The term 'Magick' was first popularized by the early 20th century Magickian Aleister Crowley in order to create a clear division between this strand of occultism and stage conjuring. Throughout this publication I use the word Magick, with the additional 'k', to indicate the discipline of causing a change in consciousness or circumstances through the application of the Will. This may or may not involve additional tools such as invocation, ritual or ceremony.

The literal meaning of the RU hieroglyph is understood to have meant 'birth passage', 'doorway' and 'vagina'. Thus it held a function as a dual-symbol representing birth into the material world or access from the material into the spiritual as in an initiation. Therefore, the Ankh is not only a symbol of worldly life, but also of life in the 'netherworld '. Derivations of the word are found in references to the dead as 'ankhu' whilst the term for a sarcophagus was 'neb-ankh' or ' possessor of life'.

Count Goblet d'Alviella, in his ' Migration of Symbols', calls attention to the fact that an instrument resembling the Ankh, called the Nilometer, were used by the Ancient Egyptians for measuring the inundations of the River Nile.

During the time of Ancient Egypt the elements of both air and water were interchangeable as both were understood to be essential to life. Thus when a god holds the Ankh before the king's nose the ' breath of life' is bestowed upon him or when streams of water in the forms of Ankhs run over the king during ritual he is purified.

It should perhaps be noted that some sources suggest that the radiant sphere depicted in a great deal of Egyptian art work is not the Sun as we know it. It is more probable that what is actually shown is the brightest star, and not planet, in the sky; that being the Dog Star Sirius.

The crown of thorns which was placed upon the head of Christ whilst on the cross opens up a long list of new associations which primarily underpin the Rosicrucian mysteries. The thorns were of course those of the rose which is the occult emblem of the metaphysical system of the Rosy Cross. Other close symbologies include Friday, the day Christ was crucified on and the Ankh symbol itself as all being associated with Venus.

The Qabalistic association of the EMPRESS upon the Tree of Life is the 14th Path which connects the Sephiroth of Binah (The Great Mother/Isis) with Chockmah (The Great Father/Osiris). It is perfectly placed in this position. Also note that the lower T-cross of the Ankh also appears in the tarot. See Arcana 12 THE HANGED MAN where A E Waite shows a young man inverted upon the Tau. The Tau is also directly associated with Arcana 21 WORLD.

There is a massive amount of evidence that cultures from all around the world have believed that Sirius is central to the evolution of life on Earth. The star also holds a highly prominent place even today in the mystery traditions of several secret societies. Aleister Crowley founded his Order of the Silver Star upon the mysteries of Sirius, Gurdieff knew of its mysteries and Albert Pike maintained that it was the Blazing Star that is so prominently displayed in all Freemasons Lodges.