Introduction

TRADITIONAL ARCANE TEACHINGS

Copyright 2006, 2012

Fimbul Winter Books

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Contents

General Introduction

Preliminary Principles

I. The Three Scrolls

Introduction

Scroll T - Tarot-Qabalah

Traditional Arrangement

Explanatory Notes

Magickal Supplement

New Arrangement

Scroll E - The Elements

Supplement

Scroll A - Alchemy

Supplement

II. Magick

Introduction

General Information

Chart of Ritual Procedures

Rituals:

Liber Anu
Rejoicing in the Sun
Dotum Animi - Embracing of Universal Mind

Elementariorum - Celebration of the Elements

Primae Lucis - Morning

Lunae et Sabbatorum - Full Moon and Sabbat

Consecrati - Consecration

Transiti - Transition

Salutionis - Salute to the Totality of All

Convocati - Calling Forth of Cosmic Forces

Grandis Propositii - Grand Purpose

Grandis Initiatii - Grand Initiation

Liber Lapidorum - Chart of Useful Stones

Liber Divinatii - Chart of Divinations

Western Magickal History

Suggested Reading

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General Introduction

Ancient Therapeutic Psychology

A sorcerer is simply someone possessing unusual sources and resources. Much of what we call therapeutic psychology today, and a great many other things, have been the traditional province of holy men and sorcerers since the earliest stirrings of civilized interaction.

The effective utilization of a specific technique by a tribal shaman siting on a rock at the dawn of civilization would not have been diminished by whether or not he had scientific understanding of the cause-and-effect relationships involved. Ancient peoples learned the workability of many things by simple trial and error, even though they often attributed causation to the supplication of spirits. In fact, the fervor of intense belief is the best tool for producing the desired effect in any situation involving suggestion. Literal belief, when not actually shared by the shaman, would usually have been encouraged by him, even as it is today.

In the past people who did come to understand cause-and-effect relationships after years of experiment did not necessarily feel obligated to simply throw this hard earned knowledge into the arena of public domain. There were no copyright or patent laws in those days. Even a wizard who enjoys his work needs mundane sustenance - a leg of smoked venison, twenty ears of corn, and five winter squash for the temporary relief of a debilitating psycho-somatic condition.

Let us also consider the fact that human intelligence has declined more than sixty IQ points since prehistory. Cro Magnon Man - average IQ 165 - was a race of geniuses compared to Homo Sapiens(1). Considering this level of intelligence, there can be little doubt that most of what must have been a very profound knowledge has not come down to popular science from the shamans of that era. For example, we have only recently discovered from skeletal remains for instance, that Cro Magnon performed brain surgery and that the patients lived normal active life spans afterwards. This indicates a very advanced understanding of human behavior and anatomy which has only recently been rediscovered in our own era.

Ancient Transpersonal Psychology

At what point in the recent past a psychology of higher development arose in the West is difficult to say. Tradition says that it began in Atlantis. In any case, we have a clear unbroken tradition in the mystery schools since the Great White Brotherhood c.1500 BC of Egypt.

Qabalah is a body of doctrine, many elements of which, we first find in Alexandrian Gnosticism. The first part of written Qabalah is of Hebrew origin and appears around the third century AD. Shown above and central to the study of Qabalah is a glyph known as the Tree of Life(2). The Tree provides perhaps the best system of meditation ever devised, not the least of which reason is that most other systems can fit within it by attribution. The spheres are called Sephiroth and represent degrees of downward emanation from the Absolute. The tubes connecting these spheres are regarded as paths. Starting at the bottom of the Tree in Malkuth, the meditating student essentially climbs his way back up the Tree towards God, intellectually and spiritually.

Many say that Tarot is of northern Italian origin. Others claim that it was systematically created by a society of Qabalists at Fez in Egypt around 1200 AD as a storehouse for, even then, ancient arcane wisdom. Now called the Major Arcana, the trump cards of the Tarot were formally attributed to the paths of the Qabalistic Tree by Aleister Crowley, a prominent figure in The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn in Britain at the beginning of the of the Twentieth Century. Some dispute the historical rightness of doing this, but most agree that this is a splendid way of synthesizing two useful systems in a way which greatly enhances both. Much of the material presented here obviously builds upon earlier work.

This volume was developed by E. F. Magnuson from 1978 to 1981 as a body of teachings for the Ordo Sangrealis Baphometis, an arcane fraternal order having it's roots in late Nineteenth Century Sweden. The enduring premise of this order has always been the promotion of absolute individual Liberty on a worldwide basis. The history of this movement, however, is far beyond the scope of the present volume and we are confident that the value of this material will be apparent to the reader if simply taken on it's own merit(3)

The first section of this book is called "The Three Scrolls"(4). In the form of tables, these constitute a highly organized indexed summary of Western mysticism. Although the attributions come from different national and religious traditions, all are Western and represent the strongest influence or most definitive example in each particular area.

In "Scroll T" we have an expanded system of meditation based on the synthesis of Qabalah and the Major Arcana. All of the attributions in the tables are numbered and are thought of as falling within one part of the Tree of Life. Which particular part is indicated by a corresponding number on the Tree. It should be stressed that this section is just as useful for meditation upon any planet or constellation of the Zodiac as for any individual Sephira.

"Scroll E" deals with attributions associated with the "five elements" as these were traditionally conceived before our knowledge of the Periodic Table. This is particularly enriching since so much of art and literature prior to the modern era reflects this earlier conception of things. This represents a further expansion upon the elemental attributions appearing in "Scroll T".

"Scroll A" deals with Alchemy, not the profane exoteric science dealing merely with the transmutation of base metals into gold, but the esoteric science of spiritual self transformation concealed within the profane (5).

Hermes Trismegistus, credited with creating this system around the first century AD knew of course, that obscurity compels thought and this is the very thing which makes this material so useful. The temporal power of Christianity later rendered this type of cryptic presentation useful as a way to avoid being burned at the stake for "heresy." It is noteworthy that the symbols of Alchemy correspond exactly to those of our dreams(6). The diligent student is instructed to proceed here with great patience.

In Section II we find ritual Magick, most easily described here as "the carefully directed use of make-believe, among other things, to the end of securing conditions greatly desired." This material is an eclectic blend of practices having ancient Egyptian, Hebrew, and European origins.

Both sections in this volume have their own separate detailed introduction. In either section the student is encouraged to substitute attributions and imagery in keeping with his own heritage and spiritual values(7). While not absolutely necessary, the utility of this material would be greatly enhanced by first reading at least one elementary text in each respective area(8). This is especially recommended in the case of Alchemy.

Eric Fenris Magnuson

4:17 PM, March 26, 1995

The Witch House

Lake Wildwood, California

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Footnotes:

Find links to other Magnuson books under "Suggested Reading".

1. The decline in intelligence we enjoy today was produced by thirty thousand years of warm weather and easy living just prior to the last Ice Age. In all fairness, there are many who believe that Homo Sapiens is not descended from Cro Magnon. Human intelligence however, is declining measurably today. A book which deals with this very well:
Elmer Pendell, "Why Civilizations Self Destruct," (Howard Allen, Cape Canaveral, 1977). Scholarly and well documented. Essential reading for all caring people on Earth.

2. Detailed diagram will be found in the Three Scrolls section.

3. The name Baphomet in used here only in the sense of Eliphas Levi's famous drawing of the ancient Pan-like fertility goat surrounded by other symbols, together representing in a lusty fashion, the Totality of All, or God. The priapic or orgiastic overtones render this imagery most appropriate for young, horny people. This imagery is of course, highly suitable for outdoor use. If preferred, one can substitute from their own heritage any name or names which address the more important aspect here.

4. This material was penned originally on parchment scrolls.

5. The profane parody of Alchemy was, among true Alchemists, refereed to as " puffery."

6. See the writings of Silberer, Freud, and Jung.

7. It is urged that the student make a list of deities, heroes, doctrines, and practices for his own spiritual tradition, all attributed the same way as in Scroll T here.

8. Samuel Weiser's "Path to Power Series" are excellent, brief, no-nonsense books on many areas of arcane knowledge.