Theurgy or the Hermetic Practice - A Treatise on Spiritual Alchemy by EJ Langford Garstin - first published 1930 ...
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THEURGY
or the
HERMETIC PRACTICE
A Treatise on Spiritual Alchemy
BY
By E. J. LANGFORD GARSTIN
This copy was scanned by hermetics.org. from the original 1930 copy.
Edward John Langford Garstin was a prominent member of the Alpha and Omega (A:.O:.), a
later development of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. He was the author of two
published works primarily on Spiritual Alchemy. The other being "
" (1932),
which is published on our website.
1930
LONDON : RIDER & CO.
Paternoster House, E.C.4
Printed in Great Britain
at
THE MAYFLOWER PRESS, PLYMOUTH. WILLIAM BRENDON & SONS, Ltd.
PREFACE
The Title selected for this short treatise may at first sight appear to be either very
ambitious or presumptuous or even both. Alternatively it may be held to be misleading on
the ground that this is not really a practical textbook.
It would therefore appear advisable, from the very start, to warn the intending reader that
no claim is made herein to any special knowledge of the Art other than that which can be
gleaned from the careful study of the published works of the Alchemical writers, and the
use of such powers of insight and intuition regarding their admittedly involved and cryptic
phraseology as the author may possess.
Of necessity various subjects usually classed under the general heading of Occultism will
have to be considered, and some preliminary remarks under this head may not be
inappropriate.
Many people fight shy of Occultism because of its undesirable associations in their minds
with credulity and superstition, neurotics and hysteria, charlatanry and fraud, and because
they are accustomed to regard what genuine residuum there may be left as consisting in
undesirable and dangerous practices.
On reflection, however, it will be found that the same impression is prevalent
in toto
among many regarding Spiritualism, and in part regarding Mysticism, while the Orthodox
Religions do not escape altogether scatheless.
It is not intended herein to indulge in apologetics on behalf of Occultism, which, divested
of the illusions held about it, is quite capable of speaking for itself as it were, and requires
no defence. It is merely proposed to discuss what is termed Theurgia, which is the
practical part of Spiritual Alchemy, as far as the limits of space and the avoidance of undue
technicalities will permit.
Theurgy, denned a little more carefully, means "The Science or Art of Divine Works," and
it is the same as the Telestic or Perfecting Work. In Alchemy it is called the "Great Work,"
which is the purification and exaltation of the lower nature by the proper application of
scientific principles, so that it may become united with its higher counterparts, whereby the
individual may attain to Spiritual, and ultimately Divine, Consciousness.
By scientific principles are to be understood "known principles," though the fact that these
are not generally known is the origin of the term "occult," which merely means, according
to the dictionary, "escaping observation, not discovered without test or experiment," which
definitions apply with equal force to any department of scientific research.
Were this definition more commonly recognised, it is possible that there would be less
misleading talk and less misunderstanding on the part of the opponents of the Arcane
Sciences than there are at present, and that there would not be so much condemnation
where there has been no previous careful investigation.
We would also say a word by way of apology to the reader who may feel that we have
made too lavish a use of quotations. Our object is twofold. Firstly, that no one may imagine
that they have to rely merely upon the speculations of some dilettante dabbler in the
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