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Charles Stansfeld Jones Diary Entry Thursday, 21 May 1914
Robed and entered Temple. (Note. By temple, Frater V.I.O. meant the back half of a small tent, erected behind his living tent at Dundarave, West Vancouver, British Columbia. This little tent was divided by a partition of rough wood and heavy paper, the other portion being used as a store-room. I make this note to show the change that had been wrought in his way of thinking since he left England, and also in his manner of living. While in a well furnished Flat in Kensington, he could find no place fit for Magicj or in which to meditate properly, so he thought.)
Performed the L.B.R. [Lesser Banishing Ritual] of Pentagram with wand, followed by an impromptu Invocation of Mercury, and asked for strength and success in this operation from the Lord of the Universe.
Having described a Circle on the floor with Wand, I knelt in the centre and proclaimed my intention to rise, surrounded with a white 'astral' until I arrived at the 'door' as instructed.
For some time it seemed very difficult to do so, or to get anything distinctly. Presently, however, things seemed a little better and I eventually found that I could formulate the idea of a door. It was arched and studded with nails, and opened towards me. Passing through this I felt that I was in the same place as last night.[1]
On my left I perceived a range of mountains, then I noticed at my feet a winding road. Travelling along this road, I conceived that I was holding a staff in my right hand and the idea gradually developed until I perceived very much in the form of the Hermit of the Taro.
Travelling further, I presently came to a tunnel, through which I went, guided by the light of the lamp in my left hand. There were long stalactites depending from the roof, and the passage wound round to the right. Presently I noticed a nitch in the wall containing a vase. I took this down and threw it on the ground and at that a Beetle came out of the vase and went along the passage before me. (I had a feeling that this was partly due to certain events of the day, and might have been the result of their action on my mind.) I now began definitely to ask for some answer to the meaning of the Symbol I had set out to interpret.
Arriving at the end of the passage, we came out into sunlight, and I met a young man, wearing a winged helmet, blue cloak, thrown back from the shoulders, gold chain mail on body, gold plates over thighs with some red material under the gold. He also had winged heels.
I asked him in the name of Mercury the meaning of the Symbol, and he replied to the following effect: At the topmost point is Aleph, which is One. This One cannot manifest as Two, but only as Three, which brings it back to unity again. Therefore is Aleph expressed three times and though being in the form of a triangle it remains One. In the centre of this triangle is Yod, which is also One, but represents the Cycle of Manifestation and the return to Zero—yet it remains in the Centre.
Now the averse triangle is the Universe, which has two Suns a Material and a Spiritual, both of which, directing their rays upon the Universe cause it to appear as it does. (Of course Resh = Sun and Tau = The Universe, by Taro.) The Yod is at the centre of this trial also, and remains unaltered. The topmost point of Yod is Kether, yet it is also 10 and therefore Malkuth, for it is written "One is his Individuality, One His _______ His Permutation is One" (I did not get the missing word but on reference it should of course be 'Beginning' and should be placed in correct order.)
And I said: I do not feel satisfied with the explanation regarding the two letters Resh. And he answered: Do not two reshes make a Tau, both by numeration and by shape? And I perceived that it was so.
Still, however, I did not feel satisfied, and decided to rise higher and seek further explanation if possible. I did so, and arrived upon a platform of marble, on which was an altar in the shape of a double cube, with the letter Tau on the top. I was given to understand that the altar represented the Universe. I then wanted to know more about the two Reshes, and it came to me that the two Suns might represent Sun-rise and Sun-set over the Universe and the Yod was the Generative power at the centre of a triangle which represented the female or Mother Principle. I then lay upon the top of the altar and tried to get something further respecting the Three Alephs, but with not mush satisfaction.
Returned to the body, feeling rather dissatisfied with the result in general. Entered these notes in my diary.
1—N.B. Last night I was performing a trial 'journey' and feeling in good form I thought I would carry out this first operation. As soon as I had passed the door, however, I was interrupted by what I thought was R. [Rubina Stansfeld Jones] calling to me, and returned to avoid further interruption as I had made no definite arrangements to remain undisturbed. I afterwards found R. sound asleep. she had not called, and I wondered what voice it was that had so distinctly heard.
[Aleister Crowley's Comments]
Your answer is on the whole satisfactory. I might add that the two Reshes may be regarded as two Circle of Spheres, and the Tau being the Phallus in extension, the three together make the complete organ, while the Yod is the concealed essence of all, and of this the Spermatozoon is the physical hieroglyphic. You of course noticed that the figure in question is a graphical representation of the name Ararita. You will find a combination of this name in the Book 813, which is the volume I am sending you now. Now this does not pertain to the question, but it is a very nice little thing for you to work at. With your present knowledge of this name, devise a practical system of self-initiation and of magick. You see what I want you to do is to be able to work out your own Salvation without fear and trembling. O.M. [Aleister Crowley]
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in detail by means of visions.]