What is Qabalah?

Aleister Crowley


Being Appendix A to Liber 777


Qabalah is: --

(a)     A language fitted to describe certain classes of phenomena, and to
express certain classes of ideas which excape regular phraseology. You might 
as well object to the technical terminology of chemistry.

(b)     An unsectarian and elastic terminology by means of which it is possible
to equate the mental processes of people apparently diverse owing to the con-
straint imposed upon them by the peculiarities of their literary expression.
You might as well object to a lexicon, or a treatise on comparative religion.

(c)     A system of symbolism which enables thinkers to formulate their ideas
with complete precision, and to find simple expression for complex thoughts,
especially such as include previously disconnected orders of conception. You
might as well object to algebraic symbols.

(d)     An instrument for interpreting symbols whose meaning has become 
obscure, forgotten or misunderstood by establishing a necessary connection 
between the essence of forms, sounds, simple ideas (such as number) and their
spiritual, moral, or intellectual equivalents. You might as well object to
interpreting ancient art by consideration of beauty as determined by physio-
logical facts.

(e)     A system of classification of omniform ideas so as to enable the mind
to increase its vocabulary of thoughts and facts through organizing and cor-
relating them. You might as well object to the mnemonic value of Arabic 
modifications of roots.

(f)     An instrument for proceeding from the known to the unknown on similar
principles to those of mathematics. You might as well object to the use of 
i, x^4, etc.

(g)     A system of criteria by which the truth of correspondances may be 
tested with a view to criticizing new discoveries in the light of their 
coherence with the whole body of truth. You might as well object to judging
character and status by educational and social convention.