18. Methods Of Defence II-a
Active Contemplationpraxis
A form of meditation that uses imagery, imagination, or symbolic thought rather than purely empty stillness.
The invocative method described involves the use of mental pictures (e.g., blue robe of Our Lady) and symbols to focus force, fitting active contemplation.
All passages →Exorcismpraxis
A ritual intended to drive out an unwanted possessing or afflicting spirit from a person or place, restoring it to its unafflicted state. Distinct from spirit_conjuration (the operator summons and binds a spirit that was not already present, rather than expelling one) and from possession (the affliction this ritual answers, not the ritual itself).
The passage mentions 'elaborate rituals of exorcism performed with bell, book and candle' as a form of the invocative method.
All passages →Inner Silencepraxis
The practice of stilling the mind and speech to open receptivity to divine knowledge or presence.
The meditative method aims to escape form into 'pure spirit', suggesting a state of inner silence or stillness beyond thought.
All passages →Magical Equilibriumcosmology
The balance of two contrary forces as the structural law of cosmos and operation — Lévi's equilibrium, expressed in Kabbalah by the senary: the will of God in its first cause, liberty in man, mathematical equilibrium in matter; the twofold vibration required to direct the Astral Light safely.
The author argues for combining invocative and meditative methods to balance external force with internal harmony.
All passages →Magical Willpraxis
The doctrine that human volition, cultivated by discipline and emancipated from passion and servitude, is the primary instrument of magical operation — will confirmed by persistent acts acquires causal power over self, others, and nature; distinct from faith and from mere desire.
The passage emphasizes the 'concentration of force' and the use of symbols to act as vehicles for that force, implying directed will.
All passages →Meditationpraxis
Disciplined inward attention — sitting, focused, or open-awareness practice — as a stand-alone term that umbrellas active_contemplation, inner_silence, and dhyana-style sitting.
The passage explicitly defines and contrasts the 'meditative method' as a core technique for psychic defence involving meditation on abstract qualities.
All passages →Prayerpraxis
Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.
The text cites 'the simplest prayer which calls upon Christ' as an example of the invocative method.
All passages →Rejection Of Hypocrisyethics
Critique of outward religious observance that lacks inner transformation; form without substance.
The author warns against 'superstitious observances' where the significance of a form is forgotten, advocating for understanding over blind ritual.
All passages →Ritual Puritypraxis
The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.
The text mentions 'consecrated water sprinkled for token of cleansing' and the need to purify consciousness.
All passages →Sacred Namestheology
Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.
The passage refers to sealing a circle with 'protective Names', implying the use of sacred names for protection.
All passages →Spiritual Ascentpraxis
A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.
The text describes the goal of climbing 'into the pure air of spiritual consciousness' where evil cannot enter.
All passages →Talisman Magicpraxis
The consecration of an inscribed physical object — seal, pentacle, amulet, character, or figure — so that it holds and channels magical power independent of any ongoing spoken formula, protecting, attracting, or acting on its bearer's behalf. Distinct from sacred_names (the power resides in the name itself, spoken or written, not in a dedicated physical vessel) and from spirit_conjuration (the object is not commanding or binding a spirit but is itself the locus of power).
The text describes using objects 'specially magnetised to act as a talisman' within the invocative method.
All passages →Vibrationcosmology
The Hermetic doctrine that nothing rests — matter, energy, mind, and spirit are a single continuum differing only in rate of vibration, from the grossest matter to the least material spirit. Distinct from cosmic_sympathy (affinity resonating BETWEEN separate things) in being a claim about what constitutes any one thing in the first place, and from magical_equilibrium (Lévi's operational balancing technique, which presupposes some vibration doctrine rather than stating this general principle).
The author warns against re-infecting a magic circle with one's own 'vibrations' caused by panic-stricken imagination.
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