The Book of Ceremonial Magic

gold earth. In that world, words and wishes possess creative power; thoughts are things, and desire realizes its goal. There, also, the dead live, and the hierarchies of extra-worldly original: "extra-mundane" intelligence are in easy communication, becoming ministers or tormentors, guides or destroyers, of mankind. There, the Law of Continuity is suspended by the interference of the higher Law of Fantasy original: "Fantasia".

But, unfortunately, this domain of enchantment is in every way comparable to "fairy gold" In folklore, fairy gold is treasure that looks real but turns into leaves or dust when brought into the human world., which is presumably its currency. It cannot withstand daylight, the scrutiny of the human eye, or the balance of reason. When these are applied, its paradoxes become anticlimactic and its contradictions ludicrous. Its inconsistencies lack brilliance; its mathematical wonders end in mere wordplay. Its elixirs fail even as simple laxatives original: "purges", and its transmutations do not even need a professional assayer to be proven false. Its magical words prove to be crude corruptions of dead languages, losing all power the moment they are understood. Even departed friends and planetary spirits must not be grabbed by their robes, for they are likely to slip out of them, and their garments are nothing like the miraculous mantle of Elijah In the Bible (2 Kings 2), the prophet Elijah's mantle fell to Elisha, granting him Elijah's spirit and power..

This brief contrast shows that there are at least two points of view regarding Magic and its mysteries. First, there is the simple, unified view held by the few remaining believers within a "charmed circle" whom reason has not discouraged. Second, there is the view of the outside world, which is more complex and varied, though sometimes it is only considered more "reasonable" by assumption. There is also a third view, where legend is measured against legend and one wonder is simply replaced by another. In this view, it is not the persistence of natural laws against the Law of Fantasy; rather, it is the "bogeyman" original: "Croquemetaine" explained by the Devil original: "Diabolus", or the runes of Fairyland interpreted through the lens of Hell original: "Infernus". This is the perspective of the Church's rituals—the "Bell, Book, and Candle" Referring to the rite of excommunication. and the Law of Exorcism—and its ultimate expression is the "act of faith" original: auto-da-fé; the public penance or execution of heretics during the Inquisition.. For those who hold this view, the world of wonders definitely exists, but it is judged by the Holy Tribunal of the Church. It is not what

it appears to be, but is reinterpreted by the eye of faith through religious dogma original: "light from the Lamp of the Sanctuaries". In short: its angels are actually demons, its water-spirits original: "Melusines" are blood-sucking monsters original: "stryges"; mythical hags or birds of ill omen that fed on human flesh and blood., its phantoms are vampires, and its spells and mysteries are the "Black Science."

At this point, Magic itself responds that there is both a Black and a White Art: an Art of Hermes Hermes Trismegistus, the legendary founder of alchemy and "high" magic. and an Art of Canidia A famous Neapolitan sorceress mentioned by the Roman poet Horace; representing "low" or malevolent magic., a science of the Heavens and a science of the Abyss, belonging to either the archangel Metatron In Jewish mystical tradition, the highest of the angels. or the demon Belial A term used in the Hebrew Bible to personify wickedness, later identified as a demon or Satan.. This creates a fourth point of view. However, all of these are in some way deceptive. There is the "positive illusion" of the legend itself, believed literally by its followers. There is the "negative illusion" which bluntly denies the legend without considering any underlying truth. There is the illusion that explains the legend away using an opposing theory. Finally, there is the illusion of the legend that tries to save itself by making a distinction between "good" and "bad" magic. Once these views are set aside, two truly important questions remain: the question of the Mystics and the question of history and literature. To a great extent, the first question is closed to discussion, because the issues it involves cannot be presented...