Over long years personal experience as a teacher, I have reached the conclusion that the average student of the occult is a shithead. Harsh words? Yes, but they seem deserved. Even the best ones seem to lose all sense and reason when faced with the tasks of the A.'.A.'.
For this reason allow me to dispense some practical advice to those who would follow the way of High Magick. For convenience, student through Adeptus Minor as presented in "One Star In Sight" will be the format.
Student: there is a damn lot of reading to be done but don't rush it. Try to build comprehension and understanding. If you can't remember what you read, re-read it. Also, since there are many more books available now, feel free to supplement the required reading. The concern is to understand what attainment is and how it is achieved. If all you are doing is checking off books, you have been wasting your time.
Probationer: some try to do too much and others, too little. The thing you have to prove is that you have the sheer stubborness to continue day in, day out for one full year. And recording your work will seem a task for Hercules. You will try to find every excuse for not working nor recording properly the work you manage to do. This is the most common place to fail. Consider yourself warned.
Neophyte: Therion does not mention Liber Pyramidos here. He should for even to become a Neophyte you must initiate yourself. This is not impossible if Student and Probationer stages are successful.
As to perfect control of the astral plane, do not be satisfied with anything less. It is too easy to accept a degree of skill, to the detriment of all your later work. If you think that this is unnecessary, you missed something back at the Student stage.
Zelator: Asana and Pranayama are tedious and boring. But there are old women at the YWCA yoga class who are doing better than you will. It is to be recommended that you take a Hatha Yoga class for a few years. Martial arts such as karate, gung-fu, ad infinitum, are not acceptable substitutes. They are recommended as a supplement to proper yoga training.
The formula of the Rosy Cross, you are supposed to begin to study the symbolism. There are few who seem capable of cracking the code. For your convenience, I suggest study of the Briggs-Meyer Personality Test and the Jungian ideas that inspired it.
Practicus: my personal gripe is that most people are incapable of proper reasoning of any sort. If your intellectual training hasn't included a formal study of Logic, please include yourself in that group. Yes, more hard work, but being strong in all areas is the general goal.
The Qabbalah itself is a form of logic. The entire system of Western High Magick uses it. You can't escape it so you must master it. If you are proceeding properly, you will memorize a score of 777 tables without trying.
Philosophus: the idea of "moral training" sounds simple, it is not. Morality for a magician is a far cry from what the superficially Christian mundanes think of morality. Your starting point should be defining the nature of our morality. A class in Ethics is only necessary for those trapped in mundane morality.
Dominus Liminis: Pratyahara and Dhrana are not taught in any schools around here. All you can do is check Therion's instructions and what classic texts are available then go to it with the same will that got you this far. If you made it this far, it might, just might, be easier than you think. Don't put on airs but don't underestimate yourself neither.
Adeptus Minor (without): this is your real trial on what you have achieved and learned. No one can help you. The two rules of success in achieving the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel are "inflame yourself with prayer" and "invoke often". To which we are tempted to add, "Don't quit, don't stop!" The meaning of which is that you've spent too much time and effort to wimp out at anything short of complete success.
Obviously "One Star In Sight" leaves out many items. We will deal with these matters elsewhere. The goal of this article has been threefold. First, to supply little necessary details to solitary students. Second, to prompt realization of how much work is involved. Third, I want to scare off the shitheads.
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A Few Points of Law by Rhemis Megis
Liber AL I:34-Rituals and their study
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Liber Pyramidos
College of Thelema