ALIM
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93 All,
I have been going back over the basics, and have realized that I never fully understood what was meant by the proper use of the formula of ALIM.
AC states that:
It is therefore occasionally inevitable for a Magician to reorganize the structure of certain elements before proceeding to his operation proper. Although such work is technically witchcraft, it must not be regarded as undesirable on that ground, for all operations which do not transmute matter fall strictly speaking under this heading.
Could someone give me an example of such a restructuring of elements and why it would be necessary?
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The key to understanding this is to understand the difference between change and transformation.
In brief, change is the rearranging of pieces on the same plane - "robbing Peter to pay Paul," "rearranging the same furniture in the same living room," trying to manage phenomena from the same plane as the phenomena. Transformation, on the other hand, steps above the current framework to control it from a higher place.
There could be all sorts of reasons for rearranging the furniture first. For one thing, until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomena. Even if you do have the wherewithal, you may sometimes find it more effective to work from within the same plane - For example, a manager may find it more effective to be "just one of the guys" sometimes, rather than simply to "command from on high."
Other times, some preliminary work is needed before you are really in a place to undertake the main operation. For example, if you are in a lousy mental state and hung up on some obsession, sometimes you have to work on yourself by using your mind on your mind to get yourself into decent shape to do serious magick.
Major operations often require some preliminaries. A lower form of magick often will provide a quick-and-dirty solution.
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"There could be all sorts of reasons for rearranging the furniture first. For one thing, until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomena"
Would this be something like preparing the temple for a certain operation? Such as, for example, making the square of Jupiter on the altar for an operation of Jupiter?
"Other times, some preliminary work is needed before you are really in a place to undertake the main operation. For example, if you are in a lousy mental state and hung up on some obsession, sometimes you have to work on yourself by using your mind on your mind to get yourself into decent shape to do serious magick. "
This makes sense. It occurred to me while going back over the magickal formulas that a magickal formula itself is a series of mental exercises that can span an undetermined amount of time and not just in the confines of ritual proper. Although every act or set of actions is in fact ritual. Going with this it seems that life is full of Magick! and if I am correct in assuming these things then AC's definition of the word seems much more understood.
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@phoinix93 said
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"There could be all sorts of reasons for rearranging the furniture first. For one thing, until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomena"Would this be something like preparing the temple for a certain operation?"
Yes, literally or metaphorically. (Including literally moving the furniture!)
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@Jim Eshelman said
"Yes, literally or metaphorically. (Including literally moving the furniture!)"
OK, lets try again. All furniture aside.
I think I may be making this more difficult than it is.
"For example, a manager may find it more effective to be "just one of the guys" sometimes, rather than simply to "command from on high.""
I understand this example, having the ability to 'transcend the plane of the phenomena' and finding it more effective not to.
But what of the other reason you listed. I can't seem to grasp the scenario.
"until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomena"
I've tried, I just can't grasp this without and example.
Like I said I'm probably making this way to difficult but it has stumped me.
"Major operations often require some preliminaries."
Such as the Abramelin Operation with its seemingly endless preparations?
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@phoinix93 said
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@Jim Eshelman said
"For example, a manager may find it more effective to be "just one of the guys" sometimes, rather than simply to "command from on high.""I understand this example, having the ability to 'transcend the plane of the phenomena' and finding it more effective not to.
But what of the other reason you listed. I can't seem to grasp the scenario."
Then we're even: I don't understand your question. Are you referring to the last clause of my sentence above?
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"until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomena"I've tried, I just can't grasp this without and example.
"You can't master or control any phenomena in the universe while you're within it. For example, when two people are stupidly emotionally arguing, it's much easier for a third party - someone outside their duality - to see what's really going on and to help them "cut through it." Or consider "thinking outside the box" - you have to get outside the "box" of your current point of view to find the creative solution.
In magick, it's theoretically even simpler - but, for most people that remains theoretical because they don't have the initiation to understand the point. Nonetheless, it is this: The phenomena of one of the Four Worlds of Qabalah are transformed from a higher world. One works in Yetzirah to effect transformation in Assiah. One works in Briah to effect transformation in Yetzirah. One works in Atziluth to effect transformation in Briah.
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"Major operations often require some preliminaries."Such as the Abramelin Operation with its seemingly endless preparations?"
For example, yes. But even much simpler things.
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"Then we're even: I don't understand your question. Are you referring to the last clause of my sentence above? "
Sorry Jim, bad formatting on my part
I was referring to this:
"Quote:
until you start your formal operation you may not have the magical wherewithal to transcend the plane of the phenomenaI've tried, I just can't grasp this without and example."
Which you effectively explained here:
"You can't master or control any phenomena in the universe while you're within it. For example, when two people are stupidly emotionally arguing, it's much easier for a third party - someone outside their duality - to see what's really going on and to help them "cut through it." Or consider "thinking outside the box" - you have to get outside the "box" of your current point of view to find the creative solution.
In magick, it's theoretically even simpler - but, for most people that remains theoretical because they don't have the initiation to understand the point. Nonetheless, it is this: The phenomena of one of the Four Worlds of Qabalah are transformed from a higher world. One works in Yetzirah to effect transformation in Assiah. One works in Briah to effect transformation in Yetzirah. One works in Atziluth to effect transformation in Briah."
OK Thank you I understand this.
But all this explains transformation correct? Controlling phenomena from a higher place right?
So one can effect change from within the same plane without transcending it?
Let me try to make a rough example of these things to see if I am kinda getting the drift.
Using your furniture in the living room example just rearranging it would be causing change in the same plane as the phenomena, while actually going to a furniture store and buying new furniture for it would be transforming the plane (living room) from a higher plane (furniture store)?
OK, if I'm on the right track here, how can one magickly effect change on a plane from the same plane?
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@phoinix93 said
"But all this explains transformation correct? Controlling phenomena from a higher place right?
So one can effect change from within the same plane without transcending it? "
Yes. Change is an illusion, but that's OK, because the phenomena you're changing are illusions, too. That is, most phenomena are just relationships between energies and ideas, and you can rearrange the pieces to form new relationships. This actually does affect how energy flows, for example - and it gives the appearance that much is different, because the rearrangement forces different relationships which force different appearances.
"Let me try to make a rough example of these things to see if I am kinda getting the drift.
Using your furniture in the living room example just rearranging it would be causing change in the same plane as the phenomena, while actually going to a furniture store and buying new furniture for it would be transforming the plane (living room) from a higher plane (furniture store)?"
Yes. Good example for two reasons:
(1) You are bringing something from outside the system into the system, not just rearranging the pieces.
(2) Nuit is the key: You can't create from something. You can only create from nothing. You have to create emptiness before you can create anything else, otherwise there's no room to create anything. In your example, you have to create space to put the new furniture before you can get it into the living room."OK, if I'm on the right track here, how can one magickly effect change on a plane from the same plane?"
It depends on the operation.
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"You have to create emptiness before you can create anything else, otherwise there's no room to create anything. In your example, you have to create space to put the new furniture before you can get it into the living room. "
This is probably the most difficult part of the operation because we always attach ourselves to the illusion of permanence, and since our ego is very sensitive to this, it will not give up its "pacifier" without a fight.
If the external help has to come in the form of the HGA, the initiate/magician has to empty the house thoroughly and allow the "external" influence to operate.
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"That is, most phenomena are just relationships between energies and ideas, and you can rearrange the pieces to form new relationships. This actually does affect how energy flows, for example - and it gives the appearance that much is different, because the rearrangement forces different relationships which force different appearances"
Like say how the relationship between 3 and 4 differs from that of 2 and 4 when they are added, one forming 7 and the other forming 6? Just as an example.
" You can't create from something. You can only create from nothing. You have to create emptiness before you can create anything else, otherwise there's no room to create anything. "
Being an artist this makes sense seeing as how you have to have a blank canvas to create any work. Using something with something already there your just altering another's creation. But creating emptiness? From a magical stand point, would this not be taken care of in the banishing and purifications prior to the ritual?
93 Metzareph,
"This is probably the most difficult part of the operation because we always attach ourselves to the illusion of permanence, and since our ego is very sensitive to this, it will not give up its "pacifier" without a fight.
If the external help has to come in the form of the HGA, the initiate/magician has to empty the house thoroughly and allow the "external" influence to operate."This is a good way of putting it, thank you.
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@phoinix93 said
"But creating emptiness? From a magical stand point, would this not be taken care of in the banishing and purifications prior to the ritual? "
Usually, yes - as well as in the personal preliminaries - as always, assume they are done correctly.