them, which is called "vibrating" them. So now your ritual becomes the following: start by facing the East - Make the Cross. Say "Thou Art - the Kingdom - The Power, and the Glory - Amen. Do this while making the Cross. Then proceed around the Circle of the four Elements, making the five-pointed star at each Quarter. Come back to the East and repeat the Cabalistic Cross exercise, finishing with Amen. (Aum.) We will now start a new line of work, which is connected with the Ritual. Start by looking at your right hand! Look at your hand as if you had never seen it before. (We may use this technique again so master it this time.) Look and study your hand. Do this for three days for three or four minutes at a time but don't force your eyesight, no strain. After three days of this, use your left hand in the viewing. After three more days, start the following exercises. Look at each hand in turn, and while looking, first bend the thumb over the palm of your hand and say - at the same time - Thumb! Then, bend down the first finger to the palm of the hand and say first finger; then bend down the second finger and say - second finger; and then do the same for the third and then the little finger. Then reverse this process, starting with the little finger - lifting it up and saying "little finger," and then the third finger, and so on down to the thumb. Repeat this with both hands many times. After six days of these exercises, you should be able to shut your eyes and recall to your memory the image of your hands!!
2
Now, shut your eyes, recalling the images of your hands, or one hand at a time, repeat the statements and PERFORM THE FINGER MOVEMENTS WITH THE INNER PLANE IMAGE FINGERS, ALSO SAYING THE MOVEMENT DIRECTIONS. Vary the exercise now - do it with the Physical Hands alone - do it with the physical hands and the image hands together - do it with the image hands alone. After you have become proficient in the handwork, you should start to do the same for the rest of your body. If you can visualise a body and make it work by looking at your self in a mirror, then do it that way. At any rate, you know what I mean so, proceed to build up as complete an inner image as you can by whatever method which is best suited to and for you. This image which you have built up on the Inner Etheric Plane can, with further work, become your Familiar which can be trained to do many kinds of Inner Plane work for you - work which can lead to effects on the outer plane. These effects are called Magic. The first immediate work you will do is to use your image hands to assist you in the ritual. Put a chair in the middle of the room and seat yourself in it facing East. Then arise and perform the Ritual physically. Then, seat yourself, close your eyes, and BRING UP THE BEST INNER PLANE IMAGE YOU CAN AND WATCH THE INNER PLANE IMAGE PERFORM THE RITUAL. "Stand" behind the image as "it" performs the Ritual and follow it around. Keep this practice up and vary the combinations as much as you feel like doing. All of your achievements along these Inner Plane lines depend in your practice. You cannot remember when you were a baby and couldn't use your body at all well, but the only way you gained control over your body was to use/practice, and you will have to repeat the same process here. In this lesson, you will do the next of the Elemental Forces Compounds - those of the Element of Fire. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
What is it you are doing when making the Cabalistic Cross? 2.
3.
What are you actually doing when you study your body in the way described in this lesson? What is the definition of Magic you can give based on this lesson?
4. Why must you actually do the practices in building your Inner Plane achievements, instead of just reading about them? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Mediate, as instructed, on the Cabalistic Cross - the vertical line representing NOW-NESS, and the horizontal line to the right Tf1E PAST, and to the left, THE FUTURE. 2.
Build up an Inner Image, a Familiar, as instructed.
3
SUGGESTED READING 1.
“HOW TO CREATE A FAMILIAR TO HELP YOU THROUGH LIFE,” by Ophiel.
2. PSYCHIC SELF-DEFENCE, by Dion Fortune. Here is one of the few books available with practical instructions for the detections of psychic attacks and defences against them. Of greater importance to the student, however, is the understanding of some of the practical workings on the Inner Planes that he can gain through the study of this book, including the projections of the Etheric Body, the making of artificial elementals, the psychic side of sexual union, etc.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Nineteen ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Again in this lesson -nineteen, your primary work is to expand the Ritual. By this time, you will be gaining an instinctive understanding of the use of ritual, and you will certainly enjoy doing it. Ritual Magick is both a system of Inner Development and a system of psychological growth and integration. In other words, like a great many things you do, it has various levels of "reality," and one of the things you have learned is to look for these different levels "behind the scenes." No ritual is ever "empty." Sometimes we may run across certain groups who perform rituals without any awareness of their inner meaning, but this is a condemnation of the "authority " of that group which teaches a practice without revealing its meaning, and not a condemnation of the use of ritual. You will make your ritual alive because you start with knowledge about the Inner Planes, and y o u are - in the last lesson - building the ritual on the Inner Planes as well as on the physical. Remember to try and become conscious of the inner side of other physical actions too, and you will begin to make all of your life more alive.
Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER ******************* 1
I am constantly asked about books, and, contrary to what is said by "teachers," you can and do learn "Occult" through books. Also, strictly speaking, books are the only real teachers there are. There are no "masters!" (At least not masters who will teach you.) In the next to the last lesson in this series of 24, I will give a list of books and describe the general information and ideas to be gotten from them. Also, I might as well announce that in the last lesson of this first series of 24 lessons, I will describe an Occult Society I am starting for your benefit. For this Lesson, we will now continue with the addition/development of the Ritual. You can add the following Hebrew words to use interchangeably with the English ones I gave you before. Use on to start and one to close the exercise and use your own ideas of which one you want to use for which times. Touch the forehead as say "Ator." Touch the lower chest and say "Malkuth." Touch the right shoulder and say "Ve-Geburah." Touch the left shoulder and say "Ve-Gedulah." Clasping the hands together in front of you say "Le-Olahm." Much nonsense has been written about how to vibrate these words. There seems to be some kind of an idea, fostered by "teachers," that unless these, and other words, are vibrated, spoken, or pronounced in one certain way, they will not "work." This is not true, The words "work" no matter how you say, pronounce, or sing them, and, in fact, how you say, pronounce, or sing them depends on you and your individual personality entirely. Don't forget to make the proper star according to the time of day or night. You make the invoking star in the morning when you exercise after you arise. And, you make the banishing star when you do the exercise at night upon retiring. Next you will add four more names to the Ritual. They are: for East - Y.H.V.H., pronounced "Yod-heh-Vav-heh"; for the South - A.D.N.I., "Ah-don-nai"; for West - A.H.I.H., "Ehhe-yeh"; and for the North - A.G.L.A., "Ah-gal-ah." Hum, sing/vibrate these names as suits your personality and wishes/inclinations. Some people of one type of personality prefer it one way and some another. So, find out definitely which you instinctively prefer and use that way. Also, don't be hide-bound. If you feel an inclination to change some time, then do so. Now there is another addition you can make at this time. Pour out a few teaspoons of subbing alcohol into a saucer. Have the room dark or do this at night. Light the alcohol. The alcohol should burn with a light blue flame, which should waver and flicker. Study this blue flame and look at it closely until you can reproduce the blue flame exactly in your visual memory, recalling it perfectly. Do the best you can on this. If your recall is not 100%, don't give up. No one's recall is 100% perfect. Also, get yourself a real steel dagger, or look at one in a museum, or look at a picture of one, and look at it until you also recall the image rather easily .Now, combine these three things and add then to the ritual as follows: take your steel dagger in your right hand, or your left hand if you are left-handed, and visualise the dagger outlined in the blue flames. (Of course, you are visualising the dagger itself as well as the blue flame.) Turn to the East and make the appropriate star for the time of day. Visualise this star outlined in Blue Flame. Holding the dagger point out in front of you, pass around to the South Quarter. The part of the circle thus passed is to be outlined in Blue Flame also. Make the South Quarter star and proceed around the circle to the other Quarters and complete the circle. Upon completion, you should have a circle in Blue Flame and four flaming stars, one at each Quarter. Practice this flame circle for a while before proceeding. When you have the previous actions and material down perfect, and then add the following. Take the names you have learned for the Quarters as I gave you previously, and then add them to the Ritual this way. After you trace the flaming star for the East Quarter, then stab the Star in the centre and say "Yod-heh-Vav-heh," as previously instructed.
2
Proceed around to the South. Make and stab the Flaming Star and speak the word, "Ahdon-nai." Proceed around to the West with the Blue Flame Circle, make the Flame Star, and stab it in the centre saying, "Eh-he-yeh." Proceed on around thee the Quarter of the North. Make the Flame Circle and Flame Star. Stab the Star and say, "Al-gal-ah," and so to the starting East. Now add the following: When you reach the starting point again, extend the arms in the form of a cross and say the following: "Before me is Raphiel, Behind me is Gabriel, On my right hand is Michael, and on my left hand is Auriel. Before me flames the Pentagram and behind me shines the Six-Rayed Star." Repeat the Cabalistic Cross. Practice the above. Since I first found this Occult exercise, I have discovered that the way to master its use so that it is of greater value to you is to develop its use gradually instead of starting out full-fledged with the full Ritual. By developing this, Ritual several steps at a time, you develop the use and effects and the benefits of it better. Regarding the compound/composite symbol you are to make for this lesson, you will note that the Water symbol is a little different. I made it this way to show you this particular method. When you paint the Water symbol, you can paint the upper part of the Moon - the concave section - (Indicated by the broken line on the diagram) - black, and the lower part white, or, you can leave it white - as you prefer. Remember that many of the Symbols are not necessarily perfect, as you have been doing them. Many have been distorted by being in combination with other Forces as we discussed before. So, you must learn to recognise the basics by their general form and shapes. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1. What is the "truth" about the question of how you are to "vibrate" the Hebrew words? 2. Ophiel says, in this lesson, that it is better to learn a ritual gradually rather than starting with the full ritual. Why do you think this is so? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES 1. Learn the Hebrew words, and say them until you find a way of pronouncing them that pleases you. 2. Practice making the Circle and Stars in the visualised blue flame until you master it. 3.
Practice the Complete Ritual with all the additions given to date.
4.
Make the Composite symbol for Water. SUGGESTED READING
APPRENTICED TO MAGIC, by W. E. Butler. This book is written as an introduction to Magick for the student. It outlines the kind of training that you undertake and clears away many misconceptions about yoga, meditation, and the subjective world. Of course, you are undertaking your own training with the Gnostic Institute, but your reading of this book will increase your general background of magical knowledge and understanding, and will prepare you psychologically for later work. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* 3
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twenty ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In Lesson Twenty, we introduced you to the idea of using mythology as an aid, in gaining Occult Knowledge. For some of you that have had little or no acquaintance with the myths, this may seem quite strange. You must realise, however, that myths embody a great deal of wisdom about life, and the myth gods represent the Elemental Forces in various manifestations. By studying the gods in the various mythologies (Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Aztec, etc.) you are learning about, and coming into contact with, certain aspects of the Elemental Forces at work. Mythology and Folklore contain a great continuing wisdom of mankind, but the key to their interpretation is to meditate on how the Elemental Forces- are being portrayed. Mythology is then rather like algebra, each story is a formula showing the Forces acting in a particular kind of situation. You must bring your imagination into play here, and you must relate your study to the Tree of Life, but you must also gain some real background in the myths. We recommend one book in particular as a source book – THE CLASSIC MYTHS IN ENGLISH LITERATURE AND ART, by Charles Mills Gayley, and urge you to consider this as a part of your most fundamental Occult Library. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER *******************
1
As we approach the end of these series of twenty-four lessons in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge, I am struck by the diversity of the vast amount of material available on the subject of the Occult, and how little actual practical use is made of it. I am also struck by the strange fact that Occult practices parallel human life practices to a tremendous extent. What difference, for instance, is there between concentration on your job and concentration on an Occult Magic Practice? In both cases, whether you are aware of it or not, you are using the inner Planes at the same time that you are using the Outer Plane. The/any action on the Physical Plane goes right on back up the Inner Planes to the single source of all "actions" and " things." In most all cases and actions in our lives, this Inner Plane action is automatic, and, in a broad basic sense, we can do very little to alter the basic-basic structure of our life/lives. Let me take a rather simple example, or maybe two of them. Let us take libraries and books. Now, the indisputable fact is - that BOOKS - exist. Books exist on the Physical Plane. Therefore, books exist in the Inner Planes. The Physical Plane book you know about. Physical Plane books are made of Physical Plane Materials, which are drawn from all sources. And, you know what Physical Plane books are like. Now, consider the existence of books on the plane "next" above the Physical Plane, which is called, as you know, the Etheric Plane. (In the last lesson of this series I will give you the name of a book that deals with the subject of the Etheric Plane.) (Etheric Plane continuations of Physical Plane objects are called counter-parts.) Book counterparts on the Etheric Plane look very much like Physical Plane books. If you will follow the directions as given in my book, “THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION,” you may be able to develop a degree of Etheric sight and projection ability. If you succeed in developing some Inner Plane sight and projections, you can "examine" books on the Etheric Plane. By your examination you will find, as soon as you are used to this type of work, that, upon "first sight" some Etheric Plane books look very much like Physical Plane books. Closer examination will show, however, THAT ETHERIC PLANE "BOOKS" ARE COMPOSED OF NUMBERLESS TINY POINTS OF MANY DIFFERENT COLOURED "LIGHTS." Still closer examination will show that these coloured lights are gently moving and "flowing"; perhaps "pulsating," would be a more correct word. If the tiny points of pulsating-flowing lights are examined still more closely, it will be found that a majority of the lights are of one definite colour. The major definite colour is the colour of the basic Force which "rules," in this case, books. Any other object, which we may be considering will have as its major colour the colour of the Force which "rules" that object, that particular object. he other colours which will be found in the Etheric duplicate of the/a physical plane book are the basic colours of the "rulers" OF THE OTHER BASIC MATERIALS WHICH MAKE UP THE REST OF THE PHYSICAL BOOK. To be sure you understand this fully, I will go over it again in a slightly different way. I want you to understand this thoroughly, because much, if not all, of your - and the world's – activity, follows this line. And, once you understand these basic things, you can move, and adjust your life, so that you can work yourself "into" it, to your advantage. An "object" (In this case a book,) exists upon the Physical Plane. Its/the book's Physical Plane existence consists of the material existence of a large number of Physical Plane Materials mixed together. In this case, the mixture includes Paper, Ink and Thread, Colours for the inks, Glue, and other things, such as chemicals in the paper and inks, etc., in decreasing numbers and amounts. The basic material of each of the book's physical components/elements has a "Ruler" "behind" it, which "Ruler" makes the laws that "govern" the object/material. (See the differences between "rule?" and "govern?")
2
It occurs to me now, as a matter of fact, that, while I said before that you would have to penetrate into the Etheric Plane with your consciousness in order to detect the "points" of Light/Colours which I described above, I also remember that sometimes you can hold an object in the bright sunlight and see that its surface is composed of many points of colours; this can be seen if you look hard at the surface and turn it from side to side. Well, to proceed, the object on the Etheric Plane (called the counterpart), upon Etheric sight/examination, consists of countless tiny points of coloured lights with one predominating colour, this colour being the colour of the main Force which rules the object itself. The other colours are the colours of the rulers of the rest of the materials of the book, according to their proportions in the book: To continue. If the Etheric counterpart examinations continued "up" into the next plane the lower Astral, you will find the colours becoming brighter and brighter, and the "form" of the book will become less and less, but this will be an "emotion" of books. When you reach the Mental Plane, you will find no forms at all, but only colours. This then is roughly the process of the Inner Plane "back upwards" to the beginnings of an object. So, again I suggest to you that you study the life process and find a way to enter into it. "How?" you ask. What suggests itself to you? To get back to our example of the book, what Inner Plane Power rules books? Hermes (Mercury) does. Hermes rules books and, naturally, libraries. So then, if you are connected with the business of books, or writing, you should spend a long period of time becoming acquainted, or becoming in "tune," with Hermes (Mercury.) You should find out all you can about "him," starting with Greek mythology. You should find out all about his symbols, sigels, talismans, stones, colours, and everything connected with him. You should build a small altar to him painted in his colours and burn his incense upon it. This plan given for Mercury above is a model for all other objects you deal with in life. Whenever you are deeply connected with an object, or class of objects, you should organise your Inner Plane contacts with the object just as you do your Physical Plane contact. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1.
What is the difference between "rule" and "govern" as used in this lesson?
2.
In Greek mythology, what role did Hermes play? How does this relate to books?
3.
What is a, ‘sigel?’ (Look it up in the dictionary.) Save your answers until asked for them
PRACTICES 1. Attempt to see the Etheric Plane Counterpart of a common Physical object in the way described in Ophiel's, “ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION,” and describe what you experience. Also attempt the Astral and Mental Planes. Try it, even if you don't feel that you are going to be successful, and describe your experiences even if you don't feel that you were successful. 3
2. Make the composite symbof for Earth. SUGGESTED READING MAGIC AND THE QABALAH, by W. E. Butler. This book describes how the Occult student makes with the inner side of things, and how he can gain Occult Knowledge in direct contact through the psychic faculties and the use of the Qabalah as a method of gaining knowledge. It is of particular value in your study of the Qabalah for its chapters on the Four Worlds, Adam Kadmon, and the Veils behind Kether. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twenty-one ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, In Lesson Twenty-One you will complete the Ritual with its final additions as far as this course work goes. You will also complete your Symbol work for this First Correspondence Course in the Fundamental of Occult Knowledge. As mentioned in the lesson, the final COMPLETE SYMBOL is a summation of all your symbol work so far, and you should look upon it as such. Instead of drawing it on a 4" x 4" card, as you have done with the other Symbols, make it on something larger as large as you feel inclined. It is a summation of your work, so be guided by your feelings on the matter. Often times, Occult students are concerned to know if they are doing something exactly right. Your lessons will give you general directions, but when it comes to something specific and you feel that the directions are uncertain, you can safely trust your feelings. Ask yourself, 'Does it FEEL right?" Your feelings here are Inner Plane contacts, and at the same time they are individually you. In following your feelings in situations like this, you are individualising your Occult work for your present need and situation. Sincerely,
THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE.
********************* END OF LETTER *******************
1
In this lesson we will complete the Ritual. I will go through the complete Ritual as it should be done, and you note where you pick up new material. Start the Ritual by facing East. Make an equal-armed Cross and say the words, either in Hebrew or in English or both; or you can use one for starting and one for closing, if you like. Say, "Thou Art," (Ator) touching the forehead; "the Kingdom," (Malkuth), touching the breast; and the Power," (Ve-Gevurah) touching the right shoulder; "and the Glory," (Ve-Gedulah) touching the left shoulder; then clasping the hands and fingers together in front of you say, (Le-Olahm.) "Forever-Amen." Most of the above you have been doing up to now, and also the first of what follows next making the stars around a circle of blue flame, etc. The, ‘Four Winds.’ Ophiel did the concept, of the ‘Four Winds’ and their introduction into the Ritual. The Four Winds are the, “Vehicles,” of the Forces of the Four Quarters, the Four Elemental Quarters. A long time ago, I remember reading in some Occult literature where the Elemental Forces were referred to as "The Four Vital Airs. " You will recall that the Element Air, symbolises movement-move-ability. When any one of the Elemental Forces functions (‘Moves?’) it partakes of the nature of, ‘Air.’ In fact, for any Elemental Force to function, it would have to partake of some degree of Air's movability. So, get out your compound cards and see which of the 25 cards you made and painted has this feature on them, a compound symbol with movability as a part of it. You found them. Naturally, the Four Cards are (leaving out Akasha, which, as I said before, does not figure in "ordinary" operations, but is always in the background) Air of Air, Air of Fire, Air of Water, and Air of Earth. Do you begin to see now some ideas behind Occult Magic Practices? All things, physical things, are made up of the Elemental Tattvic Forces, and there is nothing else in the Physical Cosmos. However, now you can see somewhat clearly that these Elemental Forces must and do not change into each other, and they also change back and forth into and of each other - in and out. (The close to understanding this fully is in your 25 compound cards, so study them again, very carefully. Again, however, although the Elemental Forces do actually change into each other, those changes are not so clearly seen with the physical eyes. The changes shown by - made up of Combinations of Elemental Forces are quite clear and plain. For example, take the Combination Air of Earth. It occurs to me that this combination might be a hard one to understand, to comprehend easily, as Air being moveable and Earth being not moveable certainly presents a contradiction, and enigma. So, an example occurred to me. Take an artillery shell, or even a bullet, to make it simpler. This bullet is certainly "earth" (Iron, real earth), and yet it moves. Now, you notice the shape of the bullet. The shape is clearly round (cylindrical). So here is Air and Earth qualities combined! Also notice that the bullet is cone-triangle shaped, which hints of the Firepower, which propels the bullet. Please ponder over the above until you understand it fully. It is very important. Hence, we must proceed, even though a clear expostulation of the above would take a hundred books. Therefore, for the above reasons, I put the Invocation of the Four Winds into the Ritual where it so clearly belongs. Now you are facing East, and you have made the Blue Flame Star. Proceed to enlarge the Star, say to about 8 feet by 8 feet. The East is the Quarter of Elemental Air. (Does not the Sun "move" from East to West? At least, apparently?) Visualise a scene like this "inside" the Star. A beautiful dawn: Pink to rosy-red clouds. The name of the east Wind is Eurus (E-U-RUS), so call "him" (as if he we r e a person.) "Imagine" and "Feel" a "soft, cool" morning breeze coming from the clouds in the Star and passing over you, and THROUGH you.
2
Keep this up for a time, shorter at first, and then increasing it as you go on. After a time, finish with the East, and, after gently erasing it from your mind picture, continue, the Flame Circle of the Quarter of the South and make the Blue Flame Star. The South is the Quarter of Fire, and the name of the South Wind is NOTUS (NO-TUS) so call him! Enlarge the Flame Star and visualise in the Star the following scene. A tropical coral island: White-capped waves dashing on the coral reefs. On this low island, palm trees swaying in the wind. FEEL the warm to hot breath of NOTUS coming from the scene in the Star and let it pass through and through you. After a time, finish with the South Wind and erase the scene out gently! And continue the Flame Circle on around to the Quarter of the West. The West is the Quarter of Water and the name of the West Wind Force is Zephyrus (ZE-PH-ER-US). Call him. Make, and enlarge, the West Flame Star. Visualise and see inside the Flame Star a Waterfall pouring over a medium-high cliff onto the rocks at the base. From these rocks arises a mist - clouds of mist full of rainbows. Picture the water, after it hits the base of the falls, coming towards you AND POURING INTO YOU, FILLING YOU UP. When you feel filled, finish with the West Wind by gently erasing this mind picture. Now, continue the Flame Circle around to the North and make the "North" Star of flame. The name of the North Wind is BORUS, and "he" is the best-known Wind. So call Him! The North is the Quarter of the Element of Earth. All, the forces end in Earth, and all things return from Earth. It is the Quarter of the Element of Earth, which holds all the good things that are necessary for your happiness here on Earth. Therefore, after making and enlarging the Blue Flame Star of the North, visualise within it all of the material Things that you think you need to make you happy here on this Physical Earth. When you are through with this visualisation, erase it, and then turn to the Quarter of the East and close the Ritual exercise in the manner I taught you before. You now have completed the basic Cabalistic Cross Ritual, although you may make still more additions from time to time. Master it and practice it every day. Now, refer back to Lesson Eighteen where you started to do visualisation of your body. Keep up your practice on this, for we will make a very important addition to this work in the next lesson. You will now make your final Symbol, which competes your drawing work for this first course of lessons. This is the COMPLETE TATTVIC SYMBOL. It is the summation of all the symbol work you have done to date. Note that you will not make this painting on a 4" x 4" card as you have done with the others; rather, you should make it as large as you please. If you wish, and if you feel artistic enough, go ahead and make it into a large painting on canvass, and hang it - if you want - over your fireplace mantel or wherever else it will constantly remind you of your Occult Work. After making your outlines, colour the COMPLETE SYMBOL as follows: 1. Paint the outer Akasha section indigo. 2. Paint the next inner space Amber. 3. Paint the inside circle Blue. 4. Paint the triangle Red inside. 5. Leave the lower moon section white and paint the upper part Black. 6. Paint the inner square Yellow.
********************* END OF PAGE ********************* 3
QUESTIONS
1.
What are the Four Winds? What is their function?
Why do we leave Akasha out of our considerations? 3.
What is the basic idea behind Occult Magic Practices? Save your answers until asked for them PRACTICES
1. Enlarge and complete the Ritual with the Four Winds as instructed. Do this Ritual every day, if possible. Do it just physically first, and then do it in your imagination - just as you have done with previous additions to the Ritual. 2.
Make a COMPLETE TATTVIC SYMBOL as instructed. SUGGESTED READING “MAGICK IN THEORY AND PRACTICE,” by Aleister Crowley. This book is actually more famous than it is valuable, but it does have some rather good sections, and you should have enough basic Occult Knowledge now to pick out the worthwhile material from Crowley's sometimes egocentric, "ravings." In fact, if you keep a clear head while reading Crowley, you will have access to one of the most inspirational sources of modern Occult literature. Chapters include the Principles of Ritual, Evocation and Invocation, Magical Links, Clairvoyance, Body of Light. etc. Over 400 pgs.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twenty-two ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, We are coming to the end of your First Correspondence Course of Occult Knowledge, and are completing a few matters only before your final lesson and examination, Please realise that you are now entering a most critical phase in Occult Study and Work. First, if you haven't been doing all the practices prescribed in the lessons, you still, have a chance to catch up. Second, you will soon be faced with a decision as to going on to the Advanced Study and' Work with the Gnostic Institute, and becoming a member of the Gnostic Society for Self-Development. If you have studied and worked, there is probably no question that you will want to go on to the Advanced Study. Real Occult Interest cannot easily be satisfied with most of the material available outside an organised program of study and practice, and once your Occult Interest is awakened, it cannot be easily shut off. Please do your practices every day, and constantly review your past lessons. You will never regret having started on this Path if you keep to it, but you will regret having not kept to it if you don't keep to your work. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER *****************
1
I feel so guilty when I take up your lesson space, and time, not knowing what to put down for this lesson. Part of the trouble is that I have to keep this first Course up to Lesson No. 24, in the "beginning" category; the "foundations" category I really mean. Oh, I could write down here all kinds of "advanced" "stuff' which would make interesting reading - entertainment - for you - but how would, or could, you practice this "stuff'?” with so many missing links of knowledge! No, a very good job could be done with what you know up to now, but I want you to be perfect so be patient with me and take the steps I give you one at a time. Therefore, we will return again to an oft-mentioned phase, the ability of the Magician to Practice Basic Magic. (There are thousands of other phases, and we will get around to many of them in time. Fortunately, many of these phases differ only slightly from each other, and therefore one can often be deduced from another.) One of the basic Magic phases is the ability of the Magician to, FUNCTION ON OTHER PLANES BESIDES THE PHYSICAL PLANE. In the work I have given you so far, I begin to introduce this concept to you in parts of the Cabalistic Cross Ritual. You are now ready to make an attempt at this work, which goes considerably beyond what you have done before. You will recall that I gave you some work with your hands and then gave directions to extend this to as much of the rest of your body as you could do conveniently, and I trust that you did this or as much as you could do. If you didn't, then do it now. When you have reached some degree or perfection in this work, do the following. Perform the Cabalistic Cross Ritual from start to finish in your Physical Body. Now, get a chair and seat yourself off to one side of the centre of the room. I like the North West Corner but you choose the point that you like and use it. VISUALISE YOUR FORM IN THE CENTRE OF THE CIRCLE .SEE YOUR PROJECTED IMAGE OF YOURSELF STANDING THERE! (It is not YOU - yet!) Perform the entire Ritual with your visualised image. Do this many times. Finally the day can come when you can gently project yourself into the visualised Image. When you have done this, make a strong effort to function in this image body. Perform the Ritual many times this way. This method is called the Body of Light Method. That is, it partakes of the Method more than any other system. The difference consists of the fact that here I have collected several different techniques and merged them into a composite work. Now, after you have attained a degree of mastery over this type of projection, try variations of it. (I was going to start you out on symbols in the end of this first section, but I have been "told" to start first on some of the more simple, ordinary kinds.) Therefore, do the following, when you are set up for your Cabalistic Cross Ritual, when you visualise the scenes in the Four Stars, enlarge the Star still more and make an effort to step through the blazing Star and into the scene itself? For example - in the Star of the East, the scene is a Pink pre-dawn with a cluster of Wind Clouds, moving and tumbling about as the strong upper Winds push them about. Pass on through the Star and stand on a Cloud. Now, feel the cool winds about you. Make them pass through you. Also, go through the motions of breathing and absorbing the air of the Quarter of the East. Attempt to partake of the nature of the East air, which is "Airy." When you come to the Star of the South, pass through the Star and step down on the sun drenched Tropical Island. You should feel the hot wind blowing through and through you. Feel it. When you come to the Star of the West, step through the Star and stand on a rock at the base of the Falls. Feel the water pouring right through you. Feel the element of water, become wet through and through.
2
When you come to the Star of the North, you can follow the directions as given in the book, “THE ART AND PRACTICE OF ASTRAL PROJECTION,” or you can do as I said in these lessons, that is, see, in the Quarter of the North, the things, the physical Things, you want or need to make your physical life happy. All material things are in the North Quarter. The North Quarter is the end result of all the other Quarters. The above is one phase of the work you can do along the lines of planes other than the Physical Plane. There are many other endless ways and things you can do to bring results to you on the outer Physical Plane. You remember I told you that all Physical Things are duplicated on the Inner Planes. The older Occultists called these duplicates counterparts. The only difference between these older Occultists and you, in the matter of precise Occult Knowledge, is that they were bound by their limited knowledge to regard this Physical Plane as the ALL-important end, the cause of all things, whereas we know the Physical Plane to be the Effect of the Inner Plane causes. Now, when you, as practising Occultist, or as ordinary people not interested in the Occult, attempt to do something, you use the Inner Planes consciously or unconsciously, consciously if you are an Occultist and unconsciously otherwise, but use them you do. As an Occultist, though, you should use the Inner Plane knowledge consciously, and, in time, with much more power than the one who has no Inner Plane knowledge. Now, a million other factors enter here. There is a definite question of background, let us say luck. And, there are endless factors, which provide the background of solid security, from which advances can be made. If you do not have this natural background, you have to amass all of these endless factors yourself; this task is very hard to do in an ordinary lifetime for an ordinary person. I say to you however, that you can improve your life situation if you will accept normal limitations and take them in your stride. You have to make one step at a time in enlarging your "sphere of availability", which is your environment of life-material resources. More information on this building of your material foundations is found in my book, “THE ART AND PRACTICE OF GETTING MATERIAL THINGS THROUGH CREATIVE VISUALISATION.” However, practical Occultism can be defined as the conscious application of your Inner Plane Knowledge, and developing power, to all of the detail of your life situation. Live life consciously and fully, and with awareness of how today's actions relate to tomorrow, and you will be then relating not only your Physical Plane activities to your Inner Plane activities, but those of this life to all your future. ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS 1. Why does Ophiel refrain from writing about "advanced" Occult work in this first course? 2.
Do you feel that you have the "luck" background mentioned in this lesson?
3.
Are you beginning to use your Inner Plane knowledge consciously? Save your answers until asked for them
3
PRACTICES 1. Perform the Cabalistic Cross Ritual with your Projected Image, as instructed. 2.
"Step into" the scenes imagined in the Quarters. SUGGESTED READING
INITIATION INTO HERMETICS, by Fr. Bardon. An excellent and most complete reference work, for the real practice of magic: You can also use it as a valuable review of your entire study of the Foundations, and as background for your more advanced Course Work with the Gnostic Institute. Every phase of ceremonial magic is covered, including the making of Rites, projection of the elements, communication with one's Inner Self; mastery of the Akashic principle, the creation of Elementals, development of the Astral senses, making of a magic mirror, healing, making of talismans, etc. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
4
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twenty-three ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Twenty-Three in your Correspondence Course in the Foundations of Occult Knowledge. Included in the material of this lesson you will find a list of Occult books recommended by Ophiel. Many of these books have already been suggested to you, but we have given the entire list here as a rather minimum introductory library of Occultism. We will try to keep these books available, but many are in print only a relatively short while and then go out of print, perhaps being reprinted later. Sometimes you can find the out-of-print ones in second-hand bookstores. Some students are surprised to see any novels mentioned in our list of books, even Occult fiction. There are very few good Occult novels, but they are worth your attention, because even fiction is the presentation of Occult Facts and Laws in dramatic form, in other words, they are "case" examples of how these things work out in real life. You yourself should practice this. When you study, try to visualise how the things you are studying would work out in real life. Make up, in your imagination, a little play-let so you can see things in action. You should try this in everything you do. When you are considering some new action, try it out in your imagination and see how it goes. This is called "game theory," and is being used by large corporations, scientists, military people, etc., as "dry runs" of new ideas. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF PAGE *********************
1
In the last lesson of this 24-lesson series, I plan to explain about an Occult Society I am starting and maintaining, called the Gnostic Society for Self-Development. The society is to exist for your benefit and not for my benefit. The main object, beyond a doubt, of the existence of this society is to be, as I said, for the use and benefit of the members. The main Society benefit to be striven for is first to teach knowledge, Occult Knowledge, to the members so that, by the use of this knowledge, the members can benefit themselves to the fullest extent possible; also, wherever possible, the members are to lend positive support each to the other so as to help each other out in all ways, but more especially in magical ways wherever this is possible. I cannot go into more exact details here about the physical set-up of the Society. I will work this out and inform each of you in time. Several years ago when I first conceived the idea of a Society, or rather, when the idea of a Society was "given" to me (I was ordered to start thinking about the subject.), I was presented with some notes about this subject. As I read them over now, I am struck by their forcefulness and timeliness, so I have decided to reproduce them here in full. There are two distinct kinds of "Occult." One kind has to do with "development" of "Powers" of, and for, the refinement of your "soul" (Whatever that is.) Your advancement along a pathway which is supposed to lead "upward" and "onward" and so out of this world, etc. The other kind of "Occult" has all to do with the control and mastery of the Forces which rule, govern, and make up the Physical Plane, so much so, that the skilled Controller will have an easy time (!?) living, on this physical plane and can, presumptively, enjoy many of the "whisked" sensual pleasures as well.(But don't count on it, its not really worthwhile in the long, or short, run.) I trust you will, from now on, keep these two kinds of "Occults" definitely separated in your mind, and don't let then become confused together in any way. I mean that, from now on, when any and all kinds of Occult materials are presented to you for your study and consideration, you will be able to determine at once to which class it belongs - the "earth" kind of the "soul" kind. Part of the work of this course is to train you so that after you have taken it you should be able to look/examine as I said, all Occult stuff and quickly separate the two above kinds. It is amazing how the two kinds of Occult have become mixed up, even in the Church. To proceed, as there are two kinds of Occult, there are, of course, two kinds of Occult Students (all this is repetitive, but I want you to master the distinction.) There are those students who are looking for magical ways and means to better their Physical Lives here on the, Physical Plane, and there are those Occult Students who are looking for ways and means to better their "Spiritual" lives, (Again, whatever that is?) and to "escape" from this Physical Plane. In this course of 24 lessons, and in the courses to follow, I will not have much of the "spiritual" material to offer you for the following reasons. It appears to me, and has for some time, that the "road" to the Spiritual Heights lies through the lower reaches of the lower Earth first. In my opinion, the conquering of the Inner Planes must come, first, through the conquering of the outer planes. So, therefore, unless and until different directions "come down" from higher up, we will act accordingly learning how to conquer the Outer Physical Planes FIRST, and then, when this is well under way, turn our attention to the Spiritual Planes. So with that clearly understood and out of the way, we can proceed with information about the Society in the next lesson. Years ago, when I was starting out on my Occult Career Work, was working under the guidance of a poor windbag of a teacher, and, to this day, I cannot fathom what he was trying to teach me or find any system to his work.
2
As I knew nothing better then, I went along with his teaching directions, but I soon discovered Occult books and began to question him about them, and to ask questions about the material contained therein. Rather to my horror, he forbade me to read any Occult book, or even to read anything but his banal material, and then ensued my first rebellion, my first Occult rebellion. I would not give up the books! We parted company soon thereafter. I have since found that many "Occult Leaders" do not want their "followers" to acquire, read, and study Occult books, and the reasons are obvious. Although the Occult Leaders claim that Occult books contain no real Occult Knowledge that is not true. Occult books, of the right kind, contain vast amounts of Occult Knowledge, and, in fact, are the repositories of about all the Occult Knowledge there is and far exceed the capabilities of many teachers. I am going to give you a list of books in the order in which they should be read and studied. Remember there is one thing you must keep in mind at all times. In these books you are to look for descriptions of the Powers I told you about, which Powers constitute the Physical Plane in its entirety, and you are to note how these powers are described and handled. The first books you should get, and read, and study, and consume are: THE MOON SIGN BOOK and the STAR BOOK ASTROLOGICAL CALENDAR. The Forces I told you about are contained therein and are described fully. These Forces ebb and flow, and it is their ebb and flow that cause the flux of, and in, the affairs of the world. You cannot attain perfect control over these Forces so as to stay them in these courses, but you can learn some definite things about them, and once you learn about a Force, you know something about its nature and how to handle them/it and how not to be harmed by them or it. The whole matter is worked out far in advance, and all you need to so is to use some common sense in following the directions in these books. We will have more of this in a future series of lessons. The next book you can get is an old Occult stand-by, “THE HISTORY AND POWER OF MIND,” by Richard Ingales. Some material in this book is outdated, but it contains a lot of good ordinary stuff that you should read over once or twice. There is a book called, “THE SECRET SCIENCE BEHIND MIRACLES,” by Max Freedom Long. This book is valuable because it described the nature of the Astral Light, which it called "sticky," This book gave me more insight than ten other books did. The next two books were written by my friend Israel Regardie. Dr. Regardie now lives in Los Angeles and is a practising psychologist. The first book is, “THE ROMANCE OF METAPHYSICS.” I found this book most illuminating, and it should give you a great deal of insight into different kinds of Occult. The second book is, “THE ART OF TRUE HEALING.” This book contains a very profound system of healing which we will explain in the next series of lessons. The next books on the list are the books edited by Lt. Col. Arthur E. Powell. They are called THE ETHERIC DOUBLE, or the Etheric Body, THE ASTRAL BODY, THE MENTAL BODY, and THE CASUAL BODY. The first three books are extremely valuable for Occult Students, and I advise you to get them and keep then for research and study. The Occult writer Dion Fortune has written a number of books, which are among the best on the Caballa. She also wrote some Occult Novels, which must be taken with a grain of salt. They are useful for ideas. In the next series of lessons we will deal with and expand a selected amount of her material.
3
She could give out some common knowledge, but since she received most of the Occult Attainments through a society under oaths of secrecy, she really has-been much handicapped in trying to say something and yet giving out nothing she had sworn never to reveal. You can notice it all through her books. When you read Israel Regardie's book, “THE ROMANCE OF METAPHYSICS,” you will read a chapter on Neville. This chapter was written a long time ago. Since then, Neville has become quite well known over much of the country. He also lives in Los Angeles but is not available for public consultation the last I heard. You will find his books to be quite valuable, especially in their discussions of creative visualisations. Now we come to the last books on this list. There were originally four volumes of this set which was called THE GOLDEN DAWN. Only volumes Three and Four are available now, however, since the plates for volume one were destroyed in a fire and volume two is out of print. These books were edited by Israel Regardie and represent the/a collection of documents, which remained in his possession after the Golden Dawn Society blew up many years ago. You recall what I told you about Spiritual Growth versus Material-power Growth, These books propose to pertain to Spiritual Attainment. However, there are many parts that can be adapted to daily use for the development of your special Powers. We are reaching the end of the 24 lessons First Course. I hope you have not been disappointed. I hope you didn 't expect too much as I did at first. Power development is a slow process. It doesn't have to be slow, but many factors tend to make it that way, and one of the worst factors is impatience. Dion Fortune said, in one of her books, that Magical Operations failed for many people because of the lack of secret Charts, which never left the possession of Secret Societies, etc. She said these Charts concerned the ebb and flow of the Cosmic Forces, etc. Well, the secret charts are nothing more or less than the Astrological Forces and their set-up is, as I told you, all laid out in THE MOON SIGN BOOK. Keep working at the material, which you were given up to now in this course. Get the books in the list I gave you. Unite with the Society, which I will describe in your next lesson. Doing all these things should keep you in close touch with growing sources of Occult Knowledge. ******************** END OF PAGE ********************* QUESTIONS I.
Describe the two kinds of Occult. What is the basic purpose of the Gnostic Society for self-Development?
II.
What are the reasons for joining such a Society?
III.
For studying the Occult? What is meant by the "ebb and flow of the Cosmic Forces"?
Save your answers until asked for them
4
PRACTICES 1. Keep practising the Complete Cabalistic Cross Ritual, sometimes physically, sometimes visually. 2. Keep working on your Complete Tattvic Symbol drawing/painting, if you haven't already finished it. 3.
Keep up your review of this Course. SUGGESTED READING
1.
NOON SIGN BOOK and ASTROLOGICAL CALENDAR
2.
THE HISTORY AND POWER OF MIND by Richard Igalese
3.
THE SECRET SCIENCE BEHIND MIRACLES by Max Freedom Long.
4.
ROMANCE OF METAPHYSICS by Israel Regardie THE ART OF TRUE HEALING by Israel Regardie
5.
THE ETHERIC DOUBLE by A.E. Powell THE ASTRAL BODY, THE MENTAL BODY, And THE CASUAL BODY.
6.
APPLIED MAGIC by Dion Fortune and ASPECTS OF OCCULTISM.
******************** END OF PAGE *********************
5
Ophiel's
CORRESPONDENCE COURSE IN THE FOUNDATIONS OF OCCULT KNOWLEDGE First Course Copyright C 1967 by Edward C. Peach All rights reserved. No part of this course of lessons, in part or in whole, may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any other information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the holder of these rights, except for brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address the publisher. Lesson Twenty-four ********************* END OF PAGE ********************* Dear Student, Here is Lesson Twenty-Four, and with it you will have completed the Work and Study forming the basis for our First Correspondence Course in the Study of Occult Knowledge. Frankly there is not much in the way of Occult Study and Work in this final lesson. It is designed in part to encourage and enable you to finish your assigned Practices from previous lessons, and to review the entire Course of study in answering the Examination Questions. Now we want to answer right away one question that might occur to you, you do not have to take this Examination under any kind of supervision! It is not that kind of test. It is designed primarily for you to check yourself, and for us to help you in that check. In answering the questions you should feel free to refer to any part of the Course, or other reference books, or to your notes, although, frankly, everything you do need to refer to should be in your notebook by now. Also in Lesson Twenty-Four you will find a good deal of information about the Gnostic Society for Self-Development, and an application form for joining the Society if you wish. We hope you do, but we don't want you to think that you, ‘HAVE TO JOIN,’ in order to keep on with your Occult Work and Study, whether with Ophiel and the Gnostic Institute or independently. The Society is a convenience for you, and we hope you will benefit in many ways from association with other Occult Students and from the Society's Knowledge-Information and Group Work, but some of you will still prefer to work alone and independently. Try to send in your completed Examination at the end of two weeks, and allow us approximately two weeks to check over your work. We will then return to you all your answers and notify you as to whether we consider that you have successfully completed the Course. Sincerely, THE GNOSTIC INSTITUTE. ********************* END OF LETTER ******************* 1
Now that you have reached the end of this course and benefited there from, I sincerely hope, I would like to tell you about a project which has been held in abeyance for some time period. The project is the formation and maintenance of a True Occult Society - one based upon the Caballa System (a system that works!) First I would like to say that, at least in my own case, I dreamed of finding a powerful Occult Society of which I could become a member. This Society (and also Occult College) would have a powerful teaching staff and would have powerful courses in Occult Magic and would be already demonstrating, in all ways, the marvellous attainments possible through the Knowledge and Use of the Magic of Occult Forces, etc. Instead of the above dream, I found - Zero! Oh, I found a number of groups, organisations, here and in England, with names of various kinds, big sounding names, but back of them was NOTHING! Nothing spelled with a big N.' I cannot name these groups here as there are laws against that sort of thing, but if I had found a real genuine group that really put out POWER, I would surely have named them to you for your benefit. Most of the groups I found were old in years and members - practically moribund, already dead but who wouldn't lie down. Many of them owned real estate holdings, which they had purchased decades ago when land was very cheap, and this was all that was holding them up as aforesaid. Many of them had been founded by a more or less gifted person, but he or she died and left no successor to carry on Occult knowledge-power-use-developments further, and so the places grind slowly to a stand still, but keep up the appearance of life for a long time, as witness the many churches that have become mere shells and yet have large congregations. Thirty years ago, when I was starting on the Occult Path, the above discoveries greatly dismayed me, but being a Capricorn, and a mean one, I just never gave up and kept on looking, up to this day. However, I stand convinced now that if there is ever to be a good Occult Lodge, it will have to be started, and I propose to make this that start. Some groundwork has been done, and a few tenuous inner plane connections have been made, enough to get started on forming a Lodge. The present plans call for quite a different conception of a Lodge from the usual stuff heretofore set-up. The present plans call for just two grades, called circles, “The Outer Circle" and “The Inner Circle," In the Outer Circle, you are the All-in-All important centre. YOU DO ALL YOUR OWN WORK FOR YOUR OWN SELF-DEVELOPMENT. YOU DO EVERYTHING FOR YOURSELF AND, WHILE YOU ARE KIND TO OTHERS, YOU DO NOT GO OUT OF YOUR MARKED-OUT PATH TO HELP THEM. HOW CAN YOU HELP OTHERS UNTIL YOU CAN FIRST HELP YOURSELF? SO, THEREFORE, YOUR FIRST WORK WILL BE TO DEVELOP YOURSELF TO YOUR FULLEST CAPACITY, AND THAT WILL BE YOUR JOB IN THE OUTER CIRCLE AND NOTHING ELSE. Also in the Outer Circle, the higher-grade members will assist and teach the beginning members, thus greatly helping themselves by doing so, since the quickest way to learn anything for your self is to teach some knowledge to others. This is not a violation of the first principle/rule mentioned, that in the Outer Circle you help only yourself, because by teaching others, you will help yourself.
2
After you have attained enough proficiency in the Occult so that your personal life and possessions thereof are secure. THEN YOU CAN TURN YOUR ATTENTION TO HELPING OTHERS. We repeat, YOU CAN ONLY TURN TO HELPING OTHERS AFTER YOU HAVE REACHED YOUR OWN FULLEST POSSIBLE ATTAINMENT WHICH INCLUDES BASIC FINANCIAL ATTAINMENT AND SELF-SUFFICIENCY. It is hopes that this programme will attract earnest Occult Students who desire to participate in a balanced growth programme FOR THEMSELVES AND NOT JUST LISTEN TO SOME PERSON TELLING YOU HOW WONDERFUL HE IS AND WHAT GREAT POWERS HE HAS! As pointed out in the previous lesson, there are many Occult Students and Teachers who concern themselves with the "spiritual" and who seek to deny and escape from the Physical World. It should be obvious to you all by now that the real way to the Spiritual Heights is not by escaping from the Physical World but by CONQUERING it. You have to first FULFIL your physical lifedestiny, and, in the process, you are also fulfilling a Cosmic Plan relating to the effect your work in material things has on the Physical Plane Purpose. Now, in gaining mastery of the Physical, you are also building accomplishments on the Inner Planes, and, in your Occult study, you are learning to consciously use your Inner Self in Integration with your Physical life/work. The Outer Circle of the Gnostic Society for SelfDevelopment is open to all who meet a practical minimum of requirements. These requirements are automatically fulfilled, by those students who have successfully completed this first course in the Fundamental of Occult Knowledge: and who indicate a desire to participate in the Gnostic Programme. The main requirement boils down to a real basic desire to better yourself and to conquer the Material World through Knowledge and Power. The GNOSTIC devotes all his time and energy to understanding and developing his own personal Inner Self, and to the fulfilment of this True destiny and Obligations. Members of the Outer Circle do not concern them, selves with "helping" others or "Interfering" in their affairs, but rather recommend that the others pursue the same course that he is - so that they may learn to help themselves in all ways, which is truly the Royal Road. To join the Gnostic Society, complete your work on this First Course, answer the Examination Questions included with this lesson, and send these answers and the answers to the questions for the previous twenty-three lessons with your application for membership to the address given. Your answers will be returned to you along with notification of your acceptance and other information you will require as a GNOSTIC. You will be sent - from time to time - special rituals to perform as part of the Society-wide Inner Plane Work, and you will be expected to make every effort to participate in this work. From time to time, as the membership grows, you will be put into contact with other GNOSTICS in your community, Institute. Following the Course on Astral Projection is a Course on Clairvoyance that teaches the actual basis for Clairvoyance, the use of the Tree of Life and the Basic Elements in directing your Clairvoyant Work, and demonstrates its functioning in the many different forms we are all more or less familiar with. All the Courses offered by the Gnostic Institute are PRACTICAL, and all are part of a balanced programme of Occult Advancement. Following the above mentioned courses of study will be more specialised studies on certain forms of Clairvoyant work, on the Making and Use of Talismans, on the practical Occult use of Astrology, and still more specialised study.
********************* END OF PAGE *********************
3
EXAMINATION Note, the following questions cover the entire Course of 24 Lessons, and you are to send your answers, along with all the answers to the precious 23 lessons to: Each question requires at least a long paragraph to answer it. Please either prepare your answers on a typewriter or write very clearly. 1.
Name and describe the Elemental Forces and their compounds.
2. Using either classical ideas, or your own, give your personification of the seven gods and goddesses. 3. Why did the Roman Catholic Church make "saints" out of these planetary forces? 4.
Give correspondences from other religions and mythologies to these Forces. (Please note, the ‘remainder’ of these, ‘Lessons’ are not ‘here’ as I did not ‘receive’ them from the ‘person’ who ‘gave them’ to me.)
4
