Category Archives: Austin Osman Spare

Austin Osman Spare

Writings and illustrations of a controversial genius outsider artist and visionary esoteric philosopher, including automatic writing, automatic drawing and sigilization techniques

Some believe any and every thing is symbolic, and can be transcribed, and explain the occult, but of what they do not know. (Great spiritual truths?) So argument a metaphor, cautiously confusing the obvious which developes the hidden virtue. This unnecessary corpulency, however impressive, is it not disgusting? (The Elephant is exceeding large but extremely powerful, the swine though odious does not breed the contempt of our good taste.) If a man is no hero to his servant, much less can he remain a mystic in the eyes of the curious; similarity educates mimicry. Decorate your meaning, however objectionable (as fact), after you have shown your honesty. Truth, though simple, never needs the argument of confusion for obscurity; its own pure symbolism embraces all possibilities as mystic design. Take your stand in commonsense and you include the truth which cannot lie; no argument has yet prevailed. Perfect proportion suggest no alteration, and what is useless decays.

Austin Osman Spare, The Book of Pleasure

Hermetic quote Spare The Book of Pleasure take stand commonsense truth cannot lie no argument repvailed perfect proportion no alteration useless decays

Of what use the wisdom of Virginity to him who has been raped by the seducer, ignorance? Of what use sciences or any knowledge except as medicine? Hidden treasure does not come at the word nor by digging with your hands in the main road. Even with the proper implements and accurate knowledge of place, etc., may be but the acquisition of what you possessed long ago. There is a great doubt as to whether it is hidden, except by the strata of your experience and atmospheres of your belief.

Austin Osman Spare, The Book of Pleasure

Hermetic quote Spare The Book of Pleasure what use wisdom virginity raped seducer ignorance sciences knowledge medicine treasure hidden strata experience atmospheres belief

My dearest, I will now explain the only safe and true formula, the destroyer of the darkness of the World, the most secret among all secrets. Let it be secret to him who would attain. Let it cover any period of time, depending on his conception. There is no qualification, nor ritual or ceremony. His very existence symbolising all that is necessary to perfection. Most emphatically, there is no need of repetition or feeble imitation. You are alive!

Austin Osman Spare, The Book of Pleasure

Hermetic quote Spare The Book of Pleasure explain safe true formula destroyer darkness world most secret all secrets you are alive

Who may know his complete likeness, so much being hidden? The Astrals, Elementals, Mind, Soul? We realize something of the body’s mechanism and of the affectiveness of the whole; at its interrelations we may only guess. Every fact gleaned shows us merely greater ignorance of ourselves. Therefore, speak not of God, speak for yourself alone, for when you know yourself you will know your gods.

Austin Osman Spare, The Logomanchy of Zos

Hermetic quote Spare The Logomachy of Zos so much hidden astrals elementals mind soul realize interrelations guess fact ignorance ourselves speak not god yourself alone know yourself your gods

Inevitably, Life and Death nourish each other—a constant renovation—so why should we fear our again becoming the worth we did strive after?

Austin Osman Spare, The Logomanchy of Zos

Hermetic quote Spare The Logomachy of Zos inevitably life death nourish each other constant renovation why fear again becoming worth we strive after

Words and their meanings cannot change much; their sounds are constant of a hidden content not related to our meanings.

Austin Osman Spare, The Logomanchy of Zos

Hermetic quote Spare The Logomachy of Zos words meanings cannot change sounds constant hidden content related meanings

I would teach you the new ritual of ‘Arrivism’: If you would realize God you must first re-create your God within. You can become God by expurgating—for what is without is an exhausting-transudating past.

Austin Osman Spare, The Logomachy of Zos

Hermetic quote Spare The Logomachy of Zos teach new ritual arrivism realize god re-create god within

Ideas have no status except through forms that are accepted symbols of sentience and are spatially and outwardly self-indulgent. Excarnation of an inspired or superimposed concept may be induced and orientated by ‘space-apperception’. The whole body and being must suspire… This total effluxion makes everything reciprocal and becomes a re-orientated sequence of focused nexity. Through this harmonic relation with Ego one becomes the qualitative mediator of the hypothetical or real propensity: any position giving vastness or panorama, and, by abstractive gazing beyond distance, allowing and following the flow of thought until there is an intrusive and more cognate idea. This idea is held and projected into the ‘vista’. Nothing innate is permitted to be subtracted from the visualization.

Austin Osman Spare, The Zoëtic Grimoire of Zos

Hermetic quote Spare Zoetic Grimoire of Zos ideas have no status except through forms accepted symbols sentience

This neither-neither I, shall transvalue ennui, fear, and all diseases to my wish. Dead is my misery in suffering! How could it exist in my Zodiac, unwilled?

Austin Osman Spare, The Focus of Life

Hermetic quote Spare The Focus of Life neither transvalue ennui fear diseases wish dead misery suffering how could it exist zodiac unwilled