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I was recently reading The Enochian World of Aleister Crowley and, though I've studied Enochian Magick before, I was stunned by how straightforward the authors, Christopher Hyatt and Lon Milo DuQuette, had written it. Now, as I said earlier, I'd studied it before but these guys made things very easy to follow and brought back to mind a system I'd not touched in years.
Now, here's where I admit to a character flaw. As I was reading the book, I envisioned a huge truncated pyramid with the elemental watchtowers as the four sides and the Tablet of Union as the top. I even imagined the 30 Aethyrs radiating outwards as though the pyramid of elements rested at the core of an onion. The vision continued to include a notion of working with the four sides of the pyramid until one could rise up to the top while seeking outwards through the Aethyrs. Honestly, I should have written it down (though I suppose I have now) but I neglected my journal and spent the next few weeks worrying that I'd forget the whole notion. Lately, I developed a sneaking suspicion that half of my 'eureka' moments involve me rediscovering ideas that I've failed to record years ago. Always keep an up-to-date journal; every good occultist says it but how many follow the advice?
More recently, I found myself reading a website devoted to Franz Bardon. It had quite a few interesting pieces but I really enjoyed the run-down of Initiation into Hermetics, which I had dropped because I felt that much had been lost in the translation. But, getting to the point, the section on elemental equipoise was quite well done. I never really understood the instructions in the book and my attempts were proof enough. Luckily, the neurons fired and I think I finally got the big picture...
In Western Kabbalah, you must complete the initiations of the Sephirah one at a time and in the proper sequence; Netzach before Tiphareth, Yesod before Hod. The true test, Knowledge and Conversation with the Holy Guardian Angel, occurs when you reach Tiphareth. If I remember correctly, Tiphareth contains two initiations. Israel Regardie goes further to say that every student of magic should seriously consider psychological counselling before doing any serious magical work. Franz Bardon insists upon elemental equipoise, an exercise that requires a restructuring of the mind to eliminate negative personality traits and develop more positive ones but in a certain 'elemental' balance... that takes care of Hermeticism.
On the more scientific side of things, the Men's Movement uses Jungian psychology to demonstrate that a man (equally effective for women, no less) must attune himself to his archetypes. Only by learning from, and not identifying with, the Warrior, the King, the Magician and the Lover can a man find the perfect mental balance to pursue contact with his Anima. Timothy Leary's 8 Circuit model describes four terrestrial circuits and their functioning within the human mind. With the proper grasp or level of functioning within each of circuits, a person can leap across the chasm of Castle Perilous and reach the circuit that causes mystical experience. Robert Anton Wilson and Christopher Hyatt have even gone so far as to describe exercises that be undertaken to shatter the random imprinting on those circuits and reimprint with something more freeing, more rational... and there it is...
- 4 sephirah before Adepthood
- 4 elements in classical Hermeticism
- 4 base archetypes in the human mind
- 4 terrestrial circuits in the human brain
- the 5th sephirah is Tiphareth, the first mystical sephirah
- the 5th element is Spirit, ineffable and pure
- the 5th archetype is the Anima/Animus, the archetype that grants wholeness
- the 5th circuit is the Neuro-Hedonic circuit, the first of the extra-terrestrial circuits and the source of bliss
| Hermeticism |
Kabbalah |
(Pop) Jungian |
Leary Model |
| Earth |
Malkuth |
Warrior |
Bio-Survival |
| Water |
Yesod |
King |
Anal-Territorial |
| Air |
Hod |
Magician |
Dexterity-Symbolism |
| Fire |
Netzach |
Lover |
Socio-Sexual |
| Spirit |
Tiphareth |
Anima/Animus |
Neuro-Hedonic |
So, there we have it, the union, or at least the coming together, of Psychology and Magic. To reach the heights of an enlightened magic, a person must reach Equipoise, a balanced personality, passionate yet reflective, sturdy but quick. The map is not the territory. Whether you call them elements, sephirah, circuits or archetypes, the mind is built like the great pyramid of Enoch. When the four walls are sturdy and sound, the roof becomes a window to eternity.
Addendum (Nov 19, 2002): As I get back to basics, I'm reminded of the importance of Self-Analysis in magick. It brings to mind a tool which might prove quite useful in the pursuit of Equipoise but I neglected to mention previously. The Tarot has a very similar structure to the systems compared above. It has four suits based upon the elements with a major arcana that describes spiritual concepts. I can easily visualize the minor arcana assembled as a truncated pyramid with the major arcana radiating outward in circles from the open roof.
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