Abra Melin the Mage

[Mohandas]

Is anyone familiar with the Book of the Sacred Magic of Abra Melin the Mage? I read it when I was somewhat younger and though there were some points of interest, it was either way beyond me or really didn't contain much of worth. I have just received a copy of it,(translation by S.L. Macgregor Mathers) some ten years later, it's a beautiful hardcover copy, published in 1948 with a seal on the inner pages from "the Library of Robert Paul Letarte". I once was quite interested in reading medieval grimoires, though not for the sake of practicing the lower forms of magic which most deal with. I found interest in the historical aspect and in trying to bring my mind back in history into the minds of the men who wrote them. I was also very fascinated by the story of Sir Edward Kelly and John Dee for example.

The book of Abra Melin was translated from an old and rare manuscript in the Biblioteque de Arsenal at Paris and details a certain magical operation (which Crowley supposed himself to have correctly performed and made much hype about) which upon completing one would receive "the knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel". It was this phrase which first attracted me to this bizarre tome. As I said, I was not ready to understand it's meaning and was disappointed after finally finding this book which had been out of print at that time and was not easy to acquire. I found that it painstakingly detailed the operation in question which bored me to no end and I was not a little perturbed by the mention of certain infernal names which I had long ago learned it's better not to mess with.

Now I have just received this beautiful copy which is a very nice addition to my collection but I am somewhat weary to delve into it.

Anyone?
Mohandas

[Haruth]

You may want to take a look at this book. He is a bit light on the detail and heavy on the ego (which seems to kind of miss the point...which kind of matches the Crowley results... ) but it is a good overview of the intensity of the work in hand.

I would recomend getting later editions, as he includes much in these that he omitted from the first (ego again... too embarrassed about certain of the sexual aspects in particular... )

[Mohandas]

Nice one, Haruth.
I have never encountered the written account of anyone who has actually tried the operation in question, nor any who even claim to have (besides Crowley, as mentioned). I will take a look for that book, thanks.

One thing I would like to talk about also is the actual definition of the Holy Guardian Angel. Please forgive me if any of the subjects I bring up have already been discussed, it amazes me how many of the threads I have read on this forum cover exact details of certain topics which have specifically interested me. I was most pleasantly stunned by the likeness of mind and lack of far fetched, self deluding drivel here too, by the way.

So the Holy guardian Angel... When many of us where children we were told of or somehow heard of this great being. For me, my original child's conception of the Guardian Angel was a winged being, one of which was assigned to each living person to watch over and protect them. Of course, as we mature, so do our ideas about such things as God being the bearded old man, sitting on a cloud, looking down upon the earth. I do find it healthy to reflect on our childish perception of times past and to realize that all of what we now believe and think that we know shall also, one day be proven to be just as infantile a view as back then. That is the nature of progressive evolution of conciousness. The world was once flat and the moon made of cheese and now of course we know much better, don't we? We are of course alone in the universe and all that we see before our eyes is all there is, right? Bollocks!

Later in life I encountered this idea of the Holy Guardian Angel periodically in reading esoteric works but still found the explanations unsatisfactory until, at length I discovered the Qabalah. Each of the Sephiroth has it's spiritual experience associated with it and the experience of Malkuth (the Kingdom or material world) is the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. None have given a more satisfactory explanation, in my opinion, than Gareth Knight. I believe the "divine spark" analogy is borrowed from Madame Blavatzky and I might add that much of her works on the origins of humanity and the creation of the universes are quite enlightening. How better to convey the idea of the Holy Guardian Angel than to quote Mr. Knight directly:

"The Spiritual Experience of Malkuth is the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel. The Holy Guardian Angel is often confused with the Higher Self or Individuality, (Daath, Chesed, Geburah, Tiphareth.) behind the Lower Self or Personality (Netzach, Hod, Yesod, Malkuth.) In reality however, it is very different. In the very early days of manifestation, before humanity had started upon the journey of evolution, the Divine Plan was projected from the Mind of God into the consciousness of the swarm of Divine Sparks which constituted the basis of humanity. With the coming of evolutionary life the swarm broke up to act as individual units and at the same time the conception of the Divine Plan also "broke up", a small piece going with each Divine Spark. This, of course is very much in metaphorical terms, but the implications are of very real import.

The true Spiritual Experience of the Knowledge and Conversation of the Holy Guardian Angel is no astral vision but an awareness of the true destiny that each human being has to fulfill as his evolutionary task. Usually this will manifest as an inner urge within a man, and such a one goes through physical life with a mission, he is a 'man of destiny'. Occasionally this impulsion to a definite form of activity may be conceived as a separate entity as in the case of Socrates and his 'daimon', which was probably an aspect of his Holy Guardian Angel."

So if we are to take this explanation as so, then the Sacred Magic of Abra Melin the Mage would be an invaluable tome indeed, assuming that we have the time, discipline and resources it would take to undertake the operation described therein.
Mohandas.

[Haruth]

I'm afraid I can add no more than Mr Knight...

Mr's H. refers to it as 'listening to your soul'. That little bit of divine essence whose voice we rarely pay heed to, which, through the noise of living, 'mind-chatter' and ego is only really 'felt' as 'gut-feeling'. That part of us 'knows' why we are here, the divine plan and our place in it. If only we would take the time to listen...

Namaste

[Mohandas]

Eloquently put, my friend.
Mohandas

[Mal'ak]

According to Djwal Khul in the writings of Alice A Bailey, we have our personality ( 4part 3-d being) ( soul extension, of which there are allegedly 12 ) , the soul ( with its 11 other extensions , besides you ) , then the Monad, which presides over 12 souls , then the Logos...and so on ; planetary, solar, galactic, universal, and cosmic etc.

Its alway been my sense that The Holy Guardian Angel , in relation to the first real awakenings from the lower ego personality and operations, would be a state of consciousness where identification with the Monad was established. Thereby presenting one with a birds eye view of first , the superfluity of the lower mundane as well a vantage point from the position of the collective consciousness of the Monad ( who is connected to the directive and experience of the realms above its position ) and a glimpse of and interaction with the grandeur and splendor of the purpose of Unity, of Infinite Beingness. From that point on , as you said , nothing else but the drive to maintain and expand upon that connection would hold any significance.

As a natural consequence of this experience , the Adept ( I would say ) is consumed with love and compassion for all that which embodies consciousness beyond anything imaginable before attaining The Knowledge and Conversation of their Holy Guardian Angel. I also think this process goes on and on as one attains to more refined spiritual states of evolution. But in Crowley's context I would hazard to say its the Monad that is being refered to .... That also makes sense to me in light of personal experience........Blessings .....Malak

[Mal'ak]

Dear, Mohandas... This is your dermagraphologist friend from The Deep South, Malak...As fate would have it , I just happen to have that book in front of me now. I havent looked at it in yrs, but in light of studies and experience Ive had since my last workings with it I think it would be interesting to give it a whirl again. When I opened it , it fell open right at the first page of the second book, page 47 = 11. That seems a good a place as any to delve into this once again. I'll read for a few days , see what corresponds to my current experience and practical applications then get back to you. Just wanted to say hi too........Blessed be ...Malak

[Herevar]

...and I was not a little perturbed by the mention of certain infernal names which I had long ago learned it's better not to mess with.

This was a major issue for me when I first began delving into Hermetics. The only advice I ever received that could help reconcile the issue was the old axiom, 'As above, so below.' The same forces at work in the macrocosm are also at work in the microcosm, so they must be dealt with in some form or another. In an operation as intense and relatively quick as Abramelin's, it seems logical that dealing with those forces should also be intense and relatively quick. The author seems to have decided to ensure this by having the aspirants deal with those forces directly, face to face.

And I agree that it is better not to mess with them. At least, not unless you have to. If you undertake it, I wish you luck (and would also like to congradulate you on having the means to, the operation is quite hefty).

[Estariol]

The abramelin sequence is interesting for a number of reasons. I did an essay on it for an undergraduate course module which got an A grade, obviously the perspective was more scholarly and academic then magickal. I hope people don't mind if I briefly adopt a more magickal paradigm here.

In Crowley's book 4 he gives the attainements required within the A. A. At 5-6 (adeptus minor) we have knowledge and conversation of HGA and at 6-5 (adeptus major) we have achieving various magickal results but without understanding of how these things really occur. I suggest that the abramelin sequence propels the practitioner to 6-5 adeptus major because after knowledge and conversation of HGA is achieved: various infernal entities are bound and controlled for various magickal effects, which they achieve for the practitioner but by unknown means.

So initiate does the HGA thing (adeptus minor) and then starts to get magickal results (adeptus major) through completing one ordeal, the abramelin sequence. It is unsurprising therefore that the abramelin sequence has a reputation of bringing about insanity and a generally shattered life for those that fail the ordeal. The abramelin sequence is perhaps a bigger 'step up' then other HGA ordeals, these other disciplines aim for direct communion with HGA only.

[TheJedi]

A brief quote from The Order of the GBG:

"We recognise no less than the ultimate aim in Magick. which is to attain to the Knowledge and Conversation of one’s Holy Guardian Angel (abbreviated in our literature as K & C of HGA). Albeit one may attain to actual UNION with the HGA if they are so blessed. The HGA though really nameless, has been called the Higher Self, the Augoeides, the All-Knower, the Divine Genius, the True Ruler, Adonai, the Indwelling Spirit, etc. Carl Jung calls it his Deamon (not demon!).

You will be given work which leads to the attainment of Magickal Powers, Inst these powers are never to be regarded as ends in themselves. They are aids to you in the Great Work (abbreviate G.W.), which is the
attainment of the K & C of H G A."