Tag Archives: Work

Ceremonial Magic, as a means to attainment, has in common with all other methods, Western or Eastern, one supreme object in view — identification with the Godhead; and it matters not if the Aspirant be Theist or Atheist, Pantheist or Autotheist, Christian or Jew, or whether he name the goal of his attainment God, Zeus, Christ, Matter, Nature, Spirit, Heaven, Reason, Nirvana, Asgard, No-Thing or No-God, so long as he has a goal in view, and a goal he is striving to attain. Without a goal, he is but a human ship without port or destination; and, without striving, work, WILL to attain, he is but a human derelict, rudderless and mastless, tossed hither and thither by the billows of lunacy, eventually to sink beneath the black waters of madness and death.

Aleister Crowley, The Sorcerer in The Temple of Solomon the King

Hermetic quote Crowley The Sorcerer The Temple of Solomon the King ceremonial magic attainment identification godhead goal striving attain without human ship derelict rudderless lunacy black waters madness death

One thing I will say: that I do not expect anything to come of qabalistic speculations. I think that they may even be extremely mischievous in times like the present. Our sole business should be to use the Law to reconstruct the world from the chaos into which it is already half tumbled. That formula is a simple one, and requires no specialised training. The work requires the cooperation of tens of thousands of people who have never heard of the Qabalah, and they have to be addressed in language which they can understand.

Aleister Crowley to Charles Stansfeld Jones, correspondence on August 28, 1936

Hermetic quote Crowley Achad Jones correspondence qabalistic speculations extremely mischievous sole business use law reconstruct world from chaos formula simple requires no specialised training

He paused for a second, and asked, “Why did you work on the bomb?” Bryce thought for a minute. Then he laughed at his situation: using a Martian, in a bar, for a confessor. But perhaps it was appropriate. “I didn’t know it was going to be a bomb at first,” he said. “And in those days I believed in pure science. Reaching for the stars. Secrets of the atom. Our only hope in a chaotic world.” He finished the martini. “And you don’t believe those things anymore?” “No.”

Walter Tevis, The Man Who Fell to Earth [Amazon, Local Library]

Hermetic quote Tevis The Man Who Fell to Earth why work on bomb martian bar confessor didn't know first believed pure science reaching stars secrets atoms hope chaotic world don't believe anymore

It took a lot of time and I thought of quitting a few times, but I am not one to admit defeat. I steadily persevered. It is what we do, as Magicians. I meditated. I evaluated the reason behind everything I did. I refused to do that which was not in line with my new path: work for work’s sake.

Soror Beth Shemesh (Beth Kimbell), TMI or Karma Yoga: A Fool’s Journey

Hermetic quote Kimbell TMI Karma Yoga A Fool's Journey time quitting not admit defeat persevered magicians meditated evaluated reason refused not in line new path work for work's sake

Next day, the victims each receive a letter explaining that their receipt of the objects effected the delivery of a curse. The hex will cause them to come to know their true desires, symbolized by the magical objects. They will also now begin to realize they are acting as enemies of the human race by commodifying desire and working as the agents of soul-Control. The magic art-objects will weave into their dreams and desires, making their jobs now seem not only poisonously boring but also morally destructive. Their desires so magically awakened will ruin them for work in the Media – unless they turn to subversion and sabotage.

Hakim Bey, The Occult Assault on Institutions

Hermetic quote Bey Wilson The Occult Assault on Institutions letter curse hex know true desires symbolized magical objects acting enemies human race commodifying desire ruin subversion sabotage

You may also be surprised to find that some of the things you write on the list will actually come to pass, almost without your making any conscious effort to make them happen. If you acknowledge the power of the imagination to foster changes in perception and performance, it’s easy to see how having a Someday/Maybe list out in front of your conscious mind could potentially add many wonderful adventures to your life and work. We’re likely to seize opportunities when they arise if we’ve already identified and captured them as a possibility.

David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity [Amazon, Bookshop, Publisher, Local Library]

Hermetic quote Allen Getting Things Done seize opportunities when they arise already identified captured them as possible

An unhealthy life of thought and feeling will not fail to obstruct the path to higher knowledge. Clear, calm thinking, with stability of feeling and emotion, form here the basis of all work. Nothing should be further removed from the student than an inclination toward a fantastical, excitable life, toward nervousness, exaggeration, and fanaticism.

Rudolf Steiner, How to Know Higher Worlds [Bookshop, Amazon, Publisher]

Hermetic quote Steiner Higher Worlds clear calm thinking stability feeling emotion basis of all work