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The four basic doctrines of magic and their inter-relationship were summed up by Paracelsus in the
following words:
The astral currents created by the imagination of the Macrocosm act upon the Microcosm and produce
certain states in the latter, and likewise the astral currents produced by the imagination and will of
man produce certain states in external Nature; and these currents may reach far, because the power of
the imagination reaches as far as thought can go. The physiological processes taking place in the
bodies of living beings are caused by their astral currents and the ... changes taking place in the great
organism of Nature are caused by the astral currents of Nature as a whole.
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5] Full practical instructions for invocation are given in Chapter Thirteen.
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The astral currents of either act upon the other, either consciously or unconsciously; and if this fact is
properly understood it will cease to appear incredible that the mind of man may produce changes in
the universal mind ... or that evil may be changed into good by the power of Faith. Heaven is a field
into which the imagination of man throws the seeds.' (6)
Such then, are the four theoretical premises on which contemporary occultists base their magical
activities. Many occultists would regard them as 'true' in the ordinary sense of that word, but some
would look upon them as no more than reasonable working hypotheses. J.W. Brodie-Innes, an adept
active in the early part of the present century, took the latter point of view and wrote:
'Whether the Gods, the Qliphothic forces' (ie the evil demons of the Hebrew Qabalah) 'or even the
Secret Chiefs' (ie the supposed invisible superhumans who are believed to direct the activities of
authentic magical fraternities) 'really exist is comparatively unimportant; the point is that the universe
behaves as though they do. In a sense the whole philosophy of the practice of magic is identical with
the Pragmaticist (sic) position of Pierce the American philosopher.'
Few readers of this book, however, are likely to wish to busy themselves with such intellectual
subtleties. Rather will they wish to experiment themselves with the practical techniques of the magical
art; the following chapter describes the first steps that must be taken.
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[6] Fuller details of Paracelsus' magical theories and techniques are to be found in his Archidoxes of
Magic. Askin Publishers, London, 1975.
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