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THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON
THE KING

IV.

THE CHAKKRAS

According to the Yoga,⁷⁹ there are two nerve-currents in {86} the spinal column called respectively Pingala and Ida, and between these is placed the Sushumnâ, an imaginary tube, at the lower extremity of which is situated the Kundalini (potential divine energy). Once the Kundalini is awakened it forces its way up the Sunshumnâ,⁸⁰ and, as it does so, its progresses is marked by wonderful visions and the acquisition of hitherto unknown powers.

The Sushumnâ is, as it were, the central pillar of the Tree of Life, and its six stages are known as the Six Chakkras.⁸¹ To these six is added a seventh; but this one, the Shasr?ra, lies altogether outside the human organism.

These six Chakkras are:

1. The Mûlâdhara-Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated between the lingam and the anus at the base of the Spinal Column. It is called the Adhar-Padma, or fundamental lotus, and it has four petals. "In the pericarp of the Adhar lotus there is the triangular beautiful yoni, hidden and kept secret in all the Tantras." In this yoni dwells the goddess Kundalini; she surrounds all the Nadis, and has three and a half coils. She catches her tail in her own mouth, and rests in the entrance of the Sushumnâ⁸² {87}

58. It sleeps there like a serpent, and is luminous by its own light ... it is the Goddess of speech, and is called the vija (seed).
59. Full of energy, and like burning gold, know this Kundalini to be the power (Shakti) of Vishnu; it is the mother of the three qualities—Satwa (good), Rajas (indifference), and Tamas (bad).
60. There, beautiful like the Bandhuk flower, is placed the seed of love; it is brilliant like burnished gold, and is described in Yoga as eternal.
61. The Sushumnâ also embraces it, and the beautiful seed is there; there it rests shining brilliantly like the autumnal moon, with the luminosity of millions of suns, and the coolness of millions of moons. O Goddess! These three (fire, sun and moon) taken together or collectively are called the vija. It is also called the great energy.⁸³

In the Mûlâdhara lotus there also dwells a sun between the four petals, which continuously exudes a poison. This venom (the sun-fluid of mortality) goes to the right nostril, as the moon-fluid of immortality goes to the left, by means of the Pingala which rises from the left side of the Ajna lotus.⁸⁴

The Mûlâdhara is also the seat of the Apâna.

2. The Svadisthâna Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated at the base of the sexual organ. It has six petals. The colour of this lotus is blood-red, its presiding adept is called Balakhya and its goddess, Rakini.⁸⁵

He who daily contemplates on this lotus becomes an object of love and adoration to all beautiful goddesses. He fearlessly recites the various Shastras {88} and sciences unknown to him before ... and moves throughout the universe.⁸⁶

This Chakkra is the seat of the Sam?na, region about the navel and of the Apo Tatwa.

3. The Manipûra Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated near the navel, it is of a golden colour and has ten petals (sometimes twelve), its adept is Rudrakhya and its goddess Lakini. It is the "solar-plexus" or "city of gems," and is so called because it is very brilliant. This Chakkra is the seat of the Agni Tatwa. Also in the abdomen burns the "fire of digestion of food" situated in the middle of the sphere of the sun, having ten Kalas (petals)....⁸⁷

He who enters this Chakkra

Can made gold, etc., see the adepts (clairvoyantly) discover medicines for diseases, and see hidden treasures.⁸⁸

4. The Anahata Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated in the heart, it is of a deep blood red colour, and has twelve petals. It is the seat of Prâna and is a very pleasant spot; its adept is Pinaki and its goddess is Kakini. This Chakkra is also the seat of the Vâyu Tatwa.

He who always contemplates on this lotus of the heart is eagerly desired by the daughters of gods ... has clairaudience, clairvoyance, and can walk in the air.... He sees the adepts and the goddesses.... ⁸⁹

5. The Vishuddha Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated in the throat directly below the larynx, it is of a brilliant gold {89} colour and has sixteen petals. It is the seat of the Udana and the Âkâsa Tatwa; its presiding adept is Chhagalanda and its goddess Sakini.

6. The Ajna Chakkra. This Chakkra is situated between the two eyebrows, in the place of the pineal gland. It is the seat of the Mano Tatwa, and consists of two petals. Within this lotus are sometimes placed the three mystical principles of Vindu, Nadi and Shakti.⁹⁰ "Its presiding adept is called Sukla-Mahakala (the white great time; also Adhanari—‘Adonai’) its presiding goddess is called Hakini."⁹¹

97. Within that petal, there is the eternal seed, brilliant as he autumnal moon. The wise anchorite by knowing this is never destroyed.
98. This is the great light held secret in all the Tantras; by contemplating on this, one obtains the greatest psychic powers, there is no doubt in it.
99. I am the giver of salvation, I am the third linga in the turya (the state of ecstasy, also the name of the thousand petalled lotus.⁹² By contemplating on This the Yogi becomes certainly like me.⁹³

DIAGRAM 83.
The Yogi (showing the Cakkras).

{Illustration facing page 90 described:

"DIAGRAM 83. The Yogi (showing the Cakkras)."

This is a half tone of a black line vertical rectangle with a white or gray interior. The lower 3/5’s of the rectangle is occupied by a frontal nude man exactly as described in the Padmasana Asana described on page 83. He is bald. The six chakras are depicted as abstract devices at the positions described in the above text.

Muladhara is placed at the intersection of the crossed ankles, with a bit of the left ankle showing above and the symbol extending below the ankles: A dark disk with four petals created by the intersection of to vesicas, one horizontal and the other vertical. The area of intersection is white, the petals outside each have a radial rib which stops at the arc of the intersection of the vesicas. There is an upright equilateral black triangle in the center of the intersection, small circle with central dot inside that.

Svadisthana is placed at the lower pelvis, shown just above the crossed ankles. It is not in a circle or disk, but is composed of three intersecting vesicas forming a curved sided hexagonal shape with "points" to top and bottom. The intersections of adjacent vesicas form white spaces of three arcs. The combined intersection of all vesicas forms an area of distinct color with a dark, vertical and linear hexagram. There is a small white circle with center point in the midst of this.

Manipura is placed at the center of the abdomen. It is contained in a 20- pointed white star, outline only and giving the appearance of a ring. Within this is a black disk. Within the black disk is a figure constructed of five intersecting vesicas, in a similar fashion to the description for the Svadisthana but forming a curved sided decagonal shape with "points" to the top and bottom. Where only two vesicas intersect, the space is dark. Where three vessicas intersect, the space is light. Where four vesicas intersect, the space is dark again. Where all five vesicas intersect, there is a different shade used, and in the midst of this is a vertical ten-pointed star of lines with a white circle and central dot in the midst.

Anahata is placed in the center of the thorax. It is not in a circle, but is composed of six intersecting vesicas forming a curved sided duo-dacagonal shale of twelve "petals" with points to top and bottom. The outer, mono- vesical parts are gray, two vesicas intersect in white, three in gray. All other intersections are in a common space to the center, defined by a circle and a different shade of gray. Free-standing in the center of this is a ring of twelve shapes, with radials going outward to cut the space into an inner ring of twelve five curved-sided and inward pointed irregular pentagons. This inner ring of twelve petals contains a 12 sided star with points at top and bottom, defining the divisions of the irregular pentagons. The center is an approximate white circle with point in center.

Vishuddha is placed at the base of the throat. It is composed of a star ring of sixteen gray leaves with single radial ribs, one leaf to the top. Within this is a ring of sixteen white petals with dots in the lower lobe, petals to top and bottom. The center as for Anahata, but sixteenfold.

Ajna on forehead. This is a more western symbol, two upward curving wings of seven primary feathers and a more complex array of secondaries, curving to the outside and coming to two points just above the top of the head. These join in two white featherlets a semicircular curve at the base, just above the brows. There is a stylized descending gray dove in the midst, just above the lower white featherlets. A white light seems to be seen through the backs of the wings just above the dove. For the meaning of the symbolism of these "closed" wings, see the footnote below, page {147} in the Equinox.

The upper 2/5’s of the space contains a large circular device, representing the Shasrara. This looks a bit like the head of a thistle and has 72 elongated spikes emanating outward in a circle to define the outer edge of the next inward feature, a white ring. The spikes have rounded bottoms with a dot in the center of each, and there are 72 lines drawn radiating outward between them, one between each pair. Five of these spikes touch and pass behind the head. Within the white ring are 13 concentric rings of petals, 11 in the innermost and the number of petals increasing as the rings go outward. The second petal ring from the center has 22, the next outward about 44. After that the number of petals ceases doubling, but increases more slowly. Theoretically there is a total of 1000 such petals in all, but I didn’t count them all. In the center there is a white circle with a crescent moon in gray inside, horns upward—this would be the 1,001st petal.}

The Sushumnâ following the spinal cord on reaching the Brahmarandhra (the hole of Brahman) the junction of the sutures of the skull, by a modification goes to the right side of the Ajna lotus, whence it proceeds to the left nostril, and is called the Varana, Ganges (northward flowing Ganges) or Ida. By a similar modification in the opposite direction the {90} Sushumnâ goes to the left side of the Ajna lotus and proceeding to the right nostril is called the Pingala. Jamuna or Asi. The space between these two, the Ida and Pingala, is called Varanasi (Benares), the holy city of Shiva.

111. He who secretly always contemplates on the Ajna lotus, at once destroys all the Karma of his past life, without any opposition.
121. Remaining in the place, when the Yogi meditates deeply, idols appear to him as mere things imagination, I.e., he perceives the absurdity of idolatry.⁹⁴

The Sahasrâra, or thousand-and-one-petaled lotus of the brain, is usually described as being situated above the head, but sometimes in the opening of the Brahmarandhra, or at the root of the palate. In its centre there is a Yoni which has its face looking downwards. In the centre of this Yoni is placed the mystical moon, which is continually exuding an elixir or dew⁹⁵ --- this moon fluid of immortality unceasingly flows through the Ida.

In the untrained, and all such as are not Yogis, "Every particle of this nectar (the Satravi) that flows from the Ambrosial Moon is swallowed up by the Sun (in the Mûlâdhara Chakkra)⁹⁶ and destroyed, this loss causes the body to become old. If the aspirant can only prevent this flow of nectar by closing the hole in the palate of his mouth (the Prahmarandra), he will be able to utilize it to prevent the waste of his body. By (91) drinking it he will fill his whole body with life, and "even though he is bitten by the serpent Takshaka, the poison does not spread throughout his body."⁹⁷

Further the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" informs us that: "When one has closed the hole at the root of the palate ... his seminal fluid is not emitted even through he is embraced by a young and passionate woman."

Now this gives us the Key to the whole of this lunar symbolism, and we find that the Soma-juice of the Moon, dew, nectar, semen and vital force are but various names for one and the same substance, and that if the vindu can be retained in the body it may by certain practices which we will now discuss, be utilized in not only strengthening but in prolonging this life to an indefinite period.⁹⁸ These practices are called the Mudras, they are to be found fully described in the Tantras, and are made us of as one of the methods of awakening the sleeping Kundalini.⁹⁹

There are many of these Mudras, the most important being the Yoni-Mudra, Maha Mudra, Maha Bandha, Maha Vedha, Khechari, Uddiyana, Mula and Salandhara Bandha, Viparitakarani, Vajroli and Shakti Chalana.

1. The Yoni Mudra.

With a strong inspiration fix the mind in the Adhar lotus; then engage in contracting the yoni (the space between the lingam and anus). After which contemplate that the God of love resides in the Brahma-Yoni, and imagine that an union takes place between Shiva and Shakti.

A full account of how to practise this Mudra is given in the "Shiva Sanhita";¹⁰⁰ but it is both complicated and difficult to carry out, and if attempted should most certainly be performed under the instruction of a Guru.

2. Maha Mudra.

Pressing the anus with the left heel and stretching out the right leg, take hold of the toes with your hand. Then practise the Jalandhara Bandha¹⁰¹ and draw the breath through the Sushumnâ. Then the Kundalini become straight just as a coiled snake when struck.... Then the two other Nadis (the Ida and Pingala) become dead, because the breath goes out of them. Then he should breathe out very slowly and never quickly.¹⁰²

3. Maha Bandha.

Pressing the anus with the left ankle place the right foot upon the left thigh. Having drawn in the breath, place the chin firmly on the breast, contract the anus and fix the mind on the Sushumnâ Nadi. Having restrained the breath as long as possible, he should then breathe out slowly. He should practise first on the left side and then on the right.¹⁰³

4. Maha Vedha.

As a beautiful and graceful woman is of no value without a husband, so Maha Mudra and Maha Bandha have no value without Maha Vedha.
The Yogi assuming the Maha Bandha posture, should draw in his breath {93} with a concentrated mind and stop the upward and downward course of the Prânâ by Jalandhara Bandha. Resting his body upon his palms placed upon the ground, he should strike the ground softly with his posteriors. By this the Prânâ, leaving Ida and Pingala, goes through the Sushumnâ. ... The body assumes a death-like aspect. Then he should breathe out.¹⁰⁴

5. Khechari Mudra.

The Yogi sitting in the Vajrâsana (Siddhâsana) posture, should firmly fix his gaze upon Ajna, and reversing the tongue backwards, fix it in the hollow under the epiglottis, placing it with great care on the mouth of the well of nectar.¹⁰⁵

6. Uddiyana Mudra.

The drawing up of the intestines above and below the navel (so that they rest against the back of the body high up the thorax) is called Uddiyana Bandha, and is the lion that kills the elephant Death.¹⁰⁶

7. Mula Mudra.

Pressing the Yoni with the ankle, contract the anus and draw the Apâna upwards. This is Mula Bandha.¹⁰⁷

8. Jalandhara Mudra.

Contract the throat and press the chin firmly against the breast (four inches from the heart). This is Jalandhara Bandha. ...¹⁰⁸

9. Viparitakarani Mudra.

This consists in making the Sun and Moon assume exactly reverse positions. The Sun which is below the navel and the Moon which is above the palate change places. This Mudra {94} must be learnt from the Guru himself, and though, as we are told in the "Pradipika," a theoretical study of crores of Shastras cannot throw any light upon it, yet nevertheless in the "Shiva Sanhita" the difficulty seems to be solved by standing on one’s head.¹⁰⁹

10. Shakti Chalana Mudra.

Let the wise Yogi forcibly and firmly draw up the goddess Kundalini sleeping in the Adhar lotus, by means of the Apana-Vâyu. This is Shakti- Chalan Mudra. ...¹¹⁰

The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" is very obscure on this Mudra, it says:

As one forces open a door with a key, so the Yogi should force open the door of Moksha (Deliverance) by the Kundalini.
Between the Ganges and the Jamuna there sits the young widow inspiring pity. he should despoil her forcibly, for it leads one to the supreme seat of Vishnu.
You should awake the sleeping serpent (Kundalini) by taking hold of its tail....¹¹¹

As a special form of Kumbhaka is mentioned, most probably this Mudra is but one of the numerous Prânâyâma practices, which we shall deal with shortly.

11. The Vajroli-Mudra.

In the "Shiva Sanhita"¹¹² there is a long account of this Mudra in which the God says: "It is the most secret of all {95} the secrets that ever were or shall be; therefore let the prudent Yogi keep it with the greatest secrecy possible." It consists chiefly in uniting the linga and yoni, but in restraining the vindu.¹¹³

If by chance the Vindu begins to move let him stop it by practice of the Yoni Mudra. ... After a while let him continue again ... and by uttering the sound "hoom," let him forcibly draw up through the contraction of the Apana Vâyu the germ cells. ...
Know Vindu to be moon-like, and the germ cells the emblem of the sun; let the Yogi make their union in his own body with great care.¹¹⁴
I am the Vindu, Shakti is the germ fluid; when they both are combined, then the Yogi reaches the state of success, and his body becomes brilliant and divine.
Ejaculation of Vindu is death, preserving it within is life. ... Verily, verily, men are born and die through Vindu. ... The Vindu causes the pleasure and pain of all creatures living in this world, who are infatuated and subject to death and decay.¹¹⁵

There are two modifications of the Vajroli Mudra; namely, Amarani and Sahajoni. The first teaches how, if at the time of union there takes place a union of the sun and moon, the lunar flux can be re-absorbed by the lingam. And the second how this union may be frustrated by the practice of Yoni Mudra.

These practices of Hatha Yoga if zealously maintained bring forth in the aspirant psychic powers known as the Siddhis,¹¹⁶ the most important of which are (1) Anima (the {96} power of assimilating oneself with an atom). (2) Mahima (the power of expanding oneself into space). (3) Laghima (the power of reducing gravitation). (4) Garima (the power of increasing gravitation). (5) Prapti (the power of instantaneous travelling). (6) Prakamya (the power of instantaneous realization). (7) Isatva (the power of creating). (8) Vastiva (the power of commanding and of being obeyed).¹¹⁷

The Prâna.

We now come to the next great series of exercises, namely those which control the Prâna (breath); and it is with these exercises that we arrive at that point where Hatha Yoga merges into Raja Yoga, and the complete control of the physical forces gives place to that of the mental ones.

Besides being able by the means of Prânâyâma to control the breath, the Yogi maintains that he can also control the Omnipresent Manifesting Power out of which all energies arise, whether appertaining to magnetism, electricity, gravitation, nerve currents or thought vibrations, in fact the total forces of the Universe physical and mental.

Prâna, under one of its many forms¹¹⁸ may be in either a static, dynamic, kinetic or potential state, but, notwithstanding the form it assumes, it remains Prâna, that is in common language the "will to work" within the Âkâsa, from which it evolves the Universe which appeals to our senses.

The control of this World Soul, this "will to work" is {97} called Prânâyâma. And thus it is that we find the Yogi saying that he who can control the Prâna can control the Universe. To the perfect man there can be nothing in nature that is not under his control.

If he orders the gods to come, they will come at his bidding. ... All the forces of nature will obey him as his slaves, and when the ignorant see these powers of the Yogi, they call them miracles.¹¹⁹

PRÂNÂYÂMA

The two nerve currents Pingala and Ida correspond to the sensory and motor nerves, one is afferent and the other efferent. The one carries the sensations to the brain, whilst the other carries them back from the brain to the tissues of the body. The yogi well knows that this is the ordinary process of consciousness, and from it he argues that, if only he can succeed in making the two currents, which are moving in opposite directions, move in one and the same direction, by means of guiding them through the Sushumnâ, he will thus be able to attain a state of consciousness as different from the normal state as a fourth dimensional world would be from a third. Swami Vivekânanda explains this as follows:

Suppose this table moves, that the molecules which compose this table are moving in different directions; if they are all made to move in the same direction it will be electricity. electric motion is when the molecules all move in the same direction. ... When all the motions of the body have become perfectly rhythmical, the body has, as it were, become a gigantic battery of will. This tremendous will is exactly what the Yogi wants.¹²⁰

And the conquest of the will is the beginning and end of Prânâyâma. {98}

Arjuna says: "For the mind is verily restless, O Krishna; it is impetuous, strong and difficult to bend, I deem it as hard to curb as the wind."

To which Krishna answers; "Without doubt, O mighty-armed, the mind is hard to curb and restless, but it may be curbed by constant practice and by indifference."¹²¹

The Kundalini whilst it is yet coiled up in the Mûlâadhara is said to be in the Mahâkâsa, or in three dimensional space; when it enters the Sushumnâ it enters the Chittâkâsa or mental Space, in which supersensuous objects are perceived. But, when perception has become objectless, and the soul shines by means of its own nature, it is said to have entered the Chidâkâsa or Knowledge space, and when the Kundalini enters this space it arrives at thee end of its journey and passes into the last Chakkra the Sahasrâra. Vishnu is United to Devaki or Shiva to Shakti, and symbolically, as the divine union takes place, the powers of the Ojas rush forth and beget a Universe unimaginable by the normally minded man.¹²² {99}

How to awake the Kundalini is therefore our next task.

We have seen how this can partially be done by the various Mudra exercises, but it will be remembered that the Shakti Chalana mentioned the practice of Kumbhaka or the retention of breath. Such an exercise therefore partially falls under the heading of Prânâyâma.

It is a well-known physiological fact that the respiratory system, more so than any other, controls the motions of the body. Without food or drink we can subsist many days, but stop a man’s breathing but for a few minutes and life becomes extinct.¹²³ The air oxydises the blood, and it is the clean red blood which supports in health the tissues, nerves, and brain. When we are agitated our breath comes and goes in gasps, when we are at rest it becomes regular and rhythmical.

In the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" we read:

He who suspends (restrains) the breath, restrains also the working of the mind. He who has controlled the mind, has also controlled the breath.
      .      .      .      .      .      .      .      .      .
If one is suspended, the other also is suspended. If one acts, the other also does the same. If they are not stopped, all the Indriyas (the senses) keep actively engaged in their respective work. If the mind and Prâna are stopped, the state of emancipation is attained.¹²⁴

There are three kinds of Prânâyâma: Rechaka Prânâyâma (exhaling the breath), Puraka Prânâyâma (inhaling the breath), and Kumbhaka Prânâyâma (restraining the breath). The first kind consists in performing Rechaka first; the second in doing Puraka first; and the third in suddenly stopping the breath without Puraka and Rechaka.¹²⁵ {100}

Kumbhaka is also of two kinds—Sahita and Kevala. The Sahita is of two sorts, the first resembling the first kind of Prânâyâma, namely Rechaka Kumbhaka Puraka; the second resembling the second kind of Prânâyâma, namely Puraka Kumbhaka Rechaka. The Sahita should be practised till the Prâna enters the Sushumnâ, which is known by a peculiar sound¹²⁶ being produced in the Sushumnâ; after which the Kevala Kumbhaka should be practised. This Kumbhaka is described in the "Hatha-Yoga Pradipika" as follows:

When this Kumbhaka has been mastered without any Rechaka or Puraka, there is nothing unattainable by him in the three worlds. He can restrain his breath as long as he likes through this Kumbhaka.

He obtains the stage of Raja-Yoga. Through this Kumbhaka, the Kundalini is roused, and when it is so roused the Sushumnâ is free of all obstacles, and he has attained perfection in Hatha-Yoga.¹²⁷

Of the many Prânâyâma exercises practised in the East the following are given for sake of example.

1. Draw in the breath for four seconds, hold it for sixteen, and then throw it out in eight. This makes one Prânâyâma.

At the same time think of the triangle (The Mûlâdhara Chakkra is symbolically represented as a triangle of fire) and concentrate the mind on that centre. At the first practice this four times in the morning and four times in the evening, and as it becomes a pleasure to you to do so slowly increase the number.

2. Assume the Padmâsana posture; draw in the Prâna through the Ida (left nostril), retain it until the body begins to perspire and shake, and then exhale it through Pingala (right nostril) slowly and never fast. {101}

He should perform Kumbhakas four times a day—in the early morning, midday, evening, and midnight—till he increases the number to eighty.¹²⁸

This will make 320 Kumbhakas a day. In the early stages the Prâna should be restrained for 12 matras (secondes) increasing as progress is made to 24 and to 36.

In the first stage, the body perspires; in the second, a tremor is felt throughout the body; and in the highest stage, the Prâna goes to the Brahmarandhra.¹²⁹

This exercise may also be practised with an additional meditation on the Pranava OM.

3. Close with the thumb of your right hand the right ear, and with that of the left hand the left ear. Close with the two index fingers the two eyes, place the two middle fingers upon the two nostrils, and let the remaining fingers press upon the upper and the lower lips. Draw a deep breath, close both the nostrils at once, and swallow the breath. ... Keep the breath inside as long as you conveniently can; then expire it slowly.¹³⁰ {102}

PRATYÂHARÂ

The next step in Raja Yoga is called Pratyâhâra, or the making of the mind introspective, by which the mind gains will to control the senses and to shut out all but the one object it is concentrating upon.

He who has succeeded in attaching or detaching his mind to or from the centres of will, has succeeded in Pratyâhâra, which means "gathering towards," checking the outgoing powers of the mind, freeing it from the thraldom of the senses. When we can do this we shall really possess a character; then alone we shall have made a long step towards freedom; before that we are mere machines.¹³¹
The absorption of the mind in the ever-enlightened Brahman by resolving all objects into Âtman, should be known as Pratyâhâra.¹³²

The mind in ordinary men is entirely the slave of their senses. should there be a noise, man hears it; should there be an odour, man smell it; a taste, man tastes it; by means of his eyes he sees what is passing on around him, whether he likes it or not; and by means of his skin he feels sensations pleasant or painful. But in none of these cases is he actually master over his senses. The man who is, is able to accomodate his senses to his mind. To him no longer are external things necessary, for he can stimulate mentally the sensation desired. he can hear beautiful sounds without listening to beautiful music, and see beautiful sights without gazing upon them; he in fact becomes the creator of what he wills, he can exalt his imagination to such a degree over his senses, that by a mere act of imagination he can make those senses instantaneously respond to his appeal, for he is lord over the senses, {103} and therefore over the universe as it appears, though not as it is.

The first lesson in Pratyâhâra is to sit still and let the mind run on, until it is realized what the mind is doing, when it will be understood how to control it. Then it will find that the thoughts which at first bubbled up, one over the other, become less and less numerous; but in their place will spring up the thoughts which are normally sub-conscious. As these arise the Will of the aspirant should strangle them; thus, if a picture is seen, the aspirant by means of his will should seize hold of it before it can escape him, endow it with an objectivity, after which he should destroy it, as if it were a living creature, and have done with it. After this mastership over the senses has been attained to, the next practice namely that of Dhâranâ must be begun.

DHÂRANÂ

"when the chitta, or mind stuff, is confined and limited to a certain place, this is called Dhâranâ."

"The Steadiness of the mind arising from the recognition of Brahma, wherever it travels or goes, is the real and great Dhâranâ."¹³³ {104}

The six Chakkras are points often used by the Yogi when in contemplation. Thus seated in the Padmâsana he will fix his attention in the Ajna lotus, and by contemplating upon this light the "Shiva Sanhita"¹³⁴ informs us "all sins (unbalanced forces) are destroyed, and even the most wicked (unbalanced) person obtains the highest end."

Those who would practise Dhâranâ successfully should live alone, and should take care to distract the mind as little as possible. They should not speak much or work much, and they should avoid all places, persons and food which repel them.¹³⁵ The first signs of success will be better health and temperament, and a clearer voice. Those who practise zealously will towards the final stages of Dhâranâ hear sounds as of the pealing of distant bells,¹³⁶ and will see specks of light floating before them which will grow larger and larger as the concentration proceeds. "Practice hard!" urges Swami Vivekânanda, "whether you live or die, it does not matter. You have to plunge in and work, without thinking of the result. If you are brave enough, in six months you will be a perfect Yogi."¹³⁷

DHYÂNA.

After Dhâranâ we arrive at Dhyâna, or meditation upon the outpouring of the mind on the object held by the will.¹³⁸ {105} when once Dhâranâ or concentration has progressed so far as to train the mind to remain fixed on one object then Dhyâna or meditation may be practised. And when this power of Dhyâna becomes so intensified as to be able to pass beyond the external perception and brood as it were upon the very centre or soul of the object held by the will, it becomes known as Samâdhi or Superconsciousness. The three last stages Dhâranâ, Dhyâna and Samâdhi, which are so intimately associated, are classed under the one name of Samyâma.¹³⁹

Thus meditation should rise from the object to the objectless. Firstly the external cause of sensations should be perceived, then their internal motions, and lastly the reaction of the mind. By thus doing will the Yogi control the waves of the mind, and the waters of the great Ocean will cease to be disturbed by their rise and fall, and they will become still and full of rest, so that like a mirror will they reflect the unimaginable glory of the Âtman.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.¹⁴⁰ And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.¹⁴¹

{106}

Compare this with the following:

That which is the night of all beings, for the disciplined man is the time of waking; when other beings are waking, then is it night for the Muni who seeth.
He attaineth Peace, into whom all desires flow as rivers flow into the ocean, which is filled with water but remaineth unmoved—not he who desireth desires.
He who, through the likeness of the Âtman, O Arjuna, seeth identity in everything, whether pleasant or painful, he is considered a perfect Yogi.¹⁴²

Now that we have finished our long account of the Vedânta Philosophy and the theories of Yoga which directly evolved therefrom, we will leave theory alone and pass on to practical fact, and see how Frater P. Turned the above knowledge to account, proving what at present he could only believe.

The following is a condensed table of such of his meditation practices as have been recorded between January and April 1901.

OBJECT MEDITATED UPON. TIME. REMARKS.

Winged-Globe.¹⁴³ 4 min. The entire meditation was bad.

Tejas Âkâsa.¹⁴⁴ 3 " There was no difficulty in getting the object clear; but the mind wandered.

Apas-Vâyu¹⁴⁵ ? " Result not very good.

Winged-Globe and Flaming Sword.¹⁴⁶ ? " Meditation on both of these was only fair.

Pendulum¹⁴⁷ (E).¹⁴⁸ ? " Good as regards plane kept by the pendulum; but thoughts wandered.

Winged-Globe. ? " The result was pretty good.

Tejas-Vâyu (E). ? " Fair.

Ankh¹⁴⁹ (a green). ? " Not bad.

Pentagram (E). ? " Rather good.

The L. I. L.¹⁵⁰ (E). ? " Burning till extinct. Rather good, but oil level descended very irregularly.¹⁵¹

Cross. ? " Result fair.

Cross. 10 m. 15 s. Three breaks.

Isis¹⁵² (E). 18 m. 30 s. Five breaks. A very difficult practice, as Isis behaved like a living object.¹⁵³

Winged-Globe. 29 m. Seven breaks. Result would have been much better but for an epicene enuch with an alleged flute. My mind revolved various methods of killing it.

Tejas-Âkâsa. 18 " Seven breaks.

R. R. et A. C.¹⁵⁴ 19 " Seven breaks.

Pendulum. ? " After 3 m. lost control and gave up.

Winged-Globe. (E). 10 " Ten breaks.¹⁵⁵

DIAGRAM 84.
The Five Tattwas, with their twenty-five sub-divisions.

{Illustration facing page 108 partly approximated and partly described:

"DIAGRAM 84.  The Five Tatwas, with their twenty-five sub-divisions."

É--------------Ñ--------------Ñ--------------Ñ--------------Ñ--------------»
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {fat spindle ³ {circle in   ³ {Crescent    ³ {Square in   ³ {Equilateral º
º  outline w.  ³  outline}    ³  Moon in     ³  outline}    ³  triangle in º
º  points vert.³              ³  outline w.  ³              ³  outline w.  º
º  "egg"}      ³              ³  horns up}   ³              ³  point up}   º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º   Âkâsa      ³    Vayu      ³    Apas      ³   Prithivi   ³Tejas or Agni º
Ç______________Å______________Å______________Å______________Å______________¶
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {Egg inside  ³ {Circle in   ³ {Crescent in ³ {Square in   ³ {Triangle in º
º   egg}       ³  egg}        ³  egg}        ³  egg}        ³  egg}        º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º Âkâsa-Âkâsa  ³ Âkâsa-Vayu   ³ Âkâsa-Apas   ³Âkâsa-Prithivi³ Âkâsa-Tejas  º
Ç______________Å______________Å______________Å______________Å______________¶
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {Egg inside  ³  {Circle in  ³  {Crescent   ³ {Square in   ³ {Triangle in º
º  circle}     ³   circle}    ³   in circle} ³  circle}     ³  circle}     º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º Vayu-Âkâsa   ³  Vayu-Vayu   ³  Vayu-Apas   ³Vayu-Prithivi ³ Vayu-Tejas   º
Ç______________Å______________Å______________Å______________Å______________¶
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {Egg in      ³  {Circle in  ³ {Crescent    ³  {Square in  ³ {Triangle in º
º  crescent}   ³   crescent}  ³  in crescent}³   crescent}  ³  crescent}   º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º Apas-Âkâsa   ³  Apas-Vayu   ³  Apas-Apas   ³Apas-Prithivi ³ Apas-Tejas   º
Ç______________Å______________Å______________Å______________Å______________¶
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {Egg in      ³  {Circle in  ³ {Crescent    ³  {Square in  ³ {Triangle in º
º  square}     ³   square}    ³  in crescent}³   square}    ³  square}     º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³Prithivi-     ³              º
ºPrithivi-Âkâsa³Prithivi-Vayu ³Prithivi-Apas ³     Prithivi ³Prithivi-Tejasº
Ç______________Å______________Å______________Å______________Å______________¶
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º {Egg in      ³  {Circle in  ³ {Crescent in ³  {Square in  ³ {Triangle in º
º  triangle}   ³   triangle}  ³  triangle}   ³   triangle}  ³  triangle}   º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º              ³              ³              ³              ³              º
º Tejas-Âkâsa  ³  Tejas-Vayu  ³ Tejas-Apas   ³Tejas-Prithivi³ Tejas-Tejas  º
È--------------Ï--------------Ï--------------Ï--------------Ï--------------¼

}

OBJECT MEDITATED UPON.	TIME.	REMARKS.
Black egg and white ray between pillars¹⁵⁶ (E).	10 "	Five breaks.
Golden Dawn Symbol¹⁵⁷ (E).	? "	Very bad. Bad cold, dust, shaking, etc., prevented concentration¹⁵⁸
Golden Dawn Symbol (E).	10 "	Four breaks.
R. R. et A. C.	23 "	Nine breaks.

Against this particular practice P. wrote: "I think breaks are longer in themselves than of old; for I find myself concentrating on them and forgetting the primary altogether. But I have no means of telling how long it is before the error is discovered."

Some very much more elaborate and difficult meditations were attempted by P. at this time; in nature they are very similar to many of St. Loyola’s. We give the account in his own words:

I tried to imagine the sound of a waterfall. This was very difficult to get at; and it makes one’s ears sing for a long time afterwards. If I really got it, it was however not strong enough to shut outer physical sounds. I also tried to imagine the "puff-puff" of an engine. This resulted better than the last, but it caused the skin of my head to commence vibrating. I then tried to imagine the taste of chocolate; this proved extremely difficult; and after this the ticking of a watch. This proved easier, and the result was quite good; but there was a tendency to slow up with the right ear, which however was easy to test by approaching a watch against the ear."¹⁵⁹
During this whole period of rough travel, work is fatiguing, difficult and uncertain. Regularity is impossible, as regards hours and even days, and the {109} mind, being so full of other things, seems to refuse to compose itself. Nearly always I was too tired to do two (let alone three) meditations; and the weariness of the morrow was another hostile factor. Let me hope that my return here (Mexico City) will work wonders.

Three days after this entry on a certain Wednesday evening we find a very extraordinary mental experiment recorded in P.’s diary.

D. A. made to P. the following suggestion for a meditation practice.

1. Imagine that I am standing before you in my climbing clothes.
2. When you have visualized the figure, forbid it to move its limbs, etc.
3. Then allow the figure to change, as a whole, its illumination, position and appearance.
4. Carefully observe and remember any phenomenon in connection therewith.

All this P. attempted with the following result:

The figure of D.A.: leaning on an ice-axcw was clearly seen, but at first it was a shade difficult to fix.
The figure at once went 35^○ to my left, and stayed there; then I observed a scarlet Tiphereth above the head and the blue path of ג (gimel) going upwards. Around the head was bluish light, and tiphereth was surrounded by rays as of a sun. I then noticed that the figure had the power to reduplicate itself at various further distances; but the main figure was very steady.
Above and over the figure there towered a devil in the shape of some antediluvian beast. How long I mentally watched the figure I cannot say, but after a period it became obscure and difficult to see, and in order to prevent it vanishing it had to be willed to stay. After a further time the Plesiosaurus (?) above the figure became a vast shadowy form including the figure itself.
The experiment being at an end D. A. put the following question to P. "How do you judge of distance of secondary replicas of me?"
P. answered: "By size only."
D. A. comments on the above were as follows:
1. That the test partially failed.
2. That he expected his figure to move more often.¹⁶⁰{110}
3. the vast shadowy form was very satisfactory and promising.¹⁶¹

DIAGRAM 85.
Aura of Heaving Surfaces.

On the following day P. records first: Meditation upon Winged-Glob to compose himself. He then imagined D. A. sitting forward with his arms around his knees and his hands clasped. Around the figure was an aura of heaving surfaces, and then a focussing movement which brought the surfaces very close together. "The figure then started growing rapidly in all dimensions till it reached a vast form, and as it grew it left behind it tiny emaciated withered old men sitting in similar positions, but with changed features, so much so that I should think it were due to other reasons besides emaciation."

{Illustration on page 111 described.

"DIAGRAM 85.  Aura of Heaving Surfaces."

  This is a depiction of three curved arrows about a central pattern of dots.
In the dot pattern there are five dots horizontal in the center, two arched
rows of three immediately above and below, then two dots above and below the
three and lastly one dot above center and one below.  The whole dot pattern
gives the appearance of the intersection of three lines at equal angles,
composed of five dots each, the central dot common to all.  The curved arrow
lines are positioned like a trefoil or a three-bladed ship’s propeller.  One
issues from just right of the base of the dots, curves clockwise outward and
inward to a height about that of the top dot in the central pattern, but a
distance equal to the diameter of the dot pattern from it horizontally.  The
top curved arrow line extends from just above and outward from the left end of
the horizontal five row (extending the curve would intersect the left-most
dot.  The last curved arrow line completes the set, all trilatterly symmetric,
with pointed buts, wide central thickness, then narrow to the curved chevron
of the arrow head.  If the outer curves of the arrow lines were circumscribed
at tangents, the resulting circle would have a diameter five times that of a
circle passing through the most extended dots of the central pattern.}

D. A. considered this meditation very satisfactory, but that nevertheless P. should attempt it again the next day.

This, however, was impossible; as on the next day, Friday, he was suffering severely from headache and neuralgia; so instead, in order to compose himself, he meditated upon a cross for an hour and a quarter.

The next living object meditation he attempted is described in the diary as follows:

To meditate upon the image of D. A. sitting with his hands on his knees like a God.¹⁶² Spirals were seen moving up him to a great height, and then descending till they expanded to a great size. Besides this no other change took place.
D. A.’s comments on these remarkable experiments are as follows:
The hidden secret is that the the change of size and distance is not in accordance with optical laws. No one has kept living objects "dead still."¹⁶³ One of two things may occur:
(a) The figure remains in one spot, but alters in size.
(b) The figure remains same apparent size, but alters in distance.{111}
Further that the Yogi theories on this experiment were:
(1) That a living object is the reflection of the Actual, the living object being purely unreal.
(2) That from this type of meditation can be discovered the character of the person meditated upon.
   e.g.  Q.  Is A. pious?
           A.  If he grows large, yes he is very pious.
           Q.  Is B. a villain?
           A.  If he shrivels, he is a small villain, not a man to be afraid of.
Also of ordinary occult things—e.g. change of face, expressions, etc. There are also further theories regarding the disintegration of man. Theories concerning the danger of this process to the meditator and meditatee alike.¹⁶⁴
The next practice was to meditate upon the image of D. A. standing.
The figure remained in the same place, but altered much like a form reflected in glasses of various curves. The general tendency was to increase slightly, but the most fixed idea was of a figure about 9 feet high but of normal breadth. Next, of normal height and of about double normal breadth.
D. A.’s comment on this meditation was that the result was not good.
This practice was attempted again on the following day: and resulted in many superposed images of various sizes and at various distances. One of the figures had moustaches like the horns of a buffalo. The expression of the figures became bold and fierce; especially at four feet distance, where there were two very real images, one small and one large respectively. The comment of D. A. on this meditation was that it was most clear, and represented complete success.

On the fifteenth of April 1901 we find P. writing in his diary:

"I agree to project my astral to Soror F.¹⁶⁵ in Hong-Kong every Saturday evening at nine o’clock, which should ready her at 4.6 p.m. on Sunday by Hong- Kong time. She is to start at 10 a.m. Sunday by Hong-Kong time to reach me by 12.2 p.m. Saturday.

These spirit journeys were to commence on the 31st of {112} May; but this date seems to have been anticipated, for two days later we read the following:

10 p.m. Enclosing myself in an egg of white light I travelled to Hong- Kong. This city is white and on a rocky hill, the lower part is narrow and dirty. I found F. in a room of white and pale green. She was dressed in a white soft stuff with velvet lapels. We conversed awhile. I remember trying to lift a cloisonn? vase from the shelf to a table, but cannot remember whether I accomplished the act or not. I said "Ave Soror" aloud (and I think audibly) and remained some time.¹⁶⁶

This astral projection is an operation of Chokmah; for the Chiah must vivify the Nephesch shell. After returning P. records that on his journey back he saw "his Magical Mirror of the Universe very clearly in its colours."

Towards the end of April P. drew up for himself the following daily Task:

(1) To work through the first five of the seven mental operations.¹⁶⁷
(2) The assumption of God forms.¹⁶⁸
(3) To meditate on simple symbols with the idea of discovering their meaning.
(4) Rising on planes.
(5) Astral Visions.¹⁶⁹
(6) Adonai ha Aretz.¹⁷⁰ {113}
(7) Meditation practices on men and things¹⁷¹
(8) Elemental evocations.¹⁷²
(9) Meditation to vivify telesmata¹⁷³
(10) Astral projections¹⁷⁴
PHYSICAL WORK.
(2) Careful drawings of the Gods in their colours.
(6) Figure of Adonai ha Aretz in colour. [See Illustration.] {114}

DIAGRAM 86
The Flashing Figure of Adonai-ha-Aretz.

{Illustration facing page 114 described:

"DIAGRAM 86.  The Flashing Figure of Adonai-ha-Aretz."

   This is a black, gray and white illustration in a large vertical rectangle.
The field is black.  Inside and at the bottom are these words in Hebrew
letters, the line of letters arched downward: צ ר א  ה 
י נ ד א .  The rest of the figure is as described in the last note on
page 113:
"A winged crown radiating white brilliance."—three hollow triangles
visible with a pair of inverted wings coming up like antlers to either side.
The white brilliance is represented by 35 visible shaded beams radiating in
all directions from the center of the crown band, behind it and stopping only
at the clouds emanating from behind the knees.
"The head and neck of a beautiful woman with a stern and fixed expression, and
hair long dark and waving."—as described, but crude features are depicted.
The hair comes down in two loose falls resembling braids to the waist on
either side of the torso.
"The arms and hands, which are bare and strong, stretched out to the right and
left at right angles to the body, in the left hand a gold cup and in right
ears of ripe corn."—The hands are clenched about these objects, palmer to
the fore.  The Cup is ornamented by vertical, narrow bulges about the bowl.
The corn is British corn or wheat.
"From her shoulders dark spreading wings."—as described, feathers depicted
with primaries and secondaries.
"A deep yellow-green robe, upon the breast of which is a square gold lamen
decorated with four scarlet Greek crosses."—as described, the robe is very
loose and is parted to show the lamen on what appears to be the bare chest.
The Greek crosses look indented.  There is a rim and a simple cross quartering
the lamen into four sub-panels for the Greek crosses.
"Round her waist is a broad gold belt upon which in scarlet letters is written
the name צראהינדא in the letters of the
alphabet of Honorius." —That is ztrahjnda, on
the drawing.  This is written in the wrong direction for the alphabet of
Honorius.
"Her feet are flesh coloured, and she wears golden sandals." —as
described, the sandals are open strap with two or three cross straps and a
single long strap.
"Her long yellow-green drapery is rayed with olive," —looks like silk
harem pants.
"and beneath her feet roll black clouds lit with lurid patches of colour." ---
these are most oddly depicted.  Starting at the area behind the knees, there
is a stretched out cloud with most of its bulk upwards to the center; it cuts
off the radiant beams from the crown.  There are two patchy clouds to the left
on the illustration and three to the right below this large one.  The figure
is walking on something that looks like a cross between a dried lotus seed pod
and a transected mud-daubber nest.}

(8) Completion of Watch-towers and instruments.¹⁷⁵
(9) The making of simple talismans.
During each day this programme of work was to be divided as follows:
(1) In the Morning the ש of ש Operation, and Assumption of a God- form.
(2) Before Tiffin. An Astral projection practice.
(3) After Tiffin. Rising on a plane, or Vision, or Adonai ha Aretz.
(4) In the Evening. A magical ceremony of same sort, or any of above except astral projection.¹⁷⁶

On March the 3rd we find P. wanderingamong the fastnesses of the Nevado de Colima. Here he lived for a fortnight, returning to Mexico City on the 18th only to leave it again two days later on an expedition to the Nevado de Touca. On the 16th of April he journeyed to Amecameca, from which place he visited Soror F., by projection, and thence up Popocatapetl, encamped on whose slopes he resolved the ש of ש into seven Mental Operations:

1. Ray of Divine White Brilliance descending upon the Akâsic Egg set between the two pillars.
2. Aspire by the Serpent, and concentrate on Flashing Sword. Imagine the stroke of the Sword upon the Daäth junction (nape of neck).
3. Make the Egg grow gray, by a threefold spiral of light.
4. Make the Egg grow nearly white. (Repeat spiral formula.)
5. Repeat 2. Above head. Triangle of Fire (red).
6. Invoke Light. Withdraw. See Golden Dawn Symbol.
7. Let all things vanish in the Illimitable Light.

On the 22nd of April P., having bidden farewell to D. A., who had been to him both friend and master, left for San Francisco. {115}

At this city, on the first of May, he solemnly began anew the Operations of the Great Work, and bought a steel rod for a wand, and tools to work it. On the second he bought gold, silver, and a jewel wherewith to make a Crown; and on the third set sail for Japan.

During the voyage the following practices have been recorded:

May 4th. Prithivi-Apas.¹⁷⁷ 45 m.
Also went on an Astral Journey to Japan. In which I found myself
crossing great quantities of Coral-pearl entangled with seaweed and
shells. After having journeyed for some time I came to a spot where
I saw the form of a King standing above that of Venus who was
surrounded by many mermaids; they all had the appearance of having
just been frozen. Above the nymphs bowing towards them were many
pale yellow angels chained together, and amongst them stood
Archangels of a pale silver which flashed forth rays of gold. Above
all was the Formless Light. The Archangels showed me curious types
of horned beings riding along a circle in different directions.
5th. Concentration on This resulted in many strange dreams.
Position 1.¹⁷⁸
6th. Concentration on 32 m. Ten breaks. Better towards the end; but
Position 1. best after tenth break. Concentration
must have then lasted quite 6 or 7
minutes.
7th. Position 1. 15 m. Three breaks, but end very doubtful
having become very sleepy.
Position 1. 6 m. Three breaks. I seemed to collapse
suddenly.
Went to Devachan¹⁷⁹ on Astral Journey. I found myself surrounded
{116} by a wonderful pearly lustre, and then among great trees
between the branches of which bright birds were flying. After this
I saw a captain on his ship and also a lover contemplating his
bride. The real inhabitants of this land to which I went were as of
flame, and the imaginary ones were depicted as we physical beings
are. Then the images of my vision sped past me rapidly. I saw a
mountaineer; my father preaching with me in his old home; my mother,
his mother; a man doing Rajayoga on white god-form. At last a wave
of pale light, or rather of a silky texture passed through and over
me; then one of the strange inhabitants passed through me
unconscious of me, and I returned.
Golden Dawn symbol. 14 m. Three breaks.
May 8th. Position 1. 22 m. Seven breaks.
Calvary Cross. 50 m. Did I go to sleep?
11th. Designed Abarahadabra
for a pantacle.¹⁸⁰
12th. I performed a Magic Ceremonial at night, followed by attempt at
Astral Projection. I prefer the Esoteric Theosophist Society’s
seven-fold division for these practical purposes. I think Physical
Astral Projection should be preceded by a (ceremonial) "loosening of
the girders of the soul."¹⁸¹ How to do it is the great problem. I
am inclined to believe in drugs—if one only knew the right drug.
13th. Drew a pantacle.
16th. Painted wicked black-magic pantacle.
Held a magical ceremony in the evening.
Lesser banishing Ritual of Pentagram and Hexagram.
Invocation of Thoth and the Elements by Keys 1-6¹⁸² and G∴ D∴
Opening Rituals.
Consecrated Lamen Crown and Abrahadabra Wand with great force.
16th. Did the seven ש of ש Operations.
Worked at a Z for 5^○ = 6^□ Ritual.¹⁸³
17th. Position 1. 12 m. Not good.
Evening Invocation of Mercury, Chokmah and Thoth.
18th. Completed Z for 5^○ = 6^□ Ritual. {117}
May 19th. 1. Assumption of the god-form of Harpocrates: It lasted nine
minutes: the result was good, for I got a distinct aura around me.
2. Physical Astral Projection. I formed a sphere which took a
human shape but rather corpse-like. I then projected a gray¹⁸⁴ ray
from the left side of my head; this was very tiring and there was no
result physically.
3. Concentrated on imaginary self for ten minutes, and then
projected self into it with fearful force. Chiah "nearly" passed.¹⁸⁵
4. Red sphere "darkened" and glorified and return to lighten
Tiphereth. The result was good.
20th. 1. Tejas-Apas Meditation.
2. Meditation on living object with the usual two figure result.
3. Astral Vision.¹⁸⁶ I found myself in a boiling sea with
geysers spouting around me. Suddenly monsters shaped like lions and
bulls and dragons rose from the deep, and about them sped many fiery
angels, and Titanic god-forms plunged and wheeled and rose amongst
the waters. Above all was built a white temple of marble through
which a rose-flame flickered. there stood Aphrodite with a torch in
one hand and a cup in the other,¹⁸⁷ and above her hovered
Archangels. Then suddenly all was an immense void, and as I looked
into it I beheld the dawn of creation. Gusts of liquid fire flamed
and whirled through the darkness. Then nothing but the brilliance
of fire and water. I was away fifteen minutes.
4. Seven minutes breathing exercise fifteen seconds each way.
(Breathing in, withholding, and breathing out.)
5. White Lion on Gray. 5 m. Result bad.
21st. Position 1. 45 m. Fair.
Worked out a "double" formula for Physical Astral Projection.
First project with Enterer Sign; simulacrum answers with Harpocrates
sign.¹⁸⁸ Then as soon as Enterer sign weakens change consciousness
as for Astral Visions. After which attack body from Simulacrum
{118} with sign of Enterer to draw force. This cycle repeat until
Simulacrum is at least capable of audible speech.
I tried this and started by invoking the forces of Chokmah and
Thoth, but omitted stating purpose of Operation in so many words.
Yet with three projections (each way) I obtained a shadowy grayness
somewhat human in shape. But found difficulty where least expected
—in transferring consciousness to Simulacrum.
May 22nd. God-form Thoth. 16 m. Result fair.
Âkâsa-Âkâsa. During the meditation the following Vision was seen.
All things around me were surrounded by silver flashes or streaks.
But about the human corpse which I saw before me was a pyramid of
flashing light, and around me purple hangings. Five silver
candlesticks were brought in, and then I saw a throne with pentagram
in white brilliance above it. There was a rose of five by five
petals within; and above Qesheth the rainbow. Rising from the
ground were formless demons—all faces! Even as X. A. R. P.¹⁸⁹
etc., are evil. Above were the Gods of E. H. N. B.; and above them
svastika wheels whirling, and again above this the Light ineffable.
24th. Green ankh. 7 m. Poor.
Worked at 5^○=6^□ explanation.
Cross in Brilliance. 10 m. Medium result.
Thoth in front of me. 5 m. Poor.
June 3rd. Astral Vision. Dressed in white and red Abramelin robes with crown,
wand, ankh, and rose-cross, etc., etc., went on an Astral Journey to {119}
Hong-Kong. I found Soror F. sitting or kneeling in a temple. On
the Altar were elemental instruments also Symbol of Golden Dawn.
She was waiting in awe, almost in fear. On my entering she saw me
and started. Then I heard the words "carry it" or "wish to carry";
apparently with reference to idea of carrying away a physical token.
The room was full of incense, which I took to materialize myself. At
the time I was very tired and really not fit to travel.
June 15th. The Buddha appeared to me in the Northern Heaven and said:
"Fear not for money.¹⁹⁰ Go and work, as thou hast intended." "I go."
July 14th. Triangle of Fire. 10 m. Middling to bad.
Winged-Globe. 6 m. Not good.
R.R. et A.C. ? Fairly good.
[Somewhere on this journey (Yokohama to Hong-Kong BECAME
the GREAT PEACE.
15th. R.R. et A.C. 16 m. An improvement.
16th. Svastika. 6 m. Very poor.
R.R. et A.C. 4 m. Very bad.
H.P.K.¹⁹¹ 10 m. Better.
Pentagram. 16 m. Not at all bad.
18th. Calvary Cross. 15 m. Bad, but I was very sleepy.
H.P.K. on lotus. 16 m. Ten breaks; very strictly counted.
R.R. et A.C. 8 m. One break. Got very sleepy; but
this seems surprisingly good.
Scarlet Sphere 10 m. Good. One or two breaks only.
Operation
(Tiphereth)
Buddha position. 5 m. Hopeless; I was nearly asleep.
19th. Winged-Globe. 9 m. Five breaks.
H.P.K. on Lotus. 9 m. Five breaks. The God was not very clear.
R.R. et A.C. 8 m. Bad.
Position I. 13 m. Middling.
Thoth. ? Hopelessly sleepy.
Attempted meditation on solar spectrum as a band. By working {120}
at each colour separately, or lighting each one by one, it is not bad;
but taken altogether is no good.
July 20th. Thoth. 10 m. Rather poor.
Cross. 15 m. Not very good.
Golden Dawn 10 m. Not good.
Symbol.
[My thought seems terribly wandering nowadays.]
Isis. 19 m. Not so bad.
Winged-Globe. 12 m. Bad, sleepy.
23rd. Triangle of Fire 15 m. Very wandering.
with Cross in
centre.
Abrahadabra 17 m. Pretty good, though perhaps the whole
pantacle. was hardly ever absolutely clear.
25th. Tried Physical Astral Projection twice. In the first one the person
employed to watch my beloved Soror F. saw physical arm " "bent"
whilst my own was straight.
26th. I did the H.P.K. ritual at night to enter into the silence. I think
the result was rather good.
27th. Nirvana.¹⁹² 38 m. If I was not asleep, result pretty good.
White circle. 13 m. Fair.
[This day I got my first clear perception "in consciousness"¹⁹³ of
the illusory nature of material objects.]
H.P.K. on Lotus. 17 m. Good, as I employed my identity to
resolve problems.¹⁹⁴
R.R. et A.C. 5 m. Very bad.
28th. Nirvana. 15 m.
Calvary Cross. 24 m. Ten breaks. Never got settled till
after 8 breaks.
29th. Rising on planes. Malkuth to Kether; this took thirty-six minutes.
The result was not very good.
Calvary Cross. 22 m. Four breaks.
30th. Buddha 15 m.
Calvary Cross. 11 m. Five breaks, but had headache.{121}
One hundred indrawn breaths in reclining position with belt on.
7 minutes 50 seconds. (4-7 secs. per breath.)
Ten indrawn breaths as slow as possible 7 m. 26 sec. (44.6 secs.
per breath.)
July 31st. Went to sleep doing Buddha.
Buddha. 32 m. It seemed much more.
Pendulum 1,000 23½ m. The pendulum kept in its plane,¹⁹⁵ At
single strokes. end of 940 strokes pendulum wanted
to swing right over several times.
Calvary Cross. Too tired to settle at all.
August 1st. Position 1. 10 m. Not bad. 2nd.
Buddha. 8 m. It seems very difficult nowadays to
settle down.
Red Cross. 22 m. Ten breaks.
Nirvana.¹⁹⁶ 13 m. Not bad.
I tried to put (astrally) a fly on a man’s nose. It seemed to
disturb him much; but he did not try to brush it off.
Tried the the same with Chinaman, great success.
Tried to make a Chinaman look round, instant success.
Tried the same with a European, but failed.
3rd. Tried in vain two "practical volitions" but was too unwell to do
any work.
4th. Nirvana, Selfish- 28 m.
ness, Magical
Power Hiero-
phantship, etc.
After this meditation I arrived at the following decision: I must
not cling to the Peace.¹⁹⁷ It certainly has become real to me, but if {122}
I make a God of it it will become but an illusion. I am ready to
receive the Magical Power as I should not abuse it. I must needs
accomplish the Finished Work.
Buddha. 33 m. The best Meditation I have so far
done. I regard this as a "real" medi-
tation; for 13 minutes quite forgot
time.
Rose on planes of T’Y’s’T’G’K¹⁹⁸ from Malkuth to Kether.
August 5th. Meditated on Thoth concerning Frater I.A.
6th. Arrived at Colombo.

We now arrive at another turning-point in the progress of P. Up to the first of this year 1901 he had studied Western methods of Magic alone, from this date, at first under the tuition of D.A., and then solely under his own mastership, he had begun to study Raja Yoga, practising meditation and a few simple breathing exercises. Now he was going, if not entirely under a Guru, to work daily with one with whom he had, before his departure from England, carried out so many extraordinary magical operations. And this one was no other than Frater I.A.

On account of ill health Frater I.A. had journeyed to Ceylon to see if a warmer climate would not restore to him what a colder one had taken away; and now, that once again his old friend P. had joined him, these two determined to work out the Eastern systems under an Eastern sky and by Eastern methods alone.

On the 1st of August we find P. writing:

"I exist not: there is no God: no place: no time: wherefore I exactly particularize and specify these things." And {123} five days later he began what he called "The Writings of Truth." Before we begin these, it will be necessary to enter upon the doctrines of Buddhism at some little length, for Frater I.A. was now at heart a follower of gotama, being rather disgusted with his Tamil Guru; and under his guidance it was that P. grasped the fundamental importance of Concentration through mediation.

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Index | The Hermit | The Agnostic Position | The Vedanta | Attainment By Yoga | The Yogas | The Constitution of the Human Organism | The Chakkras | The Doctrines of Buddhism | The Noble Eightfold Path | The Writings of Truth

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX

79 Compare with the Kundalini the Serpent mentioned in paragraph 26 of "The Book of Concealed Mystery." Note too the lotus-leaf that backs the throne of a God is also the hood of the Cobra. So too the Egyptian gods have the serpent upon the brow.

80 Provided the other exits are duly stopped by Practice. The danger of Yoga is this, that one may awaken the Magic Power before all is balanced. A discharge takes place in some wrong direction and obsession results.

81 The forcing of the Kundalini up the Sushumnâ and through the six Chakkras to the Sahasrâra, is very similar to Rising on the Planes through Malkuth, Yesod, the Path of פ;, Tiphereth, the Path of ט, and Daäth to Kether, by means of the Central Pillar of the Tree of Life.

82 The following Mystical Physiology is but a symbolic method of expressing what is night inexpressible, and in phraseology is akin to Western Alchemy, the physiological terms taking the place of the chemical ones.

83 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. v.

84 "Ibid,", chap. v,107, 108, 109. This is probably wrong, as the sun is usually placed in the Manipûra Chakkra. In the body of a man the Pingala is the solar current, the Ida the lunar. In a woman these are reversed.

85 "Ibide.", chap. v, 75.

86 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. v, 76, 77. Compare this Chakkra to the lunar and sexual Yesod of the Qabalah; also note that the power here attained to is that of Skrying.

87 Ibid., chap. ii, 32. This Chakkra corresponds to Tiphareth.

88 Ibid., chap. v, 82.

89 Ibid., chap. v, 85, 86, 87.

90 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. v, 110.

91 Ibid., chap. v, 49.

92 Though all Hindu works proclaim that the Sahasrâra has but one thousand petals, its true number is one thousand and one as depicted in the diagram called the Yogi. 10001 = 91 x 11 (‪אמן‬ x ‪אדני‬); 91 = ‪יהוה‬ + ‪אדני‬ 11 = ABRAHADABRA = 418 (38 x 11) = Achad Osher, or one and ten, = the Eleven Averse Sephiroth = Adonai. Also 91 = 13 x 7 ‪אחד‬ x ARARITA, etc., etc. 11 is the Number of the Great Work, the Uniting of the Five and the Six, and 91 = mystic number (1+2+3...+ 13) of 13 = Achad = 1.

93 Ibid., chap. v, 50.

94 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. v. It does not follow that missionaries are Yogis.

95 Compare. "From the Skull of the Ancient Being wells forth Dew, and this Dew will wake up the dead to a new life."—The Zohar, "Idra Rabba." "I will be as a dew unto Israel: he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon."—Hosea, xiv. 5.

96 This is according to the "Shiva Sanhita." "The Hatha Yoga Pradipika" places the Sun in the Svadisthâna Chakkra. The Manipûra Chakkra is however probably the correct one.

97 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 53.

98 Fabulous ages are attributed to many of the Yogis. See Flagg’s "Yoga," chap. xxviii; and "OM" by Sabhapaty Swami, p. vi.

99 We believe this to be the exoteric explanation of this symbolism, the esoteric one being that Shiva represents the Solar or Spiritual Force, and Shakti the lunar or Bodily, the union of these two cancels out the pairs of opposites and produces Equilibrium.

100 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 1-11. Also see "Gheranda Sanhita," p. 23.

101 The Jalandhara Banda is performed by contracting the throat and pressing the chin firmly against the breast.

102 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," pp. 45, 46. Also see "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 11-20. The breath is always exhaled slowly so as not to expend the Prâna.

103 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 47; "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 21, 22.

104 "Hatha-Yoga Pradipika," p. 48; "Shiva Sanhita," vol. iv, 23-30.

105 "Shiva Sanhita," chap iv, 31. This is perhaps the most important of the Mudras. The "Hatha Yoga Pradipika" gives a long description of how the "fraenum linguae" is cut. See pp. 49-56.

106 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 57; "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 48- 52.

107 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 58; "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, p. 41-44.

108 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 60; "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 38- 40.

109 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 62; "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 45- 47. Again this is the union of Shiva and Shakti, and that of the solar and lunar Pingala and Ida by means of the Sushumnâ—the path of the gods.

110 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 76-81.

111 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," pp. 63, 69.

112 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 53-75.

113 On the doctrines of this mudra many popular American semi- occult works have been written, such as "Karezza," "Solar Biology," and "The Goal of Life."

114 It is to be noted here that the union is again that of the mystical Shakti and Shiva, but now within the man. All this symbolism is akin to that made use of by the Sufis.

115 "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iv, 56, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63.

116 "Any person if he actively practises Yoga becomes a Siddha; be he young, old or even very old, sickly or weak. Siddhis are not obtained by wearing the dress of a Yogi, or by talking about them; untiring practice is the secret of success" ("Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 25).

117 For further powers see Flagg’s "Transformation or Yoga," pp. 169, 181.

118 Such as: Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana, Haga, Kurma, Vrikodara, Devadatta, Dhanajaya, etc., etc.

119 Raja-Yoga, "Vivekânanda," p. 23. See Eliphas Levi’s "The Dogma and Ritual of Magic," pp. 121, 158, 192, and Huxley’s "Essay on Hume," p. 155.

120 Raja-Yoga, "Vivekânanda," pp. 36, 37.

121 "Bhagavad-Gâta," vi, 34, 35.

122 The whole of this ancient symbolism is indeed in its very simplicity of great beauty. The highest of physical emotions, namely, love between man and woman, is taken as its foundation. This love, if allowed its natural course, results in the creation of images of ourselves, our children, who are better equipped to fight their way that we on account of the experiences we have gained. But, if this love is turned into a supernatural channel, that is to say, if the joys and pleasures of this world are renounced for some higher ideal still, an ideal super-worldly, then will it become a divine emotion, a love which will awake the human soul and urge it on through all obstructions to its ultimate union with the Supreme soul. To teach this celestial marriage to the Children of earth even the greatest masters must make use of worldly symbols; thus it has come about that corruption has cankered the sublimest of truths, until man’s eyes, no longer seeing the light, see but the flameless lantern, because of the filth that has been cast about it.

123 Malay [pearl divers can remain from three to five minutes under water.

124 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 79.

125 Also see "The Yogasara-Sangraha," p. 54.

126 The Voice of the Nada.

127 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 43.

128 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 28; the "Svetasvatara Upanishad;" and the "Shiva Sanhita," chap. iii, 25.

129 "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 28.

130 "Shiva Sanhita," p. xlix. This in the "Hatha Yoga Pradipika," p. 91, is called the Shanmukhi Mudra. Enormous concentration is needed in all these Prânâyâma exercises, and, if the aspirant wishes to succeed, he must inflame himself with a will to carry them out to their utmost, just as in the Ceremonial Exercises of Abramelin he inflamed himself to attain to the Holy Vision through Prayer. The mere act of restraining the breath, breathing it in and out in a given time, so occupies the mind that it has "no time" to think of any external object. For this reason the periods of Kumbhaka should always be increased in length, so that, by making the exercise little by little more difficult, greater concentration may be gained. Fra. P. writes: "If Kumbhaka be properly performed, the body and mind become suddenly ‘frozen.’ The will is for a moment free, and can hurl itself toward Adonai perhaps with success, before memory again draws back the attention to the second-hand of the watch."

131 "Raja Yoga," Vivekânanda, p. 48. It will be noticed that Prânâyâma itself naturally merges into Pratyâhâra as concentration on the breath increase.

132 "The Unity of Jîva and Brahman, Srimat Sânkarâchârya," paragraph 121.

133 "Unity of Jîva and Brahman, Srimat Sânkarâchârya," paragraph 122.

134 See Chapter V, 43-51.

135 Compare the Abramelin instructions with these.

136 The Nada.

137 Compare Eliphas Levi, "Doctrine and Ritual of Magic," p. 195.

138 Imagine the objective world to be represented by a sheet of paper covered with letters and the names of things, and our power of concentration to be a magnifying glass: that power is of no use, should we wish to burn that paper, until the rays of light are "focussed." By moving the glass or paper with our hand we obtain the right distance. In the above the Will takes the place of the hand.

139 See also "The Yogasara-Sangraha," p. 74.

140 It is to be noted that the symbolism made use of here is almost identical with that so often made use of in the Yoga Shastras and in the Vedanta. The union of Kundalini (Shakti) and Shiva.

141 Revelation, xxi, 1-4.

142 "The Bhagavad-Gâta," ii, 69, 70; vi, 32. Cf. "Konx om Pax," pp. 73-77.

143 The ordinary Egyptian Winged-Globe is here meant, but as visualized by the mind’s eye; the meditation then takes place on the image in the mind. so with the following practises.

144 Tejas-Âkâsa is the Element of Fire. It is symbolized by a red triangle of fire with a black egg in the centre. See "777", col. LXXV, p. 16. See Diagram 84.

145 Apas-Vâyu is the Element of Water and is symbolized by a black egg of Spirit in the Silver Crescent of Water. See "777", col. LXXV, p. 16. See Diagram 84.

146 The Golden Dawn symbol of the Flaming Sword. See Diagram 12.

147 By this is meant watching the swing of an imaginary pendulum. The difficulty is to keep it in one plane, as it tries to swing round; also to change its rate.

148 In these records "M" means morning and "E" evening.

149 The Egyptian Key of Life. See Diagram 61.

150 Lamp of the Invisible Light.

151 In the mind.

152 The visualized form of the goddess Isis.

153 That is to say she kept on moving out of the line of mental sight.

154 See Diagram 80. A scarlet rose on a gold cross.

155 At this point P. made the following resolve: "I resolve to increase my powers very greatly by the aid of the Most High, until I can meditate for twenty-four hours on one object."

156 The Akâsic egg of spirit set between the Pillars of Mercy and Severity with a ray of light descending upon it from Kether.

157 There Golden Dawn Symbol here meditated upon consisted of a white triangle surmounted by a red cross. See Diagram 4.

158 This meditation took place whilst P. was on a journey.

159 these meditations are called Objective Cognitions, by concentrating on certain nerve centres super-physical sensations are obtained.

160 Normally in these experiments the figure does move more often.

161 Normally this is so.

162 In the position many of the Egyptian gods assume.

163 Qy.: Is this from habit of expecting living things to move? I can, I think, succeed in keeping them still.—Note by P.

164 This danger is also experienced by such as carry out Black Magical Operations. The current of will often returns and injures the Magician who willed it.

165 Soror F. the same as Soror S.S.D.F.

166 This description of Hong-Kong is as correct as can be expected from so short a visit. The conversation was subsequently verified by letter, and also again when they met several years later.

167 He resolved the ש of ש Operation into seven parts.

168 The ש of ש Operation, see also the Magical invocation of the Higher Genius: chapter "The Sorcerer." And Liber O iii THE EQUINOX, vol. i, No. 2.

169 See chapter, "The Seer," also Liber O v THE EQUINOX, vol. 1, No. 2.

170 The invocation of the Guardian Angel under the form of a talisman.

How to draw it.
Draw the name ‪אדני‬ as follows:
א = A winged crown radiating white brilliance.
ד = The head and neck of a beautiful woman with a stern and fixed expres-
sion, and hair long dark and waving. (Malkuth.)
נ = The arms and hands, which are bare and strong, stretched out to the
right and left at right angles to the body, in the left hand a gold cup
and in right ears of ripe corn. From her shoulders dark spreading wings.
י = A deep yellow-green robe, upon the breast of which is a square gold
lamen decorated with four scarlet Greek crosses.Round her waist is
a broad gold belt upon which in scarlet letters is written the name
‪אדני אהרצ‬ in the letters of the alphabet of Honorius. Her feet are
flesh coloured, and she wears golden sandals. Her long yellow-green
drapery is rayed with olive, and beneath her feet roll black clouds lit
with lurid patches of colour.
How to perform it.
(1) Commence with lesser pentagram Banishing Ritual.
(2) Formulate rose-cross round room (First, top to bottom; second left to
right; third the rose as a circle dextro-rotary).
(3) The LVX sings in 5^○ = 6^□ towards the four cardinal points.
(4) Formulate before you in white flashing brilliance the eight letters
thus:
(5) Attach yourself to your Kether and imagine you see a א
white light there. ד
(6) Having thus formulated the letters, take a deep breath א ד נ י ה א ר צ
and pronounce the name slowly making the letters flash נ
(7) Invoke the Telesmatic image. Let it fill the Universe. י
(8) Then whilst once again vibrating the Name absorb it ה
into yourself; and then will your aura radiate with whiteness א
You should obtain your Divine White Brilliance before ר
formulating the Image. There are two methods, the involving and צ
the expanding whorls respectively.

171 Similar to the D. A. Mediation Practices.

172 Similar to Fra. I. A.’s ritual of Jupiter.

173 This is done by making the telesmata flash by meditation.

174 This is done by projecting a physical image of the self in front of one by meditation.

175 The Elemental Tablets of Dr. Dee; see Diagrams in "The Vision and the Voice."

176 Ideas for mental Concentration. Concentration on Scarlet Sphere in Tiphereth. Let it slowly rise into Daäth and darken, after which into Kether and be a white brilliance; thence fling it flashing, or bring it down and keep it in Tiphereth.

177 In all cases when the name alone is mentioned a mediation practice is understood. Prithivi-Apas corresponds to water of earth. It is symbolized by a silver crescent drawn within a yellow square. See Diagram 84.

178 I.e., Self in Âkâsa between pillars with white ray descending.

179 Heaven

180 An Eleven pointed Star.

181 P. at various times used the "Invocation of the Bornless one" as given in "The Goetia"; also the Pentagram rituals in Liber O.

182 The first six Angelic Keys of Dr. Dee.

183 The explanation of the 5^○ = 6^□ Ritual. See Chapter "The Adept."

184 The colour of Chokmah.

185 See Plate VI. "The Kabbalah Unveiled," S. L. Mathers.

186 It is to be noted that this Vision is of a fiery nature, and that it was experienced shortly after meditating upon Tejas-Apas.

187 Very similar to the older form of "Temperance" in Taro.

188 See Liber O, THE EQUINOX, vol. i, No. 2; Plate, "Signs of the Grades," i; and vol. i, No. 1; Plates the "Silent Watcher" and "Blind Force."

189 The four letters of the Air line in the "Little Tablet of Union" which unites the four great Watch Towers of the Elements (see Dr. Dee’s system, also Golden Dawn MS. entitled "The Concourse of the Forces)." Thus the T of Nanta represents Earth of Earth the Empress of Pantacles in the Taro, and that letter is used as an initial for names of angels drawn from the Earthy corner of the Earth tablet. For further see the EQUINOX, vol. i, No. 5.

DIAGRAM 87.
The Spirit Table

{Illustration on page 119 approximated:

 ÛßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßßÛ
 Û      Ú___Â___Â___Â___Â___¿ Û
 ÛAir   ³ E ³ X ³ A ³ R ³ P ³ Û
 Û      Ã___Å___Å___Å___Å___´ Û
 ÛWater ³ H ³ C ³ O ³ M ³ A ³ Û
 Û      Ã___Å___Å___Å___Å___´ Û
 ÛSpirit³ N ³ A ³ N ³ T ³ A ³ Û
 Û      Ã___Å___Å___Å___Å___´ Û
 Û Dee  ³ B ³ I ³ T ³ O ³ M ³ Û
 Û      À___Á___Á___Á___Á___Ù Û
 Û      .air Water Spirit Dee Û 
 ÛÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÜÛ 
DIAGRAM 87. The Spirit Table}

190 A draft had been send only payable in Hong-Kong on personal application. He was consequently afraid lest by staying too long in Japan he should become "stranded."

191 Harpocrates.

192 Meditation upon Nirvana.

193 I.e., no longer through reason or imagination.

194 Harpocrates being the meditative God.

195 In this exercise the pendulum tends to swing out of plane. Here are Frater P.’s two methods of correcting it: (a) Fix mind on the two points of a pendulum-swing and move pendulum sharply like chronograph hand, keeping them fixed and equal in size. Pendulum recovers its plane. (b) Follow swing carefully throughout keeping size exact. This more legitimate but more difficult.

196 Invoked angel of Nirvana as H.P.K. on lotus. Note P.’s complete ignorance of Buddhism, at this date.

197 I.e., the Peace which had been enfolding him for so many days. See entry July 14th.

198 ‪ק‬=Kether ‪ג‬=Path of Gimel ‪ת‬=Tiphereth ‪ס‬=Path of Samech ‪י‬=Yesod ‪ת‬=Path of Tau.

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THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING

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