nd its progress through future stages
of growth as planetary and solar spirits.

Besides these purely theoretical subjects are suggestions concerning
the best methods of communing with spiritual existences, and of
receiving information from lower and higher states than man. These,
together with _some mental exercises and practices_, form the main
themes of consideration in the colleges of speculative occultism.
Spirit Communion, together with Astronomy, Astrology, Mathematics,
Geometry, Music, Anatomy, Physiology, Psychology, and Psychometry, are
all kindred branches of study which must engage the attention of the
true occultist.

PRACTICAL OCCULTISM.

PRACTICAL OCCULTISM consists, first, of a perfect mastery of the
individual's _own spirit_. No advance whatever can be made in
acquiring power over other spirits, such as controlling the lower or
supplicating the higher, until the spirit within has acquired such
perfect mastery of itself, that it can never be moved to anger or
emotion--realizes no pleasure, cares for no pain; experiences no
mortification at insult, loss, or disappointment--in a word, subdues
every emotion that stirs common men's minds.

To arrive at this state, severe and painful as well as long continued
discipline is necessary. Having acquired this perfect _equilibrium_,
the next step is _power_. The individual must be able to wake when he
pleases and sleep when he pleases; go in spirit during bodily sleep
where he will, and visit--as well as remember when awake--distant
scenes.

He must be enabled by practice, to telegraph, mentally, with his
fellow associates, and present himself, spiritually, in their midst.

He must, by practice, acquire psychological control over the minds of
any persons--not his associates--_beneath_ his own calibre of mind. He
must be able to still a crying infant, subdue fierce animals or angry
men, and by will, transfer his thought without speech or outward sign
to any person of a mental calibre below himself; he must be enabled to
summon to his presence elementary spirits, and if he desires to do so
(knowing the penalties attached), to make them serve him in the
special departments of Nature to which they belong.

He must, by virtue of complete subjugation of his earthly nature, be
able to invoke Planetary and even Solar Spirits, and commune with them
to a certain degree.

To attain these degrees of power the processes are so difficult that a
thorough practical oc