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Cardiff Theosophical Society in Wales
206 Newport Road, Cardiff, Wales, UK. CF24 -1DL
Psychic Self Defense
By
Dion Fortune
CONTENTS
PREFACE
PART I
TYPES OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
I. SIGNS OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
II. ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
III. A CASE OF MODERN WITCHCRAFT
IV. PROJECTION OF THE ETHERIC BODY
V. VAMPIRISM
VI. HAUNTINGS
1 of 103?VII. THE PATHOLOGY OF NON-HUMAN CONTACTS
VIII. THE RISKS INCIDENTAL TO CEREMONIAL MAGIC
PART II
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
IX. DISTINCTION BETWEEN OBJECTIVE PSYCHIC ATTACK AND SUBJECTIVE
PSYCHIC
DISTURBANCE
X. NON-OCCULT DANGERS OF THE BLACK LODGE
XI. THE PSYCHIC ELEMENT IN MENTAL DISTURBANCE
PART III
THE DIAGNOSIS OF A PSYCHIC ATTACK
XII. METHODS EMPLOYED IN MAKING A PSYCHIC ATTACK
XIII. THE MOTIVES OF PSYCHIC ATTACK. I
XIV. THE MOTIVES OF PSYCHIC ATTACK. II
PART IV
METHODS OF DEFENCE AGAINST PSYCHIC ATTACK
XV. PHYSICAL ASPECT OF PSYCHIC ATTACK AND DEFENCE
XVI. DIAGNOSIS OF THE NATURE OF AN ATTACK
XVII. METHODS OF DEFENCE. I
XVIII. METHODS OF DEFENCE. II
XIX. METHODS OF DEFENCE. III
XX. METHODS OF DEFENCE. IV
2 of 103?CONCLUSION
PREFACE
IT is
with a sense of the seriousness of the issues involved that I set myself to the
task of writing a book on psychic
attack
and the best methods of defence against it. The undertaking is beset with
pitfalls. It is hardly possible to give
practical
information on the methods of psychic defence without at the same time giving
practical information on the
methods
of psychic attack. It is not without reason that initiates have always guarded
their secret science behind closed
doors.
To disclose sufficient to be adequate without disclosing sufficient to be
dangerous is my problem. But as so
much
has already been made known concerning the esoteric teachings, and as the
circle of students of the occult is
becoming
rapidly wider every day, it may well be that the time has now come for plain
speaking. The task is not of my
seeking,
but as it has come into my hands, I will do my best to discharge it honourably,
making available the
knowledge
which has come to me in the course of many years' experience of the strange
by-ways of the mind which the
mystic
shares with the lunatic. This knowledge has not been attained without cost,
nor, I suspect, will the divulging of it
be
altogether free from cost, either.
I
have endeavoured to avoid, as far as possible, the use of second-hand material.
We all know the person who has a
friend
whose friend saw the ghost with her own eyes. That is not of very much use to
anybody. What we need is to
have
the eye-witness under cross-examination. For this reason I have not drawn upon
the vast literature of the subject
for
illustrations of my thesis, but have preferred to rely upon cases that have
come within the range of my own
experience
and which I have been able to examine.
I
think I may fairly claim to have practical, and not merely theoretical,
qualifications for the task. My attention was first
turned
to psychology, and subsequently to occultism as the real key to psychology, by
the personal experience of a
psychic
attack which left me with shattered health for a considerable period. I know
for myself the peculiar horror of
such
an experience, its insidiousness, its potency, and its disastrous effects on
mind and body.
It is
not easy to get people to come forward and bear witness to psychic attacks.
Firstly, because they know there is very
little
likelihood of their being believed, and that they will be more likely to earn
themselves a reputation for mental
unbalance
than for anything else. Secondly, because any tampering with the foundations of
the personality is an
experience
of such peculiar and unique horror that the mind shrinks from the contemplation
of it and one cannot talk
about.
I am
of the opinion that psychic attacks are far commoner than is generally
realised, even by occultists themselves.
Certainly
the general public has no conception at all of the sort of things that are done
by people who have a knowledge
of
the powers of the human mind and set to work to exploit them. I am convinced
that this factor played a large part in
the
witch-cult, and was the real cause of the universal horror and detestation of
the witch. These powers have always
been
known to students of occultism, but nowadays they are known and used by people
who would be exceedingly
surprised
to find who are their fellow-practitioners. Mrs. Eddy, the founder of Christian
Science, stumbled on to these
methods
empirically without ever acquiring any rational knowledge as to their modus
operandi. She endeavoured to
teach
them in such a way that they could only be used for good and their power for
evil should be concealed; but that
she
herself was well aware of their possibilities if abused is witnessed by the
dread of what she called "Malicious
Animal
Magnetism," which shadowed her whole life.
3 of
103?The methods of Christian Science, without its strict discipline and careful
organisation, were developed and exploited
by
the innumerable schools and sects of the New Thought Movement. In many of the
developments the religious aspect
was
lost sight of, and they simply became a method of mental manipulation for
purely personal ends, though not
necessarily
deliberately evil. Their exponents advertised that they would teach the art of
salesmanship, of making
oneself
popular and dominant in society, of attracting the opposite sex, of drawing to
oneself money and success. The
amazing
number of these courses advertised shows their popularity; in a recent issue of
an American magazine I
counted
advertisements for sixty-three different courses in various forms of
mind-power. They would not be so popular
if
they achieved no results at all. Let us consider some of these advertisements
and see what they indicate, reading
between
the lines and drawing our own conclusions.
"Transfer
your thoughts to others. Send for free folder, Telepathy, or Mental
Radio."
"Troubled
- health, love, money? Let me help you. No failures, instructions being
followed. Strictly personal and
professional.
Careful as family physician. Five dollars must accompany enquiry. Money back if
not satisfied."
"What
do you want? Whatever it is, we can help you to get it. Just give us the chance
by writing for 'Clouds Dispelled.'
Absolutely
free. You will be delighted."
"HYPNOTISM.
Would you possess that strange mysterious power which charms and fascinates men
and women,
influences
their thoughts, controls their desires and makes you supreme master of every
situation? Life is full of
alluring
possibilities for those who master the secrets of hypnotic influence, for those
who develop their magnetic
powers.
You can learn at home, cure diseases and bad habits without drugs, win the
friendship and love of others,
increase
your income, gratify your ambitions, drive worry and trouble from your mind,
improve your memory,
overcome
domestic difficulties, give the most thrilling entertainment ever witnessed and
develop a wonderfully
magnetic
will power that will enable you to overcome all obstacles to your success.
"You
can hypnotise people instantly - quick as a flash - put yourself or anyone else
to sleep at any hour of the day or
night,
or banish pain and suffering. Our free book tells you the secrets of this
wonderful science. It explains exactly
how
you can use this power to better your condition in life. It is enthusiastically
endorsed by ministers of the gospel,
lawyers,
doctors, business men and society women. It benefits everybody. It costs
nothing. We give it away to advertise
our
institution."
These
are a few specimens chosen from among the sixty- three similar advertisements
counted in this single issue of a
popular
weekly magazine. They are given in extenso, in no way edited save by the
omission of addresses.
Let
us now consider what such advertisements as these signify from the point of
view of the persons to whom they are
not
addressed, the persons over whom the reader is presumed to want to acquire
power. What will be their position
should
he break the tenth commandment and covet his neighbour's wife, or his ox, or
his ass, or any of his other
valuables?
Supposing the diligent student of these methods wants something he ought not to
have? Supposing he is on
the
shady side of the law? Or is nursing a sense of injury and desires to be
revenged? Or merely loves power for its
own
sake? What is the fate of the cannon-fodder that supplies the student of
mind-power with the material for his
experiments?
What does it feel like to be dominated by these methods, and what results may
ultimately be obtained by
a
competent experimenter?
Let
me give my own experience, painful though it is, for someone has got to be the
first to come forward and uncover
these
abuses which are only able to flourish because of the general failure to
realise their significance.
As a
young girl of twenty I entered the employment of a woman who I now know must
have had a considerable
knowledge
of occultism obtained during a long residence in
could
make nothing of at the time, but which, in the light of later knowledge, I have
come to understand. It was her
custom
to control her staff by means of her knowledge of mind-power, and she had a
steady succession of most
peculiar
breakdowns among the people working under her.
I had
not been with her very long when she wanted me to give evidence in a lawsuit.
She was a woman of violent
temper,
and had dismissed an employee without notice and without wages, and he was
sueing her for the money due to
4 of
103?him. She wanted me to say that his behaviour had been such that she was
justified in thus dismissing him. Her method
of
collecting my evidence was to look into my eyes with a concentrated gaze and
say, "Such and such things
happened."
Fortunately for all concerned I had kept a diary and had a day-to-day record of
the whole transaction. If it
had
not been for this I should not have known where I was. At the end of the
interview I was dazed and exhausted, and
lay
down on my bed in my clothes and slept the sleep of utter exhaustion till next
morning. I suppose I slept for about
fifteen
hours.
Soon
after this she wanted my testimony again. She wished to get rid of my immediate
superior, and wanted to find
sufficient
grounds to justify her in doing so. She repeated her previous maneuvers, but
this time I had not got a diary
record
to fall back upon, and to my intense surprise I found myself agreeing with her
in a series of entirely baseless
charges
against the character of a man I had no reason to believe to be otherwise than
perfectly straight. The same
exhaustion
and the same dead sleep descended upon me immediately after this interview as
aft& the preceding one, but
an
additional symptom now manifested itself. As I walked out of the room at the
end of the interview I had a curious
sensation
as if my feet were not in the place I expected them to be. Anyone who has
walked across a carpet that is
bellying
up with the under-floor draught will know what I mean. Occultists will
recognise it as having to do with the
extrusion
of the etheric double.
The
next incident to occur in this curious menage did not concern myself, but
another girl, an orphan with considerable
means.
My employer kept this girl constantly with her, and finally persuaded her to put
the whole of her capital into her
schemes.
However, trustees descended in wrath, forced my employer to disgorge, and took
the girl away with them
then
and there, leaving all her belongings behind, to be packed up and sent on to
her afterwards.
Another
incident followed quick on the heels of this one. There was an elderly woman in
the establishment who was
slightly
"minus" mentally. A dear old thing, but childlike and eccentric. My
employer now turned her attention to her,
and
we watched the same process of domination beginning. In this case there were no
trustees to interfere, and the poor
old
lady was being persuaded to take her affairs out of the hands of her brother,
who had hitherto managed them, and
commit
them to the tender mercies of my employer. My suspicions had by now been
thoroughly aroused. It was more
than
I could bear to see old" Auntie" rooked, so I took a hand in the
game, woke "Auntie" up to the situation, pushed
her
belongings into a box, and got her off to her relatives while my employer was
away for a brief absence.
I
hoped my complicity in the affair would not become known, but I was soon
disillusioned. My employer's secretary
came
to my room one night, after "lights out," and warned me that the
Warden, as we called our employer, had found
out
who it was that had engineered "Auntie's" escape, and I had better
look out for trouble. Knowing her to be of an
exceedingly
revengeful nature, I knew that my best refuge was flight, but flight was not
altogether easy to achieve. The
institution
in which I was employed was an educational one, and a term's notice had to be
given before leaving. I did
not
look forward to working out that term under the unchecked control of a spiteful
woman. So I watched for an
opportunity
that should justify me in walking out. With my employer's uncontrolled temper
it was not long to seek. I
was
up late the following night packing, in preparation for my intended flight,
when there came to my room another
member
of the staff, a girl who seldom spoke, had no friends, and went about her work
like an automaton. I had never
had
any dealings with her, and was more than surprised at her visit.
It
was soon explained, however.
"You
are going to leave?" she said.
I
admitted that it was so.
"Then
go without seeing the Warden. You will not get away if you don't. I have tried
several times, and I cannot get
away."
However,
I was young and confident in my untried strength, with no means of gauging the
forces arrayed against me,
and
next morning, dressed for the journey and suitcase in hand, I went down and
bearded my formidable employer in
her
den, determined to tell her what I thought of her and her methods, quite
unsuspicious that anything save ordinary
knavery
and bullying was afoot.
I was
not allowed to get started with my carefully prepared speech, however. As soon
as she learnt that I was leaving,
she
said:
5 of
103?"Very well, if you want to go, go you shall. But before you go you
have got to admit that you are incompetent and have
no
self-confidence."
To
which I replied, being still full of fight, that if I were incompetent, why did
she not dismiss me herself, and anyway,
I was
the product of her own training- school. Which remark naturally did not improve
matters.
Then
commenced a most extraordinary litany. She resumed her old trick of fixing me
with an intent gaze, and said:
"You
are incompetent, and you know it. You have no self-confidence, and you have got
to admit it."
To
which I replied, "That is not true. I know my work, and you know I know
it."
Now
there was no doubt that much could be said concerning my competency in my first
post at the age of twenty, with
a
great deal of responsibility on my shoulders, and newly inducted into a
disorganised department; but nothing
whatever
could be said against my self- confidence, except that I had too much of it. I
was quite prepared to rush in
where
archangels would have hung back in the collar.
My
employer did not argue or abuse me. She kept on with these two statements
repeated like the responses of a litany. I
entered
her room at
entered
it a strong and healthy girl. I left it a mental and physical wreck and was ill
for three years.
Some
instinct warned me that if I admitted I were incompetent and had no
self-confidence my nerve would be broken,
and I
would never be good for anything afterwards, and I recognised that this
peculiar maneuver on the part of my
employer
was an act of revenge. Why I did not pursue the obvious remedy of taking refuge
in flight, I do not know, but
by
the time one realises that something abnormal is toward on these occasions, one
is more or less glamoured, and just
as
the bird before the snake cannot use its wings, so one cannot move or turn
away.
Gradually
everything began to feel unreal. All I knew was that I had to hold on at all
costs to the integrity of my soul.
Once
I agreed to her suggestions, I was done for. We went on with our litany.
But I
was getting near the end of my resources. I had a curious sensation as if my
field of vision were narrowing. This, I
believe,
is a characteristic phenomenon of hysteria. Out of the corners of my eyes I
could see two walls of darkness
creeping
up behind me on either side, as if one stood with one's back to the angle of a
screen, and it were being slowly
closed
upon one. I knew that when those two walls of darkness met, I should be broken.
Then
a curious thing happened. I distinctly heard an inner voice say: "Pretend
you are beaten before you really are.
Then
she will let up the attack and you will be able to get away." What this
voice was, I have never known.
I
immediately followed its advice. With my tongue in my cheek I asked my
employer's pardon for everything I had ever
done
or ever should do. I promised to remain on in my post and to go softly all the
days of my life. I remember I went
down
on my knees to her, and she purred complacently over me, well satisfied with
the morning's work, as she had
every
reason to be.
Then
she let me go, and I went up to my room and lay down on the bed. But I could
not rest until I had written her a
letter.
What that letter contained, I do not know. As soon as I had written it and put
it where she would get it, I fell into
a
sort of stupor, and lay in this state with my mind completely in abeyance till
the following evening. That is to say,
from
snow
on the ground. A window close to the head of the bed was wide open and the room
unheated. I had no covering
over
me, but I felt neither cold nor hunger, and all the processes of the body were
in abeyance. I never stirred.
Heartbeat
and respiration were very slow, and continued so for several days.
I was
found eventually by the housekeeper, who revived me by the simple application
of a good shaking and a cold
sponge.
I was dazed, and disinclined to move or even to eat. I was left to lie in bed,
my work taking care of itself, the
housekeeper
coming to look at me from time to time, but making no comment on my condition.
My employer never
showed
herself.
6 of
103?After about three days my especial friend, who thought I had left the
house, learnt of my continued presence, and came
along
to see me; an act requiring some courage, for our mutual employer was a
formidable antagonist. She asked me
what
had happened at my interview with the Warden, but I could not tell her. My mind
was a blank and all memory of
that
interview had gone as if a sponge had been passed over a slate. All I knew was
that out of the depths of my mind a
most
terrible state of fear was rising up and obsessing me. Not fear of any thing or
person. Just plain fear without an
object,
but none the less terrible for that. I lay in bed with all the physical
symptoms of intense fear. Dry mouth,
sweating
palms, thumping heart and shallow, hasty breathing. My heart was beating so
hard that at each beat a loose
brass
knob on the bedstead rattled. Fortunately for me, my friend saw that something
was seriously wrong and she sent
for
my family, who fetched me away. They were exceedingly suspicious. The Warden
was exceedingly uncomfortable,
but
no one could prove anything, so nothing was said. My mind was a blank. I was
thoroughly cowed and very
exhausted,
and my one desire was to get away.
I did
not recover, however, as had been expected. The intensity of the symptoms wore
off, but I continued to be
exceedingly
easily tired, as if I had been drained of all vitality. I knew that, somewhere
at the back of my mind, was
hidden
the memory of a terrible experience, and I dared not think of it, because if I
did, the shock and strain would be
so
severe that my mind would give way altogether. My chief consolation was an old
school arithmetic book, and I used
to
spend hour upon hour doing simple sums to keep my mind from racing itself to
pieces in wondering what had been
done
to me and sidling up towards the memory, and then shying away from it like a
frightened horse. Finally I gained
some
measure of peace by coming to the conclusion that I had simply had a breakdown
from overwork, and that the
whole
queer transaction was the fruit of my imagination. And yet there was a
lingering feeling that it was real and this
feeling
would not let me rest.
About
a year after the incident, my health still being very poor, I went away to the
country to recuperate, and there
came
across a friend who had been on the spot at the time of my breakdown. It had
apparently caused a good deal of
talk,
and I found here one who was not inclined to explain away my experience, but
asked pertinent questions. Another
new
friend became interested in my case and haled me off to the family doctor, who
bluntly gave it as his opinion that I
had
been hypnotised. It was before the days of psycho therapy, and his
ministrations to a mind diseased were limited to
patting
me on the back and giving me a tonic and bromide. The tonic was useful, but the
bromide was not, as it lowered
my
powers of resistance, and I speedily discarded it, preferring to put up with my
discomfort rather than to render
myself
defenceless. For all the time I was obsessed by the fear that this strange
force, which had been applied to me so
effectually,
would be applied again. But although I feared this mysterious power, which I
now realised was abroad in
the
world, I cannot tell what a relief it was to me to find that the whole
transaction was not an hallucination, but an
actual
fact that one could rise up and cope with.
I
obtained my release from the bondage of this fear by facing the whole situation
and determining to find out exactly
what
had been done to me and how I could protect myself against a repetition of the
experience. It was an exceedingly
unpleasant
process, in fact the reaction caused by recovering the lost memories was only a
little less violent than the
original
one; but I finally succeeded in freeing myself from my hag-ridden condition of
fear, although it was a very long
time
before my physical health became normal. My body was like an electric battery
that has been completely
discharged.
It took a long time to charge up again, and every time it was used before the
charging was completed, it ran
down
again rapidly. For a long time I had no reserves of energy, and after the least
exertion would fall into a dead sleep
at
any hour of the day. In the language of occultism, the etheric double had been
damaged, and leaked prana. It did not
become
normal until I took initiation into the occult order in which I subsequently
trained. Within an hour of the
ceremony
I felt a change, and it is only upon the rarest occasions since then, after
some psychic injury, that I have had a
temporary
return of those depleting attacks of exhaustion.
I
have told this story in detail because it is a useful illustration of the
manner in which the little-known powers of the
mind
can be abused by an unscrupulous person. First-hand experience is of far more
value than any amount of
illustration
from the pages of history, however well authenticated.
If
such a transaction had taken place during the Middle Ages, the parish priest
would have organised a witch-hunt. In
the
light of my own experiences I am not at all surprised that people who had
acquired a reputation for the practice of
witchcraft
were lynched, the methods are so terrible and so intangible. We may think the
records of the witch-trials are
ridiculous,
with their tales of wax images melting in front of slow fires, or the
crucifying of christened toads, or the
reciting
of little jingles, such as "Horse, hattock, To ride, to ride." But if
we understand the use of mind-power we soon
realise
that these things were simply aids to concentration. There is no essential
difference between sticking pins into a
7 of
103?wax image of an enemy and burning candles in front of a wax image of the
Virgin. You may think that both these
practices
are gross superstition, but you can hardly think that one is real and potent
and deny reality and potency to the
other.
"The weapons of our warfare are not carnal may as truly be said of the
practitioners of Black Magic as of the
Church.
My
own case belongs more to the realm of psychology than to occultism, the method
employed being an application of
hypnotic
power to improper ends; I have given it, however, because I am convinced that
hypnotic methods are very
largely
used in Black Magic, and that telepathic suggestion is the key to a large
proportion of its phenomena. I cite my
own
case, painful as it is to me to do so, because an ounce of experience is worth
a pound of theory. It was this
experience
which led me to take up the study of analytical psychology, and subsequently of
occultism.
As
soon as I touched the deeper aspects of practical psychology and watched the
dissection of the mind under
psycho-analysis,
I realised that there was very much more in the mind than was accounted for by
the accepted psycho
logical
theories. I saw that we stood in the centre of a small circle of light thrown
by accurate scientific knowledge, but
around
us was a vast, circumambient sphere of darkness, and in that darkness dim
shapes were moving. It was in order
to
understand the hidden aspects of the mind that I originally took up the study
of occultism.
I
have had my full share of the adventures of the Path; have known men and women
who could indubitably be ranked
as
adepts; seen phenomena such as no seance room has ever known, and borne my
share in it; taken part in psychic
feuds,
and stood my watch on the roster of the occult police force which, under the
Masters of the Great White Lodge,
keeps
guard over the nations, each according to its race; kept the occult vigil when
one dare not sleep while the sun is
below
the horizon; and hung on desperately, matching my staying-power against the
attack until the moon-tides
changed
and the force of the onslaught blew itself out.
And
through all these experiences I was learning to interpret occultism in the
light of psychology and psychology in the
light
of occultism, the one counterchecking and explaining the other.
Because
of my specialised knowledge people came to me when an occult attack was
suspected, and their experience
reinforces
and supplements my own. Moreover, there is a considerable literature on the
subject to be found in quarters
where
one would least expect it - in accounts of folk-lore and ethnology, in the
State Records of witch-trials, and even
under
the guise of fiction. These independent records, by people in no way interested
in psychic phenomena, confirm
the
statements made by those who have experienced occult attacks.
On
the other hand, we have to distinguish very carefully between psychic
experience and subjective hallucination; we
have
to be sure that the person who complains of a psychic assault is not hearing
the reverberation of his own
dissociated
complexes. The differential diagnosis between hysteria, insanity and psychic
attack is an exceedingly
delicate
and difficult operation, for so frequently a case is not clear-cut, more than
one element being present; a severe
psychic
attack causing a mental breakdown, and a mental breakdown laying its victim
open to invasion from the
Unseen.
All these factors have to be borne in mind when investigating an alleged occult
attack, and it shall be my task
in
these pages not only to indicate the methods of occult defence, but also to
show the methods of differential
diagnosis.
It is
very necessary, with so much occult knowledge about, that people should know an
occult attack when they see it.
These
things are much more common than is generally realised. The recent tragedy in
Iona gives point to this assertion.
No
occultist is under any illusion as to that death being from natural causes. In
my own experience I have known of
similar
deaths.
In my
novel, The Secrets of Dr. Taverner, there were presented, under the guise of
fiction, a number of cases
illustrative
of the hypotheses of occult science. Some of these stories were built up to
show the operation of the
invisible
forces; others were drawn from actual cases; and some of these were written
down rather than written up in
order
to render them readable by the general public.
So
much first-hand experience, confirmed by independent evidence, should not go
unregarded, especially since rational
explanations
are difficult to find save in terms of the occult hypotheses. It may be
possible to explain away each
individual
case mentioned in these pages by alleging hallucination, fraud, hysteria, or
plain lying, but it is not possible
to
explain the sum-total of them in this way. There cannot be so much smoke
without some fire. It is not possible that
8 of
103?the prestige of the magician in antiquity and the dread of the witch in the
Middle Ages could have arisen without some
basis
in experience. The vapourings of the wise woman would be no more heeded than
those of the village idiot if no
painful
consequences had ever been found to follow upon them. Fear was the motive of
these persecutions, and fear
founded
upon bitter experience; for it was not officialdom which incited the
witch-burnings, but whole country-sides
that
rose up for a lynching. The universal horror of the witch must have some cause
behind it.
The
labyrinthine windings of the Left-hand Path are as extensive as they are
devious; but while exposing them in
something,
at any rate, of their horror, I still maintain that the Right-hand Path of
initiation and occult knowledge is a
way
to the loftiest mystical experiences and a means of lifting the burden of human
suffering. Not every student of this
knowledge
necessarily abuses it; there are many, nay, the great majority, who hold it
selflessly in trust for mankind,
using
it to heal and bless and redeem that which is lost. It may well be asked, If
this knowledge can be so disastrously
abused,
why should its veil ever be lifted? What answer is made to this question is a
matter of temperament. Some will
maintain
that knowledge of whatever kind cannot be without its value. Other may say we
had better let sleeping dogs
lie.
The trouble is, however, that sleeping dogs have an unfortunate knack of waking
up spontaneously. So much occult
knowledge
is abroad in the world, so much of the kind of things described in these pages
is going on unknown and
unsuspected
in our midst, that it is very desirable that men of goodwill should investigate
the forces which men of evil
will
have perverted to their own ends. These things are the pathologies of the
mystic life, and if they were better
understood,
many tragedies might be averted.
On
the other hand, it is not well that everybody should indulge in the study of
textbooks of pathology. A vivid
imagination
and a weak head are a disastrous combination. The readers of that one-time
"best seller," Three Men in a
Boat,
may remember the fate of the individual who spent a wet Sunday afternoon
reading a medical textbook. At the
finish
he was firmly convinced he had got every single disease described therein with
the single exception of house
maid's
knee.
This
book is not intended merely to make the flesh creep, but is designed as a
serious contribution to a little-understood
aspect
of abnormal psychology, perverted, in some instances, to the purposes of crime.
It is a book intended for serious
students
and for those who find themselves confronted by the problems it describes, and
who are trying to understand
them
and find a way out. My chief aim in speaking so frankly is to open the eyes of
men and women to the nature of
the
forces that are at work below the surface of everyday life. It may happen to
any one of us to break through the thin
crust
of normality and find ourselves face to face with these forces. Reading of the
cases cited in this book, we may
well
say that there, but for the grace of God, goes any one of us. If I can give in
these pages the knowledge which
protects,
I shall have fulfilled my purpose.
Part
I
TYPES
OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
CHAPTER
I
SIGNS
OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
IF we
look at the universe around us we cannot fail to realise that there must be some
overruling plan co-ordinating
its
infinite complexity. If we take into our hands and examine minutely any living
thing, however simple, equally must
we
realise that the ordered diversity of its parts is built up on a determining
framework. Science has sought in vain for
this
organising principle; it will never find it on the physical plane, for it is
not physical. It is not the inherent nature of
9 of
103?atoms which causes them to arrange themselves in the complex patterns of
living tissues. The driving forces of the
universe,
the framework upon which it is built up in all its parts, belong to another
phase of manifestation than our
physical
plane, having other dimensions than the three to which we are habituated, and
perceived by other modes of
consciousness
than those to which we are accustomed.
We
live in the midst of invisible forces whose effects alone we perceive. We move
among invisible forms whose
actions
we very often do not perceive at all, though we may be profoundly affected by
them.
In
this mind-side of nature, invisible to our senses, intangible to our
instruments of precision, many things can happen
that
are not without their echo on the physical plane. There are beings that live in
this invisible world as fish live in the
sea.
There are men and women with trained minds, or special aptitudes, who can enter
into this invisible world as a
diver
descends to the ocean-bed. There are also times when, as happens to a land when
the sea-dykes break, the
invisible
forces flow in upon us and swamp our lives.
Normally
this does not occur. We are protected by our very incapacity to perceive these
invisible forces. There are four
conditions,
however, in which the veil may be rent and we may meet the Unseen. We may find
ourselves in a place
where
these forces are concentrated. We may meet people who are handling these
forces. We may ourselves go out to
meet
the Unseen, led by our interest in it, and get out of our depth before we know
where we are; or we may fall victim
to
certain pathological conditions which rend the veil.
The
Threshold of the Unseen is a treacherous coast on which to bathe. There are
potholes and currents and quicksands.
The
strong swimmer, who knows ±he coast, may venture in comparative safety. The
non-swimmer, who takes counsel
of
nothing but his own impulses, may pay for his temerity with his life. But we
must not make the mistake of thinking
that
these invisible forces are necessarily evil and inimical to humanity. They are
no more inimical in themselves than
are
water or fire, but they are potent. If we run counter to them, the result is
disastrous for us, for we have broken a
natural
law; but they are not out to attack us, any more than we are out to attack
them. We must face the fact, however,
that
men and women with knowledge of these things, have, both in the past and in the
present, used that knowledge
unscrupulously,
and that we may find our selves involved in the results of their actions. It
may safely be said that the
Unseen
is only evil and inimical to humanity when it has been corrupted and perverted
by the activities of these
unscrupulous
men and women, whom initiates call adepts of the Left-hand Path.
We
must consider the outward and visible signs of psychic attack before we are in
a position to analyse the nature of
such
attacks and indicate their source of origin. It is a fundamental rule that
diagnosis must precede treatment. There
are
many different kinds of psychic attacks, and the methods that will dispose of
one will be ineffectual against another.
The
commonest form of psychic attack is that which proceeds from the ignorant or
malignant mind of our fellow
human
beings. We say ignorant as well as malignant, for all attacks are not
deliberately motived; the injury may be as
accidental
as that inflicted by a skidding car. This must always be borne in mind, and we
should not impute malice or
wickedness
as a matter of course when we feel we are being victimised. Our persecutor may
himself be a victim. We
should
not accuse a man of malice if we had linked hands with him and he had stepped
on a live rail. Nevertheless, we
should
receive at his hands a severe shock. So it may be with many an occult attack.
The person from whom it
emanates
may not have originated it. Therefore we should never respond to attack by
attack, thus bringing ourselves
down
to the moral level of our attackers, but rely upon more humane methods, which
are, in reality, equally effectual
and
far less dangerous to handle.
People
also come into touch with the Unseen through the influence of places. Someone
who is not actually psychic, but
who
is sufficiently sensitive to perceive the invisible forces subconsciously, may
go to a place where they are
concentrated
at a high tension. Normally, although we move in the midst of these forces (for
they sustain our universe),
we
are oblivious of them. Where they are concentrated, however, unless we are very
dense-minded, we begin to be
dimly
conscious of something that is affecting us and stirring our subliminal self.
It
may happen that the barrier between consciousness and subconsciousness is dense
in some people, and they are never
able
clearly to realise what is going on. They merely have the sense of oppression
and general malaise, which lifts
when
they go away to another place. Consequently, the condition may never be
detected, and lead to years of ill-health
and
misery.
10 of
103?More commonly, however, if there is a definite psychic attack of sufficient
force to make itself noticeable at all, there
will
soon begin to appear characteristic dreams. These may include a sense of weight
upon the chest, as if someone
were
kneeling on the sleeper. If the sense of weight is present, it is certain that
the attack emanates locally, for the
weight
is due to the concentration of etheric substance or ectoplasm, and is
sufficiently tangible to press down the scale
of a
balance when it is possible to capture it for measurement. A great deal of
research has been done with
materialising
mediums upon the nature of this tangible subtle substance, and the reader is
referred to the books on the
experiments
conducted by Crawford with the Goligher Circle at Belfast, and in Paris with
Eva C. by other
experimenters,
for further information and evidence on this subject. It may be noted that
Crawford eventually
committed
suicide for no known reason.
A
sense of fear and oppression is very characteristic of. occult attack, and one
of the surest signs that herald it. It is
extremely
rare for an attack to make itself manifest out of the blue, as it were. We are
not in our normal state of mind,
body
and circumstance, and then find ourselves suddenly in the midst of an invisible
battle. An approaching occult
influence
casts its shadow on consciousness before it makes itself apparent to the
non-psychic. The reason for this is
that
we perceive subconsciously before we realise consciously, and a line of
creeping shade indicates the penetrating of
the
subconscious censor from below upwards.
As
the attack progresses, nervous exhaustion becomes increasingly marked, and
there may, under certain conditions,
which
we will consider later, be such wasting of the tissues that the victim is
reduced to a mere bloodless shell of skin
and
bones, lying on the bed, too weak to move. And yet no definite disease can be
demonstrated.
Such
a case is an extreme example, proceeding unchecked to its logical conclusion.
Other issues are possible, however.
The
resistance may be good, in which case the attack is unable to gain a foothold
on the physical plane, and is limited
to
that borderland between matter and mind which we perceive upon the threshold of
sleep. This is a very terrible
experience,
for the victim is afraid to sleep and cannot keep awake indefinitely. Worn out
by fear and lack of sleep,
mental
breakdown soon supervenes.
Nervous
exhaustion and mental breakdown are the commoner results of astral attack among
white people, for in
There
are, however, records of cases where the victim has died of pure fright.
Kipling's terrible story, The End of the
Passage,
gives an account of such an occurrence.
But
in addition to the purely subjective phenomena, there will also be objective
ones if the attack has any degree of
concentration.
The phenomenon of repercussion is well known, the phenomenon wherein that which
befalls the subtle
body
is reflected in the dense body, so that after an astral skirmish during sleep,
bruises are found on the physical body,
sometimes
bruises of a definite pattern. I have seen the print of a goat's hoof and the
ace of clubs marked upon the skin
as
well-defined bruises, passing from blue to yellow and dying away in the course
of a few days, as bruises will.
Evil
odours are another manifestation of an astral attack. The characteristic smell
is of decomposing flesh, and it comes
and
goes capriciously; but while it is manifesting, there is no doubt whatever
about it, and anyone who is present can
smell
it, whether they are psychic or not. I have also known a frightful stench of
drains arise when a ritual belonging to
the
Element of Earth was being incorrectly performed.
Another
curious phenomenon is the precipitation of slime. I have not actually seen this
myself, but I have first-hand
information
upon good authority of one such case. The marks are sometimes as if an army of
slugs had been marching
in
ordered formation; sometimes there is a broad smear of slime, and at others,
distinct footprints, often of gigantic size.
In
the case to which I refer, of which I heard from an eye-witness, the marks were
like the foot prints of an elephant,
enormous
tracks on the floor of the drawing-room of a bungalow situated near the sea.
Odd
footprints appearing from nowhere and leading nowhere, are sometimes observed
when there is snow about. I
have
seen them on two occasions on the roof of an out building. They alighted upon
the edge of it, as if the walker had
stepped
off an aeroplane, went straight across, and ended abruptly at the wall of the
main building upon which the
lean-to
abuts. They did not return. A single line of footprints came from nowhere and
ended in a lofty wall.
A
similar happening took place on a very extensive scale in
found
in that very curious book, Oddities, by Commander Gould. In this case, however,
the prints were not human, but
11 of
103?were those of what was apparently the hoof of a donkey, proceeding in a
single line and going straight through walls
and
over roofs and covering the best part of a couple of hundred miles in a single
night on both sides of an unbridged
estuary.
Those who want confirmatory evidence would do well to consult Commander Gould's
book, where the
incident
is given in detail.
There
is a curious phenomenon known to occultists as the astral bell; Sir Arthur
Conan Doyle makes use of it in one of
his
Sherlock Holmes stories. This sound varies from a dear, bell-like note to a
faint click. I have often heard it resemble
the
sound made by striking a cracked wine-glass with a knife-blade. It commonly
announces the advent of an entity that
is
barely able to manifest, and need not necessarily be a herald of evil at all.
It may simply be a knock on the door of the
physical
world to attract the attention of the inhabitants to the presence of one who
stands without and would speak
with
them. If, however, it occurs in the presence of other symptoms of an astral
attack, it would give strong evidence in
confirmation
of the diagnosis.
Inexplicable
outbreaks of fire are also sometimes seen in this connection. These indicate
that elemental forces, not
human,
are at work. Poltergeist phenomena also occur, in which objects are flung
about, bells rung and other noisy
manifestations
take place. Of course there may be multiplicity of phenomena, more than one
type appearing in the same
case.
Needless
to say, the possibility of some natural, material explanation must never be
ignored, even in cases where the
supernatural
element appears most obvious. It should always be diligently sought in every
possible direction before any
supernormal
hypothesis is considered worthy of attention. But on the other hand, we should
not be so wedded to
materialistic
theories that we refuse to take a psychic theory as a working hypothesis if it
shows any possibility of being
fruitful.
After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating, and if, working on an
occult hypothesis, we are able to clear
up a
case which has resisted all other methods of handling, we have pretty good
evidence in support of our contention.
We
must also bear in mind that the element of deliberate fraud may enter into the
most unexpected places. I have seen a
drug
addict successfully pass himself off for a considerable length of time as the
victim of an occult attack. A recent
writer
in the British Medical Journal declared that whenever he came across a case of
bell-ringing, knocks, the
dripping
of water and oil from ceilings, and other untoward happenings, he always looked
for the hysterical
maidservant.
Occultists would be very well advised to do likewise before they begin to worry
about the Devil. But on
the
other hand, the wise man, whether occultist or scientist, will not insist upon
the hysterical maidservant unless he can
catch
her red-handed, as he surely will do sooner or later if she is the guilty
party.
Forged
bank-notes would never gain currency unless there were such a thing as genuine
bank-notes. It would never
occur
to anyone to produce fraudulent psychic phenomena unless there had been some
genuine psychic phenomena to
act
as a pattern for the forgery.
The
acceptance of an explanation should rest upon the weight of evidence in its
favour, not upon one's dislike of its
alternatives.
I plead that the possibility of a non- material explanation should be
investigated in cases where the
materialistic
hypothesis does not yield results. Not in diseases of the brain and nervous
system, nor of the ductless
glands,
nor in repression of the natural instincts, shall we find the explanation in
all cases wherein the mind is afflicted.
There
is more to man than mind and body. We shall never find the clue to the riddle
of life until we realise that man is a
spiritual
being and that mind and body are the garments of his manifestation.
CHAPTER
II
12 of
103?ANALYSIS OF THE NATURE OF PSYCHIC ATTACK
THE
essence of a psychic attack is to be found in the principles and operations of
telepathic suggestion. If we put
together
what we know of telepathy and what we know of suggestion, we shall understand
its modus operandi.
Suggestion
is of three kinds: Auto-suggestion, Conscious Suggestion and Hypnotic
Suggestion. The distinction,
however,
is not as fundamental as at first sight appears; for the goal of all
suggestions in the subconscious mind is the
same,
and they do not become operative until, it is reached. Suggestion is
distinguished from threats and appeals to
reason
by the fact that these aim at a mark in the conscious mind. If they succeed,
they owe their success to the
acquiescence
of the conscious personality, whether coerced or voluntary. But suggestion does
not make its appeal to
consciousness,
but aims at laying its hands upon the springs of action in the subconsciousness
and manipulating them
from
there.
We
might compare these two processes to the operation of pulling at the bell-knob
outside the front door and taking up
a
floor-board and twitching the bell-wires themselves. The result will be the
same in both cases, the bell will ring.
Threats
and argument pull the bell-knob with varying degrees of emphasis, from the
persistent tinkling of moral
suasion
to the resounding peal of the blackmailer. Suggestion twitches the wires at
various points in their course.
Auto-suggestion
is given by one's own conscious mind to one's own subconscious mind. Now, you
may ask, why can I
not
give orders to my subconscious mind direct, without having to resort to the
paraphernalia of suggestion? The
answer
to this question is very simple. The subconscious mind belongs to a much
earlier phase of evolution than the
conscious
mind; belongs, in fact, to a phase prior to the development of speech. To
address it in words, therefore, is
like
speaking to a man in a language he does not understand, In order to deal with
him we must have resort to sign-language.
So it
is with the subconscious mind. It is no use to say to it, Do this: or, Don't do
that. We must make a
mental
picture of the thing we want done and hold it in consciousness till it begins
to sink into the subconsciousness.
The
subconscious mind will understand this picture, and act upon it.
The
actor who wishes to cure himself of stage-fright will fail to do so if he says
to his subconscious mind, "Don't be
frightened,"
for a nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse. Equally, if he makes a mental
picture of stage fright and
says
to his subliminal self, "Now don't do that," the result will be
disastrous, for the subliminal self will see the picture
and
omit the negative, because the word "not" means nothing to it. In
order to handle the subconscious mind
effectually,
we make a mental picture of the thing we want done and hold it in mind by
repeated applications until the
subconsciousness
begins to be influenced and takes up the task of its own accord.
This
is the end-result of all suggestion, and the different kinds of suggestion are
distinguished, not by the difference in
end-result,
but by the gate through which they enter the subconscious mind. Auto-suggestion
originates in our own
consciousness;
waking suggestion originates in the mind of another and is conveyed to our mind
by the ordinary
channels
of the spoken or written word; hypnotic suggestion enters the subconscious mind
direct, without impinging
upon
consciousness at all.
Hypnotic
suggestion (which means, literally, suggestion made during sleep, and is to
some extent a misnomer) is of
three
kinds: firstly, true hypnotic suggestion, made when the subject has been
rendered insensible by magnetic passes
or
fixation of the eyes on a bright object; secondly, suggestion given during
normal sleep, as Coue advises should be
done
with children, in my opinion a most undesirable proceeding; and, thirdly,
telepathic suggestion. All these
modes
of suggestion enter the mind behind the censor; that is to say, they are
independent of consciousness, which is
neither
asked to co-operate, nor has the power to inhibit them.
In
most cases, suggestions made in this way are never recognised as coming from
outside, but are only discovered after
they
have matured in the subconsciousness and are beginning to take effect. We do
not see the invisible seed, that has
been
sown in our mind by the mind of another, but in due course germination takes
place and the strong-growing shoot
appears
above the threshold of consciousness as if it were a native growth. The
skillful suggestionist always aims at
13 of
103?making his suggestions harmonise with the bias of the personality; for if
they do not, the established sub-conscious
complexes
will expel them before they have time to strike root. All he can really do is
to reinforce and stimulate the
ideas
and impulses that are already there, though perhaps latent. He cannot plant an
entirely alien seed. He cannot graft
a
rose-shoot on a lilac bush, for it will merely wither and die.
For
growth of the thought-seeds of suggestion to take place they must find a
congenial soil. It is herein lies the strength
of
the defence. We may not be able to prevent the minds of others from sending us
suggestions, but we may so purify
the
soil of our own natures that no harmful ones can find a congenial seed-bed. It
is a simple matter to pull up a
seedling
nettle, but it is quite a different business to eradicate a thickset bank of
tangled roots and stinging shoots, many
years
old.
It
has been said, and not untruly, that a person cannot be hypnotised into doing
anything which is contrary to his real
nature.
But what is the real nature of each one of us? Have we all overcome the ape and
tiger, or are they merely
caged?
Suggestion can unbar the cage of all our secret temptations and let them loose
upon us. None but the saint is
naturally
immune. It is possible to reduce anybody to anything provided suggestion has
unchecked scope for a
sufficient
length of time. The purest woman can be made a harlot, the noblest man a
murderer under certain conditions.
Knowledge
is necessary to protect, and it is that knowledge which I intend to give in
these pages.
Let
us now consider exactly how a psychic attack operates. In the realms of mind
there is neither time nor space as we
understand
them. I do not propose to argue this statement philosophically, but state it as
a fact of experience which
anyone
who is accustomed to operating on the Inner Planes will have shared. If we
think of a person, we are in touch
with
that person. If we picture them clearly, it is as if we were face to face with
them. If we picture them vaguely, it is
as if
we saw them in the distance. Being in the mental vicinity of a person, we can
create a thought- atmosphere by
dwelling
upon certain ideas in connection with him. This is how spiritual healing is
done. The affirmations of Christian
Science
are used in order to get the mind of the healer into a certain emotional state,
and his condition effectually
influences
the mind of the patient with whom he has put himself en rapport.
This
power, however, can be used for evil as well as good; the Founder of Christian
Science was wise enough to put
her
teaching in such a way that her students would not readily discern the second
edge of the sword. As long as the
world
in general was ignorant of the powers of the mind, it was better that nothing
should be said by those who knew,
because
the knowledge, if spread abroad indiscriminately, might do more harm than good,
giving information to those
who
ought not to have it. But now that so much is generally known and even
practised concerning the powers of the
human
mind, it is as well that the real facts should also be known and the whole
matter brought out into the open, and
as
far as lies in my power I am prepared to do this.
Any
message to the subconscious mind must be couched in very simple terms, because
subconscious thought is a
primitive
form of mentation, developed before spoken language was known to mankind. The
primary aim of the
suggestion
is to create a mental atmosphere about the soul of the person, whether that
person is to be attacked or
healed,
until a sympathetic response or reaction is elicited within the soul itself. (I
use the term soul to include both the
mental
and emotional processes, but to exclude the spiritual ones.) Once this reaction
is achieved, the battle is half
over,
for the gate of the city has been opened from within, and there is free
ingress. The telepathic suggestion of
definite
ideas can now proceed rapidly.
It is
this point which is the critical one in any occult attack. Up to this point,
the defender has the advantage. If he has
sufficient
knowledge, the knowledge I hope to make available through this book, he can
without any undue exertion
retain
that advantage indefinitely, and wear his attackers down, even if unable to
meet them on their own ground of
occult
knowledge. There is nothing in this world or the next that a hypnotist can do
with the person who keeps his
nerve
and won't pay attention.
There
are two gates, and two only, by which the attacker can gain entrance to the
city of
Self-preservation
Instinct and the Sex Instinct. The hypnotic appeal must be couched in terms of
one or both of these if
it is
to be successful. How does the attacker proceed? He has to create an atmosphere
about the soul of his victim on
the
Inner Planes. He can only do this by creating that atmosphere within his own
consciousness while he thinks of his
victim.
If he wants to perform a psychic murder, he must fill his own soul with the
rage of destruction until it
overflows.
If he wants to perform a psychic rape, he must fill his soul with lust and
cruelty. The cold rage of cruelty is
14 of
103?essential to effectual operations of this nature. Now what happens when he
does this? He has sounded a ringing
keynote
in the Abyss. It will be answered. All beings who have this keynote for the
basis of their nature will respond.
"Dark
Uriel and Azrael and Ammon on the wing - " and will join in the operation.
But they do not operate direct upon
the
victim, they work through the operator. It is like the old game of Nuts and
May, in which the one who is sent "to
fetch
her away" is gripped round the waist by the leader of a chain of
supporters. The real pressure comes on his own
abdominal
muscles, as anyone who has played the game will remember.
And
when the magical operation is over, what then? Will the operator be left to
enjoy his victim in peace? Is IT
LIKELY?
This
is the mystical basis of the story of Faust. The Devil might be not only
willing but anxious to enable Dr. Faustus to
win
Margarita, but he came for his soul at the appointed time. We may also remember
that if Margarita had not
responded
to the lure of the Jewel Song she would not have fallen a victim. The weak spot
in the defence was after all
in
her own nature.
We
have considered the modus operandi of telepathic suggestion in detail because
it forms the real basis of every kind
of
occult attack. Whether it be a discarnate entity, a being of another order of
evolution, a demon from the Pit, or
merely
the panic-stricken soul of a selfish friend, clinging to the life of form
regardless of consequences, in all cases the
opening
gambit is the same. Until the aura is pierced, there can be no entrance to the
soul, and the aura is always
pierced
from within by the response of fear or desire going out towards the attacking
entity. If we can inhibit that
instinctive
emotional reaction, the edge of the aura will remain impenetrable, and will be
as sure a defence against
psychic
invasion as the healthy and unbroken skin is a defence against bacterial
infection.
It
happens sometimes, however, that a rapport has been formed with the attacking
entity in a previous incarnation, and
therefore
it holds, as it were, the key to the postern. Such a problem is a very
difficult one, and external assistance is
needed
for its solution. The difficulty is increased by the fact that the victim is
often disinclined to allow the break to be
made,
being bound to the attacking entity, whether discarnate or incarnate, by bonds
of fascination, or even genuine
affection.
A
case with which I was acquainted throws so much light on various aspects of
psychic interference by incarnate souls
operating
out of their bodies that it is of value to quote it at length.
In
the summer of 1926 I saw in the papers a short paragraph describing the death
of a certain man and his wife, which
took
place within a few hours of each other. A couple of years previously I had been
consulted by a friend of the wife,
who
was deeply perturbed about the state of affairs, and suspected psychic
interference. The wife, Mrs. C. we will call
her,
had begun to be troubled by nightmares, waking up in a state of intense fear,
hearing the echoes of menacing
words
ringing in her ears. At about the same time the husband, Mr. C., developed what
at first sight looked like
epileptic
fits. A careful diagnosis by specialists, however, determined that although
epileptiform, they were not true
epilepsy.
Epilepsy is due either to a congenital tendency, whose nature is not fully
understood by medical science, or to
some
injury or disease of the brain. In congenital epilepsy the disease shows itself
early in life; in fits due to disease,
other
symptoms are present which can be detected by a physical examination, such as
changes in the eye that are
revealed
by the opthalmoscope. The diagnosis can therefore be definitely established.
Moreover, there is one sure sign
by
means of which an epileptic fit can be distinguished with certainty from a
hysterical or psychic seizure. In true
epilepsy
the urine is involuntarily voided in the course of the fit. This is a sure
sign, and when it is absent we are safe in
saying
that the fit is not epileptic, whatever else it may be. This is a useful point
for those who have to deal with the
pathologies
that afflict the psychic temperament, for they will see plenty of seizures, and
a sure method of
distinguishing
those that are of organic origin is very useful. We must not, however, conclude
that all cases of such
incontinence
are epileptics, for there are many other causes, both organic and functional.
In
the case of Mr. C. this cardinal symptom was lacking. The attacks, moreover,
always took place in sleep, and it
seemed
as if they were more of the form of severe nightmare, verging on somnambulism.
It was a curious factor in the
case
that Mrs. CS nightmares usually heralded Mr. CS attacks.
These
occurrences showed a certain cyclic regularity, occurring about once a month.
In the case of a woman this would
15 of
103?naturally be referred to the twenty-eight day cycle of her nature, but in
the case of a man, no such explanation was
forthcoming,
and we therefore had to look for another twenty-eight day cycle to explain his
periodicity. The only other
cycle
of this period is that of the phases of the moon.
We
were then confronted by a correlation of epileptiform attacks, which had no
organic basis, the nightmares of a
second
person, and the phases of the moon. Some theory had to be found which would
resume these three and explain
their
inter-relationship.
A
dream is commonly the first way in which psychic manifestations make themselves
known, the subconscious
perceptions
being reflected into consciousness in this form.
It is
held by many occultists that congenital epilepsy, as distinguished from that
due to tumours of the brain, has its
roots
in the operations of black magic or witchcraft in which the sufferer
participated in a past life, whether as
practitioner
or victim, the fit being an astral struggle with a discarnate entity, reflected
on the physical body by means
of
the well-known phenomenon of repercussion.
The
moon plays a very important part in all occult operations, different tides
being available at different phases of her
cycle.
Persephone, Diana and Hecate, all aspects of Luna, are three very different
persons.
It
therefore appeared probable that as the physical investigation had drawn blank,
a psychic investigation might yield
fruits.
One was performed. And with the following results.
Nothing
at all was discerned with regard to Mrs. C. She was merely what lawyers call an
accessory after the fact. But
the
psychic trail of Mr. C. was soon picked up and followed, and it appeared that
in his last incarnation he had been
associated
with two women, mother and daughter, who had practised witchcraft for his
benefit. The younger of the two
women
had been for a short time his mistress. Mother and daughter had paid the
penalty for their crimes, but their male
partner
had escaped.
The
diagnosis was as follows: It is the younger witch that is at the bottom of the
trouble. It is her astral visits which
cause
the seizures of Mr. C. and the nightmares of Mrs. C., and they correlate with
the phases of the moon because
certain
phases are favourable for the operation she performs and she therefore takes
advantage of them. The question
now
remains, is this woman in incarnation or not? That is to say, is the midnight
visit paid in an astral body projected
from
a living human being, or by an earth-bound spirit which has succeeded in
evading the Second Death?
Mrs.
C. had by now been taken into the confidence of the mutual friend who was
concerned for her welfare, and lent a
ready
ear to the suggestion that some psychic influence might be at the bottom of the
trouble, for this explanation
coincided
with her own intuitions in the matter, intuitions she had not dared to divulge
for fear of ridicule.
When
asked if she could identify anyone in the circle of her husband's acquaintances
who might prove to be the
younger
witch, she replied immediately that she could with out any difficulty identify
both the women, and told the
following
curious story.
The
older witch she identified as her husband's mother, an aged lady who occupied a
suite of rooms in their house. For
this
inoffensive old creature Mrs. C. had always had a peculiar horror and
repulsion, although admitting there were no
rational
grounds for it, and honestly endeavouring to do her duty by her. So great was
her horror of the old lady that she
would
never remain in the house after her husband had left for his office in the
morning, but went out herself to her
club
if she had no other engagement.
Among
the frequenters of the house was an intimate friend of the elder Mrs. C., a
woman of peculiar psychic
temperament,
who always called the old lady mother and was singularly attached to her, She
was also very attached to
Mr.
C., but her feelings never exceeded, outwardly at any rate, the bounds of
propriety, and Mr. C., who was sincerely
attached
to his own wife, never paid the slightest attention to her, looking upon her as
his mother's friend, and as such
to be
tolerated.
16 of
103?Mrs. C. unhesitatingly identified Miss X., as we will call her, as the
younger witch. Enquiries were then made
regarding
her history, and a very curious story unfolded.
As a
young girl she had become engaged to a man who, soon after the engagement was
announced, had developed
galloping
consumption and died after a short illness with a violent hemorrhage.
Soon
after this, Miss Xs sister also became engaged, and by a strange fatality her
lover shared the same fate, dying as
died
the other man, in a flood of his own blood.
Years
went by, and Miss X. became engaged again. Soon the second lover fell ill, not,
this time, with galloping
consumption,
but with a more lingering form of the complaint, in which hemorrhage was the
principle symptom. He
seemed
to linger on from hemorrhage to hemorrhage, and this went on for years. Miss
X., a woman of considerable
private
means, took a house, installed an aunt as a chaperone, and took her fiance to
live there and be nursed by her.
Soon
the aunt developed symptoms of illness; she appeared to be drained of all
vitality and for days at a time would lie
unconscious,
but no specific cause was ever discovered for her illness. This peculiar menage
continued for years, Miss
X.
living in her big house with these two moribund creatures lingering on from
attack to attack.
She
was a constant visitor at the home of the CS, both during the lifetime of Mr.
CS first wife and that of his second,
the
friend of my friend. On the death of Mr. CS first wife she had great hopes, it
was observed, that his attentions
would
turn towards herself, but they did not; nevertheless she swallowed her chagrin,
and succeeded in maintaining her
foothold
as an intimate friend of the family when the new Mrs. C. came to preside over
the household.
Certain
methods of protection were suggested to Mrs. C. which helped her considerably,
but it was not possible to
exclude
Miss X. from the house owing to her intimacy with the old lady. In due course,
however, old Mrs. C. was
gathered
to her fathers, and then young Mrs. C. put her foot down and said she would
have no more to do with Miss X.
Mr.
C. concurred in this, as he had always had a repulsion for Miss X., and had
only tolerated her for his mother's sake.
Soon
after this Mrs. C. began to feel unwell, the indisposition slowly progressed,
until finally, although she had no
definite
symptoms, she was obliged to consult a doctor on account of her steadily
increasing weakness and sense of
malaise.
A diagnosis of rapidly growing cancer of the womb was made. An operation was
performed, which gave
temporary
relief, it was not expected to do any more, and she went downhill steadily.
Towards
the end she lapsed into unconsciousness, and at the same time, Mr. C. also
became unconscious, apparently
having
one of his seizures in sleep, from which he never awakened. They died within a
few hours of each other.
Mr.
C.'s first wife had also died of cancer of the womb.
About
this time Miss X.'s aunt and fiance died within a short time of each other, and
the last that was heard of Miss X.
was
that she had been removed to a nursing-home in the country with a severe mental
breakdown.
Taken
separately, any of the incidents in this strange eventful history can be
explained away, but taken together they
make
a curious story, especially when it is remembered that without any previous
information a psychic investigation
had
"spotted" the existence of a person with abnormal faculties who was
interested in Mr. C.
Cancer
is a disease upon which certain occult hypotheses throw a good deal of light.
It is believed to be a disease of the
etheric
double, not of the physical body, and that a "Cancer Elemental" is
the infective factor.
To
prove or disprove anything concerning the foregoing story is impossible, but
the following occult hypothesis may
explain
much. If this hypothesis be not accepted, readers may find an interesting
exercise for their ingenuity in
constructing
another that shall explain more satisfactorily the circumstances of the case.
Miss
X. retained subconsciously the knowledge and powers that had been hers during
the previous life when she was
17 of
103?implicated in the witch-cult. She also retained her passion for Mr. C., a
passion which was obviously unrequited, She
employed
her power of projection of the astral body to visit Mr. C. at night, during
sleep. In the absence of details it is
impossible
to decide definitely whether the "fit" of Mr. C. was a struggle or an
embrace. It might be either, or it might
be
both, an initial struggle ending in an embrace. The dreams of Mrs. C. obviously
related to the same astral visitant
who
caused the seizures of Mr. C. There is, unfortunately, no record to show at
what phase of the moon these attacks
took
place, but presumably at the Hecate phase, which is the period of evil
witchcraft.
The
condition of Miss Xs fiance and aunt and the death of her first lover point
markedly towards vampirism. It is
difficult
to believe that a consumptive would continue for so many years without his
disease either being checked or
making
definite progress. It is difficult to say what the connection, if any, might be
between Miss X. and the death of
her
sister's lover, but it is a curious thing that three men, associated with this
ill-omened household as prospective
husbands,
should lose their lives in the same way. This, together with the mysterious
illness of the aunt, are very
suspicious.
As noted before, any one of these incidents could be explained away, but taken
together they call for
thought.
It is also curious that Miss X. should keep her fiance in her house and yet not
marry him, from every normal
point
of view an arrangement with many drawbacks and no advantages. On the other
hand, if her feelings were fixed
upon
Mr. C. and were obtaining satisfaction by astral visits, she would naturally
not want to break her rapport with the
man
she loved by giving herself to the man she did not love. If she were a vampire,
her motive for keeping the aunt and
lover
in her house, and their condition, would be readily explained. Also her
breakdown, which followed immediately
upon
their deaths.
The
fact that Mr. CS first wife died of cancer of the womb does not in itself call
for remark, but it is a curious thing that
he
should lose his second wife from the same disease. Cancer is not as common as
all that, and in any case, there are
many
available sites beside the womb. On the other hand, Diana, one of the aspects
of Luna, of whom Hecate, the
goddess
of witches, was another, presides over the female reproductive organs.
The
illness of Mrs. C. began to show itself soon after Miss X. was excluded from
the house.
Finally,
what shall we say concerning the deaths of the three people most intimately
associated with Miss X. within a
short
time of each other, and her immediate break down? In the absence of details any
conclusion must be guesswork,
but
we have good grounds for supposing that Miss Xs magical operations were
attended by some mishap.
It
may be said that such a theory is the wildest improbability and does violence
to all the laws of evidence. Let it,
however,
be born in mind that two years before these matters eventuated, the work of a
witch in connection with Mr.
CS
epileptiform attacks was suspected and the nature of her relationship to him
was indicated; and subsequent
enquiries
revealed the curious facts in connection with Miss Xs history and menage; let
it also be noted that the
happenings
which subsequently occurred are such as have been recorded in many accounts of
witch-trials. It is a
scientific
maxim that the power to foretell the course of phenomena is a good indication
of the truth of a theory.
CHAPTER
III
A
CASE OF MODERN WITCHCRAFT
THE
part played by the ex-witch in occult attack is very marked. Again and again do
the investigations of
independent
psychics point to witchcraft in a previous incarnation when trouble of this
sort is afoot. The motive is
nearly
always vengeance, but there is also good reason to believe that the projection
of the astral body takes place
involuntarily
during sleep, and is not deliberately willed by the offender. Very many people
who are at present psychics
18 of
103?and sensitives got their training in the covens of medieval witchcraft, and
for this reason experienced occultists are very
wary
of the natural psychic, as distinguished from the initiate with his technique
of psychism. Where psychism and
mental
unbalance are found conjoined with a malevolent disposition, there is strong
presumption that the cult of
Diabolus
is not far to seek.
A
curious set of happenings, in which I myself was one of the actors, throws a
good deal of light on this by no means
uncommon
occurrence. It was in the early days of my interest in occultism, when I was still
buying nay experience by
the
expensive but effectual method of running my head into obstacles, I made the
acquaintance of a woman who was
interested
in psychic matters. She was a person of the most extreme sensitiveness to
anything unclean or ugly,
fastidious
to a degree in her personal habits, living almost exclusively on uncooked
vegetarian foods, even refusing
eggs
as too stimulating. Although not an animal lover, she was morbidly
humanitarian, reading with gusto those papers
which
give lurid and detailed descriptions of vivisection experiments. Had I been
older and wiser I should have
recognised
the significance of her ultra-cleanliness and ultra-sensitiveness as marking
the ab-reaction of a sadistic
temperament
- sadism being a pathology of the emotional nature in which the sex instinct
takes the form of an impulse
to
inflict pain. Not having learnt then many things which I now know, I looked
upon her characteristics as indicative of
an
exalted spirituality.
At
the time I knew her she was verging on a breakdown which was alleged to be due
to overwork, and she was very
anxious
to get away from cities and back to nature. I was just leaving London to take
up my residence at an occult
college
which was hidden away in the sandy fastnesses of the Hampshire barrens. In the
innocence of my heart I
suggested
that she might come down there and help with the domestic duties. The
suggestion was acted upon, and a
few
days after my own arrival Miss L. joined us. She seemed quite normal, made
herself agreeable, and was well liked.
One
incident, however, in the light of subsequent events, was significant. On
getting out of the ancient fly in which she
had
driven from the station, she immediately went and patted the still more ancient
horse that drew it. That beast,
usually
sunk in an apathy from which he was with difficulty roused when action was
required of him, galvanised into
life
at her touch as if she had stung him. He threw up his head, backed, snorted,
and nearly turned the equipage over in
the
ditch, to the amazement of his jehu, who declared he had never been known to do
such a thing before, and viewed
our
visitor with disfavour.
Miss
L., however, appeared quite normal, made herself agreeable, and was given a
friendly reception by the humans at
any
rate.
That
night I was awakened by nightmare, a thing to which I am not usually subject. I
struggled with a weight on my
chest,
and even after consciousness had fully returned, the room seemed full of evil.
I performed such simple banishing
formula
as I knew, and peace was restored.
At
breakfast next morning an assembly of blear-eyed people met together,
complaining of having passed disturbed
nights.
We compared notes, and found we had all, some six or seven of us, had similar
nightmares, and proceeded to
exchange
experiences. The effect of this upon Miss L. was curious. She squirmed upon her
chair as if it had suddenly
become
red-hot and said with much emphasis:
"These
things should not be discussed, it is most unwholesome."
Out
of deference to her feelings we desisted. But presently up to the open window
came another member of our
community,
a woman who slept in an open-air shelter at some little distance from the
house. We enquired after her
health,
as usual, and she replied that she was not feeling very well, as she had slept
badly, and proceeded to recount the
same
nightmare as the rest of us. Later on in the morning, another lady, who had a
house a little way down the road,
arrived,
and she in her turn told of a similar nightmare.
These
nightmares continued, on and off for the next few days, to afflict different
members of the community. They
were
vague and nebulous, and there was nothing we could pitch upon for diagnostic
purposes, and we put it down to
indigestion
caused by the village baker's version of war bread.
Then
one day I had a quarrel with Miss L. She had conceived a "crush" for
me; I have a constitutional repulsion for
crushes
and give them scant politeness, and she complained bitterly of my lack of
responsiveness. What ever may be
the
rights and wrongs of the case, I had roused her resentment in good earnest.
That night I was afflicted with the most
19 of
103?violent nightmare I have ever had in my life, waking from sleep with the
terrible sense of oppression on my chest, as if
someone
were holding me down, or lying upon me. I saw distinctly the head of Miss L.,
reduced to the size of an
orange,
floating in the air at the foot of my bed, and snapping its teeth at me. It was
the most malignant thing I have
ever
seen.
Still
not attaching any psychic significance to my experiences, and being firmly
convinced that the local baker was
responsible,
I told no one of my dream, thinking it one of those things that are better kept
to oneself; but when the
members
of the community came to talk matters over in the light of subsequent events,
we found that two other people
had
had similar experiences.
A
night or two later, however, as it came to bed-time, I was overcome with a
sense of impending evil, as if something
dangerous
were lurking in the bushes around the house threatening attack. So strong was
this sensation that I came
down
from my room and went all round the house, testing the catches of the windows
to make sure that all was secure.
Miss
L. heard me, and called out to know what I was doing.
I
told her of my feelings.
"You
silly child," she said, "it is no use latching the windows, the
danger is not outside the house but in it. Go to bed,
and
be sure and lock your door."
She
would give no answer to my questions except to reiterate that I should lock my
door. This was the first night I had
slept
in that house, previously having been in a cottage on the opposite side of the
road.
I did
not lock my door because the night was intolerably hot and the room and the
window small. I compromised,
however,
by putting an enamel slop-pail at a strategic spot in the fairway, trusting
that any intruder would fall over it
and
give the alarm.
Nothing
happened, and I slept quietly.
Next
morning, however, the storm broke. Miss L. and I were peacefully at work in the
kitchen when she suddenly
caught
up a carving-knife and started after me, as mad as a March hare. Fortunately
for me I had in my hands a large
saucepan
full of freshly boiled greens, and I used this as a weapon of defence, and we
danced round the kitchen table,
slopping
hot cabbage-water in all directions.
We
neither of us made a sound; I fended her off with the hot and sooty saucepan,
and she slashed at me with an
unpleasantly
large carving-knife. At a psychological moment in walked the head of the
community. He took in the
situation
at a glance, and handled it by the tactful method of scolding us both
impartially for making so much noise and
telling
us to get on with our work. Miss L. finished whatever she was doing with the
carver, I dished up the cabbage,
and
the incident passed off quietly.
After
lunch Miss L. experienced the reaction from her excitement and went to her room
completely prostrated with
exhaustion.
I was somewhat perturbed. Although used to mental cases, and therefore not as
disturbed by the recent
fracas
as anyone else might have been, I did not relish the prospect of being the
housemate of a dangerous lunatic who
was
under no sort of control. The head of the community, however, said there was no
cause for alarm, he would soon
have
the case in hand. He went up to the bath room, filled a soap-dish with water
from the tap, made certain passes
over
it, and dipping his finger in the water, proceeded to draw a five-pointed star
upon the threshold of Miss L.'s room.
Miss
L. made no attempt to leave her room until forty-eight hours later when he
fetched her out himself.
As he
had promised, he soon had her in hand. He had several long talks with her, at
which I was not present, and at the
end
of a few days a very chastened Miss L. began to go about her household duties
again. There were relapses, and
there
were struggles, but in the course of a few weeks she became comparatively
normal, and when I met her again
some
eighteen months later there had been no relapse.
Two
curious incidents occurred during the period of her treatment at the hands of
this man, an adept if ever there was
20 of
103?one. The house in which she had a room was a very old one, and the front
door exceedingly massive. It was secured at
night
by two enormous bolts that extended right across it, a chain that could have
moored a barge, and a huge lock with
a key
the size of a trowel. When the door was opened in the morning it acted as an
alarm clock for the entire village. It
creaked,
it groaned, and it clanged. Yet night after night we came down in the morning
to find this door standing ajar.
We
all slept with our doors open on to the small landing. To go down the ancient,
creaking stairs was like walking on
organ-stops.
The back door was a modern affair, which could have been opened easily. The
windows were modern
casements
of the most gimcrack description. Who opened the heavy front door, and why?
We
exchanged recriminations several mornings at break fast as to who had left the
door open the night before, but no
one
could ever be convicted of the blame. Finally the matter came to the knowledge
of the head of the group.
"I
will soon put a stop to that," he said, and each night he re-sealed Miss
L.'s room with the pentagram. We had no
more
trouble with the front door coming open after that.
While
he was dealing with Miss L. he made a practice of sealing the threshold of his
own room in the same way, only
in
this case he drew the pentagram point outwards, to prevent Miss D. from coming
in; whereas when he sealed her
room,
he put its point inwards, to prevent her coming out. She did not know this, nor
was it likely to reach her ears
indirectly,
for he was very uncommunicative, I only knew that he was sealing his room
because I chanced to see him
doing
it.
Nevertheless,
one day I heard a knock at my door, and there was Miss L. with her arms full of
clean linen. She asked
me if
I would be good enough to take it into the room of the head of the community,
and put it away. I asked her why
she
did not do so herself, for I knew he was out, and it was her work to put away
the linen. She replied that she had
been
to his room for that purpose, but there was a psychic barrier across the
threshold that prevented her entering.
She
also asked me, on several occasions, to put inside my frock out of sight a
little silver cross that I habitually wore, as
she
said she could not bear the sight of it. This cross I had purchased just before
coming to this occult college, and had
taken
it to a priest of my acquaintance to be blessed, for I had not been altogether
easy in my mind concerning the
nature
of the group I was joining, and during the early days of my association with it
was poised on tiptoe, as it were,
ready
for instant flight. Naturally I had kept my own council concerning the psychic
precautions I had taken against my
new
friends, and no one was aware that the cross had been specially magnetised
against psychic attack. Nevertheless,
the
woman who would have attacked if she could, felt its influence and feared it.
Auto-suggestion
and imagination play so large a part in so-called psychic impressions that one
is chary of accepting
confirmatory
testimony from a psychic who knows what is expected of him, but a spontaneous
reaction is in my
opinion
evidential.
When
the treatment of Miss L. had progressed some way towards her final recovery,
much interesting information was
elicited.
She told us that she had distinct memories of dealings with black magic in her
previous lives. This, she said,
had
been confirmed by several independent psychics, and I would certainly have been
willing to add my testimony to
theirs
had I been asked. As a child, she used to day dream that she was a witch,
willing the death or misfortune of those
who
annoyed her, and she also averred, though whether this was true or not I cannot
say, that her wishes were so
effectual
that she was frightened and tried to abandon the practice. She also volunteered
that she was in the habit of
visualising
herself standing before people she was angry with, scolding them, and
projecting malignant force at them.
This,
of course, would explain our nightmares. She also said that she had been in the
habit of attacking her mother and
sister
in this way, and had made her sister very ill, so that they now refused to have
her in the house. This statement was
later
confirmed by the mother.
She
told us that she felt as if she were two distinct persons, her normal self
being spiritually-minded, intensely
compassionate
and idealistic. Her other, and lower self, which came to the surface when she
was crossed, upset, or over
tired,
being intensely malicious and subject to paroxysms of hate and cruelty.
These
characteristics had been particularly marked when she was little. But as she
grew older she recognised the
wrongfulness
of them, and her lofty idealism represented her endeavour to rise above them.
This endeavour was, I am
convinced,
an honest one; unfortunately it was not always successful.
She
referred to the incident in which she told me to lock my door, and said she had
done so in the hope of affording me
21 of
103?some measure of protection against the astral projection in which she knew
she was tempted to indulge.
At
first sight her case had looked like one, of obsession, and had been so
diagnosed by one or two members of the
community,
but wise handling revealed otherwise.
This
case reveals another interesting point in that, true to the witch-tradition,
she had a horror of sacred symbols. She
would
not occupy a room where there was a picture of a religious subject. Nothing
would induce her to wear any piece
of
jewelry in the form of a cross, and it was impossible for her to enter a
church.
This
case has many points of interest, especially in the fact that what was
apparently a case of well-marked insanity was
cleared
up by occult methods.
CHAPTER
IV
PROJECTION
OF THE ETHERIC BODY
BEFORE
we can leave the subject of attack by incarnate human beings, we must consider
the subject of etheric
projection.
In this case not only is the mind at work, but also something which is pretty
nearly physical; sufficiently
physical,
at any rate, to leave bruises on the flesh of the victim, throw the furniture
about, or at least make a
considerable
amount of noise.
Where
such manifestations take place, it is obvious that we are dealing with
something more substantial than the mind,
for
although mind can influence mind, and through it the body to an extent to which
in the present state of our
knowledge
it is difficult to set limits, mind cannot manipulate matter directly: that is
to say, you cannot smash a
window
by means of a thought. There must be some physical vehicle that can be
manipulated by the mind if effects are
to be
wrought on the physical plane. The living body is such an instrument; it is
manipulated by the mind every time a
voluntary
movement takes place, and the operations of spiritual healing are simply an
extension of this principle to the
involuntary
muscles and physiological processes not ordinarily directed by the conscious
mind. Occultists maintain that
mind
affects body by means of the etheric double, as it is called, the "mortal
mind" of the Christian Scientists. We may
not
unreasonably conclude that when physical action is produced at a distance by
occult means, it is done by employing
this
etheric double.
The
etheric double is primarily a body of magnetic stresses in the framework of whose
meshes every cell and fibre of
the
physical body is held as in a rack. But intermediate between this and the dense
physical body as we know it, there is
what
may be called the raw material out of which dense matter is condensed. This was
called by the ancients, Hyle, or
First
Matter, and by the moderns, Ectoplasm. It is this projected ectoplasm which
produces the phenomena whenever
physical
manifestations are in question. It may be projected as long rods, which will
operate up to a distance of a dozen
feet
or so; or it may be projected as a nebulous cloud, connected with the medium by
a tenuous thread. This cloud can
be
organised into distinct forms, having the semblance of life and acting as
vehicles for conscious wills. There is a
great
deal of information available on this subject in the literature of
spiritualism, to which reference may be found in
the
bibliography at the end of this book.
The
adept who was head of the occult college to which I have previously referred,
and from whom I received my first
training
in occultism, was able to perform this operation, and I have many times seen
him do it. He would go into deep
trance,
after a few convulsive movements, somewhat like a slow tetany, and would then
lose about two-thirds of his
22 of
103?weight. I have many times helped to lift him, or even lifted him
single-handed, when he was in this state, and he
weighed
no more than a child. A man can fake many things, but he cannot fake his
weight. I have lifted him single
handed
from the floor on to a sofa when in this state. It is quite true that, being
rigid as a board, he was much easier to
handle
than the ordinary limp, unconscious human form; but there is a certain ratio
between the weight of a grown man
and
the strength of a woman of average physique.
What
became of the missing weight on these occasions I found out one night. He had
been ill, with some delirium, and
the
lion's share of the nursing, especially the night work, had fallen to my lot.
There came a time, however, when we
decided
that he was so far recovered that it was unnecessary for anyone to sit up with
him, so to bed we all went, for
the
first time for several days. I shared a room with another member of the
community. It was a comparatively small
cottage
we were in, and our two beds were close together, side by side, right under the
uncurtained open window. It
was
the time of the full moon, and I remember that I had no need to light a candle
in order to see to undress.
I
fell asleep at once, for I was very tired. I could not have been asleep very
long, however, when I was awakened by the
sensation
of a weight upon my feet. It was as if a good-sized dog, say, a collie, had
jumped up and lain down on the
bed.
The room was flooded with moonlight, and as bright as day, and I clearly saw,
lying apparently asleep across the
foot
of my bed, the man whom we had left safely tucked up for the night in the room
below. It was a somewhat
embarrassing
situation, and I lay still, taking thought before I did any thing. I was wide
enough awake by now, as may
well
be imagined. I concluded that Z., as I will call this man, had either had a
return of the delirium, or was
sleep-walking.
In any case I was very anxious to get him safely back to bed again without a
fuss or a scene. My
companion
had a bad heart, and I did not want her to get a shock; neither did I want him
to get a shock in his weak
state.
I was afraid that if I waked my room-mate first, she might scream, and wake Z.
up with a start, with disastrous
consequences.
I decided therefore to wake him gently, as being the worse case of the two, and
let her take her chance.
Having
cogitated these matters for several moments at least, I finally took action. I
sat up in bed and leant quietly
forward
with the intention of touching him gently on the shoulder and so arousing him.
In order to lean forward, I had
to
withdraw my feet from under him, for they were pinned by his weight, which
until now had rested upon them, for I
had
been careful not to stir while thinking out my plan of campaign.
Z.
was plainly visible in the moonlight, clad apparently in his dressing-gown, or
so I took the muffling folds of material
to be
that swathed him about. Both his face and wrappings appeared grey and
colourless in the moonlight, but there
was
no question in my mind as to his solidarity, for not only could I see him, but
I could feel his weight resting upon
my
feet. But the moment I moved, he vanished, and I was left staring in amazement
at the smooth fold of the blankets
over
the end of the little camp-bed on which I lay. It was then, and then only, that
I realised he had appeared all grey
and
colourless, more like a shaded pencil sketch than a human being of flesh and
blood.
I
asked him about this incident in the morning, but he said he had no
recollection of it; he had been dreaming the
uneasy,
broken dreams of a sick man, but could not recall them.
This,
of course, was in no way an occult attack, but rather the visit of a friend,
who had come to lean upon me in the
course
of his illness, and instinctively came to me for consolation when out of his
body in trance at a time when his
weakened
condition prevented him from retaining his normal control over his psychic
activities. Nevertheless, it serves
to
illustrate what could be done if the etheric form that visited me had been
energised by a malignant will. It may
explain
the nature of the sense of weight that oppresses the victims of a certain type
of nightmare.
I
have heard of more than one case wherein bruises resembling finger-marks were
found on the throats of people who
had
been victims of an astral attack. I have never actually seen such bruises
myself, but I have been told of them by
people
who have either had them themselves, or seen them. It is a well-known fact that
if an occultist, functioning out
of
the body, meets with unpleasantness on the astral plane, or if his subtle body
is seen, and struck or shot at, the
physical
body will show the marks. I myself have many times found curiously patterned
bruises on my body after an
astral
skirmish. The mechanism of the production of such marks must, I think, be of
the same nature as that which
produces
the stigmata of saints and the curious physical marks and swellings sometimes
seen in hysterics - the mind,
powerfully
stirred, affects the etheric double, and the etheric double acts upon the
physical molecules held in its
meshes.
I dare to prophesy the next advances in medicine will be bound up with the
knowledge of the nature and
function
of the etheric double.
The
next type of psychic attack which we must consider is that conducted by means
of artificial elementals. These are
distinguished
from thought-forms by the fact that, once formulated by the creative mind of
the magician, they possess a
23 of
103?distinct and independent life of their own, though strictly conditioned as
to nature by the concept of their creator. The
life
of these creatures is akin to that of an electric battery, it slowly leaks out
by means of radiation, and unless
recharged
periodically, will finally weaken and die out. The whole question of the
making, charging, recharging, or
destruction
of these artificial elementals is an important one in practical occultism.
The
artificial elemental is constructed by forming a clear- cut image in the
imagination of the creature it is intended to
create,
ensouling it with something of the corresponding aspect of one's own being, and
then invoking into it the
appropriate
natural force. This method can be used for good as well as evil, and
"guardian angels" are formed in this
way.
It is said that dying women, anxious concerning the welfare of their children,
frequently form them unconsciously.
I
myself once had an exceedingly nasty experience in which I formulated a
were-wolf accidentally. Unpleasant as the
incident
was, I think it may be just as well to give it publicity, for it shows what may
happen when an insufficiently
disciplined
and purified nature is handling occult forces.
I had
received serious injury from someone who, at considerable cost to myself, I had
disinterestedly helped, and I was
sorely
tempted to retaliate. Lying on my bed resting one afternoon, I was brooding
over my resentment, and while so
brooding,
drifted towards the borders of sleep. There came to my mind the thought of
casting off all restraints and
going
berserk. The ancient Nordic myths rose before me, and I thought of Fenris, the
Wolf-horror of the North.
Immediately
I felt a curious drawing-out sensation from my solar plexus, and there
materialised beside me on the bed a
large
wolf. It was a well-materialised ectoplasmic form. Like Z., it was grey and
colourless, and like him, it had weight.
I
could distinctly feel its back pressing against me as it lay beside me on the
bed as a large dog might.
I
knew nothing about the art of making elementals at that time, but had
accidentally stumbled upon the right method -the
brooding
highly charged with emotion, the invocation of the appropriate natural force,
and the condition between
sleeping
and waking in which the etheric double readily extrudes.
I was
horrified at what I had done, and knew I was in a tight corner and that
everything depended upon my keeping my
head.
I had had enough experience of practical occultism to know that the thing I had
called into visible manifestation
could
be controlled by my will provided I did not panic; but that if I lost my nerve
and it got the upper hand, I had a
Frankenstein
monster to cope with.
I
stirred slightly, and the creature evidently objected to being disturbed, for
it turned its long snout towards me over its
shoulder,
and snarled, showing its teeth. I had now "got the wind up" properly;
but I knew that everything depended on
my
getting the upper hand and keeping it, and that the best thing I could do was
to fight it out now, because the longer
the
Thing remained in existence, the stronger it would get, and the more difficult
to disintegrate. So I drove my elbow
into
its hairy ectoplasmic ribs and said to it out loud:
"If
you can't behave yourself, you will have to go on the floor," and pushed
it off the bed.
Down
it went, meek as a lamb, and changed from wolf to dog, to my great relief. Then
the northern corner of the room
appeared
to fade away, and the creature went out through the gap.
I was
far from happy, however, for I had a feeling that this was not the end of it,
and my feeling was confirmed when
next
morning another member of my household reported that her sleep had been
disturbed by dreams of wolves, and
she
had awakened in the night to see the eyes of a wild animal shining in the
darkness in the corner of her room.
Now
thoroughly alarmed, I went off to seek advice from one whom I have always
looked upon as my teacher, and I
was
told that I had made this Thing out of my own substance by revengeful thoughts,
and that it was really a part of
myself
extruded, and that I must at all costs recall it and reabsorb it into myself,
at the same time forgoing my desire to
"settle
accounts" with the person who had injured me. Curiously enough, just at
this time there came an opportunity
most
effectually to "settle" with my antagonist.
Fortunately
for all concerned, I had enough sense left to see that I was at the dividing of
the ways, and if I were not
careful
would take the first step on to the Left-hand Path. If I availed myself of the
opportunity to give practical
expression
to my resentment, the wolf-form would be born into an independent existence,
and there would be the devil
to
pay, literally as well as metaphorically. I received the distinct impression,
and impressions are important things in
24 of
103?psychic matters, for they often represent subconscious knowledge and
experience, that once the wolf-impulse had
found
expression in action, the wolf-form would sever the psychic navel-cord that
connected it with my solar plexus,
and
it would be no longer possible for me to absorb it.
The
prospect was not a pleasant one. I had to forgo my dearly-loved revenge and
allow harm to be done to me without
defending
myself, and I also had to summon and absorb a wolf-form which, to my psychic
consciousness at any rate,
looked
unpleasantly tangible. Nor was it a situation in which I could either ask for
assistance nor expect much
sympathy.
However, it had to be faced, and I knew that with every hour of the Thing's
existence it would be harder to
deal
with, so I made the resolution to let the opportunity for revenge slip through
my fingers, and at first dusk
summoned
the Creature. It came in through the northern corner of the room again
(subsequently I learnt
that
the north was considered among the ancients as the evil quarter), and presented
itself upon the
hearthrug
in quite a mild and domesticated mood. I obtained an excellent materialisation
in the
half-light,
and could have sworn that a big Alsatian was standing there looking at me. It
was tangible,
even
to the dog-like odour.
From
it to me stretched a shadowy line of ectoplasm, one end was attached to my
solar plexus, and the other
disappeared
in the shaggy fur of its belly, but I could not see the actual point of
attachment. I began by an effort of the
will
and imagination to draw the life out of it along this silver cord, as if sucking
lemonade up a straw. The wolf- form
began
to fade, the cord thickened and grew more substantial. A violent emotional
upheaval started in myself; I felt the
most
furious impulses to go berserk and rend and tear anything and anybody that came
to hand, like the Malay running
amok.
I conquered this impulse with an effort, and the upheaval subsided. The
wolf-form had now faded into a
shapeless
grey mist. This too absorbed along the silver cord. The tension relaxed and I
found myself bathed in
perspiration.
That, as far as I know, was the end of the incident.
I had
had a sharp lesson, and a highly instructive one. It may not be convincing to
other people, owing to the lack of
corroborative
evidence, but it was exceedingly evidential to me, and I put it on record for
what it is worth to those who,
having
personal knowledge of these things, can see its significance.
It is
a curious point that, during the brief twenty-four hours of the Thing's life,
the opportunity for an effectual
vengeance
presented itself.
CHAPTER
V
VAMPIRISM
T HE
alleged Vampire has always been a popular character in tales of mystery and
imagination. There is a
considerable
literature concerning his doings, from the famous novel Dracula to serious
studies of the medieval
witch-trials,
for which the reader is referred to the bibliography at the end of the book. In
these pages, however, I do
not
want to avail myself of second-hand evidence, nor of incidents which took place
in other centuries and under
primitive
conditions, for it might be argued that with the passing of such conditions
from our midst, the problem of
vampirism,
like the problem of typhus, has gone too, and need not trouble us. From my own
experience I am of the
opinion,
however, that this is not so, and that the peculiar condition which the
ancients called vampirism may account
for
certain forms of mental disturbance and the physical ill-health associated
therewith.
When
psycho-analysis was first introduced into England I took up the subject, and
became a student, and eventually a
lecturer
at a clinic that was founded in London. We students were soon struck by the
fact that some cases were
exceedingly
exhausting to deal with. It was not that they were troublesome, but simply that
they "took it out" of us, and
left
us feeling like limp rags at the end of a treatment. Someone happened to
mention this fact to one of the nurses
25 of
103?engaged in the electrical department, and she told us that the same
patients equally "took it out of" the electrical
machines
and that they could absorb the most surprising voltages without turning a hair.
At
the same place, in the course of my psycho-analytical work, I came across a
number of cases where a morbid
attachment
existed between two people, most commonly mother and daughter, or two women
friends; sometimes also
between
mother and son, and in one case I met socially, between a man and a woman. It
was always the negative one of
the
pair who came for treatment, and we were able to benefit them considerably by
psycho-therapeutic means. They
always
showed the same symptom-complex, a sensitive temperament, pallid complexion,
wasted form and general
debility,
sense of weakness, and easy fatiguabilty. They were also invariably highly
suggestible, and were therefore
easy
to handle. Consequently we were usually able to get good results pretty quickly
in such cases.
The
curious point, however, was that the breaking of the morbid rapport caused a
marked disturbance and even
semi-collapse
of the dominant partner in the alliance. We found it necessary to insist upon a
separation if a cure were to
be
effected, and the separation invariably disagreed very actively with the
dominant partner.
At
that time I explained everything in terms of the Freudian psychology, but even
so, I could not help being struck by
the curious
effect a separation had upon the person who was not supposed to be ill, and
that as the one went uphill, the
other
went down.
I am
of the opinion that what Freud calls an Oedipus complex is not altogether a
one-sided affair, and that the "soul" of
the
parent is drawing upon the psychic vitality of the child. It is curious how
aged Oedipus cases always look, and what
little
old men and women they are as children. They never have a normal childhood, but
always are mentally mature for
their
years. I persuaded various patients to show me photographs of themselves as
children, and was much struck by the
elderly,
worried expression of the childish faces, as if they had known all of life's
problems and burdens.
Knowing
what we do of telepathy and the magnetic aura, it appears to me not
unreasonable to suppose that in some
way
which we do not as yet fully understand, the negative partner of such a rapport
is "shorting" on to the positive
partner.
There is a leakage of vitality going on, and the dominant partner is more or
less consciously lapping it up, if
not
actually sucking it out.
Such
cases are by no of means uncommon, and clear up rapidly when the victim is
separated from the vampire.
Whenever
there is a record of a close and dominating bond between two people with the
devitalisation of one of them,
it is
a good plan to recommend a temporary separation and observe the results.
Such
cases as these, however, may more justly be described as parasitism than
vampirism. Such psychic parasitism is
exceedingly
common, and explains many psychological problems. We will not pursue the
subject in these pages,
however,
as it is outside the scope of our present enquiry, and is merely mentioned for
illustrative purposes.
Vampirism,
as generally understood, is a very different matter, and we shall do well to
reserve the term for those cases
wherein
the attack is deliberate, applying the term parasitism to the cases wherein it
is unconscious and involuntary.
In my
opinion, true vampirism cannot take place unless there is power to project the
etheric double. All the records of
vampirism
that we have give an account of something much more tangible than a haunting.
In Western Europe the
occurrence
seems to be comparatively rare in modern times, but in Eastern Europe and in
primitive countries it appears
to be
by no means uncommon, and innumerable well-authenticated cases occur in books
of travel.
Commander
Gould, in his exceedingly interesting book, Oddities, gives an account of
vampirism among the
Berberlangs
of the Philippine Islands. His account is based on a paper printed in the
Journal of the Asiatic Society, Vol.
LXV,
1896. These unpleasant people, according to Mr. Skertchley, the author of the
article which Commander Gould
quotes,
"are ghouls, and must eat human flesh occasionally or they would die. . .
. When they feel a craving for a meal
of
human flesh they go away into the grass, and having carefully hidden their
bodies, hold their breaths and fall into a
trance.
Their astral bodies are then liberated. . . They fly away, and entering a
house, make their way into the body of
one
of the occupants and feed on his entrails.
"The
Berberlangs may be heard coming, as they make a moaning noise, which is loud at
a distance and dies away to a
feeble
moan as they approach. When they are near you, the sound of their wings may be
heard, and the flashing lights
of
their eyes can be seen dancing like fire-flies in the dark."
26 of
103?Mr. Skertchley declares that he himself saw and heard a flight of
Berberlangs pass by, and visiting next day the house
he
saw them enter, found the occupant dead without any sign of external violence.
Compare
Mr. Skertchley's account of the Berberlangs lying in the long grass and
throwing themselves into trance with
Mr.
Muldoon's account of "The Projection of the Astral Body," with which
every student of occultism ought to be
familiar,
for it is undoubtedly a classic of occult literature, being a practical account
of occult experiences and detailed
instructions
how to go and do likewise.
But
to return nearer home. In the course of my experience of the byways of the
human mind, which, from the nature of
my
work, has been, like Sam Weller's knowledge of London, extensive and peculiar,
I have only known one case of
genuine
vampirism, according to the sense in which I use the term, and this was not one
of my own cases, though I
knew
the persons concerned, but was handled by my original teacher, whom I have
already referred to in connection
with
the case of the good lady who chased me with a carving-knife. I have made use
of the facts of this case as a
groundwork
for one of the stories in The Secrets of Dr. Taverner, but the actual facts are
such that they were unsuitable
for a
work supposedly designed to amuse.
At
that time I was doing the tutorials in abnormal psychology at the clinic I have
spoken of, and supervising the work
of
the other students; one of them took counsel with me concerning a case that had
come to her in private practice, the
case
of a youth in the late 'teens, one of those degenerate but intellectual and
socially presentable types that not
infrequently
crop up in old families whose blood is too blue to be wholesome.
This
lad was taken as boarder in a flat which the student shared with another woman,
and they soon began to be
troubled
with curious phenomena. About the same time every evening the dogs in a
neighbouring mews began a
furious
outcry of barking and howling, and a few moments later the French window
leading on to the verandah would
open.
It did not matter how often they got the locksmith to it, nor how they
barricaded it, open it would come at the
appointed
time, and a cold draught sweep through the flat.
This
phenomenon took place one evening when the adept, Z., was present, and he
declared that an unpleasant invisible
entity
had entered. They lowered the lights, and were able to see a dull glow in the
corner he indicated, and when they
put
their hands into this glow, felt a tingling sensation such as is experienced
when the hands are put into electrically-charged
water.
Then
began a mighty spook-hunt up and down the flat, and the presence was finally
cornered and dispatched in the
bathroom.
I have staged the incident somewhat more picturesquely in my story, but the
essential facts are the same. The
result
of the dispatching of this entity was a marked improvement in the condition of
the boy patient, and the elicitation
of
the following story.
The
boy, whom we will call D., was in the habit of going to sit with a cousin who
had been invalided home from
France
suffering from alleged shell-shock. This young man was another scion of a
worn-out stock, and it transpired that
he
had been caught red-handed in that unpleasant per version called necrophilia.
According to the story elicited from
the
parents of D., this vice was not uncommon on certain sections of the Front, as
were also attacks on wounded men.
The
authorities were taking drastic steps to put it down. Owing to family influence
the cousin of D. was able to escape
incarceration
in a military prison, and was placed in the care of his family as a mental
case, and they put him in the
charge
of a male nurse. It was while the male nurse was off duty that the unfortunate
young D. was misguidedly
employed
to sit with him. It also came out that the relations between D. and his cousin
were of a vicious nature, and on
one
occasion he bit the boy on the neck, just under the ear, actually drawing
blood.
D.
had always been under the impression that some "ghost" attacked him
during his crises, but had not dared to say so
for
fear of being thought mad.
What
may have been the exact percentages of neurotic taint, vice, and psychic
attack, it is difficult to say, nor is it easy
to
decide which was the predisposing cause that opened the door to all the
trouble, but one thing stood out clearly to all
beholders,
that with the dispatch of the psychic visitant, not only did D.'s condition
clear up immediately, but after a
short,
sharp upheaval the cousin also recovered. The method of dispatch used by the
adept, Z., was to pin the entity
inside
a magic circle, so that it could not get away, and then absorb it into himself
through compassion. As he
completed
the operation, he fell over backwards unconscious. It was, in fact, the same
method that I was instructed to
use
in dealing with my were-wolf, but it is a much more formidable task to absorb
and transmute the projection of
27 of
103?another person than to absorb one's own, and could only have been
accomplished by an initiate of a very high grade,
which
Z. indubitably was.
His
opinion concerning the case, though there was no means of obtaining independent
confirmation of this, was that
some
Eastern European troops had been brought to the Western Front, and among these
were individuals with the
traditional
knowledge of Black Magic for which South Eastern Europe has always enjoyed a
sinister reputation among
occultists.
These men, getting killed, knew how to avoid going to the Second Death, that is
to say, the disintegration of
the
Astral Body, and maintained themselves in the etheric double by vampirising the
wounded. Now vampirism is
contagious;
the person who is vampirised, being depleted of vitality, is a psychic vacuum,
himself absorbing from
anyone
he comes across in order to refill his depleted resources of vitality. He soon
learns by experience the tricks of a
vampire
without realising their significance, and before he knows where he is, he is a
full-blown vampire himself,
vampirising
others. The earth-bound soul of a vampire sometimes attaches itself permanently
to one individual if it
succeeds
in making a functioning vampire of him, systematically drawing its etheric
nutriment from him, for, since he
in
his turn is re-supplying himself from others, he will not die from exhaustion
as victims of vampires do in the
ordinary
way.
Z.
was of the opinion that D.'s cousin was not the primary vampire in the case,
but was himself a victim. Being a youth
of
unstable morale, he speedily acquired the vampire tricks, and the earth-bound
soul of some Magyar magician
exploited
him. Through his act of biting and drawing blood from the neck of his cousin,
this entity became transferred
to
young D., preferring pastures new to the depleted resources of its previous
victim. Probably it alternated between the
two,
for it was not constantly with D.
Exactly
what Z. did we do not know, for he was exceedingly secretive concerning his
methods, but in the light of
subsequent
knowledge I should imagine that he absorbed the etheric energy of the
earthbound soul, and thus deprived it
of
its means of resisting the Second Death. Merely to drive the resisting soul out
to the Judgment Hall of Osiris would
have
involved leaving behind an astral corpse, which for some time would have
continued to give trouble.
It
may be interesting to note in connection with this case that during the time
that Miss L. was at the occult college in
Hampshire
we had some rather curious happenings. There was an outbreak among us of
exceedingly bad "mosquito
bites."
The bites themselves were not poisonous, but the stabs were of such a nature
that they bled freely. I remember
waking
up one morning to find a patch of blood the size of the palm of my hand on the
pillow; it had apparently come
from
a small puncture just behind the angle of the jaw. Several others had similar
experiences. I have never seen
anything
like it, either before or since, nor did it occur again after Miss L. left.
I did
not tell the adept Z. about it at the time, and later, when I was reminded of
the incident and mentioned it, the
opportunity
for investigation had gone by. He expressed the opinion that it was a vampire's
work, and cited similar
cases
which he had met with in the course of his experience. He said he had seen
cases in Africa where the victim had
become
so bloodless that it was with difficulty that a specimen of blood could be
obtained for examination, for it could
hardly
be induced to flow from the debilitated tissues.
Nothing
can be done for such cases by medical science. They are dying by inches, and
yet no organic disease can be
demonstrated.
Nevertheless, their appearance is that of a person sinking from repeated
hemorrhages.
When
vampirism is suspected the thing to do is to go over that person's body inch by
inch with a powerful magnifying
glass,
and the search will probably be rewarded by the discovery of numerous minute
punctures, so minute that they are
not
discovered by an examination with the naked eye unless they reveal themselves
by becoming infected and
suppurating,
when they are usually mistaken for insect bites. They are bites right enough,
but not those of an insect.
The
places to look for them are around the neck, especially under the ears; down
the inner surface of the forearms; on
the
lobes of the ears; about the tips of the toes and, in a woman, upon the
breasts.
It is
said that a person with vampire tendencies develops abnormally long and sharp
canine teeth, and I have myself
seen
one such case, and a curious sight it was. The two canine teeth, the pair that
come between the incisors and the
double
teeth, were half as long again as the others, and terminated in points of
needle-like sharpness.
True
vampirism in Western Europe appears to be rare, but Z. was of the opinion that
many obscure cases of tropical
debility
in which anemia played a prominent part, might be attributed to this cause.
28 of
103?CHAPTER VI
HAUNTINGS
T
HERE are two forms of "haunting" which have to be considered, the one
which is due to a discarnate soul who
interferes
with a particular person, and the one which is due to the conditions prevailing
in a particular place, and which
affects
any person sufficiently sensitive who happens to go there. Except in cases
where the influence is exceptionally
strong,
the insensitive person is immune. To perceive a "haunting" one needs,
as a general rule, to be slightly psychic; it
is
for this reason that children, Celts and the coloured races suffer severely
from such interferences, and the stolid
Nordic
type is comparatively immune, and, to a lesser extent, the lively,
materialistic and sceptical Latin.
Let
us consider first of all the question of interference by a discarnate soul, It
will be noted that I use the term
"interference"
and not "attack." The disturbance need not necessarily be an attack,
any more than the drowning man
who
clings to his rescuer and drags him under is motived by malice. The entity that
is causing the trouble may be a soul
that
is itself in distress on the Inner Planes, and is too ignorant of post-mortem
conditions to know the harm it is doing
by
clinging so desperately to the living. It is for this reason that the wide
dissemination of Spiritualistic teachings is of
value,
for it helps to relieve the tension between this world and the next.
As
far as my experience goes, I am inclined to think that deliberate malevolence
is rare; but this panic-stricken clinging
is
not uncommon, and explains why the survivor of a pair sometimes goes through
very unpleasant experiences after
the
death of the partner. There are also cases, though rarer, wherein a soul who
has some occult knowledge but is
bound
strongly to earth by sensual desires, uses a curious form of rapport in order
to gratify those desires through the
physical
body of another.
There
are innumerable instances of both these types of astral interference in occult
and spiritualistic literature, but as I
am
confining myself to cases within my own experience, I will not cite them, but
limit myself to listing the literature of
the
subject in the bibliography.
Someone
of my acquaintance lost, after a long illness, her husband to whom she was much
attached, but whom most
people
would have thought she was well rid of, as for many years he had been addicted
to drink, and died finally after a
long
illness during which he was kept under morphia for prolonged periods, taking
enormous quantities. He was a man
of
intensely malignant and selfish disposition, and died unrepentant. She,
however, during the course of his last illness,
when,
being bedridden, he could do no more harm, elected to idolise him, and as soon
as he was safely dead, canonised
him
into the family saint. She was interested in occultism and in the habit of
practising meditation and invoking the
Masters.
In spite of all counsel to the contrary, she began to try and get into psychic
touch with her husband, invoking
him
as her guide. Like many other men of a sensual disposition, he had clung
desperately to life, remaining in articulo
mortis
for days. Fortunately for all concerned, it had been possible to persuade her
to have his remains cremated, but
despite
all persuasion she brought all his belongings from the nursing-home where he
had died and kept them in her
bedroom,
and made a little altar around his photograph and used it as the focus of her
meditations.
The
last illness had been a long and trying one, and she had been living at the end
of a telephone wire, in a state of
constant
anxiety for weeks, but had had no physical strain, so there was nothing
physical to account for the serious
illness
which ensued after the strain was over. It soon became noticeable that she, who
had previously had a very
lovable
and gentle disposition, was gradually changing, so that not only in
temperament, but in facial expression, she
was
growing like her late husband. Next a curious thing ensued. Her husband had
died of an inflammatory spinal lesion
which
caused no pain at the site of the trouble, but intense pain in the nerves that
issued from the spine at that point, so
that
the pain was referred to a particular distribution in the hands and arms, more
upon one side than the other. This
lady
developed a severe neuritis that exactly corresponded in its distribution to her
late husband's symptoms.
29 of
103?Another illustrative case is that of Miss E., whose fiance was killed
during the War. She says in a letter written to the
person
whom she consulted with regard to her problem:
"I
was able to rise above the loss and separation at the time, but six months
later I suffered nervous breakdown, from
this
time I have been troubled with weak nerves. For the last two months I have been
having very extraordinary
experiences
which are causing me much perplexity and rendering me unfit for work. It is a
night experience and has not
once
occurred during the day. After I have composed myself for sleep I find that
gradually my body is losing all
sensation;
it feels as if I was being slowly frozen stiff. (I don't know how else to
describe it.) At this stage I can
sometimes
rouse myself and overcome it, but I cannot always do this. My efforts to rouse
myself are in vain, and
although
fully conscious I feel unable to move or call. Usually after this I sink into
some kind of sleep. I have all kinds
of
experiences. Sometimes I visit strange places and talk with people I don't
know. Sometimes my experiences are
beautiful
beyond description; sometimes I am threatened with danger of drowning or
falling, but in these cases I always
rise
in the air and travel for miles, it seems to me. Sometimes I feel that I am
just floating in the air. How long the
dream
lasts I cannot tell. When I wakeup, however, I have great difficulty in moving
for some time; but gradually I
regain
the power to move about, and after a lot of stinging sensation in the limbs I
get up, usually feeling very tired and
unrefreshed,
but sometimes I feel none the worse for the strange experience. But it is under
mining my health and
happiness,
and it cannot be good."
In
conversation she amplified the statements in her letter, and said that during
the experiences described, someone, she
thought
it was her fiance, was trying to prevent her from getting back into her body
again after these nocturnal
expeditions.
The
case was entirely cleared up in one week by means of telepathic treatment. The
notes on the manner in which the
work
was done are of considerable interest.
"The
treatment was given to the entity that was causing the trouble, not merely to
the patient, and it was the release of
the
obsessor from his plane of work and helping him Heavenward that gave freedom to
his victim."
In
the other type of haunting, that in which it is the place which is the focus of
manifestation, not a special person, we
must
distinguish between the earth-bound entity which remains attached to a
particular spot, and the thought-atmosphere
which
is left behind after violent emotions have been experienced there.
Let
us consider first the question of thought-atmosphere, of which I can give a
very illuminating example. A friend of
mine
who was a student at a school of dramatic art consulted me concerning an attack
of stage fright she had had,
which
left her rather nervous as to its recurrence. She was an experienced student,
in fact a pupil teacher, and she was
having
some extra tuition from the head of the school. Going for her lesson one
afternoon, she found that her teacher
had
just finished taking the junior students for their end-of-the-term examination
in elocution. She went on to the stage
and
stood beside the small table which had been placed there for the convenience of
the examiner, and commenced to
recite
the piece on which she was to have her lesson. She herself had no occasion for
nervousness; as had already been
noted,
she was an experienced speaker and teacher; moreover, nothing of importance
hung upon this lesson, it was
merely
one of a series. Nor was she usually nervous or self-conscious. But as soon as
she tried to start, she experienced
a
complete "dry-up," and stood paralysed, unable to utter a word. A
little prompting soon started her off, however, but
she
had experienced a nasty attack of stage fright, and it shook her nerve.
From
the psychic point of view, the explanation was not far to seek. She was
standing in the mental atmosphere created
by a
series of girls who had gone on to that platform for an examination upon which
a good deal depended for them,
and
who had all been correspondingly nervous. She herself, being sensitive, had
been affected by this atmosphere,
which
induced in her a similar mental state by means of which is called
"sympathetic induction," a phenomenon well
known
in electricity and in acoustics, but equally valid in psychology.
No
doubt the unfortunate examinees themselves were infecting each other. It may
well be that the "microphone panic,"
so
well known to broadcasters, is caused by the thought-atmosphere generated by a
succession of nervous people who
have
stood upon the same spot.
An
experience of my own may be of interest in this connection. I took a
bed-sitting-room in a hostel, and as soon as I
came
there, I found myself afflicted with the most intense depression. I am not
usually subject to the blues, being
30 of
103?normally a cheerful soul, but as soon as I entered this room, which was a
sunny and pleasant one, the cloud descended
upon
me, but lifted again as soon as I went out of it, whether into the dining-room
of the hostel, or out of doors. I soon
recognised
that here was something that needed to be dealt with, and enquired as to the
history of the room. I was told
that
it had previously been the bed room of the last owner of the house, who had
been addicted to drink and had gone
bankrupt.
It is a curious fact that drunkards and drug addicts make very evil psychic
atmospheres, whereas a person
who
is a common criminal, however bad, is not nearly so noxious and his atmosphere
fades rapidly.
In
these two cases there was no question of an entity, discarnate or incarnate,
being concerned in the matter; there was
merely
an unpleasant mental atmosphere generated by some powerful and painful emotion
that had been experienced
over
a considerable period at that spot.
Such
a concentration, if very strong, will linger almost indefinitely. The
structures that saw the concentration may have
been
pulled down and new ones built, nevertheless the forces remain, like a previous
exposure on a photographic plate,
and
sensitive people are affected by them. The insensitive may escape comparatively
scatheless.
It is
not altogether an easy matter to determine whether the disturbance is due to
atmosphere alone, or whether an
earth-bound
entity complicates the situation. Where an entity is present, it will usually
be seen sooner or later.
Moreover,
it will usually be heard as well as felt. This latter sign, however, does not
invariably indicate the presence of
an
organised entity, for I know of a case wherein a room that had been used as a
lodge of ritual initiation was
subsequently
partitioned into an office and two bedrooms after the lodge was moved
elsewhere, and the bedrooms were
practically
uninhabitable owing to the din of cracks, bangs and thumpings that went on at
night. In such a case there
was
no reason to suspect the presence of any entity, for the rituals had not been
of an evocative type, nor was the
influence
evil. It was merely force in a state of tension. It was sheer physical noise
that made the disturbance, as I can
testify,
for I have slept, or rather, tried to sleep, there.
Where
a ghost is seen, it is usually also heard because for a form to be sufficiently
substantial to be visible there must
be a
modicum at least of ectoplasm in its composition, and ectoplasm is capable of
exercising force on the physical
plane,
in some degree at least. Where a ghost is both seen and heard, we may be sure
there is an actual haunting. Where
it is
seen, but not heard, it may possibly be that a person with psychic tendencies
is perceiving the images in the
reflecting
ether, the photographic plate of Nature, and there may be no actual entity
present. Where the disturbance is
heard,
but not seen, it may be due to astral forces set in motion by ritual magic, and
which continue for a while after the
original
impulse is withdrawn. These may be perfectly harmless, save that they disturb
the sleep in the same way that a
rattling
window would do. On the other hand, if powerful evocative rituals have been
performed, and the clearing of
the
sphere has not been properly done, profound disturbances may result and the
whole situation be exceedingly
unpleasant.
Examples
will again help to make the problem clear. As an instance of a non-ritual
haunting, I may cite the case of a
friend
of mine who went to live in a block of modern mansions. From the first she was
not happy there, and as time
went
by the oppression and distress strengthened. Coming into her drawing-room one
evening at dusk, she saw in the
half-light
a man standing with his back to the room, gazing intently out of the window.
She switched on the light, and
found
that there was no one there. On several occasions her maid saw someone walk
down the passage leading to this
room.
Moreover, the hall door had a knack of coming open of its own accord.
My
friend's depression deepened until finally, when standing herself at the
drawing-room window one day, she had a
sudden
impulse to fling herself out. Then she realised that things were serious and
that liver-pills and a week-end at the
seaside
would not put them right. Being an occultist, she understood the significance
of the happenings that had been
going
on in her flat, and she made enquiries concerning the history of the square in
which this block of modern
mansions
had been built. She learnt that it was the site of an old madhouse of sinister
reputation. The form that she and
her
maid had seen was probably that of some unfortunate patient of suicidal tendencies
who had succeeded in giving
effect
to his impulses on a spot corresponding to the situation of her room. The
terrific emotional forces generated by
his
brooding and last desperate act were photographed on the atmosphere, as it
were, and suggested to her mind
thoughts
of self-destruction just as the ill-temper or depression of a companion will
induce a similar mood in ourselves
without
any word spoken.
Another
example within the sphere of my experience, although it was not actually my
case, is of much interest in that it
combines
an example of a very definite poltergeist haunting with vampirism.
31 of
103?I was once consulted by a mental healer to whom a very curious case had
been brought. Some charitably disposed
people
had raised funds to found a home for unwanted babies, and a suitable house had
been purchased on the outskirts
of a
village not far from London. The house had been a conspicuous bargain and they
were very pleased with it.
Soon,
however, they began to be disturbed by some very curious phenomena, and also by
inexplicable illness and
seizures
among the babies. One child, in fact, actually died, and its death was not
satisfactorily accounted for. Then one
of
the nurses, an Irish girl, began to be affected also. Celts are notoriously
susceptible to psychic influences, and are
always
the first to be affected by them. It will be observed that the babies went down
first under the attack, their
resistance
being low compared to that of an adult; and then the most sensitive of the
adults was affected, the Irish Celt.
On
several occasions the sound was heard of a cart and horse coming up the drive,
but when the maid went to the door
to
open it, there was nothing to be seen. Soon the ghost became even more
energetic, and took to shoveling the coal
from side
to side of an outhouse. It would shift several tons of coal in this way in a
night, the occupants of the house
lying
shivering in their beds while lumps of coal thudded and rumbled' against the
sides of the bunkers. As to why or
wherefore
this particular manifestation should take place, I can offer no suggestion.
On
several occasions different people saw a strange man crossing the hall, and
immediately afterwards children were
taken
ill.
Finally,
in addition to all other troubles, mysterious fires began to break out all over
the house. A basket of clean linen
in an
empty room was found to be on fire. Curtains were found to be smouldering.
Meanwhile the unfortunate Irish
nurse
went from bad to worse, lying in bed too weak to stand up, and rapidly going off
her head.
It
will probably be suggested that some mischievous or demented person was at the
bottom of the trouble, but it is
difficult
to know what human agency either could or would shovel a truck-load of coal
across a shed single-handed
during
the night.
The
superintendent of the home was interested in mental healing and knew enough of
the mind side of things to realise
that
something abnormal was happening in the house under her charge. She consulted a
mental healer, who in her turn
consulted
me.
I made
a psychic diagnosis of the case, and reported that in my opinion the house had
at some time been occupied by
someone
who had a knowledge of occultism, and who, being upon the Left-hand Path,
objected strongly to going to
face
his portion of Purgatory after the death of the physical body, and that he was
maintaining himself in an
intermediate
state as an earth-bound spirit by drawing upon the vitality of the unfortunate
children, and had accidentally
drawn
too much from one, thus killing it outright.
Working
on this hypothesis, the healer undertook to give the case "absent
treatment." Needless to say, the officials of
the
home were not taken into our confidence.
The
result of this treatment was that the manifestations immediately ceased. No
more children had seizures and the
Irish
nurse rapidly recovered. The superintendent was then told the hypothesis upon
which we had worked. She was
greatly
interested, and made enquiries in the village as to the history of the house,
and learned that it was notoriously
haunted,
which was the reason they had obtained it so cheaply. It appeared that no
tenant could stop there long, and that
there
was a constant record of these exhausting and mysterious illnesses. It also
transpired that about sixty years
previously
the house had been occupied for a long period by a man who was viewed askance
by his neighbours as an
eccentric
and mysterious personage, and was reported to be engaged in some sort of
research which necessitated the
use
of a laboratory into which no one was ever allowed to go, and in which he
worked by night.
It is
interesting to note that neither the mental healer or myself ever visited the
house or were within twenty miles of it;
for
it shows in what way these unseen forces can be manipulated from a distance.
A final
example, taken from The Confessions of Aleister Crowley, will serve to show the
nature of a haunting produced
by
ceremonial magic in which the forces invoked are not adequately dispersed.
"The
demons connected with Abramelin do not wait to be invoked, they come unsought.
One night Jones and I went
32 of
103?out to dinner. I noticed on leaving the White Temple that the latch of its
Yale lock had not caught. Accordingly I pulled
the
door to, and tested it. As we went out, we noticed semi-solid shadows on the
stairs; the whole atmosphere was
vibrating
with the forces we had been using. (We were trying to condense them into
sensible images.) When we came
back,
nothing had been disturbed in the flat; but the Temple door was wide open, the
furniture disarranged, and some
of
the symbols flung about the room. We restored order, and then observed that
semi-materialised beings were
marching
round the main room in almost unending procession.
"When
I finally left the flat for Scotland, it was found that the mirrors were too
big to take out save by the way of the
Black
Temple. This had, of course, been completely dismantled before the workmen
arrived. But the atmosphere
remained,
and two of them were put out of action for several hours. It was almost a
weekly experience, by the way, to
hear
of casual callers fainting, or being seized with dizziness, cramp or apoplexy
on the staircase. It was a long time
before
these rooms were re-let. People felt instinctively the presence of something
uncanny."
It is
well known to all psychics that the sites of ancient temples where
mystery-rituals have been worked, are always
potently
charged with psychic force. This force need not necessarily be evil, but it has
a powerfully stimulating effect
upon
the psychic centres and stirs up the subconscious forces; and as the majority
of civilized people suffer in a greater
or
lesser degree from what Freud calls " repression," such a stirring of
the subliminal mind produces a feeling of
profound
disturbance. We should not unquestioningly attribute evil influences to a place
or a person that causes us
discomfort;
it may merely be that psychic force at a greater tension than we are accustomed
to is disturbing our
equilibrium.
The
sites of monasteries that were disbanded with persecution at the time of the
Reformation are also frequently badly
"haunted"
by psychic forces. The group-mind of a religious community is a very potent
thing, and when it is disturbed
by
the corporate emotion of its members, the forces thus let loose are not readily
dispersed. Moreover, the monks,
initiates
of the Mysteries of Jesus, would not be likely to hand over their sacred places
to the despoilers with any good
will.
It has been reported again and again that a curse rests on those who profited
by the spoliation of Church lands.
This
is too well known to require discussion in these pages.
There
is another fact in connection with Church property, however, which may not be
so well known, and that is the
frequency
with which psychic happenings are reported in connection with vicarages. In
enquiring among friends and
fellow-workers
for data in connection with the research that has gone to the making of this
book, I have been
astonished
how frequently a vicarage has been mentioned in connection with the phenomena
of which I have been told.
The
rituals of the Church are, of course, ceremonial magic, as is admitted by even
such an orthodox authority as Evelyn
Underhill.
The average clergyman is not conversant with the technique of occultism, and
has therefore little or no
understanding
of what he is doing. What influences he brings to the altar, and what forces he
takes away therefrom,
must
therefore be an open question in each individual case. A man whose
consciousness has been exalted by ritual, and
who
does not know how to seal his aura and return to normal, is liable to psychic
invasion.
Objects
associated with any form of ceremonial operations are invariably highly charged
with magnetism and
intimately
linked with the force whose uses they have served. I remember, many years ago,
when I had but little know
ledge
of occultism and no pretentions at all to psychism, that two friends and myself
were amusing ourselves by turning
over
each other's trinket-boxes. I picked up a handsome amethyst cross from one of
them, and immediately exclaimed:
"There
is something extraordinary about this cross. It feels as if it were
alive."
"That
was the cross that was given me at my first communion," replied my
friend," and it was originally a bishop's
pectoral
cross."
Her
sister was greatly interested, and immediately brought her own jewel-case to me
and asked me if I could pick out
her
first communion cross also, for, like her sister, she was a Roman Catholic, and
these crosses that were given them
as
presents on the occasion of their first communion had been specially blessed by
the priest. I was greatly interested to
observe
that from three or four ornamental crosses I was able to pick one which felt
warm and living and electric to the
hand,
and pass it across to her, saying, "This is your communion cross,"
and it was.
I
remember once, as a small child, picking up a dying rook; the creature lay
motionless on my knee for a few minutes,
and
then gave a flutter and died. I had never seen death before, but I needed no
one to tell me that I saw it now. The
33 of
103?"feel" of the creature, before and after that flutter, was
different. I can only compare the feel of the magnetised and the
unmagnetised
crosses to the difference between the living and the dead bird.
But
the Christian is not the only religion that can magnetise its ceremonial
instruments. There are other ritualistic
religions,
and some of these are debased. We ought to use much caution before we place
about our rooms as ornaments
objects
which may have been associated with cults whose nature we do not understand.
Many of them, of course,
belong
to the Brummagem cult, and are dedicated to no more desperate deity than
Mammon; but the genuine curio is a
different
matter.
I had
an example of this once in the British Museum. I was visiting the room in the
basement which contains a
collection
of plaster casts of the famous statues of antiquity, the originals being
elsewhere. Suddenly I became aware of
a
sense of magnetic power. I turned towards it, and saw a small altar. Reading
the label, I found that this was not a cast
but
the original. It is a very interesting test of psychism to sample the
atmosphere of the different rooms of the British
Museum.
The benign and brooding peace of the Buddhist Room is a thing to be remembered.
The flavour of the long
Ethnological
Room is a thing to be got out of the mouth as quickly as possible. To me, at
any rate, the Egyptian Room
is
disappointing; the mummies all seem neither malignant or benignant, but merely
cynical. Perhaps I should feel
differently,
however, if I spent a night with them. Magnetism, which is dispersed during the
day, charges up again
during
the silence and darkness of the night. I remember visiting Stonehenge amid a
crowd of trippers and
chars-a-blancs,
and thinking that the glory had departed; but it was a very different affair
when I visited it in the
desolation
of a bleak spring day after its long winter solitude. It had charged up again,
and was as formidable as anyone
could
wish.
I
should hesitate, therefore, to say that because the mummies and I have never
struck sparks when we met in the British
Museum,
that their reputation is groundless. At the time that Tut-ankh-amen's tomb was
being opened I said to myself,
If
the mummy's curse does not work in this case, I shall lose my faith in occultism.
We all know how it has worked,
even
unto the third and fourth generation. No novelist, deriving his ideas of
ancient Egypt from an encyclopedia article
on
Egyptology and some photographs, would have dared stretch the long arm of
coincidence anything like as far.
The
Egyptians attached great importance to the preservation of the physical body.
The tombs of great men, as is well
known,
were protected by means of what are popularly called spells, and the power and
scope of Egyptian magic are
things
that very few people realise. The modern student of occultism who reads
Iamblichos on the Egyptian Mysteries,
will
have a surprise.
In
most cases, however, the purchaser of Egyptian curios has nothing to fear; the
worst that they will yield to psychic
investigation
is a vision of labour disputes in a mass- production factory. I have, however,
heard of a very wonderful
psychometric
reading which was obtained from a mummy which, when subsequently unrolled, was
found to consist
entirely
of French newspapers of recent date!
I
have always been greatly amused by the indignation of Egyptologists against
tomb robbers. After all, is there any
distinction
between the earlier and later visitors to a tomb save that one lot work by day
and the other by night? In the
view
of the people who made the tomb, and spared nothing to render it inviolate and
preserve the peace of their dead,
the
workers by night would probably be preferred, for they merely robbed, and did
not strip and expose the nude bodies
to
the public gaze. There was a terrible outcry recently when some bodies were
moved in a village church yard to make
room
for the monument chosen to decorate the grave of a famous public man. Even the
people whose religious feelings
were
not outraged by this act of sacrilege regarded it as in shocking bad taste. Yet
nobody proposed to strip the
graveclothes
from the body of someone's wife or mother and photograph it stark naked. When
it comes to the question
of a
mummy's curse, I am afraid that my sympathies are entirely with the mummy.
The
initiate is strictly counselled that he should never blaspheme the name by
which another knoweth his God, for it is
the
same force that he himself worships represented by another symbol. "The
ways to God are as many as the breaths of
the
sons of men," says the old Arab proverb. We should have enough sympathy
with the struggles of another soul
towards
the light not to desecrate the things that are sanctified by his hopes and
endeavours, even if by nothing else.
The
Father of us all may understand their significance better than we do, and by
His acceptance consecrate them for
ever.
There
are many Europeans who have a great affection for the Buddha, and have His
statue in their rooms (though
sometimes
they confuse it with Chenresi, the stout and beaming god of good-luck). That
the influence of that great
34 of
103?Being, the Light of Asia, is noble and benignant, I would be the last to
deny; but the statues of the Buddha are a
different
matter, and need to be approached with caution if genuine. Some of the worst
black magic in the world is a
debased
form of Buddhism. To say this is not to insult that venerable faith, for it is
only lack of opportunity that
prevents
the Black Mass from occupying that dubious eminence. In the Thibetan
monasteries of the Dugpa sect there
are
temples each one of which contained literally thousands of statues of the
Buddha. On various occasions one or
another
of these monasteries has been raided, either by rival religionists or Chinese
troops, and its curios scattered. To
be
the possessor of one of these Buddhas, magnetised by Dugpa rites, is not a very
pleasant thing.
I had
a curious experience with a Buddha upon one occasion. It was an archaic
soap-stone statuette, some nine inches
high,
and its owner had dug it up herself on the site of a Burmese city that had
fallen in ruin and been swallowed by the
jungle.
It was placed on the floor in an angle of the stairs, and served as a doorstop
upon occasion. I had a flat on the
top
floor, and had to pass the melancholy little Buddha each time I came in or went
out, and to me it seemed a
desecration
to see the sacred symbol of another faith treated thus. I tried to point this
out to her, and asked her how she
would
feel if she saw a crucifix thus utilised, but without result. Meanwhile the
little Buddha sat there patiently, getting
the
carpet-sweeper pushed in his face and receiving libations of slops.
One
day, passing upstairs bearing a bunch of flowers, I was prompted to throw
before him one of the traditional
marigolds
of Indian devotion. Immediately I was conscious that a link had been formed
between myself and the little
statue,
and that it was sinister. A night or two afterwards I was returning home rather
late, and as I passed the Buddha I
had a
feeling that there was something behind me, and looking over my shoulder, saw a
ball of pale golden light about
the
size of a football separate itself from the Buddha and come rolling up the
stairs after me. Thoroughly alarmed, and
disliking
this manifestation very much indeed, I immediately made a banishing gesture and
the ball of light returned
down
the stairs and was reabsorbed into the Buddha, who, needless to say, got no
more marigolds from me, and
received
a very wide berth until I left the flat shortly after. The experience was a
singularly unpleasant one, and was a
sharp
lesson to me not to meddle with the sacred objects of another system unless I
knew exactly what I was about. I
learnt
subsequently that some of these statues are consecrated with the blood of a
human sacrifice.
I do
not mean to imply by this that all Buddhist statues have been so treated; such
consecrations are, I should imagine,
comparatively
rare; but I think no one who has a knowledge of the facts will deny that they
occur, even as one might
occasionally
come across a Crucifix which had been used upside down at a Black Mass.
It is
not every case of psychic disturbance, however, which originates externally. It
is a well-known cosmic law that
everything
moves in circles, and whatever forces we send out, and whatever thought-forms
we extrude from our auras,
unless
absorbed by the object to which they are directed, will return to us in due
course. One of the most effective, and
also
one of the most widely practised methods of occult defence is to refuse to
react to an attack, neither accepting nor
neutralising
the forces projected against one, and thus turning them back on their sender.
We must never overlook the
fact
that a so-called occult attack may be evil thought-forms returning home to
roost.
There
are certain types of insanity in which the lunatic believes himself to be the
victim of an attack by invisible beings,
who
threaten and abuse him and offer base or dangerous insinuations. He will
describe his tormentors, or point to their
position
in the room. A psychic who investigates such a case can very often see the
alleged entities just where the
lunatic
says they are. Nevertheless, the psychologist can come forward and prove beyond
any reasonable doubt that the
so-called
"hallucinations" are due to repressed instincts giving rise to
dissociated complexes of ideas in the patient's
own
subconscious mind. Does this mean that the psychic is mistaken in thinking he
perceives an astral entity? In my
opinion
both psychic and psychologist are right, and their findings are mutually
explanatory. What the psychic sees is
the
dissociated complex extruded from the aura as a thought-form. A great deal of
relief can be given to lunatics by
breaking
up the thought-forms that are surrounding them, but unfortunately the relief is
short-lived; for unless the cause
of
the illness can be dealt with, a fresh batch of thought-forms is built up as
soon as the original ones are destroyed.
CHAPTER
VII
35 of
103?THE PATHOLOGY OF NON-HUMAN CONTACTS
THERE
are other forms of life as well as ours whose sphere of evolution impinges upon
the earth. In the realm of
folk-lore
we constantly meet with the idea of intercourse between the human and the fairy
kingdoms; of the marriage of
a
human being with a fairy spouse, or the theft of a child by the fairies, an
impish changeling being left in its place. We
shall
be rash if we assume that an extensive body of folk-belief is entirely without
foundation in fact. Let us therefore
examine
these old and crude beliefs and see whether we can find any grounds for them, and
if so, what the real nature
of
the facts may be, and whether they throw any light upon modem psychic phenomena
of the kind we are considering
in
these pages.
There
are many of us who have met people who might well be described as non-human,
soulless, in that the ordinary
human
motives are not operative with them, nor do the ordinary human feelings prompt
or inhibit them. We cannot but
love
them, for they have great charm, but we cannot but dread them as well, for they
spread an infinitude of suffering
around
them. Although seldom deliberately evil, they are singularly detrimental to all
with whom they come in contact.
They,
for their part, are unhappy and lonely in our midst. They feel themselves to be
alien and uncompanioned; every
man's
hand is against them, and in consequence it all too often happens that their
hand is against everyone and they
develop
a puckish malevolence, though there is seldom calculated evil-doing. Gratitude,
compassion, good faith,
morality
and common honesty are utterly foreign to their natures, as far beyond their
conception as the
differential
calculus. They are not immoral, however, but simply non-moral. On the other
hand, they
possess
the virtues of absolute sincerity and great courage. In terms of human ethics
they are
"undesirables,"
but they have an ethic of their own to which they are loyal, and that is the
beauty which
is
truth, and this is all they know, and, as far as their life is concerned, all
they need to know. In
appearance
they are usually small and slight, possessing unusual physical strength and
endurance but
very
liable to nervous exhaustion and brain-storms. In social relations they take
violent likes and
dislikes;
they show a facile and demonstrative affection towards those they like, but
quickly forget them.
Gratitude
and pity are unknown to their nature. Towards those they dislike they are
pettily malicious, and
in
all relations of life they are utterly irresponsible. One cannot describe them
better than to say that they
resemble
nothing so much as a blend of Persian kitten and pet monkey. They have the
beauty and
aloofness
and charm of the cat, and the amusing, mischievous destructiveness of the
monkey. Many
human
beings hate them at sight; others are fascinated by them because they bring
with them a sense of
unearthly
beauty and a quickening of the life-forces. I have been able to investigate the
history of two
such
beings, and it is interesting to note that both of them were conceived while
their mothers were
under
the influence of drink. There is a very great deal of information available
concerning the occult
aspect
of the incarnation of souls, but not much of the knowledge concerning the
actual facts of
conception
has ever found its way into print. I have given a little in my book, The
Esoteric Philosophy of
Love
and Marriage. I cannot enter into the subject deeply in these pages, for it
would be too much of a
digression.
Some points, however, it is essential to touch upon for a comprehensive survey
of our
subject.
At
the moment of sexual union a psychic vortex is formed resembling a waterspout,
a funnel-shaped swirling that
towers
up into other dimension. As body after body engages, the vortex goes up the
planes. In all cases the physical,
etheric
and astral bodies are involved; the vortex therefore always reaches as far as
the astral plane; a soul upon the
astral
plane may be drawn into this vortex if it is ripe for incarnation, and thus
enter the sphere of the parents. If the
vortex
extends higher than the astral plane, souls of a different type may enter this
sphere, but such extension is rare,
and
therefore it is said that man is born of desire, for few are born of anything
else.
But
this vortex may not only extend vertically up the planes (speaking
metaphorically), but it may also, under certain
conditions,
be deflected, as it were, out of the normal human line of evolution, so that
its open end extends into the
sphere
of evolution of another type of life. Under such circumstances it is
theoretically possible for a being of a parallel
evolution
to be drawn into incarnation in a human body. Occultists hold that this
occasionally occurs, and explains
certain
types of non-pathological abnormality which are occasionally met with.
36 of
103?These non-humans are either adored or hated by their human associates. They
have a peculiar fascination for certain
types
of temperament, the types that psychologists call the unstable. In these types
the subconscious comes very near to
the
surface, deep calls to deep, and they are instinctively drawn towards the
elemental kingdoms.
There
is nothing more disastrous than marriage with a non-human, for they have
nothing in their nature that can satisfy
the
normal human yearnings for affection and sympathy. The one saving feature in
such a union is that grounds for
divorce
are invariably readily available, for the morals of the non-human are those of
the barnyard.
The
power of non-humans to injure their enemies is comparatively small, for they
are aliens in a strange land when
incarnated
in human form, and cannot avail themselves of any of the ordinary human
resources of mischief. They are,
in
fact, singularly defenceless and helpless, and themselves suffer acutely at the
hands of society. It is otherwise,
however,
in their relations with their friends. They seem to have an infinite capacity
for inflicting hurt on those who
love
them. Not deliberately or maliciously, but like a child pulling flies to pieces
out of idleness, not realising what it is
doing.
Obeying the laws of their own nature, they are destructive to beings of the human
evolution. Yet what other laws
can
they obey? For them to submit to our standards is to deny their deepest
instincts.
The
effect they have upon those who love them constitutes such a well-marked
syndrome among the psychic
pathologies
that we must consider it in detail. The person who forms a rapport with a
non-human becomes deeply
stirred
by the elemental forces that find ingress to our sphere through the channel of
this wandering and alien soul. He
becomes,
as it were, drawn away from normal human things and set wandering upon the
confines of the fairy kingdom,
and
yet he can find there no rest for his foot and no sustenance for his soul. The
story of the handsome fisher-lad and
the
mermaid is indicative of this condition. She loves him, draws him to her and he
drowns, for he cannot live in the
element
of water.
The
explanation of the curious power, both of fascination and destruction, which is
exercised by non-humans may lie in
the
fact that they belong to one element only, whereas in man all four are combined.
Any elemental contact is
stimulating
to us, because elemental beings pour forth in abundance the vitality of their
own particular sphere, and this
vitalises
the corresponding element in ourselves. But if a four-element creature is drawn
into the sphere of a single
element
he is poisoned by an overdose of the one element in which he finds himself, and
starved of the other three. It is
for
this reason that mortals in the fairy kingdom are always said to be enchanted
or asleep. They are never living
normally
in full possession of their faculties.
An
equally difficult problem is set to the non-human who is drawn into our midst.
A single-element creature is bidden
to
control and assimilate an additional three elements for which it has no
equipment or experience, and the result is
disastrous.
But
it is not enough that we should merely describe the conditions and state the
problem in these pages. Our aim is
essentially
practical. What then can be done when a non-human has to be faced and dealt
with? It must be clearly
realised
that any mating between a human and a non-human is a hopeless proposition. In
the first place, it can only be
the
preamble to a divorce, because non-humans are promiscuous in their sexual
habits; and, secondly, there is nothing
in
the nature of a non-human that can satisfy the higher aspirations of the human.
We must not allow the human form to
mislead
us as to the existence of a human soul. A non-human is a pet animal, not a
fellow-creature. That, frankly, is the
only
possible ground upon which they can be approached. If we expect no more of them
than we should of a pet bird, if
we
manage them as we should manage a kitten, we have got as near to the solution
of the problem as we are ever likely
to
get until the Dark Angel mercifully restores them to their own kingdom; a mercy
seldom long delayed, for
non-humans
do not make old bones.
Human
beings may also come into touch with elemental beings by themselves venturing
into the spheres of elemental
life.
Such contacts need not necessarily be harmful to either kingdom provided those
who enter into them know what
they
are about. In fact, such associations are frequently entered into by occultists
in the course of their work and
researches,
but it is an undertaking for the advanced initiate only, not for neophytes.
There
are cases, however, where such an association may lead to harm. The human
partner in the association may be
ill-equipped
or ill-adapted for the undertaking. He may have ventured out beyond his depth,
having picked up a formula
from
some more experienced occultist and used it without proper preparation. Or
again, it is not uncommon to find
people
who have brought through from previous incarnations a natural aptitude for
getting into touch with the
37 of
103?elemental kingdoms. In such cases it may occur that an elemental who has
had experience of relations with human
beings
may deliberately get into touch with them. This is in every way undesirable,
for the elemental has not got the
knowledge
of human conditions necessary to enable it to avoid injuring its new friend. In
any case, elementals have got
a
one-way intelligence, and it is not well that they should be senior partners in
any alliance with human beings. The
whole
question of elemental contacts, an exceedingly fascinating one, is too
extensive and intricate to be entered upon
in
these pages. It has been necessary to refer to it, however, for certain cases
of psychic difficulty may be due to
inexpert
operations on both sides of the Veil.
These
elementals, or nature spirits, are quite different to the controls with whom
Spiritualistic circles come into touch.
The
Spiritualistic movement is highly organised on the Inner Planes, and
promiscuous controlling is not permitted.
Controls
have, in fact, to "sit" for development in just the same way that
mediums do, and there is invariably some
experienced
entity within call who can come to the assistance of the circle if all is not
going well. Western Occultism
was
thoroughly disorganised and broken up by centuries of persecution; its Inner
Plane conditions, consequently,
present
many tangles and gaps even to this day. It is nothing like as well organised as
the Spiritualistic sphere. The
great
Orders have their definite contacts and work strictly within them, keeping a
firm hand on neophytes; outside the
Orders
there is a good deal of chaos and banditry, and it is unwise to venture far
save in the company of an experienced
occultist
who understands the technique of the methods employed.
There
are many people for whom the Deva Kingdom, as the sphere which the elementals
share with the Nature Spirits
is
sometimes called, has a great fascination, and they try by meditation and
ritual to get into touch with it. In my
opinion
it is decidedly risky for a person who is not an initiate to attempt this work.
It is exceedingly apt to lead to
mental
unbalance, if not to actual obsession. Not that the nature contacts are evil,
but they are profoundly disturbing to
the
human consciousness because they stir those atavistic depths which the
psycho-analyst aims at laying bare by
means
of his technique. Anyone who is acquainted with the literature or practice of
psycho-analysis knows that the
ab-reaction
is an important factor in this system; it is a crisis, and can, for the time
being at any rate, upset the patient
pretty
thoroughly and exacerbate all his symptoms. When we touch the elemental
contacts we get the same reaction that
is
caused by psycho-analysis when the censor is being penetrated.
Persons
in whom the subconscious mind is near the surface, such as the artist, the
crank, the unstable, and, for the
matter
of that, the genius in any walk of life, love the elemental contacts because
they stimulate the elemental forces in
their
own nature which are to them the springs of their power and inspiration. But
the average citizen, whose mental
content
is organised largely in a basis of repression and compromise in order that he
may be a citizen at all and take his
place
in organised society, is upset by the elemental contacts according to the
proportion of repression to compromise
in
his make-up. Compromise is the normal lot of humanity; repression is the
pathology of compromise. The person who
has
managed to effect a working compromise between the different elements of his
nature can afford to allow himself a
holiday
with the Devas without doing any body any harm; but the person who is repressed
will find that they disagree
with
him actively because they are having the same effect upon him that a drastic
psycho-analysis would have. We hear
sometimes
of the tragedy that results from taking the last dose in a bottle of tonic of
which arsenic is one of the
ingredients.
This is due to the fact that the bottle has not been thoroughly shaken up each
time a dose has been taken, so
that
the arsenical sediment has all collected in the last dose and reached a
poisonous concentration. So it is with the
elemental
contacts; they are a potent tonic, but they can reach a poisonous concentration
under unsuitable
circumstances.
I
have never come across or heard of a case of pathology due to the fascination
of the Element of Earth; it is not an
element
that usually attracts the amateur experimenter, though the initiate appreciates
its value and importance. I have
come
across cases, however, of sensitive people dwelling in a mountainous country,
especially in narrow gulches
where
there is a paucity of sunlight, who have become obsessed with the fear of the
mountains. They do not fear so
much
that the mountains will fall upon them as that they will close over them, as
the cave closed upon the children who
followed
the Pied Piper of Hamelin. The psychiatrist will, of course, recognise this
symptom as belonging to the
well-known
psycho-neurosis of claustrophobia. This, however, does not invalidate my
statement; for in my opinion we
may
find that in a more intimate knowledge of the elemental kingdoms we shall come
upon the clue to both
claustrophobia
and agarophobia.
Mountaineers
also know this peculiar terror with which the great hills can obsess mankind.
It is neither giddiness nor
mountain
sickness, but a curious oppression of the spirits by the overwhelming grandeur
of nature. The same force,
when
not at a poisonous concentration, inspires the passion ate love of the hills or
of the sea that Kipling has celebrated
so
gloriously in one of his poems.
38 of
103?The pathologies of the Element of Water may be a fascination so great that
a man will walk out into the sea until he
drowns.
Swinburne had this peculiarity, and has immortalised it in several of his
poems, "Strike out as the heart in us
bids
and beseeches, athirst for the foam." On one occasion he was picked up in
the open sea by a Breton fishing-smack,
swimming
tirelessly, many miles from land, borne on the sea by currents, but oblivious
of his danger. Being rescued, he
sat
upon the deck with his mane of red hair drying in the wind, chanting sea-poems
to his rescuers, a spectacle that one
would
have given much to witness.
Another
curious case of water-pathology I knew person ally. A very level-headed woman,
a school teacher, was
obsessed
by a horror of rough waves. She always declared that if she went on the
sea-front to watch a storm, the waves
made
a "dead set" at her. She lived at a seaside place, but so great was
her dislike of the waves that she did not care to
walk
on the promenade when the tide was in. She was cured of her fear in a curious
way. She took initiation into
Co-Masonry,
and found to her surprise that from that day forth she was free from her fear
of the sea. I am not a
Co-Mason,
and speak subject to correction, but I believe I am right in saying that
Co-Masonry differs from other forms
of
Masonry in that Elemental Invocations have been introduced into it.
The
Element of Air, as all occultists know, is a very tricky element to deal with.
More initiates turn off the Path in the
Grade
of Air than in any other, and it is rare to see a Ritual of Air worked without
something being dropped or knocked
over.
It is a quarrelsome element; when it is being worked, the operators are apt to
bicker and squabble. It is also
intimately
associated with sex, as is revealed by its symbolism. If an occultist is making
a magic circle, and for any
reason
wishes to seal it with the Kerubim of the Elements instead of the Archangels,
as is more commonly done, and
feels
himself unequal to the task of drawing a presentable eagle, the symbolic form
of the Kerub of Air, he will use the
Zodiacal
sign for Scorpio. The evolutionary connection between the snake and the bird is
well known to biologists; but
long
ages before Darwin, initiates used the Serpent and the Eagle to represent the
unsublimated and sublimated aspects
of
the life-force. The Scorpion connects with the Serpent through the Dragon.
I had
a very curious experience myself in connection with the Element of Air. I am
betraying no secrets if I say that
certain
grades of initiation refer to the elements, for the fact is too generally
known, and too obvious, for it to be any
more
mysterious than the Queen of Spain's legs.
To
begin with, I have an exceptionally bad head for heights, and as the Abyss of
Height belongs to the Element of Air,
I
obviously have no natural affinity with it. The ceremony went exceptionally
badly even for an Air Ritual. Two of the
principal
officers, husband and wife, helped to maintain its reputation as a contentious
element by having a family jar in
the
middle of the proceedings, and the usual upsets and smashings occurred on a
generous scale.
For
the next fortnight I lived in the midst of a cataclysm of crockery. I smashed
my way through two entire tea-sets and
all
the mantelpiece ornaments. The ornaments just fell off the mantelpiece one by
one of their own accord. I actually
saw
two of them do it. I did not know at the time that the Element of Air had this
sinister reputation. I realised that
something
queer was afoot, however, and asked my teacher about it. She was much amused,
but I was not, because it
was
my crockery that was supplying the raw material for the phenomena. She advised
me to get into sympathetic touch
with
the Sylphs, as the initiation had evidently not been altogether successful. I
tried to do this, but I was in London at
the
time and met with no success, for the elemental contacts, with the exception of
Fire, cannot be worked successfully
in a
city. The smashing went on, and I was reduced to a tin mug and a tooth-glass,
for I saw it was useless to get any
more
china until things had settled down.
Then
I went away for my summer holiday and found myself on the summit of a high and
isolated hill on a day of bright
sun
and high wind. I was very conscious of the nearness of the elemental kingdoms.
The air seemed full of silver
sparkles,
which is always a sign that the veil is thin. There was no one present save
some friends who were
sympathetic.
I faced into the wind and raised my arms in Invocation. Suddenly we saw below
us a figure bursting
through
hedges and leaping ditches and running wildly towards it. We presently
recognised it as another of our friends,
and
when he joined us he told us that he had felt the sudden rush of power while in
the valley and on an over powering
impulse
started for the hill-top. Then all of us, without any suggestion of leadership,
began the Dance of the Elements,
whirling
like dancing dervishes upon that hill-top. Fortunately nobody was about, but I
do not know that it would have
made
very much difference if they had been, for we were caught up out of ourselves
and the air seemed full of rushing
golden
flames, lying level in the wind. For days afterwards we seemed charged with
elemental energy by that
extraordinary
dance.
39 of
103?It may be interesting to note that we danced with a circular movement, each
revolving on our own axis at the same
time,
and that we both danced and revolved deosil, that is, with the sun. All this
occurred spontaneously, the tide of the
elements
catching us up and away. I have never known a more glorious experience. It was
indeed the divine inebriation
of
the Mysteries.
After
this there were no more smashings of crockery.
I
have already noted my exceptionally bad head for heights. I have found that it
is considerably mitigated, temporarily
at
any rate, by the Invocation of Air. I am of the opinion that the curious
impulse which causes people for no reason
whatsoever
to commit suicide by throwing themselves from heights may be due to the same
impulse that causes people
who
are obsessed by the Element of Water to swim out to sea, as I have recorded of
Swinburne.
These
apparently causeless suicides by Water and Air are, in my opinion, a form of
union with the god which is one of
the
ideas underlying human sacrifice. There are two types of human sacrifice, the
willing and the unwilling. The
unwilling
sacrifice, the prisoner struggling or drugged into passivity, is used, not to
propitiate the god, as is usually
thought,
but in order that his vital forces may serve as a basis of manifestation. The
willing sacrifice, in which the
victim
will be either a priest or a devotee of the god, has for its motive the idea of
divine union, not altogether unknown
to
Christian mystics, who seek its achievement by a living death, whereas the
adherents of Juggernaut escape with one
brief
pang.
The
European belief of one man, one life, has imbued us with the idea of death as
the supreme evil. Therefore the
European
very often does not go to his death when he unites with the elements, but his
higher self withdraws from
incarnation,
leaving his body ensouled by a curious kind of intelligent automaton, which
deteriorates rapidly. What ever
may
be the status of the soul that withdraws, that which is left behind is not
nice. I feel, therefore, that it must seriously
delay
and distort the evolution of the human Monad if it turns aside into the sphere
of the Deva evolution. It may well
be
that some of the creatures whom at first sight we might classify as non-humans
are really humans who have had a
Deva
phase in their Karmic record. There is a very interesting field of research
awaiting the person who systematically
investigates
the past lives of the weak- minded and the mentally deranged.
The
pathologies of the Element of Fire are also rare, though it may be that the
aimless incendiary and pyromaniac
belong
to this class. I have never personally had any opportunity of investigating
this type of case. Algernon
Blackwood
writes of one in his very interesting story, "The Regeneration of Lord Ernie,"
which is published in his
volume
of short stories entitled Incredible Adventures.
Indeed,
this author is exceedingly fond of drawing his inspiration from the Deva
kingdom, and has some most
interesting
studies of the subject scattered through his books.
Any
organic geographical unit develops something of an oversoul, and where the
differentiation is marked, the over
soul
may become a very definite entity. If there are among the inhabitants of the
district any who are sensitive to the
Unseen,
they may form either an affinity or a repulsion for this oversoul. A great
forest has a very marked personality,
and
there are few white men who can resist its influence, becoming markedly changed
and de-humanised if exposed to
it
for long periods without the companionship of others of their race. Natives, on
the other hand, seem to enter into it
and
be part of it.
It is
well known how often trees are objects of worship in all parts of the world.
They have very marked personalities
and
strong magnetic fields. In the spring, when the sap is rising, even
non-psychics can often see the aura of a tree. It
can
best be seen by getting at a distance of a couple of hundred yards and looking
at the sky beyond the top of the tree.
The
aura will then be perceived as a whitish cloud, like a patch of
lighter-coloured sky, surrounding the top of the tree,
and
usually swaying gently from side to side.
There
is a curious antagonism between elms and humanity, and about orchids all
sensitive persons agree there is some
thing
sinister. Tropical vegetation, as a whole, is over-powerful for humanity. Under
the tremendous stimulation of the
solar
fire the elemental forces are concentrated to a poisonous strength. I am not
personally acquainted with the West
Coast
of Africa, but from what I can gather I am of the opinion that the elemental
forces and the atmosphere made by
Juju
rites are between them more responsible than the climate for earning that part
of the world its sinister reputation as
the
White Man's Grave. There are other spots where the climate is equally hot and
humid, Burmah, for instance, but
40 of
103?there is no other spot that produces the same loosening of moral fibre. The
only place that is at all comparable to it is
the
Carribbean Sea, which produces, not so much a demoralisation, as a fierceness
and violence quite alien to the racial
characteristics
of the people who go there.
CHAPTER
VIII
THE
RISKS INCIDENTAL TO CEREMONIAL MAGIC
If
the problem of psychic self-defence is to be adequately dealt with, we must
have an understanding of a subject
upon
which very little has been written - the nature of the forces of intelligent
and organised evil.
The
great faiths of the ancient world all had their evil gods as well as their
beneficent deities, and they did not call these
evil
gods devils. In Hinduism we have Shiva and Kali; in the Egyptian system we have
Set and Besz and Typhon; in the
Grecian
pantheon there are Pluto and Hecate.
All
the other faiths, also, have their angelic choirs, their Archons, or builders,
and all the hierarchy of heaven.
Protestant
Christianity alone has forgotten its angiology, the Creator has to be both
Architect of the Universe and
Bricklayer,
forming man from the dust of the ground without assistance.
If we
refer to Paradise Lost, however, we shall find that Milton was familiar with
both divine and infernal hierarchies,
and
that these were graded and charted according to a definite system. Anyone who
is acquainted with the Qabalah will
recognise
that in Milton he meets a fellow Qabalist.
In
the Qabalah we find the esotericism of the Old Testament. I propose to use the
Qabalistic terminology to explain the
esoteric
theory of evil because, firstly, it is the one I am most familiar with;
secondly, it forms the basis of Western
occult
thought and all medieval magic is based upon it, together with much modern
magic; thirdly, it is, in my opinion,
singularly
lucid, coherent and comprehensive; and being a system consecrated by antiquity,
I cannot be accused of
romancing,
or fabricating my own system.
In
order to render my concepts clear, a brief explanation of Qabalistic doctrine
must be given. As it is not possible to
enter
into an exposition of this vast system, I will state certain axioms
dogmatically, and explain them by illustration
instead
of argument, thus obtaining the maximum clarity for the minimum expenditure of
space.
The
initiate recognises two kinds of evil, Negative Evil and Positive Evil.
Negative Evil is the polarising opposite of
good.
Let
us try and make this clear by an illustration. Every action gives rise to a
reaction. The forward drive of the bullet is
equated
by the recoil of the gun. Everything which moves has to have the equivalent of
a thrust-block against which to
push
- something firm under its feet from which to take off. It is difficult to walk
on a slippery surface because it offers
no
resistance. We must have something for the foot to grip, to push against, and
give us the forward impulse at each
step.
41 of
103?Negative Evil is the thrust-block of Good; the principle of resistance, of
inertia, that enables Good to "get a purchase."
But
Negative Evil is more than this. We might call the principle of resistance the
"negative~~ aspect of Negative Evil.
For
it has also a "positives' aspect, the Principle of Destruction.
We
can best explain the cosmic function of the Principle of Destruction by calling
it by its esoteric name of the
Scavenger
of the Gods. Its function is to clear up behind the advancing tide of
evolution, removing that which has
become
effete so that it may not choke and clog evolving life.
We
now find the answer to the eternal riddle as to why God tolerates the Devil.
The Devil is the cosmic thrust-block
and
Scavenger of the Gods. It is this aspect of evil which is given a more detailed
symbolism in the pantheons of other
faiths,
having its Shiva and Kali, or its Pluto and Hecate aspects. We can now see why
these resistive and destructive
forces
are classed as gods and not as demons, for they are reactions according to
cosmic law, not anarchical and chaotic
forces.
We
now come to the consideration of Positive Evil. This again has a
"negative's and "positive's aspect. Its "negative's
aspect
is pure chaos, unformed substance and unco-ordinated force. It has been aptly
called the Cosmic Abortion. To
drift
into the sphere of "negative" Positive Evil is like being caught in a
psychic quicksand.
We
are now ready to consider the sphere of "positive" Positive Evil, the
demons themselves, or the Qlippoth, as they
are
called in the Qabalah. In order to understand their significance we must make a
further excursion into Qabalistic
philosophy.
The
Creator is conceived of as bringing the universe into manifestation through a
series of Divine Emanations, ten in
number.
These are called the Ten Holy Sephiroth, and are represented in a diagram as
arranged in a particular pattern.
This
is the famous Tree of Life, the key to all symbolism.
The
Sephiroth were not emanated independently, each from the Divine Source; but
overflowed, the one from the other.
As
soon as one Sephira has emanated another, these two are said to be in
equilibrium, compensating each other. But
there
is a period during the emanation of a Sephira when the force is not yet in
equilibrium, but is pushing out
unsupported,
like an incomplete arch. It is the uncompensated force emanated during this
epoch of unbalance, and
never
subsequently absorbed after the establishment of the new sphere, which
constitutes Positive Evil. There are,
therefore,
ten kinds of Positive Evil, just as there are ten Divine Emanations.
To
these spheres go, according to their kind, all the evil imaginings of the heart
of man that are not neutralised by
repentance
or compensated by the overplus of good in other members of the same group-soul.
There is a deep occult
doctrine
here which we cannot enter upon now; it must suffice to state it dogmatically
in explanation of the Qabalistic
conception
of the Qlippoth. When we consider all that must have been poured into these ten
sinks of iniquity since the
days
of Atlantean Magic, through the decadence of Babylon and Rome, down to the
Great War, we can guess what
rises
up from them when their seals are broken.
Not
only do influences emanate from them which tempt and corrupt souls, each
according to its susceptibility, but time
has
served for the formulation of evil intelligences. These probably originated
through the workings of Black Magic,
which
took the essential evil essence and organised it for purposes of its own. The
beings thus formulated assumed an
independent
existence, developed, and multiplied their kind. They appear as dreams and
hallucinations, and may
produce
a considerable degree of objective phenomena, such as noise, deposit of slime
or blood, balls of light, and,
above
all, stenches of an amazing pungency.
The
Ten Divine Emanations are personified as Archangels, and the Ten Infernal
Emanations are personified as Arch-demons.
It is
these which are the Names of Power in Magic. Each Sephira, then, has its
obverse side in the
corresponding
Qlippottic demon. The initiated adept always gains control over the demonic
force before he attempts to
utilise
the angelic force which, by the appropriated means, can be contacted in each
Sephira. If he does not do so, he
contacts
them both simultaneously. Moreover, the planets, the elements and the Signs of
the Zodiac are all intimately
connected
with the Sephiroth, being arranged upon the Tree of Life in a pattern known
only to initiates.
42 of
103?The initiated adept is exceedingly careful what he does when he is working
with these potencies because he knows that
he has
always got the Qlippoth in the background. The uninitiated occultist goes ahead
gaily, juggling with such Names
of
Power as he has picked up from the innumerable books on the subject now
available for the general reader, thinking
that
if he does not invoke the demons he will not get them. He forgets that every
planet is a Jekyll and Hyde.
Consequently,
ceremonial magic has got a bad name owing to the unpleasant frequency of
untoward results, just as
surgery
got a bad name before the days of Lister. It is the imperfect technique that is
the trouble.
I was
once doing some experimental work with geomancy, which is a method of
divination belonging to the Element of
Earth.
Now all divinations, when performed according to their esoteric formulae,
always begin with an evocation of the
genius
that presides over that particular operation. The genii of geomancy are not of
a very high type. I was imperfectly
familiar
with the method, and was trying to set up my prick-figure on a piece of paper
instead of using a tray of wet
sand
as I should have done. Things began to go wrong, and the room was filled with
the most terrible stench of drains.
The
appropriate banishing ritual was immediately performed, and the air cleared;
but there was not much doubt about
the
objectivity of this phenomenon while it lasted.
A
very interesting case is given in the Occult Review for December, 1929. in a
letter to the editor, signed H. Campell.
"Desiring
some information which I could not get in any ordinary way, I resorted to the
System of Abra Melin, and to
this
end prepared a copy of the necessary Talisman, perfecting it to the best of my
ability with my little stock of
knowledge.
The ritual performed, I proceeded to clear my 'place of working.' A little
knowledge is a dangerous thing;
my
ritual was imperfect and I only rendered the Talisman useless without in any
way impairing the activities of the
entity
invoked. This looks like nothing else than gross carelessness on my part; and
to a certain extent this is true - but
the
point I wish to make is this, that my knowledge of this particular system, and
therefore my ritual, were imperfect;
and
in any case, I had been shown no method of combating this particular entity
when once aroused. Now note the
results.
"Unfortunately
I have no account of the date when these occurrences began, but the first hint
of trouble must have
come
on or about March 3, 1927. I can guess the date with fair accuracy because, as
I was to learn, the manifestations
were
always strongest about the new moon, and after I had gone to sleep. Upon this
occasion I can remember waking
up
suddenly with a vague feeling of terror oppressing me; yet it was no ordinary
nightmare terror, but an imposed
emotion
that could be thrown off by an effort of the will. This passed almost as soon
as I stood up, and I thought no
more
about it.
"Again
on April 2, or thereabouts, I was troubled by the same feeling, but regarded it
as nothing more than a severe
nightmare,
though the fact that my sleep was distorted towards the time of the new moon had
occurred to me; while as
full
moon drew on, the nights were peaceful again.
"The
new moon of May I brought a recurrence of the trouble. This time very much more
powerful, and necessitating an
almost
intolerable effort of will to cast if off. Also it was about this time that I
first saw the entity which was rapidly
obsessing
me. It was not altogether unlovely to look at. Its eyes were closed and it was
bearded, with long flowing hair.
It
seemed a blind force slowly waking to activity.
"Now
there are three points which I must make quite clear before I proceed. In the
first place, I was never attacked
twice
in the same night. Secondly, when I speak of physical happenings, the smashing
of glass and voices, they were
never,
with one absolutely inexplicable exception, actual, but pure obsessions; and
this leads to the third point. Not one
of
these incidents happened while I was asleep. Always I found myself awake with
the terror upon me and struggling
violently
to cast off the spell. I have had nightmares before, but no nightmare that I
have ever had could hold my mind
in
its grip for minutes at a time as this thing did, or send me plunging through a
ten-foot-high window to the ground
below.
"The
first indication I had that these visitations were absolutely out of the
ordinary course of events came on May 30.
About
midnight I was suddenly awakened by a voice calling loudly, 'Look out,' and at
once I became aware of a red
serpent
coiling and uncoiling itself under my bed, and reaching out onto the floor with
its head. Just as it was about to
43 of
103?attack me I jumped through my window, and came to earth among the rose
bushes below, fortunately with no more
damage
done than a badly bruised arm.
"After
this there was absolute peace until June 30, when the real climax came. I had
seen the thing again on the night of
the
new moon, and had noticed considerable changes in its appearance. Especially it
seemed far more active, while its
long
hair had changed into serpent heads. The night after I was awakened by a
violent noise and jumped out of bed. I
then
saw the noise was caused by a great red obelisk which crashed through the west
wall of my room and leaned
against
the wall at the east end, smashing both that and the window to pieces but
missing my bed, which was in an
alcove
to the left of its path. In its transit it had smashed all the mirrors, and the
floor and top of my bed were strewn
with
broken glass and fragments of wood. This time the obsession must have lasted
some minutes, I dared not move for
fear
of cutting myself, and to reach the matches - wherein, I knew, lay safety - I
had to lean across the bed and again
risk
the glass. Yet in my heart I knew that all this was false, but had no power to
move. I could only stand there,
incapable,
looking at the shattered room in a state of hopeless terror.
"And
now comes the most extraordinary part of the whole business. When I had finally
mastered the obsession, I went
to
bed again dead tired, and I know that the only sound I made that night was
jumping to the floor, also my room is at
least
a hundred yards from the rest of my family, yet next morning at breakfast I was
asked what was the terrible noise
in my
room during the night.
"After
that I realised that the game was up. I had not taken these occurrences lying
down, but I knew that it was
impossible
for me to try and control the force which I had set in motion. In desperation I
turned to a good friend, who, I
was
aware, knew much of these things. She did not hesitate, but came at once to my
assistance, and from that day to the
present
the trouble has absolutely gone from me.
"Such
is the case; and I only hope it may warn those who are contemplating my folly
to treat with the greatest of care
any
printed systems of magic, and not to use them at all unless they have the fullest
control over the entities invoked."
Among
the general public, who do not dabble in occultism, the results of a magical
mishap are never seen, and the only
doctors
who ever see them are fellow-initiates who happen to be medical men, and they,
naturally, keep silence. The
catastrophes
are of varying degrees of severity, ranging from a bad fright to a fatality.
I
cannot say much upon these subjects, for they are among the most secret paths
of occult lore. Enough must be hinted,
however,
to reveal what, under certain circumstances, may be experienced. I do not think
it in the least likely, however,
that
the Qlippotic demons will be encountered save through the use of ceremonial
magic. They are as rare as anthrax in
England,
but it is as well to know the manner of their manifestation so that, when
encountered, they may be recognised.
The
great majority of dabblers in occultism are protected by their own ineptitude.
They fail to get results, and
consequently
come to no harm; but if they should succeed in getting results they would find
that they had their hands
full.
The serious student, unless he is working under skilled guidance, may also find
himself in difficulties, and for
various
reasons.
He
may be insufficiently experienced in the operation he has undertaken, for in
magic theory is one thing and practice
is
another. A student of occult science will often take a formula out of a book
and try to use it. He ~night just as well
study
the instructions in a book on surgery and try to operate. Most formula are
incomplete, there is always unwritten
work.
Some of the "barbarous names of evocation" which the uninitiated use
as Words of Power, are really the initial
letters
of a mantric sentence or formula. I came across an invocation once in which the
Word of Power was Tegatoo.
On
investigation this turned out to be the battered remains of The Great Architect
Of The Universe.
Even
an experienced occultist may get into difficulties if he attempts magical work
when he is in bad health, over-tired,
or
has had even a moderate amount of alcohol, for very little is too much when the
Invisible Forces are being handled.
Equally
does this apply to each of his assistants. A chain is no stronger than its
weakest link, and if one of the team
cannot
handle the forces, everybody is going to suffer. A ritual lodge is no place for
the well- meaning ineffectual.
There
is an immense amount of dabbling in occultism going on today. Most of it is
innocuous because it is totally
44 of
103?ineffective; but there is never any knowing when one is going to strike a
live wire. Take, for instance, the advertisers in
various
occult papers who offer to supply "charms that work." One of two
things is certain. Either they do not work at
all,
in which case one is wasting one's money on them; or they work by means of some
power with which they have
been
charged. What is the nature of that power, and did the persons who made the
charm or talisman really know what
they
were about? Did they take the precaution to bind the baser aspect before
magnetising with the higher aspect?
These
are the elementary precautions of the practical occultist who has been properly
trained. Did the maker of the
talisman
know them?
Again,
one buys second-hand books on magic. Who was the previous owner and for what
purposes were these books
used?
Or one buys a new book which has been brought out by some occult school for
propaganda purposes. These
books
are often magnetised before they are sent out, and so form a magnetic link
between the purchaser and the Order
which
caused them to be issued.
Or
someone may join a group who has previously been associated with another occult
group whose contacts were
debased.
Unless the proper precautions are taken, that person will bring the psychic
contagion in with him, and his
fellow-members
may have unpleasant experiences.
I
well remember it being said to me by an occultist of great experience that two
things are necessary for safety in
occultism,
right motives and right associates. We lull ourselves into a false security if
we believe that good intentions
are
sufficient protection. My advice to the would-be student is to invoke the
Master to send him an initiator, and to
refuse
to attempt any practical work until he is fully satisfied that the initiator
has been found.
I
cannot here enter into either the precautions to be taken against untoward
happenings in practical occult work, nor the
remedies
to apply if they take place; I will merely indicate the signs by which such an
eventuality may be recognised.
This
is all that can be done, and all that is necessary in a book of this type; the
initiate knows what to do without need
of
guidance from me; the non-initiate cannot do anything, and must seek
assistance. It is enough for him if he knows
when
such assistance is needed.
If
things go wrong in the course of a magical ceremonial, the power
"shorts," and someone, it may be the operator, or it
may
be the weakest person in the team, gets " knocked out " as if he had
received a punch from an invisible pugilist.
When
picked up, he will be very dazed and badly shaken, and will certainly be some
days, possibly weeks, before he
gets
over it. He will be in a state of complete prostration and considerable mental
confusion, which will gradually wear
off.
Unless there is some organic defect, such as hereditary mental instability, a
bad heart, or hardened arteries, there
will
be a complete recovery, given time; but naturally it is a bad outlook should
one of these conditions be present, and
those
who have them should not take part in occult experiments. Personally, I do not
believe that the invisible forces
alone
will ever actually cause the loss of life or permanent disability in the
absence of any physical lesion. The person
who
goes out of his mind as the result of a psychic shock would have gone out of
his mind if he had been in a railway
disaster
or any other drastic emotional experience.
Unless
the psychic atmosphere indicates otherwise, it is not necessary to do any
banishings, or take precautions against
obsession,
because the power has dispersed itself in the very act of inflicting the shock.
During
my early days of occultism I developed my powers very rapidly because I
recovered the memories of previous
incarnations
en bloc, and with them the capacities acquired in previous lives, and I shook
myself up severely on
numerous
occasions before I learnt the technique of handling the invisible forces. I
never experienced any permanent
ill-effects
from my mishaps, though I admit that upon occasion I have been extricated by my
friends from a
considerable
amount of debris.
During
the early days of my occult career a girl was brought to me by a mutual friend,
who told me that the mother of
this
girl, an ardent student of occultism, seemed to have a terrible effect upon her
daughter. The mother was a widow,
and
mother and daughter lived together under very comfortable material
circumstances; but whenever the girl made a
friend,
or showed any desire to leave home, the mother performed extraordinary antics,
coming to the daughter's room
at
night and drawing signs in the air about her bed. The effect of all this upon
the girl was most peculiar. She felt
unable
to free herself from the mental domination the mother had obtained over her,
and she was wasting away in a
45 of
103?most curious fashion. When I saw her, although able to get about, she
looked like nothing I have ever seen save a
famine
victim.
I
made a psychic investigation, and formed the opinion that the mother was
working by means of an entity of which she
had
obtained possession. How this had been accomplished in the present instance, I
do not know, but such things are
common
in occultism. I determined to take on the case, and to chase and, if possible,
break up this artificial elemental. I
was
away from the group I was accustomed to work with, but among people keenly
interested in occultism of every
sort,
size and description, and I had no difficulty in picking up a team to help me
with the undertaking.
I had
no qualms about the undertaking. A second-hand elemental, directed by a woman
with only a rule-of-thumb
knowledge
of magic, did not appear to me to be a formidable opponent. I had seen a good
deal of practical occultism,
had
lent a hand at similar operations, and possessed the necessary formulae. So I
went round the town, asked certain
friends
to lend a hand, and others to come and see the fun. To be frank, our attitude
was that of a party of small boys
going
ratting.
We
met at the appointed time and place. Formed our circle, and went to work. The
method I meant to use made it
necessary
for me to leave my body, and the group were really there to look after it while
I was out of it, and see it came
to no
harm. I got out on to the astral readily enough, did my job, and returned,
feeling very pleased with myself, for it
was
the first time I had operated entirely on my own, without the supervision by my
teacher.
As I
began to recover physical consciousness, which is just like coming round from
an anaesthetic, I had a sensation as
of
machinery running, and felt as if I were lying on something very lumpy. I
opened my eyes, and saw some thing
brown
towering above me to an enormous height. As I gathered my senses together, I
discovered that I was lying on the
floor,
close to the skirting, across the feet of an unfortunate man, who was thus
securely pinned against the wall, and it
was
he, shaking in his shoes, that had felt to me like the vibration of machinery.
Various other members of the circle
slowly
and reluctantly reappeared from behind the piano and sofa and other heavy
articles of furniture. They had seen
some
practical occultism for once in their lives, but they did not appear to like
it.
It
appears that, after I had gone out and left them with my unconscious body, they
got a good deal of phenomena in the
way
of bells and voices outside the circle. If they had kept quiet, it would have
been quite all right, but they lost their
heads
and scattered. Then, the circle being broken, I began to perform antics,
arching up on my head and my heels and,
in
some way that has never been explained, arriving at the far side of the room at
the feet of one of the circle, which, of
course,
did not improve matters.
Then
an extraordinary thing happened. We were just gathering ourselves together,
thinking that everything was over,
when
a force of what nature I have never known suddenly rushed round the circle, and
one member seemed to take the
brunt
of it. He went flying across the room and landed, fortunately for him, face
downwards in an arm-chair, and was ill
in
bed for three weeks.
While
all this was going on, the father of one of the people taking part became
uneasy about her, and walked across
from
where he lived at the far side of the little town, to see what was happening.
Like most little country towns, this
one
usually went to bed early, but he told us that as he came along he saw that
innumerable windows were lit up, and
he
heard the sounds of children crying all down the street.
When
I think of the risks I took and the conditions under which I worked in those
early days, I wonder that I or any of
my
friends are alive to tell the tale. It is said that there is a special
Providence to look after fools, drunkards and little
children.
I think there must be another that looks after inexperienced occultists and
their friends.
It
may be interesting to note that as a result of this operation which I so rashly
undertook, the girl was entirely freed
from
the domination of her mother, and began forth with to put on flesh and rapidly
became normal. That end of it, at
least,
was entirely successful.
Another
very curious case is that referred to in the Occult Review of January, 1930.
46 of
103?"The mysterious death of a student of occultism, Miss N. Fornario, is
receiving the attention of the authorities at the
present
time. Miss Fornario was found lying nude on the bleak hill-side in the lonely
island of Iona Round her neck was
a
cross secured by a silver chain, and near at hand lay a large knife which had
been used to cut a large cross in the turf.
On
this cross her body was lying. A resident of London, Miss Fornario seems to
have made her way to lona for some
purpose
connected with occultism. One of the servants at her house in London stating
that a letter had been received
saying
she had a 'terrible case of healing on.' One newspaper report alludes to
'mysterious stories on the island about
blue
lights having been seen in the vicinity of where her body was found, and there
is also a story of a cloaked man.'
Occultists
no less than the general public will await with interest any disclosures that
may be forth coming concerning
this
occurrence."
No
disclosures ever were forthcoming, however, and conjecture alone can work upon
the case. One detail only can I
add
to the brief but comprehensive report of the Occult Review. The body bore marks
of scratches.
I
knew Miss Fornario intimately, and at one time we did a good deal of work
together, but some three years before her
death
we went our separate ways and lost sight of each other. She was half Italian
and half English, of unusual
intellectual
calibre, and was especially interested in the Green Ray elemental contacts; too
much interested in them for
my
peace of mind, and I became nervous and refused to co-operate with her. I do
not object to reasonable risks, in fact
one
cannot expect to achieve anything worth while in life if one will not take risks,
but it appeared to me that "Mac," as
we
called her, was going into very deep waters, even when I knew her, and that
there was certain to be trouble sooner
or
later.
She
had evidently been on an astral expedition from which she never returned. She
was not a good subject for such
experiments,
for she suffered from some defect of the pituitary body. Whether she was the
victim of a psychic attack,
whether
she merely stopped out on the astral too long and her body, of poor vitality in
any case, became chilled lying
thus
exposed in mid-winter, or whether she slipped into one of the elemental
kingdoms that she loved, even as
Swinburne
swam out to sea, who shall say? The information at our disposal is insufficient
for an opinion to be formed.
The
facts, however, cannot be questioned, and remain to give sceptics food for
thought.
It
may be as well to say in concluding this chapter, that when I speak of the
experiments of ceremonial magic, I do not
mean
ritual initiation. Now a ritual initiation is of course ceremonial magic, and
so, for the matter of that, are the
sacraments
of the Church. But the occultist, using his terms perhaps somewhat loosely,
does not include the initiatory
rituals
when he speaks of ceremonial magic.
There
are many varieties of initiatory ceremonies, but these are all designed to work
upon the soul of the candidate
only.
Ceremonial magic, on the other hand, in the technical sense of the term, is
designed to work upon the soul of
nature.
The two operations, although there are innumerable forms of each, are entirely
different in type, and aim at, and
achieve,
entirely different results.
There
is a strong prejudice against ritual magic among those interested in popular
occultism owing to the strictures
passed
upon it by Mme Blavatsky. Now Mine Blavatsky was trained in the Eastern School
and had very little, if any,
practical
acquaintance with the inner aspect of Western Occultism, nor was she a master
of its methods. She spoke
from
an Eastern standpoint and judged Western esoteric conditions by those she had
seen in the East, where Tantric
magic
has become depraved in the hands of Dugpas and similar sects.
In
the dense and materialistic atmosphere of the West it is exceedingly difficult
to get any results worth mentioning
without
the use of some form of ceremonial. Even the Theosophical Society, of which she
was the foundress, has
unconsciously
drifted into Western methods, adopting the Catholic ceremonial and the Masonic
initiations as side
chapels
to its main temple, and the mixture is giving trouble. The "Back to
Blavatsky" movement within its ranks may
be
able to produce a much purer ethical and metaphysical teaching, but I think we
may safely prophesy it will produce
no
practical results, in Europe at any rate.
Ought
we to eschew ceremonial methods because occasionally, in inexpert hands or
under unsuitable conditions, they
lead
to disastrous results? Ought we to eschew motor racing, or mountaineering, or
flying, or research into the nature of
47 of
103?radio-active substances? All these take their toll of life each year. There
is an unjustifiable risk which no level-headed
person
will run if they can help it, and there is a justifiable risk which everybody
must be prepared to take who wants to
come
out of the ruck. It is not every follower of the Inner Way who is suitable for
ceremonial work, just as it is not
every
individual who is fitted to handle the controls of an aeroplane; but there are
some people, both men and women,
to
whom a spice of danger is a spur which brings out the mettle of their pasture,
and these will always be found in the
van
of great adventure.
PART
II
DIFFERENTIAL
DIAGNOSIS
CHAPTER
IX
DISTINCTION
BETWEEN OBJECTIVE PSYCHIC ATTACK AND SUBJECTIVE PSYCHIC DISTURBANCE
PSYCHISM,
however genuine, is a fruitful cause of self-delusion. A psychic is invariably
highly sensitive and
suggestible.
This is the basis of his gifts. Psychism not being a normal development, among
Europeans at any rate, the
psychic
is, in the language of nautical engineers, "over-engined for his
hull." He is consequently unstable, liable to
violent
emotional reactions, and in general exhibits those aberrations of conduct we
are accustomed to associate with
artistic
genius. Unless a psychic is trained, disciplined, protected and watched over by
those who understand his
condition,
his psychism is never reliable because he is blown about by every wind of
influence. The psychic and the
neurotic
are closely akin in their reactions to life, but the neurotic differs from the
psychic in that, instead of being
over-engined
for his hull, he is under-hulled for his engines. The result is the same,
however - a discrepancy between
the
force and form with the consequent inability to maintain a central, reasoned,
directing control. The technique of the
occult
discipline is largely directed towards maintaining control of the disparate
forces, compensating the
sensitiveness
of the psychic, and protecting him from unwanted impressions. It is never well
to learn
how
to open the door of the Unseen unless at the same time one learns how to close
and latch it.
As
was noted in the Introduction, it is comparatively seldom that the Unseen comes
in search of human beings. As the
Caterpillar
told Alice concerning the Puppy-dog, "You let it alone, and it will let
you alone." But if we begin to study
occultism,
or even to dabble in it, sooner or later we are liable to obtain results,
provided, of course, that the system we
are
using contains the germs of efficacy.
In
the case of a person who is coming on to the Path for the first time, progress
is necessarily slow and laborious; but a
soul
that has taken initiation in previous incarnations may reopen the latent
psychic faculties so rapidly that the problem
of
maintaining the harmonised co-ordination of the personality becomes a serious
one. It is exceedingly common for a
person
who is making his first contact with the occult movement to experience psychic
disturbance. This is sometimes
attributed
to evil influences, sometimes to evil entities. Neither of these inferences may
be just. There is a third
possibility,
which is responsible for by far the greater percentage of victims - the mere
fact that consciousness is being
disturbed
by an unaccustomed force. How common a thing it is to see a child feverish and
fretful during the first few
days
of a seaside holiday. It is not necessarily sickening for an illness. The
strong air and unaccustomed food and the
excitement
of its new surroundings are disturbing its sensitive physical equilibrium. So
it is when the neophyte is
disturbed
at the outset of his occult career. The unaccustomed vibrations are upsetting
him, and he is having an attack
of
occult indigestion. In both cases the treatment is the same - temporary
restriction of the diet which has caused the
disturbance.
48 of
103?Another cause of psychic upset may lie in the partial recovery of the
memories of past incarnations if these include any
painful
episodes, especially such as are connected with esoteric studies. The entry of
occult concepts into the conscious
mind
tends to awaken the subconscious memory of similar experiences in past lives.
The emotion surrounding a
memory
is invariably recovered before the actual image of the incident. (This is one
of the best tests for the accuracy of
memories
of past lives.) This foreshadowing emotion may hang about for a long time on
the threshold of consciousness
before
the images clarify sufficiently to became tangible. If the emotion that is
rising over the horizon is of a painful
nature
it may cause considerable disturbance, and in the absence of an experienced
adviser may be attributed to an
occult
attack, or to the psychic perception of evil influences in the occult group to
which the neophyte is affiliated. It is
necessary
to use very great caution in drawing conclusions from the psychic impressions
of an inexperienced student,
who
is apt to be as full of alarms as a two-year-old thorough bred.
On
the other hand, the instinctive reactions of a pure and sensitive soul are not
to be ignored. There are such things as
Black
Lodges and evil entities. We must not allow the cry of "Wolf! Wolf!"
to make us either callous or careless. In
any
case, the victim is suffering remediable discomfort.
It is
an exceedingly difficult thing to determine psychic ally whether the
complainant has reasonable grounds for his
feelings,
for his own imagination will have filled his atmosphere with menacing
thought-forms. It is no simple matter to
decide
whether these thought-forms are subjective or objective. The wisest way is to
rely 'on such evidence as is
capable
of objective examination, and enquire into the record of the particular group
or occultist against whom the
charges
are being brought. But it is equally necessary to enquire into the record of
the person who is bringing the
charges.
That that person is filled with the loftiest ideals is no proof that he has a
level head, a clear and unbiassed
judgment,
or appreciation of the nature of evidence. A person need not be a deliberate
liar to make statements that are
very
far from the truth.
Another
factor which has to be reckoned with is the vagaries of the sex instinct in a
person in whom that instinct is
repressed.
Consider the case of a woman, perhaps no longer young, whose circumstances for
the first time permit her to
follow
her own inclinations; a very common case with home-keeping women, who have to
wait for dead men's shoes
before
they can set out on life's journey. She takes up occultism, towards which she
may always have had a leaning,
and
joins some circle for study and possibly ritual initiation. The leader of that
circle will in all probability be a person
of
strong individuality. The inexperienced, love-starved new-comer is glamoured.
Ritual is a very stimulating thing, as
Anglo-Catholic
clergy have found to their cost. The woman, possibly quite ignorant of the
facts of life, finds herself
strangely
stirred. She is frightened, she senses that something of the Kingdom of Pan is
approaching. Her instincts will
usually
guide her truly enough in divining the source from which the disturbing
influence proceeds. She will point an
unerring
finger at the magnetic male. She will seldom take into account the reactions of
the female in the presence of
the
male.
If
she is a woman ignorant of the facts of life, the charge she brings will
usually take the form of an accusation of
hypnotic
influence. She does not realise that nature is the hypnotist. If she is a woman
who knows something of the
world,
the charge may be of improper advances. One glance at the woman is usually
enough to tell us whether there is
likely
to be any foundation in this charge or not. It is seldom the young and pretty
girl, who might reasonably be
apprehensive,
who is the teller of these stories. It is a curious fact that it never seems to
occur to the complainants either
to
take refuge in flight or put the matter in the hands of a solicitor. If at the
end of a long tale, full of dark hints and
unspeakable
innuendos, the question is asked, "What exactly did he do? "the
answer usually is, "He looked at me in a
meaning
way."
When
one of these stories is being told we should be wise to give more attention to
the bearing of the person who is
telling
it than to the facts alleged. This will usually yield the more valuable
information. It is the most difficult thing in
the
world to get a genuine victim to speak. A woman who is broadcasting the tale of
her own shame is usually a woman
scorned,
and the reliability of her testimony in the matter is in inverse ratio to her
loquacity. Do not let us forget that it
takes
two to make a scandal as well as a quarrel, and the person who admits a mistake
and asks for help to retrace
wandering
footsteps is much more likely to be worth helping than the one who claims to be
even as the angels in
heaven,
where there is neither marrying nor giving in marriage.
So
great is the need for caution in assessing the facts in a charge of immorality
that the law courts will not accept the
evidence
of the victim, even on oath and under cross-examination, unless it is supported
by additional testimony.
Equally
well does the doctor know the same type of mentality, and a common form of
mental derangement is called
49 of
103?Old Maid's Insanity, even in the textbooks.
I
could cite cases by the dozen in exemplification of the preceding statements,
but they have not sufficient occult
interest
to justify their inclusion in these pages.
If
the leader of the group is a woman, a different set of reactions comes into
play though the same causes are at work. It
is
not generally realised that the fixation, or "crush" of one woman for
another is really a substitute love affair, as is
proved
by the fact that the girl who has plenty of admirers, or the woman who is
happily married is never given to
them.
In this case, just as much as in the normal, heterosexual attraction,
"hell knows no fury like a woman scorned"; it
is not,
for obvious reasons, possible to bring charges of improper behaviour. (Though
in one accusation this was
alleged
against me, and I was accused of being a man in disguise and attempting to
seduce the complainant, and the
charge
found believers.) The charge brought in such cases usually takes one of two
forms, the mechanism being either,
"You
don't love me, therefore you are cruel. I have been badly treated"; and
the most far-fetched instances are raked up
in
support of this charge. Or, "You don't love me, therefore I hate you. The
attraction you have for me is hypnotic."
It
must be borne in mind in assessing these charges that a trained occultist,
especially if of high grade, has an
exceedingly
magnetic personality, and this is apt to prove disturbing to those who are
unaccustomed to high-tension
psychic
forces. For whereas the person who is ripe for development will unfold the
higher consciousness rapidly in the
atmosphere
of a high-grade initiate, the person who is not ready may find these influences
profoundly disturbing. An
adept
who allows unsuitable persons to enter his magnetic field is blameworthy for
his lack of discrimination and
discretion,
but he cannot justly be charged with abuse of occult powers. He emanates force
involuntarily and cannot
help
himself. The greater adepts always live in seclusion, for not only do they need
solitude for their work, but their
influence
upon unprepared souls produces too violent a reaction, and it ends in the Cross
or the hemlock cup.
We
must not be unmindful of the fact that the person who comes to us with a long
tale of occult attack and asks for
assistance,
especially financial assistance, may simply be "pitching a yarn," and
should use the same discrimination that
we
would in listening to any other "hard-luck story," trying to
differentiate between the deserving and the undeserving.
I
knew a man who allowed an alleged adept who was undergoing an alleged occult
attack to take refuge in his studio,
and
returned after a short absence to find that the alleged one had been selling
the furniture to buy drink; and there was
every
reason to believe that the only spirits who were in any way concerned with his
troubles had entered the studio in
bottles.
The
complaints of occult attack may have their source in nothing more or less than
the delusions of the insane, and it
does
not necessarily invalidate this fact that a second person can be found to give
supporting evidence. There is a
curious
form of insanity known to alienists called folie des deux, in which two people
intimately associated together
share
the same delusions. It is usually found in such cases that one is definitely
insane, and that the other is of a
hysterical
type and has become imbued with the delusions of her associate by means of
suggestion. I use the feminine
pronoun
because this form of insanity is rare with males. It usually occurs with two
sisters, or with two women living
together.
There
is another pitfall for which the inexperienced do well to watch out in their
dealings with the person who
complains
of an occult attack. Insanity may be periodic in its manifestation, outbreaks
of acute mania alternating with
periods
of complete sanity. This periodic aspect should always be watched for in the
case of women, in whom any
temperamental
instability becomes greatly exaggerated during the times of the monthly
periods, at the change of life,
during
pregnancy, and, in fact, at any period when the sex life is stirred to
activity, whether emotionally or physically. It
is
also well to bear in mind that in pathological cases the periodicity of a
woman's function may be greatly disturbed.
I had
a sharp lesson in this respect upon one occasion, which exemplifies the need of
caution. We had, at the
introduction
of one of our members, received into one of our community houses a woman whose
husband, a
well-known
man in public life, refused to live with her, so I was told, and had made
several attempts to do away with
her,
and threatened to have her certified insane if she in any way resisted him.
These facts were vouched for by a circle
of
friends to whom both husband and wife were known. I kept this lady under
observation for a month in order to see
whether
there was anything to justify the charge of insanity, and seeing nothing, took
up her case, At the seventh week,
however,
trouble ensued. She got into a great state of excitement, declared that she was
being starved, and ill-treated by
the
person who, in my absence, was responsible for the house. Seven weeks later we
had another bout, in which she
said
that evil influences were proceeding from a certain cupboard in her room,
wandered about the house in
exceedingly
inadequate apparel, and lost all self-control. This attack also passed off in a
few days. It came out in the
50 of
103?end that she suffered from chronic appendicitis which involved the right
ovary, and whenever her exceedingly irregular
menstruation
occurred, she went right off her head for a few days. The position was greatly
complicated by the fact that
in
the interregnum she was to all outward appearances perfectly sane. After she
left our community house she told
exactly
the same stories about us that she had previously been telling about her
husband. The out-and-out lunatic is a
much
less serious problem to society than these border line cases. They need dealing
with extremely cautiously, for
they
can cause an immense amount of trouble.
When
an insanity has once become well developed anyone who has had experience of
lunatics has little difficulty in
recognising
it. Each type of insanity has its characteristic facial expression and even
gait. But it is not so simple a
matter
for even the expert to recognise an insanity in its incipient stages. Lunatics
are exceedingly plausible, and if they
have
picked up something of the jargon of the occultist or spiritualist, can make
out an extraordinarily good case for
themselves.
Even the experienced alienist often has to keep a case under observation in
order to ascertain whether it is
an
actual insanity or not.
In a
field where experts are frequently in doubt, what is the layman to do who finds
himself confronted by a case which
rouses
his suspicions? He cannot be expected to recognise insanity when he sees it,
but his own common sense ought
to be
sufficient to enable him to recognise sanity. In other words, let him suspend
judgment upon the alleged facts and
concentrate
upon the question of motive. It is here he will find his best indication. If a
person can offer no valid
explanation
as to the reasons for the attack that is being made upon him, nor as to its
cause or origin, we can probably
rest
assured that it originates in his own imagination.
In
one case which came into my hands for help, the victim declared that he was
being persecuted by telepathic
suggestion.
I enquired as to the origin of this persecution, and he said that some people
who lived in the next flat used
to
sit in a circle and concentrate upon him. I asked him why they did this. He did
not know. I asked him how he knew
they
did it, and he could not tell me. He merely reiterated that they did it,
although he admitted that he had never been
inside
their flat, never, in fact, even spoken to them except to exchange a good
morning on the stairs. It was
immediately
apparent that there was no conceivable motive that could cause these people to
go to the trouble of
persecuting
him. If anyone has ever tried any experiments with telepathic suggestion, they
will know what intense
concentration
it requires, and, in fact, what hard work it is, and one cannot possibly
imagine anybody putting them
selves
to the trouble of doing it over long periods of time without a very definite
motive. I have, however, heard of a
well-authenticated
case of a woman who had a liaison with a married man attacking his wife in this
way. I have also
myself
known of two cases in which a certain individual, at one time prominent in
transcendental circles, in connection
with
what the newspapers impolitely called his "Prayer Shop," and equally
well known in the City in connection with
his
efforts to obtain gold from sea-water, used telepathic suggestion in order to
induce the signing of cheques and
documents.
Before a visitor was expected for an interview, he would sit down and
concentrate upon him. So strong was
the
influence thus exerted that a man of my acquaintance threw up a post he held
under him because of the undue
mental
influence he felt was being exerted over himself, and another resigned off the
board of one of his companies for
the
same reason.
In
both these cases an adequate motive for the mental attack is not far to seek.
Compare these two cases with the
previous
one, and the difference can readily be perceived. We should, however, be just
as cautious in deciding there is
nothing
wrong as in accepting at their face value any statements that may be made to
us. Moreover, we should always
bear
in mind when dealing with a person who is obviously mentally unbalanced and who
alleges a psychic attack, that
the
mental unbalance may have been induced by the psychic attack. Life is a strange
thing at best, and many things that
are
stranger than usual can happen to those who move in occult circles.
CHAPTER
X
51 of
103?NON-OCCULT DANGERS OF THE BLACK LODGE
THE
facts considered in the previous chapter, though they should make us
exceedingly careful in weighing
evidence,
must not blind us to the fact that there are black sheep in every fold and that
a fraternity which
started
out with the best of intentions may quite inadvertently, through the ignorance
or imperfections of
its
leaders, begin to drift on to the Left-hand Path. Perfectly innocent people
enter it when it is in process
of
drifting but not yet avowedly black, and may find themselves in waters that are
unpleasantly dirty,
even
if not actually dangerous.
The
esoteric dangers will be studied in detail in the next chapter, but we may very
well consider in this place the
exoteric
dangers which may occur behind the Veil of the Temple, for human nature is much
the same wherever we
meet
it, and shows little originality in choosing its road to the Pit. It might be
thought that in such a book as this there
were
no need to touch upon these matters, but if this book is to serve the purpose
for which it is intended, it is
necessary
to do so for three reasons; firstly, because the greater proportion of the
students of esotericism are women,
and
even in these enlightened days they are usually ignorant of the life of the
underworld, and a Black Lodge leads by a
straight
and narrow way into the land of apaches and demimondaines, quite apart from its
other drawbacks. Secondly, a
knowledge
of these facts is essential for differential diagnosis. Thirdly, occult powers
are not infrequently used to
obtain
purely mundane ends, therefore when the question of ordinary criminality occurs
in connection with an occult
organisation,
the issue may be complicated by an admixture of methods that belong to another
plane.
We
must always remember that a lodge may not necessarily have been formed for the
express purpose of evading the
law;
it may have started with a perfectly legitimate end in view, and have been
exploited by evil-doers for their own
purposes,
for, owing to the secretive nature of its proceedings, the fraternity form of
organisation lends itself to various
forms
of law-breaking.
One
occult organisation is well known to have been involved in the drug traffic,
another is riddled with unnatural vice.
A
third degenerated into what was little better than a house of ill-fame, and its
head was an expert abortionist. Others
have
been involved in subversive politics. Those who join fraternities without
properly investigating them and the
credentials
of those who are running them may find themselves involved in any or all of
these things.
Behind
the veil of secrecy, guarded by impressive oaths, many things may happen, and
it is therefore essential to
inform
oneself most carefully concerning the character, credentials and record of the
leaders of an organisation.
If
these are not readily accessible, something is wrong. The Mysterious Stranger,
who has just arrived from the East or
the
Continent, both rather vague addresses, is probably a fraud.
If
difficulty is experienced in discovering the antecedents of an alleged adept,
enquiries could be made of the well-known
periodical,
Truth, of Carteret Street, S.W.I. Truth was originally founded to expose abuses
in financial and
public
life, and for this purpose keeps a "Black List" of individuals who
are better avoided. It is fair and fearless in its
methods,
neither a persecutor nor a respecter of persons. It keeps a watchful eye upon
the occult field and pillories
charlatans,
a task for which it should have the gratitude and support of all who have the
cause of the Wisdom Religion
at
heart.
The
commonest danger to which a person who gets into the company of undesirables is
exposed, is to be induced to
part
with more money than is convenient by the time- honoured expedients of either
swindling or blackmailing, the
latter
being by far the commonest form of unpleasantness in Black Lodges. The one and
only remedy in all such cases
is to
place the matter in the hands of the police. Firstly, it is your duty as a
citizen in order that others may not be
victimised
as you have been. Secondly, if you don't, your persecutors will not leave you
until they have sucked you
absolutely
dry, and not even then if they can still find a use for you as a catspaw. A
blackmailer is never got rid of by
giving
him money. It is merely an invitation to call again. Act quickly and firmly at
the outset and you will soon be at
52 of
103?the end of your troubles.
To
demand money with threats is blackmail, and to coerce to any course of action
by threats is also a crime. Any
arrangements
entered into, or documents signed in con sequence of threats are not binding.
Threats need not
necessarily
be gross and open, such as the pointing of a revolver; anything which coerces you
against your inclinations
may
be interpreted as a threat. For instance, supposing it were intimated to you,
however tactfully, that if you did not
subscribe
to the funds of an organisation, your interest in occultism would be liable to
be gossiped about, and possibly
involve
you in unpleasantness with your relatives, or your employers, this, in the eyes
of the law, would be blackmail.
Anything,
in fact, which plays upon a person's fears is a threat.
Let
us now consider what is the best thing to do if you are being threatened. It is
seldom wise to answer threat with
threat.
The best thing is to reply that you will think it over and see what can be
done, and then go straight to the nearest
police-station
and tell the whole story. You can be sure of the utmost courtesy and kindness,
and that every effort will
be
made to help you, even if you have to admit that you have not been wholely
blameless yourself. In coming to the
police
and telling them frankly the position of affairs you have, in popular language,
"turned King's evidence," and the
authorities
will go a long way to protect anyone who does this.
Do
not be deterred by the fact that you cannot bring forward any additional
testimony in support of your statement. The
police
may tell you that there is not sufficient evidence for them to apply for a
warrant; nevertheless, they will make
enquiries,
and the very fact that the police are making enquiries will be sufficient to
frighten black mailers out of their
wits
and probably out of the country, nor will they usually stop to make the
threatened disclosures en route, but will
"go
while the going is good." Moreover, your complaint will go on to the
police records, and a watch will be kept; in
due
course another complaint may be made, or, for all you know, may already have
been made, and then the net begins
to
tighten.
Always
remember that the blackmailer has a great deal more to fear from exposure than
you have; for whatever
unpleasantness
may be in store for you, he has to look forward to a long term of penal servitude,
and possibly the
dreaded
"cat" if the case is a bad one. A timely reminder of this fact works
wonders with prospective blackmailers.
Nor
need the fear of exposure of your own shortcomings deter you. The nature of the
charges brought against you by
the
blackmailer will never be mentioned. It is not you who are being tried. Neither
will your identity be disclosed. You
will
be referred to as Mr. A. or Mrs. B. Far from being treated as an evil-doer or
having the finger of scorn pointed at
you,
you will find that you are looked upon as a person who is performing a public
service and every effort will be
made
by those in authority to smooth your path. A determined effort is being made at
the present time to stamp out this
abominable
crime, and judges are giving exemplary sentences and protecting prosecutors in
every way in order to
encourage
them to come forward.
But
quite apart from any form of coercion, unwary persons may, while filled with
enthusiasm or glamoured by the new
revelation,
part with considerably more money than they can comfortably spare; they may
even literally lay their all
upon
the altar, and then, disillusioned by subsequent events, greatly regret having
done so. In many such cases a
competent
solicitor can secure a refund. The courts do not look with favour on excessive
contributions to "movements."
It
goes without saying, that no rightly conducted organisation would consent to
augment its funds at the expense of the
ruin
of one of its members. It must, of course, equally protect itself against
capriciousness and spite and the
machinations
of the kind of mentality that tries to buy influence by subscriptions. It has
always been our custom, in the
Fraternity
of the Inner Light, to insist that any woman who proposes to give a large
donation should consult her
financial
adviser before doing so. For one reason or another we have refused upwards of
twenty-five thousand pounds
during
the last seven years. Nor have we had any reason at regret having done so. The
strength of an occult
organisation
does not lie upon the physical plane.
It is
well known that there are various drugs which can be used to exalt
consciousness and induce a temporary
psychism.
It may not be equally well known that most of these substances come under the
regulations of the Dangerous
Drugs
Act, and that to obtain them from irregular sources, or even to be found in
possession of them save for a
legitimate
purpose, is to render oneself liable to prosecution, and in this case too the
authorities are exceedingly alert
53 of
103?and the magistrates exceedingly drastic.
All
initiates of the Right-hand Path agree in declaring that to exalt consciousness
by means of drugs is a dangerous and
undesirable
proceeding. There may be research workers who for legitimate reasons wish to
undertake experiments, but
I
cannot conceive of any legitimate reason for introducing a neophyte to the drug
habit. In any case, if such experiments
are
undertaken, they should be conducted under the supervision of a qualified
medical practitioner who will be in a
position
to prevent catastrophe or deal with it should it arise. The drugs that alter
consciousness also affect the heart,
and
hearts are not always all they should be. More over, the composition of rare
drugs is not standardised and varies
enormously;
they are liable to contain various impurities, and samples may turn out to be
unusually toxic. The
unpleasantness
of having upon one's hands an unexpected and unaccountable corpse is only
exceeded by the
unpleasantness
of becoming the corpse oneself, either of which eventualities may happen when
people begin to
experiment
with the drugs that "unloose the girders of the mind."
The
morals of mankind in general leave much to be desired from the point of view of
the purist, and the occult
organisations,
occupying as they do, the sea-coast of Bohemia, leave more than usual. A few of
the best, maintaining
that
occultism is essentially a religion, uphold a high standard; the remainder are
blest with a kaleidoscopic collection
of
soul-mates. This need not concern us here. If people choose to kick over Mrs.
Grundy's apron-strings, that is their
affair.
Nor need we at the moment consider the occult abuses of sex-force, which will
require detailed consideration in
their
proper place. All we need consider in this chapter is the purely normal form of
loose living which is camouflaged
under
a pretence of occultism. Of this I have seen numerous cases. The head of one
group systematically seduced his
pupils
under the pretext that it was part of their initiation, and the group accepted
the situation in a spirit of the purest
self-sacrifice.
Several others sailed unpleasantly near the wind, with the result that
"crushes" and the subsequent
nervous
breakdowns were very prevalent. It ought hardly to be necessary to say that
such methods form no part of the
Right-hand
Path.
It is
amazing to what an extent women of the highest ideals and of good family and
wide culture can be induced to
accept
such theories and practices. The danger of membership of such a group to young
girls or unsophisticated women
can
readily be imagined.
I
have often been accused of being narrow-minded in my attitude towards groups in
which such happenings are
allowed
to go on, but the cost in human suffering is so great and the general
demoralisation so sordid that tolerance
comes
perilously near to cynicism.
It
may not generally be realised, but there is just as much danger of corruption
in a Black Lodge for boys and youths as
there
is for women. There have been a number of cases so flagrant that the police
have intervened, both here and
abroad.
In
ancient times, and among primitive peoples, human sacrifice was a common
incident in connection with occult
practices.
It is not unknown in Eastern Europe even at the present day. The nursery story
of Bluebeard has its origin in
the
practices of the infamous Gilles de Rais, Marshal of France and comrade of Joan
of Arc, who slaughtered
innumerable
children and youths in connection with his magical experiments. I have never
heard of a case in England,
but
there have been at various times some curious killings reported from the United
States which look suspiciously like
ritual
murders, but in the absence of adequate information it is impossible to come to
a final conclusion upon them.
There
recently came into my hands, however, a book upon magic published for private
circulation, in which the
statement
is made that the ideal blood sacrifice is a male child.
The
charge of revolutionary activities is one that has been frequently made against
the occult movement. There are
certain
things, however, which must be borne in mind when assessing the truth of this
charge. Firstly, the occult
movement
is not a homogeneous whole. It is totally unorganised and unregulated, and may
best be likened to the state
of
England before the Norman Conquest. Conditions in the various groups and
associations vary widely, and what is
true
of one may not be true of another. There can be no doubt whatsoever that
various organisations at various times
have
been implicated in politics, as witness the Theosophical Society's association
with Indian political movements; but
we
must bear in mind that one generation's revolutionaries are the next
generation's reactionaries. After all, politics are
a
matter of opinion, and even the people we disagree with may turn out to be
right in the end. I, personally, am of the
opinion
that an occult fraternity is extremely ill-advised to concern itself with
politics for reasons which I have stated in
54 of
103?another of my books, Sane Occultism, and which I will not enter upon now,
as they are not relevant to these pages. But
as
folk from time immemorial have banded themselves together for political action
we cannot very well take exception
to
what the law permits. People who join an organisation established for political
work join it with their eyes open and
presumably
for the purposes for which it was founded. Grounds for objection arise,
however, when an organisation is
founded
for non political pursuits and subsequently the leaders, without consulting, or
even informing their supporters,
take
up political activities on their own account and use their organisation for the
purpose, thus involving their
followers
without their consent in whatever complications may arise, and using money
contributed for a specific
purpose
for ends other than the donors had in view.
It
may be wondered what use, at the present day, revolutionaries could make of the
occult organisations. Within my
personal
knowledge they have used, or attempted to use them, for the purpose of getting
letters to people whose
correspondence
is being watched, and I myself once received a request to allow a person who
had been deported to
return
to the country under an assumed name and reside in one of our community houses
as a member, and was offered
some
hundreds of pounds for so doing. Needless to say, the correspondence was sent
straight to the authorities.
The
problems which we have considered in this chapter are not peculiar to occult
fraternities, but are common to any
organisation
which does not discriminate as to its members. The organisations which
advertise must perforce take all
comers
and sort them out in the light of subsequent experience, and some of these
experiences can be very queer
indeed.
One cannot blame an organisation that picks up an occasional black sheep, one
only takes exception if it retains
an
accumulation of them.
A
lodge of dubious whiteness can be readily recognised by the type of people who
belong to it, who may best be
described
as the seedy adventurer type with a sprinkling of smart society folk who often
have a taste for crude flavours
in
the way of sensation. The really Black Lodges are as carefully guarded as the
high-grade White Lodges, and no
outsider
can gain entrance to them. The serious student of Black Occultism is out for
knowledge and magical
experiment
and he is not going to waste his time on a tyro. Those who choose to graduate
into a Black Lodge after
serving
their apprenticeship in the Outer Court of a White Lodge do so with their eyes
open, and experience must be
their
teacher. One cannot feel that they deserve much sympathy if the experience is a
painful one. The person I am out
to
help is the person who is a victim, not the one who is hoist with his own
petard. The man or woman who, rejecting
the
steady grade of the Way of Initiation, chooses to go up with rocket had better
come down with the stick.
Any
request for a large sum of money should always be regarded as a danger signal.
It is one of the strictest conditions
of
initiation that occult knowledge may never be sold or used for gain. I know of
an occultist who charges Ł300 for one
of
the initiations he confers; and he will give it to anyone who has got Ł300. In
my opinion, the person who pays out
Ł300
for such a purpose deserves the kind of initiation he is going to get.
It is
also a bad sign when an occultist makes free with signs and wonders before the
uninitiated. No genuine adept ever
does
this. The person who reads your past incarnations, describes your aura, rolls
up his eyes, twitches, and gives you a
message
from your Master as soon as he is introduced, is a person to be avoided.
The
more I see of the occult movement, the more I am amazed at the things people
can say and do and "get away with."
The
average person is out of his depth when he deals with psychic matters. He
usually goes through three phases.
Firstly,
he thinks it is all superstition and fraud. Secondly, his scepticism being
breached, he will believe anything.
Thirdly,
if he ever gets as far as thirdly, he learns discrimination, and distinguishes
between the Black Fraternities, the
White
Fraternities and Fatuous Fraternities.
CHAPTER
XI
55 of
103?THE PSYCHIC ELEMENT IN MENTAL DISTURBANCE
W E
have seen in a previous Chapter that nervous and mental disorders can simulate
a psychic attack, especially
if the
subject is familiar with the terminology of occultism. We must also consider
the part played by psychic attack in
nervous
and mental disorders. But before we can embark upon this section of our
studies, we must give a brief
explanation
of the nature of nervous and mental disturbances and the distinction between
them. We will not go into
academic
considerations, for these pages are not written for the orthodox professional
psychologist, who has an
abundance
of textbooks at his disposal, but for the person whose interest is primarily in
occult matters, and who comes
to
the study of the subject unequipped with the technicalities of psychology and
psycho-physiology, two sciences of
which
at least a working knowledge is exceedingly necessary in the pursuit of practical
occultism.
In
the course of an incarnation the mind is built up on the foundations of the
traits of the Higher Self, or Individuality,
which
is the immortal soul that develops in the course of an evolution. The mind,
therefore, is part of the personality -the
unit
of incarnation - commencing at birth and dissolving at death, its essence being
absorbed by the individuality,
which
evolves thereby.
[Note
for clarification from the Editor/Arranger of this html document: The
Personality is the ego or external identity
and
ordinary consciousness of a person, and the Individuality is the Higher-self,
H.G.A., or spiritual component of a
person.]
The
mind is essentially the organ of adaptation to the environment, and it is when
that adaptation fails that neurotic and
hysterical
troubles begin. Each living creature is the channel for a current of life-force
which proceeds from the Logos,
the
Creator of this universe. This current is divided into three main channels
represented to us as the three great natural
instincts,
Self-preservation, Reproduction, and the Social Instinct. These are the
mainsprings of our lives. The pressure
of
Life itself is behind them, and if they are thwarted beyond their power of
compensation (considerable as that is), they
are
like streams whose channels are blocked, and which in consequence overflow and
make a morass of the adjacent
land.
Emotion
is the subjective aspect of an instinct. That is to say, when an instinct is at
work, we feel emotion. Every
emotion
we feel can be referred to one or other of the instincts. Our resentment of a
slur upon our dignity has its roots
in
the instinct of Self-preservation. Our love of art has its roots in the
instinct of love, beauty and creative expression
which,
upon its lowest arc, is called sex. Each of these instincts has its high
spiritual aspect and its elemental physical
aspect,
and transmution from one plane to another takes place freely, so that unless we
understand the significance of
these
manifestations we shall be misled. In their understanding is the key to the
science of life.
If
one of these great instincts is so thwarted that all attempts at compensation
break down; or if the temperament is so
inelastic
and unaccommodating that it will not modify its demands, the ego makes a final
desperate attempt at
adjustment
which goes outside the limits within which harmonious relations with the
environment can be maintained.
Communications
with the environment break down, and the mind has, in part at least, quitted
the sphere of reality for
the
sphere of imagination. The sense of fixed values is lost, and things assume a
symbolic importance. This breakdown
may
be partial, relating to certain aspects of the life only, or it may be total.
In
hysteria, the dammed-up forces of life remain in the channel, but spurt with
concentrated force through any sluice
that
may be opened to them. Consequently, instead of the river below the obstruction
being a smooth-flowing body of
water,
it descends in rapids and whirlpools difficult and dangerous to navigate, so
that the barque of life makes
shipwreck
therein. The surrounding country, too, is reduced to a morass, neither land nor
water. In other words, the
temperament
becomes tempestuous and unduly emotional, and the non-emotional factors of the
mind, such as judgment
and
self-control, are demoralised. Such a temperament must of necessity be
perpetually in difficulties with life, and
periodically
the repressed emotions boil over in fits of screaming, crying and convulsive
muscular movements, which
act
as safety-valves and relieve the pressure temporarily.
56 of
103?The neurotic differs from the hysteric in certain well-marked ways which
need to be carefully borne in mind, as they
are
very important from the practical standpoint. The troubles of the neurotic
start in the same way as those of the
hysteric,
being due to repressed emotion and failure to adapt to environment; but in his
case, the life-forces set to work
to
cut fresh channels for themselves that shall circumvent the obstacle which
blocks their path. Consequently we get
what
the psychologist calls displacement of emotion. Some comparatively innocuous
matter becomes the object of an
outpouring
of emotion which in no way concerns it, for it has been made a substitute for
something else. It is this
curious
underground tracking of emotion in the mind which causes so much trouble, for
the sufferer is not insane, and
yet
certain sections of his values and reactions to life are perverted. He is an
extremely tricky person to deal with
because
he is given to unexpected and quite irrational loves and hates and fears, and
acts accordingly.
Similar
conditions prevail in the organic insanities; the psychological results are the
same, but because the origin is
physical,
not mental, they are but little amenable to psychotherapy. Certain things can
be done to alleviate them,
however,
even if they are not entirely curable; therefore let us consider them from both
the psycho-physical and occult
standpoints.
The
body is the vehicle of the mind. If the vehicle be faulty, the mind cannot
express itself accurately; its reactions will
be
distorted. Orthodox science says that the brain is the organ of the mind, but
esoteric science says the brain is the
organ
of perception of sense impressions and co-ordination of efferent impulses. It
is the telephone exchange of the
nervous
system. It is only one of the points where mind touches body, the others being
the ductless glands of the
endocrine
system, the pineal, pituitary, thyroid, adrenals, thymus and gonads; to which
may be added the Solar Plexus
and
Sacral Plexus. The student of Tantric physiology will be very dull if he has
not observed that the Chakras coincide
in
their physical location with the endocrine organs.
Now
the endocrines have for their task the maintenance of the chemical composition
of the blood. They pour into it
their
secretions, called hormones, in certain balanced proportions. If the balance is
in any way upset, either by an
overplus
of one secretion or shortage of another, profound changes in metabolism take
place. The whole of the life
processes
are regulated by the endocrines, and can be speeded up or slowed down in their
different aspects as the
balance
of the endocrines alters. This endocrine balance is known by physiologists to
be intimately associated with
emotional
states, and especially with the alertness or stolidity of the temperament.
Psychologists do not sufficiently
appreciate
the importance of the recent work upon the endocrines, but occultists have a
knowledge of this aspect of
psycho-physiology
as part of their traditional teaching. The breathing exercises of the yoga
system are based upon this
knowledge,
and are exceedingly potent, as are all occult practices which are brought
through correctly to the physical
plane.
In fact, we may say that no occult process is really potent, nor can it be said
to have completed its circuit, unless
it
has its point of contact with dense matter; a point which many occultists leave
out of their calculations. Occultism,
though
primarily a mental process, is not a purely mental process. It is both
spiritual and material.
In
the great majority of cases of insanity, organic brain changes cannot be
demonstrated, but alienists are more and
more
coming to recognise that they may look for the lues of Hecate in the blood. Its
chemical composition may depart
from
normal, whether owing to a change in the hormone balance or to the by-products
of disease. This change in the
blood
chemistry is immediately followed by a change in the emotional tone. It may
become over-emotional or
depressed,
apathetic or irritable. The ancients described these conditions admirably as
the four humours, the sanguine,
the
bilious, the limphatic and the choleric.
It
has been abundantly demonstrated by physiologists that emotional states affect
the chemical composition of the
blood.
It is gradually being realised that these changes are brought about through the
mediation of the ductless glands,
which
may be called the emotional brain, just as the grey matter within the skull may
be called the sensory-motor brain.
It
follows, therefore, that if through some interference with their functioning
the glands produce a blood-composition
corresponding
to that produced by them when a particular emotional state is giving its
special stimulus, the individual
will
experience the physical sensations associated with the corresponding emotional
state. His mind will proceed to
adjust
itself to these conditions by accounting for them through the imagination as
best it may. So that if there is a state
of
the blood characteristic of the condition of fear, fear-images will arise in
the mind. It is upon this basis that the
organic
insanities produce their characteristic mental states.
Whether
the emotional state be due to a mental cause or a physical cause, the result is
the same for the patient. Organic
insanities
are distinguished from functional ones solely by their origin. An organic
insanity tends to depart further from
the
normal than a functional nervous disorder, because in the latter a considerable
degree of compensation takes place,
for
the patient can to a great extent pull himself together and keep himself from
going to disastrous extremes. This is
57 of
103?not the case with an organic insanity, which proceeds to its logical
conclusion. It is for this reason that a neurotic,
although
he may suffer severely, seldom has a complete breakdown unless he is sure of
the necessities of life. The
self-preservation
instinct keeps him on his feet.
Having
considered the physical and subjective bases of mental disturbances, we are now
in a position to assess
accurately
the part played by the Unseen. What happens when a neurotic takes up occultism?
We can best answer this
question
by considering what happens when a normal person takes up occultism. He learns
for the first time of the
existence
of the Invisible Worlds and begins to think about them. Immediately he does
this he comes into touch with
them.
At first he may not be able to perceive them consciously; nevertheless he is
feeling them subconsciously and they
are
affecting him. His life shows this to the close observer in a thousand ways.
There
are great forces moving like currents in the Unseen and we are drawn into these
according to our temperamental
affinity
for them. The violent personality is drawn into the Current of Mars, the emotional,
suggestible one into the
sphere
of Luna. The influences of these spheres play upon them. Now the occultist
working under a proper system,
knowing
that he has got to meet these forces sooner or later, picks them up one by one
voluntarily and by means of the
appropriate
rituals, and synthesises them within his own nature. He knows too that each
aspect has its obverse. The
Virgin
Mary is reflected in Lilith. The older faiths knew this, but popular
Christianity, which has no roots in tradition,
has
forgotten it. Protestant Christianity threw away its occult aspect at the
Reformation. All the pagan pantheons have
gross
aspects of divinities as well as etherial ones. We need to search the
refuse-heap of history for the lost parts of our
own
tradition if our faith is to be complete, and the most profitable line of
search is in the Qabalah and the Gnostic
literature.
The literature of the Gnosis has been largely destroyed by systematic
persecution, but in the Qabalah there is
still
left us a complete system. The Jews, being strictly monotheistic, did not speak
of gods, but they recognised a
hierarchy
of angels and archangels which is the equivalent of the pagan pantheons. It is
through these etherial
messengers
that the All-Father formed the worlds.
Let
us consider once more the Qabalistic doctrine of the Qlippoth, for it has an
intimate bearing upon the problem of
insanity.
The doctrine of the Ten Holy Sephiroth, arranged in their correct pattern to
form the Tree of Life, is
invaluable
in enabling us to conceive the Invisible. The First Sephira is concentrated out
of the Unmanifest, the Point
within
the Circle. This emanates the Second, which in its turn emanates the Third. As
soon as one has emanated
another,
these two are said to be equilibrated; but when emanation is in process, there
is a period of unbalanced force.
This,
as it were, goes off by itself in the Cosmos and establishes a sphere of its
own, unconnected with the Cosmic
system.
Consequently, each sphere of the Cosmos has its counterpart in Chaos, in
miniature, it is true, but nevertheless
potent
and functional.
Each
sphere, in the course of its evolution, builds up an Oversoul which is called
by different names in different
systems.
In the Qabalistic system we call them the Archangels, the Spirits before the
Throne. The Sphere of the Sun is
represented
by Raphael, the Sphere of the Moon by Gabriel. The Obverse Sephiroth, or
Qlippoth, build up in exactly
the
same way. In the Habitations of Hell these two are known as the Disputers and
the Obscene Ones, whose names
sufficiently
indicate their characters. The Sphere of the Sun is also the point of
manifestation of the Messiah or Saviour
upon
earth. The Prince of Peace has His obverse in the Disputers. Who that has had
the Vision Beautiful does not
know
the reaction that follows it, and the need of wisdom, self-control and patience
to deal with the forces that are
released
not only in the soul but in the environment? It is for this reason that periods
of purgation and discipline
precede
all revelations. We must keep the vigil before we can sit at the feast.
Consciousness,
released from the Sphere of Earth, rises straight upwards to the Sphere of the
Moon. This is the
negative,
feminine, receptive, psychic sphere. From thence it passes onwards to the Sphere
of the Sun. This is the
positive,
masculine sphere of the higher consciousness, the vision of the seer as
distinguished from the psychic. Upon
either
hand the path is flanked by the Spheres of Hermetic Wisdom and Elemental
Beauty.
These
Spheres, which have to do with the grades of initiation, need not concern us in
the present pages. We shall only
have
to do with the Sphere of the Moon, Luna, the Mistress of the Luna-tic. Now Luna
was represented by the ancients
under
diverse forms as Diana the chaste huntress, symbol of sublimation, and Hecate,
patroness of witchcraft and
childbirth.
We have already noted that the Qlippoth of the Sphere of Luna are called the
Obscene Ones. Hence it is that
when
the unstable soul advances by the Path of Saturn that bridges the Astral and
enters the Sphere of Luna, he touches
her
Hecate aspect and finds himself en rappart with the Gamaliel, the Obscene Ones,
whose chief is Lilith, she who
giveth
lustful dreams. Need we then wonder that Freud finds the dreams of the neurotic
filled with sexual images in
their
most perverted and debased forms? The Rabbis knew their psychology just as well
as he does.
58 of
103?As has already been noted, the neurotic is very often psychic, and the
psychic is very often neurotic. What may we
expect
to happen to the soul that has taken initiation in a past life, retains
subconsciously the psychic development thus
conferred,
and finds itself incarnated in a neurotic personality in this life? He will
come under the dark dominion of the
Moon,
and Lilith will be his mistress. Through the ill-fitting doors of the neurotic
temperament the forces of the Abyss
find
ingress. The dissociated complexes of the Microcosm are reinforced by the
dissociated complexes of the
Macrocosm,
for that is precisely what the Qlippoth are.
Occultists
and their ignorant admirers, the superstitious, have always held that insanity
had to do with demonic
possession.
Modern medicine disputes this, and declares the various manifestations of the
diseased mind to be due
entirely
to subjective psychological processes. At present these two schools of thought
are like two armed camps,
drawn
up for battle and shaking their weapons at each other. Each is too sure of his
own ground to be willing to give
the
other a hearing. It is my belief that a common ground can be found for the
meeting of these two opposing
view-points.
Psychology demonstrates the mechanism of the mind and can explain the mental
processes whereby the
ideas
of the deranged assume their ultimate form. It can show the connection between
these ideas and the dreams of the
normal
mentality. What it cannot explain is the fundamental difference between these
subjective states and the normal
waking
consciousness. It is here that the occultist can tell the psychologist
something that it is worth his while to hear,
for
he can show how these visions can be produced experimentally and at will by
means of ceremonial magic. And still
more
important, the occultist can show him how these visions can be dispersed and
the psychic faculties closed down
and
sealed.
This
brings us to the practical part of our considerations: How far can the methods
of ritual magic be applied to the
relief
of mental disease? They are undoubtedly palliative, but they will not produce a
permanent cure unless the origin
of
the disturbed mental condition is found and cleared up. Unless this be done, as
fast as we disperse the phantoms,
they
will re-form, because the mental state of the patient is invoking them. Under
such circumstances, no magic circle
can
be kept intact. As fast as we break the rapport with the Abyss, the patient
renews it.
But
such conditions constitute a vicious circle. The Qlippotic forces with which a
contact has been established will
actively
develop it, and will hold on to their victim when attempts are made to dislodge
them. In this rationalistic age
we
are apt to forget that there is such a thing as organised and intelligent evil.
If the physical causes of this disturbance
have
been cleared up, the septic focus eradicated, or the tumour pressing upon the
ductless gland excised, and still the
mentality
does not return to normal, an exorcism will often produce immediate and marked
results.
In
the case of the neurotic, whose trouble is entirely in the sphere of the mind,
an exorcism is of enormous value as a
preliminary
to the appropriate psycho-therapeutic treatment because it clears the ground
and prevents re-infection,
giving
the patient a chance to make a fresh start. It is possible for the Qlippotic
demons to gain so powerful a hypnotic
influence
over a victim that he is powerless to break it by any effort of his own will,
nor can the orthodox type of
psycho-therapy
touch the root of the trouble. The exorcism may have to be repeated two or
three times in the course of
the
treatment, because the rapports may be renewed after they have been broken. But
once the patient's complexes have
been
cleared up, they will not return. In any case, an exorcism produces marked
temporary benefit; during the lull the
patient
gets a chance to pull himself together and the evil influences are undermined.
A courageous patient, who is
co-operating
intelligently, will seldom have to be exorcised more than three times provided
material conditions are
favourable.
I have seen cases cleared by a single exorcism, and remaining well indefinitely
so long as the patient
obeyed
instructions and had nothing whatever to do with the Unseen, neither reading
books upon occultism nor
associating
with people who were interested in such subjects; and I have also seen the
Abyss re-establish its influence
when
the patient disobeyed instructions and re-awakened the old vibrations.
We
need to realise that the human consciousness is not a closed vessel, but like
the body, has a continual intake and
output.
The cosmic forces are circulating through it all the time, like sea-water
through a living sponge. Whatever
emotional
state may arise within us is reinforced from outside. The subjective self only
has the kindling, the Cosmos
supplies
the fuel. Once the fire is started, the cosmic forces of the appropriate type
will stoke it. Just as the devout
Catholic
is inspired by the influences of his patron saint, invoked by prayer, so the
neurotic is hag-ridden by his
obsessive
demon, invoked by the morbid broodings of the dissociated subconsciousness. The
occultist maintains that
the
generalised principle of evil has its intelligent channels, just as the
organised Principle of Good has Its ministering
spirits.
Any observer who considers the phenomena of mental disturbance will find much
to support this hypothesis.
59 of
103?The question of obsession is an exceedingly important one. The word is used
very freely in occult circles, and is held to
mean
the withdrawal of a soul from its body and its replacement by another soul, but
I doubt whether this is a true
representation
of what happens. It has always appeared to me that in obsession we have not got
the actual replacement
of
one soul by another, but the complete domination of one soul by another. It is
a hypnotic domination, and we can
explain
it in terms of the known psychology of hypnosis, the hypnotist in the case
being an astral entity.
There
is an operation in magic known as "assuming the god-form," in which
the operator identifies himself in
imagination
with the god and so becomes a channel for its power. It is one of the special
modes of Egyptian magic
wherein
the priest always wore a mask to represent the animal head symbolically
attributed to the god he represented.
This
imaginative identification is a method well known in occultism and is often employed
in order to enter into the
inner
life of a plant or a crystal as a mental exercise. The effects of it are very
marked and very peculiar. I am inclined
to
think that it is this method, combined with hypnosis, which is used by the
obsessing entity, which first identifies
itself
with its victim and then superimposes its own personality upon his, thus
obtaining a vehicle of manifestation. I am
also
of the opinion, however, that it is only in certain abnormal states, whether
induced by disease of mind or body, or
by
some of the more drastic operations of black magic, that this imposition can
take place.
PART
III
THE
DIAGNOSIS OF A PSYCHIC ATTACK
CHAPTER
XII
METHODS
EMPLOYED IN MAKING A PSYCHIC ATTACK
ANYONE
who reads the old books on witchcraft, usually compiled by the professional
witch-finders from the
confessions
of alleged witches extorted under torture, will find that the phenomena
described fall into certain broad
categories
which are so constant in (lifferent ages and in different parts of the world that
we are left with the impression
that
there must be some fire behind so much smoke. The State records of witch-trials
in Scotland, the reports of a priest
charged
with the task of extirpating witchcraft in Northern Italy, the archives of
Brittany, the stories of magic in
classical
literature, and finally, travellers' accounts of the practices of primitive
people all over the world, all
corroborate
each other, agreeing as to the phenomena described, the explanations given by
the witches of their
methods,
and the broad divisions into which the phenomena fall.
We
must first take account of the use of drugs, of which the Black Fraternity in
all ages have possessed a remarkable
knowledge.
Potions, unguents and fumigations were used extensively, and among all the
weird and wonderful
ingredients
of which they were composed we now and again find substances which are known to
be medicinally potent.
The
poppy which gives sleep and dreams, hemp which gives visions, datura which
produces loss of memory, blighted
grains
which produce abortion, certain insects which are powerfully aphrodisiac,
certain barks which are effectually
anaphrodisiac,
and, in the New World, the buds of a certain cactus—all these and
many others play their part in
the
witchbrews. Paracelsus earned fame by turning some of the traditional magical
brews to medicinal purposes. The
Borgias
earned infamy by employing them as subtle poisons which destroyed the mind
without necessarily destroying
the
body. It is related that the Roman philos opher Lucretius was driven insane by
a magical draught given him by his
wife
in order to restore to her his lost affections. There exist old recipes for
witch-unguents which contain opium and
cantharides.
It is not difficult to imagine what manner of dreams would come in the sleep
thus induced. C. S. Ollivier,
60 of
103?in his recent book, Analysis of Magic and Witchcraft, gives it as his
opinion that attendance at the Sabbat was often
achieved
by means of drug-induced dreams.
Subtle
poisons also undoubtedly play a part in the effectiveness of curses, a
favourite method being to make a talisman
of
brass, copper or lead, and fasten it incon spicuously at the bottom of a
drinking vessel or cooking pot. What effect
the
talisman had is conjectural, but there is no doubt at all about the effect of
the steady dissolving of small quantities
of
lead and verdigris in the food.
But
while all these things were a part, and a considerable part, of the witch-cult,
they cannot, strictly speaking, be
considered
a psychic method of attack, and we only refer to them in these pages in order
that their effects may be
excluded
from the diagnosis.
There
are three factors in a psychic attack, any or all of which may be employed in a
given instance. The first of these
is
telepathic hypnotic suggestion. The second is the reinforcement of the
suggestion by the invocation of certain
invisible
agencies. The third is the employment of some physical substance as a point
d'appui, point of contact, or
magnetic
link. The force employed may be used as direct current, transmitted by the
mental concentration of the
operator,
or it may be reserved in a kind of psychic storage battery, which may be either
an artificial elemental or a
talisman.
In
Chapter II we have considered in some detail the psychology of suggestion, and
need not repeat what has already
been
said, save to remind the reader that the essence of telepathy consists in the
sympathetic induction of vibra tion.
Experimental
psychologists are already suspecting that emotion is closely akin to electricity;
they have proved
conclusively
that emotional states alter the electrical con ductivity of the body. The
occultist believes that emotion is a
force
of an electrical type, and that in the case of the ordinary man it radiates out
from him in all directions, forming a
magnetic
field; but in the case of the trained occultist it can be concentrated into a
beam and directed. Supposing you
are
able to concentrate your whole attention upon a single feeling, inhibiting all
else, you will have achieved a pure
emotional
state, unadulterated and undiluted. All the life-force coming into your soul
will therefore flow in this single
subdivision
of a single channel instead of in the many ramifications of the usual three
channels previously referred to.
The
concentration will be terrific, but it will only be achieved at a terrific
price. It is in order to achieve this terrible
concentration
that the saints of the West and the yogis of the East practise a torturing
asceticism. You must sell all that
you
possess in order to purchase this pearl of great price, and an echo of the
method lingers in the fairy-tale tradition
that
the person who finds the lucky stone can only have one wish. Such a
concentration is good for one purpose, and
one
purpose only. We can concentrate on a healing, or on a destruction, but we
cannot work at both simultaneously;
neither
can we readily change over from one to the other. We cannot com bine
incompatibles within the limits of a
single
life. That is to say, if we have concentrated on a work of malediction and
death in order to achieve an act of
revenge,
our rage being satiated, we cannot immediately reverse the spin of the soul and
reconcentrate upon works of
wisdom
and redemption. We may liken the soul moving with the tide of evolution to a
wheel spinning clockwise, or
deosil;
and a soul moving against the tide of evolution to a wheel spinning counter
clockwise, or widdershins. The
position
of the axle can be altered so that the wheel revolves at any angle without the
direction of its revolution being
effected,
but the flywheel has to be stopped before the engine can be reversed, and a big
flywheel takes a great deal of
stopping.
Moreover, in order to reverse the flywheel, we have to stop the engine. The
normal movement of the soul is
deosil,
forward with the current of evolution. We need to think many times before we
undertake to reverse that spin
even
momentarily, in order to undertake a work of malediction and death. The old
saying, "There is the devil to pay," is
a
true one. Indeed, it is questionable whether there is such a thing as a momen
tary reversal of spin. Momentum has to
be
checked and worked up again before reversal of spin can take place.
Very
great forces can be developed by this subjective concentration of the mind
itself, but even greater forces can be
rendered
available if we apply the mechanical equivalent of gearing; if, in other words,
while this tre mendous
concentration
is being held, we pick up the contacts of the corresponding cosmic force. We
use the powers of the
human
mind as a self-starter, and as soon as its lesser driving- wheel is flying
round merrily, we throw in the clutch of
the
main engine. There is a brief period of struggle as the little machine forces
over the reluctant levers of the great
machine,
then the vapour fires and the engine takes up its work. After that it is only a
matter of engaging the gears and
driving
- if you can! So it is with ceremonial magic.
Let
us consider a concrete case of someone who wants to avail himself of a fighting
force. He would have recourse to a
ceremony
of the planet Mars. He would therefore gather together in his temple all that
was appropriate to Mars. He
would
drape his altar with a scarlet cloth; he would himself wear a scarlet robe. All
his magical implements would be
61 of
103?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 incom
patibles
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.
For instance, a small animal may be baptised with the victim's name, and then
immolated, usually with torture,
the
operator meanwhile concentrating upon the personality of the original. The old
device of making a wax image and
melting
it before a fire, or driving nails into a wooden statue, baptised with the name
of the victim, are frequently met
with
in the records of witch-trials. The actual driving of the nail has no
conceivable effect upon the victim, but it helps
the
concentration of the operator.
The
talismanic method in various forms is also employed. A talisman is a symbol
representing a certain force, or
combination
of forces, depicted upon a suitable substance and magnetised by ritual. It can
be made from anything
which
will retain magnetism; metals, precious stones or parchment are usually
employed; paper is less effective unless
it be
enclosed in a metal case. Water and oil can be effectually magnetised but soon
lose their potency. A talisman is
made
by invoking the requisite force, as already described, and then concentrating
it upon the prepared object, which is
placed
ready upon the altar before the evocation begins.
A
talisman thus made has next to be brought into the magnetic sphere of the
victim. It is related that Lady Burton,
anxious
to convert her free-thinking husband, the famous Sir Richard Burton, the great
explorer, used to get her priest
to
bless little statues of the saints and put them in the pockets of his clothes.
A similar device is used by the workers of
black
occultism. Magnetised objects are placed in the rooms habitually occupied by
the victim, or buried in his path, so
that
he must pass over them frequently. These talismans of evil not only work by
their own power, but also serve the
sorcerer
as a point of concentration for his meditations.
Harmful
effects are also produced by objects which have been used in black magic and
have become impregnated with
62 of
103?the forces they were employed in generating. Odds and ends of magical
equipment turn up in some queer places. I was
present
at an auction in a country town when the twelve signs of the Zodiac, neatly
painted on a blackboard, came up
for
sale. Various of my friends have picked up magical treasures, such as altar
lamps and incense burners that
obviously
came out of ritual lodges, but the prize of the collection was a magical rod
that was put up to auction along
with
a bundle of fire-irons. Large crystals for scrying are frequently seen in
antique shops. All such things need
carefully
de-magnetising before they are brought into one's psychic sphere.
I was
taking part at one time in a series of psychic experi ments which had been
going on very well, when, for no
apparent
reason, things went wrong and there was a con siderable upheaval. We did not
know at the time, but we learnt
later,
that the owner of the flat where they were being held had obtained possession
of a floor-cloth that had been used
in
ritual magic by an occultist whom only the utmost leniency could call doubtful.
The
artificial elemental is really the basis of the efficacy of curses. in this
case no physical substance is employed, but a
portion
of the Akasha is moulded into a definite form and held thus by the will of the
operator until, as it were, it "sets."
Into
this mould is poured the concentrated energy of the operator, something of his
own self goes into it. This is its
soul,
and it is like a self-steering torpedo which is set to move in a curve towards
a chosen mark. Or the operator, if an
expert
magician, may deliberately ensoul this thought-form with elemental essence,
which is the raw, undifferentiated
substance
of life drawn from one or another of the elemental kingdoms. It is in order to
do this that the curse is invoked
in
the name of some being. The curser declares, "I curse you by so and
so." This is the form of evocation which calls
the
ensouling essence into the thought- form, thus making an artificial elemental
which is endowed with an
independent
life of its own.
If we
want to know something of the efficacy of curses, we have only to consider the
record of the men who were
connected
with the opening of the famous Tut-ankh-amen tomb. There are many other cases
equally well authenticated.
One
can become exposed to occult unpleasantness either by thwarting or in some
other way falling foul of an un
scrupulous
occultist, or by getting oneself involved with a dubious occult fraternity. In
the case of a quarrel with an
occultist,
in addition to the ordinary human motives for an abuse of power, one has to
reckon with the fact that an adept
who
is not of the whitest nearly always suffers from that unpleasant psychic
disease of "hypertrophied ego." He will
love
power for its own sake, and take any defection on the part of an erstwhile
follower, or any resistance to his
imperious
will as a personal insult or even injury. With a trained mind, an angry thought
will do damage, and I have
known
cases of occultists who, out of pure pique, went to extraordinary lengths of
spite. One can only hope that they
did
not really believe in the efficacy of what they did, and were merely playing to
the gallery "pour encourager les
autres"
and ensure loyalty among their supporters.
Another
thing which is particularly disliked by this type of adept is any attempt on
the part of a pupil who has broken
with
him to make use of what he has been taught. There seem to be no lengths to
which a jealous guru will not go in
order
to smash his chela psychically.
In
one case which came to my knowledge a concert singer had had
"treatment" for the improvement of her voice from
an
adept of sorts. She finally decided that she would spend no more money on this
enterprise, and told him so at the
visit
which she had decided should be the last. He concentrated his gaze upon her and
told her that if she broke with
him,
as soon as she went on the concert platform she would see his face in the air
in front of her, and her throat would
close
and she would be unable to utter asound, and that this horrible experience
would occur every time she tried to
sing
until she returned to him and continued to have "treatment" (at a
guinea a time). This potent hypnotic suggestion
proved
effective, and her career was at an end until the spell was broken.
The
following letter contains a very illuminating experi ence, and is of value, not
only for its account of a psychic
attack,
but also for its description of the manner in which the attack was combated.
"In
the winter of 1921-2 I was told (from the Inner Planes), 'We see your
initiation into the Order of the Christ.'
I did
not understand very clearly and I waited.
"In
June, 1922, an Oriental, the head of a great religious Order, came to see me.
(I was living in Switzerland.) We will
call
him Z. I expected great things from him and looked on him as a sort of Master.
Knowing that he had met Abdul
Baha,
I thought to please him by putting A. B.'s photo on my walls, but when Z.
entered my room I saw at once that he
63 of
103?did not quite like it. We conversed for a while and he asked me several
questions. Suddenly he offered me initiation
into
his Order. I was taken aback and did not feel the inner consent. I said I must
reflect. Later on an inspiration (?)
came
to me and I said, 'Is your Order the Order of the Christ?' He answered, 'It
is.' I told him of my experience (related
above)
and accepted initiation; but I had the inner conviction that all was not right.
"I
felt no inner response to several incidents during the initiation, and I began
to call mentally and earnestly upon the
Christ,
and kept on doing so until the end of the ceremony. (I learned afterwards that
he had told one of his disciples
that
I had accepted initiation but not the Master.)
"It
would take too long to relate other less important details so I go on to our
second interview during which he asked
me
several times to leave the town where I was and to join him in active work.
This time I heard the inner voice clearly;
it
said, 'No.' Suddenly he said, 'Sit in front of me; I will heal you.' (I was in
very bad health at the time.) He fixed his
eyes
on mine with a strong commanding gaze. Mentally I called on the Christ and I
felt form all round me a sort of
shell.
'There,' he said, 'I have healed you.' The inner voice said, 'No.'
"Well,
he went away and I had a 'bad time,' for I had the feeling that all was not
right, though I had no suspicion of evil.
(Nor
have I now.)
"I
wrote an account of this interview to a friend, and a letter from her crossed
mine. She told me that about the time of
my
interview with Z., of which she was unaware, she was told to join our spiritual
teacher in helping me. She withdrew
from
the Outer Planes, and then she realised that strong hypnotic forces were
playing upon me in waves. Again and
again
she had to use all her spiritual power to help me withstand them, but finally
'we stood on a rock, bathed in light
and
free.' My letter gave her the key to it; but she replied, 'Take care, Z. will
try again. He realised that he was baffled;
he
will try on the Inner Planes next time.'
"Now
comes the great experience. A few weeks later, at night, I had a very vivid
vision, it seemed; but it was a real
experience.
I was in the middle of a group of seven or eight persons of whom I saw two
clearly. On my left was a
woman
entirely veiled in black, but she made a startlingly clear figure for all that.
On the right was Z. He said, ' Now I
will
give her the second, the higher initiation.' And he seized my right arm with
force. But I disengaged myself, and
standing
straight and calm I said (I can hear myself now), 'Before this ceremony
proceeds I wish to make a statement. I
can
allow nothing and no one to come between me and the Christ.' There was a howl,
a tossing of hands and every
thing
disappeared.
"Soon
after I tore up my initiation card, put Z. out of my mind and have had no
conscious personal experience of him
since.
"But
I had introduced him to a young French musician of high social standing, whom
he found much to his taste. (We
will
call him F.) There is a close friendship between F. and me, and at that time he
needed some Oriental music for one
of
his compositions - on the other hand, he might have been extremely useful to
Z., towards whom he felt strongly
attracted.
After my own experience I began to be much alarmed, but felt that I was not big
enough to deal with the
situation,
so I said nothing to F. but prayed that he might be protected from all evil.
Shortly afterwards F. told me in his
letters
of various astral experiences. In his dreams he was going through all sorts of
disagreeable things and voices kept
saying
to him, 'Ask Z. to help you. He will help you.' Then he became conscious of my
presence and began calling on
the
Christ (all this in his dream) and everything vanished. This happened more than
once. Only when I met him again
did I
tell him of my own experience.
"I
must add that a friend with psychic power came to see me at this time and said,
'This last week, at night, I have seen
you
three times. You asked me to help you save a young man who was in danger. What
did it mean?'"
The
above case indicates clearly the deliberate use of mental power by Z. His
pretence of "spiritual healing" being an
obvious
attempt at hypnosis. My correspondent says definitely that she has never
suspected him of deliberate evil;
rather
was he acting rightly according to his lights. I maintain, however, that any
attempt to dominate others, or in any
way
to manipulate their minds without their consent, is an unwarrantable intrusion
upon their freewill and a crime
against
the integrity of the soul. How can we judge the intimate spiritual needs of
another, especially if that other has
not
elected to confide in us? What right have we to invade his spiritual privacy
and thrust our tampering fingers into the
wheels
of his innermost being? It is so common a practice to send the names of people
to healing circles with a request
64 of
103?that they should be concentrated upon, without taking the preliminary
precaution of asking their permission, that I have
heard
it announced from the platform of a large Spiritualist public meeting that only
those cases could be taken up
which
gave their written consent.
Fortunately
for all concerned, the proceedings at such "healing circles" are
usually so futile that nobody need mind
being
concentrated upon by them even if they were attempting murder. The principle,
however, remains, and I can only
record
my opinion once more, as I have already recorded it many times, that such a
proceeding is an outrageous breach
of
good manners and good faith, and contrary to all occult tradition. I think I
can honestly say that I have never wished
to
direct the great currents of destruction upon my fellow-occultists, but there
are some of them I would like to get face
downwards
across my knee!
CHAPTER
XIII
THE
MOTIVES OF PSYCHIC ATTACK. I
WE
have noted in a previous chapter that the simplest way to find out whether the
victim of an alleged psychic
attack
is romancing or not, is to seek for motives, and if they are not discernible,
to give imagination the benefit of the
doubt.
The commonplace motives of greed, lust, revenge and fear of betrayal do not
need psychic discernment for their
discovery
but are perceptible to the naked eye. There are other motives, however, that
may be operative in occult
circles
but which would be passed by unsuspected by the ordinary investigator.
The
old charm-books that have come down to us, mostly via the servants' hall, are
replete with recipes for securing the
love
of the opposite sex. The ancient grimoires supply more elaborate ritual
prescriptions, and the reports of witch-trials
contain
frequent indictments of the wise woman who, for a consideration, undertook to
direct people's affections
towards
persons for whom they apparently had no natural predilection. Are such
operations to be taken seriously, or
should
we class them with the anti-fat pills that reduce without dieting?
We
have already referred to the old love-philtres. The ancients were well
acquainted with the aphrodisiac drugs which
excited
sexual passion. Nor are the modems altogether ignorant of them, as
carefully-worded advertisements in certain
occult
publications reveal. There are firms in France which specialise in the
manufacture of chocolates which contain
masked
doses of these drugs. Publicity was given to their productions recently owing
to the death of two girls and a
man
through taking overdoses. There are cocktails in use in this country containing
so-called "tonic" ingredients whose
effect
is well known. If these are not "love-philtres," what are they?
We
are not concerned in these pages with methods that belong solely to the
physical plane, but these matters call for
mention
because there are grounds for belief that upon more than one occasion, even in
this country, aphrodisiacs have
been
employed as an adjuvant to occult practices. There was a certain firm which
began to advertise extensively and
was
building up a nice business in what might be called "occultist's
sundries." Among other preparations which they
supplied
was "Incense for the operation of Venus." However, the firm came to
an untimely end through the intervention
of
the police, both partners going to jail.
But
apart from the use of purely material means, it is not difficult to see what
uses could be made of mental influence in
this
direction. I have seen several cases that looked extremely suspicious, but in
these matters it is very difficult to get
at
the facts. The manner of attack is intangible and leaves no trace, and the
victim may be unsuspicious and entirely
ignorant
not only of the psychic side of sex, but also of its physical and subtler
emotional aspects. Moreover, those who
have
suffered most usually talk least. One may occasionally hear of the attempt
which was frustrated. The attempt
65 of
103?which was successful very rarely comes to light because the victim has just
as much motive for concealing it as the
aggressor.
When
we come to purely occult practices, there are two ways in which the desired end
can be achieved; psychic
pressure
may be brought to bear upon the desired person so that he or she shall come
under the influence of the
operator;
or the psychic operation known as congressus subtilis may take place.
What
exactly is congressus subtilis? We shall have to know a good deal more than we
do at present about the occult
side
of sex before we can answer that question. In the first place, what are the
facts, or alleged facts, of the matter? The
ancients
held very definite beliefs upon the subject, and these beliefs can very often
afford us a clue, even if we do not
accept
the very anthropomorphic explanations by which they are accompanied.
It
was believed that the arch-demon Lilith had a very great deal to do with these
matters. According to the Qabalists,
Lilith
was the first wife of Adam, who used to visit him in his dreams while he was as
yet alone in the Garden of Eden,
and
the Lord God became so perturbed at these goings-on that He created Eve as a
counter- attraction. Witches were
the
recipients of similar attentions from the Devil. St. Theresa of Avila records
that the Godhead Itself visited her. The
Virgin
Mary received the Holy Ghost. St. Anthony was tempted by apparitions of
beautiful female demons. There are
many
cases on record of whole nunneries being attacked by the Devil, who visited
their members. George Moore, in his
exceedingly
interesting study of convent life, Sister Theresa, gives an account of an
outbreak of "Counterparts" among
the
younger nuns, in which they formed liaisons with angelic lovers, who were
supposed to be the souls of those who
were
drowned in the Flood. We read in Genesis and in the Book of Enoch that the Sons
of God mated with the
daughters
of men, and the demonic race was the result. The folk-lore of every country
contains instances of the mating
of
humans with elementals, usually with disastrous consequences. Classical
literature is full of stories of the visits of
gods
and goddesses to human kind. What shall we say of all such stories? Is there
any element in them beyond
fairy-tale
and wish-fulfilment? We can readily understand the motive of the nun who,
wishing to conceal the identity of
her
paramour, declares herself to be with child by the Devil. We can equally
understand the psychology of the rest of
the
convent that take up the story and see the Devil in every corner.
Let
me cite certain cases which have come within my personal knowledge and see
whether in the light of these we can
sift
fact from phantasy. There came to visit me once a young man who was in love
with a married woman. He told me
that
upon several occasions he had had a very vivid dream of visiting her, and she
had simultaneously dreamed of
receiving
his visit. He was anxious to perfect the technique of this operation, hence the
visit to me. I am afraid I was
unsympathetic,
consequently I did not obtain any further information concerning this curious
experiment.
An
even more curious case came to my knowledge some years ago. A woman told me
that in the days of her youth she
had
been engaged to marry a man to whom she was very deeply attached, and who was
murdered while working as a
missionary
in West Africa. Having lost the only man she felt she could love, she consented
to marry a second cousin
who
had long been in love with her, and who was a semi-invalid. Whenever she had
relations with her husband, she
always
visualised the form of her first lover. She herself was short, dark and petite.
Her husband, a blood relation, was
similar
in type to herself, and a weed into the bargain. But her three sons were tall,
upstanding blond men of the nordic
type,
bearing a strong resemblance to the dead man. The truth of this story was
vouched for to me by a friend of the
family.
I
have know personally two alleged "changelings." The male had the pointed
ears of Pan, and if anyone was ever a son
of
the Devil, he was. The female was a curious and fascinating creature,
essentially non-human, and when her child
was
born it came into the world with no more trouble than a kitten. Both these
beings were conceived when their
mothers
were under the influence of drink, and both of them were characterised by a
marked callousness, which in one
case
developed into deliberate cruelty. Although very peculiar to look at, neither
of them was in the least defective,
both
being, in fact, possessed of considerably more than the average share of
brains.
Anyone
who has any knowledge of the esoteric aspect of sex knows that union is as much
etheric as physical. It is this
fact
which constitutes the real difference between normal union and self-abuse, and
explains why the former is
vitalising
and harmonising, and the latter is exhausting and nerve-wrecking. May we not
conceive it possible for
anyone
who can project the etheric body, or a being whose densest vehicle is etheric,
to play a part in unions under
certain
conditions? And if we accept the theory of medium- ship, or of obsession, which
is a pathological form of
mediumship,
what shall we say concerning the possibility of a union while one or other of
the partners is under control?
What
maimer of soul might come through into incarnation under such conditions?
66 of
103?Medieval tradition recognised two classes of demons which invade sleep, and
called them Incubi and Succubi. These
were
held to be responsible for lascivious dreams. Modern psychology discounts their
services and looks nearer home.
The
psychic, however, is of the opinion that there is something in the old belief,
and that the lustful imaginings of men's
hearts
(and women's too, for that matter) do indeed produce artificial elementals
according to the method described in a
previous
chapter, and that these elementals are something more than subjective images,
and have an objective etheric
existence
and play their part in the genesis of certain experiences. For instance, a
person may have dreams and
phantasies
of a lascivious nature, and these may give rise to their characteristic
thought-forms; these thought-forms,
now
existing independently of the mind that originally conceived them, and being in
the aura of that person, give him
suggestion
just as any other thought-forms projected telepathically from the mind of
another person might do. We little
realise
the extent to which we give ourselves telepathic suggestion by means of
extruded thought-forms. We are, in
fact,
ensphered by our own atmospheres, emanated by ourselves. I remember being told
as a child that if a bird-cage
were
hung immediately under the canopy of an old-fashioned four-poster bed, the bird
would be found dead in the
morning,
poisoned by the carbonic acid gas exhaled by the sleeper lying below. We little
realise the extent to which we
are
psychically poisoned by our own emanations of unguarded and unpurified
thoughts.
It is
well known that orgasm takes place in dreams, accompanied by appropriate dream-pictures.
The ancients believed
that
such an experience was due to the action of demons. Moderns believe it to be
due to physical tension. It is not so
generally
known that there are people, both male and female, who can produce the same
reaction at will solely by
means
of day-dreams. May we not ask ourselves whether it cannot also be produced by
means of telepathic suggestion,
and
whether this may not have played a part in the operations of many covens?
There
is another curious phase of this aspect of the Left- hand Path, which was
brought to my knowledge through a
case
which came into my hands. A young girl, simple minded and unsophisticated,
living a very isolated life with a
widowed
mother, went to consult a well-known psychic, whom we will call Mr. X. In the
circle in which both Miss Y.
and
Mr. X. moved there was another, and prominent figure, whom we will call Mr. Z.,
who had a reputation for a
knowledge
of magic. Mr. X. told Miss Y. that he had read the records of her past lives,
and that there was a karmic tie
between
herself and Mr. Z., and that she could help him in his work by pouring out upon
him her love and magnetism.
She
was instructed to meditate upon Mr. Z. every night as she lay in bed, until she
fell asleep. This poor girl, lonely and
unsuspicious,
gave herself up unreservedly to this task. Presently, however, she began to
grow uneasy. Her common
sense
asserted itself, for she found the meditations she was required to perform were
having a very disturbing effect
upon
her; but Mr. X. allayed her fears and recalled her to her allegiance by
assuring her that he had looked into the
future
and seen that eventually Mr. Z. would marry her. By now she had upon her hands
a heart-breaking love affair
which
was making her very unhappy and unfitting her for work. A number of letters
upon the subject were exchanged
between
Miss Y. and Mr. X., which I have seen. I did my best to persuade her to drop
the whole affair. Mr. X.
succeeded
in persuading her to go on with it, playing upon her feelings and telling her
how terrible would be the plight
of
Mr. Z. if she withdrew her psychic support, and renewing his assurance of a
karmic tie which would result in an
ultimate
marriage if she were faithful. Miss Y., pitifully distressed and bewildered,
betook herself to certain of the
leaders
of the organisation to which all three of them belonged. These people seconded
my advice that she should
discontinue
these practices, but persuaded her to surrender the very compromising letters
which were in her possession.
Having
secured these, they declared that the whole transaction was imagination on her
part, and instead of turning this
choice
pair of scoundrels out of their ranks, let them continue to function as usual.
This
would be a strange enough case if it were an isolated one, but it is not.
Another woman came to me about this time
in a
state bordering on insanity, and told me that she too had been consulting Mr.
X., who had told her that she had
already
received initiation on the Inner Planes, though she might not be conscious of
it, and that her psychic faculties
were
on the point of opening (a stock remark of his), but if she wanted to make real
progress on the Path she must
cease
to live with her husband and he (Mr. X.) would put her in touch with her astral
soul-mate. The consequence of
this
precious advice was to break up her home and send her out of her mind. One day,
walking in the Park, she met Mr.
Z.,
and declared him to be her astral lover, a statement which Mr. X. confirmed,
and embellished with the information
that
Mr. Z. was also the Master who would initiate her.
I
tried to persuade her to bring the whole transaction to a summary conclusion
and return to her husband, but she
replied
that she could never do this after the astral experiences she had had. Mr. X.
re-established his influence over
her,
she left the address at which I had known her, and I have never heard what
became of her. Her condition when I
last
saw her was deplorable - emaciated, wild-eyed and twitching with convulsive
movements.
67 of
103?Would anyone believe the story of such a woman? Obviously no one, unless
they had seen the letters that I had seen.
Nor
is this the only case; a fellow-worker of mine told me of two precisely similar
ones which had come to her
knowledge
in connection with Mr. X. It is cases such as these which make the honest
investigator of occult phenomena
thankful
that there is upon our statute-book a law which enables magistrates to deal
effectually with occultists who
prostitute
their powers. It is so generally known that no initiate may use the occult arts
for gain that it is difficult to
sympathise
with people who pay some advertising occultist his half-crown or half-guinea
and then find themselves let
in
for unpleasantness.
What
conclusions may we draw from the incidents that I have related, for the facts
of which I can vouch from personal
knowledge?
Four women are persuaded to embark upon a meditation process whose aim is to
pour out force. The
nature
of the force that is to be poured out is indicated by the fact that the married
women are instructed not to live with
their
husbands and the unmarried girl is encouraged to fall in love with the man who
is made the focus of the operation.
This
man is the head of a group of people known to be occupied with practical
occultism and ceremonial. The
conclusion
I draw is that an occult experiment was afoot, and that, regardless of the
consequences to them, these
women
were being made use of in order to carry it out, the procurer being the
well-known psychic, Mr. X., and the
operator
the notorious Mr. Z.
The
same group have to their credit a recurring series of scandals in connection
with unnatural vice. If this were merely
vice
as such it would not come within the purview of these pages, but it appears to
be used systematically as a means of
obtaining
occult power. Those who have any knowledge of the deeper aspects of occultism
know that sex force is one
of
the manifestations of kundalini, the serpent- fire that according to Tantric
philosophy lies coiled at the base of the
spine,
or in the terms of Western occultism, the sacral plexus. The control and
concentration of the kundalini force is an
important
part of the technique of practical occultism. There is a right way of directing
it through thought-control, the
technique
of which I have explained in my little book, The Problem of Purity (Rider); but
there is also another method,
which
consists in stimulating this force, and then directing it into abnormal
channels where it will not be absorbed, but
remain
available for magical purposes. It is for this reason that in certain forms of
the Black Mass the altar is the naked
body
of a woman who may either be still living, or have been slain sacrificially. A.
E. W. Mason gives an account of
such
a transaction in his book, The Prisoner in the Opal.
Less
expert operators, however, cannot control this form of force; as soon as they
generate it, it has to go to its logical
conclusion.
They therefore employ another type of stimulus, not the woman, but the boy or
youth. The practice of
paederasty
in connection with occultism is very old, and was one of the causes of the
degeneration of the Greek
Mysteries.
I
have dealt with these subjects in some detail in another book of mine, Sane
Occultism. Particulars of the actual cases
can
be found by reference to the files of Truth, the journal already referred to.
Chapter
XIV
THE
MOTIVES OF PSYCHIC ATTACK. II
IT is
a matter of general knowledge among occultists that it is not a pleasant thing
to fall foul of an occult fraternity
of
which one has been made a member by means of a ceremonial initiation and to
which one is bound by oaths. As we
have
already seen, the malignant mind of a trained occultist is a nasty weapon; how
much more so the group-mind
formed
out of a number of trained minds, especially if concentrated by means of
ritual?
But
in addition to the individual mental force of the members of a fraternity, and
in addition to the collective force of its
group-mind,
there is another factor to be reckoned with when a genuine occult organisation
is concerned in operations
68 of
103?of either protection or destruction. Every occult organisation depends for
Its power to initiate upon what are called its
"contacts,"
that is to say, upon one or more of its leaders being psychically in touch with
certain forces. If, in addition to
this,
the organisation has a long line of tradition behind it, a very potent
collection of thought-forms will be built up in
its
atmosphere. Every initiation ceremony contains in some form or other the Oath
of the Mysteries, which binds the
candidate
neither to reveal the secrets of the Mysteries nor to abuse the knowledge they
bestow. This oath always
contains
a Penalty Clause and an Invocation wherein the candidate submits himself to a
penalty in the event of a breach
of
faith, and calls upon some Being to exact the penalty. Some of these oaths are
most formidable affairs, and they are
administered
with every circumstance of solemnity that stage management can devise. The way
in which the occult
fraternities
have succeeded in preserving their secrets shows how seldom these oaths are
broken.
In
the event of a dispute with an occult fraternity, the force invoked in this
oath may come into action automatically. If
the
recalcitrant brother is in the spirit of the tradition and it is his chiefs who
are at fault, the power invoked in the oath
will
be a potent protective influence with which the chiefs themselves will collide.
If, on the other hand, he breaks faith
with
the Mysteries, this avenging punitive current will come into action although
his defection may pass undiscovered.
I was
informed by an eye-witness of an incident which took place at an initiation, in
which the candidate, a man to all
appearances
normal in every way, after taking the oath in the usual manner, suddenly
screamed most terribly, startling
everyone,
and was ill for some weeks as if from a severe nervous shock, and never had
anything more to do with
occultism.
No explanation of the incident was ever forthcoming. I was present myself upon
one occasion when a batch
of three
candidates was being "done," and it was suddenly noticed in the
course of the ceremony that the number of the
candidates
had become reduced to two. Enquiry elicited the fact that the third had taken
fright and fled.
What
happened in these two cases, I do not know; whether there had been a breach of
good faith, or whether one was
intended,
no one can say; but something put the fear of the Lord into these two
individuals pretty effectually. That no
such
shock is inherent in the ceremony is proved by the fact that these are the only
two cases in my experience, and I
have
seen a very large number of ceremonies. Person ally, when I took my own
initiation I felt as if I had come into
harbour
after a stormy voyage.
Another
man who was intimately known to me as an advanced occultist was turned out of
the Order to which he
belonged,
why, I do not know, but from what I saw of him I should imagine there were
plenty of reasons. In defiance of
his
initiation oath he began to work an independent lodge. He was warned to desist,
and did so, dismantling his temple.
But
he immediately began to get together another temple in a carefully concealed
place; and this time he was more
ambitious,
for he made ready to attempt the Greater Mysteries. He was an exceedingly
clever craftsman and made all
the
equipment of the temple with his own hands so that no one should know what was
afoot. Concealed behind
Nottingham
lace curtains in a mean street in West London was a beautiful little temple of
the Greater Mysteries. He
completed
this work after some months of arduous toil, no one knowing of it save those in
his immediate confidence.
But
before commencing the actual ritual work he went away for a short holiday at
the seaside, and there he was seized
with
a heart attack while sitting on the beach and died in four hours. The Order
secrets were not betrayed.
Another
man who had had a dispute with the same famous Order, printed and published
their secrets as an act of
revenge.
He was a man of good social position, considerable wealth and brilliant
literary abilities, already making a
name
for himself as a writer. From that moment be began to go downhill, and came to
poverty and disgrace. The curse
of
Ahasuerus seemed to be upon him, and he was hounded from country to country,
finding no abiding place. No
publisher
will handle his books, no paper will review them.
Let
me finally tell of my own experiences in an astral skirmish. I wrote a series
of articles on the abuses prevalent in
occult
fraternities, and these were published in the Occult Review. My writing is
largely inspirational, a great deal
"coming
through" of which I have no previous knowledge, and in this particular
case I evidently shot a great deal better
than
I knew, and got myself into serious trouble. My first intimation of it was a
sense of uneasiness and restlessness.
Next
came a feeling as if the barriers between the Seen and the Unseen were full of
rifts and I kept on getting glimpses
of
the Astral mingling with my waking consciousness. This, for me, is
unaccustomed, for I am not naturally psychic,
and
in the technique in which I was trained we are taught to keep the different
levels of consciousness strictly separate
and
to use a specific method for opening and closing the gates. Consequently one
seldom gets spontaneous psychism.
One's
vision resembles the use of a microscope in which one examines prepared
material.
The
general sense of vague uneasiness gradually matured into a definite sense of
menace and antagonism, and
presently
I began to see demon faces in flashes, resembling those picture-images which
psychologists call by the
unpleasing
name of hypnogogics, flashes of dream which appear upon the threshold of sleep.
I was quite unsuspicious
69 of
103?of any particular individual, though I realised that my articles had probably
stirred somebody up pretty thoroughly;
what
was my surprise, then, to receive from a person whom I looked upon as a friend
and for whom I had the greatest
respect,
a letter which left me in no doubt whatever as to the source of the attack and
what I might expect if any more
articles
were published. I can honestly say that until I received this letter I had not
the slightest suspicion that this
person
was implicated in the scandals I was attacking.
I was
in a somewhat difficult position; I had fired off a charge of shrapnel on
general principles, and had apparently
"bagged"
a number of my friends and associates and fluttered the dove-cote generally. My
position was rather
complicated
by the fact that I did not know nearly as much as they apparently suspected me
of doing; I had, of course,
known
that these abuses existed sporadically about the occult field, as everybody in
the movement knows; but to know
in
this vague way is one thing, and to put one's finger on specific cases is
another. I had evidently blundered into
something
much more considerable than I had bargained for. I felt like the small boy who,
fishing for minnows, has
hooked
a pike. I had to decide whether I would try and get my articles back from the
Occult Review, or whether I
would
let them run their natural course and take the con sequences. I had had a very
strong impulse to write those
articles,
and now I began to see why I had had it. I shall have something to say in
another chapter concerning the
Watchers,
that curious section of the Occult Hierarchy which is concerned with the
welfare of nations. A certain
section
of their work is apparently concerned with the policing of the Astral Plane.
Very little is actually known about
them.
One comes across their work sporadically and pieces the bits together. I have
crossed their trail on several
occasions,
as I will tell later. Whenever black magic is afoot, they set to work to put a
spoke in its wheels. Be that as it
may,
I came to the conclusion that, in view of what had now transpired, the impulse
I had had to take in hand this piece
of
work might have emanated from the Watchers. At any rate, the work obviously
needed doing. Someone had to
tackle
these plague spots if they were to be cleared up, so I determined to stick to
my guns and see the matter through,
and
so left the articles in question to run their course.
Very
soon some curious things began to happen. We became most desperately afflicted
with black cats. They were not
hallucinatory
cats, for our neighbours shared in the affliction, and we exchanged
commiserations with the care taker
next
door who was engaged in pushing bunches of black cats off doorstep and
window-sill with a broom, and declared
he
had never in his life seen so many, or such dreadful specimens. The whole house
was filled with the horrible stench
of
the brutes. Two members of our community at that time went out to business
every day, and at their offices, in
different
parts of London, they found the same penetrating reek of the tom-cat.
At
first we attributed this persecution to natural causes, and concluded that we
were near neighbours to some
fascinating
feline female, but incidents succeeded each other which made us feel that
things were not quite in the
ordinary
course of nature. We were getting near to the Vernal Equinox, which is always a
difficult time for occultists;
there
was a sense of strain and tension in the atmosphere, and we were all feeling
decidedly uncomfortable. Coming
upstairs
after breakfast one morning, I suddenly saw, coming down the stairs towards me,
a gigantic tabby cat, twice
the
size of a tiger. It appeared absolutely solid and tangible. I stared at it
petrified for a second, and then it vanished. I
instantly
realised that it was a simulacrum, or thought- form that was being projected by
someone with occult powers.
Not
that the realisation was any too comforting, but it was better than an actual
tiger. Feeling decidedly uncomfortable,
I
asked one of my household to join me, and as we sat in my room meditating we
heard the cry of a cat from without. It
was
answered by another, and another, We looked out of the window, and the street
as far as we could see was dotted
with
black cats and they were wailing and howling in broad daylight as they do on
the roofs at night.
I
rose up, gathered together my paraphernalia, and did an exorcism then and
there. At the end we looked out of the
window
again. There was not a cat in sight, and we never saw them again. The
visitation was at an end. Only our
normal
population of local mousers remained to us.
The
Vernal Equinox was now upon us. I must explain that this is the most important
season of the year for occultists.
Great
power-tides are flowing on the Inner Planes, and these are very difficult to
handle. If there is going to be astral
trouble,
it usually blows up for storm at this season. There are also certain meetings
which take place on the Astral
Plane,
and many occultists attend them out of the body. In order to do this, one has
to throw one self into a trance and
then
the mind is free to travel. It is usual to get someone who understands these
methods of work to watch beside the
body
while it is vacated to see that it comes to no harm.
In
the ordinary way, when an occult attack is afoot, one clings to waking
consciousness at all costs, sleeping by day and
keeping
awake and meditating while the sun is below the horizon. As ill-luck would have
it, however, I was obliged to
make
one of these astral journeys at this season. My attacker knew this as well as I
did. I therefore made my
70 of
103?preparations with all the precautions I could think of; gathered together a
carefully chosen group to form the watching
circle,
and sealed up the place of operation with the usual ceremonial. I had not much
faith in this operation under the
circumstances,
for my attacker was of much higher grade than I was, and could come through any
seals I might set.
However,
it afforded protection against minor unpleasantness.
The
method of making these astral journeys is highly technical, and I cannot enter
upon it here. In the language of
psychology,
it is auto-hypnosis by means of a symbol. The symbol acts as a door to the
Unseen. According to the
symbol
chosen will be the section of the Unseen to which access is obtained. The
trained initiate, therefore, does not
wander
on the astral like an uneasy ghost, but comes and goes by well-known corridors.
My
enemy's task was therefore not a difficult one; for she knew about the time I
must make this journey and the symbol
I
must use in order to get out of the body. I was therefore prepared for opposition,
though I did not know what form it
would
take.
These
astral journeys are really lucid dreams in which one retains all one's
faculties of choice, will-power and
judgment.
Mine always begin with a curtain of the symbolic colour through whose folds I
pass. No sooner was I
through
the curtain on this occasion than I saw my enemy waiting for me, or, if another
terminology is preferred, I
began
to dream about her. She appeared to me in the full robes of her grade, which
were very magnificent,and barred
my
entry, telling me that by virtue of her authority she forbade me to make use of
these astral pathways. I replied that I
did
not admit her right to close the astral paths to me because she was person ally
offended, and that I appealed to the
Inner
Chiefs, to whom both she and I were responsible. Then ensued a battle of wills
in which I experienced the
sensation
of being whirled through the air and falling from a great height and found
myself back in my body. But my
body
was not where I had left it, but in a heap in the far corner of the room, which
looked as if it had been bombed. By
means
of the well- known phenomenon of repercussion the astral struggle had
apparently communicated itself to the
body,
which had somersaulted round the room while an agitated group had rescued the
furniture from its path.
I was
somewhat shaken by this experience, which had not been a pleasant one. I
recognised that I had had the worst of
it
and had been effectually ejected from the astral paths; but I also realised
that if I accepted this defeat my occult career
was
at an end. Just as a child who has been thrown by his pony must immediately get
up and remount if he is ever to
ride
again, so I knew that at all costs I must make that astral journey if I were to
retain my powers. So I told my group
to
pull themselves together and re-form the circle because we must make another
attempt; I invoked the Inner Chiefs,
and
went out once more. This time there was a short sharp struggle, and I was
through. I had the Vision of the Inner
Chiefs,
and returned. The fight was over. I have never had any trouble since.
But
when I took off my clothes in order to go to bed my back felt very sore, and
taking a hand-glass I examined it in the
mirror,
and I found that from neck to waist I was scored with scratches as if I had
been clawed by a gigantic cat.
I
told this story to some friends of mine, experienced occultists, who at one
time had been closely associated with the
person
which whom I had had this trouble, and they told me that she was well known for
these astral attacks, and that a
friend
of theirs after a quarrel with her had had an exactly similar experience, and
she too had been covered with
claw-marks.
In her case, however, she had been ill for six months and had never touched
occultism again.
There
is a curious epilogue to this story, which may or may not have any bearing upon
it. I have already told the story
of
the mysterious death that took place on lona. How the body of this unfortunate
girl was found lying naked on a cross
cut
out of the turf. No cause of death could be found, and the verdict was that she
died of exposure. But if she were
lost,
how did she come to lie down to die in this ritual manner, instead of wandering
about? Why had she taken off all
her
clothes before leaving her house, covering herself only with a black cloak? And
why did she take with her the large
knife
with which she cut the cross in the turf? I do not know her later history, for
I had lost sight of her during the last
two
or three years of her life, but at the time I knew her she was associated with
the woman I have referred to. The only
marks
found upon her dead body were scratches.
71 of
103?PART IV
METHODS
OF DEFENCE AGAINST PSYCHIC ATTACK
CHAPTER
XV
PHYSICAL
ASPECT OF PSYCHIC ATTACK AND DEFENCE
WE
have distinguished the various types of psychic attack, we have described the
methods that can
be
employed in carrying them out, and we have also noted the various forms of
delusion, fraud and
auto-suggestion
that may complicate the issue. We are now in a position to discuss the question
of
diagnosis.
Let us consider the whole matter from the practical point of view. Supposing a
stranger comes
with
a story of a psychic attack, what should be our procedure?
We
must first of all bear in mind that there is great need of caution in presuming
that a psychic attack is
being
made. Psychic attacks are comparatively rare things. We must not assume we are
dealing with one
until
we have excluded all the other things it can possibly be. Not so long ago I
came across a case of
alleged
obsession which turned out to be neglected constipation, and which was
effectually exorcised
with
castor oil. If there are any physical symptoms at all, even if they are no more
than a bad colour or a
bad
breath, a diagnosis ought to be made by a qualified medical practitioner, for
even if the trouble have
a
predominating psychic element, its origin may be physical. Septic foci are
really centres of
decomposition,
and as such they open the door to low forms of elemental life whose function is
to assist
in
the return of dust to dust. Impurities in the blood-stream may poison the
brain. New growths or
abscesses
may derange its functions. These things can only be recognised by the man who
understands
the
body; other things being equal, the trained man is the better man, and the man
with the best training
is
the best man, and the only place where an adequate training in diagnosis can be
obtained is a general
hospital.
Moreover, should things turn out badly, the only person who can pull the
chestnuts out of the
fire
is the person whose signature the authorities will accept on a certificate.
Supposing the patient turns
out
to be a lunatic, what is the unqualified practitioner going to do with him? A
very large proportion of
the
cases of alleged psychic attack turn out to be lunatics and hysterics.
Incipient lunacy is a very hard
thing
to detect; hysteria is very cunning and plausible; a doctor who is handling
human nature in bulk
every
day of his life will detect either of these two conditions much quicker than
the layman who has
never
met them before.
It
may be objected that it is a very difficult thing to find a doctor who will
have a sympathetic attitude
towards
occultism. To argue thus is to misunderstand the position. The doctor is not
being asked to
co-operate
with any occult operation, but to examine for physical disease, and if he finds
it, to treat it. He
is no
more concerned in the occult measures that are taken for the benefit of his
patient than he is in the
church
his patient attends.
If
the doctor finds no evidence of organic disease, or some complaint such as
varicose veins which can
obviously
have no bearing on the mental condition, the case may be held to have passed
the first test,
and
we may feel that it is worth while to proceed to the psychic investigation. If
the case is a bad one, or
72 of
103?the trouble is of long standing, the doctor will probably find that the
patient is debilitated, even if there is
nothing
definitely amiss, and will proceed to treat the condition accordingly. This is all
to the good, for
the
better the physical condition of the patient the more mental control and
stamina he will have.
Sleeping-draughts,
however, should be avoided if possible, and if they have to be administered,
then the
patient
should be watched while he sleeps by someone who knows how to keep an occult
guard, and the
room
in which he sleeps should be purified and sealed. In the ordinary way, if a
person who is out on the
astral
meets with an occult attack, he bolts back to his body like a rabbit to its
burrow and wakes up as if
from
a nightmare; but if the sleep is made unnaturally deep by a sleeping- draught,
he cannot wake up,
and
is locked out on the astral, as it were, which is the last thing one wants in
the case of a psychic
attack.
If a sleeping-draught is considered essential, for it is impossible to go
without sleep indefinitely,
the
person who is watching beside the sleeper should observe carefully any signs
that the sleep is being
disturbed
by dreams, and if he observes muttering or twitching, should immediately
perform the
necessary
banishings and whisper into the ear of the sleeper soothing and reassuring
suggestions such as
Coue
recommends should be done in the case of young children. One of the most
distressing features of
a
psychic attack is that the victim fears to sleep because he feels that in sleep
he is defenceless. Those
who
have read Kipling's terrible story, "The End of the Passage," may
remember that the victim of the
occult
attack therein described always went to bed wearing spurs in order that he
might rowel himself
and
so wake up if he were struggling with his invisible enemy during sleep.
There
is a great deal that can be done upon the physical plane to help the person who
is suffering from
an
occult attack, and we may as well consider these physical methods while we are
upon the subject of
the
part that can be played by a doctor in dealing with the case. Sunlight is
exceedingly valuable because
it
strengthens the aura and makes it much more resistant. People are often advised
to go away into the
country
on this account, but for the victim of an occult attack to go into the depths
of the country may
not
be the wisest thing, because elemental forces are much more potent away from
towns, and if he is
threatened
by an uprush of atavistic forces, he had better cling to the haunts of men. The
sea, too, is an
elemental
force that is best avoided, for water is an element intimately associated with
psychism. Large
bodies
of water and high mountains should be avoided in choosing a health resort for a
person suffering
from
psychic trouble. The best place is an inland spa. Games, physical training,
massage, anything that
improves
the bodily condition, are invaluable, but long solitary walks should be avoided
because there is
often
a risk of suicide. The person who is the victim of an occult attack should at
all costs avoid solitude.
There
is another very simple measure which gives immense relief in cases of psychic
interference. It is
obvious
that the attack is made through the psychic centres, therefore any thing which
closes those
centres
will render the victim comparatively immune. It is well known how the stolid,
materialistic type
of
person can live with impunity in haunted houses that drive the sensitive to
madness and suicide. It is
also
well known that psychic work cannot be performed if there is food in the
stomach; the best results
are
always obtained when fasting. The obvious corollary of these facts is that if
we want to keep the
psychic
centres closed, we should not allow the stomach to become empty. The person who
is facing a
psychic
attack should not go more than two hours without food.
Certain
important psychic centres are in the head. One of the simplest ways of checking
their activity is
by
drawing the blood down from the head. This can be done effectually by a hot
bath or putting the feet
in
hot mustard and water. Another important centre is the solar plexus; during a
psychic attack this is
often
felt to be tense and distressing. A large hot-water bottle,well filled so that
it is heavy as well as hot,
laid
upon the solar plexus, which is the hand-breadth between the pit of the stomach
and the ribs, will
effectually
relieve tension in that spot. Indeed, pressure without heat will give relief,
and I have known
cases
where a firm pad held in place by a belt or corsets gave much comfort.
73 of
103?Above all things, the bowels should be kept freely open while facing a
psychic attack, because there is
nothing
that puts one at so great a disadvantage as the accumulation of effete matter within
the body.
All
these simple physical remedies are readily available. They will not afford a
cure for psychic
pathologies,
nor a complete defence from psychic attack, but they can give great relief from
distress;
they
enable the victim to put up a much more effectual resistance, and by relieving
the strain, they
increase
his endurance. In many cases of psychic attack, he who endures longest wins;
psychic attacks by
human
beings are not things which can be maintained indefinitely because they use up
too much energy.
There
is an old adage, "Never use a big spade if a little spade will do."
Physical methods of defence
involve
much less outlay of energy than psychic ones, therefore it is psychically
economical to make as
much
use of them as possible. Why trouble to exorcise the earth elementals with a
ritual if you can do it
with
a pill?
The
question of diet also requires to be considered in this connection. The
widespread propaganda of the
Theosophical
Society has caused vegetarianism to be regarded as a sine qua non of occult
training. This,
however,
is not the case. The Western Esoteric Tradition does not make vegetarianism any
part of its
system,
but teaches that a man should partake sparingly and temperately of the food of
the land in which
he
finds himself. Personally I am inclined to think that occultism and
vegetarianism are apt to be an
injudicious
mixture for a European, the result being a hyper-sensitiveness that makes life
very difficult in
our
hard-driving civilisation.
Vegetarianism
has to be thoroughly understood and exceedingly well done if it is to be
successful, and
even
so, there is a goodly proportion of people who are incapable of digesting
vegetable proteins, which
are
not nearly so easily dealt with as animal substances. Nothing but experience
and experimentation can
show
whether a vegetarian diet suits a given person. Indigestion is not the only
indication that all is not
well.
Loss of appetite, loss of energy, loss of weight, or a flabby stoutness are all
danger signals which if
disregarded
will cause chronic ill-health. Vegetarianism may agree with a person well
enough at first,
but
after a considerable period, possibly years, they may find that they are
becoming subject to neuritis,
neuralgia,
sciatica, or one or another of the nerve pains. This is a sure indication that
a vegetarian diet is
affording
insufficient nourishment, not because it does not contain the necessary food
units, but because
the
digestion is unable to assimilate them and they are passing out of the body
unchanged. Wherever
there
is a history of neuralgic pains complicating a case of psychic disturbance, I
should be inclined to
suspect
chronic malnutrition as the cause of a hypertrophied psychism. In such cases it
will probably be
found
that a gradual return to a nourishing mixed diet will bring about a reduction
of the
hyper-sensitiveness,
the undesirable contacts that have been formed will fade, and the condition
return to
normal.
The change of diet, however, should always be made gradually lest the digestion
be upset.
Anyone
who is having trouble with psychic disturbance should immediately discontinue
all occult
practices
and should exchange his habitual meditations for the prayers of his childhood,
or New Thought
methods.
It is no time to open up the psychic centres when there is astral trouble. The
thing to do in such
cases
is to get back on to the physical plane and stop there resolutely. There was a
picture in an old
number
of Punch which to my way of thinking exactly expresses the correct attitude for
the person
afflicted
by psychic trouble. In front of an old-fashioned four-poster bedstead stands a
ferocious female
armed
with a rolling-pin, and from under the valance protrudes the head of her
spouse, who says, "Ye
may
whack me, and ye may thwack me, but ye canna break my manly spirit, for I'll no
cam' oot."
If
the victim of an occult attack concentrates on mundane things he is a
heart-breaking proposition for
any
sorcerer. What is the sorcerer to do if, at the time when he is operating the
Black Art, his victim is at
74 of
103?the local cinema roaring at the antics of Charley Chaplin? There is an old
saying that one nail drives out
another.
If in fear of in visible dangers, take up a sport with an element of risk in
it.
CHAPTER
XVI
DIAGNOSIS
OF THE NATURE OF AN ATTACK
HAVING
considered the purely physical factors in a psychic disturbance, we may now
come to the
consideration
of its genuinely psychic factors. We must always bear in mind, however, that
because
physical
disease is found, it does not necessarily eliminate the psychic factor. A
physical condition, such
as an
abnormal state of the blood, may cause a low form of psychism and put its
victim in touch with
evil
astral conditions. Science may call it delirium or hallucination, but the
occultist calls it pathological
psychism
and can do a great deal to relieve it, either by closing down the psychic
centres, or by
excluding
evil psychic influences from the environment of the patient so that the spirits
he sees shall be
angelic
instead of demonic, and cause him happiness instead of distress. The psychic
centres forced open
by a
diseased blood-stream perceive anything that comes within their range of
vision. Therefore let us
ensure
that nothing save what is pleasant shall come near them. We may not be able
entirely to keep him
off
the Astral, but at least we can ensure that his wanderings shall be in a safe
and pleasant part of the
Astral.
People do not realise the extent to which the wanderings of delirium can be
directed and
controlled
by suggestions whispered into the ear of the sick person. We can companion the
sick man in
his
astral wanderings and make our voice heard among his visions, by our knowledge
driving away the
evil
presences that threaten him and guiding his dreams into the way of peace.
At
the commencement of our diagnosis we must distinguish between three broad
classes of psychic
disturbance:
those which are a by-product of physical disease, those which are due to
malicious human
action,
and those which are due to non-human interference. The first type should be
readily picked out
by
the doctor if, as has already been advised, recourse has been had to him as the
essential preliminary.
Moreover,
he will also be effective in eliminating the frauds, for people moving in
psychic circles and
familiar
with their terminology may simulate a psychic attack either in order to borrow
money or obtain
hospitality,
or out of pure love of notoriety, a far commoner motive for human aberrations
than is
generally
realised. Frauds usually either fade away or recover quickly when threatened
with a physical
overhaul.
Those who decide to chance their luck are pretty quickly caught out by the man
who has
served
his time in the out-patient department of a general hospital.
The
diagnosis which the occultist has to make therefore lies in distinguishing
between the attack of an
incarnate
mind and the attack of a discarnate mind. There are two ways in which he can do
this, and he
ought
to use them both, so that they countercheck each other. He ought to get at
least two independent
psychics
to psychometrise the case, and he himself ought to make his own diagnosis
entirely from the
case-history
interpreted in the light of first principles. It is a great mistake to mix the
psychic and the
75 of
103?scientific. They are apt to neutralise each other. Let one person do the
psychism and another the
observation,
and let proper precautions be taken to prevent the results of the clairvoyant
investigation
being
vitiated by suggestion, or by the thought-reading of previously conceived
opinions held in the
mind
of any of the persons concerned. It is therefore a good thing to send off the
specimens for
psychometrising
at the commencement of an occult investigation, before any opinions have been
formed.
It is
not the simplest matter in the world to take psychometric specimens properly. I
have seen a man
bring
a lock of hair belonging to someone else out of his pocket, where he had
carried it about for a
couple
of days, and hand it over for psychometry. It was of course so thoroughly
impregnated with his
own
emanations as to be useless. A psychometrical specimen should be some object
thoroughly
impregnated
with the vibrations of a person. A garment recently and habitually worn, a lock
of hair, a
piece
of jewellery, all these can be made to serve provided they are properly
preserved. Crystalline
substances,
such as precious stones, hold magnetism better than anything else; metals are
also good,
whether
precious or otherwise. A pocket knife, for instance, will hold magnetism well.
Wood holds it
badly,
and so do paper, wool, cotton and artificial silk, especially the latter. Silk
and linen are good.
India-rubber
is useless. Glass depends for its holding powers upon its form. If it is cut so
that it will
refract
light it can be very good; if it is flat and purely transparent, like a window
pane, it is almost
useless.
Stone is fair. Earthenware poor. An elaborate article is not as good as a
simple article. For
instance,
a marquise ring is not as good as a signet ring. Letters are apt to be
misleading because they
often
contain nearly as much of the magnetism of the recipient as of the writer. Some
psychics can work
from
a photograph, but this method is not, strictly speaking, psychometry, for the
mental image evoked
by
the photograph is used to pick up the corresponding image in the reflecting
ether.
Great
care should be used in taking a psychometric specimen, for it is readily
contaminated by the
magnetism
of anyone who handles it, who is in proximity to it, or who even thinks about
it
concentratedly.
For instance, if while packing up such a specimen for sending off you are
brooding over
the
problem it presents and working out your own theory, the psychometrist may pick
up your
thought-form
instead of reading the conditions of the person to whom the object belongs. The
materials
which
are used for packing should also be free from magnetism. I knew of a case
wherein the psychic
said
that a certain trinket belonged either to a nurse or to someone who had to do
with hospitals. As a
matter
of fact, it belonged to neither, but had been packed in surgical cotton-wool.
When
packing up a psychometric specimen, do it as expeditiously and with as little
handling as possible.
Take
a piece of "virgin" black or white silk (not coloured), large enough
to serve as a wrapper. Throw it
over
the article and bundle it up rapidly, handling it through the silk. In the
occult sense, "virgin" means
something
that has never been used for any other purpose. For instance, you should not
use part of an old
dress
or a cushion-cover. An article which does not lend itself to handling by this
method can be picked
up
with sugar-tongs or the points of a pair of scissors and laid on the square of
silk in which it is to be
wrapped.
Pack the wrapped article in a wooden box, being sure that any padding which is
used is also
virgin.
The report of a single psychometrist should not be relied upon. Specimens
should be sent to two
at
least. It is also well when sending specimens, and especially when sending a
birth-hour for a
horoscope,
not to allow the name to be known lest gossip should be spread about.
Astrologers are much
too
fond of handing round charts and discussing them. I have known some very
unfortunate things come
about
in this way.
A
horoscope from someone who understands the nature of the work in hand is of
great value, for the
position
of the planets in the heavenly houses not only serves as an aid to diagnosis
but is a very
important
guide to treatment. It is best therefore to explain to the astrologer the
nature of the case, and
the
kind of information that is wanted, so that he can examine the chart
accordingly. A horoscope is to
76 of
103?an occult therapist what an X-ray photograph is to a doctor.
While
awaiting these returns, and while his mind is still uninfluenced by them, the
occultist should make
his
own independent diagnosis. In order to do this he should have at least two
interviews with his
patient.
In the first he should hear the case-history, allowing the patient to present
the facts in his own
way,
without guidance or leading questions. Immediately the patient has left, the
operator should write
out
the case-history with as much detail as he can recall. It is exceedingly
undesirable to take notes in the
presence
of a patient, because it makes him nervous, for he feels that, in the words of
the police-court,
"everything
he is saying will be taken down and used as evidence against him."
In
preparation for the second interview the occultist should study this record
carefully and have its points
and
sequence clear in his mind. Now is the time to question the patient concerning
any discrepancies or
hiatuses.
This proceeding will reveal the liar, whether deliberate or hysterical, quicker
than anything else,
for
the discrepancies of his second statement will be clearly revealed against the
written record of his
first.
If he is telling the truth, the two statements will be in agreement. If he is
distorting the facts, he will
soon
contradict himself.
Remember
that you are dealing with a person who has something of either the psychic or
the neurotic, or
very
likely both, in his disposition, and that your attitude towards him, and even
your unspoken thoughts,
will
influence him profoundly. If he feels that you are doubting his veracity, he
will lose his
self-confidence
and begin to think that his experiences may, after all, be the fruits of his
own
imagination.
Consequently, he will suppress things which may be all-important from the
diagnostic
standpoint.
It is in this outpouring of relevant and irrelevant detail that you are going
to find your clues.
There
are certain landmarks which you want to look out for in taking this
case-history, but you do not
want
to let your patient realise what you are looking for, because if you have won
his confidence, he will
be
very apt to take on your view-point, and if he sees you have formed any
opinion, he will
unconsciously
twist incidents so that they fit in with that opinion. Do not allow him to
guess the bearing
of
your questions, and then you will obtain from him an unbiassed response. In
order to prevent his
guessing
what you are driving at, do not ask a series of questions elucidating
information on a specific
point.
There will probably be several points on which you want information. Ask
questions upon first
one
and then another of these. For instance, if you suspect that the trouble may be
due to the house in
which
your patient is living, the last thing you want to do is to rouse his
suspicions in this respect lest
you
should be on a false scent. And even if you should prove to be on the right
track, you do not want to
disclose
the facts to him until you are ready to act, for by increasing his
apprehensions you will increase
his
sufferings. If you suspect that sex plays a part in his trouble, and he guesses
the trend of your
questionings,
he will immediately cover his tracks, and you will find it very difficult to
get at the facts at
all.
Whereas, if his suspicions are not aroused, he will reveal himself to an astute
and experienced
questioner
who approaches him indirectly, without realising that he has done so. By
approaching thus
indirectly
you not only get at the real facts of the case, but spare his feelings.
In
taking a case-history you want to look for correlations between your patient's
psychic experiences and
the
circumstances of his life. Dates and places therefore should be sedulously
sought for. When did the
trouble
start, and where? Having obtained as detailed information as possible on these
two points, set out
to
see whether any occult significance is to be found in it. Note the dates
carefully, and turn them up in
an
ephemeris of those years, and observe how the moon stood in relation to them,
also the planets.
Observe
whether they fell on or about the equinoxes or solstices. Note also the days of
the week upon
which
they occurred. If you found that all the crises of the case occurred on
Thursdays, or round about
the
Vernal Equinox, or at the full moon, you would have a piece of information
which was of
77 of
103?considerable significance. You would be sure of one thing, at any rate,
that you were dealing with a case
in
which the invisible psychic tides played a part.
Information
should also be sought concerning the place or places in which the different
crises of the
trouble
took place, and especially the circumstances attending its first onset. It is exceedingly
useful if
possible
to visit the place and sense its atmosphere. A very great deal can also be
learnt from visiting the
place
where the patient is living.
Having
obtained such geographical information as you can, study it carefully in
connection with a
large-scale
Ordnance map. Access to this, and to all relevant information desired, can
readily be obtained
at
any public library. Note whether there are any prehistoric remains in the
neighbourhood, and if so,
how
the house bears in relation to them. Observe not only whether it is near any of
them, but whether it
is in
a direct line between any two of them. Look up the history of the district, and
see whether it affords
any
further information. Roman remains are often at the bottom of the trouble, for
the legions brought
some
very queer cults with them in the days of Rome's decadence. Druid remains, too,
should be suspect
if
they are near neighbours.
Enquire
also concerning any unusual objects in the house, such as images of the deities
of primitive cults
or
savage weapons. It is quite possible that powerful elementals are attached to
these.
Enquire
whether the trouble seems to lift when the patient goes away to another place.
If the reply is in
the
affirmative, it may safely be presumed that local conditions are at the bottom
of the trouble. But if
the
reply is in the negative, it does not necessarily follow that the opposite is
the case. It may also be that
the
trouble does not depend upon the place, but upon some person residing at the
place. Never forget that
in
the great majority of cases that person's harmful influence is due to an
unfortunate psychic make-up
rather
than deliberate abuse of occult knowledge. Be very slow to accept the latter
hypothesis, for its
occurrence
is comparatively rare. And even if the person suspected is known to have occult
knowledge
and
can be proved to be antagonistic to the patient, it does not necessarily follow
that the attack is
conscious
and deliberate. It may be unconscious and reflex. It is quite true that an occultist
ought to have
sufficient
control over his vehicles to prevent them from acting independently of his will
and
consciousness;
but this is not always the case. People are at many different stages of
development. There
is
always a difficult period between the awakening of the higher powers and their
full control.
Enquiries
should also be made concerning the nature of the dreams, and whether the
patient is subject to
night
mares apart from any question of occult attack. Also whether he has ever had
any other psychic
experiences,
and if so, of what nature.
Finally,
a careful enquiry should be made concerning the patient's associates, as to
whether any of them
are
psychic, or students of the occult. Be very careful, however, not to cast
suspicion upon any person
unless
you have conclusive evidence and it is essential to do so in order to save the
patient. Remember it
is
always possible that you may be mistaken. A case was reported in the papers not
so long ago of a man
who
committed suicide because a doctor told him that he had organic heart disease
and ought not to
marry
the girl he was engaged to. At the post-mortem it was found that there was
nothing whatever the
matter
with his heart. Imagine the feelings of the doctor who had given this rash
diagnosis. A person
already
upset by a psychic attack will be in a state to jump at shadows. He must be
handled very
discreetly.
Be very chary of announcing your suspicions until they are conclusively
verified. When all is
said
and done, the main object is a cure, not an explanation. It is of little value
to your patient to fix the
blame
unless the matter can be cleared up. He is considerably worse off if his
suspicions are turned
towards
some person in his environment from whom he cannot escape, than if he be left
to attribute his
78 of
103?trouble to unidentified psychic influences. Where ignorance is bliss 'tis
folly to be wise is truer in
psychic
matters than anywhere else. Never open the eyes of your patient to a danger for
which you
cannot
give him an effectual defence. The surgeon who is about to operate covers his
instruments with a
cloth
so that the patient shall not see them. The wise occultist does the same. Do
not forget that the
Unseen
is always suspect to the uninitiated.
Having
conducted an enquiry along the lines laid down in the previous pages, you
should have acquired
a
considerable amount of material for investigation. Examine it carefully for
correlations of cause and
effect.
Note if any exacerbation of the trouble is regularly associated with any incident,
place, or person.
Consider
also the various type-cases that I have given as examples in the previous
chapters, and see if
you
can find any that resemble the case you are investigating. Note the
explanations given, and see if
they
throw any light upon the problem, or suggest lines along which enquiry might be
pursued.
Working
in this way, you ought to be able to arrive at a tentative diagnosis. If this
is confirmed by the
findings
of the psychics to whom you have sent specimens for psychometry, then you may
feel confident
you
are upon the right track and go forward boldly.
Remember,
however, that although the psychics ought to agree as to the main points of
their
investigation,
you cannot expect any complete agreement as to details. They are inspecting a
composite
photograph
of the patient's entire life, and there is so much to see that no one person is
likely to see
everything.
The things in which they confirm each other may be held to be established, but
the things
which
the one sees and the other does not are not necessarily illusionary.
CHAPTER
XVII
METHODS
OF DEFENCE
I
IN
writing for the general reader an account of the methods to be used in
combating a psychic attack, I
am
reminded of those excellent manuals upon medicine and surgery which an enlightened
Board of
Trade
insists shall be provided for the captains of ships, together with a cupboard
full of remedies,
harmless
and otherwise. When an emergency arises, the worthy skipper reads through the
chapter he
believes
to bear upon the case in hand and goes to work as best he may. On these
occasions the personal
factor
is a large one.
So it
is in dealing with psychic trouble. Wide experience is needed for diagnosis,
and specially trained
faculties
and specially developed powers are needed to cope with the conditions that may
be found. This
book
is more in the nature of a manual of first aid than a treatise on treatment.
79 of
103?We must also bear in mind that just as the potent drug is effectual in the
hands of the expert but
dangerous
in the hands of the amateur, so do the more potent occult formula need special
equipment for
their
use. Moreover, a formula that is used indiscriminately by the uninitiated is
apt to lose its potency
and
become useless. The popular expletive which G. B. S. introduced into polite
society in his play,
Pygmalion,
is the worn-out remnant of the once-powerful adjuration, "By Our
Lady." Moreover, no two
cases
are alike, and the clear-cut, typical case is a rarity and treasure. Common
sense, natural aptitude
and
experience are the exorcist's best equipment.
Having
made his diagnosis and being ready to proceed to the handling of the case, the
exorcist has to
achieve
three things: he must repair his patient's aura, clear the atmosphere of his
environment, and
break
his contact with the forces that are causing the trouble. These three things
are interdependent, and
not
one of them is first or last. It is next to impossible to get a damaged aura to
heal if you do not clear
the
atmosphere; nor will the atmosphere remain clear for long if you cannot break
the contacts.
Theoretically,
the ideal thing to do is to break the contacts as a start. But unfortunately,
in actual
practice,
these often take a good deal of finding, and a good deal of handling after they
have been found.
Meanwhile,
something has to be done to keep the patient going. The exorcist has got to
clear himself a
place
in which to work. Or if the victim of the attack is defending himself
single-handed, he has got to
throw
up some temporary defences while he digs himself in.
The
first thing to do when dealing with an occult attack is to make a temporary
clearance of the
atmosphere
and so gain breathing-space in which to re-form the shattered ranks. This is
more readily
achieved
by an organised ritual than by unaided will-power. Any act performed with
intention becomes a
rite.
We can take a bath with no more in mind than physical cleanliness; in which
case the bath will
cleanse
our bodies and no more. Or we can take a bath with a view to ritual
cleanliness, in which case its
efficacy
will extend beyond the physical plane. We therefore perform certain physical
actions not only as
a
means of clearing etheric conditions, but also as a means of definitely
effecting astral ones through the
imagination,
a very potent weapon in all magical operations.
Physical
objects become impregnated with etheric emanations and retain them for
considerable periods
as a
knife will retain a smell of onions and taint everything that is cut with it.
These emanations,
magnetism
as they are called in the terminology of occult science, profoundly affect any
sensitive person
who
is in contact with them. There is something in the old superstition that it is
unlucky to place boots
on a
table. It is equally inadvisable to place outdoor garments on a bed. You do not
know whom you
have
rubbed shoulders with in bus or train, so why give their magnetism a chance to
contaminate your
sleeping
place?
Fortunately
for all of us, magnetism is a very fugitive force, and although it may be
potent when fresh, it
soon
fades unless it has been deliberately created by means of ritual. The terrible
atmosphere that
surrounds
the victim of an occult attack and permeates all his belongings is not
difficult to get rid of,
though
it will rapidly reform unless the conditions which gave rise to it are cleared
up.
The
most effectual way of getting rid of magnetism is to move to a fresh place,
taking nothing of one's
old
belongings with one. This, however, is a counsel of perfection for most people.
Fortunately there are
other
devices which enable us to attain our ends nearly as effectually. If it be in
any way possible, let the
victim
of an occult attack move temporarily to another environment, taking with him as
few of his
belongings
as possible, and let him make the move in new clothes, or in clothes that are
just back from
the
cleaner. Let him, moreover, keep his whereabouts a secret as far as it is
convenient for him to do so.
80 of
103?There is an old superstition that a witch can be thrown off the trail by
crossing running water. It is my
opinion
that many of these old folk-beliefs have a basis in fact, however overlaid by
superstition they
may
have become. I once had a curious experience which gives support to this
opinion. I was about to
take
part in an important piece of occult work to which I knew there would be
opposition. A friend who
was
concerned in the matter asked me to dine with her on the night before the day
fixed for the
proceeding.
We were both conscious of tension in the atmosphere, and she suggested that I
should
remain
the night at her flat instead of returning to my own, informing no one of my
whereabouts in order
to
throw the attack off the trail. The maneuver was not wholly successful, and we
had a rather trying
night,
and I was conscious of a good deal of psychic tension next day. I decided
therefore to walk to the
appointed
place across Hyde Park in order to refresh myself. When part of the way across,
I suddenly felt
that
the tension relaxed, and I was able to go through the work in hand without
interference. I told my
friend
of this experience, and she questioned me as to where I was when it took place.
We looked up the
spot
on a map, and found that I had just crossed the underground conduit which takes
the overflow from
the
Serpentine. I did not know of the old superstition concerning running water,
neither did I know of the
existence
of the conduit. Nevertheless, the sense of relief was sufficiently marked to
cause me to
mention
it when I saw my friend again, and to be able to indicate the spot where it had
occurred.
We
have very little exact knowledge concerning these subtle forces which are the
basis of both occult
attack
and spiritual healing, but we have good reason to believe that in their nature
they are closely
analogous
to electricity. They are not inanimate forces, however, but have in their
nature something that
is
akin to life, though of a low type. It has been my experience that if we work
on a blended analogy of
electricity
and bacteriology, we get pretty near the facts; as near, at any rate, as our
present state of know
ledge
permits. In other words, if we act as if thought possessed the combined
qualities of electricity and
bacteria
we shall have a sufficiently accurate method of steering by dead reckoning in
the absence of
certain
knowledge and actual sight. If we consider the various methods used in
folk-magic of all ages
and
races, we shall observe that they are in agreement with these hypotheses.
Running
water, we know, has peculiar electrical qualities, as is witnessed by its
effect on the
divining-rod
in the hands of a sensitive person. Whatever it may be that affects the diviner
is probably
the
same thing that affects the occult attack. When we recall, moreover, that
running water will throw
hounds
off the scent just as effectually as it will the alleged witch, we may feel
that we cannot be
accused
of gross superstition if we give the old folk-tradition a trial and note the
results.
Water,
again, is the vehicle of purification. It is used in the rite of baptism by the
Church and in the
Preparation
of the Place by the occultist about to perform a ceremony. Strictly speaking,
there should be
a
trace of salt in the water thus employed, and both salt and water are blessed
with powerful invocations
when
the priest is preparing holy water, whether for a baptism, or for placing in
the holy water stoup for
the
use of the congregation.
As
far as the occultist is concerned, salt to him is the emblem of the element of
earth. It is also a
crystalline
substance, and crystalline substances, in their different forms, receive and
hold etheric
magnetism
better than anything else. Water, on the other hand, is the emblem of the
psychic sphere.
These
two realms, between them, contain by far the greatest part of occult evil. It
is rare indeed that
spiritual
wickedness in high places will reach up as far as the airy realms of mind or
the fiery realms of
spirit.
If we want to get into touch with, or operate upon a particular sphere, we use
as base a substance
appropriate
thereto. Consequently, a solution of salt and water makes a better base than
either salt or
water
could do separately because it enables us to cover the whole of the sphere of
probable operations
in a
single act. It may be interesting to note concerning the magical properties of
crystalline substances,
that
crystals are used in wireless apparatus to pick up the subtle vibrations of the
ether. Once again we
81 of
103?are close upon the trail of our electro-bacteriological analogy.
It is
an excellent plan, when trying to break an undesirable psychic contact, to
immerse oneself in a bath
of
water that has been especially consecrated for the purpose; re-dressing in new
or at least clean
clothing
afterwards, and if it be by any means possible, moving into a different room.
If this cannot be
done,
move the bed into a different position, taking care to turn it at a different
angle; that is to say, if
you
have been in the habit of sleeping lying north and south, place your bed so
that you will now be
lying
east and west.
The
following prayers may be used for the blessing of the salt and water.
"(Pointing
the first and second fingers at the salt.) I exorcise thee, creature of earth,
by the living God
(+),
by the holy God (+), by the omnipotent God (+), that thou mayest be purified of
all evil influences in
the
Name of Adonai, Who is Lord of Angels and of men.
"(Extending
hand over salt.) Creature of earth, adore thy Creator. In the Name of God the
Father
Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth, and of Jesus Christ His Son, our Saviour, I
consecrate thee (+) to
the
service of God, in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost.
Amen."
"(Pointing
first and second fingers at the water.) I exorcise thee, creature of water, by
the living God (+),
by
the Holy God (+) by the omnipotent God (+), that thou mayest be purified from
all evil influences in
the
Name of Elohim Sabbaoth, Who is Lord of Angels and of men.
"(Extending
hand over water.) Creature of water, adore thy Creator. In the Name of God the
Father
Almighty,
Who decreed a firmament in the midst of the waters, and of Jesus Christ His Son
our Saviour,
I
consecrate thee (+) to the service of God, in the Name of the Father and of the
Son and of the Holy
Ghost.
Amen."
"(Casting
the salt into the water.) We pray Thee, O God, Lord of Heaven and earth, and of
all that in
them
is, both visible and invisible, that Thou mayest stretch forth the right hand
of Thy power upon
these
creatures of the elements and hallow them in Thy holy Name. Grant that this
salt may make for
health
of body and this water for health of soul, and that there may be banished from
the place where
they
are used every power of adversity and every illusion and artifice of evil, for
the sake of Jesus Christ
our
Saviour. Amen."
The
water thus consecrated may be used as a bath, or for making the Sign of Cross upon
the forehead, or
for
sprinkling about a place. When thus using it, the following prayer may be
employed.
"In
the Name which is above every other name, and in the power of the Father and of
the Son and of the
Holy
Ghost, I exorcise all influences and seeds of evil; I lay upon them the spell
of Christ's Holy Church,
that
they may be bound fast as with chains and cast into outer darkness, that they
trouble not the servants
of
God."
In
pointing or making the Sign of the Cross (+), the first and second fingers are
extended and the third
and
fourth are bent towards the palm of the hand and the thumb laid upon their
nails. When the hand is
extended
in blessing over the salt and water, it is held flat, fingers together and
parallel, and thumb
stretched
at right angles to the fore finger.
If
there is sufficient occult force at work to produce physical phenomena, it is
very advisable to take
82 of
103?precautions to prevent materialisations taking place. The physical
phenomena are of several types. They
may
take the form of noises, usually creakings, thuds, or more rarely bell-like
notes or wailing sounds. If
actual
words are heard, auditory hallucinations should be suspected, for in the
absence of a medium,
spirit
messages are given to the inner ear, not to the auditory nerve. Lights may also
be seen, usually
taking
the form of dim balls of luminous mist drifting like soap-bubbles. They may be
any size from
mere
points of light to considerable dimensions, some six feet or more in diameter.
In these spheres of
dim luminosity
psychics can generally see forms, sometimes human, sometimes from the animal
kingdom.
Whitish-grey clouds can also sometimes be seen, rising pillar-wise from the
floor like smoke.
These
are usually fixed to one place and do not move about the room as do the spheres
of light, such
movement
as occurs being within themselves, like the eddyings of smoke caught under a
tumbler. More
rarely
a distinctive odour may be noticed, and still more rarely there may be
precipitations of powdery
substances
or slime. Light objects also may be overturned or thrown about the room.
There
are certain substances which experience has proved to be effectual in
preventing the condensation
of
etheric energy from taking place. Camphor dissolved in vinegar and placed in
saucers about the room
will
cope effectually with low degrees of force, but for higher potencies nitric
acid is the best thing to
use,
a small quantity being poured into a saucer and exposed to the air. It is best
to use it well diluted to
prevent
accidents, for it is not the strength of the acid in the saucer that is
efficacious, but its evaporation
into
the air, and it will evaporate just as well when diluted as when neat. In what
manner it works I have
not
the slightest idea, but its value is well known among psychic experimenters.
The
methods of occult attack employed in modern Europe are exclusively mental, so
far as my
experience
of them has gone at any rate. That is to say, they work by the mind on the
mind, and only
affect
physical conditions incidentally. In the East and among primitive people,
however, other aspects
have
to be considered, as a much more etheric type of magic is in use under
primitive conditions of life
and
upon virgin soils. For these etheric operations, material sub stances are
required in order that the
magnetism
attached to them may be made use of. Hair-combings, nail-parings, cast-off
clothes, objects
in
familiar use, all contain magnetism. Consequently care should be taken to see
that such things are
effectually
disposed of when discarded. Combings and nail-parings should be promptly burnt.
Cast-off
clothing
should never be allowed to go out of the possession of the owner till it has
had at least three
days'
exposure to sun and air in the open. The magnetism will be more effectually dispelled
if the
garments
be laid on the earth, especially freshly turned earth, than if hung on a line.
The same applies to
furniture.
The chair that has been the accustomed seat and, above all things, the bedding,
should be
thoroughly
aired and sunned before they are parted with. The same precautions are useful
if any
second-hand
article has been purchased.
The
disposal of night-soil should also be carefully arranged for and entrusted to
reliable servants,
abundant
disinfectants and deodorants being constantly in use. Precautions should be
observed to
prevent
any native obtaining access to fresh excreta. After the animal heat has gone
out of it, its magical
value
has greatly decreased. A dirty handkerchief, too, is an effectual magnetic
link, and so are dressings
from
a wound. Anything, in fact, that bears traces of any of the by-products of the
body.
But
apart from any question of psychic attack, there are two substances which are
especially prized for
purposes
of magic, and these are seminal fluid and menstrual blood. The former is used
in fertility rites
and
the latter in certain forms of evocation. These substances are exceedingly hard
to come by in
primitive
lands, because the natives, knowing their significance, guard them most
scrupulously; but the
mem-sahib
has no suspicions, and allows stained garments and bed linen to go into the
hands of the
washerman
to be disposed of at his discretion, satisfied so long as the garments
themselves return safely
at
the end of the week, and never thinking to enquire what becomes of the water in
which they were
83 of
103?washed. There are many parts of the world in which the sale of these
magical substances is a profitable
side-line
of the laundering business.
In
Europe, menstrual blood and feces are part of the magical substances of the
Black Mass, being made
up
into patens with wheat flour.
A
time-honoured method of clearing a bad psychic atmosphere out of a house, and
one which I have
known
in my own experience to be effectual, is to strew garlic about the place, leave
it overnight and
then
take it up and burn it. Among country people, an onion is sometimes placed in a
vase on the
mantelpiece
as if it were a hyacinth bulb when unpleasant visitors are expected, and
solemnly burnt in
the
kitchen fire as soon as they have departed, it being believed that the onion
tribe have the property of
absorbing
noxious emanations. It is curious to note in this respect that in one coal mine
to my knowledge
the
miners are forbidden to take onions down into the workings as part of their
dinners because the
onions
absorb the underground gases and become poisonous. My informant told me that he
and others
had
smuggled onions down and learnt from bitter experience the wisdom of this rule.
CHAPTER
XVIII
METHODS
OF DEFENCE
II
THERE
are two types of practical psychic work which may be used separately or in
combination, the
latter
method, in my opinion, giving by far the best results, though the exponents of
each are apt to decry
the
other. The method which we will distinguish as the meditative method consists
of mediation upon
abstract
qualities, such as peace, harmony, protection and the love of God. It is the
method of the New
Thought
school, and its value lies in the harmonising effect it has upon the emotional
state and its
counteracting
of harmful auto-suggestions. The other method, which we will call the
invocative, consists
in
the invocation of external potencies and the employment of formal methods for
the focussing of their
force.
This method has many gradations of complexity and an infinite variety of
technique. It ranges
from
the simplest prayer which calls upon Christ with the Sign of the Cross, to the
most elaborate rituals
of
exorcism performed with bell, book and candle. The essence of the system lies
in the attempt to
dissect
out from the general force of good the particular aspect of energy that is
needed, and the use of
some
symbol to act as the magical vehicle of that force upon the plane of form. This
symbol may be a
mental
picture of the blue robe of Our Lady; it may be the action of making the Sign
of the Cross; it may
be
the consecrated water sprinkled for token of cleansing; or it may be some
object specially magnetised
to
act as a talisman. In the invocative method the aim is to concentrate the
force, and therefore some
symbol
of form has to be employed. In the meditative method the aim is to escape
beyond the bounds of
form
into the atmosphere of pure spirit, too exalted for evil to enter, and
therefore the use of any form or
formula
is eschewed as calculated to prevent the soul from rising into this pure air.
84 of
103?In my opinion, and with all due respect to the practitioners of this latter
method, much better results
would
be obtained if the invocative method, with its utilisation of the efficacy of
formula, were used to
enable
the mind to climb into the pure air of spiritual consciousness where no evil
is. It is only those who
are
highly trained in meditation who can rise on the planes unaided. It is
exceedingly difficult to "take
off"
from sense consciousness without the use of some kind of psychological device
to act as a
spring-board.
There seems to be little object in refusing for purely academic reasons to
avail ourselves of
a
method of proven efficacy. If we realise that the use of forms and symbols is
merely a psychological
device
to enable the mind to get a grip on the intangible, we shall not fall into the
error of superstitious
observances.
A superstition has been defined as the blind use of a form whose significance
has been
forgotten.
On
the other hand, we shall be unwise to rely exclusively upon formal or
ceremonial methods unless at
the
same time we use meditative methods in order to purify and harmonise our own
consciousness. If we
neglect
this aspect of our work, we shall re-infect by our own vibrations the magic
circle as fast as we
have
cleared it. It is not much use sealing a circle with the protective Names if we
allow a panic- stricken
imagination
to run riot, picturing every conceivable kind of evil and leaving blank spaces
for the
possibility
of inconceivable kinds. Equally, however, we shall find it very much easier to
perform the
harmonising
meditation if we are working within the protection of a magic circle. To
attempt to perform
the
work of exorcism solely by means of meditation is like raising a weight by the
unaided effort of our
two
hands. The employment of the magical method resembles the use of a lever, or a
pulley and block.
Our
muscles are still the sole source of energy, but by the utilisation of
mechanical principles we have
redoubled
their power. Let us, then, in meditation, use symbols to concentrate our
attention; we shall
find
this much easier than meditation in terms of abstract thought. Indeed, in times
of stress and crisis,
abstract
thought may be impossible for us unless we are very experienced in its use; but
we shall seldom
reach
a state when we cannot picture the Cross and call upon the Name of Christ.
Occult
attacks may be divided into two types, those which take place by means of
thought-forms, and
those
which operate by means of a current of force. But even in the latter case the
current of force soon
gathers
to itself or germinates thought-forms congenial to its nature. Therefore in
every psychic
disturbance
the thought-form is a factor which has to be considered and dealt with, and
which, in fact,
forms
the readiest means of diagnosis; for it is by the perception of the associated
thought-forms that the
experienced
psychic is able to detect the nature of the attack.
Thought-force
is a thing which has no relation to geographical position, but is a matter of
pure
consciousness
and of tuning in to its key-note. We can pick up the forces of dead faiths a
thousand years
after
the death of their last votary, and upon the opposite side of the globe to that
in which they
flourished.
But thought-forms are a different matter. They have position in space, and
although they can
be
moved about with the speed of thought, and can be withdrawn to the subtlest
level of the astral and
there
anchored to an idea and thus prevented from impinging upon the planes of form
for all practical
purposes,
nevertheless, although they do not occupy space, they can be referred to
definite positions in
space.
They can, for instance, be associated with a particular object, and will follow
that object about,
remaining
within its magnetic field. The immediate magnetic field is anything from twelve
to thirty feet;
the
remote magnetic field from a hundred to three hundred yards. Powerful holy
centres, like
Glastonbury
or Lourdes, have a bigger magnetic field than this, extending possibly to a
couple of miles;
they
are also inter-connected among themselves by lines of force. These things have
to be taken into
account
in practical occult work.
When
we are confronted by a disturbing influence emanating from a focus of power,
such as the site of
85 of
103?an old temple, we have got to deal with the remote magnetic field by means
of ceremonial. As this is a
method
that can only be used by a high-grade initiate, we will not consider it here.
For all practical
purposes
in a psychic attack it is the immediate magnetic field that has to be
considered.
The
best method to deal with this is to make a magic circle. A mere banishing by
itself is not so effective
as a
banishing performed within a circle, because the circle will effectually
prevent the banished forces
from
flowing back again. There are various methods of performing this operation, but
the principle of all
valid
ones is the same. The more potent conjurations cannot be given in these pages,
because their
effective
use depends upon the grade of initiation possessed by the person who proposes
to use them,
and
to possess a formula without the grade to which it belongs is as unsatisfactory
as possessing a gun
without
any knowledge of shooting. The formula I will give will be found effectual for
all ordinary
conditions.
Extra-ordinary conditions can only be dealt with by a person who has had
experience.
In
making the magic circle the operator stands upright facing east. He faces east
because the magnetic
current
on which he proposes to operate runs from east to west. His first procedure
must be to steady his
own
vibrations and purify his aura. In order to do this, he makes the Qabalistic
Cross on breast and brow.
Touching
his forehead he says, "To Thee, O God (touching his solar plexus) be the
Kingdom, (touching
his
right shoulder) and the Power (touching his left shoulder) and the Glory,
(clasping his hands) unto
the
ages of the ages. Amen."
By
this formula the operator affirms the power of God as sole creator and supreme
law of the universe to
which
all things must bow, and he establishes this formula magnetically in his aura
by the action of
making
the Sign of the Cross upon himself. This Sign is not an exclusively Christian
symbol, and can be
used
as readily by the Jew as the Churchman, for it is the Equi-limbed Cross of
Nature that is being used,
not
the Calvary Cross, of which the shaft is double the length of the cross-bar,
and which is the symbol
of
sacrifice. The Equi-limbed Cross refers to the four quarters of the globe and
the four elements, and the
formula
associated with it proclaims the dominion of God over these, and thereby
occultly formulates
His
kingdom within the sphere of the operator.
The
operator next imagines himself to be clasping in his right hand a large, cross-handled
sword, such as
is
depicted in pictures of Crusaders. He holds it point upright and says, "In
the Name of God I take in
hand
the Sword of Power for defence against evil and aggression," and imagines
himself to be towering
up to
twice his natural height, a tremendous armed and mailed figure, vibrating with
the force of the
Power
of God with which he has been charged by his formulation of the Sword of Power.
He
now proceeds to draw the Magic Circle upon the floor with the point of the
Sword of Power, and he
should
see in his imagination a line of flame following the point of the Sword,
consisting of small
flames,
such as spring up when methylated spirit is spilt and ignited, but of a pale
golden colour. A little
practice
should enable this circle of light to be formulated effectually. Keep on going
round the circle
until
it is formulated. The circle should always be drawn deosil, that is to say,
from east, to south, to
west,
to north, in the same way that the hands of a clock would move were the clock
laid face upwards
on
the floor. The contrary way is widdershins, the way in which the witches danced
at the Sabbats. The
deosil
movement affirms the rule of God's law in Nature because it is the Way of the
Sun; the
widdershins
movement repudiates God's rule over Nature by moving against the sun. In
resisting an
occult
attack the whole formula should be tuned to the key-note of asserting God's
dominion over all
existence,
the aim of the operator being to align himself with Cosmic Law and cause the
Power of God
to
deal with the interference.
The
Circle being formulated, the operator, ceasing to visualise the sword but still
visualising the circle,
86 of
103?clasps his hands in prayer, and raising them above his head towards the
east, prays, " May the mighty
archangel
Raphael protect me from all evil approaching from the east." Turning to
the south he repeats
the
same formula in prayer to Gabriel. Turning to the west, he invokes Michael.
Turning to the north he
invokes
Uriel. Facing to the east again, and thus completing the circle, he repeats the
formula of the
Qabalistic
Cross.
This
formulation of the magic circle is especially valuable for protecting the
sleeping-place, the circle
being
drawn around the bed. It is not necessary to move about the room, or shift the
furniture in order to
draw
the circle, it will be formulated wherever it is visualised to be.
It is
necessary to reaffirm this circle each time the tides change; that is to say, a
circle made after
sundown
will hold good till sunrise, and a circle made after sunrise will maintain its
potency till sunset.
After
the circle has been affirmed a number of times in the same place its influence
will persist for a
considerable
period, but it is advisable to re-formulate it morning and evening during the
active phase of
an
attack.
Incense
burnt within the circle is very helpful, but care has to be exercised in the
choice of an incense.
Joss-sticks
of unknown composition should never be used, as they are usually compounded
with a view
to
assisting manifestation. Good quality church incense, such as can be bought at
most church furnishers,
is
safe and satisfactory because it is compounded according to traditional
recipes; cheaper qualities may
not
fulfill these conditions.
In
dealing with elementals or non-human entities the Pentagram, or Pentalapha, is
the best weapon. This
is a
five-pointed star drawn in a particular way. Pointing the first and second
fingers of the right hand,
and
folding the others into the palm and touching their tips with the thumb,
proceed to draw the
Pentagram
in the air, keeping the elbow stiff and swinging the arm at full length. Start
with the right arm
across
the body, the hand about the level of the left hip, the extended fingers
pointing downwards and
outwards.
Swing it upwards, as if drawing a straight line in the air, until the fingers
point straight
upwards
above the head at arm's length. Now sweep it down again, keeping the elbow
stiff, until the
hand
occupies the corresponding position upon the right side to that from which it
started on the left.
You
have now drawn a gigantic V upside down. Next swing the hand across the body,
on a rising
incline,
until it is stretched on a level with the left shoulder, pointing to the left.
Bring it across the body
horizontally
until it is in the same position on the right, fingers pointing away from the
body. Now swing
it
downwards across the body till the hand has come back to the point by the left
hip whence it started.
This
is an exceedingly potent sign. The value of the Five-pointed Star, the symbol
of Humanity, is
widely
known among occultists, but its potency depends upon the manner in which it is
drawn. The
method
I have given is the correct one for banishing.
The
potency of the sign may be illustrated by an experience of my own in using it,
which the sceptical
are
at liberty to doubt if they wish; I merely mention it for the sake of those who
may be interested.
I was
taking part in some work with an Indian occultist when I became suspicious that
all was not as it
should
be, protested, and was asked to withdraw. I did so, determined to watch
proceedings from a
distance,
and if my suspicions were confirmed, to have an expose. A few days later I was
sitting in my
room
one afternoon chatting with a friend; it was just getting dusk, and we were talking
by the light of a
gas-fire.
Suddenly we were both aware simultaneously of a presence in the room and turned
spontaneously
in the same direction. My friend sensed an antagonistic presence, and I, being
more
psychic,
saw who it was, and had no difficulty in perceiving the form of my Indian
associate in an
egg-shaped
sphere of misty yellow light. I told my friend to quit the room and wait in the
hall, and as
87 of
103?soon as the door closed behind her, I made use of the Pentagram I have
described, together with certain
Names
of Power that are unsuitable for disclosure in these pages. Immediately the
appearance in the
corner
by the door shattered and vanished, at the same time there was a resounding
crack, which my
friend
heard in the hall. I called to her to return, and as she entered she exclaimed,
"Look what has
happened
to the door!" and we found that one of the panels had split clean in two.
It was this that had
evidently
caused the loud crack we had both heard. I offer no explanation of this
incident for the good
and
sufficient reason that I do not know what the explanation may be. I merely
state what happened. My
readers
can explain it as they please.
When
it is not possible to seal the room, it is a very useful thing to be able to
seal the aura. Stand upright
and
cross yourself, by touching forehead, breast, right shoulder and left shoulder,
saying, "By the power
of
the Christ of God within me, whom I serve with all my heart and with all my
soul and with all my
strength
(extend your hands forward as far as you can reach at the level of the solar
plexus, finger tips
touching,
then sweep them round to the back and touch the finger-tips together again
behind you,
saying),
I encompass myself about with the Divine Circle of His protection, across which
no mortal error
dares
to set its foot." This is an old monkish formula. It is very effectual,
but its potency only lasts about
four
hours.
There
are various other devices which are useful, not only in dealing with psychic
attacks, but in any
case
of undue influence or domination.
If
you have to interview persons whose influence you find overwhelming, imagine
that they are
separated
from you by a sheet of plate-glass. You can see them, and hear them, but their
magnetism
cannot
reach you. Visualise this sheet of glass until it appears to you to be
absolutely tangible. If you
have
to associate with persons who distress you, but are not actually interviewing
them, imagine that
they
are separated from you by a brick wall, and say to yourself, "You just
aren't there. I can't see you or
hear
you, and you simply don't exist."
When
dealing with a person who saps your vitality, interlace your fingers, and lay
your folded hands
upon
your solar plexus, keeping your elbows pressed against your sides. Keep your
feet touching each
other.
You have thus contacted all your own terminals and made of your body a closed
circuit. No
magnetism
will go out from you while you maintain this attitude. Your friend will
probably complain of
your
lack of sympathy, however kindly you may speak.
If
anyone tries to dominate you by gazing intently into the eyes, do not attempt
to return gaze for gaze,
for
this only leads to an exhausting struggle in which you may get the worst of it,
but look steadily at the
spot
just above the base of their nose, between the inner ends of the eyebrows. If
you are merely dealing
with
an ordinary bully, you will immediately have the upper hand. If, however, your
antagonist has
knowledge
of mind-power, you may not be able to dominate him, but he certainly will not
be able to
dominate
you, and the result will be a stalemate. Do not attempt to dominate him, merely
keep your eye
on
the spot and wait for him to weary of his attempt to dominate you. You will not
have long to wait.
By
the use of the methods described in the preceding pages any person of normal
courage and mentality,
provided
he avoids drugs, alcohol and long periods without food, can, if he does not
lose his nerve, wear
down
any ordinary psychic attack; or in the case of attacks of abnormal potency, can
at least ensure
himself
time to make good his escape and seek help.
The
sacraments are also a most potent source of spiritual power, and a church where
the Blessed
Sacrament
is reserved, or which is sufficiently old to have been consecrated before the
Reformation, is
88 of
103?an effectual sanctuary.
CHAPTER
XIX
METHODS
OF DEFENCE
III
PSYCHIC
trouble not infrequently arises owing to the formation of an undesirable
rapport. In order to
understand
the nature of this problem we must consider the whole subject of rapport.
We
have already considered in some detail the question of telepathic suggestion.
Rapport might be
considered
as the passive aspect of that of which telepathic suggestion is the active
aspect. It forms, in
fact,
the basic condition necessary for telepathic suggestion to take place. Two
people who are in rapport
might
be described as astral Siamese twins. Although the physical bodies are
independent units, the
astral
bodies are linked in such a manner that there is free circulation of astral
force between them, just
as
the circulatory system of the mother is connected through the umbilical cord
with the unborn child,
and
the same blood circulating freely through both.
This
fact explains many important occult phenomena. It is the real key to marriage,
and explains many
facts
in the relationship of parent and child. It also accounts for some important
aspects of the relation of
pupil
and teacher.
But
not only is it possible for a rapport to be established between two
individuals, but between an
individual
and a group. This fact plays an important part in all fraternity work. It is
also possible to
establish
rapport between a human being and other kingdoms of nature; with discarnate
entities,
superhuman
beings, and, in fact, with any form of life with which an individual can form a
sympathetic
understanding.
There must be some ground of sympathy as the basis for the formation of a
rapport, but
once
formed, it can be developed almost indefinitely. It is a curious fact that if a
rapport is long
continued,
the persons thus united gradually come to resemble each other. We all know the
"horsey" type
of
man; also the son of the soil of whom it was expressively remarked,
"Father's in the pig-stye. You'll
know
him by his hat."
When
two human beings are in rapport, the less positive of the two tends to lose his
own individuality
and
becomes the pale reflection of the other. It is for this reason that the
Western occultist, who values
individuality
highly, does not take personal pupils in the same way as does the Eastern guru,
but prefers
to
work through ritual with a group because this method is more impersonal. But
even so, the individual
members
of a group will undergo certain changes whereby they are tuned in to the
group-tone, so that
89 of
103?there will be a certain common denominator which they all possess. Who
cannot recognise the
sign-manual
of the Christian Scientist, the Theosophist, the Quaker? Any system which has
group
meditation
rapidly puts its mark on its members.
In
this fact, of course, lies much of the value of association with a worthy
group. In it, equally, lies the
detriment
of association with an unworthy group. Let us consider what happens when a
person of
ordinary
good character becomes associated with a group of degenerate moral tone. He
will either find
himself
in such sharp antagonism to the group-mind that he will have no option but to
withdraw, or he
will
rapidly but unconsciously be tuned to the keynote of his new associates.
Without his being aware of
the
fact, his moral sense will have become blunted and he will accept as a matter
of course what he
would
originally have turned from in disgust.
Rapport
once established, other things beside the general feeling-tone can be shared.
Actual ideas can be
transferred
from one mind to another as in telepathy; and in the same way, vital force can
be transmitted.
It is
this fact which is the explanation of certain types of spiritual healing. When
etheric vitality is being
transmitted,
it is necessary that the persons concerned should be within the immediate
magnetic field of
each
other; but when astral force is in question, this is not necessary.
Transmission is independent of
space.
We
are not now considering the legitimate use of this force for healing, or for
teaching and developing
neophytes,
so we will not, therefore, consider its modus operandi in detail. Enough has
been said to
show
in what way it works. Let us now proceed to the consideration of the practical
methods of breaking
such
a rapport if for any reason it is desired to discontinue its use.
To
astral vision the telepathic link appears as a ray of light, a shining cord, or
some similar
thought-form,
because it is in this form that it is usually formulated by the person who is
making the
magnetic
link. It sometimes happens, however, if the operator has a high grade of
initiation, that instead
of
connecting the ray direct to the person with whom he desires to be in touch, he
will formulate an
astral
animal at the end of it to which he transfers a modicum of his own
consciousness. This
animal-form
is called a Watcher; it does not act on its own initiative unless attacked,
when it defends
itself
according to the nature of the species in whose likeness it is made. The use of
a Watcher is to
obtain
a record of what is transpiring without the necessity of focussing
consciousness thereon. When
the
psychic substance of the Watcher is reabsorbed by the adept, he becomes aware
of the content of the
Watcher's
consciousness. The disadvantage of this method lies in the vulnerableness of
the Watcher to
psychic
attack, and the fact that its projector is affected if it is injured or
disintegrated.
In
dealing with a thought-form, always bear in mind that it is the product of the
imagination, and is in no
sense
self- existent. What the imagination has made the imagination can unmake. If
the maker of a
thought-form
has thought it into existence by picturing it imaginatively, you can equally
well think it out
of
existence by picturing it clearly and imagining it bursting into a thousand
fragments, or going up in
flames,
or dissolving into water and being absorbed by the soil. That which is thought
into existence by
the
imagination can be thought out of existence by the imagination.
If
what was taken for a thought-form resists destruction by this method, it is
probably an artificial
elemental.
Now there are two such elementals, one kind being ensouled by the invocation of
elemental
essence
into a thought-form, and the other by the projection of something of the
magician's own nature
into
it. If it is ensouled by elemental essence, the use of the Pentagram will serve
to banish it; but if it is
of
the kind that is ensouled by the magician's own force, another method must be
used, known as
absorption.
90 of
103?Now absorption is a very high-grade method, and its successful use depends
upon the state of
consciousness
of the user. Each individual has to decide for himself whether in any given
case at a given
moment
he is in a fit state to attempt it. Unless he can completely steady his own
vibrations and arrive at
a
state of perfect serenity and freedom from all sense of effort, he should not
make the attempt.
We
will, however, describe the method for the benefit of those who care to try it.
Harmonising
himself by mediation upon the Christ, the adept, as soon as he is satisfied
that his own
vibrations
are steady, proceeds to call up before his astral vision the image of the form
he intends to
destroy.
He sees it clearly in all its details and seeks to divine its nature, whether
it is a vehicle for malice
or
lust, or vampiric action: these are the three most common, and it can almost
certainly be assigned to
one
or other of these classes. Having discerned the type of the force with which he
has to deal, he then
proceeds
to meditate upon its opposite, concentrating upon purity and selflessness if
the force be lust;
compassion
and love, if it be malice; and upon God as the creator and sustainer of all
life if it be
vampiric.
He
continues this meditation until he feels himself suffused with the quality upon
which he is
meditating;
until he feels himself so imbued with purity and selflessness that lust causes
him to feel
nothing
but pity, malice causes him to feel nothing but compassion, and in regard to
vampirism, he is so
assured
that his life is hid with Christ in God that he would willingly let the vampire
finish its meal in
peace
if he could thereby help it. In fact, the adept who proposes to perform a
magical absorption has to
reach
the point where he has clearly realised the nothingness of the evil he proposes
to absorb, and no
longer
has any feeling towards it but pity for an ignorance that thinks it can gain
any good thing for itself
in
this way. He desires to uplift and educate and free the misguided soul from its
bondage. Until he has
arrived
at the point when he has no other feeling than this towards his persecutor, it
is not safe for him to
attempt
an absorption.
Having
satisfied himself that he is ready for the attempt, he proceeds to draw the
thought-form towards
him
by pulling in the silver cord that connects it with his solar plexus if it be a
vampiric thought-form, or
by
opening his aura to it and enfolding it if it be one of the other two types. He
literally sucks it in. This
process
should be done slowly and gradually, taking some minutes in the doing. If it be
done suddenly,
the
adept may not find it possible to keep his own vibrations steady, and then he
will indeed be in an
unpleasant
situation.
As
the thought-form is absorbed, the adept will feel a reaction in his own nature
corresponding to the
type
of the thought-form. If it is a lust-force, he will feel desire rise within
him; if it is a malicious force,
he
will feel anger; and if it is a vampire, he will feel blood-lust. He must
immediately overcome this
feeling
and revert to his mediation upon the opposite quality, maintaining it until his
vibrations are once
more
fully harmonised. He will then know that the evil force has been neutralised
and there is that much
less
evil in the world. He will immediately feel a great access of vigour and a
sense of spiritual power, as
if he
could say to a mountain, "Be ye cast into the sea," and it would be
done. It is this sense of spiritual
exaltation
and power which tells him that the work has been successfully accomplished. It
is, however,
advisable
to repeat the meditation at intervals for two or three days in case another
thought-form is
formulated
and sent after the first.
As
for the sender of the thought-form, when the absorption takes place he will
feel that "virtue has gone
out
of him," and may even be reduced temporarily to a state of semi- collapse.
He will soon revive,
however,
but with his power for evil of this particular type considerably reduced for
some time to come;
91 of
103?and if he have the possibility of reform in his nature, it may even be that
he himself will be permanently
freed
from this type of evil.
The
great advantage of this method is that it actually destroys the evil, root and
branch; whereas the mere
destruction
of a thought-form is like cutting off the top of a weed. On the other hand, it
can only be done
by an
advanced occultist keyed up to the highest pitch. If one is disturbed or
harassed or has in any
degree
lost his nerve, one dare not attempt it.
If
the rapport is perceived as a line of light, a cord, or any similar form,
attached to the solar plexus, the
forehead,
or any other part of the body, the best way of severing the rapport is to forge
a magical weapon
and
cut it. In fact, if a rapport is felt, the first thing to do is to visualise
the cord and try to see where it
attaches;
the solar plexus is the commonest place.
Next
formulate the cross-handled sword as already described, and invoke God's
blessing upon it. Then
visualise
a flaming torch, and invoke the power of the Holy Ghost, whose symbol it is.
Now with the
sword
hack through the cord or ray until every shred is severed. Then sear the stump
with the
consecrated
fire of the torch until it shrivels up and falls off from its point of
attachment to your body.
After
such a severing one must, of course, take the ordinary human precautions to
prevent the link being
re-formed.
Refuse to meet the person responsible for its formulation, or to either read or
answer letters
from
him. In fact, cut off physical communications as thoroughly and resolutely as
one has cut off astral
ones
for a period of some months at least.
There
are occasions, however, when a person is so completely overshadowed and
dominated that he
cannot
perform this operation for himself. The magical operation of Substitution can
then be performed,
if he
can find a friend ready to undertake the task.
In
order to perform this operation, the two friends agree that it shall be done,
but the one who is to
become
the substitute does not tell the original victim when he proposes to undertake
the operation lest
that
latter should be so completely in the hands of the dominator that he should
give the game away
involuntarily.
Choosing
a time at which he is sure his friend is asleep, the substitute concentrates
upon him and
imagines
himself to be standing beside him, and visualises the cord or ray of the
rapport stretching from
his
friend out into space. If he can visualise its other point of attachment in the
dominator, so much the
better.
He
then formulates the sword and the torch as above described, and with these in
his hands he imagines
himself
stepping right through the line of rapport, so as to break it with his body. He
must not use either
sword
or torch for this process, but break it with his own flesh, as it were. Having
thus severed it from
his
friend, he should then go for it with sword and torch with all his strength as
it tries to enwrap him, as
it
assuredly will do, for it resembles nothing so much as the tentacle of an
octopus. He should go for it
hammer
and tongs, making up in zeal what he lacks in knowledge, until it has had enough,
and begins to
curl
up and withdraw. The combat, of course, takes place in the imagination, but if
a clear and vivid
image
is produced it will be effectual.
In
illustration of this method I may mention a case I once handled by its means. I
was asked if I could
help
a woman who had been a lifelong invalid, but whose case the many doctors she
had consulted were
neither
able to diagnose satisfactorily, nor to help. They all agreed that there was
nothing organic the
92 of
103?matter with her, and after trying in vain to get her better, they generally
united in saying that it was pure
hysteria.
She suffered from a chronic condition of exhaustion, indigestion, attacks of
vomiting, blinding
headache
and palpitation of the heart. She was, however, not in the least of a neurotic
disposition, but a
quiet,
sensible, intellectual woman, bearing her sufferings with fortitude.
I
made a psychic diagnosis and came to the following conclusion. That for many
past lives she had been
upon
the Path, and that in her last life, a male incarnation, in order to speed up
her progress she had
travelled
in the East, and eventually took initiation into one of the Thibetan Orders,
which unfortunately
turned
out to be upon the Left-hand Path. Here she learnt the Hatha Yoga which gives control
over the
functions
of the body.
In
her present life, she retained the powers her training had given her, but not
the memory of its
technique.
Consequently her emotional states affected those automatic systems of nervous
control whose
functions
are normally not under the direction of the mind. Whenever, therefore, she was
emotionally
disturbed,
her subconscious mentation overflowed into the automatic mind and threw certain
of the
functional
systems of the body out of gear. It is my belief that this explanation affords
a key to a good
many
cases of functional disorder. Many people in the course of occult meditative
practices obtain
control
of the automatic mind which controls the functioning of the bodily organs. It
may be recalled that
the
famous scientist, Sir Francis Galton, the founder of the science of eugenics,
experimented with
mental
control of respiration, and having obtained it, found that the automatic
function had fallen into
abeyance,
and he had to spend three anxious days breathing by will power and voluntary
attention until
the
automatic function was re-established.
In
this particular case, however, there was more than disturbance of function,
there was this peculiar and
very
marked chronic exhaustion. I formed the opinion that a rapport still existed
between her and the
Thibetan
Order of which she had been an initiate in her previous life. As is well known
to occultists, one
returns
life after life to the Order of which one is an initiate, the rapport being a
very strong one. This is
one of
the reasons why the great Mystery Schools have no need to make themselves known
by
advertising,
they know their own, and pick them up on the astral plane.
But
while it is an invaluable thing to be under the aegis of a reputable Order, it
is an exceedingly
unpleasant
thing to stand in a similar relationship to a disreputable Order. In this
particular case it was
my
opinion that the Order to which this lady had belonged in her previous life had
sunk to a very low
ebb
indeed, and its leaders were deliberately drawing upon the vitality of its
members.
Acting
upon this hypothesis, I projected myself astrally in the way I have already
described, and visited
this
lady at night. I perceived that from her solar plexus as she lay asleep there
stretched a black, elastic,
stringy-looking
substance that resembled nothing so much as a stick of Spanish liquorice that
has been
well
chewed by a small boy. This went off into space. Upon trying to see its further
end I had a brief and
far-off
vision of a monastery with a Chinese type of roof perched on a crag among vast
mountains.
I
tackled the situation by the simple expedient of passing in my astral body
athwart the line of black
substance,
thus breaking it. It immediately transferred itself to my solar plexus, and for
a moment I felt a
surge
of tempting thoughts urging me to get this woman under my thumb and exploit her
to her full
financial
capacity. I cast these out, and "went for" the rope of astral
liquorice in the manner I have
described,
casting it off and searing the stump, and had the satisfaction of seeing it
curl up and disappear
into
the darkness. I then fell into what I considered a well-earned sleep.
I had
told this lady nothing of my ideas because I wanted to see whether I could
clear up the case by
93 of
103?working solely on the occult hypothesis without any admixture of
suggestion. Next morning I visited her
to
see how she was getting on, and found her sitting up in bed eating a hearty
breakfast and looking an
entirely
different woman to the grey-faced, exhausted creature I had seen the day
before.
Without
waiting for any enquiry from me, she said, "I don't know what has been
done, but I feel as if
something
has been broken and I am free."
After
breakfast she got up, went for a stroll, and met the doctor who was attending
her in the street. So
great
was the change in her appearance that he failed to recognise her until she
spoke to him.
I
told her that in my opinion she ought to have nothing whatever to do with
occult studies lest she
re-form
the magnetic link with her old Order, and also taught her how to prevent her
subconscious mind
from
giving disruptive suggestions to her bodily systems of functional control. For
some years she
remained
in good health, but later, unfortunately, took up the study of occultism again
and relapsed into
a
condition approximating to her previous one, having presumably re-forged the
contacts with the
Thibetan
Brotherhood which had proved so disastrous to her.
CHAPTER
XX
METHODS
OF DEFENCE
IV
THERE
are so many stories of the appearance of guardian angels at moments of crisis
that even the
most
sceptical must admit that there is a case to be answered.
There
is a tradition in Devon that if Drake's Drum, which is preserved at Buckland
Abbey near
Tavistock,
is beaten in a time of crisis, Drake himself will return to lead the fleets of
England. Newbolt
has
immortalised this legend in his famous poem.
"Take
my drum to Devon, hang et by the shore.
Beat
et when your powder's runnin' low.
If
the Dons sight Devon, I'll quit the port of Heaven,
And
drum them up the Channel as we drummed them long ago."
The
idea of the hero who returns to lead his people, the guardian angel that
appears in times of crisis, is
sealed
deep in the hearts of all nations, and nothing will eradicate it. Innumerable
instances were
reported
by the men returning from the trenches during the War.
94 of
103?Let us again refer to the ancient wisdom of the Qabalah, that storehouse of
occult knowledge. We learn
here
of the Good Angel and the Evil Angel of the soul of man who stand behind his
right and left
shoulder,
the one tempting him, and the other inspiring him. Translate the Dark Angel
into terms of
modern
thought and we have the Freudian subconsciousness.
But
the Freudians fail to realise that there is also a Bright Angel who stands
behind the right shoulder of
every
man. This is the mystic superconsciousness or, in other words, the Higher Self,
the Holy Guardian
Angel
whom Abramelin sought with such ardour and effort.
We
all know that, when caught off our guard, there comes a dark temptation from
the depths of our
lower
selves, something atavistic stirs, and we think thoughts, or even do deeds, of
which we would
never
have believed ourselves capable. We have heard the voice of the Dark Angel
speaking.
Equally
in times of dire stress, when we have our backs to the wall and we are fighting
for more than our
physical
lives, another Voice makes itself heard, the voice of the Bright Angel. I have
never known this
to
occur when a man was fighting simply for his physical life. To those who see
beyond the veil, death is
no
great evil; but in times of spiritual crisis, when the very self is being swept
away, then it is that the cry
of
the soul is heard, and Something manifests out of the mists of the Unseen,
manifests in a form that is
comprehensible
to the one who calls. Whether intense stress induces a temporary expansion of
consciousness,
a fugitive psychism, or whether a Being of its own volition passes through the
veil and
manifests,
I do not know; there are never any details available of these incidents. They
take place only in
times
of dire stress and go as swiftly as they came, leaving no trace except upon the
soul.
I
maintain that even as the Lower Self can rise up in moments of temptation, so
can the Higher Self
descend
in moments of spiritual crisis. It is the aim of the mystic to live exclusively
in the Higher Self. It
is
the aim of the occultist to bring this Higher Self through into manifestation
in brain consciousness, "In
my
flesh shall I see God." Just as surely as the Lower Self can rise up and
betray us to some horrible
deed,
so can the Higher Self come to the rescue, "terrible as an army with
banners."
I
have already told of the mysterious voice which instructed me how to extricate
myself from grave
psychic
danger. Upon other occasions of stress and strain I have experienced a sudden
expansion or
shifting
of the level of consciousness. The Higher Self has descended and taken control.
From being in
the
midst of turmoil one is suddenly raised high above it and sees all the circumstances
of one's life
spread
out like a bird's-eye view, as one might see the land from a high place, and
one knows intuitively
the
out come of the matter. All emotional turmoil ceases, and one is like a ship
hove-to, securely riding
out
the storm. When this occurs to me, the memory of my past incarnations is always
vividly present
also.
It is this simultaneous wakening of the past which makes me feel that the voice
is that of my own
Higher
Self, and not of another entity.
It is
my belief that in times of spiritual crisis the man that has faith in the law
of God can rise up and
invoke
its protection and a seeming miracle will be performed for his benefit. Yet
there can be no breach
of
natural law; there fore such a miracle must simply be an example of the working
of a law with which
we
are as yet unfamiliar, just as an eclipse appears to the savage as a miracle,
but to the astronomer as a
natural
phenomenon which he can forecast with accuracy.
What
is it that induces this change of control in our lives? We are familiar with
the fact that the engine
of a
car has three speeds and a reverse. May it not be that our minds are also
geared, and that it is a
changing
of gears which induces psychism? Are there not times when we get into reverse
and the ape
and
tiger within us take charge?
95 of
103?Behind the physical plane lies the astral plane, and behind the astral
plane lies the mental plane, and
behind
the mental plane lies the spiritual plane, each plane acting as plane of
causation to the one
beneath
it, and each in turn being controlled from the subtler plane above it. When we
"change gear,"
consciousness
is shifted from a denser to a subtler plane and we begin to move among remoter
and
remoter
causes of which the happenings upon the physical plane are the end-results; we
manipulate these
causes
and the results are immediately effected.
When
we change gear from the physical to the astral, we find' ourselves upon the
plane of psychic
consciousness
and the lesser magic. Supposing a psychic combat is taking place between two
occultists,
if
one of them is of such a grade that he can change gear again, so that
consciousness is lifted from the
astral
to the mental plane, he will be in the sphere of the greater magic and be in
full control of the
situation.
The other can make no stand against him. But what happens in the case of the
rare and mystic
soul
who can shift consciousness once again and engage the gears of a purely
spiritual power? He has
outclassed
the adept. There are many souls who have this mystical spiritual consciousness
although they
have
no occult knowledge. Between the higher and the lower modes of thought there is
a great gulf fixed
across
which they leap precariously. If in a time of crisis they are able to rise up
in faith and enter into
this
mystical consciousness and be still, they will have the upper air of any
occultist who relies upon
nothing
save the technique of occultism.
The
question of mystical consciousness is, however, outside the scope of our
present enquiry, which is
concerned
with psychic methods and the traditional technique of the occultist. Different
temperaments
will
employ different methods, and the mystical method does not appeal to everybody.
The
occultist does not ignore the Christ-force, however; he recognises it as among
the hierarchy of
supreme
forces of the universe, although he may not be prepared to assign to it the
exclusive position
which
it occupies in the heart of the Christian mystic. In the Western Tradition it
is symbolised by
Tiphareth,
the central Sephira of the Ten Holy Sephiroth of the Qabalistic Tree of Life.
The
Christ-force is the equilibriating, compensating, healing, redeeming, purifying
factor of the universe.
It
should be invoked in every operation of psychic self-defence where any human
element, incarnate or
discarnate,
is concerned. Where non-human elements, such as elementals, thought-forms, or
the
Qlippoth,
have to be dealt with, it is the power of God the Father, as Creator of the
universe, that is
invoked,
His supremacy over all the kingdoms of nature, visible and invisible, being
affirmed. God the
Holy
Ghost is the force that is employed in initiations, and it should not be
invoked during times of
psychic
difficulty, as its influence will tend to intensify the condition and render
the Veil yet thinner.
There
is a very curious aspect of the occult field concerning which something must be
said in the present
pages,
though not a great deal can be revealed, and, to be frank, I do not know a
great deal about it
myself,
but only such aspects as I have actually come across. I have always heard it
called the Occult
Police;
others may know it by different names but I believe it to be a very real and
concrete thing, though
its
organisation is not upon the physical plane, nor, so far as I know, are its
mundane activities gathered
up
into any single pair of hands. I have crossed its trail upon a number of
occasions, and played my part
in
its activities, and I have talked with others who have also been concerned in
it, and they have always
said
as I do, that it is the inner voice and circumstances alone that direct our
activities when we
co-operate
with this mysterious organisation.
I
think myself that it is organised in national units, for people seem to go in
and out of jurisdictions, or to
be
passed on from one to another. In my experience it has no particular political
bias, but concerns itself
96 of
103?solely with occult methods applied to criminal ends and offences against
society.
One
or two illustrative cases may help to make the matter clear. Some complications
arose at one time
over
an Indian occultist who was visiting this country in order to found a school.
He was deeply involved
in
the politics of his own country, and there could be no doubt about it that he
disliked the English and
all
their ways very much indeed. I think that I was the only pure-blooded
Anglo-Saxon who was in touch
with
him. As far as I know, he did not concern himself with mundane plane political
activities, his idea
being
to organise a meditation group which should pour the regenerative spiritual
force of the East into
the
group- soul of the British Empire, which he declared was in a very bad way
indeed. I maintained,
however,
that the group-soul was not dying, as he held, but very tired, for it was
immediately after the
War.
Moreover, I could not see how any body who disliked it so very much was going
to be able to
regenerate
it. Nor was I sure that the regeneration was going to be to our taste if we
were to get it. This
man,
whom I will call X., was of an intense spiritual pride, and his root-idea was
that England must
acknowledge
the spiritual supremacy of India and take her spiritual inspiration from the
East. I was
young
and inexperienced at the time, but I began to ask myself what manner of
spiritual force was going
to be
poured in through the channel we were constructing. Sup posing during the War a
group of English
Occultists
had tried to perform a similar service for Germany, what line would they have
taken? Would
they
not have tried to influence the German group-mind to give up its militarist
ideals and concentrate on
the
League of Nations? Was it not more than likely that our Indian friend was
trying to disabuse us of
our
Imperialistic tendencies? Would it not appear to him, smarting as he was under
the race prejudice of
the
white man, that the world would be a much better place for humanity if the
English cultivated their
own
garden and let other people alone? I got more and more uneasy, and X., being a
good psychic,
detected
my uneasiness, and I was asked to withdraw from the group he was organising.
I
felt quite convinced that something sinister was being attempted against the
group-mind of my race, but
I had
no means of gauging its extent or potency. This was not the kind of tale one
could take to Scotland
Yard;
moreover, several of my personal friends believed in the bonafides of X. and
were taking part in
the
group he was organising, and I was very anxious not to involve them in any
unpleasantness. In my
perplexity
I resolved to do nothing upon the physical plane and to invoke the Masters upon
the Inner
Planes.
At
this time I was not of a grade which is supposed to have direct access to the
Masters, but I determined
to
try and get them telepathically, though I did not know whether those to whom I
was trying to telepath
were
human or non-human, incarnate in physical bodies or discarnate entities, for at
that time I was not
very
advanced in my occult studies.
All I
had to hold on to was an abstract idea and the knowledge that in previous
difficulties I had been
able
to get in touch with Something on the Inner Planes which had proved a powerful
friend.
In
telepathing, the usual method of getting in touch is to visualise the person
you want to communicate
with
and call him by name. I had nothing I could visualise and I knew no names.
However, I determined
to
make the attempt as best I might and, metaphorically speaking, I put my head
out of the window of
this
fleshly tabernacle and called for the police. And I got an answer. The Inner
Voice replied to me very
clearly
and distinctly:
"You
are to go to Colonel Y."
I was
taken aback at this, for Colonel Y. was a rather eminent person to whom I had
once been
introduced,
and the last person in the world one would invite to go mare's nesting. I had
no desire to
97 of
103?make myself ridiculous by bearding this forminable warrior in his den. My
psychological studies had
made
me familiar with the workings of the subconscious mind and what it can do when
dissociated, and
I
felt that the situation required handling with considerable caution because the
results of a mis-step
might
be unpleasant.
I
therefore replied to the Inner Voice, "I cannot trust you unless you will
give me a sign."
The
reply came through, "Colonel Y. will be at our next lecture. Tell him
then."
To
this I replied, "I know that Colonel Y. cannot be at my lecture because
his regiment is ordered
abroad,
and he will have left before it takes place."
The
answer came back, "Colonel Y. will be at your next lecture."
"Very
well," I said, "that shall be my sign. If Colonel Y. is there, I will
tell him, and if not, I shall leave
the
affair to take its course."
The
day duly arrived when I was to give a public lecture at a certain town. I
arrived at the hall in due
course,
and the first thing I saw was Colonel Y. going up the stairs! So I determined
to take the bull by
the
horns, and immediately after the lecture I went straight to him and said,
"I have got a message for
you."
"I
know you have," he replied, "for I have been told to expect it."
It
appears that he was sitting in his quarters one evening with his two dogs. They
suddenly became
disturbed
and began to investigate something that wasn't there. He heard a voice saying
distinctly to his
inner
ear that I should come and ask his help and that he was to give it. He was so
impressed by this
occurrence
that he went to a mutual friend and asked her whether I was in trouble of any
sort. At his
request
she wrote to me to enquire how I was faring, but mentioned no names, and I, not
realising the
significance
of the incident, returned a non-committal answer.
He
heard my story and told me to leave the matter in his hands, which I did.
This
is a queer enough story of coincidence, but the sequel is even queerer. After
leaving Colonel Y., I
enquired
once more of the Unseen whether I should take any further steps. The reply came
through that
for
the present I was to do nothing, but that I would be told when further action
was to be taken. I learnt
afterwards
that X. had left the country a few days after my interview with Colonel Y.
Nothing
happened for about five months, and then one evening when I was sitting over my
fire in the
dusk
I distinctly heard the Inner Voice telling me that now was the time to make a
move in the matter of
X.,
and that I was to go to Mr. Z. and tell my story. Now Mr. Z. was a very eminent
person indeed,
whom
I knew of as being an advanced occultist, but whom I had never met. I replied
to the interior voice
that
for me to approach Mr. Z. was impossible, I should merely be shown the door,
and that unless they
could
open up the way from their end, I did not see how it was to be done. The answer
came through
very
clearly that the way would be made plain. And it was.
A
couple of days later a visitor was announced, an old friend whom I only saw
occasionally, and after
the
usual greetings and exchange of news, he said, "I should very much like
you to meet a friend of mine
who I
think would be interested in your work. May I take you to see him? His name is
Mr. Z." Needless
98 of
103?to say I agreed.
When
I came to the appointed meeting, I said to Mr. Z., after I had been introduced,
" I have got a
message
for you," thinking I might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. He
listened attentively, and
when
I mentioned the name of the Indian, my friend who was present, exclaimed,
"It is a curious thing
that
you should be moving in this matter at the present moment. X. landed in England
a couple of days
ago."
It
will be noted that as soon as X. left England, I was instructed to hold my
hand, and as soon as he
returned
after an absence of five months, I was instructed to commence action again.
Unless we are
prepared
to pull the long arm of coincidence clean out of its socket, we must conclude
that some
directing
intelligence was at work. This is but one among many instances in my
experience. Limitations
of
space forbid me to mention any more.
In
addition to the Occult Police, who function solely on the Inner Planes, there
also exist certain groups
of
occultists who have banded themselves together for the purpose of combating
Black Occultism. I
suppose
they give themselves different names, but I do not know what these are; I have
always heard
them
referred to generically as the Hunting Lodges. Upon various occasions I have
skirmished on their
flanks
and looked on at some lively forays. I imagine them to be organised in
conjunction with the
Occult
Police, and they certainly possess means of obtaining information which point
to co-operation
from
the Inner Planes. They appear to possess alliances in unexpected quarters and
to be able to pull a
remarkable
number of strings. What psychic weapons they use I do not know, but upon the
physical
plane
they appear to rely largely upon newspaper exposes, and upon keeping
undesirables on the move,
never
allowing them to settle down and organise. Knowing what I do of their methods,
I have from time
to
time recognised their sign-manual in various transactions for which decent
citizens have every reason
to be
grateful.
I
came across them in a manner which serves to illustrate the way in which
occultists can "call" for
information
they may be in need of, and the fortuitious train of circumstances that will
supply it.
As a
young girl, at the commencement of my interest in occultism, I came in touch
with an adept whom I
soon
realised to be on the Left-hand Path, and with whom I soon severed my
connection. Shortly after I
broke
with him, I was watching a gymkhana in company with some friends, among them a
student of
occultism,
and we began to discuss matters of mutual interest. Impelled by I know not what
impulse to
confide
in him what I had never told a soul, I told him of my experiences with the
adept I have referred
to.
To my surprise he knew all about him. It seems that my new acquaintance was
connected with a
group
of occultists who had taken for their work the hunting out of Black Lodges;
they had already
crossed
the trail of my black adept and had compelled him to close down, and he had
sworn not to
reorganise
his Order. They had had reason to believe recently that this oath was not being
kept and that
he
had again organised a Lodge and was working his rituals, but they did not know
where to lay their
hands
on him. Then here came I, a bit of human flotsam tossed up on a sports field to
give them the
information
they needed at the very moment when they needed it. These things happen too
regularly in
occultism
for one to be able to look upon them as chance.
It is
my belief that It Is possible for anyone who has need of them to get into touch
telepathically with
this
occult police force. The symbol I was taught to use was a black Calvary Cross
with circle on a
scarlet
ground. This is pictured in the imagination, and while gazing at it mentally
the call is sent out
into
the Unseen, projecting it from the centre of the forehead.
99 of
103?Various attempts have been made to prove that the occult fraternities are
all directed from a single
headquarters,
said variously to be situated in
I do
not believe it. I suppose that I have a pretty varied acquaintance with the
inner workings of the
occult
movement, and I have never seen anything whatever that indicated any
centralised control,
whether
for good or for evil. Everything, in fact, points the other way, and indicates
that there is no
connecting
link save that of a common literature, a common idealism, and a set of symbols
which, if not
common
to all sections, are readily translatable by means of well-understood
equivalents. The position in
the
occult field is analogous to that of Protestant Christianity, not Roman
Christianity. Occultism has no
Pope.
Nor
do I think that Bolshevism ever gained any foothold in the Lodges, though I
believe it tried; as
witness
the application to my own fraternity. The average occultist is not interested
in politics, his
concern
is with things invisible. Moreover, the occult fraternities are too
inco-ordinated and scattered to
be
formidable political weapons even if they were imbued with Bolshevism.
It
has also been said that the occult fraternities are controlled by the Jews in
the interests of Zionism.
This
is quite untrue. There are very few Jews in the occult movement. It is true,
however, that the
Qabalah,
the traditional mysticism of the Jewish race, is one of the principal sources
of Western
occultism,
and that any occultist working on that tradition must know at least enough
Hebrew to be able
to
transliterate Hebrew script. The study of the modern mystical Qabalah is almost
exclusively in the
hands
of Gentiles, and orthodox Jewish scholars know little or nothing of its
literature and nothing
whatever
of its mystical significance.
No
one has said harder things of the occult movement than I have, and if I thought
that there were any
organised
system of evil influence, I should not hesitate to say so, for I have the
integrity of the
movement
very much at heart; but I honestly do not believe that there is any generalised
organisation of
the
occult movement, whether for good or evil, whatever may be one's conception of
good and evil. One
can,
of course, only speak of that which one has seen, but I think it would have
been impossible for me
to
have been as intimately associated with that movement as I have been and never
to have crossed its
trail
at any point. I have crossed so many trails, and seen, I will not deny it, so
much that was evil, but
this particular
evil I have not seen, and I do not believe it exists outside the imagination of
people with
bees
in their bonnets. The true nexus of the occult movement is devotion to a common
ideal, but this
ideal
is approached by an infinite diversity of paths, as many as the breaths of the
sons of men.
I am
sorry for the hypothetical person who has the task of organising the occult
movement, for occultists
of
different schools cannot be induced to co-operate. Any technique which differs
from that which they
are
used to is suspect; any unfamiliar contact is black. The great majority of the
heads of schools that I
have
known have sat each in his own circle of light and damned everybody else. Like
the old lady who
watched
her son march past with the Territorials, they exclaim, "They're all out
of step except our Jock."
I had
once dreamed of a federation of occult societies with an annual convention, but
I soon realised that
it
was unwork able. If occultists cannot be got to organise to serve their own
interests, it is very unlikely
that
they would ever be got to organise to serve anybody else's.
The
most prevalent abuses of Western occultism are immorality, drug-taking and the
bamboozling of
silly
women. Its worst faults are credulity, a slipshod scholarship that verges on
illiteracy, and a
widespread
sappiness of intellect. Fortune-telling in all its forms and some very spurious
spiritual
healing
constitute another slur upon what should be holy ground. It is difficult to do
justice to ideals
which
one does not share, but it has always seemed to me that the highly-coloured
humanitarianism with
which
certain sections of the movement are soaked is not an ornament. "By their
fruits ye shall know
100
of 103?them." Such fruits of this as I have seen have appeared to me to be
somewhat over-ripe.
The
finest minds in occultism are totally unknown outside their own Orders. A very
common clause in
initiation
oaths binds the candidate not to reveal the names of his fellow members. If
this oath were
broken,
the general public would get some surprises. Occultism not being in good repute
with the
general
public, men in public positions cannot afford to have their names associated
with it; their interest
is
therefore carefully concealed, and they only speak of it to those upon whose sympathy
and discretion
they
can count.
Those
who know what to look for, however, can pick them out readily. Anyone who is
accustomed to
the
analysis of literary style can detect the regular reader of the Bible. Anyone
who knows the occult
rituals
will detect their flavour in the literary or oratorical style of a man who is
habituated to their use.
Perhaps
at this length of time I may be forgiven if I break the Oath of the Mysteries
that binds to secrecy
concerning
the names of initiates and suggest that the key to the Bacon-Shakespeare
controversy may lie
in
the fact that Bacon and Shakespeare were members of the same Order?
CONCLUSION
IN
the preceding pages I have endeavoured to discharge a difficult task, one that
it is almost impossible
to
discharge satisfactorily. Limitations of space prevent me from explaining my
concepts step by step
and
offering proofs thereof. To have done so would have required a library, not a
book. I have had to
presume
in my readers not only an acquaintance with the literature of occultism but,
what is much rarer,
some
experience of its practice. At the same time I have endeavoured to offer
sufficient explanation as I
went
along to make my pages comprehensible to those whose acquaintance with the
subject is but
cursory.
This
book is not, and cannot be, a satisfactory handbook for the treatment of
psychic disorders. All it can
do is
to point in directions where enquiries might be pursued with advantage. If it
serves to direct
attention
to certain subjects that badly need investigation it will have fulfilled its
purpose.
I may
be charged with having revived the superstitions of the Middle Ages. To this
charge I must plead
guilty.
But I must put forward as a counter-claim the plea that there could not be so
much smoke without
some
fire, and that the superstitions of the Middle Ages may repay examination in
the light of the recent
discoveries
concerning the psychology of subconsciousness.
Whoever
is familiar with the literature of psychic research, abnormal psychology, and
the baser aspects
of
that movement which took its rise from the inspiration of Christian Science and
spread into a hundred
uncontrolled
cults, cannot fail to be struck by the fact that the old witch-finders were
getting exactly the
same
phenomena as we meet with in all these different movements and fields of
thought.
101
of 103?It has been said that since we find the stigmata of hysteria liberally
distributed among those unhappy
beings
charged with witchcraft that the witch-cult is explained and disposed of. But
we may find that a
study
of the real motives underlying the witch-cult would throw light on hysteria and
the allied mental
states.
It
has also been said that history moves in cycles. At the present moment we are
seeing a great revival of
interest
in psychic and occult subjects. We shall not have to look very much further to
find that there are
also
the very promising beginnings of a witch-cult in our midst.
Let
it be remembered that the cases I have quoted in these pages are from the
experience of a single
person,
and I am by no means exceptional in the range of my experience, though I may be
less cautious
than
most in committing myself to paper. If one dip of the bucket reveals so much,
what might not be
brought
up by systematic dredging?
Since
my treatment of my subject must necessarily be cursory, I should like to direct
the attention of my
readers
to certain books which throw a great deal of light upon the question from
various angles.
Not
only occultists, but psychologists, alienists and students of psychic matters
owe an immense debt of
gratitude
to the scholarship of the Rev. Montague Summers and the enterprise of Messrs.
Rodker for
making
available exact and complete translations of the principal books upon
witchcraft that were
written
by the men who were actually concerned in stamping out the witch-cult and had
first-hand
knowledge
of its nature.
In
addition to these I would direct my readers' attention to Projection of the
Astral Body, by Muldoon
and
Carrington, which throws a very interesting light upon the manner in which
genuine witches
attended
the Sabbats. I do not mean by these words to imply that Mr. Muldoon is addicted
to wizardry,
but
he certainly possesses the traditional powers, and if he can do these things at
the present day, why
could
not the witches have done them in days past? At any rate, I do not think there
is much doubt that
the
Holy Inquisition would have paid him the compliment of burning him if he had
lived during its
hey-day.
Thirty
Years with the Dead, by Dr. Wickstead, is another book which gives chapter and
verse for
personal
experience instead of citing authorities and theorising about them. It is the
record of an asylum
doctor
whose wife is a trance medium, and who made a most remarkable series of
investigations
concerning
the nature of obsessing entities.
In
Dr. Moll's book on hypnotism some remarkable phenomena are recorded such as do
not find their way
into
modern books, whether because the investigators are less expert at eliciting
them, or more cautious
in
communicating them, having profited by the experience of the earlier
investigators. Some of the
earlier
books on hypnosis and mesmerism yield some very interesting reading to the
psychic investigator.
Dr.
T. W. Mitchell's Medical Psychology and Psychical Research is another book of
value to the
student,
who should be familiar not only with the signs of psychic attack, but also with
the signs of
pseudo-attack
in order that he may distinguish between them and not be misled into some very
uncomfortable
errors. To find one has been successfully hoaxed by a lunatic is a humiliating
experience.
Myers'
Human Personality is of course a classic with which every student of psychic
phenomena ought
to be
familiar. There is an excellent abridged edition available for those who do not
feel equal to coping
with
the two massive volumes of its original form.
102
of 103?Nicholl's Dream Psychology and Hart's Psychology of Insanity are two
exceedingly illuminating little
books,
both written for the layman and readily comprehensible by him. They throw a
great deal of light
upon
the mechanisms of the mind, and no one should attempt to deal with a psychic
attack unless he
understands
those mechanisms. My own little book, Machinery of the Mind, written under my
maiden
name
of Violet M. Firth, will, I think, be found a useful general introduction to
modern psychology.
Let
us approach the subject of modern witchcraft neither in a spirit of incredulity
nor of superstition, but
from
the standpoint of the psychologist, seeking to understand the workings of the mind
and prepared to
discover
much that had hitherto passed unsuspected.
______________________
Cardiff
Theosophical Society in
Theosophy
House
206
Newport Road, Cardiff, Wales, UK. CF24 -1DL
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Preface
Theosophy and the Masters General Principles
The Earth Chain Body and Astral Body Kama – Desire
Manas Of Reincarnation Reincarnation Continued
Karma Kama Loka
Devachan
Cycles
Arguments Supporting Reincarnation
Differentiation Of Species Missing Links
Psychic Laws, Forces, and Phenomena
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What is Theosophy ? Theosophy Defined (More Detail)
Three Fundamental Propositions Key Concepts of Theosophy
Cosmogenesis Anthropogenesis Root Races
Ascended Masters After Death States
The Seven Principles of Man Karma
Reincarnation Helena Petrovna Blavatsky
Colonel Henry Steel Olcott William Quan Judge
The Start of the Theosophical
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History of the Theosophical
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Theosophical Society Presidents
History of the Theosophical
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The Three Objectives of the
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Esoteric Christianity or the Lesser Mysteries
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