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LETTER XLIX
BLACK MAGIC IN
AMERICA
You have
seen pretty clearly the methods employed by the evil forces to balk progress, to
destroy the work of centuries, to destroy the workers for the future, and to
frighten away those who seek to interfere with this maliciousness.
Notice that none of this is constructive work. It is all
destructive, tearing down. Wars of construction have been engineered by angels;
but this is not a war of construction.
Now let me tell you a few of the things against which the new race
in America will have to guard itself. As always where the forces of progress are
strong, the opposition is strong. I have written enough about the good
influences of this new birth; but I want to give a few warnings, to analyze a
few influences which are of a destructive character.
There is developing in America a great group of
people who seek to gain control of the desire-nature and the will of others,
that they may use them for their own purposes. These people are not all in one
place, they are not organized into one body but into many bodies, and some of
them are working quite independently. But in the astral world, and in the
language of us who work in that world, they are known as a “group.”
They teach to those that will pay them, either in money or in
service, certain rules for controlling the mind of self and of others. They
teach the rudiments of astral knowledge to the many, and they teach more
advanced principles to the few. Some of their teachings are true, some of their
teachings are false; but there are few among them who undertake any real
discipline of character with their students. As one profound teacher has said,
for every step in psychic development, three steps should be taken in the
development of character.
I need not name those who are most criminally active in teaching the
formulas of black magic to men and women who are utterly unfit to be trusted
with that knowledge.
The question will naturally arise in the mind
of the reader, What is black magic? I think I have given a similar
definition before, but you may restate it thus:
Black magic is an attempt to gain control over the will or the
astral or the mind of one’s fellows, through means other than the normal
physical or the legitimate mental influence by word or pen; be it through the
use of elementals of nature, artificial elementals, or one’s own mental or
elemental nature.
Black magic may be deliberately used to influence, or black magic
may be deliberately used to injure; and its votaries often employ the
substances of the body of the victim, through which to gain sympathetic
control of his astral and etheric nature.
I want to say to those who think it smart or amusing to fool with
these things: Beware of any man or of any woman who by normal or abnormal
means seeks to get possession of the fluids of your body, especially the
blood and the other vital fluids.
I shall not go into detail here. Those who accept my warning owe me
no thanks; those who disregard my warning do so at their own peril.
It gives me no amusement thus to thrust myself
between the evil forces and their victims. By so doing I draw down upon myself
the rage of those forces that I thwart so far as I can.
Be it so! I am competent to deal with them. And I want here to
notify anyone who thinks to destroy my work, or to destroy those who with
self-abnegation and selfless courage are helping me in the work of trying to
save my country from the forces of hell which are now ravaging Europe—I want to
notify any evil magician who is interested in this matter, that if he gets in
the way of my resolve it will be he who will suffer and not I.
The ring which I and the Masters draw round our workers can be
passed with evil intent only at the peril of the one who passes.
This is no threat to use evil magic. We do not use evil magic. But
we know how to deflect a malicious current from its chosen victim, so that it
returns with overwhelming force upon its own source.
And I also want to say to those who in their ignorance or wantonness
allow themselves to be used as catspaws to draw the devil’s chestnuts from the
fire, that fire will burn, and that the devil’s hot chestnuts stick to the
fingers.
This is an unpleasant subject. I will now leave it.
Let me talk to those who are ignorant of these
matters, and most people are ignorant—even those who have “studied psychism.”
Many an innocent (or half-innocent) soul has been driven nearly
insane by the pressure of the evil thoughts of others, by the will-driven
thoughts of others.
Let me advise such not further to weaken themselves by fear, but to
strengthen themselves by prayer.
I have said that there is a god and a devil in every one of you.
Turn to the god for protection from the devil. If there were no devil in you,
the devils of others could not harm you. Remember that.
Set your own devil to serve your own god.
If you want to use signs and symbols, meditate on the cross of
Christ. The cross of Christ is profound enough for a lifetime’s meditation.
Do not use evil magic to protect yourself against evil magic. Call
on the god within to send evil back to its source.
Protect yourself before sleep by prayer to your
god for protection. The evil workers can sometimes reach your soul in sleep when
they cannot reach you while awake. The child’s prayer, “Now I lay me down to
sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep,” is more potent than a magician’s
spells.
Childish, you say? Yes, but I am writing now for those who are
children in these things, be they seven or seventy.
Of all countries on earth, America is the most abysmally ignorant of
the dangers of evil magic. Be willing to be children until you acquire adult
knowledge of these subjects.
“I am in no danger, for I understand these things,” is often said
with self-gratulation by these who are in the very grip of the evil forces.
Truly, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
If you want an added protection, my children,
guard your own evil passions and resentful thoughts, your jealous emotions and
unkind criticism of others. The devils ride on waves of anger and resentment.
Beware also of temptations, remembering that
young souls are tempted through their faults, greater souls through their
virtues.
Be not deceived into saying there is no evil. Evil is—so long as
good is.
“Beyond good and evil” is a state to which few of you can aspire,
and you have no conception of it. But “beyond good and evil” is a mighty slogan
for the temptation and bewilderment of vain souls.
When you are really beyond good and evil you will not gossip about
your neighbors, nor envy them their charm or possessions, nor try to use them
for your own ends, nor worry lest some evil person shall do you harm, nor twist
your faults till they seem virtues, nor deceive yourself as to your motives.
Examine yourselves, my children. Look for your faults. If you can
find no fault in yourself, hang your harp on the nearest willow, for your
progress is at an end.
Man progresses through recognizing his faults, through transmuting
them and transcending them. If you are perfect, this world is no place for you.
“Beyond good and evil,” indeed!
Judge not, that ye be not judged. But do not
flirt with the devil to prove that you judge him not.
Yes, all men are your brothers, even bad men. Attend to your own
affairs, and leave the issue with God.
This much to you, dear children of the world, from my vantage place
above your passions.
July 25.
Letter L
LETTER
XLVIII |
