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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Monday, 25 July 1921
A lovely bathe
Genesthai [C. F. Russell] is somewhat chastened in spirit; but what he needs is an University Education and no more Magick for awhile. I have relaxed the sentence on him at the request of F∴[rater] Progradior [Frank Bennett] and S∴[oror] Estai [Jane Wolfe], they giving guarantees of his future good conduct. But what shall I am at for him?
I ask: How can Genesthai be of best use to the Order? What message is there about him? [I Ching Hexagram] Fire of P[hallus] 34 Ta Kwang—The Ram. He should be an active Missionary.
What course of training for him? [I Ching Hexagram] Air of P[hallus] IX Hsiao Khu. "Small Restraint". He should recognise his true mission in life. The Thelema Oracle is this: CCXX III 70. He needs to learn the Method—the 98 rules of art—subtlety—etc.
Should he go to Sydney to help Fra Progradior? [I Ching Hexagram] Air of Luna. XL Kieh. Loosing—Their could hardly be a better symbol for this type of question.
Should he start out to work his way there? [I Ching Hexagram] Water of Air. 28 Ta Kwo—The weak beam. No: he is not yet strong enough. His way should be prepared for him.
What about my going to Australia via South Africa? [I Ching Hexagram] Ta Kwo again! ! I'm not ready yet.
General symbol for Ebling. [I Ching Hexagram] Fire of K[teis]—Pleasure and satisfaction Yu.
What about his visit here? [I Ching Hexagram] Ta Kwo again! ! ! It seems as if he were sensuous and weak of will—a 'nice man—a ladies' tailor indeed! I doubt if he is ready.
Suppose America, Australia, and South Africa combine to raise a fund for me to make a year's campaign, leaving Cefalu at the Autumn Equinox of 1922, reaching Chicago in the summer of 1923, etc. [I Ching Hexagram] Sol of Sol XXX Li. Excellent, if prepared properly.
What should be the object of our next Opus IX°? [I Ching Hexagram] LX Kieh. Luna of Water. "Regulations". To organize our campaign.
Result at Vespers tonight (I invoked Hecate by the 'Orpheus' poem). Maitland [Cecil Maitland] saw Hecate—almost a solid figure—with open eyes. She was in a black robe, with a very white face and gold crown.
Mary [Mary Butts] in bed outside—felt my "hellish glee" stirring in her, in a mild form; it gave her a subtle and ineffable pleasure; as if she had a secret pride in herself. Alostrael [Leah Hirsig] saw herself as if traveling, very fast, in a dazed condition, and came (as the poem ended) to a gigantic Urn with huge handles, elaborately decorated with red and blue inscriptions on the rough earthenware surface.
I am myself getting astonishingly close to trance every time I do the new "Pentagram"; and the Collects always soothe me to a kind of ecstatic silence.
10. P.M. How shall I instruct Genesthai in the matter of Ninette [Ninette Shumway] (Alostrael makes Hex) [I Ching Hexagram] Earth of Sol 22 Pi. Thwan—free course, but little advantage if it be allowed to advance.
[Line] 1. Avoid indulgence. [Line] 2. No proper correlate to his manhood. [Line] 3. Danger being corrupted by good fortune. [Line] 4. The liaison should have been taken more seriously; he has profaned the rite. [Line] 5. He must economize his resources, and protect himself. [Line] 6. He must revert to chastity, in this respect.
666 gloss—I must impress the seal of my realization (of the proper course for him) firmly and ineffaceably upon him.
Gen[era]l symbol for the present financial state of this Abbey. [I Ching Hexagram] Earth of Earth 52 Kan. Rest—stability. There is no danger of catastrophe; or, there is Inertia.
The financial committee met this afternoon—Leah, Jane, and Mary—and made a report of a similar character.
11.33 P.M. Opus[1] 31-666-31 [Leah Hirsig]. Op[eratio]n 1 1/2 hours, very fine indeed, both for orgasm and mental control. El[ixir] Very strong sweet aromatic and well-formed. Obj[ect] Power to organize our campaign.
Will now write finally to 777 [Charles Stansfeld Jones].
1—[Crowley performs a magical sexual operation.]
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