The strong hand of the law is around your life and your wealth, but he who takes from you all that renders them valuable, the chances are, that his offence will find palliation and excuse; nay, that the laughers will be on his side.

For everyone—everyone—who first takes it up, zazen is tedious and awful... Zazen isn't about blissing out or going into an alpha brainwave trance. It's about facing who and what you really are, in every single goddamn moment. And you aren't bliss, I'll tell you that right now. You're a mess. We all are.

The familiars of the magicians, on the other hand, were not in all cases evil, and often may have approximated the guides with whom present-day spiritualists are well acquainted.

Therefore do we recite this Seraphick Theology delivered to us, that in that cæleſtial Hymnody we may communicate with the Heavenly Hoſt …