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Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Charles Stansfeld Jones
2619 Woodley Place Washington D C
May 21, 1916
Care Frater,
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Yours of May 11 and 14. Yes, it is a pity I could not come West; but They know best. I am now quite convinced that you will go far in this Work; so cheer up. Don't worry about "conscious links": but remember that for every step you take, They take two.
Now as to the record. Times are all absurdly short; it takes long to concentrate the Will. It is also much easier after the first hour, physically. Your 6th shows the beginning of right feeling in this matter. About devotion to Nuit, I think any practice undertaken for a sacred purpose counts as right. Make the identity beforehand: e.g., I want money to buy food to feed body to fortify mind to devote etc. But in the practice you stick to the actual thing immediately desired.
I believe it to be inferior to force oneself. One should be in the "storm" of a grand passion, and conquer that. Force arises from the war of the Elements. Yet I am not sure. A fool who believes this rubbish told me once that now and then the worst practice has brought the best results. There is a record extant and in my possession with 180 practices. Very elaborately kept; but I have not had time to analyse it properly.
Anyhow, your personality should enable you to attract first rate people, and if you can keep on over 2 hours, you will do well. By the way, for material things perhaps a touch of colour, black or yellow, is not bad. Waite, of course, recommends such practises as At Bordj-anNus for such purposes, but I doubt its efficacy. At least, it is totally opposed to the theory as I understand it. But do not be schooled by theory; if you want to try, try. I must say that you have the first part of the theory fairly accurate; but of the second part you seem to have no glimmer, though God knows I have given you hints enough. I really did expect you to find out, as you are so good at exegesis. Why, damn it, man, it's given in so many words in official instructions. However, I suppose you have not had a proper meal in your whole life, and this may make you stupid.
However, you are a wonderful psychologist! Some of your remarks make me very happy.
Really, if you read all my letters over together, I can't see how you can possibly miss finding out.
I'm devilish busy: my initiation has made me neglect work, and I am trying to catch up to-day.
So pardon the extreme brevity of this communication.
Love is the Law, Love under Will.
Yours in the Bonds of the Order,
[eleven-fold cross] Baphomet X° O.T.O.
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