CONCERNING TALISMANIC MAGICK

Issued by the

Thelemic Order and Temple

of the Golden Dawn

June, 1991 e.v.

In Association with

New Falcon Publications and

the Israel Regardie Foundation, Inc.

By Sir David Cherubim

and John M. Demmitt III

of the Novus Ordo Aureae Aurora

Copyright (C) 1991 e.v.

Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.

We shall now venture to instruct you all concerning a very

practical, effective and powerful type of hermetic science,

called "Talismanic Magick". This science is unlimited in its

practical application to accomplish the Magical Will of the

Magician. There are various creative aspects to this practical

science or various constructive means of applying its magical

formulae to create necessary changes in accordance with the Will

of the Magician.

A Talisman is, to all intents and purposes, a "charged" or

"consecrated" magical object with symbols and/or words inscribed

on it which are intended to represent particular cosmic energies

which the Magician is applying in the practical operations of his

holy Magick, to accomplish a particular goal. It is used by the

Magician as a magical link with the particular type of force

which is invoked or evoked by him to accomplish his Will. A

Talisman is basically any object which one ritually charges or

consecrates with an occult force or energy which the Talisman

itself is intended to represent, and this must only be done with

strict magical intent.

Let us all impress upon our minds Aleister Crowley's proper

definition of Magick. He stated that "Magick is the Science and

Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will." Let us

also impress upon our minds his definition of a magical act. He

stated that "All intentional acts are magical acts. By

intentional I mean willed." Before we can perform Magick proper

we must formulate our Will, we must cultivate intent. Talismanic

Magick is a scientific method of causing Change to occur in

conformity with Will, but we must know our Will before we can

apply this practical method of our Royal Art of Magick. Therefore

the first and greatest injunction of Talismanic Magick, as of all

other branches of the Magick Art, is "KNOW THY WILL."

The words and symbols used on a Talisman are very important. By

the scientific use of magical words and symbols the Magician can

transform a so-called dead material substance into an outward

sign of an invisible grace. Divine words and symbols are drawn on

Talismans as magical links with the spiritual energies that they

are intended to represent; they indicate a definite connection

with the magical energies which the Magician seeks to invoke or

evoke for purposes of doing his Will. The Hebrew Alphabet, also

called the Magical Alphabet, is used by most Magicians to compose

significant magical words on their Talismans. But Latin, Greek,

Arabic, and English can also be used. The Enochian language is,

of course, used for Talismans which are created from that system.

Symbols, like words, indicate something significantly magical,

and they impress upon the mind of the Magician the nature of his

intent and the nature of the force or energy which the Talisman

represents. The Talisman becomes linked, through the mind of the

Magician, with the force or energy which the symbols are intended

to signify. There are many types of symbols that can be used to

inspire the imagination of the Magician with the appropriate

force. You can draw the symbol of the Planet or symbols related

to that Planet. Eliphas Levi suggested inscribing a Pentagram on

one side of the Talisman and the Hexagram on the other side. This

statement can be applied in all cases, whether you are making a

Talisman of Jupiter, Mercury or any other Planet. Sigils are

appropriate symbols by which to properly charge Talismans and

impress upon the mind of the Magician the nature of the force or

energy of his intent. Sigils are signatures of invisible beings -

- such as angels -- that are invoked or evoked for the purpose

of charging Talismans. Sigils can be created using the well-known

Magick Squares (Kameas) or Rose Cross symbol. Sigils are, to all

intents and purposes, magical symbols that represent the nature

and power of certain ideas or beings that correspond with the

force or energy of one's Will.

A Talisman can be a symbol of the influences of a Planet, made

from a sympathetic stone or metal or from parchment paper. Such a

Talisman would be constructed on the day of the week which

corresponds to the Planet. To each Planet is assigned an

Intelligence or Angel and a Demon. Each Planet, Intelligence and

Demon have their own special Seals or Sigils. Demonic Seals

should never be inscribed on Talismans except to perform an act

of Black Magic. Their Seals would be written on a Talisman made

of the opposite metal or colored paper to that which corresponds

to their Planet, since the Demons represent forces contrary

thereto. But members of the New Order of the Golden Dawn are

obligated to never perform acts of Black Magic, which tend to

obstruct the Will of the Magician. The Magician of Thelema has no

right but to do his own Will. All true acts of Magick are acts of

Will, and all acts of Will are acts of Love. It is written in our

Most Holy Book of the New Aeon, that "Love is the law, love under

will." Black Magic is contrary to the Ways of Love; it is a false

attempt to master and misuse the laws of Nature. Let us here keep

in mind those enlightening words of the Old French Magus Eliphas

Levi: "To affirm and will that which ought to be is to create; to

affirm and will that which ought not to be is to destroy."

If you make your Planetary Talisman with parchment paper, the

color of the ink by which you draw the corresponding words and

symbols thereon should correspond with the Planet. If you are

using simple paper, it should be in the color that corresponds

with the Planet. The Talisman should be ritually anointed with

the proper oil and/or ritually consecrated with the proper

incense. The Talisman should, in all cases, be prepared by

oneself. The cultivation of the proper mental attitude is of

vital importance in the construction of the Talisman and one

needs to concentrate with complete attention on the intent or

nature of the force which the Talisman is intended to represent.

It is therefore most suitable to employ the proper Colors,

Metals, and Perfumes on the proper Days of the Week, and to

assume the proper God-forms to charge the Talismans, since these

directly indicate to the mind of the Magician his magical intent

and its corresponding Planetary force or energy.

From a psychological point of view, the Planets are objects of

classification in the mind of man. We may classify under the

presidency of the Seven Ancient Planets various human and

spiritual influences, attributes or qualities of man. Any proper

book on Astrology can direct you in this fundamental knowledge.

The basic idea is to understand which Planet you will classify

your intent under to make effective your Magical Talisman. For

instance, if your intent is to cultivate better health, then you

would classify this intent under the presidency of the Sun. You

would therefore make a Talisman of the Sun and assume the God

Form of Ra to properly charge it with the energies of the Sun. If

your intent is to find a lover, then you would classify this

intent under the presidency of Venus. You would therefore make a

Talisman of Venus and assume the God-form of Hathoor to properly

charge it with the energies of Venus.

The assumption of God-forms is a most essential part of magical

operations proper. Students should most earnestly study and

practice the principles of this matter outlined in Liber 0

contained in Gems from the Equinox, by Aleister Crowley

(Published by Falcon Press). Listed below are seven Egyptian God-

forms. You may, however, assume other God-forms from other

Pantheons. But the Egyptian Gods are the most useful to assume

for operations of Magick. (Note: For other God-forms which

correspond with the Seven Ancient Planets, consult 777 and other

Qabalistic Writings of Aleister Crowley.) To properly assume a

God-form, and to assume that God's particular type of cosmic

consciousness, you would study and meditate on its ancient image

and mythological characteristics. In this manner you assimilate

that God into your consciousness, allowing for the free

fulfillment of its energy or force as represented by its

corresponding Ancient Planet. This is most vital to the work.

In the centre of each Talisman, it is an appropriate and

effective idea to write One Word which signifies your single

intent or One Will. It is said that "The Word is the Will." If

your intent is Love you would write this word in the centre of

the Talisman. This One Word may be written in Hebrew, English,

Enochian or in any other language; but it is a suitable idea to

write it in the particular language you are most familiar with.

However, Sigils may be formed by the use of One Word, and these

Sigils may be used instead of writing an actual word on the

Talisman. But concerning this we shall communicate more later,

regarding the use of the Rose-Cross symbol of the Golden Dawn.

Talismans should be constructed in the shape of a Circle. For the

Circle is a most powerful magical symbol, representing the powers

of the Infinite. But the Talisman may be constructed in other

meaningful shapes. For instance, if Love is your intent you could

construct your Talisman in the shape of a heart. Use your

imagination and you will see the many possibilities of this

practical method of creating Magical Talismans.

Listed below are the various correspondences of the so-called

Seven Ancient Planets. If you wanted to make a Talisman of the

Sun, you would construct it of Gold or on Yellow paper or with

Yellow Paint, on a Sunday, assuming the God-form of Ra, using the

Oil or Incense of Cinnamon. Note that Oils and Incenses are both

listed under the same title of Perfumes.

What is to follow are eleven ritual steps by which to effectively

charge a Talisman to accomplish your Will. These are simple steps

and can be easily performed by all members of the New Order of

the Golden Dawn. Let all make the simple attempt at completing

the simple task of making and charging at least one Talisman

after reading this lesson. It should further be suggested that

all members make Seven Talismans to correspond with the Seven

Ancient Planets. In this way you will have Seven Sacred Talismans

which you can use at any time to accomplish any goal. For such

Talismans, the One Word in the centre could be the name of the

Planet or God of which your Talisman is a material symbol.

ELEVEN RITUAL STEPS

1. Perform the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram or

the Banishing Ritual of the Star Ruby (Liber XXV).

2. Perform the Middle Pillar Ritual and equilibrate the

Light by performing the Qabalistic Cross.

3. Light the appropriate Planetary incense.

4. Assume the God-form. Become the God as you breathe in

through your nostrils the smoke of the incense, as if it were the

spirit of the god entering your nostrils.

5. Vibrate the Divine Name of the God as many times

necessary to concentrate your entire attention on that God-form.

6. Recite an invocation appropriate to the God or Planet, or

just keep vibrating the Divine Name of the God until you achieve

total identification with it.

7. In the consciousness of the God, hold the Talisman in the

palms of your hands. Concentrate on it. Fix your eyes in its

centre, on the One Word or Sigil in the centre of your Talisman.

8. Vibrate that One Word as many times necessary to

concentrate your entire attention on your single magical intent

represented by that One Word. Use your One Word as if it were a

Mantra. The vibrations of the Word will act upon and modify the

Magical Agent (Astral Light) or Subconscious Mind.

9. Visualize your intent coming to pass. See the realization

of your Will. Then vitalize your imagination with force and fire,

enflaming your mind with power, to accomplish your One Will.

10. Place the Talisman in the palms of your hands at the

appropriate Chakra which corresponds with the Planet of the God

of your invocation. (Note: In Lesson Number XIII you will find

this information about the Chakras. Each Chakra is listed with

its corresponding Planet.) From this Chakra, see there emanate a

great power which charges the Talisman with the force of the God

of your invocation. Create in your mind's eye an astral stream of

energy emanating from the Chakra and pervading the Talisman with

its divine energy. This astral stream of energy should be

visualized in the appropriate color, as listed above under the

Table of Correspondences.

11. Do whatever else your intuition dictates. This is where

your own creative genius should arise and work its own power to

manifest your Will. Continue in this until you are totally

certain of the manifestation of your power to realize your single

intent. Create a magical climax to this realization. Know that

your Will is done. Then strike the battery 3-5-3, and say:

ABRAHADABRA.

It is best if the Magician performs a Lesser Banishing Ritual of

the Pentagram or the Banishing Ritual of the Star Ruby to close.

He/She should then place the Talisman in an appropriate secret

place (that is, in a concealed wallet, bag, box, or etc.).

Magicians of the Thelemic Order of the Golden Dawn, if it be

their Will, can write upon their Talismans the Law of Thelema or

the sacred number 93 which indicates that Law. In the former

case, you could write "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of

the Law" on the front of the Talisman and "Love is the law, love

under will" on the back. In the latter case, use your imagination

as best you can. By writing the Law of Thelema or the number 93

on your Talisman you properly charge it with the Current of your

own Will, since the Law of Thelema indicates your power to do

your Will in freedom. It is therefore a proper affirmation of

your Will, and it seals your Talisman with the energies of this

New Aeon of Horus, making it a dynamic magical link with the 93

Current and thus enhancing its power to accomplish your Will.

(Note: 93 is the numerical value of the Greek word Thelema which

means Will. The Law of Thelema is the Law of Will.)

The best Talisman to construct and use, for performing a specific

magical operation related to your one True Will, is a personal

Talisman of some sort. It should be constructed with One Word in

its centre representing your one True Will and any symbols that

you have a personal affinity for and that represent the force

that the Talisman will be charged with. On such a Talisman of

this type, you could write your own Magical Motto if the object

of the Talisman corresponds with your initiatory work in the New

Order of the Golden Dawn. This gives the Talisman even more power

to accomplish your one True Will, since it can evoke definite

psychological responses from within you which will be charged

with the spiritual power which your initiation bestowed upon you.

The Rose-Cross is one of the principal occult symbols of the

Golden Dawn. It is one of the symbols of the Second Order

of the Rose of Ruby and the Cross of Gold (Rosae Rubeae et Aureae

Crucis), and it indicates the Great Work of the Adept. It is

called "The Key of Sigils and Rituals." The Rose on the Cross has

22 petals in three rings, with another symbol of a Rose-Cross in

its centre. The central Rose-Cross has a Golden Cross made of six

squares, with a five petaled Red Rose in its centre. The three

central petals of the 22 petaled Rose correspond to the magical

elements of fire, water and air, and they have written on them

the Hebrew letters that correspond to them. The second row of

petals correspond to the Seven Planets, and they have written on

them the Hebrew letters that correspond to them. The outer petals

correspond to the Twelve Zodiacal Signs, and they have written on

them the Hebrew letters that correspond to them. The petals are

colored in the King Scale that is attributed to the twenty-two

Paths of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. The Rose in the centre of

the Cross represents the sixth Sephira of the Tree of Life called

Tiphareth which is the receptacle of the Sephirotic forces of the

Tree. You can use the Rose to form a Sigil as you do with the

Magick Squares. The general method for doing this is to start at

the first letter of the name you are using, draw a small circle,

and then draw a line from letter to letter used in the name. When

you get to the last letter, end with a small perpendicular line.

Although it is best to use words in Hebrew to form Talismans in

this way, you can also transliterate (i.e. substitute Hebrew

letters for the English ones) any name you want to use. This

magical method may be extended to the creation of a Sigil from a

single word signifying your One Will. You can leave the unused

letters blank, and put the Rose on the Talisman, or you can just

copy the Sigil unto the Talisman. If your Talisman is made from

colored paper, it is a most powerful idea to draw your Sigil in

the complementary color to that of the paper. (See the Complete

Golden Dawn System of Magic, by Israel Regardie, published by New

Falcon Publications, for the symbol of the Rose and Cross and

also for further practical information concerning the proper

means of using this divine Rosicrucian symbol to make the

appropriate Sigils for Talismans.)

It is very important to keep in mind, when charging your

Talisman, that THE ONLY POWER OF THE TALISMAN IS IN THE

IMAGINATION AND WILL OF THE MAGICIAN. Without the practical

application of these two vital powers of the human mind, there is

no possibility for success in the scientific operations of

Talismanic Magick. All works of Magick, human or divine, depend

upon the practical application of these two vital powers.

Concerning the essential power of imagination, Eliphas Levi

stated the following: "Imagination exalts the Will and gives it

power over the Universal Agent" and "Imagination applied to

reason is genius." The Universal Agent is the Astral Light or

Magical Agent through which all Magick is accomplished by the

Imagination and Will of the Magician. This Universal Agent is

symbolized by the Serpent, and is called the Kundalini in the

Philosophy of Yoga. It is a Universal Force which is controlled

and projected by the powers of the Imagination and Will of the

Magician. It is the instrument of Initiation, the Grand Secret of

All Power, called the Soul of the World and the Perpetual Fire of

terrestrial life. (Note: In Lesson No. XIII, there is much

information concerning the Kundalini or Serpent Force. Also see

the New Golden Dawn Flying Roll No. IV.)

Here ends our New Golden Dawn Correspondence Lesson concerning

the Sacred Art of Talismanic Magick. May this Royal Art bestow

upon you all its magical splendours of practical power, assisting

you all in the attainment of the Great Work, the Summum Bonum,

True Wisdom and Perfect Happiness. In nomine Novus Ordo Aureae

Aurora, Sic sit vobis!

Love is the law, love under will.

#magick #crowley #aleister #aleistercrowley