Introduction

Calmness is the foundation of all intuitive work. To discover our sense of knowing we need to still our five primary senses. In "Mysticism" (part 1 of Liber ABA), Aleister Crowley describes a Hindu analogy for this:

That image is that of a lake into which five glaciers move. These glaciers are the senses. While ice (the impressions) is breaking off constantly into the lake, the waters are troubled. If the glaciers are stopped the surface becomes calm; and then, and only then, can it reflect unbroken the disk of the sun. This sun is the "soul" or "God."

It's an excellent little guide to meditation, and it's most un-Crowley like in style, clarity and ease-of-reading.

The most basic exercise is to sit quietly every day and let your breaths come and go as you breathe in and out. There are many ways to meditate, and many things that we can learn by meditating, but the most important thing is to begin and to continue.

In each of the following pages I give a short self-contained meditation that you should spend at least a few minutes on. I recommend working through these in order and not rushing through them. Try doing one a day for two weeks, or repeating one for a week before moving on. The skills trained, and awareness developed, build with each exercise.