Editing Ceremonial magic (section)

==Definitions and general purpose==
The term ''magick'' is an [[Early Modern English]] spelling for [[Magic (paranormal)|magic]], used in works such as the 1651 translation of [[Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa]]'s ''De Occulta Philosophia'', ''[[Three Books of Occult Philosophy|Three Books of Occult Philosophy, or Of Magick]]''. [[Aleister Crowley]] chose the spelling to differentiate his practices and rituals from stage magic (which may be more appropriately termed "illusion") and the term has since been re-popularised by those who have adopted elements of his teachings. Crowley defined Magick as "the science and art of causing change to occur in conformity with will."{{sfnp|Crowley|1973|loc=ch 1}}{{sfnp|Crowley|1973b|loc=Part III, "Introduction"}}

===Qabalah and the Tree of Life===
{{main|Qabalah|Tree of life (Kabbalah)}}

The [[Tree of Life]] is a tool used to categorize and organize various [[Mysticism|mystical]] concepts. At its most simple level, it is composed of ten spheres, or emanations, called [[Sephirot (Kabbalah)|sephiroth]] (sing. "sephira") which are connected by twenty two paths. The sephiroth are represented by the planets and the paths by the characters of the [[Hebrew alphabet]], which are subdivided by the four [[classical element]]s, the seven classical planets, and the twelve signs of the [[Zodiac]]. Within the western magical tradition, the Tree is used as a kind of conceptual filing cabinet. Each sephira and path is assigned various ideas, such as gods, cards of the Tarot, astrological planets and signs, elements, etc.

Crowley considered a deep understanding of the Tree of Life to be essential to the magician:

{{blockquote|The Tree of Life has got to be learnt by heart; you must know it backwards, forwards, sideways, and upside down; it must become the automatic background of all your thinking. You must keep on hanging everything that comes your way upon its proper bough.{{sfnp|Crowley|1973|loc=ch. IV}}}}

Similar to yoga, learning the Tree of Life is not so much magic as it is a way to map out one's spiritual universe. As such, the adept may use the Tree to determine a destination for astral travel, to choose which gods to invoke for what purposes, et cetera. It also plays an important role in modeling the spiritual journey, where the adept begins in [[Malkuth]], which is the every-day material world of phenomena, with the ultimate goal being at [[Kether]], the sphere of Unity with the All.