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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Tuesday, 24 April 1906
Arrived at Kobe at 5 p.m.—24 hours sail.
Wrote to S[carlet] W[oman] [Rose Kelly] with some reserve, of course utterly concealing both A∴ and A. [Elaine Simpson].
Q[uer]y? Could I use to help with A∴I∴ [Augoeides Invocation]? I should think yes: I ought to use every power I have.[1]
A∴[2]
fair only; though I invoked all these powers of mine. Yet,
after, by a strong effort of will, I banished my sore throat
and my surroundings and went up in Astral Body. Reached a
room, in which a table was spread
1—In the margin of the TS, Crowley marked this entire passage through the end of the first paragraph of the 25th as "important." 2—This indicates the Invocation of Augoeides.
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thus, a naked man being nailed there to. Many venerable men
sat around, feasting on his living flesh and quaffing his
hot blood. There (I was told) were the adepts whom I might
one day join. This I understood to mean that I should get
the power of taking only spiritual nourishment—but probably
it means much more than this. Next I came into an apparently
empty hall, all being in white ivory, worked in filigree, as
the Chinese do. A square slim [shin?] altar was in the
midst. I seemed to be questioned as to what I would
sacrifice on that altar. I offered all save my will to know
A\
that I would only exchange for its own realization. I now
became conscious of vast God-forms of Egypt sitting, so vast
I could only see their knees. "Would not knowledge of the
Gods suffice." No! said I. It was then pointed out that I
was being critical i.e. rationalistic and made to see that A∴
was not fashioned in my image. Necessarily, that is. I
apologized, and knelt at altar, placing my hands on it,
right over left. The One human, white, self-shining (my idea
after all) came forth and put his hands over mine saying "I
receive thee into the Order of the Silver Star." Then, with
advice to return, I sank back to earth in a cradle of flame.