Glossary
It is assumed that the reader will already be familiar
with most of the terms customarily found in Occult and Magical
literature. However, some terms that the Fellowship has used are
somewhat more specialised, or they are relatively common terms
but used in a specific way by the Fellowship that may deviate
from conventional usage.
This Glossary explains such of those terms as have been used on
this website, and throughout the Fellowship's publications.
Lamen
In Magical usage customarily a pendant or even plate bearing a
sigil or other Magical design. Although not in use by the Fellowship
now, the term was originally extended by us to refer to such a
device but with the distinction of being supported on a base;
thus this extended usage could actually suggest a very small table
or stand (think in terms of a plant-pot stand).
Lamp of the Elements
This was a sturdy antique brass lamp (possibly of Eastern or Mediterranean
origin), standing some 18" tall. At the top was a cup-like receptacle
that was filled with olive oil, and this would then feed four
wick-bearing "spouts", each wick being taken to represent one
of the four elements - Earth, Air, Fire, or Water. The Lamp broke
during the dismantling of the original Temple.
A later manifestation of
the Fellowship (the Idiots of the Oblong Table) acquired a sort
of four-armed candelabra for ritual use that could be pressed
into similar service if the need should ever arise in the future.
Magic vs Magick
The Fellowship has so far resisted the apparent domination of
the spelling "Magick" (one of Crowley's
usages) for we remain convinced that the practises one encounters
can still adequately be attributed to one of the four more usual
terms: Magic, Witchcraft, Sorcery, or Conjuring (or a combination
thereof). Notwithstanding Crowley's explanation, it seems to us
that his adopting of the archaic and completely unnecessary "k"
was probably, in the beginning, a device owing more to pretentious
affectation (something of a weakness of Crowley's) than anything
else, and we are yet to be persuaded that it has any valid use
whatsoever. Whilst we readily acknowledge Crowley's vast contribution
to the world of the Occult, we are not of the school that proclaims
"O hail the great Crowley", nor "Crowley said/did it, so it must
be right".
The Fellowship has always advocated independence of thought so
in this, as in many other matters, we decline to follow contemporary
convention, and will persist with the more mundane "Magic".
Magician
Accepting the Crowleyan definition that Magic is the "Science
and Art of causing Change to occur in conformity with Will", then
a Magician is one who has attained a high level of proficiency
in this practise, as distinct from the more prevalent usage nowadays
of describing anyone, at whatever level, who embarks upon the
study of Magic as a Magician.
