Magic is Divine Science. A "Great Arcanum" which lies hid within the heart of each — therefore within the reach of whoso will.
Divine Magic is a knowledge of the universe, its laws, and their method of working. This knowledge is no corollary of cut and dried statements, facts gathered up from outside observations of natural phenomena, but a living, realized, being-with nature — an intimate acquaintance with the cause at the back of the effects. It implies such a thorough insight into the working of these laws as will give power to work with them and quicken their effects. Madame Blavatsky says of Magic, — "A thorough familiarity with the occult faculties of everything existing in nature, visible as well as invisible; their mutual relations, attractions and repulsions; the cause of these traced to the spiritual principle which pervades and animates all things; the ability to furnish the best conditions for this principle to manifest itself, in other words a profound and exhaustive knowledge of natural law, this was and is the basis of Magic."
To the magician a miracle in its general acceptance is an impossibility; there is for him no super-natural, but "all wonders are produced by a practical application of the hidden laws of nature." That law which rules the springing up of a field-daisy is the same used by the Magician to cause a seed to germinate, take root, leaf, flower and seed in the space of half an hour; in the first instance nature works unaided, in the second she is sped on her course by a Master Mind; it is the same cause and the same method of working — but quickened.
Nature's secrets are not yielded up easily. Not to the average mind does she make obeisance. The man who approaches her with his outer senses alone, departs as empty as he comes, or filled only with the dry husks of knowledge which is but hearsay and worthless. The voice of Nature speaks only to Soul-man and through the Soul-senses, of which each has a full complement, dormant though they may be in many. To the man of full sense, a new language becomes apparent — a real thing — no mere poet's dream, but a decided distinct fact; so much so that he can practically apply the knowledge gained through it to his outer and everyday life, a knowledge certainly not to be gained by means of book-learning alone (though we must admit that in some cases that is a factor not to be undervalued), but gained through an inward recognition of one's Higher Self as one with the spiritual world, of one's lower self as one with the elemental and phenomenal world, and by the aid of developed inner senses to recognize the operation taking place within each of these.
The elemental world, as a whole, is reflected in our elemental nature — that part over which the higher has charge. The Higher Self reflects the spiritual universe. We, the ego, the cognizer, the middle man, can from this vantage point study the operations of both, draw future knowledge from the higher to supplement and aid the lower elemental being; can recall from the lower stages of evolution through which we have already passed. Thus reviving the pure nature of the lower from experience, wresting wisdom from the higher, the Soul-man — the Magician — becomes a conscious link connecting the two worlds, and affords a field wherein the two may interblend and so produce other states — other races — other universes.
In so far as we help evolution, we are all more or less magicians. But the magician proper is he who is in a position to consciously help towards that end. The strong man is he who has at his finger's ends the history, manners and customs of those small beings who go to make up his body and bodies; who recognizes the strong bond of sympathy which necessarily exists between himself and them; and who further realizes himself as one of the myriad of other beings who in their turn go to make up a greater Soul — and who from such intimate contact with all these lives on all planes of being contains within himself an infallible encyclopedia standing good for all time.
In all ages Divine Magic has been closely connected with the Great Religion presiding over any particular cycle or race. It is the heart and soul of all the systems. The priests and priestesses who presided over the rites and ceremonies were specially trained souls — trained in a knowledge of Man and Nature in their noumenal and phenomenal aspects — trained to a realization and perfect use of their inner senses — trained moreover to know themselves as the Will — the Lords and Masters over themselves — and who, having conquered, stand through successive ages as Invincible Forces silently demonstrating the power of controlled mind. These are the Chaldean Magi — the Hierophants of Egypt — the Initiates of the Greek Mysteries, the Magicians and Gods of all ages. It is they who as Priest-Kings after the order of Melchizedek presided over the lawgiving of kingdoms. It is they who as Priestly Instructors governed the Colleges and Schools and trained the future Teachers — Kings and Law-givers. It is they who in the Great Libraries and Archives guarded vast stores of written knowledge that the combined efforts of the Great Helpers of Humanity had accumulated and given into their keeping. It is they who in all ages protected and still protect the Sacred Truths — the Heirloom of Humanity.
The time is not far off when men will again recognize that a perfect state of society will only be commenced as the high places and offices of the land are in the hands of men perfect in a knowledge and control of themselves — men who consciously from a compassionate sympathy know the needs of humanity as apart from its desires, and who are ready to sacrifice themselves on the altar of self-abnegation that these needs may be met and satisfied. Then will the Schools, the Colleges, the Universities re-become holy places, veritable gardens of pure delight, the delight of the self-conquered Soul exulting in the freedom natural to it; then again will Justice preside over the interests of the peoples, and the selfish and avaricious working for self-aggrandizement feel their power depart, and love and joy rule the nations.
Neither is this so far off. For the cry of humanity is great. The Heart of the Universe unfailingly responds to the call of its children.
Divine Magic will again become a known power in the land, is now actively at work to supply the demand of craving Nature; the Wisdom Religion is weaving still another garment wherein to manifest. Science and Intuition will again grasp hands, and the outer and inner senses of man unite to form a more perfect knowledge of a Perfect Universe.