Treatise on the Four Elements

Introduction

In the name of God, who assists: I will begin to specify the four elements that are in the world, the substitutions of which were known and their explanations not known, and there is no person enlightened enough to distinguish between the two good and the two bad ones, whose substitutions were known and were explained, and their performance was distanced from their hands. And they are these: They shall say the name of purity and the name of impurity; and illusionists and sorceresses knew their substitutions and did not know their elements nor how to perform them. Rather, know and understand that the beginning of the matter is that one would err if one would say the name of purity and the name of impurity (God forbid there should be a name of impurity in the world). But the substitution is thus: the name of purity and the name of impurity, for thus one should be careful in each and every place. Perform it in purity and you will succeed. They are in truth four substitutions. Two are good and there is no sin in performing them. And whoever performs the bad ones is liable to divine punishment [karet]. And the two good ones are the name in purity; there is no sin in illusionism. And the two bad ones are the name in impurity and sorcery.

I will now tell how to know the explanation for these four elements and why the two are good and two are bad. There is no sin in the [first] two, and whoever performs the [other] two is guilty of divine punishment. Know and understand that all of them will come into the hands of a person who sets his soul on them—once and twice—and pursues after their ways. The two good ones are serious and the two bad ones are minor.¹ . . .

Incantation

“His name is heteroglossia; his name is RYDUSYH, his name is NTRQWSYH, his name is PSPSRSYH, his name is MTTGSYH. Wind of winds, SRKYT and ŠBRYT, windstorm: Descend by the authority of these names and clothe me in a small cloud and cover me in majestic glory and do not wait one moment. Quickly, in the blink of an eye, let my spirit be saved and my life be protected. Amen.”

Then look and see. If you have recited up to here and no one comes to you, do not be ashamed because of those standing before you. Recite the prayer again so that you will not fail to recite half of it, until they seize y[ou], the earth, and descend to you and will lead you to . . . when . . . on the earth. . . . to stand on your feet so you can see the world turning before you. Set your face toward the earth for a moment and the dizziness will subside and your mind will return to the way it was. But look and watch out for your life if you have made evil plans for that year or have some transgressions on your hands. Purify your soul from the previous year of these sins and thus you may begin, when you are pure of all corruption and iniquity. And if you know and understand that there is no sin deserving of divine punishment between you and your neighbor, commence and perform [the procedure] with the help of the Creator, and He will assist you.

Source: CUL T-S K1.2 + T-S K1.37.