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By V. H. Frater Resurgam (Dr. Berridge)
The uninitiated interpret Imagination as something ‘imaginary’ in the popular
sense of the word; i.e. something unreal. But imagination is a reality. When a
man imagines he actually creates a form on the Astral or even on some higher
plane; and this form is as real and objective to intelligent beings on that
plane, as our earthly surroundings are to us. This form, which Imagination
creates may have only a transient existence, productive of no important results;
or it may be vitalised and then used for good or evil. To practice magic, both
the Imagination and the Will must be called into action, they are co-equal in
the work. Nay more, the Imagination must precede the Will in order to produce
the greatest possible effect. The Will unaided can send forth a current, and
that current cannot be wholly inoperative; yet its effect is vague and
indefinite, because the Will unaided sends forth nothing but the current or
force. The Imagination unaided can create an image and this image must have an
existence of varying duration; yet it can do nothing of importance, unless
vitalised and directed by the Will. When, however, the two are conjoined—when
the Imagination creates an image—and the Will directs and uses that image,
marvellous magical effects may be obtained.
The following instances may serve to illustrate the operation of magical
projection, which I have practised myself, and partly taught. But here a caution
is necessary—though this method became known to me by study and reflection
before I was initiated into the G.D., so I only deemed it safe to entrust the
process to two others, who I knew could be trusted.
It must never be forgotten that an occult process, which may be used for good
may also be used for evil. A black magician possessed of this knowledge might
strengthen himself thereby, and protect himself from the danger of the recoil of
his own evil actions on the occult plane, and so become energised for further
evil. Added to which—one knowledge leads to another, and a single clue may lead
to further important discoveries.
The more I reflect on the matter, the more I feel convinced that this knowledge
should not pass beyond our Order.
First Illustration
A few years ago, I noticed that invariably after a prolonged interview with a
certain person, I felt exhausted. At first, I thought it only the natural result
of a long conversation with a prosy, fldgetty, old gentleman; but later it
dawned upon me, that being a man of exhausted nervous vitality, he was really
preying upon me. I don’t suppose that he was at all externally conscious that he
possessed a vampire organisation, for he was a benevolent kind-hearted man, who
would have shrunk in horror from such a suggestion. Nevertheless, he was, in his
inner personality an intentional vampire, for he acknowledged that he was about
to marry a young wife in order, if possible, to recuperate his exhausted system.
The next time, therefore, that he was announced, I closed myself to him, before
he was admitted. I imagined that I had formed myself a complete investiture of
odic fluid, surrounding me on all sides, but not touching me, and impenetrable
to any hostile currents. This magical process was immediately and permanently
successful—I never had to repeat it.
Second Illustration
A lady, hoping to develop herself spiritually had allowed herself to become
passively mediumistic, and her health began to fail. On one occasion, feeling
very weak, she asked me to mesmerise her. I availed myself of this opportunity,
and while apparently only making mesmeric passes over her I occultly surrounded
her with a protective aura as in my own case. The result was successful, she
improved in strength, and, as a well-known student of occultism observed to me,
‘she looked more human’; and with all this, her mediumistic experiences ceased.
Had she followed my advice, and held herself positive; I believe she would have
fully recovered her health and strength; but she again drifted back into her
former condition of passive mediumship, her health broke down, and after a
lingering illness, she died. I had not been initiated into the G.D. then, or
should have afterwards used the Banishing Pentagram for my own protection. About
two weeks after, I had a vivid dream that I was endeavouring to evoke an
elemental, which attacked me, causing a sudden choking in the throat, and an
electric shock in the body. The dream had an astrological meaning; and at the
same time I believe it had a physical basis and that same vampirising spirit
which had been preying on its victim, determined to attack me, in revenge for
having thwarted its designs.
Third Illustration
A lady asked my occult aid against a man whom she often met, whose presence
invariably made her exhausted and ill. He had bad health, and I judged it to be
another case of vampirising. I obtained a description of this man, but without
telling the process, or when I would undertake it. First, I imagined they stood
facing each other; then I interposed a shield of defence. I then formed round
her a complete investiture of odic fluid I also made the ordinary Invoking
Pentagram upon her for protection. The injurious effects which she had formerly
experienced never returned and she remained ever completely passive to him.
Fourth Illustration
A lady told me of a man who exercised a peculiar fascination over her; she was
always thinking of him, although she did not care for him. As I had received
some intimation that he had some acquaintance with Voodoo magic I determined to
sever the chain. I imagined they stood facing each other and that he had thrown
out currents of odic fluid, which had entangled her in their meshes. Then I
imagined a sword in my hand with which I severed them, and then with a torch
burnt up the ends of the filaments still floating round her. The unnatural
fascination soon ceased and in a few months, their acquaintance came to an end.
Fifth Illustration
A man complained to me, that some years ago, he was constantly having another
man make use of a peculiarly profane expression, which ever after haunted him,
obtruding itself into his mind at the most inopportune times. It seemed to me
that the words constituted what the Oriental occultists call a mantram; that is,
a word or phrase which can produce occult effects by setting up vibrations in
the akasa. I judged that some elemental had been vitalised thereby, and had
attached itself to a sensitive. I advised him the next time the phrase troubled
him—first to imagine he saw before him some horrible creature as the embodiment
of the profanity itself —next to hold this creature firmly before him, and then
to send forth an occult dynamite shell, penetrating into the elemental, and then
exploding and blowing it to atoms. When I next saw him he said that he had not
succeeded in disintegrating the elemental, but that he had driven it away, and
was now very little troubled by it.
One further caution may be made in conclusion. While it is always lawful, and
often advisable, to consult with some higher Adept before commencing any
important magical work; yet, in every other direction, absolute secrecy must be
maintained until the work be done. If it be talked about to others it tends to
decentralise it, and so dissipate the force, besides running the risk of meeting
with inharmonious currents from their minds. If it be mentioned to the one on
whose behalf the work is done, it tends to disturb his equilibrium by causing a
state of nervous expectancy, which is unfavourable for the reception of the
Occult good intended.
Supplementary Remarks
By C. H. Frater N.O.M. (Dr. Wynn Westcott)
Imagination must be distinguished from Fancy—from mere roving thoughts, or empty
visions: By it we now mean an orderly and intentional mental process, and
result. Imagination is the Creative Faculty of the human mind, the plastic
energy—the Formative Power. In the language of Esoteric Theosophists, the power
of the Imagination to create thought forms is called kriya shakti, that is the
mysterious power of thought which enables it to produce external phenomenal,
perceptible results by its own inherent energy when fertilised by the Will. It
is an ancient Hermetic dogma that any idea can be made to manifest externally if
only, by culture, the art of concentration be obtained; just similarly is an
external result produced by a current of Will Force. The Qabalah taught that
man, by his creative power through Will and Thought, was more Divine than
Angels; for he can create—they cannot. He is a step nearer the Demiurgos, the
Creative Deity—even now that he is encased in matter—nearer than the Angelic
Hosts although each Angel is a Spirit only— and not tainted with matter. Even
the orthodox conception of an Angel is that of a being who executes commands and
not of one who originates, creates, and acts ‘de novo’ [anew].
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