The first task of the Magician in every ceremony is therefore to render his Circle absolutely impregnable.

When you have proved that God is merely a name for the sex instinct, it appears to me not far to the perception that the sex instinct is God.

Religion itself becomes offensively monotonous. On every point of vantage are pagodas -- stupid stalagmites of stagnant piety.

Fortunately we have learnt to combine these ideas, not in the mutual toleration of sub-contraries, but in the affirmation of contraries, that transcending of the laws of intellect which is madness in the ordinary man, genius in the Overman who hath arrived to strike off more fetters from our understanding.

To use legal or financial constraint to compel either abstention or submission, is entirely horrible, unnatural and absurd.

One must find out for oneself, and make sure beyond doubt, 'who' one is, 'what' one is, 'why' one is... Being thus conscious of the proper course to pursue, the next thing is to understand the conditions necessary to following it out. After that, one must eliminate from oneself every element alien or hostile to success, and develop those parts of oneself which are specially needed to control the aforesaid conditions.

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.