THE FORMULA OF TETRAGRAMMATON
This formula is of most universal aspect, as all things
are necessarily comprehended in it; but its use in a magical ceremony is
little understood.
The climax of the formula is in one sense before even
the formulation of the Yod. For the Yod is the most divine aspect
of the Force --- the remaining letters are but a solidification of the
same thing. It must be understood that we are here speaking of the
whole ceremony considered as a unity, not merely of that formula in which
"Yod" is the god invoked, "He" the Archangel, and so on. In order
to understand the ceremony under this formula, we must take a more extended
view of the functions of the four weapons than we have hitherto done.
The formation of the "Yod" is the formulation of the first
creative force, of that father who is called "self-begotten", and unto
whom it is said: "Thou has formulated thy Father, and made fertile thy
Mother". The adding of the "He" to the "Yod" is the marriage of that
Father to the great co-equal Mother, who is a reflection of Nuit as He
is of Hadit. Their union brings forth the son "Vau" who is the heir.
Finally the daughter "He" is produced. She is both the twin sister
and the daughter of "Vau".<>
His mission is to redeem her by making her his bride;
the result of this is to set her upon the throne of her mother, and it
is only she whose youthful embrace can reawaken the eld of the {22} All-Father.
In this complex family relationship<> is symbolised the whole course
of the Universe. It will be seen that (after all) the Climax is at
the end. It is the second half of the formula which symbolises the
Great Work which we are pledged to accomplish. The first step of
this is the attainment of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian
Angel, which constitutes the Adept of the Inner Order.
The re-entry of these twin spouses into the womb of the
mother is that initiation described in Liber 418, which gives admission
to the Inmost Order of the A.'. A.'. Of the last step we cannot speak.
It will now be recognised that to devise a practical magical
ceremony to correspond to Tetragrammaton in this exalted sense might be
difficult if not impossible. In such a ceremony the Rituals of purification
alone might occupy many incarnations.
It will be necessary, therefore, to revert to the simpler
view of Tetragrammaton, remembering only that the "He" final is the Throne
of the Spirit, of the Shin of Pentagrammaton.
The Yod will represent a swift and violent creative energy;
following this will be a calmer and more reflective but even more powerful
flow of will, the irresistible force of a mighty river. This state
of mind will be followed by an expansion of the consciousness; it will
penetrate all space, and this will finally undergo a crystallization resplendent
with interior light. Such modifications of the original Will may
be observed in the course of the invocations when they are properly performed.
The peculiar dangers of each are obvious --- that of the
first is a flash in the pan --- a misfire; that of the second, a falling
into dreaminess or reverie; that of the third, loss of concentration.
A mistake in any of these points will prevent, or injure the proper formation
of, the fourth.
In the expression which will be used in Chapter XV: "Enflame
thyself", etc., only the first stage is specified; but if that is properly
done the other stages will follow as if by necessity. So far is
it written concerning the formula of Tetragrammaton.