Scent Name: Practical Occultism

Manufacturer: Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab – Yule 2018: An Evening with The Spirits

Scent Description and Notes: “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 occultist can scarcely become one and yet continue his relations with his fellow-men.

He must continue, from the first to the last degree, a long series of exercises, each one of which must be perfected before another is undertaken.

A practical occultist may be of either sex, but must observe as the first law inviolable chastity—and that with a view of conserving all the virile powers of the organism. No aged person, especially one who has not lived the life of strict chastity, can acquire the full sum of the powers above named. It is better to commence practice in early youth, for after the meridian of life, when the processes of waste prevail over repair, few of the powers above described can be attained; the full sum never.

Strict abstinence from animal food and all stimulants is necessary. Frequent ablutions and long periods of silent contemplation are essential. Codes of exercises for the attainment of these powers can be prescribed, but few, if any, of the self-indulgent livers of modern times can perform their routine.

The arts necessary for study to the practical occultist are, in addition to those prescribed in speculative occultism, a knowledge of the qualities of drugs, vapors, minerals, electricity, perfumes, fumigations, and all kinds of anæsthetics.

And now, having given in brief as much as is consistent with my position—as the former associate of a secret society—I have simply to add, that, whilst there are, as in Masonry, certain preliminary degrees to pass through, there are numerous others to which a thoroughly well organized and faithful association might advance. In each degree there are some valuable elements of practical occultism demanded, whilst the teachings conveyed are essential preliminaries. In a word, speculative occultism must precede practical occultism; the former is love and wisdom, the latter, simply power.

A Victorian occultist’s incense, invoking the Four Archangels: precious wildcrafted Indian frankincense with myrrh, cassia, sandarac, palmarosa, white sage, red sandalwood, elemi, and drops of star anise bound with grains of kyphi.” -https://blackphoenixalchemylab.com/shop/winter-collection/yule-2018/an_evening_with_the_spirits/practical-occultism-2/

Sandarac: is a strongly aromatic resin similar to balsam in smell.

Kyphi: is an incense composed of about 10 ingredients, include honey, wine, raisins, myrrh, juniper berries, pine, calamus, rush, English gorse, and cyperus.

Oil Color: A bright orange oil on my skin.

Bottle Design and Artwork: This is a standard brown apothecary bottle. The label wrapped around the bottle features the name of the company in bolded black block font along the bottom. Above that is the name of the scent in ornate orange script. The name of the collection is in same font as the company name along the top of the label. The label art is as featured below:

ITB: Hot cassia reminds me of cauldrons alight, seething with Red Hots, anise, and a bit of resin just barley detectable.

Hot cassia reminds me of cauldrons alight, seething with Red Hots, anise, and a bit of resin just barley detectable. Wet: While the cassia is still very much forward, there’s a little more sweet anise that’s tempering that crimson note, while gentle frankincense waivers in the background. It reminds me of more natural cinnamon candies similar to Altoids. As it starts to settle a lovely dry rein and herbal note begins to soften the bombastic cassia, for which I’m thankful since my skin amps cassia and cinnamon.

While the cassia is still very much forward, there’s a little more sweet anise that’s tempering that crimson note, while gentle frankincense waivers in the background. It reminds me of more natural cinnamon candies similar to Altoids. As it starts to settle a lovely dry rein and herbal note begins to soften the bombastic cassia, for which I’m thankful since my skin amps cassia and cinnamon. Dry: The cassia has settled down into a glowing, warm version of its once fiery self, ameliorated by the kyphi, palm, myrrh, sandalwood, anise, and frankincense, which are dusky and sweetly resinous under the cassia.

Other Impressions: None.