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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to the Editor of The Divine Life
[Undated: circa March 1913]
Dear Madam,
In the article in your excellent Magazine "The Divine Life". "I show you a Better Way" you gave a certain amount of unfavourable criticism to a book of mine called Book 4. You say that the Student is not at any time in a state of mine for meditation during the practice of keeping his body still. Certainly he is not. The point is that he never will be until he has perfected the practice, conquered his body and reached the state described at the end of the chapter.
You further remark that in all these methods, not a word is said about Devotion. This is again true, because they are not devotional methods. Some people are quite incapable of devotion, which seems to them ridiculous. Others are equally incapable of scientific thought. These two cannot be treated alike. In other parts of my teaching will be found many pages of a devotional character. I am sending you a typed copy of "Astarte", the instruction pertaining to this matter, which you are quite at liberty to print if you will do so without alteration.
This however is only preliminary. I do not think it desirable to talk about the Holy Guardian Angel, the Augoeides to profane persons who have no capacity for and no real interest in, the Path. My method has always been to make a pupil study for a year, using any practices that appeal to him, and keeping all details with regard to the same. By examining this record, I have obtained a map of his mind and can then tell what practices are likely to be useful to him. I know many painful experiences when one may go on with an unsuitable practice for an unlimited time without obtaining any result.
I must apologise for writing so long a letter, but I trust that you will find space for it, as you will see that a teaching may be entirely misrepresented although its words were quoted literally.
I am yours very truly.
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