Three Books of Occult Philosophy/Book 1/Chapter 67

by Henry Cornelius Agrippa

CHAP. LXVII.

How mans mind may be joyned with the mind, and Intelligencies of the Celestials, and together with them impress certain wonderfull vertues upon inferiour things.

THe Philosophers, especially the Arabians, say, that mans mind, when it is most intent upon any work, through its passion, and effects, is joyned with the mind of the Stars, and Intelligencies, and being so joyned is the cause of some wonderfull vertue be infused into our works, and things; and this, as because there is in it an apprehension, and power of all things, so because all things have a naturall obedience to it, and of necessity an efficacy, and more to that which desires them with a strong desire. And according to this is verified the Art of Characters, images, inchantments, and some speeches, and many other wonderfull experiments to every thing which the mind affects. By this means whatsoever the mind of him that is in vehement love affects, hath an efficacy to cause love, & whatsoever the mind of him that strongly hates, dictates, hath an efficacy to hurt, and destroy. The like is in other things, which the mind affects with a strong desire. For all those things which the mind acts, and dictates by Characters, Figures, Words, Speeches, Gestures, and the like, help the appetite of the soul, and acquire certain wonderfull vertues, as from the of the operator, in that hour when such a like appetite doth invade it, so from the opportunity, and Celestiall influence, moving the mind in that manner. For our mind, when it is carried upon the great excess of any Passion, or vertue, oftentimes presently takes of it self a strong, better, and more convenient hour, or opportunity. Which Thomas Aquinas in his third book against the Gentiles, confesseth. So many wonderfull vertues both cause, and follow certain admirable operations by great affections, in those things which the soul doth dictate in that hour to them. But know, that such kind of things confer nothing, or very little but to the Author of them, and to him which is inclined to them, as if he were the Author of them. And this is the manner by which their efficacy is found out. And it is a generall rule in them, that every mind that is more excellent in its desire, and affection, makes such like things more fit for it self, as also efficatious to that which it desires. Every one therefore that is willing to work in Magick, must know the vertue, measure, order, and degree of his own soul, in the power of the universe.

Chapter lxviii. How our mind can change, and bind inferiour things to that which it desires.

There is also a certain vertue in the minds of men, of changing, attracting, hindring, and binding to that which they desire, and all things obey them, when they are carried into a great excess of any Passion or vertu, so as to exceed those things which they bind. For the superior binds that which is inferior, and converts it to it self, and the inferior is by the same reason converted to the superior, or is otherwise affected, and wrought upon. By this reason things that receive a superior degree of any Star, bind, or attract, or hinder things which have an inferior, according as they agree, or disagree amongst themselves. Whence a Lion is afraid of a Cock, because the presence of the Solary vertue is more agreeable to a Cock then to a Lion: So a Loadstone draws Iron, because in order it hath a superior degree of the Celestiall Bear.

So the Diamond hinders the Loadstone, because in the order of Mars it is superior to it. In like manner any man when he is opportunely exposed to the Celestiall influencies, as by the affections of his mind, so by the due applications of naturall things, if