12. Methods Employed In Making A Psychic Attack-c

He would drape his altar with a scarlet cloth; he would himself wear a scarlet robe. All his magical implements would be of iron and his rod of power would be a naked sword. Upon his altar he would place five lights, five being the number of Mars. Upon his breast would be the symbol of Mars engraved upon a steel pentagon. On his hand would be a ruby ring. He would burn sulphur and saltpetre in his thurible. Then, according to the work in hand, he would call upon the angelic or demonic aspect of the Fifth Sephira, Geburah, the sphere of Mars. He would invoke either the deity-name in Geburah, calling upon the God of Battles to hear him, or the arch-devil of the Fifth Infernal Habitation. Having performed this mighty invocation, he would then offer himself upon the altar as the channel for the manifestation of the force. There are many formulae extant designed to enable a force to be brought through without the necessity of the magician himself being the channel. In my opinion they are one and all ineffectual; the only possible substitute for the magician himself being a trance medium. It is for this reason that ritual magic so often fails to come off. You cannot make custards without breaking eggs, and if you mean to be a magician you have got to “go the whole hog.” When it is a question of bringing through the angelic aspect of a force, the matter is on a clear footing. To be the channel of such a force is a great privilege and is an initiation in itself. The operator has simply to eliminate from his nature all incompatibles and maintain his concentration without wavering. The worst that can happen is that he should fail to obtain his results. But when it comes to bringing through the demonic aspect of a sphere, the matter is on an entirely different footing. Very few people care to offer themselves for the manifestation of such a force as Asmodeus. I do not believe that there is any reliable device for invoking the devils without being obsessed by them save the method of Abramelin, which involves six months’ preparation and is only operated after the knowledge and conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel have been attained. The edge of the Abyss is well fenced. It is not possible to fire a gnn and avoid the recoil. Having invoked and concentrated his force, our sorcerer has next to consider his target. He has to get into astral contact with his victim. In order to do this, he must form a rapport, not quite as easy as might be imagined. First he has to find his victim and establish a point of contact in his sphere, and then, working from this base, succeed in piercing his aura. An unfocussed force is not very much use. A focus has to be achieved. The usual method is to obtain some object which is impregnated with the intended victim’s magnetism, a lock of hair, nail-paring, or something habitually worn or handled. Such an object is magnetically connected with its owner, and the sorcerer can work up the trail and thus enter the sphere of his victim and establish a rapport. He then proceeds as does any other practitioner of suggestion who has succeeded in getting his victim into the first stages of hypnosis. By means of the magnetic link he has gamed the psychic ear of his victim, who will hear his suggestions subconsciously. It now remains to be seen whether the thought-seeds thus planted will strike root or be cast out from the mind. In any case the victim is rendered disturbed and uneasy. If a magnetic link cannot be obtained, the practitioner of black magic has to fall back upon other devices. One of the most common is that of Substitution. Something is chosen and by means of ceremonial is identified with the intended Victim.