The greatest enemy of the would-be Magi is Duality. True, this earthly labyrinth is chequered by good and evil happenings. Unwary adventurers can unexpectedly be injured by a car or be abused or robbed: or worse, injure others. Therefore from childhood we are presented with a frightening scenario of goodies versus baddies, only terminating in death for us all. Belief in life after death is becoming increasingly subjective.

There are no accidents. Every effect has its cause in higher spheres. These include spirit forces, reincarnation, and the law of retribution and reward. How are we to escape from this maze: and when safe ourselves, be able to help others? We cannot force people to follow our own spiritual path. Free Will is not a free gift. Our spiritual Will has to be discovered, developed and used. The path of creation through magic is to train our will. We learn to balance the forces of energy and passivity: of love and truth: of action and stillness. Only in this three-fold path of equilibrium may we successfully follow the way of Themis, Goddess of Wisdom.

The path of creative magic is a dangerous and exciting way to live! Safeguards are essential. Never in your mind condemn any being to everlasting oblivion. If you do this, you are excommunicating a part of your own self. All beings stem from Divinity and there is no evil there. To dwell on evil in ones mind is to identify with unreality. It is to live in a world of distorted shadows, not recognising the reality that casts the shadow world. To fight shadows, for whatever lofty motive, is to condemn oneself to the hell of perpetual warfare. One becomes a shadow oneself!

We can externalise our own negative emotions through blaming others. This is to misuse creative power. For instance, our Irish Goddess Morrigan, the Great Queen, is frequently described in novels as an evil sorceress, attacking 'good men' like King Arthur. To me this shows that the author has a problem with clever women. I remember one student seeking my help who in my presence said she saw the Devil. I asked: 'Who is he?', she replied, in an oracular tone: 'He is my Professor!'

A sense of humour is essential for the budding magician. As the psychic faculties develop, the sphere of duality of the Opposites is the first to be experienced. This is the level where victims become obsessed with phobias. These often include suspicion of Black Magicians, Witches, Jesuits, Freemasons, Aliens and international financiers. Cats, bats, and snakes add to the local fauna. It is not for nothing that rumour equates occultism with going mad.

As well as a sense of humour, a sound education, common-sense and kindness are more protective than any formulae. When an aspirant suffers acutely from black astral attacks, total withdrawal from the occult is recommended. A danger sign is when the student has bad relationships with family, friends and neighbours. If you cannot handle your family, work-mates and friends, how do you intend to cope with those who misuse psychic powers?

The golden safeguard is to equate ourselves with the Divine Matrix. One or two mystical experiences should be strengthened by daily attunement with the source of ones true being, where evil does not exist. In such contemplation, evil-doers are recognised in their essential goodness: problems are resolved and the Divine Plan shows us that even seeming disaster is a part of necessary experience. The Fates are the weavers of our destiny. Each of us can learn to act our parts in the Divine Drama, not as puppets but from our own choice.

There are many ways to Divinity: through religion, philosophy and mysticism. The path of creative magic is to go on an adventure through life with companions chosen through many incarnations. The Magician and Enchantress work in polarity: companions from the magical spiral of seasonal festivals: Spirit Elders are welcomes as Teachers. Valuable guide-books for such journeys are 'The Chemical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreutz', a Renaissance manuscript and 'The Trinosophia' of Saint Germain of the 18th century. These include astrology, alchemy and myth.

As our sun shoots round the Milky Way, the zodiac mythology brings us mystery teachings through use of the solar, stellar and lunar cycles. The macrocosm is reflected in the microcosm: through spiritual correspondences and the law of octaves and colour, the student can travel through the stellar year, relating star radiations with the passing months.

Magi used to direct the orientation of temples to particular stars to attain benefit. Some stars were so faint as to be barely visible. The relationship of the cosmos with human consciousness was believed to be monitored by Star Deities. When observation of celestial bodies was channeled into the exact science of astronomy, the symbolism of astrology went underground, preserved through Mystery Schools.

The path of alchemy was in reverse, with immanent rather than transcendental emphasis. The human body through the use of sacred geometry of the Golden Mean in the study of the psychic centres located near our glands, and the development of consciousness through sound and colour, brought practitioners enhanced awareness. When the art of alchemy became the science of chemistry, the use of alchemy became a secret study, regarded as heretical by the church and ridiculous by scientists. Only now, by equating alchemy with yoga and other Eastern practices, is it regaining credence. Useful books that include the symbolism of both astrology and alchemy are ‘The Chemical Marriage of Christian Rosenkreutz’, a renaissance manuscript and ‘The Trinosophia’ of Saint Germain. The ancient Marseilles Tarot deck gives the symbolism through coloured pictures.

These occult paths can lead to elitism, whether Western or Eastern. To relate to the majority of our fellows, we need myths and legends! These involve the emotions rather than mind. We can find in world religious myth a friendship with winged angels, four-armed Goddesses, elephant and jackal-headed Gods, rainbow serpents and mystic doves, rose-bushes and vines. By identifying with role models through powerful narrative, we uncover truths that affect ourselves, those around us and present-day events. We learn how to live.

The rites in this book are dedicated to the Goddess of Fate, Fortuna. They involve a three-fold woven plait derived from alchemy, myth and astrology. Each begins with an Oracle that presents the Theme. A Candidate who is represented in each Rite declares the Magical Intention. A succession of cards from the Marseilles deck have to be interpreted during the twelve Rites, to give the Candidate a symbolic key. During the initiatory journey, the Candidate is faced with the robed Goddess of Wisdom, Themis, holding the scroll of Sibylline prophecies. During succeeding Rites, the Conjuror teaches control of the four elements of consciousness. The raising of the serpent Fire of Life within is demonstrated by La Force, a woman with lion emerging from her body.

When the Candidate has ritually undergone the five-fold Initiation of hanging, death, the Angel, the Devil, Heavenly Lightning and The Judgment, the lunar, solar and starry spheres are experienced, culminating in a vision of the Cosmic Goddess of the Zodiac. Themis removes her veil and reveals herself as the naked Fortuna surrounded by the four Guardians of the zodiac.

During each Rite, having interpreted Tarot symbolism, the Candidate is offered a Mystery drama, drawn from world mythology. Related to present-day events, the Candidate is introduced to the tragic King Oedipus as a modern atomic physicist. The cursed Ring of Norse myth represents a circle of volcanic eruptions: the antediluvian Cesara's ark becomes a modern seed-gathering spaceship.

The third strand of this plait involves a series of magical journeys through the twelve zodiacal houses. The Temple of the Zodiac is visualised as etheric, and therefore nearest to our physical world. Through this Temple the Candidate experiences psychic, spiritual and divine spheres. Thus the macrocosm is revealed through creative imagination as the source of the microcosm. The incomprehensible magnificence of the stars offers infinite possibilities for our own gift of creation. Time and place become fluid, material for the cosmic artist, co-creating with the Deities. Even the physical earth can be changed for good.

This realisation brings the candidate back to earthly tasks. A child's drawing of a tiger calls on us all to preserve tigers from extinction. A dream of an Arcadian tree reminds us to protect rain forests. Inspired by the Goddess of Fate, we know what to do.