Flags, Flax, and Fodder

Flags, Flax, and Fodder

The Secrets of 1734 Revealed.

Wm Gray letter #7

Thanks for your letter. Oh well, so much for J.M. Evidentally she belongs to the 'wanting' group rather than the 'having'...

Agreed as to the phallic basis of the Qabalists Rod. In spite of all the evidence to the contrary, the witches staff or stang' as we name it, is not phallic, but has the same position as the Tree of Life in your system, with Knife and Cord as Father and Mother Pillars. Of course the basic meanings are very similar, but the symbology and the use is very different. The Phallus (a symbolical staff made from Alder wood) is quite a different proposition and is very rarely brought into being. It is in fact the handle of the Broom, and has usually been carved to quite interesting traditional patterns. The Broom, we have has a carved face and writing all over it. Kether to Malkuth or Malkuth to Kether, what a thorny remark to make. Obviously one has to replace anything that one takes out, but how this is done is usually one of the deep secrets. The Christians use Divine Love as the input and output, but that is rather a matter for speculation, since disinterested service is rarely without pitfalls. The essence of all magical undertakings is balance, without it anything and everything seems to happen. You and I have a basis for some disagreement here.. from what I can gather the Qabalists regard Nature as being limited to a cyclic phenomena with limitations upon the actual scope of the phenomena. Witches would disagree philosophically with this concept, saying that Nature Is, and that whatever Man is so is Nature, since Man and Nature, like Beast and Nature are one and the same thing. All known relationships and some "unknown" ones are to be found within natural laws. The supernatural never comes into it. The Planes are extentions of the Dark Side of the Moon, where Nature ultimately fails is that Nature is illusion as we see Nature, but not as Nature really is. What a magician of any school would describe as transmutation is, in actual fact, just an increasing perception into the deeper aspects of Nature. All mystical perception is based upon the fact that we go to God, not that God comes to us. There are as many ways of seeing God as there are creations of God and each individual creation is the Totality, the Hand that Writes as well as the Writing. What is lacking is perception, that is what makes the Path so bloody and so long. Still enough of the Truth department, let us put down the shutters.

Now what are you to do with the charm. I will tell you after the X-ray. One word of warning though, never take anything that a witch says literally, when they have been working on you. We are up to all sorts of psychological trickery, and as I have often remarked, nothing in witchcraft is quite what it appears to be. For my money, though, the charm has already worked. You feel better.

Agreed about whooping it up occasionally, and about the high mindedness of Qabalistic magic. It is too rigid a la Dion Fortune standards, and so inflexible that eventually it will fracture like glass. It is not that the Qabalah reccomends this particular attitude, but that some of the practitioners have put unresolved inhibitions and repressions into their interpretation of it. Surely to be good one doesn't have to be constantly moral also? The Vase that is of the greatest beauty is often the one with some small carelessness in its design, rigid design can be the ruination of an otherwise perfect object. The way we regard 'magick' is that it is a fluid, moving, flowing, force, usually started with a laugh and ended in deadly seriousness. For my money Violet (Shrinking?.!!!) Firth was so obsessed by perfectionism, that (a) she has cheerfully kiboshed the chances of anyone finding joy through the practice of her particular interpretation, and that (b) she was sexually out of balance, hence the perfectionism. In fact some riotous living would have made a different woman out of her, much more human and fluid. Quite apart from Violet Firth though, the menopausic state is usually the motive behind much feminine prudism, and that again has nothing to do with 'Nature', but with unresolved catchments of basic energies. Eileen Garret is my favourite femme terrible, she is without a basic problem anywhere, and absolutely truthful. Which you must admit is really something amongst the dun dreary females of the occult and spiritualist world. (Bobbie and Sandra apart). I don't know about 'glamour' but I do know that genuine friendliness can make for more in a group than anything else.

Whooping it up, part two. Orgiastic behaviour. Oh Brother William, Brother William I am in complete agreement with riots, getting drunk, having big scenes, eating too much, sleeping too much, making love to pretty girls, laughing, poking gentle fun, talking too much, going to bed with the woman you love and then sleeping it all off occasionally. I do all these things, but never when I know that they will bring unhappiness in the wake of the general jolly confusion. Unfortunately the majority of people in our society are incapable of doing any of the above things without being unhappy afterwards. Puritanical inhibition brings some terrible messes in its wake, and the happy playmate of yesterday is quite liable to wake up and brood about hangovers, who said what to whom, and lost maidenheads, twentieth century man has no wildness worth talking about and absolutely no spontaneity. He or she is a guilty transgressor once they let things slide for a bit. I personally like the idea of the orgia, believing it to be one of the best steam safety valves ever invented by a loving God, but genuine orgies have to be spontaneous in order to work and remain clean. The ones I've been to all wanted (a) sexual performances as a religious ritual accompanied by chanting and words of power (b) as an organised group performance, discussed seriously beforehand, with notes and editorial comments upon performance, endurance, each others sexual deviations, and the partners expectations, 'Who sleeps with who and I bags the prettiest girl'. Honestly they were the sorriest, most morbid inhibited orgies of any time and of anywhere, and there is always someone who is obsessed with whips or 'Servants', voyarism, which makes the whole atmosphere as clean as pig manure. Orgies have to be spontaneous if they are to work, and amongst the types who make a practice of them spontaneity is completely unknown. One we went to had all the usual beginnings, and terribly intellectual it was and all, at last someone actually made a pornographic joke and everyone smiled in that nice cultured way that 'clever' people have. Then it was politely suggested that we should all undress, and get drunk. We undressed and got drunk, then someone else lit joss sticks, put a 'hot' record on the player and began the serious business of having an orgy. Jane and I asked for our pants back and left, but from what I was told afterwards, someone actually got up and changed the record in the middle of it all. All very well if you like copulating on a dusty carpet, but I suffer from hay fever, and get sore knees very quickly. Have an orgy? No thanks, I'm trying to give them up. Used to get through twenty a day at one time.... Happy, happy youth.

I would like to discuss the exorcism with you when we meet, perhaps the second or third week of July.

I agree with the need for a magical association. Now, as you say, what do we do? I suggest that we advertise in the N.D. constantly, and let 'em organise themselves. We will have a minimum of paperwork, disorganise any attempt to organise committees and generally run an introductory service, with a possible draft telling of all the services and organisations we can put them into contact with. Let them find their own levels, and the ones interested in genuine occultism will be known by the signs, the old lady brigade will organise themselves into the usual tea party, and just for kicks we will introduce all the sexual cases to the old ladies, that way we will put one variety off and bring untold excitement to widowed mothers and emasculated men (Honestly, there is a place in the other world where one bloody great tea party goes on and on for all eternity. I think they call it 'Heaven' or some such name). We will have to charge fees for hiring halls, but I will back the advertisements until it gets going. One fly in the ointment, though. Publicity, I hate it. Do you know anyone who would be willing to have their name advertised? (Incidentally, tell D.V. to keep the newspaper reporter away from me, or else I will not be responsible for MR Roberts general health or well being). A few wining and dancing sessions will be a good idea also.

Our cats name is 'Jinxie', otherwise known as Madam, very dignified, plump and aristocratic, but she has a tendancy towards gypsy lovers and slumming. Hates my myhna, who hates her. So far the bird is one up, since he got the first bite in. Jinxie wouldn't come in for three days after that event.

Enjoy your holiday. We have got to go to Weymouth, serves me right...

Regards to all,
Roy and Jane