Magickal symbolism
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Is there a good beginner's book to get a good grip of all the symbols, names etc. used in magick? I'm looking for something more thorough than a dictionary and I concider myself a beginner in the world of magick. To give a grasp of the specific situation, I want to understand what Chockmah, Binah, Cherub and all other (similar?) characters mean philosophically. I guess I've gone the wrong way starting out with Crowley and Lévi (at least I hope so - otherwise I may be too stupid to study magick at all), because I generally have to look up one word every paragraph and read an article about it.
Any tips anyone?
I am reading GD and so far it seems promising, but 1) if there's an even better beginner's book to start out with I'm more than open for suggestions, 2) I'm still in the beginning so if it is recommended as a good start provided I do get the contents (which hasn't been a problem so far, past the first grade presented in it), I think it will do.
Example of why I'm unsure if it will do:
The way it is written is a bit frustrating because it doesn't explain the subjects in the order of complexity I want it. It hints at the meaning of the cherubs more than explains them. Then I guess it comes back to them on a higher level of comprehension, which seems a bit brainwashing to me. I want to know what I'm dealing with firsthand if that's an option, so to speak. -
From one beginner to another...
I don't know if the sort of book you want does or can exist. But, for a good intro to the sephiroth, I recommend Dion Fortune's Mystical Qabalah. For the Kerubs, at least in a magical context, perhaps the Theoricus ritual of the Golden Dawn. And I say that only because I haven't seen much good on this topic. But the ritual relates them to the Sphinx and elements and the Tree of Life.
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Thanks for the tips!
But just in case I wasn't clear, I'm looking for something to explain all symbols (as many as possible at least). The ones I mensioned were just examples. (Not even sure you did interpret it like that, but just in case.) And also, what I'm looking for doesn't necessarily have to be in a single book. I should have said something like "a corner to begin from" perhaps.
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In my enormous library, I know of nothing at all that comes close to fitting what you are looking for.
For bare starters on things that you asked about, you might look at the Kether, Chokmah, and Binah entries in the Qabalah section of this forum.
One of the first tasks in the early years of entering occultism is accumulating a library - mine reaches thousands of volumes, and that's hardly unusual (though not necessarily the norm).
If you would break it down into specific categories, we could perhaps recommend better collections. (Chuck's recommendation on a starting place for Qabalah is one of the best, for example.)
The G.D. book itself is one of the books usually recommended as an explanation of many of these terms - you will find most of them defined in the Knowledge Lecture section.
PS - Anna-Kria King and I are coauthoring something, hopefully available in the next few months, which might address much of this (but not everything you asked about) from at least one particular way.
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Thousands?! =-OOO
Okay, may the reason for it being so extensive be that of religious suppression? I mean, if people had to write in code and pay heed to catholicism 90% of the pages in the magickal books it seems reasonable that it's extensive, but shouldn't there be an encyclopedia out there by now? Say I want to study physics, or say, the whole branch of natural science for that matter. Then I could read maybe 6-7 books to get all or most of the symbols and as I gather, magick is about as big a field as that comparison. So in other words why so vast?And thanks for the recommendations! And I'll definitely keep an eye out for your book.
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@Malaclypse said
"Okay, may the reason for it being so extensive be that of religious suppression? I mean, if people had to write in code and pay heed to catholicism 90% of the pages in the magical books it seems reasonable that it's extensive,"
Actually, that's not the main reason.
Words - such as I'm typing at the moment - are the language of only one part of the brain, the rational-intellectual part which people usually call "conscious." But subconsciousness (for example) has a quite different language. Subconsciousness doesn't "speak" in words of this sort (or, when it does, they don't have the same type of meaning).
The "words" of the language of subconsciousness are symbols. That's what real symbols are - not just code terms, but quite another language. The real reason for working with them is so that the subconscious part of our minds can be directly involved in the work at least as much as - usually more than! - the self-conscious part.
If fact, you don't really want to "translate" all symbols into intellectually comprehensible equivalencies. (You want to translate a few of them, just to have have a starting point on understanding what subconsciousness is going to be working on - but in some areas, such as alchemy, you quite pointedly don't want to translate the terms into hard equivalencies) Instead, you want to rehabilitate and train subconsciousness, and to let it read symbols directly, not through intellectual translation.
[quotre]but shouldn't there be an encyclopedia out there by now?"
No - I don't think so - for reasons stated above. Symbols aren't just a code. They're an entirely different language, and translation into rational language isn't word-for-word.
"Say I want to study physics, or say, the whole branch of natural science for that matter. Then I could read maybe 6-7 books to get all or most of the symbols and as I gather, magick is about as big a field as that comparison. So in other words why so vast?"
Because it's a whole 'nuther language - and, in fact, an entirely different way of apprehending the world.
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I see now. Thanks for clearing that up!
But here's the risk involved as I see it then: brainwashing. First you study something that alters your subconscious - which you can't control - and consciously you appear to learn something valuable. Your mind might think it experiences positive practical results but that's only because you're brainwashed by something unknown and et voila! you're a full fledged magician, you think.
Can you tell me a little more about the fruits of the symbolism compared to rational analysis? -
Will Parfitt has a tiny little book that condenses all the basic information of the Qabalah in a very useful way. The book is called "Elements of The Qaballah"... This is the same basic book he has continually updated and expanded to what is now "The Complete Guide To The Kabballah." However, for my money, the original "Elements of The Qabalah" was perfect in itself. In a short span of time, one can get the overall picture of the basics without having to flip through a bunch of pages. I recommend both books, but for the beginner, I definitely recommend "Elements of The Qaballah" and once that's squared away, move on to "The Complete Guide To The Kabballah." Of course, Dion Fortune's "Mystical Qaballah" is a great book, but it is enough to scare people away, I think. I read it a long time ago and haven't re-read it since because it is just too dense. It puts me to sleep.
Regarding Cherubs, etc. a good book is Manly P. Hall's "Secret Teachings of All Ages." It has pretty much everything in there, but if you're going to get it, get the oversized color version. The black and white little version is like reading the dictionary, plus many of the images are gone.
Another couple good books are by David Allen Hulse called "Key of It All 1 & 2." One is "Western Mysteries," the other is "Eastern Mysteries." None of these reference books are terribly entertaining (the 3 I've just listed), but they will explain these concepts to you.
Levi's illustration of a Cherub might be helpful to look at:
altreligion.about.com/library/graphics/magick/cherubezekiel.jpg -
Yet more thanks for the tips! And that picture was in Transcendental Magic, but at my low level it doesn't say much.
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@Malaclypse said
"I see now. Thanks for clearing that up!
But here's the risk involved as I see it then: brainwashing. First you study something that alters your subconscious - which you can't control - and consciously you appear to learn something valuable. Your mind might think it experiences positive practical results but that's only because you're brainwashed by something unknown and et voila! you're a full fledged magician, you think.
Can you tell me a little more about the fruits of the symbolism compared to rational analysis?"Would you call learning to ride a bike or learning mathematics "brainwashing?" The symbols are used to represent ideas to yourself, the same way x and n are used in algebra. If you've ever learned to program in Flash, for instance, you know there are variables, functions and classes and, in order to learn how to use these, you need a really good book or teacher because it gets confusing. Now, imagine trying to explain parts of the soul. It's more than consciousness, it's spirituality. There are parts of our psychology that Psychology just can't express. How would you ever describe the Elements if not with Fire, Air, Earth and Water? Learning these concepts, did you feel "brainwashed?" These symbols are simply a way to describe ideas which are otherwise very hard to do!
The Kerubs are explained and listed here from a Crowleyan perspective (even better):
www.hermetic.com/osiris/onthepowersofthesphinx1.htm
When you get there, scroll to bottom of page where you will find the simple chart. This should already be clearing it up. Now, scroll back up and read the whole page linked above. -
@Malaclypse said
"But here's the risk involved as I see it then: brainwashing."
Adding to Fezz's comments...
Brainwashing generally involves a particular group of people deliberately tricking, disciplining, or conditioning someone to believe particular things. These symbols, however, have arisen over the last 2500 years or more amongst a large number of people. They don't have the coherance that I associate with brainwashing.
More importantly, thinking of how these symbols have affected me, they don't really change one's beliefs in any systematic way. Instead, they lead to very personal experiences and help to reveal hidden things within one's self. You don't internalize some symbol and then suddenly believe that God exists in a tripartite division or that Jesus will return to Earth and take you with him when he leaves again. I have seen magicians internalize the same sorts of symbols, but have radically different beliefs, even about how magic works.
Then again, maybe I'm part of a masonic conspiracy and I just want you to think it's safe.
At the risk of getting too personal, but while also not suggesting that anyone abandon skepticism... Perhaps you'd find it fruitful to examine the source of your anxiety over studying magic.
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One more thing...
Certainly internalizing these symbols and doing magic will change you - and probably in unanticipated ways outside of your direct conscious control. But I see that as exactly the point. I don't see any use in magic if it leaves you unchanged. Also, magic would seem pretty lame to me if I could already imagine and understand the potential changes in my consciousness such that I could consciously choose and direct those transformations in my self.
Does that get at your concerns?
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@Malaclypse said
"But here's the risk involved as I see it then: brainwashing. First you study something that alters your subconscious - which you can't control - and consciously you appear to learn something valuable. Your mind might think it experiences positive practical results but that's only because you're brainwashed by something unknown and et voila! you're a full fledged magician, you think."
As I occassionally tell students - tongue-in-cheek and totally serious at the same time! - yes, Temple of Thelema makes a point of controlling our students minds. However, since the Chiefs don't have time to do all of that controlling, we make the students control their own minds. This saves us all sorts of time and bother!
Seriously!
You are confusing UNconsciousness with SUBconsciousness. UNconsciousness is something of which you're not conscious. SUBconsciousness is a specific layer of your psyche. The fact that most people are UNconscious of what their SUBconscious mind is doing doesn't mean you should confuse the two. It is quite possible - easy, even, given enough practice - to be quite conscious of what SUBconsciousness is doing, how it is working, how it is responding. In fact, that's a very big part of all occult training. The key isn't to drag all of that stuff out into intellectual daylight, but rather to pursue it into the inner recesses of ourselves and make our new home in the more subtle layers of mind.
That's a basic characteristic of "a full-fledged magician"!
"Can you tell me a little more about the fruits of the symbolism compared to rational analysis?"
Neither the deep exploration of oneself, nor exploraiton of astral realms, nor connection to any nonrational, arational, or transrational aspects of consciousness can occur without making oneself at home in subconsciousness. That pretty much wipes out most of the Great Work!
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@sasha said
"Certainly internalizing these symbols and doing magic will change you - and probably in unanticipated ways outside of your direct conscious control. But I see that as exactly the point."
Yes. Exactly! If not, then (as you said)... why bother?
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Ah, thanks all of you! I see it all as good reasons to feel safe in a critical way.
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One of the books I first read regarding magick was by Bill Whitcomb called 'The Magician's Companion'. Then there is 'The Key of It All', though I haven't gone through that one in any depth, though it's right behind me at the moment.
Just a thought
Sean
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Ah, thanks! I'll look into it.