Guidelines for attaining magical success
Written by David Bersson
Found at http://www.castletower.org/links.html
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law
How many years are you going to waste reading that magick book? You've read it over, I know that, many times. What about the practical magick that balances your theory? What about the magical circle you meant to paint in accordance with Book 4. Didn't you mention once that you were going to see to it that your robe was sewn according to our instructions? Have you even done this yet?
I've seen it time and time again. A student will come to me for instruction and seem so very, very serious. The next thing I know this student will be asking questions of a nature that prove to me that his record coming will amount to nothing more than a profane diary of idle speculations with no real work. Yes, I've seen it time and time again. So-called aspirants who waste away the years, putting idiot obstacles in their path and finally sputtering out like a gasoline engine that has never been fueled nor properly maintained.
Look, I'm warning you of the outcome of your slack. You will wake up in 20 years and all your brothers and sisters will be five Grades ahead of you. You will be considered a loyal but lazy person whose life has been a lot of neat conversations at Feasts. Why sign the Oath unless you mean to fulfill it? How many incarnations do I have to keep coming back and telling you to concentrate on your priorities? Didn't we go through the same mother fucking problem back when you were Priest of Amen in old Egypt? Before that, I warned you of the same mother fucking problems in the ancient Kingdom of T where you were the Altar Girl of my desire but you never listened. Shall we go through the same mother fucking routine next lifetime when you are scheduled to assist me socially with the arrangement of the Temple of Maat?
You've gained a lot of occult knowledge with your studies. Its time you made use of it. If you can't understand a hint let me give you a blare. Here are some guidelines toward being a bit more pragmatic---
1. You must realize right from the start that Initiation CANNOT occur unless you have accumulated the necessary amount of magical energy. Therefore, the accumulation of magical energy would be a high priority.
2. Initiation will not occur in its purity unless you have cleansed your aura, sealed your aura, strengthened your aura, and enflamed your aura.
3. Keep your magical diary where you SEE it when you arise in the morning. Go to Liber E, Section I and follow these instructions closely.
4. Every morning when you get up, after your bath you go straight to your Temple. This means getting up a little earlier so you can fit everything in before leaving the house to go to your job.
5. Upon entering the Temple you should be able to do, (without reading from that damn paper),. the Star Ruby or some banishing ritual, Liber V, a License to Depart, (if you create one use the Goetia as your guide), and an Adoration to Nuit. This is a basic 30 to 45 minute magical practice session. Full length Invocations can be done after Liber V. Some of them you'll want to memorize, and some of them can be read from a paper. Yet your banishing, Liber V, a License to Depart and Adoration to Nuit should be memorized. You are memorizing items that contain all the basics of magick.
6. Your first magical retirement should be about three days long. Plan it out where invocations and rituals and reading are evenly done throughout your day. My suggestion is to do repeating ritual sessions to build energy and power. For instance, do 100 banishings in a row, 100 Liber V in a row, 100 License to Departs in a row, 100 Adorations to Nuit in a row during this first magical retirement. Like anything else, you get what you put into a working. Also, such a magical retirement means having a big pitcher of water so your throat will not become hoarse. Have your magical diary in your Temple with you.
I'm telling you this knowing you have the potential to do this and attain in this lifetime. Your first REAL Initiation will give you the self confidence that you are now lacking. I've seen many aspirants come my way. Some are capable of being inspired. I think you are in this class.
I look forward to the daily adventure of my Temple Workings. I always have some Magical Operation that I try to accomplish. In the back of my mind, and right from the beginning of my magical career, I've always looked at myself as this ancient sorcerer type attempting to learn magical secrets by constant experimentation. In fact, this "ancient sorcerer type" complete with all his leather books and strange sigils is the sum of the equation of the magician who takes the method of science seriously with his or her magick. Very amusing to still be so romantic about my magick but I do not see any conflict with such an attitude with ONE STAR IN SIGHT and Liber LXI. If anything, I love magick as much as I did when I first began reading on the subject so many, many years ago. Please ponder these words very carefully. I am, sincerely attempting to warn you not to put so many obstacles in front of your path.
More hope with an aspirant that can write poetry. At least with poetry some inspiration is occurring. I might add that no matter how I attempt to inspire you if you have no reception toward inspiration I waste my greatest efforts.
Love is the law, love under will
