|
Correspondence from A. Buckland-Plummer to Aleister Crowley
A. Buckland-Plummer Author of— "The Inner Laws of Health and Beauty" "The Law of Universal Supply," etc. 2030 Indiana Avenue, Chicago, Ill.
Septr. 1st. 1925
My Dear Mr. Aleister Crowley:
"Do What Thou Wilt Shall be The Whole of The Law"
This letter is written for the purpose of verifying certain parts of my occult record and experiences, which I trust is sufficient reason for it enlisting your kind attention.
First, may I sincerely salute you as a great man and a much greater soul, possibly a Logos, which has paid an unusually high price for attainment. My knowledge and admiration in this respect is based upon my own superphysical investigations, as well as upon a study of your works. Perhaps you may not be displeased to know that here and there amongst the crowd who invariably throw mud at you, that there are one or two able to recognise pure gold.
During the past 15 months or so, I have had a series of superphysical experiences which have brought me in close contact with the esoteric A∴A∴ on the inner planes, and it seemed quite often, with yourself in particular.
Of course, I realise that you may know nothing about this in your physical consciousness, that as you read, you may say, "Here's another candidate for Bedlam". On the other hand, you may agree that it is a quite common thing in occultism for one to have experiences on one plane which are not brought through to the physical. Be that as it may, I can only get your reaction to this thing by approaching you.
I have been able to get out of the body for several years, but until last May I did not regard these things very seriously, but commencing from the time mentioned, they assumed such a realistic form and affected my physical-material life so definitely, and moreover were checked up by two clairvoyants who operate entirely under will in full consciousness, that only an idiot could ignore them.
In the main, they covered what is ordinarily known as Christian initiatory experience, much as outlines by the late Dr. Rudolf Steiner. They include the three trials, fire, air and water, with the corresponding changes in physical consciousness, conduct and life, following upon the consummation of each.
That it is somewhat unusual to take the three trials in a period of a few months, I am aware, but it is explained in the case of the writ on the grounds that he made the grade of Adeptus Major in a previous life, abused his power in some way, made the necessary adjustments, and cleared the thing up in this life.
Throughout the whole thing, the A∴A∴ influence was very strong, assurance being given that the initiation was conducted by A∴A∴ intelligences. It involved my navigating the Tree of Life, covering each Sephira from foundation upwards, taking the right hand branches, coming into Tiphereth from Victory, then to Mercy, Wisdom, across to understanding, down to strength, splendour, and back to earth.
This is of course different from the way you have advocated as it avoids the abyss from Chesed to Understanding, but the difference is accounted for by the Christian character of the whole process.
The grade I am supposed to have made was given with the mystical name and number as follows: Seraph.Abnah, 11. operating from Wisdom directly to the earth. My present position is shown on the Tree to clairvoyant consciousness, as the right hand on Wisdom, the left on splendour and the feet squarely planted on the earth.
This perfectly agrees with my present attitude towards life, and my physical-material condition on this plane. As I stopped on each sephira, I was clearly able to establish the correspondences in physical consciousness and conduct, the evidence is clear and on record, therefore cannot be passed off as illusion. I will gladly give certain evidential details if you are at all interested.
Prior to these experiences, for 35 years, I have been wondering, wandering and searching, touching life at many angles, often broken in health, pocket, emotions, mind, but never in will. A rebel-anarchist, living entirely under will, beating the game on the whole, but ever without a definite foundation in consciousness.
Now I have a definite standard of appraisal for all ordinary problems, all doubt, fear, uncertainty, entirely eliminated. A definite work to do of a semi-political character in England starting quietly about 1927, for which I am preparing financially and physically now. Again, this is a change which cannot be "Laffed off" as they say in America, the facts are too plain, the evidence of actual experience, too strong.
From my earliest years I have insisted upon testing everything at the bar of logic and experience, have rejected all Mrs. Grundyisms, and conventionalities, notwithstanding the fact that I started life in very poor circumstances, with a body that was racked with disease from head to foot for 25 years. Today, I am very healthy, getting quite strong, have enormous vitality, making money easily for my future work, have no special personal desires, aspire only to do the Will of God as I understand it. Incidentally, during the past months I have twice had my sanity tested by an eminent Boston specialist, and been pronounced 100% sane.
My mystical motto at this time is Equilibrium, which I understand I shall temporarily lose within the next 16 years or so, in order to do a certain work along a given path on the physical plane, and probably take the next initiation,—the crucifixion. I mention these things so that you may realise you are not being approached by a neurotic schoolgirl.
Heretofore, I have been 'agin the world, and the world agin me', today, everything comes very easily. I have neither courage or fear. I am convinced that I work entirely under the will of the Higher Genius, and the proof is everything is working out as predicted, and according to Hoyle.
From 5 years of age I was conscious of a terrible sex obsession, which was cleared up at the initiations, the thing being shown pictorially on the inner planes as a sort of battle for a soul, between Aphrodite and a Christian Adept,—the soul in question being my own.
As I passed the 'shadows' in the inner world on this, I sensed your influence very strongly,, as I did also, when I had the break up in consciousness, whilst the happenings were taking place in the soul body—before coming through to physical consciousness. There was a certain day last May (1924) when I was in New York, that I lacked a single definite idea about everything. I questioned my own existence, the existence of the world, the truth of everything, etc: You no doubt understand this state. It was then that a voice seemed to ring in my ears, "Do What Thou Wilt Shall be The Whole of The Law".
I took the tip, straightened up, made a definite decision for action, and went clean through to victory.
Whenever the law of Thelema has been impressed upon me, 'Shall' has been specially emphasised, but only up to the point prior to the air trial, when an enormous sense of freedom possessed my consciousness. But I am convinced that the law is for the future, so far as average humanity is concerned, and in this, my intervention, and consequently my teaching differs rather from your.
I am informed that the only order who will eventually recognise me is the A∴A∴, whether this applies to the present or the future, I do not know.
It is on this point I respectfully ask you to enlighten me. Of course, the conventional reply to this would be to the effect that the exoteric A∴A∴ has a certain definite system to which all must conform in order to obtain recognition. If that is your decision, it is perfectly alright, I am not in the least anxious, I shall continue along the very satisfactory path I am treading, living to the law of Thelema and under the will of God, concerned neither with speculation or attainment, but only with definite action here and now on the physical plane, in accordance with my grade.
Whether you ignore this letter, or however you reply, I shall respect and love you no less, we each have our job. I must say I am damn glad I haven't yours. By the way, I wonder if you really know in your physical consciousness just what it is?
Will you forgive me if I gently suggest it may be something more than writing very beautiful stories in the finest English that was ever penned, or laying down occult instructions for aspirants. There comes a time when a Magus has to raise hell on the physical plane!
We shall meet sometime, and I may have something interesting to say to you along this line. You will recall the intelligence who told you you would long for death, but death would be denied you. There may be others living who can interpret this for you.
No doubt you are broad enough to agree that there are plenty of great initiates who have never sent in their probationers form to the exoteric A∴A∴
Finally, here is something your expert knowledge can help me on if you will. At one point in this initiation thing, I was not getting the superphysical experiences through as clearly as I wished, the practices in the Temple etc: I asked how I could rectify this, through a clairvoyant, the answer came in the form of a vision of a field of poppies and a bar of gold. The suggestion was obvious, but I declined to take advantage of it, particularly as the bar of gold was conspicuous by its absence at that time. A tip on this, if you can.
By the way I know our mutual friend Frank Harris very well, worked and lived with him for months in 1921, also, I know Jones [Charles Stansfeld Jones], to whom I wrote regarding some of my experiences when they were occurring, only to receive from him a silly egotistical reply. I fear your magical Son has temporarily lost his way, but he'll come back, possibly through the hard trail of illusion and suffering. May the Gods bless him.
'Love is the law, Love under Will'.
Ever yours,
A. Buckland Plummer
|