Magical Formulae

Part of the Magick in Theory & Practice series.

A Magical Formula is generally a word whose meaning illustrates principles and degrees of understanding that are often difficult to relay using other forms of speech or writing. It is a concise means to communicate very abstract information through the medium of a word or phrase.

These words often have no intrinsic meaning in and of themselves. However, when deconstructed, each individual letter may refer to some universal concept found in the system that the formula appears. Additionally, in grouping certain letters together one is able to display meaningful sequences that are considered to be of value to the spiritual system that utilizes them (e.g., spiritual hierarchies, historiographic data, psychological stages, etc.)

A formula's potency is understood and made useable by the magician only through prolonged meditation on its levels of meaning. Once these have been interiorized by the magician, they may then utilize the formula to maximum effect.

Since Crowley excelled in the permutative arrangements found in the practices of the literal Qabalah it should be of no surprise that the formulary listed below both contain and can be understood only by using various literal Qabalistic techniques such as gematria or isopsephy, temurah and notariqon.

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