| 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 |
| 1 | 46 | 93 | 139 | 185 |
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[5] Ideally this motto should be of your own construction, but if your languages are shaky then for
ideas you could refer to the list of magical mottoes used by some members of the Golden Dawn,
printed in R.G. Torrens, The Secret Rituals of the Golden Dawn. Aquarian Press, London, 1973, or
the Latin motto/phrase lists in any good dictionary.
----
Having chosen your name it is now advisable to dedicate yourself to magical studies with an oath. It is
best to make this oath-taking as solemn as possible, otherwise the whole thing becomes a little like
adolescent play acting. You can either devise your own ceremony or use the following rite:
Wearing your magical robe, with the symbols of the Elements on the walls of your temple, stand
before your altar facing East. On the altar is placed whatever symbol or book is holy for you if you are
a Christian, a Bible or a Crucifix; if a Muslim, a copy of the Koran; if a devotee of the fertility religion
of witchcraft, a Book of Shadows; if a follower of Aleister Crowley, a copy of The Book of the Law;
and so on.
Raising your right hand, palm outwards, slightly above your head say:
'I, ..................... (the name to be inserted here should be your new magical name, not your name in
everyday life) do this day solemnly promise and swear before these symbols of Air, (turn to face
South) of Fire, (turn to face West) of Water, (turn to face North) of Earth, (turn to East again and drop
hand to rest on altar symbol) and by the sacred symbol on this my altar of Magic, that, with Divine
permission, I will from this day forward apply myself unto the Great Work, which is so to purify and
exalt my spiritual nature that with the Divine Aid I may at length attain to be more than human, and
thus gradually raise and right myself to my Higher and Divine Genius, and that in this event I will not
abuse the great power entrusted unto me. I further solemnly pledge myself not to debase my
knowledge of practical magic to purposes of evil; raise hand from symbol, throw arms wide so that
you are standing in the position of one crucified) Lords of the Four Quarters, witness this mine solemn
oath!'
This is the conclusion of this simple ceremony; there is no formal closing - simply disrobe and
dismantle your altar.
At the stage of occult development you have now reached there now arises an obstacle; a strong
temptation to do no real practical work - to put off such actual experimentation until one has 'read a
few more books' or 'acquired some more magical equipment'. To give in to this temptation is fatal.
From postponing one's activities from day to day one goes on to postpone them from week to week,
from month to month and eventually from year to year. It is essential that this should not happen, that
you should start your actual magical work now.
It is most important to commence by establishing a rhythm of work, a regular practice which one
performs every day no matter what circumstances arise. This makes the student continually aware that
magic is a part of his life, not a 'once in a blue moon' experiment, strengthens his determination and at
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