the Equinox - The Hermetic Library

THE TEMPLE OF SOLOMON THE KING
OBJECT MEDITATED UPON. TIME. REMARKS.
Black egg and white ray
between pillars* (E).
10 ,, Five breaks.
Golden Dawn Symbol† (E). ? ,, Very bad. Bad cold, dust, shaking,
etc., prevented concentration‡
Golden Dawn Symbol (E). 10 ,, Four breaks.
R. R. et A. C. 23 ,, Nine breaks.
Against this particular practice P. wrote: “I think breaks are
longer in themselves than of old; for I find myself
concentrating on them and forgetting the primary altogether.
But I have no means of telling how long it is before the error is
discovered.”
Some very much more elaborate and difficult meditations
were attempted by P. at this time; in nature they are very
similar to many of St. Loyola's. We give the account in his
own words:
I tried to imagine the sound of a waterfall. This was very difficult to get at;
and it makes one’s ears sing for a long time afterwards. If I really got it, it was
however not strong enough to shut outer physical sounds. I also tried to imagine
the “puff-puff” of an engine. This resulted better than the last, but it caused the
skin of my head to commence vibrating. I then tried to imagine the taste of
chocolate; this proved extremely difficult; and after this the ticking of a watch.
This proved easier, and the result was quite good; but there was a tendency to
slow up with the right ear, which however was easy to test by approaching a
watch against the ear.§
During this whole period of rough travel, work is fatiguing, difficult and
uncertain. Regularity is impossible, as regards hours and even days, and the
* The Akâsic egg of spirit set between the Pillars of Mercy and Severity
with a ray of light descending upon it from Kether.
† The Golden Dawn Symbol here meditated upon consisted of a white
triangle surmounted by a red cross. See Diagram 4.
‡ This meditation took place while P. was on a journey.
§ These meditations are called Objective Cognitions, by concentrating on
certain nerve centres super-physical sensations are obtained.
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