from the depths of samsara
breathe in
all the colors, sounds, tastes, scents, feelings
diamond light effulgence radiates into one
silent witness of vibration and starry ancient light
breathe out
from the center, from the expanse of All
in primordial intrinsic Awareness
I wrote this short piece many years ago. While there is a depth to yoga disciplines that go far beyond what Crowley discussed, I do still agree that his simplified adaptation of the 8 Limbs is a good basic primer on practical yoga exercises to achieve a well rounded practice in ones daily work.
Many western practitioners neglect the most fundamental aspects of meditation and calming the body, much to their disadvantage. The need to be able to concentrate, visualize, calm the body, increase energy, and so on, are essential techniques in western ritual that are used for every practice. Crowley’s introduction to the Yoga Sutras at the very least gives the westerner a simple way to get started and begin seeing benefits of practice almost immediately.
While Eight Lectures on Yoga is in no way a substitute for in depth training and practice for those that would go deep into the path of yoga, it is without a doubt good basic instruction in the fundamentals of practice that anyone can begin with. If limited only to his instruction, one would certainly see plenty of benefits in all aspects of their daily life.
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I worship the greatly beautiful one, with limbs the colour of thunderclouds, who is naked and sits on the corpse of Shiva, who has three eyes and earrings made of the bones of two young handsome boys, who is garlanded with skulls and flowers
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I invoke the devi Tripurasundari, mahavidya of Lalita
Goddess of Beauty and Play and Love and Joy!
Let us invoke the sweet smelling one!
Naked, with fiery green eyes and golden skin, hair aflame in crimson light
Her arms granting boons and dispelling all fear.
Her naked body marked with blood and ash,
Her heart aflame with passion and fire!
Aom! I salute the beautiful one of three worlds!
Jai Devi! Jai Tripurasundari!
Obeiassance to the Lotus eyed one of sweet nectars, Jai Pankajakshi![1]
Aom! With incense of sandal I salute Thee! Jai Devi!
Aom! With lights I salute Thee! Jai Istadevi![2]
Aom! With water I salute Thee! Jai Sarvagata![3]
Be favourable to me, oh blossom honey of light!
Grant thine aid unto me, that I may come to rest
in your sweet smelling presence, Jai Shrimati![4]
With sandalpaste, ash, sindur and water I am marked
to your devotions, oh Vibhutidevi![5]
With the bijamantra HRIM I invoke Thee!
AOM HRIM HRIM HRIM!
Jai Tripurasundari! Jai Lalita! Jai Devi!
Oh, Mandayanti[6], grant me Thy grace! Give me of Thy milk to drink!
Oh, Jayesvari[7], inform me with Thy blood kissess!
Let Thy brilliant light shine through me, fullfilling me of Thy divine embrace!
Jai Sadhya! Jai Sadhwi! Jai Sara! Jai Savitri![8] Aom!
Aom nama Tripurasundari!
Aom HRIM HRIM HRIM!
Jai Istadevi!
Aom!
[1] (Pankaja “mud born, lotus” + akshi “eye”) The lotus eyed.
[2] One’s chosen goddess (“beloved goddess.”)
[3] (sarva “all” + gata “having gone”) Having pervaded all, having reached everywhere.
[4] (shri “beauty, light, wealth” + mati “having”) Having beauty and fortune, the beautiful.
[5] Glory, might, wealth. Consecrated ash used by devotees of Shiva. Also the 6th of Lalitas 108 names.
[6] Delighting, rejoicing.
[7] (jaya “victorious” + iswara “sovereign goddess”). The victorious goddess.
[8] Sadhya, “the attainable,” a name of Lalita. Sadhwi, “the virtuous.” Sara, “the Essence.” Savitri, the consort of the Sun.
[March 1998]
consciousness of the continuity of existence 
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