I think Crowley’s definition is actually “Magick is
the art and science of causing change in accordance with your will”.
I think the “changing consciousness” version is
Starhawk’s.
~Caroline Tully.
From: Society for The
Academic Study of Magic [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of toyin adepoju
Sent: Wednesday, 2 December 2009 12:28 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [ACADEMIC-STUDY-MAGIC] MAGIC AS ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL
EXPRESSIONS OF THE ARTS:MAGICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE IN AN INVOCATION INSPIRED
BY THE FULL MOON
One of the
most powerful expressions of the arts is magic. What kind of magic is this?It
is the kind referred to the by the great and controversial English
occultist, religious figure and philosopher of religion Aleister Crowley, as
the art of changing consciousness in accordance with will [ I have
expanded my understanding of magic beyond this but I might explain that later].
If I have understood Crowley's epistemology-theory of knowledge-and his
ontology-conception of being-well, what he is likely to mean is
that the magician is able, using particular procedures, to change
the state of their mind to a state desired by the magician. This change
of mental state is understood by Crowley as the beginning and the end of magic.
Magic, to many people, is associated
with entertainment, something related to pulling rabbits out of a hat or
sawing a woman in two. The kind of magic Crowley is referring to is
different in its goals and possibly in its methods. It is more precisely understood
as theurgy: the invocation of spirits. This practice holds that forms of
being not visible to humanity exist, some in other dimensions, some on this
earth but in dimensions of the physical world conventionally inaccessible to
humans and that it could be helpful to the human being to enter into
relationship with such beings.
A broad range of methods have been developed for this
purpose,across the centuries, in all continents, from Africa, to Asia to
Europe, to Australia. Parallels can be drawn across these points in time and
space on account of significant similarities in the theories and techniques
used by various "specialists of the sacred" in different cultures.
One of these magical methods is ceremonial magic. This method involves a
sequence of actions, within a limited frame of time, in which the magician
tries to reflect in their speech and action, as vividly and as intensely as
possible, the goal they want to achieve. These actions often reflect the
characteristics of the spirit being called upon. This process is supposed
to call into being the magician's goal, possibly, according to Crowley, by
identifying the magician with the spirit, elevating the magician's mind to that
of the consciousness of the intelligence being invoked.
It is in the effort to transcend, through language
and action, the limitations represented by the state of mind embodied by
daily activity that the arts come into their own in magic. Powerful imagery,
sonorous verbal sequences, emotionally stirring rhythm, dramatic expressive
patterns, vivid and powerfully evocative gestures, sharply emblematic
costumes-all these represent aspects of the repertoire of the magician,
as they try to leave the world that can be seen for that which cannot
ordinarily be seen, and perhaps return with the understanding of that world, or
in some cases, with evidence of that world.
Magic is also closely related to nature. Magicians
often hold that the natural world is the expression of a force that is manifest
in terms of the various spirits they try to contact. This awareness leads to a
sensitivity to time, to the periodic activities of nature, from the rising and
setting of the sun, to the movements of the sun in relation to the stars in the
space of a year, to the patterns represented by the movements of
the celestial bodies across larger spans of time.
Tonight, in my room in Cambridge, England,I have been
led by reading an invocation-a magical ritual calling upon a spirit to
manifest themselves-to Mene,to contemplate the grandeur of the moon as she
rests in the seemingly endless expanse of the sky, with a lone star
giving deeper presence to the sense of silence, of stillness, of a mystery
being enacted of which we are participants but in relation to which, to
paraphrase the sage of Galilee, looking we do not see, listening we do not
hear.
Regardless of whatever one might think of
conceptions of supra-physical sentience-a more precise manner of defining what
is often meant by "spirit"-one cannot but admire the poetic force,
the dramatic power of the following ritual to Mene ,inspired by the full
moon, one of the most propitious periods in magic. The ritual is from the
Western magical tradition and from the group The Iacchus Temple on Facebook.
Damon Zacharias To
members of Iacchus Temple
For the Glory of Selene
Dear
All,
As it is the full moon tonight (N Hemisphere), I have uploaded an Invocatory
Prayer to Mene on the discussion board for those who might be interested in
exploring a rite from the Greek Magical Papyri (The first part is my own
input and there are some adaptations throughout the rite) with some adaptations
of my own) and maybe even performing it to embrace Mene this evening...
ΕΥΟΙ! Ιαχή λατρευτικής έκστασης της Ιερής Βακχείας...
Ritual
Opening actions:
Turn to face the Moon. Burn myrrh and anoint your
forehead with myrrh oil.
Chant AKTI^OPHIS. Trace the Invoking Heptagram of the Moon and then the symbol
of the Moon in the centre. Charge it by thrusting the centre and vibrating
M^EN^E MARZOUN^E. This is to be repeated 9 times.
Chant:
I call upon thee who hast every form and many names,
double-horned goddess, M^en^e, whose form no one knows except him who fashioned
the entire world – IA^O! The one who shaped thee into the 28 shapes of
the world so that they might perfect and provide breath to every animal and
plant, that it might thrive, thou who growest from darkness into light and
leavest the light for darkness.
The first thing that accompanies thy name is silence, the second a popping
sound, the third groaning, the fourth hissing, the fifth a cry of joy, the
sixth moaning, the seventh barking, the eighth roaring, the ninth neighing, the
tenth a musical sound, the eleventh the howl of the wind, the twelfth a
wind-creating sound, the thirteenth a commanding sound, the fourteenth a
commanding emanation from perfection (these sounds are either to be imitated or
imagined in an audible fashion in the magician’s magical mind).
Ox, vulture, bull, beetle, falcon, crab, dog, wolf, serpent, horse, she-goat,
asp, goat, baboon, cat, lion, leopard, field mouse, deer, multiform, virgin,
torch, lightning, garland, a herald’s wand, child key (these are to be
visualised).
I have spoken thy signs and the symbols of thy name so that thou mightest hear
me, for I am praying to thee, mistress of the whole world. Hear me, thou, the
constant one, the mighty one,
APHEIBO^E^O MINT^ER, PIZEPHYD^OR CHANTHAR CHAD^EROZO MOCHTHION EOTNEU PH^ERZON
AIND^ES LACHABO^O PITT^O RIPHTHAMER ZMOMOCH^OLEIE TI^EDRANTEIA
OISOZOCHAB^ED^OPHRA.
Add whichever other magical effects you desire.