POSTCARDS TO PROBATIONERS
                         by Aleister Crowley
                      from EQUINOX Vol. I No. 2



                               THEOREMS

   I. The world progresses by virtue of the appearance of
         Christs (geniuses).

  II. Christs (geniuses) are men with super-consciousness
         of the highest order.

 III. Super-consciousness of the highest order is obtainable
         by known methods.
      Therefore, by employing the quintessance of known
         methods we cause the world to progress.


                         ESSENTIALS OF METHOD
  I. Theology is immaterial; for both Buddha and St. Ignatius
      were Christs.

 II. Morality is immaterial; for both Socrates and
      Mohammed were Christs.

III. Super-consciousness is a natural phenomenon; its conditions
      are therefore to be sought rather in the acts than in the words
         of those who attained it.
     The essential acts are retirement and concentration -- as
        taught by Yoga and Ceremonial Magic.

                         MISTAKES OF MYSTICS

 I.  Since truth is supra-rational, it is incommunicable in
        the language of reason.
II.  Hence all mystics have written nonsense, and what sense
        they have written is so far untrue.
III. Yet as a still lake yields a truer reflection of the sun
        than a torrent, he whose mind is best balanced will,
        if he become a mystic, become the best mystic.

                      THE METHOD OF EQUILIBRIUM

                        I. THE PASSIONS, Etc.

  I. Since the ultimate truth of teleology is unknown, all
        codes of morality are arbitrary.
 II. Therefore the student has no concern with ethics
        as such.
III. He is consequently free 'to do his duty in that state
        of life to which it has pleased God to call him.'

                            II. THE REASON

  I. Since truth is supra-rational, any rational statement
        is false.
 II. Let he student then contradict every proposition that
        presents itself to him.
III. Rational ideas being thus expelled from the mind,
        there is room for the apprehension of spiritual truth.
     It should be remarked that this does not destroy the
        validity of reasonings on their own plane.

                     III. THE SPIRITUAL SENSORIUM

  I. Man being a finite being, he is incapable of apprehending the
        infinite. Nor does his communion with infinite being
        (true or false) alter this fact.
 II. Let then the student contradict every vision and refuse to enjoy
        it; first, because there is certainly another vision possible of
        precisely contradictory nature; secondly, because though he is God,
        he is also a man upon an insignificant planet.
     Being thus equilibriated laterally and vertically, it may be
        that, either by affirmation or denial of all these things
        together, he may attain the supreme trance.

                            IV. THE RESULT
  I. Trance is defined as the ek-stasis of one particular tract of
        the brain, caused by meditating on the idea corresponding to it.
 II. Let the student therefore beware lest in that idea be any trace
        of imperfection. It should be pure, balanced, calm, complete,
        fitted in every way to dominate the mind, as it will.
     Even as in the choice of a king to be crowned.
III. So will the decrees of this king be just and wise as he was just
        and wise before he was made king.
     The life and work of the mystic will reflect (though dimly) the
        supreme guiding force of the mystic, the highest trance to
        which he has attained.

                            YOGA AND MAGIC

  I. Yoga is the art of uniting the mind to a single idea. It
     has four methods.

           Gnana-Yoga           Union by Knowledge
           Raja-Yoga            Union by Will
           Bhakta-Yoga          Union by Love
           Hatha-Yoga           Union by Courage
     add   Mantra-Yoga          Union through Speech
           Karma-Yoga           Union through Work

     These are united by the supreme method of Silence.


 II. Ceremonial Magic is the art of uniting the mind to a single
     idea. It has four Methods.

           The Holy Qabalah.    Union by Knowledge
           The Sacred Magic.    Union by Will.
           The Acts of Worship. Union by Love.
           The Ordeals.         Union by Courage.
      add  The Invocations.     Union through Speech.
           The Acts of Service. Union through Work.

     These are united by the supreme method of Silence.

III. If this idea be any but the Supreme and Perfect idea, and the
        student lose control, the result is insanity, obsession, fanaticism,
        or paralysis and death (add addiction to gossip and incurable
        idleness), according to the nature of the failure.
     Let then the Student understand all these things and combine
        them in his Art, uniting them by the supreme method of Science.