3.0 GENERAL BACKGROUND INFORMATION

      The term Occult Sciences or Magick includes a broad range of subjects including astrology, the Tarot cards, alchemy, ritual Magick, and various methods of meditative mind control employing breathing exercises, chanting, and dancing. The context within which these subjects are to be interpreted for this proposal is the psychology of the human mind as set forth by Carl Jung in his development of the concepts of archetypes and the collective unconscious. For example, with respect to astrology there may be just as much scientific evidence to support the synchronistic concept that a person's psychological type corresponds to the patterns of the heavens at the moment of birth or inception as there is to deny such phenomena. The important factor regarding astrology, however, is that an accurate astrological system is a map of the archetypal evolution of man's collective unconscious specifically covering the period of the last five, six, or seven millennia.

      Astrologers who encourage individuals to enslave themselves to astrological events have probably done more to corrupt the name of the Occult Sciences than any other factor. Within the collective unconscious there are seven "personal" planets and three "archetypal" planets. There are ten Sephiroth of the Tree of Life which only manifest themselves to the ego when the conscious mind has correctly assimilated the twenty-two Trumps of the Tarot cards within which resides the whole of the astrological system, except for the three "archetypal" planets. The three "archetypal" planets are, however, represented on the Tree of Life. Furthermore, the classical zodiacal system of Leo, Virgo, etc., can never be understood without a thorough knowledge of its ancient predecessor from Babylon which underwent important evolutionary developments in Greece and then Egypt before it assumed its modern form with strong Roman influences. The evolution of the zodiac is much more complex than is here implied. (See "The Gods of the Egyptians" - Vol. 2, page 312, E.A. Wallis Budge.) The point to be made is simply that the archetypal entities which play a prominent role in the functioning of the collective unconscious mind of Western Man can best be studied through comparative religion and comparative mythology. Furthermore, these two disciplines are no where more thoroughly treated than in the Occult writings of Carl Jung and Aleister Crowley. Carl Jung provides convincing theoretical arguments for the existence of archetypes, the collective unconscious, and associated parapsychological phenomena, but Aleister Crowley is the one individual more than any other who developed Occult concepts into a modern refined science.

      Just as Carl Jung's psychological concepts require such a broad intellectual field of view that few psychologists are very well versed in his theories, Robert Graves' approach to poetry is so immensely broad and deep in terms of the historical and mythological perspectives that he brings to bear upon the psychological character of the poet that very few poets appreciate or even attempt to study his masterly work "The White Goddess". In the introduction to "The White Goddess" Graves very blatantly warns that if the reader is tired (i.e., intellectually out of shape) or has a rigidly scientific mind, then no attempt should be made to tackle the book. In the same vein, Aleister Crowley's Occult writings are phenomenally complex, and require such an ubiquitous curiosity and understanding of the universe that only a relatively small number of individuals ever attempt to delve thoroughly into his works.

      The average left hand of the human body contains five fingers, each with definite functions and characteristics, which are artifacts of millions of years of evolution. Along with the physical evolution of the human form there has been a concomitant evolution of the human mind. The root structure of the mind is very mysterious, and is sometimes referred to as the soul. Carl Jung called it the collective unconscious. It has various and distinct elements just as the physical hand has various and distinct elements. The elements of the collective unconscious are called archetypes, spirits, gods, demons, beings, etc.. The important thing is that they are alive and that each has a heritage of its own. To meet these beings and become acquainted with their ways is the greatest majesty of all. To speak with Ishtar of Babylon and her sisters Isis of Egypt, Astarte of Canaan, Aphrodite of Greece, and the formidable Ashtarot of Palestine, is to glimpse the true meaning of that immortality which only the Gods can partake of. "Explore the river of the soul; whence, and in what order, thou has come."-Zoroaster (See "Magick In Theory and Practice", p-50, Aleister Crowley).

      The primary business of the Occult Sciences is to teach students to bring forth "spirits from the vasty deep"* in order to experientially introduce the ego to the archetypes of the collective unconscious. The marriage of the rational mind with the ancient Gods worshipped by our ancestors is the essence of the formula for The Philosopher's Stone. Within Occult literature this is precisely the meaning of the uroboric configuration of a serpent biting its tail, wherein the serpent's head represents the rational ego and the tail stands for the archetypal structures of the collective unconscious.

      Becoming well integrated with the beings of the collective unconscious can make a person very powerful. The Occult Sciences try to instill in its students a thirst for knowledge so that any power acquired is directed back into the process from which that power arose, thus perpetuating the search for the roots of our heritage and the causes of our existence. Only in this manner can the student ever enjoy the "primal scream" in its full potential, and also become qualified to lead others into direct contact with the reality of the evolution of the human soul.

      Magick is the oldest and most universal form of science. The three Magi of the Christian legend were Zoroastrian science-priests bringing Christ a knowledge of the ages as preserved, developed, and perpetrated by the oldest and most universal philosophy ever developed by mankind. Magick is the most exact and encompassing of all systems of knowledge. Its roots go directly and most precisely back to all ancient civilizations and beyond into the neolithic and paleolithic cultures from which those civilizations arose. J.G. Frazer in "The Golden Bough" and Joseph Campbell in "The Masks of God" have discussed this issue at great length. Aleister Crowley, however, is the one individual more than any other who presents the Occult arena in such a manner so as to be appealing to the scientific mind.

      The central essence of the Occult Sciences is to mingle consciousness with archetypal structures of the collective unconscious in order to provide powerful techniques for triggering the creative imagination. Zoroaster said, "God is a spiral force, having the eye of a hawk." To unite the conscious self with this spiral force, which manifests most directly in man in what is called the creative imagination, is symbolically expressed by the age-old symbol of the uroboros.

      To approach the Occult Sciences with the idea of avoiding evil forces is like pursuing a study of world history without ever encountering such figures as Nero, Attila the Hun, and Adolf Hitler. Encountering the evil forces of the collective unconscious is a very vital aspect of what Carl Jung refers to as meeting the Shadow. The works of Carlos Castaneda including "The Teachings of Don Juan", "A Separate Reality", and "Journey to Ixtlan" provide a good discussion on the necessity of conquering fear. Direct encounters with the demonic forces which live within is the only way to ever establish a completely successful conquest of fear.

      Dreams are exceptionally important to everyone, but absolutely essential to students of the Occult. Establishing a close personal relationship between the waking ego and the dream world is essential for numerous reasons including the fact that the dream world is where the Gods most readily manifest themselves to the conscious ego.

*See "Henry IV," Part 2, W. Shakespeare