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CHAPTER FIFTEEN
T
HE theoretical relationship which modern Spiritualism
occupies in connection with Magic is bound at some time
or other to be questioned. Some answer, consequently,
must be here provided. Only a brief discussion of this matter will
be entered upon, inasmuch as it does not seem to the writer to be
of particular importance. A few words alone will suffice to show
in what guise that relationship exists.
Although some previously may have thought otherwise, there
is no actual connection between the phenomena of Spiritualism and
those which occur in Magic. But one word separates the one from
the other. A word, however, which is a great gulf fixed between
the two. 1 ! All spiritualistic phenomena of trance and
materialization are passive. They are altogether beyond the
conscious control of the medium who, in no way at all, is able to
modify, alter or even fix the time of such phenomena as occur to
her. (From force of habit one says " her." Automatically a medium
is conceived to be a woman. Exceptions there are, of course.)
The Magician, on the other hand, endeavours so to train his Will
that nothing happens in his Operations of Light without its use.
Whatever he does in Magic is performed consciously, deliberately,
and with full intent. The only important exception to this occurs
when the Will has developed into such a mighty thaumaturgic
engine that the whole organization of the Magician has become
utterly identified with that Will, and all phenomena of form and
consciousness occur automatically withits extension. Its working may
be likened to the movement of any limb or muscle which, although
taking place outside conscious volition, is nevertheless accomplished
by the force of Will. Even so far as concerns what is vulgarly called
" materialization," the Magician controls the apparition of a spirit.
Not only so, but he may cause that spirit to appear through his
conjurations and to limit its activities to a certain prescribed area
through the power of his Will. The visible form of the spirit is