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Individuation • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Between two modes of being, one centred around the ego and the conscious will, the other around the Self and a deeper transpersonal will,

There lies the dangerous journey of individuation, a night-sea journey down into the depths of the psyche for renewal and rebirth.

The decay and death of what Jung called the conscious dominant, the old principle of ego control and will, brings with it the temporary collapse

Of the mechanism of repression by which the autonomy and control of the ego is maintained.

This collapse unleashes into consciousness the long-repressed power of the instinctual unconscious,

Which can be experienced both as a tremendous creative daemon and a terrifying, destructive force.



During individuation-on the way of psychospiritual transformation-one faces two main challenges,

which occur simultaneously: first, overcoming the old dominant, ruling principle in the psyche;

And, second, controlling and taming the Dionysian power of the instinctual unconscious.



If the total personality were to be considered as a city of which the ego regards itself as mayor,

This city would contain not only inhabitants whom the mayor had never seen or heard of the personal unconscious,

But he would eventually find that there were other authorities which were not under his command,

Seeming to obey a central authority which he did not know existed and which resided elsewhere-in Central Asia, say, or on Mars.

This central authority would give orders and the local militia would obey them, disregarding any conflicting orders the mayor may have given.

The question still remains: Who or what is this authority? What is the other directive unconscious centre of the psyche?

Jung called it the Self-the Self in contradistinction to the ego.



Mature consciousness, according to Jung, is dependent on a working relationship between a strong but flexible ego and the Self, regulating centre of the psyche.

For that to happen one has to acknowledge that the ego is not in charge. This is not a natural process; it is a major shift in perspective,

Like the difference between thinking the earth is the centre of the solar system and then learning that the sun is.

This generally doesn't happen until later in life, when you look back on your experience and

realise there was more going on than you knew. Ergo, something other than 'you' was pulling the strings.



In its rightful function the ego is the light in the darkness of the unconscious, and in some ways identical with the Self.

The ego of an individuated person, for instance, would be a manifestation of the Self, it would be open to the unconscious.

Such an ego manifests the Self by having a double attitude towards-and being constantly, humbly,

Open to the unconscious and thus offering a basis of realisation for the Self.

God needs our poor heart, says Angelus Silesius, in order to be real.



Nietzsche once said that before the path can be followed, one must first have found the lantern.

And the lantern can only be found after a conscientious submission of ego sovereignty and a purgatory of fear and trembling.



In those dark hours the luminosity of the Self is often hard to discern,

But it is the only light to guide us on the path yet to be undertaken.

Nietzsche once said that before the path can be followed, one must first have found the lantern.



Individuation is, in effect, Jung's answer to Nietzsche. It is a response, that is, to the fate that befell Nietzsche,

Who found himself cast into the role of sacrificial prophet of an unconscious transformation process that had significance for the entire culture.



Inner work, as a practical experience, shows us that we can embrace the conflict, embrace the duality,

Bravely place ourselves in the very midst of the warring voices, and find our way through them to the unity that they ultimately express.



Do not succumb to the concern that devoting time to inner work is an exercise in navel gazing or narcissism.

Such comments often come from family and friends who have a vested interest in our predictability and consistency.

As you retrieve unlived life, it will shift the nature of relationships-conscious and unconscious-with those around you.



People often asked Dr. Jung, Will we make it? Referring to the cataclysm of our time.

He always replied, If enough people will do their inner work. This soul work is the one thing that will pull us through any emergency.



Marie-Louise von Franz counseled that it would be wrong to become a Jungian.

If you do that, you miss the whole point of his psychology,

Which was to become the one unique individual you are meant to be.



As Jung told Alan Watts, he was glad he wasn’t a Jungian.

I’m Jung. I do not want anyone to be a Jungian.

I want people above all to be themselves.

Should I be found one day only to have created another ism

Then I will have failed in all I tried to do.



If a single individual devotes himself to individuation, he frequently has a positive contagious effect on people around him.

It is as if a spark leaps from one to another and usually occurs when one has no intention of influencing others and often when one uses no words.



People, Jung observed, live on only one or two floors of a large apartment building

Which is our minds, forgetting the rest. The individuation process puts us in touch with the rest.



Most men resemble great deserted palaces the owner occupies only a few rooms

And has closed off wings where he never ventures.



To individuate, the ego must face that which is normally excluded from awareness.

It must face the dark half of the psyche, where the Self resides. It must come face to face with the unconscious.



Individuation requires looking deeply into the darkness inside each of us, a darkness that goes beyond our existence as individuals.

We have to descend into that darkness, fight battles within, then emerge once more into the light. And that is a lonely journey that few undertake willingly as Jung says,

A person has to be alone if he is to find out what it is that supports him when he can no longer support himself.

Only this experience can give him an indestructible foundation.



We can define individuation as the ego's progressive awareness of and relation to the Self,

But, as Jung has pointed out, the experience of the Self is always a defeat for the ego, and a defeat for the ego is experienced as tragedy.



During individuation, one encounters the gods not through any collective myth

Or mediated through the external forms of a religion,

But directly, as powers to be experienced within one's own being.



The symbolic inner experiences which the shaman lives through during his period of initiation

Are identical with the symbolic experiences the man of today lives through during the individuation process.



Enlightenment is not some ideal goal, perfect state of mind, or spiritual realm on high, but a journey that takes place on this earth.

It is the process of waking up to all of what we are and making a complete relationship with that.



The experience of depth psychology, the process of individuation that must be undergone,

Is itself an esoteric event which changes people to the depth of their being, extends their consciousness,

And brings their personality to the maturity of the whole person.



People want an easy path. Jung's path of individuation is not easy.

Jung points out that because individuality and the development of personality are deviations not congenial to the collective,

Historically only a few have dared the adventure, the so-called hero's journey, which takes courage or at least the capacity to bear fear.



The hero, like the ego, stands between two worlds: the inner world that threatens to overwhelm him,

And the outer world that wants to liquidate him for breaking the old laws.

Only the hero can stand his ground against these collective forces,

Because he is the exemplar of individuality and possesses the light of consciousness.



All the same, since the beginning of recorded time, heroes have been endowed with godlike attributes.

Anyone who would turn aside from the beaten path and strike out on the steep unknown was deemed

Either crazy or possessed by a demon, or possibly a god. Some were coddled, just in case;

The unlucky ones were hacked to pieces or burned at the stake.



Many have thought that individuation is a form of narcissistic preoccupation.

Rather the enlarged person, the one who undertakes and returns from the quest,

Serves the tribe through challenge, redemption and reinvigoration.



Individuation cuts one off from personal conformity and hence from collectivity.

That is the guilt which the individuant leaves behind him for the world, that is the guilt he must endeavour to redeem.

He must offer a ransom in place of himself, that is, he must bring forth values which are an equivalent substitute for his absence in the collective personal sphere.



The paradox of individuation is that we best serve intimate relationship by becoming sufficiently developed in ourselves that we do not need to feed off others.

Similarly, we best serve our society by being individuals, by contributing to the dialectic necessary for the health of any group.

Each chip in the social mosaic contributes best by the richness of its own unique colouration.

We remain most socially useful when we have something unique, our fullest possible selves, to offer.



It is the duty of one who goes his own way to inform society of what he finds on his voyage of discovery, be it cooling water for the thirsty or the sandy wastes of unfruitful error.

The one helps, the other warns. Not the criticism of individual contemporaries will decide the truth or falsity of his discoveries, but future generations.

There are things that are not yet true today, perhaps we dare not find them true, but tomorrow they may be.

So every man whose fate it is to go his individual way must proceed with hopefulness and watchfulness, ever conscious of his loneliness and its dangers.



Individuation is the sea to which all rivers wend their way, the prize which the hero wrests from the fight with the dragon.

The hero's main feat is to overcome the monster of darkness: it is the long-hoped-for triumph of consciousness over the unconscious.

The myth of the hero is first and foremost a self-representation of the longing of the unconscious, of its unquenched and unquenchable desire for the light of consciousness.

In Jung's view, the unconscious itself wishes to be understood and wishes to help both individuals and culture heal and grow. In other words, it wishes to be manifested and lived.



One of the main tasks in the individuation process is the reconciliation of opposites in our psyches,

Especially the opposition between the conscious and the unconscious mind.

Dreams create a bridge between these two worlds.



For Jung, salvation means that the personality becomes involved

In the reconciliation of the opposites and the recognition of the Self as the master of life.



People must know they are in conflict. They must be able to carry the conflict.

That is consciousness. They must stand between that which is in opposition.



The self is the union of opposites, as well as the center of the psyche.

This center grows by organizing the archetypal forces around itself

Through the union of the ego and the unconscious.



The inferior function is the door through which all the figures of the unconscious come into consciousness.

Our conscious realm is like a room with four doors and it is the fourth door by which the shadow, the animus or the anima and personification of the Self come in.

The door should be lifted off its hinges to provide a free passage between here and there,

between yes and no, between above and below, between left and right.

Airy passages should be built between all opposed things.



This need for wholeness seems to be an inherent function of the human psyche;

When there is too large an imbalance between the ego and the Self,

The shadow appears as the first step toward rejoining us with Self.



When Jung spoke of "The Self' he was referring to the indescribable.

The Self is the total personality, the sum of all the aspects, all parts & all bits of us.

It contains victim/victimiser/ego/shadow. It cannot be understood by intellect alone; it is beyond definition.



So the Self is part of the collective unconscious, but it is not the collective unconscious;

It is that unit which apparently comes from the union of the ego and the shadow.



If the Self's quest for relationship and union with the ego is blocked the result is neurosis, depression, illness, and suffering

Which may, in time, lead the afflicted individual and the afflicted culture to seek healing, relationship with the transpersonal self & wholeness.



It is through the dark side of the psyche that the Self is first manifest, for the realization

Of psychological wholeness requires a unification of spirit and instinct, the divine and the bestial.



The Self embraces both conscious & unconscious elements in our psyche. However, as an archetype,

It is nevertheless located in the unconscious. Jung noted that "the Self" is our life's goal,

For it is the completest expression of fateful combination we call individuality.



The actual realisation or living incarnation of the Self requires the presence of a disciplined ego

To function as a responsible and conscious executor,

In the limited world of the here and now, of the Self's intentions and visions.



The price of wholeness is nothing less than a total commitment to being whole

And an unswerving belief in your capacity to embody it in any moment.

C.G. Jung put it this way: The attainment of wholeness requires one to stake one’s whole being.



Jung’s individuation process is usually experienced after middle age or toward the end of life.

It is not a withdrawal from life, but life itself a way between man-the-seen and his soul-the-unseen.

It is a way of transformation toward experiencing the wholeness.



The underlying principle of Jungian psychology is that our life story, if it is truly lived, brings about the realization of our inner and often unconscious potentials.



There is no light without shadow and no psychic wholeness without imperfection.

When it is understood that trying to have good without evil is as absurd as trying

To have white without black, all that energy is released for things that can be done.

The most important act for the future is to become aware of our darkness, to lower our moral sights,

Resist the desire to be perfect, recognize our complexity, become critical of conventional morality

And search for a new balance that includes our dark side as well as the light.



Yang means the positive, and yin, the negative.

Yang is identified with the south or sunny side of a mountain;

Yin, with the north or shady side.

And note, this moment,

That you cannot have a one-sided mountain.



Self-actualising people are, without one single exception, involved in a cause outside their own skin, in something outside of themselves.

They are devoted, working at something, something which is very precious to them-some calling or vocation in the old sense, the priestly sense.

They are working at something which fate has called them to somehow and which they work at and which they love, so that the work-joy dichotomy in them disappears.

One devotes his life to the law, another to justice, another to beauty or truth. All, in one way or another, devote their lives to the search for what I have called the being values,

The ultimate values which are intrinsic, which cannot be reduced to anything more ultimate.



It is highly interesting that classical literature, whether the author is Dante or Shakespeare,

Has no sympathy with the sentimental or superficial idea of human perfection.

Any character who is neither good nor evil is simply not living an authentic life.



We are not yet attuned to language of soul; we are not comfortable thinking metaphorically.

There is nothing more important to true growth than realizing that you are not the voice of the mind

You are the one who hears it.



The ancients called internal longing for wholeness “fate” or “destiny,” the “inner voice” or the “call of the gods.”

It has an inevitability, authority & finality to it and was at the heart of almost all mythology.

Almost all heroes heard an inner voice that spoke to them.



Soul speech carries one’s individuality, and for this reason psyche’s speech is unique.

Until you hear this unique speech in yourself, you are hearing only the collective language of the time

And speaking ego’s relationship to collective images and values.



Examine the spirits that speak in you. Become critical.

The modern man must be fully conscious of the terrific dangers that lie in mass movements.

Listen to what the unconscious says.



All my writings may be considered tasks imposed from within; their source was a fateful compulsion.

What I wrote were things that assailed me from within myself. I permitted the spirit that moved me to speak out.



My speech is neither light nor dark, since it is the speech of someone who is growing.



The language I speak is ambiguous, or two-faced, in order to do justice to the dual aspect of our psychic nature.

I constantly and deliberately strive for ambiguity of expression,

Because it is superior to unequivocalness and more in keeping with the nature of life.



More Quotes:

General

Unconscious

Synchronicities

Dreams

Active Imagination

Mythology

Shadow

Anima

Individuation

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Anima • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

In every man and woman there is an inner being whose primary function in the psyche is to serve as the psychopomp

The one who guides the ego to the inner world, who serves as mediator between the unconscious and the ego.



The anima is the mover, the instigator of change, whose fascination drives, lures,

and encourages the male to all the adventures of the soul and spirit, of action and creation in the inner and the outward world.



The witness doesn’t evaluate; doesn’t judge your actions. It merely makes note of them.

It’s a subtle thing, the watcher watching him/herself watching.

It’s actually two planes of consciousness simultaneously-the witness and the ego.

The witness is connected to the soul plane.



Destiny is our mythical sense of life. We get the feeling about our life that something is meant,

Something is wanted, something is living alongside my life nudging, urging, sometimes grabbing the wheel and setting another course.



Everything that happens to us, properly understood, leads us back to ourselves;

It is as though there were some unconscious guidance whose aim it is to deliver us

From all ties and all dependence and make us dependent on ourselves.



We think of Beatrice leading Dante up to paradise, but he experienced that only after he had gone through hell.

Normally, the anima does not take a man by the hand and lead him right to paradise;

She puts him first into a hot cauldron where he is nicely roasted for a while.



The ego is the defensive shell we pull around our lives. It is afraid; it is threatened and grasping.

It acts in an overly protective way and is very competitive. The soul, on the other hand, has no barriers.

As the great Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, The soul has no limits. The soul is a pilgrim journeying toward endless horizons.

There are no exclusion areas; the soul suffuses everything. Furthermore,

The soul is in touch with the eternal dimension of time and is never afraid of what is yet to come.



Your soul is both of you and of the world. The world cannot be full until you become fully yourself.

The soul corresponds to a niche, a distinctive place in nature,

Like a vibrant space of shimmering potential waiting to be discovered, claimed, occupied.



Jung found that the psyche is androgynous: made up of both masculine & feminine.

Thus, every man and every woman comes equipped with a psychological structure

That in its wholeness includes the richness of both sides, both natures, both sets of capacities and strengths.



To replace the patriarchy with a matriarchy will only be neurotic in another direction.

Valuing the feminine and the masculine equally is the only path toward greater wholeness and fuller humanity.



Jung's conviction was that to achieve wholeness, one first has to go through the experience of fragmentation and experience the many parts of which the psyche is composed.

The normal ego prefers stability and single-mindedness to the challenge of plurality and fragmentation, and that is why Jung argued that the sooner we can overcome the normal ego,

and aspire to the realisation of the Self, the more whole we might become and the less terrified we would be of the fragmented parts that rise to meet us from the unconscious.

Sometimes, he argued, the Self is symbolised in dreams and artwork as androgynous, because it points to a wholeness that transcends the ego and its gender.

Theologically, he felt the divine should be imagined as both masculine and feminine, so that human beings could focus upon a higher symbol that combines the opposites.



The anima is a personification of all feminine psychological tendencies in a man’s psyche, such as vague feelings & moods,

Prophetic hunches, receptiveness to the irrational, capacity for personal love, feeling for nature, and last but not least his relation to the unconscious.



If the feminine archetypal principle is not consciously admitted into masculinity, it will be unconsciously,

And usually negatively, admitted. Hence, rather than integrate the feminine,

The rationalistic male consciousness will be invaded by irrational psychic contents.



Typically, the feminine aspects in men are denied and/or projected completely onto actual women.

Denying the presence and importance of the feminine leads to undervaluing actual women and being dismissive towards them.



It is feminine qualities that bring meaning into life: relatedness to other human beings, ability to soften power with love,

Awareness of our inner feelings & values, respect for our environment, a delight in earth's beauty, and the introspective quest for inner wisdom.



If the encounter with the shadow is the apprentice-piece in the individual's development,

Then that with the anima is the master-piece.



We either embrace the mystery of this journey, or we run from it.

And something within us always knows the difference.



The creative process has a feminine quality,

And the creative work arises from unconscious depths

We might truly say from the realm of the Mothers.



In allowing the soul to achieve an existence that is independent of the conscious intellect,

Jung indicated a way of restoring the sacred beliefs of our ancestors,

Perhaps allowing us to imagine ways of bridging the barriers

That the more sophisticated cultures have erected between us.



Sometimes you no longer recognize yourself. You want to overcome it, but it overcomes you.

You want to set limits, but it compels you to keep going. You want to elude it, but it comes with you.

You want to employ it, but you are its tool; you want to think about it, but your thoughts obey it.

Finally the fear of the inescapable seizes you, for it comes after you slowly and invincibly.



There is no escape. Now you'll think up clever truisms, preventive measures, secret escape routes, excuses, potions capable of inducing forgetfulness, but it's all useless.

The fire burns right through you. That which guides forces you onto the way. But the way is my own self, my own life founded upon myself.



I am still a victim of my thinking. When can I order my thinking to be quiet, so that my thoughts, those unruly hounds, will crawl to my feet?

How can I ever hope to hear your voice louder, to see your face clearer, when all my thoughts howl?



My soul wants to go with me, sit at the table with me, work with me.

Above all she wants to be ever present. But I'm ashamed of my soul. I don't want to be divine but reasonable.

The divine appears to me as irrational craziness. I hate it as an absurd disturbance of my meaningful human activity.

It seems an unbecoming sickness which has stolen into the the regular course of my life. Yes, I even find the divine superfluous.



There are many who skate through life unperturbed, some with luck, some with naiveté, and some with sheer opacity of soul.

None of this shipwreck talk will make any sense to any of them. But there are those out there who picked themselves up off the floor,

Those who emerged from the crash, those who listened when something inside demanded they persist,

And from then forward they knew that something supports them from within when the outer world has fallen apart.

To know what supports us when nothing supports us is a genuine treasure.



A dark night of the soul doesn't merely plunge you into darkness, it also batters you, so that you might well feel emotionally beaten and lacerated.

The alchemists described this process as mortification, emotional suffering that leaves you feeling destroyed.

As the word implies mors, mortis means death, mortification entails dying to your will and ego.

Ultimately it works in your favour, but during the process you may feel deeply discouraged.

This mortification, the feeling of being overwhelmed and torn apart, prepares you for new ideas and a fresh start.

You can't be renewed unless past behaviour and thinking are shredded and packed away. But this can't happen without torment.

The ideas and styles that have become familiar to you are you. To give them up is to have your very identity ripped apart and disposed of.

You try to hang on, and that's where the torture focuses. People say they want to change, but when it comes down to the heart of the process, they resist strongly, and there is a battle.



When the alchemist speaks of Mercurius, on the face of it he means quicksilver/mercury, but inwardly he means the world-creating spirit concealed or imprisoned in matter.

Conceptually, Jung said that alchemy worked because it was a work of psyche. Without realizing it, alchemists projected their psyches into the matter in their laboratories.

The lead was their heavy depressed souls. The quest for gold was a desire to experience the divine or in Jung's terms, to be connected to the major archetype of wholeness, the Self.



Some scholars regard the transmutation of lead into gold as a metaphor for the transformation of the Self.

The gold, they say, is you when you become fully realised or enlightened. But according to traditional procedure, there are actually two transformations.

First you make a philosopher's stone, then you use it to transmute base metal. The first step-the forming of the stone-is the transformation of self.

The second step is the transforming of something that is not the Self. The gold isn't you. It's something outside of you that you desire.

The philosopher's stone is a means, not an end. In fact, if you don't want to use it for something, you won't be able to form it.

You can't succeed with the alchemical transformation of the Self unless you desire something that is not yourself. Wanting to be gold is vainglorious.



Inner gold is the highest value in the human psyche. It is our soul, the Self, the innermost part of our being. It is us at our best, our twenty-four-carat gift to ourselves.

Everyone has inner gold. It isn't created, but it does have to be discovered. When I speak about gold this way, I am also speaking about god.

These are two ways to describe the mystery. When we awaken to a new possibility in our lives, we often see it first in another person.

A part of us that has been hidden is about to emerge, but it doesn't go in a straight line from our unconscious to becoming conscious.

It travels by way of an intermediary, a host. We project our gold onto someone, and suddenly we're consumed with that person.

The first inkling of this is when the other person appears to be so luminous that he or she glows in the dark.

That's a sure sign that something is changing in us and we are projecting our gold onto the other person.

When we observe the things we attribute to the other person, we see our own depth and meaning.

Our gold goes first from us to them. Eventually it will come back to us.

Projecting our inner gold offers us the best chance for an advance in consciousness.



The word psyche means two things in Greek. Two very different but interesting things. Butterfly and soul.

But when you stop and think about it carefully, butterfly and soul aren't so different, after all, are they?

A butterfly starts out as a caterpillar, an ugly sort of earthbound, wormy nothing,

And then one day the caterpillar builds a cocoon, and after a certain amount of time the cocoon opens

And out comes the butterfly, the most beautiful creature in the world. That's what happens to souls as well.

They struggle in the depths of darkness and ignorance, they suffer through trials and misfortunes,

And bit by bit they become purified by those sufferings, strengthened by the hard things that happen to them,

And one day, if the soul in question is a worthy soul, it will break out of its cocoon and soar through the air like a magnificent butterfly.



More Quotes:

General

Unconscious

Synchronicities

Dreams

Active Imagination

Mythology

Shadow

Anima

Individuation

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Shadow • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Doing shadow-work means peering into the dark corners of our minds in which secret shames lie hidden and violent voices are silenced.

Doing shadow-work means asking ourselves to examine closely and honestly what it is about a particular individual that irritates us or repels us;

What it is about a racial or religious group that horrifies or captivates us; and what it is about a lover that charms us and leads us to idealize him or her.

Doing shadow-work means making a gentleman's agreement with one's self to engage in an internal conversation that can,

At some time down the road, result in an authentic self-acceptance and a real compassion for others.



To honor and accept one’s own shadow is a profound spiritual discipline.

It is whole-making and thus holy and the most important experience of a lifetime.



The first layer we encounter in the unconscious is what jung called the shadow, usually those parts of ourselves we don't like, don't know, or don't want to know.

The shadow can be repressed in us like a cancer or projected outward onto others as qualities we dislike most in a person or group.

The negative shadow can present us with a shortcoming to be overcome. The positive can show us a meaningful part of ourselves we should recognize and live out.



Since the natural gradient of the psyche is toward wholeness,

the Self will attempt to push the neglected part forward for recognition.

It contains energy of the highest value, the gold in the dung.



Jung said the truth of the matter is that the shadow is ninety percent pure gold.

Whatever has been repressed holds a tremendous amount of energy, with a great positive potential.

So the shadow, no matter how troublesome it may be, is not intrinsically evil.



The unconscious is not just evil by nature, it is also the source of the highest good:

Not only dark but also light, not only bestial, semihuman, and demonic

But superhuman, spiritual, and, in the classical sense of the word, divine.



Curiously, people resist the noble aspects of their shadow more strenuously than they hide the dark sides.

To draw the skeleton out of the closet is relatively easy, but to own the gold in the shadow is terrifying.

It is more disrupting to find that you have a profound nobility of character than to find out you are a bum.



The shadow is the first personification to be met in an analysis of the unconscious. It is the antithesis of the conscious personality,

Embodying those characteristics, potentialities and attitudes that have been rejected or depreciated by the ego.

Furthermore, since there is no differentiation between contents in the unconscious, everything merging with everything else,

The shadow on initial meeting carries the impact of the unconscious as a whole. Only after its encounter with the conscious ego

Does it begin to separate from other aspects of the unconscious and lose the feature of totality.



The necessary and needful reaction from the collective unconscious expresses itself in archetypally formed ideas.

The meeting with oneself is, at first, the meeting with one's own shadow.

The shadow is a tight passage, a narrow door, whose painful constriction no one is spared who goes down to the deep well.

But one must learn to know oneself in order to know who one is. For what comes after the door is, surprisingly enough,

A boundless expanse full of unprecedented uncertainty, with apparently no inside and no outside,

No above and no below, no here and no there, no mine and no thine, no good and no bad.



This confrontation is the first test of courage on the inner way, a test sufficient to frighten off most people, for the meeting with ourselves

Belongs to the more unpleasant things that can be avoided so long as we can project everything negative into the environment.



But if we are able to see our own shadow and can bear knowing about it, then a small part of the problem has already been solved:

We have at least brought up the personal unconscious. The shadow is a living part of the personality and therefore wants to live with it in some form.

It cannot be argued out of existence or rationalized into harmlessness. This problem is exceedingly difficult, because it not only challenges the whole man,

But reminds him at the same time of his helplessness and ineffectuality. Strong natures or should one rather call them weak?

Do not like to be reminded of this, but prefer to think of themselves as heroes who are beyond good and evil, and to cut the Gordian knot instead of untying it.



Facing our dark sides is painful. It is easier to know so much and no more. It is easier to turn away from our own swamp of anguish and aggression

And say, it doesn't matter. I've got friends. I'm well adjusted to my job. Everyone likes me.



No one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort.

To become conscious of it involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real.

This act is the essential condition for any kind of self-knowledge.



The ego is primarily engaged in its own defense and the furtherance of its own ambitions.

Everything that interferes with it must be repressed. The repressed elements become the shadow.

Often these are basically positive qualities.



A useful basket definition of the shadow is: that which I do not wish to be,

Rhat within myself with which I least desire to associate,

That which I find frightening, anarchic and threatening to my self-image.



The shadow self is not the negative aspects of self, but those aspects that are denied, unaccepted, or disowned.

When you accept and explore the aspects of yourself that you’ve hidden, forgotten, or denied,

you gain access to new reserves of energy, clarity and freedom.



One cannot avoid the shadow unless one remains neurotic, and as long as one is neurotic one has omitted the shadow.

The shadow is the block which separates us most effectively from the divine voice.



It is absolutely necessary that the shadow be accepted if one wants to cope with the unconscious.

Otherwise the shadow runs away with the anima, and the two form an unholy conspiracy against the one.

Then it is two against one. Then usually the person needs an analyst, so that it can be two against two.



The shadow is not synonymous with evil, per se. It is a metaphor to embody whatever ego consciousness, personal or collective, prefers to disown.

That within me which makes me uncomfortable about me, that which I prefer to repress, deny, discard, is my Shadow.

Accordingly, the Shadow may also embody some of my best qualities, such as creativity, desire, spontaneity

All movements of affect that at some point in our development

Proved costly or contradictory to the norms of our family or cultural context.



The first archetypal figure we meet, according to Jung, is no shining angel of light, but the shadow.

The paradox of Jung's psychology is that to get to the source of light, the Self,

We have to go via the darkness of the unconscious with its repressed instincts and drives.



Our psychology, the acquaintance with our own souls, begins in every respect

From the most repulsive end, that is to say, with all those things which we do not wish to see.



We have all experienced the fact that our unconscious intentions are constantly crossed

By unknown or relatively unknow opponents in the unconscious.



Gods suppressed become devils, and often it is these devils whom we first encounter when we turn inward.

Jung used to say that we don't cure our neurosis, but they eventually cure us.

When we work to understand and try to cure a neurosis,

we are, indirectly conversing with our daemons,

And negotiating a solution that serves the Ego and the unconscious.

The idea that the neurosis cures us is that it causes us discomforts

That force us to take action and solve the problem.



Be careful, lest in casting out your demon you exorcise the best thing in you.



My definition of demon is an angel that was not recognized.

Rather, its power is one to which you denied and repressed expression.

So, like any repressed energy, it begins to grow and become very dangerous.



When one tries desperately to be good and perfect, then all the more the shadow develops a definite will to be black and evil and destructive.

People cannot see that; they are always striving to be marvellous, and then they discover that terrible destructive things happen which they cannot understand,

And they either deny that such facts have anything to do with them, or if they admit them, they take them for natural afflictions,

Or they try to minimize them and to shift the responsibility elsewhere.

The fact is that if one tries beyond one’s capacity to be perfect,

The shadow descends into hell and becomes the devil.



Good does not become better by being exaggerated, but worse,

And a small evil becomes a big one through being disregarded and repressed.

The shadow is very much a part of human nature, and it is only at night that no shadows exist.



Understanding does not cure evil, but it is a definite help,

In as much as one can cope with a comprehensible darkness.



If people can be educated to see the shadow-side of their nature clearly,

It may be hoped they will also learn to understand and love their fellow men better.

A little less hypocrisy and a little more self-knowledge can only have good results in respect for our neighbor.



How can I be substantial if I do not cast a shadow? I must have a dark side also If I am to be whole.

To confront a person with his shadow is to show him his own light.



There is a victim in each of us, a part which is hurt or damaged, which is afraid and begging for protection.

It can, if it remains unconscious, tyrannize both ourselves from within and those around us from without.



The cure of the shadow is a problem of love. How far can our love extend to the broken and ruined parts of ourselves,

The disgusting and perverse? How much charity and compassion can we have for our own weakness and sickness?



Whether the shadow becomes our friend or enemy depends largely upon ourselves.

As the dreams of the unexplored house and the French desperado both show, the shadow is not necessarily always an opponent.

In fact, he is exactly like any human being with whom one has to get along, sometimes by giving in, sometimes by resisting,

Sometimes by giving love-whatever the situation requires. The shadow becomes hostile only when he is ignored or misunderstood.



The inescapable paradox of fire, of alchemy, of psyche, of intelligent living,

consists in this double commandment: thou shalt not repress/thou shalt not act out.



If we accept these opposing elements and endure the collision of them in full consciousness, we embrace the paradox.

The capacity for paradox is the measure of spiritual strength and the surest sign of maturity.



Depth psychology has presented us with the undeniable wisdom that the enemy is constructed from denied aspects of the self.

Therefore, the radical commandment love your enemy as yourself points the way toward both self-knowledge and peace.



The shadow plunges man into the immediacy of situations here and now,

And thus creates the real biography of the human being,

Who is always inclined to assume he is only what he thinks he is.

It is the biography created by the shadow that counts.



The shadow is projected onto others. What I wish to disown in myself I will see in you and condemn it.

Often, what we dislike most about others is how they embody aspects of our own shadow.

On the collective level, shadow projection is the origin of bigotry, prejudice, sexism, ageism, and every categorical animosity.

The more stressed the cultural climate, the more unconscious and fearful the populace, the more we will seek someone to blame,

Some scapegoat who may carry the weight of our own psychological laziness. Having read this morning's newspaper,

I know that the rail tracks of such projections lead to concentration camps, pogroms, and to killing fields scattered around the planet.

And, as I live in an angst-ridden, divided country, I see such shadow projection manifesting as hysteria, scapegoating, and incitements to violence.



As Jung saw it, it is not only the single individual who is liable to psychic illness,

As a result of a wrong attitude toward the unconscious; the same thing can also happen to nations as a whole.



At any moment a few million people may be seized by a madness, and then our leaders may precipitate us into a blood bath of war.

Instead of being exposed to wild beasts, tumbling rocks and inundating waters, man is exposed today to the elemental forces of his own psyche.



The gigantic catastrophes that threaten us are not elemental happenings of a physical or biological kind, but are psychic events.

We are threatened in a fearful way by wars and revolutions that are nothing else than psychic epidemics.



This is today’s calamity-the collective shadow, the general unconsciousness.

There are people who believe that the few who are conscious can hold the world against annihilation,

but I am afraid of the terrific power of general unconsciousness.



If people crowd together and form a mob, then the dynamisms of the collective man are let loose-beasts or demons

that lie dormant in every person until he is part of a mob. It is certainly a good thing to preach reason and common sense,

But what if you have a lunatic asylum for an audience or a crowd in a collective frenzy?

There is not much difference between them because the madman and the mob are both moved by impersonal, overwhelming forces.



Dr. Jung has pointed out that it requires a sophisticated and disciplined society to fight a war as long and complicated as World Wars I and II.

He said that primitive people would have tired of their war in a few weeks and gone home.

They would not have had a great accumulation of shadow since they live more balanced lives and never venture as far from the center as we do.

It was for us civilized people to bring warfare to its high development. And so the greater the civilization, the more intent it is upon its own destruction.

God grant that evolution may proceed quickly enough for each of us to pick up our own dark side, combine it with our hard-earned light,

And make something better of it all than the opposition of the two. This would be true holiness.



To refuse the dark side of one's nature is to store up or accumulate the darkness; this is later expressed as a black mood, psychosomatic illness, or unconsciously inspired accidents.

We are presently dealing with the accumulation of a whole society that has worshiped its light side and refused the dark, and this residue appears as war,

Economic chaos, strikes, racial intolerance. The front page of any newspaper hurls the collective shadow at us. We must be whole whether we like it or not;

The only choice is whether we will incorporate the shadow consciously and with some dignity or do it through some neurotic behavior.

George Bernard Shaw said that the only alternative to torture is art. This means we will engage in our creativity in the ceremonial or symbolic world or have to face its alternative, brutality.



We must have a shadow which we have not yet realized, of which we are unconscious and the collective shadow is particularly bad

Because people support each other in their blindness. It is only in wars, or in hate for other nations, that the collective shadow reveals itself.

Our culture has so rejected the inner world that as a child grows into adulthood, its own inner reality becomes part of the collective shadow.



The contemporary division of society into a right wing and a left wing is nothing but a neurotic dissociation,

Reflecting on the world stage what is happening in the individual modern man: a division within himself,

Which causes the shadow, that is, what is unacceptable to consciousness, to be projected onto an opponent,

While he identifies with a fictitious self-image and with the abstract picture of the world offered by scientific rationalism,

Which leads to a constantly greater loss of instinct, especially to the loss of caritas:

The love of one's neighbor so sorely needed in the contemporary world.



All the feelings and capacities that are rejected by the ego

And exiled into the shadow contribute to the hidden power of the dark side of human nature.

Jung’s prophetic statement that man’s psyche must be studied

Because it is the cause of all future evil rings ominously like a mountain bell across the valley.



The modern world is desacralized, that is why it is in a crisis.

Modern man must rediscover a deeper source of his own spiritual life.

To do this, he is obliged to struggle with evil, to confront his shadow, to integrate the devil.



The unchosen thing is what causes the trouble. If you don't do something with the unchosen,

It will set up a minor infection somewhere in the unconscious and later take its revenge on you.



The danger of anger is that because it has been forbidden and repressed, it explodes through the shadow.

Thus the anger can carry an intensity and destructiveness that belong to the unconscious.



It’s a tricky business not rejecting any part of yourself at the same time

That you’re becoming acutely aware of how embarrassing or painful some of those parts are.



Balance is more likely to come by exploring our faults and by discovering the treasure in our shadow

Than by trying to deny them or overcome them with shallow techniques.



The unconscious is not a demoniacal monster, but a natural entity which is completely neutral.

It only becomes dangerous when our conscious attitude to it is hopelessly wrong.

To the degree that we repress it, its danger increases.



The daemonic is that moment when an unconscious content of seemingly overwhelming power appears on the threshold of consciousness

 It can cross this threshold and seize hold of the personality. Then it is possession, which can naturally be personified in many forms.

As Jung put it, we are as much possessed by our pathological states as any witch or witch-hunter in the darkest Middle Ages.

In those days they spoke of the Devil, today we call it a neurosis.



Insanity is possession by an unconscious content that, as such, is not assimilable to consciousness,

Nor can it be assimilated since the very existence of such contents is denied.



The shadow self is not of itself evil; it just allows you to do evil without recognizing it as evil.

People who deny the existence of dragons are often eaten by dragons. From within.

We all have a shadow. Or does our shadow have us? Jung asked this question: How do you find a lion that has swallowed you?



I think that if the devil does not exist, and man has therefore created him, he has created him in his own image and likeness.



There is an old saying that the devil does his best work by whispering in our ears what we really want to hear.

No wonder he is so successful in telling us in so many ways how there is an easy path, with a guaranteed payoff.



In discussing the shadow, we are likely to constellate this subject in ourselves and in the surroundings.

Speak of the devil and he shows up. If that can be remembered, the devil may be less likely to sneak up from behind.

The material about the ego in the last chapter stayed on a superficial level.

That is the nature of the ego: it is a surface phenomenon. In order to get below the ego you have to crack that ice;

Then the next thing to be encountered in the individual psyche is the shadow.



The whole universe is summed up in the human being. devil is not a monster waiting to trap us,

He is a voice inside. Look for your devil in yourself, not in the others. Don’t forget that the one who knows his devil, knows his god.



Wherever there is an advance of some kind, as the ego sees it, you can be sure that the shadow accompanies it.

Everywhere we go, when we stop & look behind us, there's the shadow. This is true for all areas of our achievement as well.



I know your shadow and mine, that follows and comes with us, and only waits for the hour of twilight

When he will strangle you and me with all the daimons of the night.



Jung’s life and work are preoccupied with the dark side of humanity.

It is not that Jung felt that we should celebrate darkness in a satanic way or become devil worshippers.

But he felt we should enter into the darkness and find out what is inside it.



It is a stunning revelation to come to the recognition that what I find wrong in the other may also be found in me,

and that I may even have chosen this other in order to enact a shadowy pas de deux.



Jung once wrote that if there is something wrong with society, there is something wrong with the individual,

And if there is something wrong with the individual, there is something wrong with me.

No individual has caused the present crisis, but every individual can contribute something to help.

In times like these, we need astrological help in understanding our own responses and our own choices.



That which you most need will be found where you least want to look.



More Quotes:

General

Unconscious

Synchronicities

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Active Imagination

Mythology

Shadow

Anima

Individuation

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Mythology • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Jung was right. There is a collective unconscious.

Joseph Campbell was right. Myths and legends do constitute the fabric of the Self.

The soul judges a story’s truth by how closely it comports to the narrative templates that are part of our psyche from birth.



The psychological answer to the question why study mythology? Is that the psyche will otherwise be invisible.

Only through an acquaintance with the incredible diversity of mythological images is the psyche made manifest in its origins.

Psychology is ultimately mythology, the study of the stories of the psyche/soul.



Myth has been called an early form of psychology: the tales of heroes struggling through labyrinths

Or fighting with monsters brought to light impulses in obscure regions of the psyche that are not easily accessible to rational investigation.



Myth is an early form of psychology. There are all these stories about gods going down into underworld to slaughter demons.

We all have to learn how to negotiate our unconscious worlds. We have to go into the labyrinth of our own selves and fight our own monsters.



Myths, therefore, express vital, instinctive knowledge, and when one trusts in this knowledge, then one is healthy.

This has nothing at all to do with wishful thinking or some kind of fantasy.



To be aware of living mythically is to understand your life as an unfolding drama whose meaning is larger than your day-to-day concerns.

It is to nurture a ripening appreciation of your cultural and ancestral roots.

To live mythically is to seek guidance from your dreams, imagination, and other reflections of your inner being,

As well as from the most inspiring people, practices, and institutions of your society.



To live mythically is also to cultivate an ever-deepening relationship with the universe and its great mysteries.

The quiet guidance of your personal mythology gives meaning to every situation you meet and determines what you will do in it.

Your personal mythology acts as a lens that colours your perceptions according to its own assumptions and values.

It highlights certain possibilities and shadows others. Through it, you view the ever-changing panorama of your experiences in the world.



Powerful things happen when we touch the thinking which myths, fairy tales and our own dreams bring to us.

The terms and settings of the old myths are strange; they seem archaic and distant but if we listen to them carefully and take them seriously, we begin to understand.



Stories, old myths, do a kind of open-heart surgery on you. And at the time usually when I'm hearing a story of tremendous power,

I know something is happening, but I don't quite know what it is. It's as if some vast presence is just passing me in the dark.



In spite of exceedingly complex technology, we miss the obvious signs of soul: a physical complaint, an animal in a dream,

A witch in a fairy tale, a god in mythology, a tear in laughter and sadness, the lead weight of a depression.



A myth is not only a story; it is a statement made in symbols. The language of the unconscious is symbolic.

A symbol speaks directly and immediately to the soul, and it is understood by the soul even when consciousness does not understand.



Myths are the language of the unconscious in a collective form. And dreams are the language of the unconscious in a personal form.

It is how the unconscious communicates with us, and it uses symbolic language, not literal language.



The unconscious has a particular capacity to create images and to use those images as symbols.

It is these symbols that form our dreams, creating a language by which the unconscious communicates its contents to the conscious mind.

Just as a burning fire inherently exudes heat, the unconscious inherently generates symbols. It is simply the nature of the unconscious to do so.

As we learn to read those symbols we gain the ability to perceive the workings of the unconscious within us.

This ability to produce symbols affects more than just our dreams: all of human life is nourished by the flow of symbolic imagery from the wellsprings in the unconscious.

The symbol, the mediator, we need the symbol, we hunger for it, make light for us.



A symbol is a mysterious thing. When we grasp at it, we find it leading us ever deeper,

Like a twig in the ground, into the roots of the psyche under the firm earth of reason.

An image points beyond itself. A word says what it means, yet always means more than is said.



The real food of the soul is metaphor. The whole world of dreams is a metaphorical, symbolic one.

Religion is based on symbol. Art, music, poetry, the whole creative world, the world of the soul is based on it.



There are new myths: comic books, science fiction, movies.

You would think that metaphor was obsolete in the culture until you begin to see it slipping in the back door in so many areas.

If you take away food of the soul, it'll come slipping in someplace else.



If we fail to nourish our souls, they wither, and without soul, life ceases to have meaning.

The creative process shrivels in the absence of continual dialogue with the soul.

And creativity is what makes life worth living.



Without the metaphor, the mind may be fed, but the imagination and heart go hungry.

Without the pondering in the soul, the banquet table in dreams may be laden, but the food is not assimilated and so the soul starves.



The greatest thing by far is to be a master of metaphor. It is the one thing that cannot be learnt from others;

And it is also a sign of genius, since a good metaphor implies an intuitive perception of the similarity in dissimilars.



Both myth and dream are symbolic of the dynamics of the psyche.

But in the dream the forms are quirked by the peculiar troubles of the dreamer,

Whereas in myth the problem and solutions shown are directly valid for all mankind.



From a Jungian perspective, unconscious does not so much conceal as it reveals.

What an image means is not hidden, as if there were some deceptive intent-it is simply unknown to us,

Because we have not mastered the poetic, or imagistic, language that unconscious employs.



My feeling is that mythic forms reveal themselves gradually in the course of your life if you know what they are and how to pay attention to their emergence.

My own initiation into the mythic depths of the unconscious has been through the mind, through the books that surround me in this library.

I have recognized in my quest all the stages of the hero's journey. I had my calls to adventure, my guides, demons, and illuminations.



We need to recover the respect for myth and metaphor, and appreciate their capacity to reveal truth.

Myths are rich sources of psychological insight. Great literature,

Like all great art, records and portrays the human condition with indelible accuracy.



Jung had the intuition that we somehow contain the spirits and gods,

And that there are forces deep inside us that can somehow

Be brought into harmony with the forces outside us.



To be psychological is to be metaphorical and realize that the gods are metaphors

Personifications or deifications in the psyche. Hillman says nothing is literal; all is metaphor.

The gods continue to exist, as they always have, in the psyche.



Gods are not entirely inventions of the mind and can-not be reduced to social fabrication.

They are symbolic forms, which means they are constructed by human culture, but they are responses to something real.



All ages before ours believed in gods in some form or other.

Only an unparalleled impoverishment in symbolism

Could enable us to discover the gods as psychic factors,

Which is to say, as archetypes of the unconscious.



The world of gods and spirits is truly nothing but the collective unconscious inside me.



According to Jung, most miracles and wonders in the bible are myths, not histories.

In his opinion, they were not intended as literal narratives about historical events;

The true literary mode of religion is mythos, but religion forgot about this and claimed to be factual.

Religion is a reflection of the unconscious and the symbolic language that it speaks.



It is my premise that philosophy, especially early philosophy, like religion, is primarily psychology.

It is the phenomenology of the psyche revealing itself in a particular setting, rather than an abstract intellectual discourse.



Without an understanding of myth or religion, without an understanding of the relationship between

Destruction and creation, death and rebirth, the individual suffers the mysteries of life as meaningless mayhem alone.



Jung thought it is of tremendous importance that we try to form some idea about question of life after death, or the origin and meaning of life.



One of Jung's students asked him, I am now seventy and you are eighty years old.

Won't you tell me what your thoughts are on life after death?

Jung's answer was, it won't help you when you are lying on your deathbed to recall,

Jung said this or that. You must have your own ideas about it.



Despite the fact that we all know that the question of life after death, or of the origin and meaning of life, can never be answered rationally with any final certainty,

It is of tremendous importance, if not absolutely essential, that we try to form some idea about it. If a person has no myth about such questions,

He is psychically dried up and impoverished and is likely to suffer from a neurosis. To have your own myth means to have suffered and struggled with a question

Until an answer has come to you from the depths of your soul. That does not imply that this is the definitive truth,

But rather that this truth which has come is relevant for oneself as one now is, and believing in this truth helps one to feel well.



Jung believed that the psyche was purposeful; that we have a natural urge to grow to wholeness.

For Jung, myth was essential to the human race. To live without a myth which explains the cosmos,

Our place in it and how we are to live our lives was to be uprooted. Without myth we would have no link to past or present.



Jung said that humankind must return to the source, find the imaginative fire from which experience wrought the myths and images of old.

In that molten basalt emerging in imaginative channels from ageless depths, our destiny would crystallize.



Jung claimed that the use of reason to the exclusion of myth and fantasy makes us sick,

Because it alienates us from the sources of healing, which are only ever expressed in symbolic language.



Depth psychology became necessary because of the loss of tribal mythology.

From this loss, man descended into despair, depression and addiction.



Modern man does not understand how much his rationalism which has destroyed his capacity to respond to numinous symbols

And ideas has put him at the mercy of the psychic underworld. He has freed himself from superstition or so he believes,

But in the process he has lost his spiritual values to a positively dangerous degree. His moral and spiritual tradition has disintegrated,

And he is now paying the price for this break-up in worldwide disorientation and dissociation.



This is what the Hebrew prophets said: if the sacred is not nurtured,

The underworld will erupt, contaminating the world with the wrong kind of spirits, leading to a perilous situation.

Our times have demonstrated what it means when the gates of the psychic underworld are thrown open.



Jung was concerned that modern humanity tries to live without the gods, without a right relationship to the sacred.

He feared that we have taken on a condition that is unmanageable, a royal road to ruin.

Jung was not a religious spokesman who worried about the moral or ethical condition of people;

His concern was with something more basic than ethical standards.

It is our psychological health that he was concerned with,

Our capacity to lose our orientation and become possessed by the powerful forces of the unconscious.



If we cannot move beyond the ego and return to god through the cultural doorway of mythos (mythology),

There is only the pathway through pathos (suffering). With culture committed to the ego rather than spirit, nature gets its revenge.



So, then, now you know your task: to become what the gods want, not what your parents want,

Not what your tribe wants, but what the gods want, and what your psyche will support if consciousness so directs.



If we don't learn to mythologize our lives, inevitably we will pathologize them.



According to Rollo May's The Cry for Myth, myths provide personal identity, ground our sense of community,

Undergird our moral values, and point to the inscrutable mystery of creation.

We cannot outgrow myth because we cannot outgrow our need for stories that offer these.



Myth is the foundation of life; it is the timeless pattern, the religious formula to which life shapes itself.

Mythology never leaves us stranded; no matter what a dark tale it may spin, a true myth will lead us out of the dilemma and offer a cure.

It is the function of myth to offer us a way of life in living relationship to the mystery of the larger forces at play.



We cannot escape myth or fantasy, but all we can do, Jung said, is dream the myth onward

In the hope that we can come to a better understanding of the mystery in which we are held.



The great fantasies and myths are like dreams: they speak in the language of the unconscious-symbol and archetype.

Though they use words, they work the way music does: they short-circuit verbal reasoning and go straight to thoughts that lie too deep to utter.



Myth is dreamlike and, like dream, a spontaneous product of the psyche; like dream,

Revelatory of the psyche and hence of the whole nature and destiny of man; like dream

Like life enigmatic to the uninitiated ego; and, like dream, protective of that ego.



Mythologies are not invented; they are found.

You can no more tell us what your dream is going to be tonight than we can invent a myth.

Myths come from the mystical region of essential experience.



A myth is not only a story; it is a statement made in symbols.

The language of the unconscious is symbolic.

A symbol speaks directly and immediately to the soul, and it is understood by the soul

Even when consciousness does not understand.



I believe that symbolic language is the one foreign language that each of us must learn.

Its understanding brings us in touch with one of the most significant sources of wisdom,

That of the myth, and it brings us in touch with the deeper layers of our own personalities.

Myths derive from the visions of people who have searched their own most inward world.



Myth is the loom on which we may weave our own journey of transformation.

I find that regardless of whatever culture I'm working with, people grow further and faster

In both their human and their social potentials if there is a story or myth attached to the work.



As humans we’re not living myth, we’re living myths. Plural. They compete.

There are differing stories constantly trying to be told through us, different temples that seek our libation.



It is a very powerful experience to discover myths living themselves through your own life.

You see that they are living things, not just untrue stories with no point other than entertainment.

I makes one feel humble about what one thought was knowledge.



Mythic imagination can break the spell of time and open us to a level of life that remains timeless.

Myth is not about what happened in past times; myth is about what happens to people all of the time.



Myths are not simply tales of happenings in the remote past but eternal dramas

That are living themselves out repeatedly in our own personal lives and in what we see all around us.



Any time you read about myths you are sure to find water as symbolism,

The turbulence of it, the ocean, the turbulent soul, the turbulent psyche.



The inward eye sees only through symbols. Because science, the dominant myth of our age, has thrust us all into a region of material,

Concrete reality, we need these symbols to connect our conscious self to the reality of our nature, the unconscious.



Our intellectual enlightenment has given us a great deal of science about the world,

But access to the universal layers of meaning, found only in symbolic languages, has been radically diminished.



Myth makes a connection between our waking consciousness and the mystery of the universe.

It gives us a map or picture of the universe and allows us to see ourselves in relationship to nature.



The task of the hero within is to overthrow the powers of darkness, namely, fear and lethargy.

All those tales of defeating the dragon are mythopoetic versions of overthrowing the power

Of that which would swallow us, as both fear and lethargy do on a daily basis.



If we do not have the depths, how do we have the heights? Yet you fear the depths,

And do not want to confess that you are afraid of them. It is good, though, that you fear yourselves;

Say it out loud that you are afraid of yourselves. It is wisdom to fear oneself.

Only the heroes say that they are fearless. But you know what happens to the hero.



It is the task of the hero in the story to redeem the bewitched person and to build up or strengthen the ego when it is in a fragile state.

Psychologically speaking, depression is one fragile state, one that happens frequently along the journey towards transformation.



The basic story of the hero journey involves giving up where you are, going into the realm of adventure,

Coming to some kind of symbolically rendered realisation, and then returning to the field of normal life.



The journey of the hero is about the courage to seek the depths; the image of creative rebirth;

The eternal cycle of change within us; the uncanny discovery that the seeker is the mystery which the seeker seeks to know.



Joseph Campbell observes that the quester is precisely a person who has failed, because his or her life does not work.

Interior difficulties force questers to reorganize their life on a higher level, to become, out of necessity, adept at the art of living.



Over and over again, you are called to the realm of adventure, you are called to new horizons.

Each time, there is the same problem, do I dare? And then if you do dare,

The dangers are there, and the help also, and the fulfilment or the fiasco.



Once the individual has passed his initial test and can enter the mature phase of life, the hero myth loses its relevance.

The hero’s symbolic death becomes, as it were, the achievement of that maturity.



It is no wonder that in myth and fairy tales, the world of the unconscious is so often symbolised by the sea,

And the hero's journey into the depths is the ego's journey to the depths of the psyche.

The unconscious is an underwater world, full of strange and magical creatures;

And for human lungs used to breathing air, total immersion is of course a psychological death.

This death we call insanity.



Myth tells us that the full gamut of feeling is to be experienced.

Wildness is the capacity to go into joy, sorrow, and anger fully

And stay there for as long as needed, regardless of what anyone else thinks.



The original meaning of the word sacrifice is to make sacred.

Something was made sacred by offering it to the gods or the higher forces.

Sacrifice is not destruction, sacrifice is the foundation stone of what is to come.



People were startled to hear that if we don’t go to the spirit, the spirit comes to us as neurosis.

This is the immediate, practical connection between psychology and religion in our time.



The gods remain with us insofar as sacred energies constitute our being.

We either live with them as forces that inspire and lead the way to transformation,

Or we live against them, in which case they become psychological afflictions that undermine and destroy.



Jung saw Greek gods as a part of the human psyche,

Which is beyond time and space and beyond the control of the conscious personality.

Do the gods light this fire in our hearts or does each man's mad desire become his god?



Thieves can enter the house through the conscious or the unconscious.

The gods are not only above in Valhalla, but below in Hades or under the sea.



Jung claims that the Trickster mirrors an ancient psychic structure, an undifferentiated consciousness, close to the animal kingdom.

Many Trickster figures are animals, such as the Native American Coyote or the Hindu monkey god, Hanuman.



The trickster is a forerunner of the saviour, and, like him, god, man, and animal at once. He is both subhuman and superhuman, a bestial and divine being whose chief and most alarming characteristic is his unconsciousness.

There’s a very special property in the trickster: he always breaks in, just as the unconscious does, to trip up the rational situation. He’s both a fool and someone who’s beyond the system.



Trickster gods are the lords of in-between. A trickster does not live near the hearth; he does not live in the halls of justice, the soldier’s tent, the shaman’s hut, or the monastery.

He passes through each of these when there is a moment of silence, and he enlivens each with mischief, but he is not their guiding spirit. He is the spirit of the doorway leading out and of the crossroad at the edge of town.

In short, the trickster is a boundary-crosser. Every group has its edge, its sense of in and out, and the trickster is always there, at the gates of the city and the gates of life- making sure there is commerce.

He also attends to the internal boundaries by which groups articulate their social life. We constantly distinguish right and wrong, sacred and profane, clean and dirty, male and female, young and old, living and dead.

And in every case, the trickster will cross the line and confuse the distinction. Trickster is the creative idiot, therefore, the wise fool, the gray-haired baby, the cross-dresser, the speaker of sacred profanities.

Where someone’s sense of honorable behavior has left him unable to act, the trickster will appear to suggest an amoral action, something right/wrong that will get life going again.



Trickster is the mythic embodiment of ambiguity and ambivalence. Doubleness and duplicity. Contradiction and paradox.

That the trickster is a boundary-crosser is the standard line, but there are also cases in which the trickster creates a boundary or brings to the surface a distinction previously hidden from sight.

In several mythologies, for example, the gods lived on earth until something the trickster did cause them to rise into heaven. Trickster is thus the author of the great distance between heaven and earth.

Boundary creation and boundary crossing are related to one another, and the best way to describe the trickster is to say simply that the boundary is where he will be found.

Sometimes drawing the line, sometimes crossing it. Sometimes erasing or moving it, but always there, the god of the threshold in all its forms.

The trickster motif does not crop up only in its mythical form but appears just as naively in the unsuspecting modern man whenever, in fact,

He feels himself at the mercy of annoying ‘accidents’ which thwart his will & his actions with apparently malicious intent.

The so-called civilized man has forgotten the trickster. He remembers him only figuratively and metaphorically,

When irritated by his own ineptitude he speaks of fate playing tricks on him or of things being bewitched.

He never suspects that his own hidden and apparently harmless shadow has qualities whose dangerousness exceeds his wildest dreams.



When we study several creation myths, it is sometimes revealed very clearly to us that they represent unconscious and preconscious processes

Which describe not the origin of our cosmos, but the origin of man’s conscious awareness of the world.



Since all myths are in one way or another the psyche's portrayal of its own processes,

Creation stories are, on one level, images of human conception, gestation, and birth,

Projected out onto the cosmos and envisaged as the birth of the world.



The fact that we have now relegated fairy tales to children shows a typical attitude

I could even call it a definition of our civilization

Namely, that archetypal material is looked upon as infantile.



Fairy tales always begin with a critical situation; the miller loses his money, or the queen cannot bear a child, or something has gone wrong with the kingdom.

Fairy tales are expressions from the unconscious of a mode of unravelling and healing a situation of split or polarisation.



In fairy tales a person who is under a spell or cursed turns into something else, perhaps a frog, a donkey, an ugly duckling, or a girl with no voice or no hands.

To be under a spell may also mean to be asleep, unconscious, caught in circumstances, or bound by some power that is seen as outside of ourselves.

Fairy tales are maps for the journey, which bring clarity to our minds. And if we are open to them.

They become a means of transport as well. They help carry us through our transformation.



Again and again we find it is helpful to imagine the unconscious as having several layers. The higher up, the closer to consciousness; the deeper down, the further away.

Those layers also correspond, more or less, to the historical evolution of civilisation. Each layer blends into a yet deeper, more primitive and earlier stage of humankind.

Very often in fairy tales, one gets into that deeper layer by falling down a well or into a chasm or a hole in the ground.

But sometimes this motif is characterised by a hidden door beyond which there is a stairway leading downward.

When there is such a human construction, it points to the fact that the deeper layers of the unconscious

Were once connected with consciousness, though they have long since been forgotten or repressed.

But the structure, the possibility of going deeper, is still there. You don't need to fall; you can go step by step.



When Alice stepped through the looking glass, she entered the realm of imagination.

Looking at oneself in the mirror can be a genuine source of reflection,

That kind of consciousness that means knowing yourself as you truly are.



Mythologically, the witch moves in when you start to grow. She moves in to block you as much as possible

And either you gain enough energy to overcome her or you quit.

She doesn't care which because she is a guardian of the real spiritual areas

And she doesn't want wimps in there.



Psychologically, the dragon is one's own binding of oneself to one's ego, and you're captured in your own dragon cage.

And the problem of the psychiatrist is to break that dragon, open him up, so that you can have a larger field of relationships.



The descent into the unconscious is always dangerous. It can be visualized as being devoured by the whale-dragon,

As going down into a dark cave or into the castle of the evil magician.

We go there to get something. As a rule, it is a valuable treasure or a precious stone.



In Dante's Divine Comedy the Roman poet Virgil accompanies Dante to the underworld.

No one wants to be Virgil anymore but willingness to explore the experience of what people undergo,

No matter how horrific, is indispensable in healing emotional afflictions that haunt us.



In Jungian terms, the way out of the tyranny of the ego is through the shadow. The exit route is through those areas in which the ego does not exert total control.

In Frank Darabont's film The Shawshank Redemption, the portrayal of Andy Dufresne's escape from many years of wrongful imprisonment

By crawling through a sewerage pipe illustrates this point. The old ego-structure is the prison. The journey to freedom is through our psychological sewerage, as it were.

The crack in the structure of the ego is an opening that leads down to our psychological depths and on to freedom in the larger reality and transformed psyche on the other side.

As the ego structure is prised open, or begins to collapse, one can then make the descent into the underworld.

The immense resistance everyone feels to making this descent reflects both the acute pain of having to face one's shadow weakness

Aand the daunting prospect of having to stare into the dark power of nature.



If you feel an overwhelming rage coming up in you when a friend reproaches you about a fault, you can be fairly sure that at this point you will find a part of your shadow,

Of which you are unconscious. It is, of course, natural to become annoyed when others who are 'no better' criticise you because of shadow faults.

But what can you say if your own dreams-an inner judge in your own being-reproach you? That is the moment when the ego gets caught,

And the result is usually embarrassed silence. Afterward the painful and lengthy work of self-education begins-a work, we might say,

That is the psychological equivalent of the labours of Hercules. This unfortunate hero's first task, you will remember,

Was to clean up in one day the Augean Stables, in which hundreds of cattle had dropped their dung for many decades

A task so enormous that the ordinary mortal would be overcome by discouragement at the mere thought of it.



The ability of the different characters to resist the Ring in The Lord of the Rings is directly related

To their ability to put their own egos aside for something greater than themselves. That is, their narcissistic maturity.



Psyche in the myth is chained to a rock. Perhaps it's a way of saying that the feminine journey often begins with bondage,

Being chained and sacrificed to something which is neither one's choice nor one's fault.



Pandora is another inflection of the idea of the woman who brings bounty into the world.

The later, smart aleck, masculine inflected story of Pandora the notion that every woman brings with her a box of troubles is simply another way of saying that all life is sorrowful.

Of course, trouble comes with life; as soon as you have movement in time, you have sorrows and disasters. Where there is bounty, there is suffering.



Death impregnates Persephone. This is the secret of all the great mysteries:

Death is the source of all life. To experience this essential truth is to experience the miracle of death.



As in the Greek myth of Medusa, the human confusion that may ensue when we stare death in the face can turn us to stone.

We may literally freeze in fear, which will result in the creation of traumatic symptoms.



Medusa can only be beheaded through the power of the reflected image, for to stare directly at her is to be overwhelmed by one's own darkness.

This blind terror and paralysis one meets in certain forms of psychosis can find no better symbol than Gorgon's head.



The wisdom of Greek tragedy cannot be overemphasized. All of them dramatize this universal confession:

I created my life; I made these choices; and, stunningly, this flood of unimagined consequences are the fruits of my choices.



Salvation is a long road that leads through many gates. These gates are symbols.

One thing that comes out in myths is that at the bottom of the abyss comes the voice of salvation.

The black moment is the moment when the real message of transformation is going to come.

At the darkest moment comes the light.



Jung's work argued that the dead god would be reborn from below, from the dark and womb-like chambers of the earth.

The god above has collapsed, and the idea of god, Jung felt, will re-emerge from below, from the ground of the unconscious mind.



The christ-symbol lacks wholeness in the modern psychological sense,

since it does not include the dark side of things but specifically excludes it in the form of a Luciferian opponent.

The God outside us increases the weight of everything heavy, while the god within us lightens everything heavy.



As the myth puts it, only a wounded man can be a healer, a physician.

Because in his suffering the creative man experiences the profound wounds of his collectivity and his time,

He carries deep within him a regenerative force capable of bringing forth a cure not only for himself but also for the community.



Our concepts of space and time have only approximate validity. In view of this,

I lend an attentive ear to the strange myths of the psyche

And take a careful look at the varied events that come my way,

Regardless of whether or not they fit in with my theoretical postulates.



Myths which day has forgotten continue to be told by night, and powerful figures which consciousness has reduced to banality

Are recognized again by poets and prophetically revived; therefore they can also be recognized in changed form by the thoughtful person.

Beware the stories you read or tell: subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world.



We may well experience moments of happiness, but they are ephemeral and can neither be willed into being nor perpetuated by hope.

Rather, Jungian psychology, as well as much of the rich religious and mythological tradition from which it draws many of its insights,

Avers that it is the swamplands of the soul, the savannas of suffering, that provide the context for the stimulation and the attainment of meaning.

As far back as 2500 years ago Aeschylus observed that the gods have ordained a solemn decree, that through suffering we come to wisdom.



Today we need heroes of descent, not masters of denial, mentors of maturity who can carry sadness,

Who give love to ageing, who show soul without irony or embarrassment.

Mentors, not cheerleaders; mentors, not boosters or Babbitts. The legendary heroes of the ancient world

Ulysses, Aeneas, Psyche, Persephone, Orpheus, Dionysos and even Hercules.

All descended into hell to learn other values than those that rule the daily business of sunlit life.

They came back with a darker eye that can see in a dark time.



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Active Imagination • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Every person must live the inner life in one form or another.

Consciously or unconsciously, voluntarily or involuntarily, the inner world will claim us and exact its dues.

If we go to that realm consciously, it is by our inner work: our prayers, meditations, dream work, ceremonies, and active imagination.

If we try to ignore the inner world, as most of us do, the unconscious will find its way into our lives through pathology:

Our psychosomatic symptoms, compulsions, depressions, and neuroses.



It may be called meditation or deep relaxation, quiet time or downtime. Whatever it’s called,

It’s a time away from outside stimulation, during which inner turbulence can settle,

And we have a chance to become more familiar with ourselves.



How can one ever know the rest of a dream? One technique that Jung pioneered was completing the dream.

Jung claimed that dreams, like the classical Greek drama, typically had four distinctive phases that Aristotle described:

Introduction, development, and then a crisis, followed by the lysis or culmination. Most dreams cease in the crisis phase;

Nightmares always do. Jung felt continuing the dream via active imagination can be revealing and healing.



The image created by the unconscious and the ego interact,

And in this interaction, they create the necessary tension to evoke the transcendent function.

Such a scenario usually occurs in experiences that Jung called active imagination.



Active imagination is a very difficult, very powerful technique.

It has a tremendous healing power if handled well, as well as a great potential for harm.

It can over-stimulate the psyche, lead to over-identification with archetypal forces and lead to psychosis.



Active imagination is an experiential method. It is a dialogical method.

It is a conversation between the ego and the unconscious or, more specifically,

Between the ego-image and non-ego images that emerge spontaneously.



By active imagination Marie-Louise Von Franz meant the opposite of passive daydreaming:

She meant an activity that engaged the conscious mind in dialogue with the unconscious.

She considered it the most powerful tool in Jungian psychology for achieving wholeness.



Jungian analyst and author June Singer noted that active imagination

Is often a path to shadow work because what it reveals is very often those rejected voices in us.



Depth psychology attempts to establish a dialogue between consciousness and the unconscious. It does so by an approach that utilizes symbolism,

Such as is found in dreams, fantasies, body language, art and ritual as a bridge between conscious and unconscious.



Depth psychology differs from other forms of the discipline in that it is an effort to approach the whole person,

To undertake dialogue with the essential mystery we all embody. We cannot undertake this deepened conversation without engaging the unconscious.



Symptoms represent the protest and constructive criticism of the psyche.

We may not experience it at the time, and we may ask, quite understandably from an ego standpoint:

How quickly do I get rid of these? What is the right technique or the right medication?

Instead, we should ask: What is it that is wishing further expression in me?

What is neglected or repressed or split off or cut off? What is it that wishes an audience with me?



Conscious and unconscious do not make a whole when one of them is suppressed and injured by the other.

If they must contend, at least let it be a fair fight. This means open conflict and open collaboration at once.



The problem of psychotherapy is: people have problems. Why? Because they don’t know how to listen to themselves

And their own impulses, their own truth, their own myth. Why don’t people all follow their inner passion?

Because the outside world overwhelms them. If you are never alone, you cannot know yourself.



If you can talk to it you get into relationship with it. You can either be possessed by a content constellated in the unconscious,

Or you can have a relationship to it. The more one suppresses it, the more one is affected by it.

If we don't actively offer the unconscious a means of expression, it comes out in destructive, undermining, involuntary fantasy material.



By dialoguing with our shadow we lift enormous projections of animosity or envy off of others.

It is hard enough to live our own lives, and everyone is better served if we concentrate on our own individuation

Rather than getting stuck in the agendas of others.



When we are beset by suicidal ideation we must ask the psychological question. What part of me wants to die?

That question not only yields insight but also shifts something in the psyche.

The dark force is no longer against us but works with us.



I had a male patient who was having trouble in his relationships, so I asked him to talk with his anima.

Well, his anima informed him that he neglected her. So in a slightly unreflective moment,

He promised his anima that he would talk to her every day, if only for five or ten minutes. His anima said, Yes, all right, but keep to it.

He promptly forgot all about the promise he'd made to his anima and over the next month experienced the most awful psychosomatic symptoms.

I had not inquired about his promise in our sessions because I knew he was an ethical and very decent person and I didn't want to play the governess.

But now, as he was suffering such unpleasant symptoms, I said, my God, have you forgotten to talk to your anima? He said, yes, I have. I said, well, there you are!

He apologized to his anima and his symptoms disappeared. This case shows that if you promise something in an active imagination,

it is just the same as if you promise it to a real human being. It counts, and you have to follow through and completely integrate the experience.



Integration is the last stage of active imagination. At the point at which the ego gains an insight,

It must make a total effort to integrate that insight into its outer life.

If I am unable or unwilling to practice my new wisdom in outer world, then the active has failed.



Weaving has to do with fantasy work. Creative fantasy is a web. If you do an active imagination you weave a cloth

And that is why it has to do with the idea of destiny, because the unconscious fantasies of people are their destiny.



Dreams produce their own kind of transformation within the psyche,

But when the ego becomes more consciously involved either in interpretation

Or in active imagination, the degree of transformation is greater.



It is a curious fact that dreaming decreases dramatically when one does Active Imagination.

If you take this art seriously as a way of meditation, you actually assimilate the material

Of the unconscious before it needs to come up in dream form.



I believe that in its higher form as opposed to fantasy,

Its lower or ego-related form, imagination is the bridge to the transpersonal realities of the soul,

That transcendent part of the personality we have called the Self.



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Dreams • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

According to Jung, all dream images are essentially subjective.

He suggests thinking of a dream as if it were a theater in which the dreamer is at once

The scene, the player, the prompter, the producer, the author, the public and the critic.

Thus all the figures in dreams are personified aspects of the dreamer's own personality.



This means that when I dream of Miss X or Mr. Y, the unconscious is presenting me with information to add to the inventory of my self-image.

What is there about me that is like him or her? In what ways do we differ? How do I feel about them?

How does their appearance in the context of the dream reflect what is currently happening in my life?

We know that the wildest and most moving dramas are played not in the theatre

But in the hearts of ordinary men and women.



This is the secret of dreams--that we do not dream, but rather we are dreamt.

We are the object of the dream, not its maker. The dream is dreamed to us.

We are the objects. We simply find ourselves put into a situation.



If we go to our own dreams and sincerely work with the symbols that we find there,

We generally learn most of what we need to know about ourselves and the meaning of our lives,

Regardless of how much we know of the psychological theories involved.



if human psyche is a self-regulating, self-directive system, it would be nice if said system would communicate with us

By typing out a text message informing us how to conduct the business of daily life. In actuality, it does do exactly that, metaphorically speaking.



We are alive when we feel alive, and what makes us feel alive is the contact with that flow of the unconscious psyche. That's why dreams are so important.

You can say that each ladle full of the water of life is a dream. That's what a dream is.

Every night, we get, so to speak, a sip of the water of life, and, if we understand the dream, we are vivified.

We feel in contact with our psychic depth and with our own living substance, and then we subjectively feel that life is flowing, that we are alive.



My respect for dreams goes very far, and I am impressed again and again by the extraordinary independence of the unconscious,

The most extraordinary mental independence that I know. The independence of the conscious is ridiculous in comparison.



One is again and again overwhelmed by the genius of that unknown mysterious something in our psyche which is the inventor of our dreams.

It picks elements from day impressions, from something the dreamer has read the evening before in the paper, or from a childhood memory,

And makes a nice kind of potpourri out of it, and only when you have interpreted its meaning do you see the subtlety and the genius of each dream composition.

Every night we have that carpet weaver at work within us, who makes those fantastically subtle patterns, so subtle that,

Unfortunately often after an hour's attempt to interpret them, we are unable to find out the meaning.

We are just too clumsy and stupid to follow up the genius of that unknown spirit of the unconscious which invents dreams.

But we can understand that this carpet is more subtly woven than any human could ever achieve.



If the unconscious suggests something that seems crazy to me, I say to it:

Well, I think this is crazy nonsense. I am not going to do it. Go to hell!

Still, I add, but if it is not crazy nonsense,

Please send me another dream and then I'll reconsider.



It is only in modern times that the dream, this fleeting and insignificant-looking product of the psyche, has met with such profound contempt.

Formerly it was esteemed as a harbinger of fate, a portent and comforter, a messenger of the gods.

Now we see it as the emissary of the unconscious, whose task it is to reveal the secrets

That are hidden from the conscious mind, and this it does with astounding completeness.



What we find, if we pay attention to the expressions of the psyche

Our symptoms, our sudden insights, our compensatory dreams, our insurgent feeling states

Is that our souls are constantly registering an opinion.



The dream is specifically the utterance of the unconscious.

We may call consciousness the daylight realm of the human psyche,

And contrast it with the nocturnal realm of unconscious psychic activity which we apprehend as dreamlike fantasy.



No amount of skepticism and criticism has yet enabled me to regard dreams as negligible occurrences.

Often enough they appear senseless, but it is obviously we who lack the sense

And ingenuity to read the enigmatic message from the nocturnal realm of the psyche.



Ego consciousness has to learn about the unconscious,

And dreams are the vocabulary of the unconscious speaking to the conscious mind.

Yet, in dreams and in visions, subject and object are the same.



I believe my unconscious knows what I need more than anyone else does.

If you allow a dream image into your life when you are sick or having psychological difficulties, it can pull you in a helpful direction.



Dreams are invariably seeking to express something that the ego does not know and does not understand.

Dreams have great power to reveal truth about our inner states, conveying their meaning through indirect,

Seemingly absurd but strongly evocative symbols. This, in fact, is the whole basis of dream analysis in depth-psychology.

The reason we have lost access to the deeper truth, for Jung, is that we have lost access to the symbolic language that discloses it.



When you begin to see your imagination for what it really is,

You will realize that it reflects the inner world of your unconscious as faithfully as a highly polished mirror.

The dream gives a true picture of the subjective state,

While the conscious mind denies that this state exists, or recognizes it only grudgingly.



If you take your dreams as a reflection of the unconscious dynamics within you, you are most likely to get to the heart of the matter;

It is on the inner level that you can change life-patterns most profoundly; it is at the inner level that your dream is usually aimed.



While many dismiss dreams as daily events or working through of the plethora of stimuli we experience,

A humble attendance upon them will begin to reveal that they have a purposive nature,

Sometimes a compensatory nature, and sometimes a directive, developmental nature.



As you perhaps already know, I take account of the psychology both of the conscious and of the unconscious,

And this includes the investigation of dreams. Dreams are the natural products of unconscious psychic activity.

We have known for a long time that there is a biological relationship between the unconscious processes and the activity of the conscious mind.

This relationship can best be described as a compensation, which means that any deficiency in consciousness

Such as exaggeration, one-sidedness, or lack of a function is suitably supplemented by an unconscious process.



The vast majority of dreams are compensatory. They always stress the other side in order to maintain the psychic equilibrium.

But the compensation of mood is not the only purpose of the dream picture. The dream also provides a mental corrective.



The two fundamental points in dealing with dreams are these: First, the dream should be treated as a fact,

About which one must make no previous assumption except that it somehow makes sense; and second, the dream is a specific expression of the unconscious.



Dreams are neither deliberate nor arbitrary fabrications; they are natural phenomena which are nothing other than what they pretend to be.

They do not deceive, they do not lie, they do not distort or disguise.



Dreams do not deceive, do not lie, they do not distort or disguise-they seek to express something ego does not know and does not understand.

Dreams are neither deliberate nor arbitrary fabrications; they are natural phenomena which are nothing other than what they pretend to be.



The dream neither disparages nor criticizes. It will only show how he can change something in himself.

It is important that the dreamer learns that he is not responsible for what he dreams,

But that he is fully responsible for what he does with the acquired awareness.



Dreams give information about the secrets of the inner life and reveal to the dreamer hidden factors of his personality.

As long as these are undiscovered, they disturb his waking life and betray themselves only in the form of symptoms.



Though we seem to be sleeping there is an inner wakefulness that directs the dream,

And that will eventually startle us back to the truth of who we are.



These depths, that layer of utter unconsciousness in our dream, contain at the same time

The key to individual completeness and wholeness, in other words to healing.

The meaning of whole or wholeness is to make holy or to heal.



If we allow the images that arise from the organs of our own body to shape us, we incubate our own bodysoul.

If we allow ourselves to be twisted by society's images, we become sick.

Better to align yourself with images that spontaneously arise from your own psyche often via dreams,

Than attempt to conform with society's expectations of how you should shape up.



Archetype is merely a word that Jung used to indicate that there is something in us creating images.

Part of the genius of Jung lay in his ability to make himself very naive and to ask simple questions,

Such as: why is there such a thing as a dream in the first place?

Well, the reason there is a dream in the first place is that there is something in us making them.

Jung gave this something a word, and that word is archetype,

Which refers to an image-creating factor in the psyche

That lies behind our personality and shapes the images we find in our dreams.



By apprehension I do not mean simply intellectual understanding, but understanding through experience.

An archetype, as we have said, is a dynamic image, a fragment of the objective psyche,

Which can be truly understood only if experienced as an autonomous entity.



Even if a person deliberately tries to fabricate something, to imagine a pure fiction,

The material that comes up through the imagination still represents some hidden part of that individual.

It has to come from somewhere inside the person who is producing the images.



The psyche is not unconscious. We are. The psyche is constantly making intelligible statements.

It's making dreams and symptoms, it's making fantasies and moods. It's extraordinarily intentional, purposive.



Fantasy is not just whimsical ego-nonsense but comes really from the depths;

It constellates symbolic situations which give life a deeper meaning and a deeper realization.



Dreams of discovering a new room or section of one’s house are frequent

And serve as indicators that an unconscious aspect of the personality is being made available to consciousness.



Jung found that animals often represent primitive physical and instinctual energy systems within us.

A fight with a threatening animal in a dream may signal a conflict between the needs of your deep, instinctual side

And the civilized attitudes of your conscious mind.



Jung asserted that all our difficulties derive from the fact that we become separated from our instincts, those internal energies,

Drives, and feeling states that move us toward greater wholeness and Nietzsche further characterized us as the sick animal.



Animals almost invariably represent instincts when we meet them in dreams and active imagination.

Each animal represents a different instinct, or if you would prefer it, another aspect of instinct.



Jungian psychology deals with wounds by, paradoxically, amplifying rather than reducing our problems.

It declares that dreams and symptoms exist for a purpose.

They are there to lead us back to the path we have lost, to meaning, to truth, and to the art of living.



Jung once told me that he thought the dream was always going on in the unconscious,

But that it usually needs sleep and the complete cessation of attention to outer things for it to register in consciousness at all.



To be psychologically free is to be confident in our own inner world,

Responsible for our own strengths and weaknesses, consciously loving ourselves and therefore, able to love others.

Dreams guide us in that direction, however crooked the path may be.



To analyze creative people is a great problem because often such people think they are in a neurotic crisis

But when you look at their dream material it shows that they are neurotic

Because they are haunted by a creative idea and should do something creative.



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Synchronicity • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

A synchronicity is described by two words: coincidence and meaning. Such events have a purpose.

They are not experiences that are pushed by the past, but are moments that are trying to pull us into the future.

They have an intent that is purposeful, meaningful; in them there is a message concerning our next step in life.

Apparently the purpose of a synchronicity is to educate us into a deeper layer of our own genuine self.



In order to understand a synchronistic experience we must ask, what does my psyche want me to do between now and some future time?

The point of view is teleological from the Greek telos, meaning goal. We ask, what is required of me? What part of me is being encouraged to do what?

Where does my life want to go? What is the larger perspective that is trying to develop in my life through this experience? How is this moment a signpost?

Synchronistic experiences occur in moments of disorientation and have the effect of providing orientation as they convey the information necessary to bring the future into being.



Synchronicities can produce the crack in our consciousness that expands our choices, our capacities & our consciousness of the divine.

These mysterious moments go beyond our ego consciousness and open us to the sacredness of being a part of something larger than we are.



The universe is constantly speaking to us, and as soon as we learn to understand that language, life blossoms like the most exquisite flower.



The implications of synchronicity will make you dizzy if you really reflect on them.

They suggest that the psyche and the outer universe are not as unrelated as conventional psychology would have us believe.

They mirror each other and are ultimately inseparable.



When he created the concept of synchronicity, Jung laid a foundation 

Which might lead us to see the complementary realms of psyche and matter as one reality.



Jung explained that when people are confronted with strange or overwhelming inner experiences they may wonder if they are mad.

But when the significance of the experience is shown to them, and its content understood-their anxiety is relieved and they feel less isolated.



Jung first held that the archetype is something psychological, that an image-generating factor within us fashions the emotionally significant images in our dreams.

But as he became aware of the phenomenon of synchronicity, he realized there has to be more to it.

There must be a dimension of the archetype which is not only psychological, but which is also physical.

Otherwise, how could the physical world operate symbolically? How could dream images appear in, or foretell, events in the physical world?

Thus Jung realized that the archetype must exist in the physical world as well as in the psyche. This was an extraordinary insight.



Jung considered that synchronistic events tend to occur in situations in which an archetype is active or constellated.

Such constellation of archetypes in the life of a person is governed by the process of individuation.

The inherent drive of the psyche toward increased wholeness and self-realization.



Jung would say that a synchronicity is a marker that indicates that the conscious mind

Is being given the opportunity to deal with some deep unconscious material.



On May 6, 1961, too frail for his daily walk, Jung was driven around some of his favorite roads, saying goodbye to the countryside.

Three separate wedding processions stopped the car’s progress. Synchronicity, decided Jung, announcing his impending marriage to death.



At 4 p.m. on June 6, 1961, Jung died very peacefully, surrounded by his family. Not surprisingly, synchronicity accompanied his death.

Laurens van der Post, on a voyage from Africa to Europe, reported a dream at the time he died of Jung waving goodbye.

Barbara Hannah told how, minutes before his death, she discovered the relatively fresh battery in her car had completely run down.

Nature joined in a couple of hours later with a freak storm over Küsnacht in which lightning struck and scarred the tree where Jung used to sit in the garden.



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Unconscious • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Deep inside us is a wilderness. We call it the unconscious because we can't control it fully, so we can't will to create what we want from it.

The collective unconscious is a great wild region where we can get in touch with the sources of life.



Psychologically, the ocean is the counterpart of the unconscious into which the sun of consciousness sets and out of which it comes.

The sea is the favorite symbol for the unconscious, the mother of all that lives.



Our egos are not aware that outside the limits of their little islands, outside the narrow perimeters of their vision,

There is a whole universe of realities and truths contained in the vast sea of the unconscious that our egos can’t perceive.



Consciousness, no matter how extensive it may be, must always remain the smaller circle within the greater circle of the unconscious,

An island surrounded by the sea; and, like the sea itself, the unconscious yields an endless and self-replenishing abundance of living creatures, a wealth beyond our fathoming.

We may long have known the meaning, effects, and characteristics of unconscious contents without ever having fathomed their depths and potentialities,

for they are capable of infinite variation and can never be depotentiated. The only way to get at them in practice is to try to attain a conscious attitude

Which allows the unconscious to co-operate instead of being driven into opposition.



Since the stars have fallen from heaven and our highest symbols have paled, a secret life holds sway in the unconscious.

That is why we have a psychology today, and why we speak of the unconscious.



Over time, Jung concluded that there was within each of us a deep resilience guided by some locus of knowing,

Independent of ego consciousness; a center that produces our dreams to correct us, symptoms to challenge us, and visions to inspire us.



How else could it have occurred to man to divide the cosmos, on the analogy of day and night, summer and winter,

Into a bright day-world and a dark night-world peopled with fabulous monsters,

Unless he had the prototype of such a division in himself, in the polarity between the conscious and the invisible and unknowable unconscious?



Experience shows that the objective psyche is independent in the highest degree.

Were it not so, it could not carry out its most characteristic function: the compensation of the conscious mind. The conscious mind allows itself to be trained like a parrot,

But the unconscious does not which is why St. Augustine thanked god for not making him responsible for his dreams. The unconscious is an autonomous psychic entity;

Any efforts to drill it are only apparently successful, and moreover are harmful to consciousness. It is and remains beyond the reach of subjective arbitrary control,

In a realm where nature and her secrets can be neither improved upon nor perverted, here we can listen but may not meddle.



The basis and substance of Jung's entire life and work lie in the encounter of the single individual with his own god or daimon,

His struggle with the overpowering emotions, affects, fantasies and creative inspirations and obstacles which come to light from within.



For Jung and the tradition of analytical psychology,

Careful observation and attention to all that presents itself within the psyche

Is the most appropriate means of educating and expanding consciousness.



For Jung, the unconscious is not speaking about the external social world, but about the internal psychic plane,

Which cannot be known directly. It is real in its own right and symbols are the nearest we can get to approaching this unknown realm.



My life is a story of the self-realization of the unconscious. 

Everything in the unconscious seeks outward manifestation,

And the personality too desires to evolve out of its unconscious conditions and to experience itself as a whole.



Once the exploration of the unconscious has begun, the individual is confronted with the abysmal contradictions of human nature,

And this confrontation, in turn, leads to the possibility of a direct experience of light and darkness.



The experience of being swallowed, pulled underwater, or consumed is what it actually feels like when you encounter the power of unconscious.

When you are going through this process of transformation, the ordinary world appears very different.



Whoever sets foot in this realm submits his conscious ego-personality to the controlling influence of the unconscious.

The deeper you go, and the closer you get to the final realization, the heavier the resistance.



The one thing our unconscious will not tolerate is evasion of responsibility.

The unconscious pushes us into one suffering after another until we are finally willing to wake up,

See that it is we who are choosing these impossible paths and take responsibility.



Whenever one finds himself in a state of conflict with someone or with a situation,

He should entertain the hypothesis that the psyche has propelled him into that situation in order to generate consciousness.



Anyone who undergoes a development of consciousness is immediately assailed by a sense of

Abandonment and excommunication from most of the values that formerly sustained one.

The old kingdom dissolves beneath and one is left to feel exiled and without any container for life.



Failure to adapt to this inner world is a negligence entailing

Just as serious consequences as ignorance and ineptitude in the outer world.



One must simply listen, in order to learn what the inner totality the Self

Wants one to do here and now in a particular situation.



The unconscious is useless without the human mind. It always seeks its collective purposes and never your individual destiny.

Your destiny is the result of the collaboration between the conscious and the unconscious.



My fate cannot be mastered; it can only be collaborated with and thereby, to some extent, directed.

Nor am I the captain of my soul; I am only its noisiest passenger.



So that’s what destiny is: simply the fulfillment of the potentialities of the energies in your own system.

The energies are committed in a certain way, and that commitment out there is coming toward you.



I can only gaze with wonder and awe at the depths and heights of our psychic nature.

Its non-spatial universe conceals an untold abundance of images

Which have accumulated over millions of years of living development and become fixed in the organism.



Our consciousness revolves around the unconscious, not the other way around.

The center of a human being lies in the unconscious. It was an error of 19th century to say: center of the world is the ego.

The ego is, so to speak, a clown acting as if it were the leading actor.



If I tame you, beast, I give others the opportunity to tame their beasts.

The taming begins with you, my I, nowhere else.



The psyche is a world in which the ego is contained. Maybe there are fishes who believe that they contain the sea.

We must rid ourselves of this habitual illusion of ours if we wish to consider metaphysical assertions from the standpoint of psychology.



In modern Western society we have reached a point at which we try to get by without acknowledging inner life at all.

We act as though there were no unconscious, as though we could live full lives by fixating ourselves completely on the external, material world.

As the ego does not represent the whole psyche, so the Western mind cannot speak for the whole world.



The spiritual dimension is an extremely significant dimension in the human psyche and also in life.

If we suppress it, the way Western culture has been doing it, we will be paying a very serious toll for it.

We are really acting against our deepest nature. 



We only believe that we are masters in our own house because we like to flatter ourselves. Actually, however, we are dependent to a startling degree 

Upon the proper functioning of the unconscious psyche and must trust that it does not fail us.



The ego has to acknowledge the existence of the unconscious, and that the position presented by the unconscious is worthy of consideration.

This is no small requirement for the ego is normally terrified by the prospect of not being in control of its own psychic life.



Although ego consciousness is indispensable, it is not supreme ruler of psychic life.

Religious function of the psyche addresses the ego when it is out of balance with larger reality

And attempts to relate consciousness to central organizing principles of higher consciousness.



Although the ego is most comfortable with consciousness, it must be willing to examine its own disposition

And to entertain possibility that it is not complete or infallible.

The ego must be open to the notion that there are perspectives other than the conscious one.



Whoever looks into the mirror of the water will see first of all his own face.

Whoever goes to himself risks a confrontation with himself.

The mirror does not flatter, it faithfully shows whatever looks into it; namely,

The face we never show to the world because we cover it with the persona,

The mask of the actor. But the mirror lies behind the mask and shows the true face.



Most people confuse self-knowledge with knowledge of their conscious ego-personalities.

Anyone who has any ego-consciousness at all takes it for granted that he knows himself.

But the ego knows only its own contents, not the unconscious and its contents.



A complex develops when the ego is unable to contain and consciously relate to, and thus integrate, some unconscious content.

In other words, the ego cannot embody an archetype which is seeking expression. The unconscious content then accrues substance

In the form of related affects, images, memory traces and expectations – around its core, like a crystal that precipitates out of a solution.



According to Jung, everybody knows that people have complexes;

What is not so well known is that complexes can have us, can contradict the desires of our ego.



Jung described complexes as islands of consciousness, split off from the ego-mainland. It's a useful metaphor.

When you're emotional, caught in a complex, you're cut off from rational ego resources;

The complex rules the personality as long as you stay on the island.

When the storm dies down you swim back to the mainland and lick your wounds, wondering what got into you.



Unconscious content not brought into the Gnosis of consciousness

Is forced to live it-self out by way of compulsive acts performed by the ego.



Unconscious contents, as a rule, cannot stand to be observed.

They react violently to being known because this destroys or relativizes

The autonomy/omnipotence they enjoy while operating unconsciously.



The point is not to deny our ego, but to extricate ourselves from our exclusive preoccupation with it.



A person caught in a complex is driven by forces he or she does not understand.

Anything that remains unconscious has the power to control us

And anything that we bring into consciousness, we have the chance to control.



In psychic illnesses it is patently clear that the impairment and disturbance of consciousness are far from being experienced as unrelievedly painful.

In neurotic and particularly in hysterical reactions, the failure of the ego and its suffering are frequently accompanied by a smile of pleasure

The triumphant grin of the unconscious at having taken possession of the ego.



When I see a man in a savage rage with something outside himself,

I know that he is, in reality, wanting to be savage toward his own unconscious self.



From the psychological point of view, demons are nothing other than intruders from the unconscious,

Spontaneous irruptions of unconscious complexes into the continuity of the conscious process.

Complexes are comparable to demons which fitfully harass our thought and actions;

Hence in antiquity and the Middle Ages acute neurotic disturbances were conceived as possession.



Jung taught that if you are overly identified with one part of the personality, then the psyche will provide a corrective compensation.

The less one pays attention, the more forceful the message will become in nightmares, phobias, or bad luck.



The opening up of the unconscious always means the outbreak of intense spiritual suffering: it is as when fertile fields are exposed by the bursting of a dam to a raging torrent.

It is dangerous to suppress it because the unconscious is life and this life turns against us if suppressed, as happens in neurosis.



Neurosis is an inner cleavage. The state of being at war with one self.

What drives people to war with themselves is the intuition

Or the knowledge that they consist of two persons in opposition to one another.



Small and hidden is the door that leads inward, and the entrance is barred by countless prejudices, mistaken assumptions, and fears.

Always one wishes to hear of grand political and economic schemes, the very things that have landed every nation in a morass.

Therefore it sounds grotesque when anyone speaks of hidden doors, dreams, and a world within.

What has this vapid idealism got to do with gigantic economic programmes, with the so-called problems of reality?



But I speak not to nations, only to the individual few, for whom it goes without saying that cultural values do not drop down like manna from heaven,

But are created by the hands of individuals. If things go wrong in the world, this is because something is wrong with the individual,

Because something is wrong with me. Therefore, if I am sensible, I shall put myself right first.

For this I need—because outside authority no longer means anything to me—a knowledge of the innermost foundations of my being,

In order that I may base myself firmly on the eternal facts of the human psyche.



Nobody doubts the importance of conscious experience; why then should we doubt the significance of unconscious happenings?

They also are part of our life, and sometimes more truly a part of it for weal or woe than any happenings of the day.



Whoever denies the existence of the unconscious is in fact assuming that our present knowledge of the psyche is total.

And this belief is clearly just as false as the assumption that we know all there is to be known about the natural universe.



Most people can’t face inner conflict at all; they impose a kind of artificial unity on life

By clinging to the prejudices of their ego and repressing the voices of the unconscious.



In the West, the conscious standpoint arbitrarily decides against the unconscious,

Since anything coming from inside suffers from the prejudice of being regarded as inferior or somehow wrong.



Man's greatest instrument, his psyche, is little thought of, if not actually mistrusted and despised.

It's only psychological too often means: it is nothing. Where, exactly, does this immense prejudice come from?



We have been to the moon, we have charted the depths of the ocean and the heart of the atom,

But we have a fear of looking inward to ourselves because we sense that is where all the contradictions flow together.



Our knowledge is not reliable; it is partial and undermined by the fact that the unconscious has a separate truth dimension,

Of which we are mostly oblivious. Ironically, the deeper truth resides in what we habitually dismiss as illusion, fantasy, myth and distortion.



Symbolism is the archetypical language of the soul/psyche.

Ego-consciousness is literally incapable of understanding the unconscious mind

Because it can only understand thought line by line, here a little there a little.



A symbol does not define or explain;

It points beyond itself to a meaning that is darkly divined yet still beyond our grasp,

And cannot be adequately expressed in the familiar words of our language.



I take careful account of the symbols produced by the unconscious.

They are the one thing capable of convincing the critical mind of modern man.

They are convincing for a very old-fashioned reason:

They are overwhelming, which is precisely what Latin word “convincere” means.



If the unconscious can be recognized as a co-determining factor along with consciousness,

And if we can live in such a way that conscious and unconscious demands are taken into account as far as possible,

Then the centre of gravity of the total personality shifts its position.



Every dark thing one falls into can be called an initiation. To be initiated into a thing means to go into it.

The first step is generally falling into the dark place and usually appears in a dubious or negative form falling into something, or being possessed by something.

The shamans say that being a medicine man begins by falling into the power of the demons; the one who pulls out of the dark place becomes the medicine man,

and the one who stays in is the sick person. You can take every psychological illness as initiation.

Even the worst things you fall into are an effort at initiation, for you are in something which belongs to you, and now you must get out of it.



The Medicine Man occupied the honored role of priest and physician to his tribe.

They understood that healing was done by the intercession of celestial spirits.

Music was used as the bridge between these planes.

Thus we see why music was religious in nature,

And music was looked upon as a sacred art.



The intuitive is a type that doesn't see,

Doesn't see the stumbling block before his feet,

But he smells a rat for ten miles.



Intuition needs to look at things from afar or vaguely in order to function,

So as to get a certain hunch from the unconscious, to half shut the eyes and not look at facts too closely.

If one looks at things too precisely, the focus is on facts, and then the hunch cannot come through.

That is why intuitives tend to be unpunctual and vague.



An extremely introverted type of person tends to deny reality and place a lot of importance upon a relationship to the unconscious.

An extraverted person places emphasis upon outer world and consciousness.

It is advantageous to not be too extreme as we have both sides within.



More Quotes:

General

Unconscious

Synchronicities

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Active Imagination

Mythology

Shadow

Anima

Individuation

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General • Quotes

Posted 8 months ago

Something of the hermit's temper is an essential element in many forms of excellence, since it enables men to resist the lure of popularity,

to pursue important work in spite of general indifference or hostility, and arrive at opinions which are opposed to prevalent errors.



What is it, in the end, that induces a man to go his own way and to rise out of unconscious identity with the mass as out of a swathing mist?

Not necessity, for necessity comes to many, and they all take refuge in convention. Not moral decision, for nine times out of ten we decide for convention likewise.

What is it, then, that inexorably tips the scales in favour of the extra-ordinary? It is what is commonly called vocation:

An irrational factor that destines a man to emancipate himself from the herd and from its well-worn paths.



True personality is always a vocation and puts its trust in it as in god, despite its being, as the ordinary man would say, only a personal feeling.

But vocation acts like a law of god from which there is no escape.

The fact that many a man who goes his own way ends in ruin means nothing to one who has a vocation.

He must obey his own law, as if it were a daemon whispering to him of new and wonderful paths.

Anyone with a vocation hears the voice of the inner man: he is called.



If one is not to surrender to the easy assurances of the herd, then, as Jung said, he has to go on the quest;

Then he has to find out what his soul says; then he has to go through the solitude of a land that is not created.



To be ourselves causes us to be exiled by many others, and yet to comply with what others want causes us to be exiled from ourselves.

It is a tormenting tension and it must be borne, but the choice is clear.



The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.

If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened.

But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.



It is worse to stay where one does not belong at all than to wander about lost for a while and looking for the psychic and soulful kinship one requires.

It is never a mistake to search for what one requires. Never.



What happiness to sit in intimate conversation with someone of like mind, warmed by candid discussion of the amusing and fleeting ways of this world but,

Instead, you sit there doing your best to fit in with whatever the other is saying, feeling deeply alone.



My solitude doesn’t depend on the presence or absence of people; on the contrary, I hate who steals my solitude without, in exchange, offering me true company.



It was my temper to avoid a crowd, and to attach myself fervently to a few.



When I am among the many, I live as the many do and I do not think as I really think; after a time, it always seems as though they want to banish me from myself

And rob me of my soul and I grow angry with everybody and fear everybody. I then require the desert so as to grow good again.



All humans go through the desert? For sure. The desert is a metaphorical image. You can be on your journey through the desert living in New York.

The passage through the desert is a time of doubt, anxiety, and a state of depression. But, if we think in terms of spiritual growth,

This would be a rite of passage necessary for human beings to evolve to a higher level of consciousness, to consolidate an increased awareness of the ego.



You should carry the monastery in yourself. The desert is within you.



To follow your own star means isolation, having to find a completely new way instead of going along well-trodden path everyone else runs along.

That's why there has been a tendency in men to project uniqueness and greatness of their own inner self on outer personalities

And become the servants, the devoted servants, admirers, and imitators of outer personalities.



In many so-called primitive cultures it is a requirement of tribal initiation to spend a lengthy period alone in the forests or mountains,

A period of coming to terms with the solitude and nonhumanity of nature so as to discover who, or what, one really is.

A discovery hardly possible while the community is telling you what you are, or ought to be.

He may discover, for instance, that loneliness is the masked fear of an unknown which is himself,

And that the alien-looking aspect of nature is a projection upon the forests of his fear of stepping outside habitual and conditioned patterns of feeling.



This stillness, solitude, wildness of nature is a kind of thoroughwort, or boneset, to my intellect. That is what I go out to seek.

It is as if I always met in those places some grand, serene, immortal, infinitely encouraging, though invisible, companion, and walked with him.



To be wild is not to be crazy like a criminal or psychotic, but mad as the mist and snow.

The marks of wildness are a love of nature, a delight in silence, a voice free to say spontaneous things, and a vivacious curiosity in the face of the unknown.



There is a pleasure in the pathless woods, there is a rapture on the lonely shore,

There is society, where none intrudes, by the deep sea, and music in its roar: I love not man the less, but nature more.



True solitude is found in the wild places, where one is without human obligation. One’s inner voices become audible.

One feels the attraction of one’s most intimate sources. In consequence, one responds more clearly to other lives.



The voice of the sea is seductive; never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander for a spell in abysses of solitude;

To lose itself in mazes of inward contemplation. The voice of the sea speaks to the soul.



You must have a room, or a certain hour or so a day, where you don’t know what was in the newspapers that morning,

You don’t know who your friends are, you don’t know what you owe anybody, you don’t know what anybody owes to you.

This is a place where you can simply experience and bring forth what you are and what you might be.

This is the place of creative incubation. At first you may find that nothing happens there.

But if you have a sacred place and use it, something eventually will happen.



Solitary men. Some men are so accustomed to being alone with themselves that they do not compare themselves with others at all

But spin out their life of monologue in a calm and cheerful mood, conversing and indeed laughing with themselves alone.

We must therefore allow certain men their solitude and not be so stupid, as we so often are, as to pity them for it.



A man can be himself only so long as he is alone; and if he does not love solitude,

He will not love freedom; for it is only when he is alone that he is really free.

Constraint is always present in society, like a companion of whom there is no riddance.



Genuine tranquility of the heart and perfect peace of mind, the highest blessings on earth after health,

Are to be found only in solitude and, as a permanent disposition, only in the deepest seclusion.



Whoever has sat down, year in and year out, day and night, alone in an intimate dispute and conversation with his soul,

Whoever has become a cave bear or digger for treasure or guardian of treasure and dragon in his own cavern.

It can be a labyrinth but also a gold mine - such a man's very ideas finally take on a distinct twilight colouring.



Conversation enriches the understanding, but solitude is the school of genius.



I: I dread the madness that befalls the solitary.

My soul: I have long predicted solitude for you. You need not be afraid of madness.



To be liberated is to be able to see human life in the same way as you see all other life.

And to do that you have to be able to live, as it were, on two levels: the level of involvement and the level of detachment.



It is a most wonderful comfort to sit alone beneath a lamp, book spread before you, and commune with someone from the past whom you have never met.

We are like books. Most people only see our cover, the minority read only the introduction, many people believe the critics. Few will know our content.



When the whole world is running towards a cliff, he who is running in the opposite direction appears to have lost his mind.



All of humanity’s problems stem from man’s inability to sit quietly in a room alone.

If I were a physician, and if I were allowed to prescribe just one remedy for all the ills of the modern world. I would prescribe silence.



People demand freedom of speech as a compensation for the freedom of thought which they seldom use.

The wise man believes profoundly in silence, the sign of a perfect equilibrium. 

You cannot teach a man anything; you can only help him find it within himself.



Learn the art of silence; the wise man that holds his tongue, says more than the fool who speaks.

He who knows, does not speak. He who speaks, does not know.



Mankind is made of two kinds of people: wise people who know they're fools, and fools who think they are wise.

If one does not understand a person, one tends to regard him as a fool.



As Lao-tzu said, the wise man hides his virtue and appears on the surface like a fool,

For true grace does not appear as grace and thus is grace; false grace is so aware of itself as grace that it is not grace.

Zen produces thousands of Bodhisattvas who do not advertise themselves.



The wise attend to the inner truth of things and are not fooled by outward appearances. They ignore matter and seek the spirit.

It is an excellent thing to live modestly, shun luxury and wealth and not lust after fame and fortune. Rare has been the wise man who was rich.



Let us not envy a certain class of men for their enormous riches;

They have paid such an equivalent for them that it would not suit us;

They have given for them their peace of mind, their health, their honor, and their conscience.



Only a life lived in a certain spirit is worth living.

It is a remarkable fact that a life lived entirely from the ego is dull not only for the person himself but for all concerned.

The fullness of life requires more than just an ego; it needs spirit.



Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.



You are not dead yet.

It is not too late to open your depths by plunging into them

And drink in the life that reveals itself quietly there.



The voice of the intelligence is soft and weak, said Freud. It is drowned out by the roar of fear.

It is ignored by the voice of desire. It is contradicted by the voice of shame.

It is hissed away by hate, and extinguished by anger. Most of all it is silenced by ignorance.



Even people who seem eminently intelligent will judge others yet have no knowledge of themselves.

It makes no sense to lack self-knowledge while understanding those around you.

He who knows himself must be said to be the man of real knowledge.



To know oneself is, above all, to know what one lacks.

It is to measure oneself against truth, and not the other way around.

The first product of self-knowledge is humility.



The greatest battle is to do battle with oneself.

The greatest adventure and the most difficult task

Is to enter into the darkness of one’s own being and to come to know oneself.



Little good will come to you from outside.

What will come to you lies within yourself.

But what lies there!



A man who has not passed through the inferno of his passions has never overcome them.

You are afraid of burning in your own fire.



It has become clear to me that aging itself does not bring wisdom.

It often brings regression to childishness, dependency and bitterness over lost opportunities.

Only those who are still intellectually, emotionally, spiritually growing inherit the richness of aging.



Aeschylus, the first great tragedian, observed that the gods ordained a solemn decree that from suffering alone comes wisdom.

Such earned wisdom brings greater dignity and depth to our lives, and we are blessed by the spiritual enlargement that is its byproduct.



It's such a perfect arrangement for wisdom to hide away in death.

Everyone runs away from death so everyone runs away from wisdom,

Except for those willing to pay the price and go against the stream.



Each initiatory passage requires we become lost to all we know.

The keys that unlock the doors of wisdom have to be found in the darkness or else fashioned from some loss.

If the keys were in the light everyone would have already found them.



Not all who hesitate are lost. The psyche has many secrets in reserve. And these are not disclosed unless required.

Perhaps some of us have to go through dark and devious ways before we can find the river of peace or the highroad to the soul's destination.



All true wisdom is only to be learned far from the dwellings of men out in the great solitude, and is only attained through suffering.

Privation and suffering are the only things that can open the mind of man to those things that are hidden from others.



To have become a deeper man is the privilege of those who have suffered.



It seems that in our time suffering is the royal road to the sacred. Perhaps it was always so, but in our society,

Where talk of the gods has been banished and those who discuss this subject are thought to be crazy,

The breaking apart of the personality that comes with illness or suffering is necessary for such an encounter.



Without the suffering, which seems the epiphenomenal requisite for psychological and spiritual maturation, one would remain unconscious, infantile, and dependent.

Yet many of our addictions, ideological attachments, and neuroses are flights from suffering.

One in four North Americans identify with fundamentalist belief systems, seeking therein to unburden their journey with simplistic,

black-and-white values, subordinating spiritual ambiguity to the certainty of a leader and the ready opportunity to project life's ambivalence onto their neighbors.

Another twenty-five to fifty percent give themselves to one addiction or another, momentarily anesthetizing the existential angst, only to have it implacably return on the morrow.

The remainder have chosen to be neurotic, that is, to mount a set of phenomenological defenses against the wounding of life.

Such defenses too entrap the soul in an ever-reflexive response to life which grounds one not in the present but in the past.



Out of suffering have emerged the strongest souls; the most massive characters are seared with scars.



Wisdom is not and never has been something for the many, because foolishness forever will be the main thing the world craves for.

Wisdom has three subjective characteristics: it grows and never vanishes, it chastises and disciplines, and it will not approach anyone who is not interested in it.

We don't receive wisdom; we must discover it for ourselves after a journey that no one can take for us or spare us.



When we connect with our ancestors and put their wisdom into action, we are evolving our collective consciousness.

We are transporting the ancient truths of our collective past and birthing them into our future.

What we create out of those truths extends the wisdom of all those who have gone before us, and it provides a guide for all those who will follow.



The heart of man is very much like the sea, it has its storms, it has its tides and in its depths it has its pearls too.



If I accept the lowest in me, I lower a seed into the ground of hell. The seed is invisibly small, but the tree of my life grows from it and conjoins the below with the above.

When you are up against a wall, put down roots like a tree, until clarity comes from deeper sources to see over that wall and grow.

No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven unless its roots reach down to hell.



Because you separated good from evil according to your best appraisal and aspired only to the good and denied the evil that you committed nevertheless and failed to accept,

Your roots no longer suckled the dark nourishment of the depths and your tree became sick and withered.



He who accepts what approaches him because it is also in him, quarrels and wrangles no more, but looks into himself and keeps silent.

He sees the tree of life, whose roots reach into hell and whose top touches heaven.



It is created by the man who understands that language and is spread by those who do not.

So it is liable to be tainted by others. Whereas spirituality is pure and directly leads to the source: the soul.



Many of us realise that what we call spirituality has limitations: it can be about seeking, doing, questing.

This can become exhausting and run out of energy. Many of us seek but do not find, and why?

Because to find we have to allow ourselves to be found.



Jung's message is that the modern individual must explore the unconscious

And discover the spiritual contents that can be discerned in the interior life.



A test of our spirituality may be found in our encounter with depth. Whatever pulls us deeper into life, even painfully so,

Opens us to the great life that courses beneath history and below the surface of everyday appearance.



A sense of reverence is necessary for psychological health. If one has no sense of reverence,

No feeling that there is anyone or anything that inspires awe,

It generally indicates an ego inflation that cuts conscious personality from nourishing springs of unconscious.



Jung demonstrated that ritual and ceremony are important avenues to the unconscious:

Ritual is a means of approaching the inner world that human race evolved early in its history.

The use of ritual goes back to the earliest dawn of time among our prehistoric ancestors.



Remember, a symbolic or ceremonial experience is real and affects one as much as an actual event.

The best rituals are physical, solitary, and silent: These are the ones that register most deeply with the unconscious.

The path of spiritual practice implores us to do the simplest yet most difficult thing: to sit still and just be present.



Our society is much more interested in information than wonder, in noise rather than silence

And I feel that we need a lot more wonder and a lot more silence in our lives.

The highest to which man can attain is wonder;

And if the prime phenomenon makes him wonder, let him be content.



We descend into darkness voluntarily when we meditate or engage in any kind of spiritual practice,

Dream work, active imagination, shamanic journeying, creative endeavor and so on.

We descend involuntarily through depression and crises.



Cultivating a living relationship with the mysteries of psyche and psychoid depends

On our ability to go into the darkness, dim the light of the ego, and attend to what appears.



The heroes and leaders toward peace in our time will be those men and women who have the courage

To plunder into the darkness at the bottom of the personal and corporate psyche and face the enemy within.



In going down into the underworld a person of integrity can draw the skeletons out of the closet fairly easily,

But he will likely fight to the end of his neurotic strength to hide the divinity of his own being.



The saviour does not come down from heaven but out of the depths of the earth,

I.e., from that which lies below consciousness.

He who goes to himself, climbs down.



The only journey is the journey within.

The true way does not lead upward, but toward the depths.

Do not go outward; return within yourself. In the inward man dwells truth.



Do not look forward so much, but back and into yourself, so that you will not fail to hear the dead.

Community with the dead is what both you and the dead need.

A great cold comes over whoever in the excess of his personal striving

Has recognized the demands of the dead and seeks to satisfy them.



Man does not know he carries the stars hidden in himself

And he is the microcosm and thus carries within him the whole firmament.



It would seem that we stand between two infinitely vast universes:

The cosmos of the outer world still chary of revealing its many secrets,

And the microcosm of the inner world of the psyche, equally possessive of its mysteries.



The inner world is truly infinite, in no way poorer than the outer one.

Man lives in two worlds. A fool lives here or there but never here and there.



The soul has its own peculiar world. Only the Self enters in there,

Or the man who has completely become his self,

He who is neither in events, nor in men, nor in his thoughts.



Deep within each of us is a spark of the divine just waiting to be used to light up a dark place.

The only thing is we have the free choice of using it or not.

That’s part of the mysterious truth of who we human beings are.



It is far easier to walk in shoes too small for us than to step into the largeness that the soul expects and demands.



I: what misunderstood fear torments me?

My soul: that is your disbelief, your doubt. You do not want to believe in the size of the sacrifice that is required.

But it will go on to the bitter end. Greatness requires greatness. You still want to be too cheap.



Most of us believe in transformation, death and rebirth but we still don't want to undergo the death.

We want to change without being changed sort of remodelled for that new look

But without the muss and fuss that a complete change brings.



We can’t really understand a person,

Unless we have the chance of knowing who that person has been,

And what that person has done and liked, and suffered, and believed.



Jung said to me: you can't analyze people really if you don't know how they live.

If you haven't gotten a whiff of the country in which they live,

If you haven't gotten a feeling of the atmosphere in which they normally live, you can't understand them.



Anyone who wants to know the human psyche will learn next to nothing from experimental psychology.

He would be better advised to put away his scholar's gown, bid farewell to his study, and wander with human heart through the world.

There, in the horrors of prisons, lunatic asylums and hospitals, in drab suburban pubs, in brothels and gambling-hells,

In the salons of the elegant, the stock exchanges, socialist meetings, churches, revivalist gatherings and ecstatic sects,

Through love and hate, through the experience of passion in every form in his own body,

He would reap richer stores of knowledge than text-books a foot thick could give him,

And he will know how to doctor the sick with real knowledge of the human soul.



For psychotherapy to be effective a close rapport is needed,

So close that the doctor cannot shut his eyes to the heights and depths of human suffering.



Psychic world is based on the emotions, which are irrational. Emotion has its origins in classical Greek world: pathos/pathology.

If psychotherapy does not touch emotional levels, it does not touch what is deeply paralyzed and ill, hence there is no transformation.



A healed person is automatically a healer.

And his or her strength is the greater for having been through dark times

And having brought a conscious solution as a gift to the world.



Be a lamp, or a lifeboat, or a ladder. Help someone's soul heal. Walk out of your house like a shepherd.



Jung claimed that a spiritual life lies buried in the unconscious

And this could be dug up and brought before consciousness with therapeutic results.

He used this method with clients in his practice and he believed the same method could be applied to societies and nations.



Each person enters the world imbued with inner nobility born both of ancestry and of eternity.

Yet it is also the nature of this world that the innermost qualities of a person

Remain mostly hidden from family and self until extraordinary circumstances call them forth.



This, I believe, is the great Western truth: that each of us is a completely unique creature and that, if we are ever to give any gift to the world,

It will have to come out of our own experience and fulfillment of our own potentialities, not someone else’s.



The psyche continually prods us to make something of ourselves. This is a heroic task that awaits our response.

There is an inner reality within each of us that is like a great treasure lying hidden waiting to be discovered.

Someone who finds this inner treasure and recognizes its value,

Will happily give up all other goals and ambitions in order to make it real in their life.



The unconscious brings a left-out, despised part and yet a weird treasured part of us to the table.

If we cannot make space for it, it will break in and cause havoc.

The unconscious has its own ways of revealing what is destined in a human life

Just at that time when it is ready to be integrated.



Wherever there is a reaching down into innermost experience, into the nucleus of personality,

Most people are overcome by fright, and many run away. The risk of inner experience,

The adventure of the spirit, is in any case alien to most human beings.



An overly intellectual attitude, and a demand for proof or reason, can kill off the life of the spirit

And prevent us from experiencing its healing field.

In our highly intellectualised world this is a persistent danger.



Jung maintained that psychology must go deeper than the intellect

Because the totality of the psyche can never be grasped by intellect alone.

Like it or not, the psyche seeks an expression that will embrace its total nature.



In psychology one has not really understood something until one has lived it. Just having a term for something means nothing.

It needs to touch the heart or affect one’s life. A word has to get under our skin, sink in deep, so that it becomes part of us, that we live in it.

Only when this is the case, when it is about more than words, does one know what the heart says and what the spirit thinks.



When the word enters deeply into one’s psyche rather than remaining at the intellectual level, only then is one faced with the problem of a conscious individuation process

A very difficult and often painful task. Everyone who experiences psychology in this way is isolated from others to a certain extent.

Not just from the hardheaded fools, but also from intelligent people who have a different attitude and usually also have prejudices.



All those who consciously undergo and want to pursue the process of individuation should be aware that this path can be isolating

And that there is a certain danger when coming into contact with the huge inner world.

But it is only when you allow yourself to be touched directly that deep life-changing consequences arise, and only then can one’s totality unfold.

This is the true effect of psychology. Until then, it is mainly limiting.



I’m forever mindful of Jung’s oft-quoted admonition:

Learn your theories as well as you can, but put them aside when you touch the miracle of the living soul.

Not theories, but your creative individuality alone must decide.



We should not pretend to understand the world only by the intellect; we apprehend it just as much by feeling.

Therefore, the judgment of the intellect is, at best, only the half of truth, and must, if it be honest, also come to an understanding of its inadequacy.



Jung observed that usually behind the wound lies the genius of the person

Where we are hurt often quickens consciousness and resolve to persist, even prevail.

Key is not what happens to us but how it is internalized and whether those messages expand or diminish our resilience.



Carl Jung said that if you find the psychic wound in an individual or a people, there you also find their path to consciousness

For it is in the healing of our psychic wounds that we come to know ourselves.



If we cannot find a way to make our wounds into sacred wounds, we invariably become cynical, negative, or bitter.

This is the storyline of many of the greatest novels, myths, and stories of every culture. If we do not transform our pain, we will most assuredly transmit it.



Nobody escapes being wounded. We are all wounded people, whether physically, emotionally, mentally, or spiritually.

The main question is not, how can we hide our wounds?

So we don't have to be embarrassed, but how can we put our woundedness in the service of others?



The wound is the place where the light enters you.



Many people in therapy have learned that the way out of a depression is through it, asking not what I, the ego consciousness, want, but what the soul wants.

Only the reorienting of conscious energies in service to other values will lift the depression.



Clients in psychotherapy come to get rid of their depression as quickly as possible.

But Jung took them by their necks and dumped them into their depression, saying in essence,

You must get through it, not above and away from it.



The psyche uses depression to get our attention, to show that something is deeply wrong.

Once we understand your therapeutic value and follow your Ariadne thread through our private maze,

Then depression may even seem like a kind of friend.



We live in a world that wishes to rid us as quickly as possible of suffering through a behavioral change or a pill.

But stop and think for a moment about the word psychopathology. Psyche is the Greek word for soul.

Pathos refers to suffering. Logos means word or expression. So psychopathology is literally the expression of the suffering of the soul.

Wouldn't it make sense to stop and pay attention? And remember also the etymology of the word therapy.

Therapeuein means to listen or attend to psyche, the soul-to pay attention to rather than suppress psychopathology and to ask, what is the soul trying to say to me?



Deeply ingrained in the infantile psyche is the conscious or unconscious assumption that the cure for depression is to replace it with pleasant, happy feelings,

whereas the only valid cure for any kind of depression lies in the acceptance of real suffering.



The word suffer in its original sense means to allow,

So to suffer creatively is simply to allow what is, to stop fighting it, and instead to affirm your life.

We are healed of a suffering only by experiencing it in full.



Nobody is going to save you from your own mind.

Nobody can get into the heart of your experience and fix anything for you.

If you want to make your own internal experience more hospitable, only you can do that work.

If a person just refuses to think that he has an inside problem, he’s not going to work the thing out.

Nobody can do it for him. You have to learn how to recognize your own depths.



In one ancient language, the word memory derives from a word meaning mindful,

In another from a word to describe a witness, in yet another it means, at root, to grieve.

To witness mindfully is to grieve for what has been lost.



If the soul in depression is nurtured properly, the results will be new life for the psyche.

This process is similar to what the alchemists understand as mortification.



Whatever your fate is, whatever the hell happens, you say, this is what I need.

It may look like a wreck, but go at it as though it were an opportunity, a challenge.

If you bring love to that moment - not discouragement - you will find the strength is there.

Any disaster you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege!

Then, when looking back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures

Followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. When we grow wiser

We learn that the disasters of life are often the genius of the unconscious, forcing our egos into a new experience of the Self.

Where there is ruin, there is hope for a treasure.



From a spiritual point of view, suffering is sometimes the sandpaper that awakens people.

Once you start to awaken spiritually, you reperceive your own suffering and start to work with it as a vehicle for further awakening.

The greater the doubt, the greater the awakening; the smaller the doubt, the smaller the awakening. No doubt, no awakening.



Psychological scars and emotional traumas exist where life tried to break a person open to the heights and depths of the human soul.

The places where we each suffer in life can become the metaphorical ground on which we reflect upon our informal initiations.

The thing common to all initiations is that they teach us that we are not in control:

We will fall on bended knee, or flat on the ground, as many times as is needed.



Jung believed that the psyche was purposeful; that we have a natural urge to grow to wholeness.

Whatever trauma may happen to us, there is something within that remains whole, beautiful and true.



Jung said, it was only after the illness that I understood how important it is to affirm one’s own destiny.



If we don't accept our own destiny, a different kind of suffering takes its place: a neurosis develops,

And I believe that life which we have to live is not as bad as a neurosis. If I have to suffer, then let it be from my reality.

A neurosis is a much greater curse! In general, a neurosis is a replacement for an evasion, an unconscious desire to cheat life, to avoid something.



One cannot do more than live what one really is. And we are all made up of opposites and conflicting tendencies. After much reflection,

I have come to the conclusion that it is better to live what one really is and accept the difficulties that arise as a result because avoidance is much worse.



You have to try to figure out what the addictive substance means symbolically.

Otherwise, it will hold an almost religious significance.

People are driven to addiction because there is no collective container for their natural spiritual needs.



You do not know which devils are greater, your vices, or your virtues.

But of one thing you are certain, that virtues and vices are brothers.



It seems that if I am afraid, then I am stuck with fear. But in fact I am chained to fear only so long as I am trying to get away from it.

When I do not try to get away I discover that there is nothing stuck or fixed about the reality of the moment.

When I am aware of this feeling without naming it, it changes instantly into something else, and life moves freely ahead.

The feeling no longer perpetuates itself by creating the feeler behind it.



Jung once said, find out what a person fears most and that is where he will develop next.

The ego is fashioned like the metal between the hammer and the anvil.



Discipline is a bad word in our culture.

People associate it with having to do what they're told.

But discipline is quite a lovely word.

It comes from the same root as disciple, and it means

Seeing yourself through the eyes of the teacher who loves you.



Only a fool is interested in other people’s guilt, since he cannot alter it.

The one who is wise learns only from his own guilt.

He will ask himself: who am I that all this should happen to me?

To find the answer to this fateful question he will look into his own heart.



There's no death! Death is very much like sunset. It's only an appearance.

For, when the sun sets here, it rises elsewhere. In reality, the sun never sets.

Likewise, death is only an illusion, an appearance.

For, what's death here-is birth elsewhere.

For life is endless.



As long as you identify with that which dies, there is always a fear of death.

What our ego fears is the cessation of its own existence.



Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap

Of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked.

There is no reason not to follow your heart.



Life is endless, so we never die; we were never really born.

We just pass through different phases, different dimensions.

We reincarnate into this physical plane to learn our spiritual lessons.

There is no end. We are souls, not just bodies, eternal beings of light and love.



Whoever you are! Motion and reflection are especially for you, the divine ship sails the divine sea for you.

Whoever you are! You are he or she for whom the sun and moon hang in the sky,

For none more than you are the present and the past, for none more than you is immortality.



There are also dreams which symbolically indicate the end of bodily life

And the explicit continuation of psychic life after death.

The unconscious believes quite obviously in a life after death.



I didn't come here of my own accord, and I can't leave that way.

Whoever brought me here will have to take me home.



We are all visitors to this time, this place. We are just passing through.

Our purpose here is to observe, to learn, to grow, to love and then we return home.



When we know again the reason for which we were born, and what is, in fact, our task upon this earth,

And when we know again what the real meaning of our lives is, then we can once more get on with living our lives.



Jung major questions included: are we related to something infinite or not?

Do forces beyond reason impact on our bodies, minds and behaviour?

Is meaning inherent in existence or is it added by ourselves? Are gods real or do we merely invent them?



Jung's Red Book is full of pain, crises, despair and hopeful vision, reflecting the profound internal suffering of a man

Who was both a rational thinker and poetic visionary and who could not, for many decades, find a way of reconciling these opposites within himself.



At the time of his writing the Red Book, Jung wanted to find out what happened when he switched off ordinary consciousness

And allowed expression to remote parts of his psyche. The spirit of the depths pointed him toward the recovery of his soul.



In the Red Book, Jung is advocating doing what christ did; the following your myth, finding out what it is, going into the wilderness,

Experiencing suffering, experiencing your own wisdom and if you have to suffer on the cross, then so be it, that is what you do.



Jung suffered a prophetic burden, by which I mean he was frequently misunderstood,

Often willfully so, sometimes viciously attacked, and experienced intellectual loneliness and isolation.



C.G. Jung was a healer of souls and a healer of the culture. This efficiency and wisdom was the result, not of heredity, environment, education,

But of his having walked the road to the land of shadows where the secret knowledge of the soul dwells.

To walk this road, and to find one's objective, means to go contrary to the world and to the notions of the reasonable and the probable.



I have said to Jung that sometimes it seemed to me as if Jungian psychology were a highly dangerous poison, the poison of truth.

He agreed that to take it up and then leave it again is absolutely destructive poison.

Once one has had enough realisation of what goes on inside one and of what it is all about,

Then one can only escape at the price of becoming highly neurotic.



Let it rain, let the wind blow, let the waters flow and the fire burn.

Let each things have its development, let becoming have its day.

It will burn inside you like a terrible, inextinguishable fire.

But despite all the torment, you cannot let it be, since it will not let you be.

From this you will understand that your god is alive

And that your soul has begun wandering on remorseless paths.

You feel that the fire of the sun has erupted in you.

Something new has been added to you, a holy affliction.



It has always seemed to me that I had to answer questions which fate had posed to my forefathers,

And which had not yet been answered, or as if I had to complete, or perhaps continue, things which previous ages had left unfinished.



The art of poetry meant much to Jung. He was especially fascinated by those works of art which he referred to as the visionary type,

Because in them the poet gives voice to things from the collective unconscious, like a seer and prophet.



Through all the ages poets and artists have often been prophets, because their work, or the material for it,

Comes to them from the same depths of the collective unconscious in which the major transformations of a particular era are in process of creation.



The artist does not follow an individual impulse, but rather a current of collective life

Which arises not directly from consciousness but from the collective unconscious of the modern psyche.



All things have been given to us for a purpose, and an artist must feel this more intensely.

All that happens to us, including our humiliations, our misfortunes, our embarrassments,

All is given to us as raw material, as clay, so that we may shape our art.



We must let a work of art act upon us as it acted upon the artist.

To grasp its meaning, we must allow it to shape us as it shaped him.

Then we also understand the nature of the primordial experience.



Art is the act of triggering deep memories of what it means to be fully human.

Any beautiful lands like these are power spots because they help you put your own nature in accord.

And art is supposed to do this also. Cézanne says somewhere, art is a harmony parallel to nature.



The ability to look deeply is the root of creativity.

To see past the ordinary and mundane and get to what might otherwise be invisible.



We say that it is this way, and it is. We build roads by going on.

Our life is the truth that we seek. Only my life is the truth, the truth above all.

We create the truth by living it.



Great spirits have always encountered opposition from mediocre minds.

The mediocre mind is incapable of understanding the man who refuses to bow blindly to conventional prejudices

And chooses instead to express his opinions courageously and honestly.



A hero is someone who can take off the armor, who can be vulnerable and show up anyway,

Experiencing what is really happening without trying to resist or run away.

I saw that an act of heroism can be an action that happens on the inside without anyone else noticing.

He who conquers himself is the mightiest warrior.



I did as my soul advised, and formed in matter the thoughts that she gave me.

My soul gave me ancient things that pointed to the future.

She gave me three things: the misery of war, the darkness of magic, and the gift of religion.



I: Is magic a misfortune?

My soul: Yes, for those who possess it.



Magic is deeply embedded in the human psyche. More than that, it is a projection of the human psyche.

Though it has, effectively, been banished from the land, still it surfaces in thought and language:

In dreams, in madness, in superstition and ritual.



The gifts of darkness are full of riddles.



If you comprehend the darkness, it seizes you. It comes over you like the night with black shadows and countless shimmering stars.

Silence and peace come over you if you begin to comprehend the darkness.

Only he who does not comprehend the darkness fears the night.

The darker the night, the brighter the stars.



Submit to the riddles and the thoroughly incomprehensible.

There are dizzying bridges over the eternally deep abyss.



I have united with the serpent of the beyond.

I have accepted everything beyond into myself.

From this I have built my beginning.



How holy, how sinful, how everything hot and cold flows into one another!

Madness and reason want to be married, the lamb and the wolf graze peacefully side by side. 



Chaos is merely order waiting to be deciphered.

If we enter into it, that chaos can resurrect us into a higher wisdom,

Rooted in the wisdom of the creative process.

The chaos that we fear is the very thing that can free us.



Right at the core of Jung's life and experience, easily visible although tempting enough to ignore,

Lies an awareness that one comes face to face with the reality of the sacred not through sanity but in the terrifying depths of madness.

And there-in the confrontation with madness is where our normal, collective sanity is seen for the even more horrifying insanity that it really is.

Then, every fixed idea one ever had about anything comes permanently crashing down;

And the search begins to find some language that can say what everybody thirsts for but almost nobody wants to hear.



No great mind has ever existed without a touch of madness.



You bear the mark of the fire and men are horrified at you.

They do not see the fire, they do not believe your words,

But they see your mark and unknowingly suspect you to be the messenger of the burning agony.



You will be a river that pours forth over the lands. It seeks every valley and streams toward the depths.



Whoever speaks in primordial images speaks with a thousand voices; he enthrals and overpowers. He transmutes our personal destiny into the destiny of mankind,

And evokes in us all those beneficent forces that ever and anon have enabled humanity to find refuge from every peril and to outlive the longest night.



It seems that everything that has ever happened to us is still alive somewhere in the depths of our psyche.

once in memory, always in history.



And once you are awake, you shall remain awake eternally.



There is one thing in this world you must never forget to do.

If you forget everything else and not this, there's nothing to worry about, but if you remember everything else and forget this, then you will have done nothing in your life.

It's as if a king has sent you to some other country to do a task, and you perform a hundred other services, but not the one he sent you to do.

So human beings come to this world to do particular work. That work is the purpose, and each is specific to the person.

If you don't do it, it's as though a priceless Indian sword were used to slice rotten meat.

It's a golden bowl being used to cook turnips, when one filing from the bowl could buy a hundred suitable pots.

It's like a knife of the finest tempering nailed into a wall to hang things on.



More Quotes:

General

Unconscious

Synchronicities

Dreams

Active Imagination

Mythology

Shadow

Anima

Individuation

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Gemstones & Crystals 2/2 • Personal

Posted a year ago

Brazilian Shaman's Dark Smoky Quartz Crystals

Main Healing Altar Find.



Found at her, "Main Altar of Healing."  This Main Altar of Healing was what amounted to a small infirmary of sorts.

Located in an east-facing porched hall on the first floor it contained many unusual artifacts with alleged healing attributes.

She does indeed record some dramatic, if not always successful treatments that she performed.

Although, we must add, her record of successful treatment, although bizarre to many, had better than a 90% cure ratio, which, if true, is rather impressive.

 

The Crystal Cluster:

This is one of the few remaining specimens recovered from what we had come to name as The Dark Smokey Quartz Crystal Cabinet.

The cabinet was handmade by an unknown maker with a wall of red felt-lined drawers,

Apparently custom-made to accommodate sixty-two of these dark smokey quartz crystal "ritual healing" formations.

 She had assembled and used these in treating a host of physical, psychological, and metaphysical disorders in this altar room.



They were well inventoried and indexed for use, which would seem by her journal entries that they would be

"Prescribed" for use with her patients along with certain, "healing mantra, spells, herbs and potions to cure their maladies." 

What she prescribes is a mixture of Buddhist, Hindu, Christian, Native American, Hebrew, Muslim, (and a host of others),

But assuredly a set of traditional religious healing practices that originated from the African diaspora.



She attributes their use as, "extraordinary healers to heal mind and body which stimulate and amplify the flow of chakra energy."

 

Her journals and inventory tell us this, 3 3/8" x 3 1/8" x  1 3/4",  7.8 oz. cluster formation was obtained during her 1962 Brazilian Shaman artifact hunt.

Although she does not name them in her notes she solicited a handful of Brazilian holy men, healers, sorcerers, and seers

To act as guides to her party, and relinquish some of their precious finds usually in trade for guns.

 

She makes numerous references to this source of smokey quartz, some of which read

"It is coveted for its anchoring earth energies for those with an appreciation for the earth mother. "

"These are very soothing crystals with subtle energies that have proven useful in healing female disorders.

They neutralize negative energies and are a fine choice for gazing trance, and dream meditations.

With proper focus, many hidden secrets have been revealed."



From what we've gathered from the journals recovered from this estate, the teaching of crystals or Crystallography as they saw it was taught and practiced.

From these journals it is garnered these teachings involved Hermes Trismegistus's early interactions with their ancestors!

 

It is also apparent their studies included the geometry of crystals that measured the angles of crystal faces relative to theoretical reference axes and establishing the symmetry of the crystal. 

One of the teaching relics found was an optical goniometer. We had no idea what this was at the time, but they conducted scientific occult studies that certainly warrant further research.

It is really unfortunate that what amounted to what we feel may have been the most comprehensive occult and alchemic library ever compiled

Was destroyed by water, heat, light, humidity, dust, dirt, rodents, insects, and microorganisms, the result of Hurricane Andrew.



It should also be noted that many of the crystals used "in class" found their way to other areas of the estate being used in "divination, spell and individual work as well as healing."

Our examination of this crystal concluded it is as she describes, a "Starbrary Twins Transmitting Energy Generator Smokey Quartz Crystal Cluster."



She goes on to tell us, "There are elestial Starbrary etchings along the planes. Use these to access Akashic records."



Generator crystals will have six equally sized side planes terminating in a central tip.

It is unusual to find this shape naturally occurring in nature. One might find a point with the energy signature of a generator

But its physical confirmation will not be generator-specific with equal-sized planes and centrally located tips of the two that are in this cluster.

Those that are have usually been ground and polished into generator points.



The energy of these crystals will not be the same as a naturally occurring point as the internal structure of the crystal is not the same.

Their journals tell us "it has a powerful direct focused energy emission."



"The energy of this formation, although not perfect, is predominantly that of a generator or Merlin crystal as the energy emits from its centrally located points.

Although it does not meet the exact configuration of a generator formation, it still emits the energy of one."



Her journals and inventory tell us this, 3 1/2" x 3 1/8" x  2 1/2",  12 oz. cluster formation was obtained during her 1962 Brazilian Shaman artifact hunt. 

Our examination of this crystal concluded it is as she describes, a "Starbrary Self-Healed Key Penetrator Record Keeping Smokey Quartz Crystal Cluster."



Self-healed crystals either have many small terminations or similar structures at the base or tip of its body where it has been broken off from its growth base

Or having been damaged during growth which has then continued growing repairing the damage and restoring its formation. 



Some self-healed crystals will exhibit a complete fracture which has mended and grown back together.

Some crystals will change their growth pattern so that many smaller terminations form, one to each area of damage.

This knowledge of how to self-heal is made available and is accessible to the user so this crystal is quite powerful when used as a healer of grief, trauma, guilt, loss, addictions, and fears.

They show it is possible to achieve perfection and serve as a reminder that there are many different versions of perfection."



"Key crystals will usually have a six-sided indentation going into a side or face of the crystal body.

This will ideally end within the crystal in an impression of a termination where the other crystal once penetrated into the main one.



Perfect key crystals are quite rare. 

As the name suggests this crystal may be used to unlock "doors" to help provide answers and help in accessing that which has been hidden."

"Record Keeper crystals display small etched or raised triangles on the faces or sides of the crystal formation.

They may be small or large; very obvious or hard to see, singles or multiples, and sometimes layered.



They can be found on most types of crystal formations including ruby, sapphire, aquamarine, topaz, hematite, etc.

Record keepers are not rare, but very clear and prominent ones are quite hard to find.

They indicate you have a crystal which contains records or information relevant to you only, the person who owns the crystal, or they may concern mankind, be purely practical, or spiritual.

It will allow access to sources of information, through the Akashic records via meditation, but only when the crystal is approached with pure intentions."



Manataka Vapor Valley Quartz Crystal

1888 LiDiex Suite Find.



This is one of the thirty-seven, natural quartz crystal formations she has inventoried as,

"Ma-Na-Ta-Ka, Vapor Valley Crystal" that were recovered from the suite of the 1888 LiDiex.



A number of their journal entries detail the forays of the 1888 LiDiex into secret underground caves, chambers, passages, and portals they claimed,

"Were manufactured by our earliest descendants, the ancient explorers that colonized this planet who came to be known as Gods and Deities."

One entry dated, "April, 13th. 1901, He enters the African Caves as an athlete, a magnificent creature.

Hours later he emerges in Andalusia which is confirmed by radio. He has found Saint Michael's Device and invoked him."

 

These entries allege crystal specimens and gems were brought from under the earth by this LiDiex.

Naming them as "Invocation Stones" that were placed here for us by these ancient descendants.

 

It is alleged that this is one such crystal, attributed to, "a Secret Vapor Valley Portal that he has recovered."



Ma-Na-Ta-Ka Vapor Valley Crystal:

Her inventory lists this crystal as, "a Ma-Na-Ta-Ka Vapor Valley Crystal, July 1908."

There are a number of entries that claim this LiDiex was able to take guests with him through underground portals

And emerge at what they called, "a Vapor Valley Conference."

 

Essentially he and his guests were presented as guest speakers bearing gifts to a Native tribal conference of Holy Men

To discuss the members of, "the Secret Rosicross who hold power" and their ongoing quest to shut down or rather obliterate Native Holy Sites worldwide.

Our own research has turned up some pretty fascinating information corroborating Golden Dawn and Rosicrucian ritual murder.



These ceremonies taking place at spas or springs which were once Native American Holy Ritual Sites that have now been covered up or obliterated from the face of the earth. 

This, they claim, is responsible for the disproportionate number of children's deaths attributed as farm accidents in their regions of operation.

 

There really is an abundance of information along these lines of research, once again, far too much to place in this already lengthy text, but we wholeheartedly encourage you to research this further.

Their journals indicate this LiDiex's use of these stones was for past life dream recall, divination, and spell invocation. 

They describe the crystals being, "held aloft in both hands before being drawn into the chakra in descending order as a prelude to entering the meditative state."

 

This describes a lengthy, silent use of intense physical and mental concentration as this would take upwards of three hours to perform.

"Holding it aloft, in the lap or caressed upon a stand or pillow throne while unconsciously caressing it to the point where the crystal cuts flesh,

This blood being left on the body and the stone to activate and feed it."

 

She also notes, "These stones have side affects, usually on those not indoctrinated to our ways," as she puts it in one entry.

These side affects include disorientation, nervousness, excessive sweating, and nausea.

Another entry reads, "If these discomforts arise, discontinue your use, bathe and cleanse yourself.

After a brief rest, you may continue, noticing longer periods of use without discomfort with each successive session."

 

Another entry reads, "Ones chakra must be cleansed once the stone has let blood.

Once considered, it is a stone of clear communication, allowing access to information along the timeline of our adult and childhood spirit memories often invoking laughter.

This is a beneficial, healing crystal we have utilized in stimulating intuit ability blocked with childhood memories.

These are advanced practitioner stones that communicate this knowledge to those that walk our paths.

This is not a lone use stone, as it feeds on, and generates energy among groups fostering the group energy into a single, focused force that can be controlled as it is quite cooperative."

 

Following their instructions, we grasped the stone in both hands, locating the "various tools and gazing along the surface of the crystal."

There are numerous formations on the body and faces of this crystal with the pyramid faces she mentions as, "being a window" is obvious.

 

Our examination of this crystal concluded it is as she describes, "a 4 15/16" long Elestial etched, Key, Self Healed, Timeline, Sceptre, Ma-Na-Ta-Ka Vapor Valley Invocation Crystal."



It measures approximately 4 15/16" x 2 3/16" x 2 5/8" and weighs 282.1 grams.

There are numerous areas of this formation which they tell us were are sharp enough to intentionally use to draw blood onto the crystal in order to activate it.

Close examination reveals faint Record Keepers, these are triangular etchings on one of the faces along with some raised ones that do not conform to the norm. 

Although record keepers are usually small, slightly raised, or indented triangular shapes found on quartz crystal faces.



They are usually in alignment with the crystal's point.  Sometimes though they appear sideways or upside down and are called Trigonic record keepers.

The record keepers can be found by shining a light on the faces of the crystal and moving it around slowly until they appear.

It is believed that record keepers will appear out of nowhere and move around, in and on the crystal formation.  



The crystal also displays Striations. These are often called elestial etching barcodes which are the parallel raised ridges on the body of the crystal.



The crystal also displays timelines to the past and future with areas of self-healing.  Self-healed crystals were broken off of their original matrix.

This occurs with the movements and shifts in the Earth, environment, pressure, and other nearby forming crystals.

She goes on to tell us, "there are elestial etchings along the planes.  Use these to access Akashic records."

Their journals tell us "it has a powerful direct focused energy emission."



Self-Healed, Tabular, Key, Timeline, Sphatika Riddle Rock Crystal

Séance Reading Room Find.



This is one of the hundreds of smaller (under 6") crystal formations that were recovered from the shelves and cabinets in her séance and reading rooms.

Many of these pieces were marked with a paper tag and corresponding numbers in her journaled inventory which tells us these are:

"Sphatika Riddle Rock Crystal specimen obtained from the collection of the 1898 LiDiex."



Her journaled inventory tells us, "Sphatika Riddle Rock Crystal" is sourced material being a bringback from a visit to Himavanta mountain in 1921.

How they were procured, and exactly where Himavanta mountain is, they do not tell us, but they do tell us this crystal is as found as far as shape is concerned.



Unlike most of the descriptions left for us in their journals and inventories, the circumstance and location of the procurement of this source of crystal is conspicuously vague.

They do however give us a clue through a riddle with:



Runs all day but never walks. Often murmurs, never talks.

It has a bed but never sleeps, It has a mouth but never eats.

Crooked as a snake, Slick as a plate Ten thousand horses Can't pull it straight.



Three of their journals contain numerous entries which discuss and comment on this source of quartz, referring to it as,

"Sphatika, one of the seven treasures of Buddhism, the fourth treasure" and "an auspicious vibrational stone of Shiva."

Another of her entries reads; "This stone is set to deliver mantra and is specifically attuned to Shiva on His vibrational plane.

In this tradition, we use them for the deliverance of prayer spells through the Buddhist and Hindu mantra used to invoke Him."



Some other entries read; "One simply needs chant Siva Panchakshari Mantra one hundred and eight times with vibhuti for this to be demonstrated.

With ash from the sacred fire applied to the forehead during these ritual chants, your fate will be written there and easily altered for the better.

Eat but a pinch of the vibhuti to bring an end to disease, sin, and poverty."



"Light energy shines to delight the visual sense in these sphatika.

Used with simple offerings of water, milk, or vibhuti and Panchakshari Mantra, all negative energy is destroyed.

This will include your darkest sin, bad karma, curse, or hex."



"Perform puja with this stone to enhance health, power, self-esteem, and confidence.

It is said that one hundred and twenty-five thousand recitations of a mantra will bring mantra siddhi, the realization of a notable level of benefit from the mantra.

Mantra siddhi or perfection of any particular mantra is easily obtained when chanted on this stone with proper offerings."



"Specific counts of twelve, twenty-seven, thirty-six, fifty-four or one hundred and eight Mrutyumjaya Mantra

While offering vibhuti, milk, or water will cure illness, prevent accidents and other worldly mishaps."

"Gaze into them and all sorrow and difficulties will be assuaged."



"Chant Panchakshari Mantra one hundred and eight repetitions while offering the same number of spoonfuls of milk every Monday for twenty weeks without expectation

And all desires will be fulfilled as Lord Shiva is fond of abhishekham and those that practice it."



1898 LiDiex:

The research involved with this estate has provided continued fascination.

The procurer of this crystal was another of the men known only as, "LiDiex."

A 5th generation descendant of the original man known only as "LiDiex"



Who arrived to these shores as a survivor and saboteur of the slave Ship Henrietta Marie in 1701,

Who found his way to New Orleans to meet with the parents of the then infant grandmother of our priestess, Marie Laveau.



The original LiDiex was a wood carver, cabinet, and furniture maker as were many of his descendants.

This is another case of the multi-generational relationships we have encountered with this family as the LiDiex all had a strong association with these women.

He branched off into glassmaking after returning to New Orleans from an extended stay in Europe where he studied the glass making techniques of Murano and Bohemia.



In addition to being the maker of a proliferous collection of glass, many pieces being described as having a wide variety of metaphysical attributes,

He was a meticulous carver, responsible for an array of carvings, wood puzzle boxes, and furniture.



He is mentioned in numerous journal entries as one of the LiDiex who accompanied her on many of her adventures, being a trusted practitioner and follower of his mistress.

Their journals show him as one of her chief enforcers and a "Zuvembie" leader, often referred to as, "a skilled sorcerer, tactician, warrior and artist" who was deeply involved in her works.



Rock Crystal:

Her journals tell us she used these stones in her meditations, contacting the dead, dream invocations, and protection from negative energy.

The journal entries pertaining to these, "meditations" provide some fascinating insight into what amounts to Lucid Dream Manipulation

That she claims to have achieved in a waking, trance-like meditative state that involved astral journeys into alternate realities,

And different galaxies that placed her mind, will, and physical being into the dream psyche of others in the past, present, and future.



This will come as no surprise to many of you having experienced her entering your own dreams prior to finding these listings.

A practiced Lucid Dreamer, she kept a detailed journal of these dream experiences that are a small book in their own right covering a period over eight decades!



Their journals tell a fascinating story of their practices.

While in these dream states, they claim to have been able to, "project my consciousness in physical and spiritual form at will."

Describing journeys into alternate universes that they felt, "alternately occupied the same time space continuum as our own."



Yet other entries make a more localized use of these dream manipulations

Where she claims to have entered the minds of individuals to influence their dreams and bend their will to her own.

This would often lead to their being put at ease, cleansing them of the residual left from past life or childhood traumas.



Other manipulations however had a more sinister intent, playing upon an individual's fears with the intent of destroying the quality of that individual's life

Often resulting in madness and even death according to her journals.



She claims to have been able to enter the dreams of future generations of known associates and family members,

"in order to awaken, empower, and prepare them for the coming hardships of their time."



Many of us (you?), having experienced such dream or visionary experiences prior to any waking knowledge of her existence, giving credence to these entries.

She names this as, 'a Self Healed, Tabular Key Timeline formation with an established point for focus."  Her journals tell us, “it is one of the more powerful healing formations.”

 

Its Tabular shape refers to it having a flat shape, ie; two sides that are wider than the other four.

These crystals are also commonly known as “Tabby.”

Her journals confirm the general belief that this formation is an excellent transmitter of thought energy and contain information relating to our planet. 

 

The crystal also displays an unusual timeline to the future and large areas of self-healing.

Self-healed crystals were broken off of their original matrix.

This occurs with the movements and shifts in the Earth, environment, pressure, and other nearby forming crystals.



In addition, it bears a five-sided face that is called an Isis Plane.

An Isis crystal is strongly in tune with feminine energy and amplifies it.

Be it male or female, it is an aid in contacting one's 'female' or unselfish side.

Isis crystals channel the power of the Goddess.



For men, an Isis crystal will help one act in tune with one's feminine side and become aware of feminine aspects that men find troubling.

For women, the Isis crystal will regain some of the power and energy that society has taken from you.



It is a rock quartz crystal with veiled inclusions, feint, and hidden Record Keepers,

Which are triangular etchings on one of the faces along with some raised ones that do not conform to the norm.

Although record keepers are usually small, slightly raised, or indented triangular shapes found on quartz crystal faces.



They are usually in alignment with the crystal's point.

Sometimes though they appear sideways or upside down and are the called Trigonic record keepers.

The record keepers can be found by shining a light on the faces of the crystal and moving it around slowly until they appear.

It is believed that record keepers will appear out of nowhere and move around, in and on the crystal formation.  



The crystal also displays Striations.

These are often called elestial etching barcodes which are the parallel raised ridges on the body of the crystal.



This one measures approximately 3 3/4" x  2 9/16" x 1 3/8", and weighs 8.05 oz.



Brazilian Shaman's Self-Healed Faden Lined Starbrary Tabular Twin Generator Energy Rainbow Crystal

Main Healing Altar Find.



The Crystal:

Her journals and inventory tell us this, 3 1/16" x 1 5/8" x  1 1/8",  94.1 gram formation cluster formation

Was obtained during her 1962 Brazilian Shaman artifact hunt.

 

Our examination of this crystal concluded it is as she describes, a "Self-Healed Faden Lined Starbrary Tabular Twin Generator Energy Rainbow Crystal"

 

A Tabular Merlin is a rare natural crystal formation. Finding such a configuration in natural crystal formation is unusual, to say the least. 



It is also a Faden Lined, phantom crystal with excellent clarity through approximately 60% of its formation

With distinct milky feather line which are clearly visible within its interior structure.

Faden lines manifest primarily in tabular crystals and this one is no exception.



It is believed these lines represent the seed point of growth and they have the ability to activate or start new growth within one's self

Or within someone you are working with, utilizing healing energy.



Further examination reveals hidden Record Keepers, areas of self-healing, rainbow (aurora borealis) inclusions

An inner child with others that were forming.



This area also displays an abundance of heat-sensitive Aurora Borealis or Rainbow inclusions.

These inclusions are caused by refracted light and the prismatic effect of a crack or inclusion, are often temperature-sensitive.



Gazing within the crystal, which views with excellent clarity, we find a forest of faden lines and a disappearing phantoms.

The phantoms present as ghost-like inclusions which display the former state of growth of the crystal.

Phantoms are rare and add collectability and value to a crystal.  



Each twin has smaller crystals that penetrate into its body making this a Bridge, Inner Child, or Penetrator crystal.

These crystals work in advanced metaphysical areas when knowledge needs to be shared with others seeking a spiritual path.

It is an ultimate spiritual teacher's crystal.



Narmada River Shiva Lingam

Minor Shiva Altar Find.

 

Found and recovered from what she had named "The Minor Shiva Altar."

This was a designated area approximately 10' x 10' located in the center of the main atrium porch. 

 

This altar was dominated by a 5 1/2' tall, tan cement statue of Shiva with the "arms of His Avatars exposed"

As it was aptly described in her journaled inventory.

Baselit, the lighting cast an eerie effect on this statue.



Before Shiva sat a black agate slab that contained three rows of Lingam, that were set, six, five, and one in three rows,

The single stone centered, the other rows in a semi-circle around it.

 

It is unfortunate that this statue and its yoni table were among the first of the artifacts we sold

As documents later found tell of "instructional markings" on the statue and yoni.  We were clueless at the time.

 

Oddly enough, the lingam, although not displayed with the Shiva or Yoni, were not sold with either,

And two separate individuals bought some of them, effectively breaking the set forever.

 

What are described as continuous line drawings that would be made on the stand connecting the lingams

That would be done in the manner of traditional Vèvé, Kolam, and Sigils by pouring a powder offering such as

Flour, bark, cornmeal, red brick powder, gunpowder, bloodroot, human, animal ash or blood, specific sands, or a crushed shell they favored.



Often this material would be mixed and used with other talismans for a specific individual rite to be used in their religious practices.

This was a common thread between practices at many of the altar locations in this estate.

 

Some of the entries she made in her journals pertaining to the worship of Shiva and this altar read;

"This is the second shrine we have erected to the third member of the Hindu Trinity

In order to pay homage and reverence to He who is the Consort of Uma, Gauri, and Parvati.

The Bestower of Eternal bliss, knowledge, and Immortality."

 

Her journals tell us it was dedicated in 1954 and that it was a place where they (she and her practitioners), "would attain Siva-Tattva."

"Chanting Siva Mantras and Stotras we gather to pay reverence to the Lord of all deities who bestows upon us his grace instilling in us, through His invocations, power, and bravery."



"It is here the family man receives comforts and prosperity in his family life, the unmarried young women their early love,

The old and infirm healing and good health, those under threat, fearlessness, and for most of us spiritual fulfillment of high order.

All who worship Lord Shiva receive fulfillment of their respective wishes.

Lord Shiva is ever eager to bestow blessings upon all who are devout and just to say His name is to experience a feeling of joy and well-being."



"Here we celebrate Mahaashivaraatri. A special day of worship. It is on this night the first Shivaling originated. It is this night that Lord Shiva married the Goddess Parvati.

All should pay reverence during this festival of joy as He is pleased by the smallest of offerings taking delight in His worship according to prescribed scripture."



"Every 13th day of both fortnights of the lunar month is a special day of worship as are Mondays.

On these days one may come to this altar and find sugar, yogurt, ghee, candy, Holy Water, rum, milk, incense, and fruit for offering."  



Her practices and those of her practitioner followers encompassed a diverse, multicultural format and symbolism

That she claims originated in Africa over 100,000 years ago that is the basis of all successive religious belief.



The Lingam:

Twelve of these stones, attributed as "Narmada River Siva Lingam in Ghee" were found in places of obvious reverence on this altar, which represent the twelve Jyotirlingas."

According to her journaled inventory, this is one of those twelve Narmada River Shiva Lingam that were designated for use on this altar in 1954.

Ninety six of these stones were inventoried as being acquired by the 1888 LiDiex from the Narmada River in India over a four decade period.

Named as "Narmada Siva Lingams in Ghee" they were recovered from many areas of this estate. 



Well inventoried, their individual vibrations dictated where they would be placed and how they would be used. Some were even found in the gardens!

The acquisition of these stones is entered in a dated inventory of February of 1951 where she makes note of receiving a group of stones to be used at her altars.

"Hand-picked by my charge from a secret river gorge that opens to him to give forth its treasure to us".



This lingam was dedicated for their use at this "Minor Shrine to Shiva" in 1954.

There are numerous journal entries noting of this LiDiex's travels to the Narmada river "in search of the stones with my calling" as he writes in one entry.

A common thread in these entries relates of his being possessed by Lord Shiva who would cause him to be,



"Plunged beneath the river's surface into a world of chilling underwater darkness.

But Lord Shiva has not the intention of my drowning, but my awakening as He leads me to a small cave outcropping just beneath the bank of the river."

This "outcropping" described was visited a total of five times by this LiDiex and it is here that most of these stones are alleged to have been recovered.

He also notes of this as being "a secret cave that is hidden by the tide of the river's flow."



In another entry, he writes, "These are stones of reverence whose energy connects heaven and earth.

This is an energy with no end or beginning with a heavenly (upward) direction.

It is the vertical axis which both holds apart yet joins heaven and earth, dividing then uniting them at the same time.

It is symbolic of cosmic integrity, much in the order of the Tree of Life, being both the foundation and support ensuring balance between heaven and earth."



He leaves an instructional message describing their proper placement and procedure,



"Display the stone on your main altar. Dress appropriately and wear no shoes as a show of respect.

Pay homage by gently touching the stone in a circular motion with both hands.

In reverence touch your third eye or heart Chakra while bowing forward in gesture of prayer.

Place gifts of flowers, foodstuff, candles, and clothing at the base of the Lingam.  These offerings then must be given to the needy.

This is a powerful sacrament that I am obliged to pass on to you."



There is much more information concerning the Shiva Linga that is written and available today than there was back then in this country.

Today, a simple internet search reveals the Narmada River to be one of the seven sacred holy places of pilgrimage in India.

It is considered to be very sacred by the Hindus and apparently she and her associates were in agreement

As she herself claims to have bathed in it nine times during her lifetime and it is attributed as being one of the reasons for all of their good health and longevity.



These Lingams, which appear to be agate or jasper eggs are crypto crystalline chalcedony

That she claims were sent to us by the way of a meteorite that fell to Earth several million years ago.  

Their journals make numerous entries concerning these stones, their vibrations, shape, color, and markings all having significance in their power and use.

One of these entries reads, "an energy that exudes with knowledge and wisdom which works well with breath and fluids of the body."



The Narmada River is considered to be one of the most powerful healing rivers in the world and she claims

"The water has placed powerful healing, regenerative energy into the Shiva Lingams."



These stones are sacred in both Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and were once gathered one sacred day a year

From an area near the source of the Narmada River about 300 miles north of Mumbai.

Of the stones gathered, the most beautiful are polished into this traditional egg shape by the action of the river

Then given a final hand polish using dung, mud, honey, and Ghee (clarified butter).



According to Vedic text, Narmada sivlings illustrate harmony through duality.

In these sivlings are the energy of divine acceptance of what is.

They represent power, creation, and the physical plane or grounding of those who accompany these sacred stones.



Some of her other entries read,

"This is a karmic stone with intense power of light and dark that shows no preference for either

And will respond to the calling forth by multiplying these in return to the user in thought, intent, and ability,

But it too seeks a source of power so take heed in intent as it's use has unintentionally drained the life of the living to fulfill a spell."



Although some of the stones were "boudoir" and "Menstrual Altar" found and used as sexual or phallic devices, she notes,

"Shiva is creation, destruction, and regeneration which the lingam represent, granting heightened consciousness, power, and the ability to travel along planes of power.

Do not see this as a sexual phallus only as this is at its basest form."



"It's sexual symbolism, like sex in general, is an obsession of the Christian mind.

Those following the Tantric path seem to be unable to move beyond this symbolism to its spiritual practice,

Remaining instead at a superficial level while the energy of the cosmos remains elusive to them."

"It is a high symbol of worship on this plane that brings mystical union of the conscious and unconscious."

"Sacred stone of the heart chakra that manifests love energy, harmony and balance of the soul in tune with the universe.

They activate the Kundalini and stimulate an intense energy through the body that awakens all centers along the path to the crown chakra."



Once again, there is now much more information available concerning the Narmada River and the stones that are taken from it.

Far too much to put into this already lengthy text, but it is fascinating reading concerning Hindu and Buddhist mysticism

That we wholeheartedly recommend one to continue to research and experiment on their own.



The Narmada River:

Another common thread in their journals concerns a group they name as "Rosicross" being responsible for the hiding and/or destruction of Native American Holy sites.

Other entries however tell of such world wide cultural sites that have been pillaged, used in a sacrilegious manner, hidden and/or destroyed throughout history by the Rosicross.



The modern-day construction of large dams on the River Narmada in central India and its impact on millions of people living in the river valley

Has become one of the most important social issues in contemporary India.

This LiDiex penned an entry that goes on for sixteen pages with drawings that will most likely be published on its own,

But we thought you might like a glimpse now so some selected entries are included here;



“Awash in color, the predominant color is tan. This originates from the river basin.

The remainder of the stone, with its red-brown coloration, is made of meteorite properties.

Symbolically, the tan coloration symbolizes the male qualities, the reddish brown color, the wisdom of the Femini” (his spelling).

“This overall structure is element to Shiva containing his vibrational energy which is the highest vibration I have recorded in over two thousand mineral specimen.”



“There will come a day when India is governed by the powers of the Rosicross.

This will mark three to four years to the Revelation and will be noted by the deaths of the devout, killed by the damming of the river.

The harvest of the stones will have been intentionally hampered but the stones will be recognized as national treasures.”



The Minor Shiva Altar Narmada River Shiva Lingam:

They offer a balanced energy source", writes this LiDiex.

This Narmada River Shiva Lingam was used as an item of revered worship.

She describes; "they are to be caressed and revered with offerings made to the Lord Shiva."



Its use is also described as "being revered as the Shiva in the form of Shiva linga. The Auspicious One who cleanses us all by the very utterance of His name."



There are many other entries concerning their use of these stones.

In addition to being used in a manner of reverence through food offerings,

They would also be used as phallic devices in a manner where the stone would caressed and stroked,

In order to "arouse the sexual desire of Shiva" which it is said culminated in, "sexual fulfillment of Shiva through our own flesh."



Some other entries read; "Here is Shiva's cosmic column of fire the center of reverence and worship at this shrine. It is his manifestation carved in stone.

It is his visible symbol here on earth that embodies the creative and destructive power of the Lord which resides in all aspects of the planes we may travel."



"Shiva is arupa so he took the form of Shiva lingam out of mercy to bless us."

"This is an embodiment of Shiva's energy which all find to be soothing and healing to the mind and body.

This energy aids in relaxing meditations to promote psychic dreams and extend perceptions beyond the physical senses."

"We have steeped these in ancient Hindu magic that has produced a continuous cyclical flow that is affected by the solar and lunar bodies that occur yearly."

When found, each of these stones was in "a revered position", ie; standing vertically in "yoni" that were carved into the agate slab in front of the Shiva as described above.



This Lingam measures approximately 7" in length x 2 5/8" in diameter and weighing 1 lb., 14 oz.



It should also be noted that these Lingam are naturally formed stones that have a top and a bottom.

The top being the end of the stone that "met the river's current" being slightly smaller than the bottom.

It is said they are meant to be displayed with this smaller end up. 



Now here's the onion. In many cases, we have found the weight of these stones has varied between handling and handler depending on who handled and weighed them.

They never varied for that individual, but for another would weigh differently, but consistent to them.

They say, "The lighter the stone the better" in reference to their own documentation of this phenomenon, indicating that

"One should have guardianship when the burden is easy for them and hard for others."



Our experience with these stones, which has been corroborated by a number of people who have handled them

Has shown them to have the feeling of pulsation when being held and/or of a lingering tingling sensation felt after they were put down.

There have also been reports of levitation and movement on their own. 

Our listing editor, when holding some of the large ones in her lap had uncontrollable leg vibrations.

"Not uncomfortable, but very strange" according to her report.



Our own Uncle Waddy experimented with some of these stones by freezing them to use for his muscle aches from exercise.

Uncle Waddy writes, "Understand that Lingams are in a constant state of vibration.

They absorb and retain hot and cold temperatures while having healing properties that draw out negative energy from the body.

I placed one in the freezer for a few hours with this in mind.



When I removed it, a thin layer of ice had formed on its surface.

I had just finished a workout with a 90-pound weight vest which had aggravated an old injury to my right shoulder.

Laying down, I placed the frozen linga on the damaged shoulder.



The ice quickly melted and the water absorbed into my skin while the Linga remained cold for an hour and 16 minutes.

The relief this brought to this old injury made me realize that this was an extraordinary tool for my own use and for assisting others.

Pressing the rounded ends on a series of acupressure points seemed to open physical and emotional blockages. 



There have been quite a few non-scientific experiments which demonstrate that these Linga,

With their vibrational qualities, spiritual nature and ancient powers are a useful tool that offers a spiritual connection in healing.



As a cautionary measure, I suggest you wrap your linga in a fine cloth before applying a frozen one to flesh in case of sensitivity."

I continue to use mine and am pleased with the immediate stress, muscle, and joint relief it affords."



This is not meant to make spurious claims as you may well feel the lingam pulsing in your own hands as it brings your energies into vibrational alignment with the rest of the planet.

Many believe that as the Earth shifts its vibrational frequencies and energies, throwing man's soul into chaos and confusion, balance is more important than ever.

The lingam can help provide that balance.



Fossilized Shark's Tooth, Multi-Gem Amulet Bali Sterling Silver, Thai Trade Ruby, and Black Howlite Mala Necklace

A LiDiex Shrine Find.



We recovered this fossilized shark's tooth amulet mala necklace from a small shrine reliquary box on an altar in this room.

It is one of twenty-six companion pieces made for those who frequented, "The LiDiex Chapel Room."

Her journaled inventory tells us they were assembled in the spring of 1973.

It was then that the group of eleven Theravada Buddhist Monks sailed here aboard the Agwe at the invitation of the 1888 LiDiex.

They left for home in mid-July. It is obvious their hostess and host went out of their way to make their guests feel welcome.



These eleven monks, along with their hosts and other residents of this estate,

Provided thirty-seven predominantly Buddhist depictions in addition to these amulets,

Which they 'dressed and blessed' in a mass incantation ritual blessing they held in the Main Ballroom of this estate.

They were also responsible for assembling the twenty-six, fifty-four count, amulet mala necklaces, similar to this one for use with these amulets.



The Monk's Contributions:

Their journals and inventory tell us the enameled coin silver case, phra yant,

And numerous blessings were the contributions brought to the table by their guests for the creation of this amulet mala.

According to their journals, the case contained an antique Phra Ngang which had been brought as a gift by the visiting monks

Which they vacated for the shark's tooth, skulls, and gems.



They also brought their talents as sorcerer monks

And are responsible for the marriage of these components and their mass blessings.



The Case:

Although their description of 'coin silver' would lead one to believe the metal would be .800 Silver Standard or better. It is not.

Many of the Thai coin silver amulets contain no silver at all, having been made from alloyed metal coinage

With imagery said to contain magic, such as Buddha, Garuda, King Rama, etc.  This one does not test positive for any silver content.



The case has been wired closed with sterling silver wire.

It measures approximately 3 3/8" (with bale) x 1 3/4" x 15/16" and is unmarked, with no maker's or assay marks.

The monks were also responsible for the black ink phra yant unalome yants as part of this shark tooth's dressing.



The Unalome:

The unalome is an important symbol and word that is still shrouded in mystery.

Our own research lead us to quite a few interpretations of what many people felt what it was, and/or what it meant.

Most coming from well-meaning, we're sure, tattoo artists!



Basically, it is a Theravada Buddhist Sak-Yant, usually found as a tattoo that is considered to be very spiritual.

Its meaning and source are still a mystery and nothing is from a credible source.

It is a spiritual symbol used in practice by the Theravada Buddhists along the path to enlightenment.



In form, its bottom spiral represents life's struggles, these struggles get thinner as one continues and attains enlightenment or nirvana.

It is often found as a tattoo and isn’t confined to just one meaning and symbol. It has varied patterns and each pattern has a different meaning.

Sometimes it represents the moon, the light that shines in the darkness along the path of enlightenment. It also represents strength and resilience.



Some of her journal entries relating to this yant read;

"The magic yant, the unalome, see it well. It is Aum, in the design of sacred geometry.

Casting chanted spell magic is recited mantra that begins and ends with it."



"See it well, it is not the only element necessary for magic power.

Contained within are sacred geometry that cast the spell in the 'Bpug Sek Kata'.

It is essential to activate this magic power within the Yant.

By entering Samadhi and visualizing what should be active in the Yant."



“It is one of the nine Gao Yord, that permits entrance into the lineage of masters.”



“Here is representation of the crown of the Arahant's”.

 

Yant Magic:

The presence of these marks makes this shark's tooth, "Yant Yun."

Our own research has shown that all Yant fall into the amulet category known as Kruang Reang i.e. Objects of Magic.

These are sacred images of high age from past guru masters that are highly collectible and can command a high price on today’s market.

The symbolism they display are usually seen as tattoos known as Sak Yant, of the Khmer Sorcerer Monks,

Muay Tai fighters, mixed martial artists, and some celebrities today.



When this intricate script is written on cloth it is known as 'Pha Yant'.

It is also etched on the soft metals used in Takrut's and on many Thai amulets.



The word Yant itself comes from the old Sanskrit meaning, 'A sacred geometrical design',

And is usually accompanied with a written Khom script or set of characters which are linked to the prayer or katha.

The script is a combination of Khom, Thai, and the Sanskrit language, which is a style of early Khmer wicha magic

That has been adopted by Buddhist monks and Ajarns (civilian Brahmins) of Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Malaysia.



In its form as a tattoo, (Sak Yant) it is much more than a fashion statement.

It is intrinsically linked to Buddha, Buddhist precepts, and the guru master who created it.

The worshipper must truly believe and follow any instructions,

As it is said the embedded wicha power may vanish if the are not followed.



Each design is unique in meaning and purpose as crafted by its maker,

But follows a common theme such as bringing good luck and fortune, protection from harm and accidents,

Warding off evil spirits, love, and attraction, power and success, great fighter, great lover, great talker, etc.

In any of its forms, the sorcerer monk will chant his own form of incantation spell and ancient katha chant,

At some point during the end of the process of making the yant, which concludes with Pao Katha,

A blowing of the masters breath across the article to bind and activate the magical formula.



The Estate Contributions:

The balance of the items used to complete this amulet mala necklace consisting of the shark's tooth,

Bali sterling silver bell, enhydro crystal, human bone, and black howlite skulls,

The ruby, sapphire, tourmaline, and zircon gems in the case,

Along with the Bali sterling silver, black howlite skulls, Thai trade ruby beads, and dyed red yak sinew

That complete this fifty-four-count mala necklace were brought to the party by the hosts.



The Key West Rootman's Fossilized Shark's Tooth:

Shark's teeth have an extensive folklore that spans centuries.

They have been used and worn as protection and good luck talisman in cultures wherever sharks are found.

She held similar beliefs and practices which encompassed an array of bizarre and fear-provoking activities

That culminated in things that can never be rationally explained.



Her journals and inventory tell us this fossilized tooth is one of many she obtained from,

"A Key West Root Man" she first mentions in 1936.

According to her journal entries, these were used to, "protect the bearer from harm."



It is obvious that their guests had their way with them in adorning them with Phra Yant symbols.

Apparently, they found favor with these teeth as each of them are said

To have been thrilled with receiving a few of these to take home with them.

This one measures approximately 1 13/6"  x 1 1/8"



Her journals go on to tell us, "These prehistoric teeth have water element energy

That is a natural link to our predatory instincts and abilities.

They are protective against malicious and evil spirits as they cannot abide their presence.

Hence we always wear and carry them at sea,"



Our research revealed this one to be a fossilized Mackerel Shark's tooth.



The Sterling Silver:

More often than not, their metal of choice was silver as she notes,

"Silver is the mirror of the soul related to the moon energies.

It strengthens connections of the astral and physical bodies.

A metal unmatched in its psychic energies and healing abilities,

I have used it as a spell medium, to heal the speech impaired and to help public speakers achieve eloquence.

Induced into the drink, it has expelled the toxins that caused headaches, arthritis, intestinal and blood disorders.

More importantly, it attracts, enhances, and stores energies of gemstones, driving out negative energies the stone may have absorbed."

 

Their journals and her inventory tell us all of the silver used in this ensemble is 'Sanur Pandai Sudra Sterling Silver'

Which is described in detail below.



Spirit Bell:

Her journals tell us this is a sterling silver spirit bell that resides in this amulet.

She also tells us she "subjected the bell to spells rendering it for spirit sensitivity."

She makes numerous entries that make claim to bells ringing in the presence of spirits

While she was in the proximity, especially those she had spelled and was wearing while "ringing the bell to bind the spell"

When she would cast an impromptu spell while out and about, and of it being, "spell cast to determine the truth."



Some of these entries read, "An answer given to a question asked the bell ringing will determine the truth.”



"This is a secret spell rendering of metal that is an ancient truth, bells will ring on the passing into the spirit world,

In the presence of spirits, and their peal is a protective ward that will seal a spell cast or break a spell cast upon you."



"The Church bells are blessed as a sacramental which endows their pealing with the power to perform minor exorcism

In that it repels demonic presence. You will note that many church bells are rung three times a day to accompany the recitation of the Angelus prayer."



"Do not let the diminutive size of this charm cause you to treat it as a novelty.

It contains a powerful enchantment that is invoked in the presence of the dead, spirit, demons, and the energy of what some deem to be magic."



The bell measures approximately 1/2" in height.



Vapor Valley, Enhydro, Timeline Crystal:

It is one of the many crystal specimen that are alleged to have been obtained by the 1888 LiDiex.

Their journals indicate the use of these crystal formations for past-life dream recall and spell invocation.



This crystal is sub-categorized as "Ix Che Scry", in her journaled inventory noting,

"He has managed to invoke her as a tool to aid in retribution spells", claiming it to be "a left-hand crystal"

Used to focus their spells along a specific, mathematically calculated path.

They would use it to "align crystal at altar" and for "short distance burst", claiming,

"It can send an accurate charge for nearly one thousand feet when left hand held alone."



In another entry, she describes its long-range use when the target is not in line of sight,

"Visualization here is the key, but once manifested it will easily focus on and procure the target bridging all borders that separate the planes".



They have made entries dating to 1985 that are attributed in her own words;

"This is a mathematically planned formation that has been charged to open the inner gateways that allow intuitive answers forgoing ego.

It is a crystal of clarity that will direct you when left-hand work becomes problematical.

It is a white light manifestation tower that lights the meditative path that leads us to dream clarity and the manifestation of thought.

It is a sacred crystal containing universal knowledge.



Attune yourself to its vibrations and this knowledge will spew forth along a stream of pure white molecular energy.

This is ancient and profound secret knowledge that requires a pure heart and strong belief to access."



This crystal produces a high vibrational energy that mortals may access to clear, heal,

and perfect our emotional bodies while allowing access to past knowledge.

A bridge to our past lives which allows communication with the spirit guides.

It is best used by advanced metaphysical practitioners sharing and teaching those seeking the spiritual path."



A timeline to the past plane is visible as are some Aurora Borealis or Rainbow Enhydro,

Phantom & Faden Line inclusions along with Self Healing & some Elestial Etching along some of the planes.

It is a complicated formation with a lot going on that measures approximately 1 1/8" x 1"



Nawab's Bone Skulls:

Her journaled inventory goes on to tell us the seven skull beads used in this amulet are, “Nawab's bone"

And are part of a lot of human bone artifacts brought to the estate by the Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi.



Black Dyed Howlite Skull:

There is a single black dyed howlite skull bead upon which the shark's tooth is perched

And is further described below in the necklace components paragraph below.



Thai Trade Ruby Gem:

Her journals and inventory tell us there is a 0.84 ct. ruby faceted oval gem

Which was cut from one of the many specimen she bought from a Northern Thailand vendor in 1959.

This foray into Thailand was to research and study the regional occult and necromantic practices of the region.



We estimate the value of this cabochon at $285.00 USD.



The Sapphire Gems:

Her inventory tells us there are four types of sapphire gems and cabochons used in this amulet.

All were given to her by the same Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi' described above.



Their journals and inventory reveal to us the source and detailed descriptions

Of the sapphire gemstones that they chose to make part of this cased amulet.



They list the sapphires as follows;

Three faceted oval bi-color faceted oval gems; 4.08 tcw.

A single 0.86 ct., green sapphire faceted oval gem.

Three faceted oval blue sapphire gems 1.65 tcw.

Ten multi-color sapphire cabochons 2 to 4 mm in length, 0.82 tcw.

Three dark blue sapphire round cabochons, 3.42 tcw.



There are 10.83 tcw of assorted sapphire gems

And cabochons in this amulet with an estimated value of $630 USD



Green Tourmaline Gems:

Her journals and inventory also tell us there are three faceted oval green tourmaline gems in this amulet,

Consisting of a 1.51, 1.22 and 0.85 stones, 3.58 tcw which were cut from specimen recovered during her 1962 Brazilian Shaman artifact hunt.

 

She goes on to tells us she had these gems cut for her in 1965, by the New York gem cutter, practitioner, and follower she names as, "Jew George."

George had been introduced to her by her long time friend Maya Deren in the 1950's

And was responsible for many of the gemstones used in their jewelry and found as loose stones.



She does write of this source of tourmaline as having specific metaphysical and healing properties

And she claims to have induced the gems with spells or, "charged" them as she called it.

Two such journal entries read, "a stone of tolerance, its energy promotes happiness, serenity, and compassion.

A channeling stone, it offers a high degree of protection in diminutive sizes. A stimulant to the heart chakra, well suited to love spells.

An embodiment of the Holy Femini (her spelling) that fosters beauty, fidelity, compassion, happiness, family, luck and love"

 

We estimate the value for these dark green tourmaline gems is $75/carat x 3.58 cts= $268.50 

 

Blue Zircon Gem:

She goes on to tell us that this 0.79 ct., faceted oval electric blue zircon gem

Had reclaimed from a ring she had stolen from the dead body of a stranger during their wake ceremony!



We estimate the value of this gem at $95 ct. x 0.85 ct.= $80.75 USD



Bali Sterling Silver, Thai Trade Ruby, and Black Howlite Skull:

We recovered hundreds of these mala necklaces which were made to accommodate their amulets.

They appear to have originated during the estate stay of this group of monks and their designs,

Were quickly incorporated into the beading sessions that regularly took place here.

We were able to identify and establish a timeline using their journals and inventory entries.

The last session producing these necklaces was on April 16th., 1981.



This is one of the few, fully assembled amulet mala necklaces original to the estate that we have left,

Mostly due to our own Uncle Waddy secreting them in his collection.

The original cases were instrumental in having new reproductions made in Thailand over fifteen years ago,

And pairing up newly cased amulets with the necklaces from this estate.



Her journaled inventory goes on to tell us this fifty-four-count single amulet mala necklace is part of a group that were worn by the LiDiex.

Examination reveals a Bali Sterling Silver, Thai Trade Ruby, and black howlite skull bead,

Fifty-four count mala necklace made to support a single amulet, as the title implies.



Sanur Pandai Sudra Sterling Silver:

The LiDiex journals tell of their dealings with a family of, “Sanur Pandai Sudra” over a four year period of 1957 through 1961.

Some of these entries read, “a family of traditional Balinese smiths and sorcerers, descended from a long line of craftsman sorcerers of Sanur.

They are in possession of authentic, ancient Hindu lontars, (Holy inscriptions written on the leaves of the lontar palm) that tell of the mythical history of their arts.”



“They are known locally as pande mas, trained by the Gods."

“Although they are low caste sudra, they are sought out for their work in silver, gold, and sorcery.

They claim to be direct descendants of Brahma.”



The word 'pandai' means both 'smith' and 'clever'.



Their journal and inventory entries attribute the spirit bell (in the amulet and described above).

The wire and twenty-seven assorted hooks, rings beads, and bead caps they chose

For this mala necklace as being obtained from these, "Sanur Pandai Sudra.”

Unmarked, all test as .925 Sterling Silver Standard.



Thai Trade Ruby Beads:

Her journals and inventory also tell us the seven, 8 mm, and pair of 11 mm,

faceted round ruby beads used in this necklace were cut from some of the many specimen

She bought from a Northern Thailand vendor in 1959 as described in detail above.

The beads are of fine grind and polish.



Black Dyed Howlite Skulls:

Her journaled inventory also tells us, the fifty-four dyed howlite skull beads used in this mala necklace (and the one in the amulet)

Are part of a group that were cut from stone she obtained as trade goods in Southern California in 1956.



Years later, after having these, "cut and charged" as she calls exposing them to one of their vat dyes,

Which in the case of these stones effectively dyed them to their current deep black color.

Unfortunately, this section of her journal ledger is all but destroyed from water intrusion

And what she tells us about this treatment is lost to the ages.



What we can decipher from these entries, was the dyes used on these stones

Was staff-manufactured using estate-grown material.

This treatment did certainly enhance the color of these stones.

 

The skulls are of fine grind and polish and measure approximately 12.7 x 11.1125 x 11.1125 mm.



The Ensemble:

All of these have been hand-knotted and strung together with dyed red yak sinew to form this fifty-four count,

Single amulet mala necklace measuring approximately 36" in overall length with a 20" drop.

She writes of the acquisition of a large quantity of this sinew from a "Chinese healer and talisman maker known for and sought for his works,"

Purchased at the Namche Bazaar of Nepal in 1928.



This amulet, mala ensemble also bears the distinction of having been part of Uncle Waddy's personal collection.

This shark tooth amulet, case, and fifty-four count mala necklace are original to this estate.



This amulet ensemble will come to you mounted and blessed by at least one senior monk

Of Wat Buddharangsai who thanks you for the homage paid to Theravada Buddhism.



Sterling Silver and Nuummite Alex Begay Ring

A Master Suite Find.



This ring is one of the artifacts her journals and inventory attribute as her personal property.

A gift for her birthday, received in the mail with no return address and a Mesa, Arizona postmark,

If she ever determined who sent it she never made note of it prior to her passing later that same year.



It is one of the rings recovered from a jewelry armoire in her master suite

That contained a well inventoried selection of ritually worn jewelry, which indicated she did find favor and use of this ring.



Examination reveals a well made sterling silver ring with a nuummite oval cabochon by a recognized Native American maker.

From the extensive notes left by this woman there is no doubt she wore this ring

And as such that it accompanied her during some of the rituals conducted at this estate.



The high oval nuummite cabochon measures approximately 1" x 3/4"

And displays the high polish and what is referred to asexsolution lamellae that give this stone its typical iridescence.



Nuummite is usually black in colour and opaque.

It consists of two amphiboles, gedrite and anthophyllite, which form exsolution lamellae that give the rock its typical iridescence.

Other common minerals in the rock are pyrite, pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite, which form shimmering yellow bands in polished specimens.

 

In Greenland the rock was formed by two consecutive metamorphic overprints of an originally igneous rock.

The intrusion took place in the Archean around 2800 million years ago and the metamorphic overprint was dated at 2700 and 2500 million years ago.



Some of her ledger entries concerning this ring read;



"This is a stone drawn to the practitioner of magical arts.

It emits an ancient water energy found deep within the earth with storm elements.

It is a stone of personal magic, healing and luck."



"Well grounded, this is an excellent dream ring well attuned to the elemental forces of the earth that allows one access in times of need."



"The stone contains elemental magic.

Take this seriously, show right intent and respect with no intent of harm, as it will be reflected back upon you. 

Do this, and its auric shield will protect against negative energy."



"Wearing the ring will ward against curses from present and, past-life."Gemstones & Crystals 1/2

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Gemstones & Crystals 1/2 • Personal

Posted a year ago

This entry contains catalogued information regarding our crystals, gemstones, and stones.

Each item is linked to a special album on Google Photos with provided stock photos and original prices.



These entries shall be updated with new items and information over time.Buddha Magic Incantation Party Cambodian Red Zircon

LiDiex Chapel Find.



From the estate of Marie Glapion Baptiste, the daughter of Marie Glapion and grand-daughter of Marie Laveau,

The Voodoo Queens of New Orleans in the 19th and early 20th centuries.



Marie Glapion Baptiste was a world-traveled Voodoo Sorceress and Ju-Ju Exorcist. She died in Dade County, Florida

On or around July 10th, 1985 of natural causes at an unknown age, estimated to be well over 100 years old and leaving no heirs.

Twenty-one years and a half have now passed since we were called to do an estate that had been closed up for seventeen years!

The Voodoo Estate!



This type of call usually gets us excited as they are a treasure trove.

Located here in Florida, there was no electricity or running water so we rigged our own lighting and in we went.

If you have ever seen the Adams Family you will have some idea as to what we were greeted with!



Then the attorney handling the liquidation gave us some background.

The estate had belonged to an alleged powerful Voodoo Priestess/JooJoo Exorcist, granddaughter of Marie Laveau, and favored daughter of Marie Glapion.

These names meant nothing to us, but the late-night talk of Voodoo and exorcism in the old mansion was enough for us to spend the night in a hotel

And return in the morning to assess the estate. The rest is history.



Our research has shown that this woman was what she claimed and was indeed descended from a long line of well-known Vodoun family originating in New Orleans in the early 1800s.

We were pretty unnerved by this until we discovered they were also devout Catholics! Although I have to admit this was unlike any Catholic home we have ever been in

And some of the items found inside were a little more than unnerving.

There was no feeling of dread or unwelcome in the mansion,

However, there was quite a bit of contraband.



Some Back Story:

This gem was found and recovered from what was named, "The LiDiex Chapel Room."

This was not the largest of the altar rooms but large nonetheless, as it measured 17 x 24 feet!

But it certainly was an unusual room that in describing, we could just as well be describing an ancient Cabinet of Curiosities.

It was indeed used as their chapel, "a place of solace and meditation where ancestors are revered," according to one of her journal entries.



Her journals and inventory tell us this is a "Cambodian red zircon gem," as the title implies.

They go on to tell us it is one of a group brought to the estate by a group of visiting monks.



1888 LiDiex:

The research generated by this estate has provided continuous fascination.

The procurer of these Buddha images was a man known only as "LiDiex,"

A 4th generation descendant of the original Man Known Only As "LiDiex" to these shores

Who arrived as a survivor and saboteur of the slave ship Henrietta Marie in 1701.

He then found his way to New Orleans to meet with the parents of the then-infant grandmother of our priestess, Marie Laveau.



He is said to have caused the wreck by casting a spell using eggshells, and certain folklore concerning eggshells corroborates this.

This LiDiex took up trade in New Orleans as a wood carver, furniture, and cabinet maker as did many of his descendants.

This is another case of the multi-generational relationships we have encountered with the families associated with this estate, as the LiDiex all had a strong association with these women.

Although he is the least mentioned of the LiDiex in her journals, he kept a suite of rooms with her beginning on his sixteenth birthday.

Apparently, he would leave for periods lasting up to a decade before returning, shutting himself in her estate for lengthy periods before leaving again.

There is no record of the death of this LiDiex.



He is attributed with the design and consecration of the "Resurrection Skull Altar" and most of the ceremonial spells associated and used with it.

Her journals, and those of a number of her live-in practitioner followers, most notably, those of the LiDiex, tell of this altar being used in ritual resurrection ceremonies.

There are some pretty fantastic tales of animating inanimate objects, particularly, a number of articulated skulls using specific minerals, potions, elixirs, and reptiles.

He is described in her journals as being, "in excess of six feet of sinewy muscle, deceptively strong, easily matching two of his size in their grappling"

And, "extensively, shaved, tattooed and pierced" in addition to, "shown to be capable of high magic without devices."



Both their journals claim his ability to heal wounds, shapeshift, travel through time and space, telepath and create life with the power of his thought.

They also corroborate the sharing of identities with a number of other LiDiex, "being a master of disguise and misdirection, often with his mere thought," according to these entries.

This gave these men the ability to appear in two or more places at once, an old family ploy that was apparently often used by their Mistress.



It is this LiDiex who is attributed with making her introduction to Alexandra David Neel and his journals tell of numerous meetings and short adventures with her.

Claiming at the age of twenty-four to have met Neel for the second time in the company of Prince Sidkeong of Sikkim

And of being her teacher of the Tibetan language having already spent six years with the Great Hermit as apprentice.



He also claims to have been "expelled by the Great Hermit for divulging Tulpa technique to the mystic whore." 

Both their journals claim him to have mastered this ability to "thought form" at an early age, "born with it" as they note.



Claiming, "By my thought they form as mist, taking solid form usually as something that appears playful.

Knowing their ways, grooming them for their rebellious phase, as it is then they mature and can be used for deadly purpose in exchange for their freedom of my will.

This allows it to develop into a living entity of its own, freethinking and free-willed. It is always capable of performing minor feats of magic."



Much is already written on these subjects, so there is no need to elaborate here in this already overly long text, but we wholeheartedly recommend a cursory search for some very interesting reading.

 

Cambodian Red Zircon Gems:

The gems are mentioned numerous times in their journals and her inventory.

This gem is the only loose stone found and recovered, the others were found mounted as the eyes in a group of crystal skulls.

This one was found prominently displayed on a small altar of the 1888 LiDiex in their chapel.



These gems were brought to the estate by one or more of a group of Theravada Buddhist Monks who were guests in the spring of 1973.

It was then that the group of eleven monks sailed here aboard the Agwe at the invitation of the 1888 LiDiex.

They left for home in mid-July. It is obvious their hostess and host went out of their way to make their guests feel welcome.

 

One of the monks is named as Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara.

Most of those named in this party apparently had their names edited out of the journals by various means.

Ie; black ink, white-out, erasure, and razor cuts were all employed in the ledgers during the period of their visit.

Our feeling is more than one of the residents had a hand in this and that it was done to protect the identities of the monks.

Her journals describe this as "a decadent group" and the timeline of their return to Thailand

Indicates a rash of decadent behavior by a group of monks we believe to be one and the same.

 

Most, but not all of their names were censored out of the journal entries and we believe this Somdej Phra Nyanasamvara,

Was the man who would go on to become the 19th. Supreme Patriarch of Thailand who would be appointed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1989.



In 1972, he was given the title Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara, the same basic title that he bears today.

This is a rarely used monastic title that had not been granted to a Thai bhikkhu in over 150 years!

The granting of this title placed Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara at the top of the Thai monastic establishment

And set the stage for his being named "Sangharaja", or "Lord of the Sangha" (Supreme Buddhist Patriarch of Thailand).



Other than being a notable person and willing participant in a 'mass dressing and blessing'

Of a group of mostly Buddhist depictions their hosts provided from their personal collections,

Somdet Phra Nyanasamvara does not stand out in these journal entries.

He is however worthy of further research.



The Agwe:

This estate included four off-site properties.

One of which was a nautical dry dock, warehouse, and storage yard on Old Griffin Road in Dania Beach, Florida.

This was another overgrown property we literally had to cut our way into.

The massive bougainvillea that lined the fence line is what most likely prevented vandalism and theft,

Although her journals tell otherwise, attributing this to her spells of protection.



Restoring power to the site we began our inventory with the surprise find of their yacht,

Named, "The Agwe." Her journals, inventory, and our own research revealed this one-hundred-and-seventy-two-foot,

Twin screw diesel, steel-hull motor yacht was custom built for her in 1930 by the Defoe Ship Building Company.

This was a small shipbuilder that was established in 1905 in Bay City, Michigan which went out of business in 1976

After failing to renew its contracts with the United States Navy.



The Agwe was designed for transoceanic voyages and upon inspection we found disguised, armored turrets

With pintle gun mounts, and a secure, but empty armory. No guns or munitions were recovered from the Agwe,

But her journals and inventory list an extensive array of then state-of-the-art,

military-grade weaponry she and her associates procured for this vessel.



The Agwe was named after a Voodoo Loa who her journals tell us, “is invoked as Shell of the Sea, Eel, and Tadpole of the Pond.

He is a Sea Sovereign and a lover of Erzulie. He cares for the fauna and flora and all ships which sail upon the sea.

His symbols are brightly painted oars, shells, tiny boats, and small metal fish (all of which were found onboard).

He favors uniforms and gunfire, and is a protector of those at sea.”



We sold the Agwe to a local automotive distributor who sent it to Holland to be refurbished,

And we understand from the family (the buyer had since passed away)

That he sold it after reports from the Dutch restorers that the ship was haunted.



Our research revealed this ship passed through several stages during its career.

The first was the initial contract to build it.

Then began the design phase which was carried out by a naval architect.

Construction then began in the shipyard.  Once completed, the ship was launched and delivered to them in Florida.

They procured the Dania Beach shipyard where they conducted an elaborate ceremony where they named and launched their ship.



The Agwe would receive constant maintenance during its career, and once it was returned to Holland to repair major damage sustained at sea in 1946.

Most steel-hulled ocean-going yachts can have a lifespan of over one hundred years if maintained.



Buddha Magic Incantation Party:

These eleven monks, along with their hosts and other residents of this estate,

Provided thirty-seven predominantly Buddhist depictions and spell boxes which they 'dressed and blessed'

In a mass incantation ritual blessing they held in the Main Ballroom of this estate.



Her journals tell us they spent nine days preparing the depictions

Using a host of eclectic articles each had brought to the party to create a series of magical charmed images.

All were later relegated to the LiDiex Chapel where we recovered them.



There were five crystal skulls which were dressed in a separate ceremony in the LiDiex Chapel Room.



Back To The Gem:

Examination reveals a fine-cut, flawless faceted oval stone that displays a fiery internal flash.

It measures approximately 20.6375 x 17.4625 x 9.525 mm, 31.92 ct.



Red zircon typically ranges in price from $75 to $125 per carat.

Pricing this at the lower end of this spectrum= $2,394.00



Her journals tell us.



"its colour is advantageous to healing sound sleep and useful in the higher meditative states."

"This hard red gemstone is quite robust and able to withstand long bouts of high vibrational energy produced in sex and murder magic."

"Few can connect and control this energy as it is a stone of Venus, yet it is quite responsive as a healer of the terminally ill."

"It is a stone of high vibrational energy with many uses, aside from its aesthetics.

It is a metaphysical and recuperative stone with the fiery red hue of happiness and prosperity."



Our own research revealed zircon is used to protect the mind and body from harmful energy emitted by celestial bodies in our solar system.

It is also believed to carry certain characteristics which act in a positive manner

To attract the vibrations of wealth, self-confidence, self-esteem, and wisdom.



It is associated with love and happiness and it is believed to cure some diseases including epilepsy, fever, and insanity.

It is also believed that the wearer should maintain the shine on the gems because without it the gem's power will change from good to negative.

Natural zircon is valued for its high refractive index and excellent fire.



It has a higher refractive index than sapphire, ruby, spinel, or tanzanite and also has impressive fire, with a dispersion rating nearly as high as diamond.

Zircon is a gemstone found in many colors which are caused by impurities that are incorporated in the mineral during the formation of the gem.

They are semi-precious and brittle meaning they can get damaged easily.



Hindu poets tell of the Kalpa Tree, the ultimate gift to the gods, which was a glowing tree covered with gemstone fruit with leaves of zircon.

In the middle ages, zircon was said to aid sleep, bring prosperity, and promote honour and wisdom in its owner.



According to some, Zircon relieves pain and is said to whet one's appetite, prevent nightmares, and ensure a deep tranquil sleep.



Some have found it helps one be more at peace with oneself.

Zircon is believed to provide the wearer with wisdom, honor, and riches.

The loss of luster on a Zircon stone is said to warn of danger.



The name probably comes from the Persian word 'zargun', which means 'gold-colored' although zircon comes in a wide range of different colors.

The minerals jargon, hyacinth, and jacinth also contain zircon and these have been known since biblical times and are mentioned in the bible in several places.



In antiquity zircon was often called Hyacinth or Jacinth, the legend tells of a mythological character named Hyacinthus,

A youth that was accidentally slain by Apollo who was jealous of the young man’s beauty.

His blood produced the hyacinth flower, whose beauty is said to be reflected in red zircon as well.



Red zircon is believed to drive away evil spirits, nightmares, and protect its wearer from enchantment and lightning.



We have been contacted and visited by a number of people who were interested in the items from this estate since our first batch was listed.

Among the buyers have been known psychics and practitioners. More than one, after adorning themselves or handling their purchase, stated "This is a woman of power!"

Many of our customers, after receiving items from this estate have reported dream contacts and other unexplained phenomenon.



This is truly a rare opportunity to own anything with attributes to this estate. The majority of this estate is now gone.

Most of what we had left, and it was considerable, has been split up and sold to a couple of private, foreign collector practitioners and will never be available to the public again.

We made the decision to do this as we have had some pretty strange visits from even stranger individuals

And there have been enough unexplained phenomenon going on in the warehouse where her things were kept that many of our employees refused to go in there.



Coober Pedy Djanggawul Black Opals

Master Suite Gemstone Spell Box Find.



Some Back Story:

This is one of the sixteen faceted black opal faceted gems recovered from in and around a "LiDiex Leaded Glass" box that was found on a mirrored tray on top of a bureau in her master suite.

The box was partially filled with topaz, sapphire, and opal gems and cabochons with some of the contents separated on the mirror tray.

It was, it seemed, one of her last acts, as we, those of us that were there, all "felt it was as if she had just left." It was an odd feeling, experienced by the four of us simultaneously.

We would later piece together that this box, and others like it, were stored in hidden window boxes that allowed her to control their exposure to the rays of the sun and moon.

She claimed that bathing them in the rays of the sun, and or moon at certain specified times would have a cleansing, and or 'charging' effect on the stones.



The Opals:

Her journals and inventory tell us the opals are part of a group faceted for her by an unnamed Mexico City, practitioner, follower, and lapidary,

From opal rough obtained in 1958 from a young man who claimed to be a holy man with sacred stones to sell.

"He was actually a Kupa Piti miner with raw opals to sell," she writes in one entry, and in another, she tells us this bizarre story;

"The Djanggawul were brother and sisters, two girls, and one boy, who created Australia. They came from Beralku and made the sacrad talisman opal by breaking off pieces of their vulvas."



She goes on to write, "Little did this thief know how close this was to the truth."

She had these opals cut to their present form, then induced them with spells or "charged" as she called it.

She goes on to attribute these opals in a journal entry that reads;



"These are wonderful energies that awaken psychic and mystical awareness. Gaze upon them, and into them.

This strengthens one's memory and has proven to be a powerful dream aid.

When worn, flashes of psychic and magical insight have always been perceived.

These energies will cause change to one's life so it is best to be prepared for this as opportunities for spiritual and material growth arrive quickly when exposed to them."

"Bathe the stone in the light of the full moon before wearing it in youthful regeneration."



This faceted oval black opal was ground and polished from natural crystal opal rough that was mined in the Coober Pedy.

This faceted oval opal gem is of very good cut with decidedly green/gold/red flashes of color play inside the stone when exposed to a single-sourced light.



The pieces offered and sold here are some of the few remaining pieces that will ever be offered to the public.



Zulu Inyanga African Ruby

LiDiex Shrine Find.



This unusual ruby cabochon is one of a small group recovered from a Victorian Parlor safe hidden in this room.

The safe contained boxes of gems in manila envelopes that were indexed with her journaled inventory, giving us a glimpse into the lives of these people.



Her journaled inventory tells us this 6.35 x 6.35 x 6.35 mm, 2.77 ct. Fancy cut African ruby cabochon

Was cut from specimen obtained by the 1888 LiDiex from a Zulu Inyanga in South Africa sometime in the late 1930s.



Zulu, Inyanga African Rubies:

The LiDiex journals tell a fascinating story of a "Zulu Sorcerer, Healer, and Diviner who would make magic songs and dance of the Mrarts to invoke the Itongo.

These are savage rights of magic performed by one who holds much sway over the villagers. Even the hereditary chief needs his consecration to make him a chief de jzare.

He holds sacred authority to the chief and when he had obtained the magic from other diviners he was known to kill them, storing all of their power in a fisétzmrlu for later use."



The cabochon displays a very dark red color with a well-centered asterism that is not quite a cat's eye or star.

It is a very unusual grind and polish measuring 6.35 mm in each direction. Some of her journal entries concerning these rubies read;

"Their color brings light and change into your world.”

“Wear it to shed the body of toxins.”

"They have proven useful in relieving all ailments."

"These contain life force residual of divine nature. They spell well in making peace and as protectorates, warding sorcery and poison."

"When worn they spell over great and specific distance."



Curandero Hati Grant's Mal Puesto Aquamarine

Black Pyramid Vèvé Room Find.



Found in what we have named "The Black Pyramid Vèvé Room."

This room was an interesting work of architecture. Windowless and located just above the Main Ballroom in the center of the mansion.

It was only accessible through a trapdoor and cast iron spiral staircase from the storage room above it.

The floor was four feet below the Main Ballroom ceiling, well concealed by the baroque architecture.

The architect had concealed the room in the floor above by surrounding it with four guest suites, it was dead center in the mansion.

Painted black, with ebony flooring and paneling, the contents of the room consisted of seven, LiDiex Black Glass and Silver, charging pyramid boxes and their contents.



Measuring exactly twelve feet x twelve feet with a twelve-foot ceiling, the room was well concealed by the architecture of the mansion,

But it was stifling as there was no ventilation, the only air coming from the trap door above and that was not much.

Only a few of us went into this room to recover and inventory the contents and none of us could stay in there for more than a few minutes, it was, well, disorientating.



This was another room with no wiring for electrical power and on the floor were the remnants of previously used vèvé's

That we assume were drawn with the chalky powder found in one of the pyramids. The remaining six pyramids contained an interesting assortment of jewelry, gems, mineral specimen,

And a host of eclectic items that she kept inventoried in a separate journal concerning the ceremonies conducted in this room.



Concerning the pieces from this room she writes, "I have used these pieces to awaken psychic perception and mystical awareness

And have found them to strengthen my memory and as an aid in dreaming. I continue to receive insight and inspiration from them."

And; "many of the ones awakened have sought refuge here, most being complacent in their worlds. They will come if called to a blood match."



In these journals she makes some fantastic claims concerning these items and real or imagined, we understand why she was as feared and respected as she was.

We can attest that pieces from this room have shown to possess some remarkable attributes or association with what might be called paranormal activity.

Some of those who have had access to these items and/or their photographs have been quoted as feeling ill or nauseous, often followed by a feeling of warmth, well-being, happiness, and power.

In addition, there are numerous reports from those who claim to have perceived, felt, saw, sensed, etc., at the very least movement in and/or around the stones or jewelry settings,

Many times directly related to them, but you be the judge.



The Gem:

This is one of the sixty-seven aquamarine gems recovered from a thin leather pouch on the middle shelf of the third pyramid.

Her journals and inventory tell us they were part of the group given to her by a woman she names as, "Hati Grant, a Curandero, and silversmith of Roma Texas."

These entries were made in May of 1959.



Curandero Hati Grant and Her Mal Puesto Aquamarine:

Her journals go on to tell us this 11.1125 x 9.525 x 6.35 mm, 3.68 ct., faceted oval aquamarine gem belonged to Hati Grant, a Mexican-born healer, or Curandero and silversmith with a local following. 

She describes her as, "a youthful, slim woman with a powerful spirit, a partera (midwife), yerbero (herbalist), sobador (masseur), with the skills to treat illnesses,

Especially those caused by mal puesto (illnesses caused by witchcraft). She had been given a don de Dios (gift from God) to heal the afflicted.

Her strengths however were in the constant struggle between good and evil manifested by those who have made pacts with Satan and demons.

A local group of three brujas (witches) however had become her sworn enemies.

This had come from her 'treatments' healing those these witches had afflicted,

And from her friends beating their father and threatening them on more than one occasion."



According to her journal entries, her extensive collection of aquamarine had been obtained from her grandfather, a retired miner from Guadalcazar Mexico.

Since 1890, he had acquired a sizable amount of this crystal. It is our understanding that aquamarine from Mexico is extremely rare.



Our own research revealed that Guadalcázar is a Mexican municipality in the state of San Luis Potosí in Northeastern Mexico.

It was one of the many colonial establishments founded by the Spanish explorer and Viceroy of New Spain, Juan Cordoba de Guadalcazar, Marquis of Guadalcázar, in 1620.

In the decades following its founding, Guadalcazar flourished as a wealthy mining town.

Its main exports were coal, iron, silver, and minerals.



It is surrounded by hills that were rich in mineral deposits. But after three hundred years of mining, the minerals were exhausted,

And in the early twentieth century, the population slowly diminished. After the Mexican Revolution ended in 1920, the privately owned mines were taken over by the new government.

The area was mined out, and Mexican government corruption did little for the local economy which is when Hatti's grandfather and his aquamarine left for Texas.



Little changed in Guadalcázar until the 1970s when the government recognized the churches that were built during the Spanish Colonial period being of architectural and historical importance.

Since then, media attention has been increasing for Guadalcázar, making it a tourist destination.

The area is now re-populated by American miners looking for precious minerals.

Minerals have been located deep within the hillsides, and the mining process is beginning once again.

Despite these changes, Guadalcazar's population has hovered steadily between 500 and 900 residents, the majority being elderly, and the local government remains corrupt.



Her journals also tell us, "Hati's mal puesto treatment's and wards against mal de ojo (the evil eye), and susto (loss of spirit)

Were always conducted with her aquamarine ring which works on the material and spiritual planes of reality.



She goes on to tell of witnessing Hati's treatments using herbal remedies during religious rituals, and confronting demons who had manifested the physical symptoms her patients displayed.

She also tells us Hati made jewelry for her own use in her healing and that she had a small local, but lucrative business as a silversmith as well as a healer.

A later journal entry tells of her being three miles out of town when she turned her entourage around, which consisted of two of the LiDiex, and her Aunt Nadiene,

To pay a visit to the witches who had caused her friend such distress.



That entry reads, "We ran them to ground the LiDiex shooting one of them in the ass with .44 caliber revolver loaded with shot.

We beat her and her sister severely, but one ran through the field escaping. I torched the house and we fled into the night."



Once again she displays behavior that demonstrated she was not one to stand idly by while you trifled with her friends.

Our own research into the Police records and local media of Roma Texas during this timeline did not produce any corroborating evidence of this event.



She makes numerous entries that make claim to that ring and the aquamarine gems alerting her to the presence of spirits.

Some of these entries read, "This is a secret spell rendering of metal and stone in ancient truth.

It warms on the passing into the spirit world, in the presence of spirits,

And its warmth is a protective ward that will seal a spell cast or break a spell cast upon you."



"The ring was made as a sacramental which endows it with the power to perform minor exorcism in that it repels demonic presence."

"Do not let the diminutive size of this charm cause you to treat it as a novelty.

It contains a powerful enchantment that is invoked in the presence of the dead, spirit, demons, and the energy of what some deem to be magic."



Of Hati's grandfather's aquamarine she writes; "Here is a calming energy that calms, grants strength, and banishes fear.

It is, as its name implies a water elemental stone and as such, lends itself in exorcism.

Demons are unable to lie in its presence and you will find you are able to see through the deceptions of others while wearing it.”



“This stone evokes the purity of the water element. It is relaxing and exhilarating at the same time.

It is soothing energy that cleanses the chakra, and inspires truth in others while maintaining a high level of luck and protection for those that wear it."



“It is influenced by lunar cycles and aids your ability as seer when the moon cycles to full.”

“The stone reacts to breath, and I have used it as a respiratory healer.”

“As a healer, I find it useful in treating all inflammatory disorders that brings a soothing relief to such maladies as hives, psoriasis, eczema, shingles, and rosacea.



This faceted oval aquamarine gemstone was cut from natural aquamarine crystal that was mined in Guadalcázar, Mexico in the 1890s.

The gem is very well cut with excellent brilliance displaying a beautiful pale blue color that is 100% natural.

It has not been heated or treated in any way as indicated by the eye visible inclusions.



Final Commentary:

Concerning these lots are some of the following excerpts from the written statement of one of the principals;

"When we first entered this room we used pocket-led flashlights, commonly known as tactical lights,

This room lit up like a light show as we directed the beams, the three of us said, "Did you see that?" Among other things."



"When we ran 2000 watts of light down there, the lights shut down, period. They just would not work in the room.

We checked the generators and the lights worked fine out of that room, but in it, no go. Regular, battery-operated flashlights went dead in there too, fresh batteries went dead in a second."

To date, Energizer has not responded.



Little more thought was given this until one of us more or less became the caretaker of this lot, more because he was the only one able to get to the warehouse alcove

Where the balance of this estate is kept due to the way we had packed the volume of merchandise that came into the warehouse over the ensuing years.

Although the photographer is no longer commenting on his use of a directed, high-intensity LED and ultra-violet light in taking some of the photographs,

The staff member who retrieved many of these items from "the hole," the warehouse alcove where the balance of the items from this estate are being stored,

Offers some insight as to what has transpired.



"It was typical to be back there and have the power go out, but this can easily be attributed to our weather conditions amid a sorry excuse for a power company,

But I had taken one of my pocket tac lights with me, and the first time I used it back there was, well, nothing short of phenomenal and overwhelming. This is not a joke, they like the light!"



Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi Green Sapphire

Black Pyramid Vèvé Room Find.



Twenty-eight of these bi-color sapphire gems were recovered from a small wood box that was found on the middle shelf of the third pyramid.

Her journals and inventory tell us these were given to her by the 'Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi'.



The Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi:

Her journals and inventory go on to tell us "These are part of the hoard of Bhai Singh Sahib."

The first journal entry concerning this Yogi she names as, "Bhai Singh Sahib" is dated July 13th., 1929

And tells of a young Sikh forced to flee his homeland for religious persecution. He was a Hindu, who was thought to have killed a Nawab.



It is not clear where their introduction was made.

Perhaps in her travels or through an associate, but we can not find any previous mention of,

"The Ayurvedic Kundalini Yogi," as he is named in later entries.



The journal entries concerning Sahib span the four-decade period he essentially spent in exile with those associated with this estate until the time of his death.

"Drawn to our ways he has added his Sikh blood to our line," according to one entry,

Which indicates to us that he took a mistress or wife that bore children during this time,

But this section of journal is badly water-damaged and illegible.



Little detail was found concerning his life prior to shutting himself in this estate for forty years for the most part.

There are numerous reference to his having been taught by Sant Hazara Singh of fame, but we have not been able to corroborate this.

In a detailed journal entry that pertains to his exile she relates his story she claims had been told to her directly from Sahib.

It began in December of 1928 and ended in the Himalayas of Northern India in January, of 1929.



"The eldest son of the Nawab had kidnapped, raped, and murdered my sister, but vengeance was not to be mine.

He fled into the mountains with a small retainer that I managed to kill in three ambushes, yet in each instance, the young Nawab escaped.

This vendetta-fueled chase took us deep into the mountains and sixteen days had now elapsed when I spotted his campfire in the valley below.

Taking refuge in a cave I prepared myself for the final pre-dawn assault in which I meant to take his life.



I would estimate no more than three hours had elapsed when I heard his screams in the night which I assumed to be his night terrors caused by his insidious deeds.

As it played out I was not far from wrong. A Red Bear bore on his camp and dragged him away screaming which was the commotion I heard.

It took three days to find where the bear had cached his remains in the snow having first eaten nearly the entire trunk and the face of the Nawab.

I scavenged the sight taking his flesh meat, bone, his misbaha, rings, and his knife. I am of course now hunted in exile for the bear's work."



She goes on to note that he claims to have eaten the flesh and fashioned the bone of the young Nawab into talismans,

And that the lapis lazuli beads taken from the three misbaha recovered from the scene by Sahib were later used in many of their prayer bead bracelets.

The bone pieces were fashioned into unusual skull beads made from the knuckles, elbows, and femurs of the Nawab.



We're sure he fit right in!



There is also strong indication that this Yogi was a member of her "Zuvembie," a secret, in-house sect of what were essentially thugs or assassins she gathered to do her will.

They obviously thought highly of him as his funeral ceremony is detailed from the bathing and clothing of his body to the cremation ceremony where,

"Kirtan Sohila, the nighttime prayer was recited and Ardas offered which induced a feeling of detachment as the flames took his body,

To the ashes being disposed of by immersing them in the Miami River and the non-continuous reading of the entire Sri Guru Granth Sahib

That was timed to conclude on the tenth day marking the end of the mourning period.



Another entry reads, "he was a passionate healer whose works stimulate the Kundalini through the activation of the Coccygeal Chakra."



The Gem:

Although there is no history of these stones prior to coming to this estate, her journals tell us Bhai Singh Sahib had brought a fortune in gems with him,

And that he was very generous with them, especially with the women associated with this estate.

She also tells us he received parcels from India on a regular basis which we believe contained gems.



This Bi-Color Green Sapphire Gem is one of the twenty-eight.

It is a faceted oval gemstone of natural bi-color sapphire material of very good cut with zoned deep to pale green colors with eye-visible inclusions.

It was assuredly cut in India and it has not been heated or treated in any way.



It measures approximately 6.35 x 4.9 x 4.7625 mm, 1.19 ct.



She makes numerous references to these stones with journal entries that read;

"An intuit stone attuned to the flow of life. It is a calming and centering stone that is full of happiness.

Their energies bring contentment while attracting prosperity and the fulfillment of one's dreams.

They have been successfully used to scry for and enhance psychic ability with all feminine energies."



Rosicrucian Magus Wake Blue Zircon

Séance Spirit Reading Room Find.



This is one of one hundred and eight assorted gemstones found with a like number of Sarira that resided in a cut crystal reliquary

Which their journals tell us were "useful tools that we have called upon for guidance when dealing with the recent dead at the speaking table,"

Which we recovered from the Main Séance, Reading Room.



The Reading Room was a commercial endeavor that had a wealthy following and is where many of the major séances of this estate were conducted.

Many, if not all of her associates worked these rooms, conducting séances, card readings, and numerous forms of divination for their clientele.

Apparently, this was a lucrative endeavor, as it remained active for over six decades.



Her journals list a host of well-known psychics, mediums, and other celebrities that would make guest appearances and that these events were booked to capacity well in advance.



Sarira by the way, refers to Holy Cremation Relics which are pearl or crystal-bead-like objects that are found among the cremated ashes of Buddhist spiritual masters.

Relics of the Buddha after cremation are termed dhatu in the Mahaparinibbana Sutta. Sarira are held to emanate or incite 'blessings' and 'grace' within the mindstream

And experience of those connected to them. Sarira are also believed to ward off evil.



Her journals also list a host of well-known psychics and mediums that would make guest appearances and that these events were booked to capacity well in advance.

Her journaled inventory tells us,



"the speaking tables have been gathered here along with other vessels and tools found to contain active and permanently attached spirits that add to the ambiance of these rooms." Ya think?

She goes on to describe these items as being used in conjunction with slabs of rhodonite, onyx, and obsidian with applied gold leaf to the edges

And mounted with carved skulls of semiprecious stones that were usually further decorated with cut gemstone eyes.



She instructs us to hold and carry the gems they have specified (which were often set into jewelry)

"By placing one's fingertips on the table or skull, or as a receptacle to place an item related to your loved one or answers you might seek.

Divinations are granted to the petitioner directly or through these articles."



They claim to have used these tools in their divinations asserting to be given insight to the past, present, and future and to have received spirit guidance and intervention on behalf of their clients.



The Gem:

She goes on to tell us of this 9.525 x 7.9375 x 4.765 mm, 3.35 ct., electric blue zircon faceted oval gem

Was reclaimed from a ring she had stolen from the dead body of a stranger during their wake ceremony!



The ring being referenced here is one of the many items her journals indicate had been stolen from deceased Rosicrucians at their wake services.

Apparently, if she had some time on her hands she would scan the obituaries wherever she might happen to be, in search of Rosicrucian wake viewings

And attend them with the intent of stealing something from the body of the deceased, usually jewelry, especially if she felt they had any mystical powers.

According to these journal entries, she also found amusement in seducing one, or more of the mourners with the intent of being caught in a compromising position.



Although she disliked this group in particular she would apparently also do these things for sport.

She felt that any of the items they were laid out with that had any metaphysical power would be denied to them in the next life and that she would benefit from this power.



Her notes indicate that the subject ring was one of the two taken in Los Angeles, California, in 1960.

She notes that she was in New Mexico when she heard of this particular death and immediately changed her itinerary to go to the wake of this "Magus Reptilian Half-breed"

She so names as Harold M. Lewis.



She also notes that this was one of two such gems set into the ring worn on his left-hand ring finger which she had no difficulty in removing,

As opposed to the deceased's pinky ring which she tells of in a journal entry that reads,

"I gave it a tug and it (the finger) just fell off," indicating she took the pinky along with the ring!

Our recovery of these items from the estate substantiates this claim.



The gem is of fine cut and electric blue color with eye-visible inclusions that guarantee a natural, untreated stone.



Umbanda Spirit Medium's Amethyst Gem

Black Pyramid Vèvé Room Find.



Her journals tell us this 20.65 x 12.7 x 9.525 mm, 11.92ct., faceted pear cut amethyst gem, is one of five gems cut from a specimen

She obtained from an Umbanda Spirit Medium, met in Uruguay during her 1947 visit.



A temple spiritual leader known as, "mãe-de-santo" (mother of saint), who she claims,

"was an adept medium able to bridge the physical and the spiritual worlds."



She writes of visiting her temple as a welcome guest five times over a seven-day period where she witnessed her teaching her initiates,

Many of whom displayed psychic abilities themselves, in the ways of Umbanda.



She also describes the Umbanda Temple as "A makeshift structure of little difference to the housing in her town save

For the hand-painted plank of wood that was hung over the entrance bearing the name of the temple."



She goes on to note of the charitable works provided by this woman and her group such as volunteer assistance to orphanages and medical clinics,

Aiding in the distribution of medicine and providing care for the elderly and infirm, often opening her meager home to them.

Her notes also tell of her providing a $10,000.00 cash donation to this temple for their good works.



That is equivalent to $141,526.91 today!



She goes on to describe the Wednesday night ceremonies that began with offerings of wine, fruit, popcorn, cider and cigarettes to the spirits.

Each spirit individually receiving a proper offering and rite.



We quote from these notes,



"She then led the congregation in song and dance which was followed by drinking hard cider and cigar smoking.

She, being separated from the congregation by a small white wood fence. As the congregation became immersed in the singing and dancing,

Many suddenly became possessed by spirits, acting and speaking in personas other than their own."



"Those who became possessed were recognized as having psychic power and, after the ceremony were invited to become initiates.

She herself however sang and danced through the night without experiencing possession although she did appear to be in a trance state which was surely caused by cachaça intoxication."



Another entry reads;



"During a private meeting she produced amethyst in which she was able to invoke Father Olorum for guidance

To help her ease the troubles of her people such as money matters, sickness, marital strife and trouble with the authorities."



She claims this gem was cut from those same amethyst specimen which was gifted to her upon her departure.

Of this amethyst she writes, "having invoked the supreme being it has had the breath of life upon it

Which has caused it to contain as soothing, healing energy that readily transfer to all that hold and peer into it."



It is a flawless faceted pear cut amethyst gemstone of fine cut and deep purple color. Whoever the gem cutter was, he did some masterful work.

Although the cut of the gem is not attributed in her journals or inventory, we assume it was cut by a New York practitioner, and follower, she names as,

"Jew George", who had been used extensive by her long time friend Maya Deren, who had introduced them.



Brazilian Shaman's Paths of the Dead Sorceress Amethyst Transfiguration Gem

Black Pyramid Vèvé Room Find.



This is one of the stones she had cut, by one of her New Orleans practitioner, follower, makers in 1962/63.

She writes of it being hand picked and of inducing it with spells or "charging" it as she called her ritual inducements.



She also writes, "the most powerful of the amethyst sources we have found. When excavating the stones and breaking them open I felt contentment as never before.

The jewelry and talisman I have made these into have benefited my own meditations and their shielding powers have proven effective in warding off negative energies

While attracting and amplifying positive ones.  They have been very effective in healing my clients suffering with sadness and grief."



Paths of the Dead Sorceress:

Her journals also tell us, it is one of the gems she had cut in duplicate. These gems are said to each have a duplicate, which her journals indicate their manufacture and use

Was specific as, "a protective transfiguration talisman" which would shield her from the spells of a powerful dead sorceress

That she had initially been unsuccessful in her attempts to bring to the physical world and control using amethyst stones.

The companion gems are said to be in this sorceresses possession to this day.



She writes of these encounters, "The many years now invested in these talisman have proven worthwhile.

Attempts to control this woman would have been the end of me had it not been for their protection.

Her spells take my breath and nearly shattered many charged stones."



There are many more entries of her encounters with this sorceress and her continued attempts to control her spirit and vice versa.

She also notes of conducting ceremonies in tribute to this sorceress in order to gain her favor and claims she has caused her to have,

"Taken from the paths of the dead to walk among us."

 

She makes numerous entries that claim she was able, "through magic and talisman to allow our living souls to take up residence

In what is known as material bodies in our respective realms. Hers in mine and mine in hers."

 

"A royal color composed of innumerable strands of light unfolds, connecting our hearts.

This is one third of the substance of our living souls that conjoins during this transfiguration

And is the substance that forms what is known to her as her physical body in her realm."

 

"This is a practice of high magic that creates a catalyst conjoinment of two vastly different concepts of materialism and atomic structure,

Xreating, in essence, a new common substance that is not common to either plane of existence.

Its vibrations create a state of dual existence between our worlds. Once complete,

This transfiguration raises the vibrational tone of my own body to that of hers,

Bathing us in the light of our savior, Jesus Christ."

 

"It does seem to calm her during invocation to allow open communication" claiming,

"our shared existence on this plane will last up to an hour before her attention wanes."



It was once a flawless, 12.72 ct., faceted emerald cut amethyst gemstone of fine cut and medium purple color.



A staff member who retrieved the items from this estate from what we had affectionately named, "the hole" in our Broward County warehouse,

Claims to have encountered this sorceress on numerous occasions and cautions to this day:



"She is an easily riled neutral force that does not wish to take side or participate in our dealings,

But can be appeased somewhat through flattery

And was getting communicative, showing interest in our technology." 



As stated above, this gem was once flawless, and her statement "Her spells take my breath and nearly shattered many charged stones." 

She goes on to tell us this sorceress manifested a portal through an internal flaw in the stone which she was able to project herself into this reality

Creating an etched profile of her into the pavilion of the gem!



Aunt Nadiene's Thai 22k White Gold Vermeil Aquamarine Bracelet

Séance Spirit Reading Room Find.



This is one of the few remaining of the two hundred and twelve assorted lots of Thai gemstone jewelry

That were recovered from a jewelry salesman's sample case sitting on the floor in the storage closet that served her main séance and reading room.



They also tell us the bracelet shown and described here is one of many her Aunt Nadiene had made for her by a Thai jeweler of Chanthaburi beginning in 1956/57.

This jeweler had copied a handful of gold and gemstone rings in vermeil, many of which were gifted and inherited by her.

While there, she purchased a sizable quantity of jewelry from at least four of the area's jewelers to be sent home for resale to their clients.

Often times claiming to cast spells or attach spirits to a selected piece of jewelry at a client's request.



Aunt Nadiene:

Although not a blood Aunt, she had been "taken into the fold as a child found" by her "mother" as she was said to refer to Marie Glapion.

Further chronological investigation revealed her to be the daughter of a prostitute that was in her mother's (Marie Glapion) employ.

Other notes found might lead one to believe her mother was an Algul. Described as a vampiric jinn-like creature they claimed to have encountered in remote desert regions.



Our own research has not revealed very much other than Algul literally translates to "horse-leech," or "blood-sucking Jinn."

An example was found in the 'Thousand and One Nights' as Amine. Although a drinker of blood, it is a Jinn, or demon that was never human.

Unkillable by most means, it can be destroyed by fire and sometimes magic. Most inhabited unchartable regions of desert, but oil production has driven them from their homes

And she claims "They live among us, posing no threat to adults save sexual fulfillment, but they must be watched around children and livestock."



It is not clear if Aunt Nadiene was abandoned by her mother or if the mother died, orphaning the girl,

But she was apparently treated and referred to as a family member, indoctrinated along with her "niece"

And for many years she was her traveling companion and guardian.

Her journals note of Aunt Nadiene's passing in 1966.



She also notes of wearing Aunt Nadiene's jewelry, "Connected to her so closely in life, it awakens psychic qualities with a feeling of devotional joy to wear them."

Other journal entries allege incidents of Aunt Nadiene, "owl shape-shifting," claiming the Great Horned Owl as being her spirit guide or token spirit animal,

And because of this, her taking due care in the handling of owls in her bird and reptile ceremonies,

Not submitting them to the torturous ceremonial deaths many other species endured during these ceremonies.

She notes of a number of dreams in which a Great Horned Owl wearing her aunt's jewelry would appear to her.

They also go into detail of her gazing into her stones (spheres), to draw upon Aunt Nadiene's power to help her in this life.



The Bracelet. Its Components and Commentary:

Examination reveals a well-made link bracelet setting displaying twenty-four, 3.2 x 6 mm faceted pear aquamarine gems, which have all been prong set and are further described below.

We believe the these pieces of jewelry to have been catalog items among the jewelers of Chanthaburi with the options being choice of metals and gemstones.

Chanthaburi is a well-known center of semi-precious stones and jewelry.

It was once famous for its ruby and sapphire mines, but most of Chanthaburi's mines have been mined out since the 1980s.

Today it is an industry leader in colored stone processing, including gemstone treatments, enhancements, cutting, and polishing.

Nearly 70% of the world's entire supply of rubies and sapphires pass through Chanthaburi.

Their journals tell us these pieces of jewelry were chosen for their design and combinations of metal and gemstones.



The Aquamarine Gems:

The gems are of fine cut and color and view mostly eye-clean to flawless, all displaying an abundance of flash.

Some of her notes concerning aquamarine read; "these stones were woven of ancient spells."



"Enhancers of psychic power that have proven to be excellent cleansers and purifiers.

I have successfully used them in rituals to promote health

And in calming those that were emotionally distraught as it promotes peace, happiness, and joy."



"Ancient spell work, granting foresight and soothing psychic dreams have been woven into their energies.

When worn for long periods they regenerate my youth and balance my physical and non-physical self while enhancing my psychic powers.

It removes negative energies and brings in the positive from the stones it is with It is a mineral of spirituality, understanding, and attunement."Gemstones & Crystals 2/2

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Article Transcripts • Documentation

Posted a year ago

This entry contains the transcripts of every article acquired thus far.

Local Pittsburgh articles were acquired at the Detre archives at the Heinz History Center on July 27th, 2024.

For more information on a major synchronistic discovery during this research trip please go here.
KING ALBERT IN AMERICA.

The First Authentic Account of His Stay in the United States.



It was on March 8, 1898, that a tall, rather angular young man of twenty-three landed in the port of New York from the steamship Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse.

The visitor, who traveled incognito under the name of Count de Rethey-was in fact Prince Albert of the Belgians, heir presumptive to the throne of King Leopold II.

King Albert, who is today the most picturesque figure alive, was born in 1875, but it was not until his sixteenth year that he had been brought in sight of the crown.

Earlier in his life three persons had stood between him and the headship of the nation;



(1) his cousin, the Crown Prince (the Count of Hainault, son of Leopold, the then reigning monarch);

(2) his father (the Count of Flanders); and (3) his brother (Prince Baudoin).



Through the elimination of these three men by death he found himself (in 1909) face to face with a vastly transformed destiny

And his future subjects began to inquire what manner of man he was likely to turn out.

Much to their relief the more they discovered about him the more reason they had to be proud and satisfied.

Thoroughly democratic in his relations with the people, and speaking Flemish the tongue of one-half of the nation

-As fluently as he did French - the speech of the other half - his popularity had grown steadily from 1891,

When, at the age of sixteen, he had taken his place in the upper house of the Belgian Legislature.



The main reason of his American visit at the age of twenty-three-lay in his desire to see for himself how this country was getting on;

To discover what might be learned from us and applied in the case of the industrial Belgium which he had explored from one end to the other.

There was also a political reason. He was curious about our national and State governments.

Like the rest of his countrymen, he could not forget that the abortive Belgian revolution of 1788, looking to a free and strong Federation,

Had for its object the establishment of "The United States of Belgium," a government modeled on the United States of America.



The Prince's suite consisted of his aide-de-camp, his physician, his former tutor, and two servants.

The Prince looked rather embarrassed when General Merritt - representing President McKinley - with the Belgian Minister at Washington and the Belgian Consul General at New York,

Appeared at the dock to conduct him to the Waldorf Hotel. He soon let it be known, with good-tempered firmness, that he wanted to be left to his own devices;

That he could find his way about and that, as far as it was in his power, he proposed to enjoy all the freedom of an American while he was in America.

One thing above all he refused even to think of, was the offer by the Government of an army officer to accompany him on his wanderings.



Of course, he paid a formal visit to Mr. McKinley and dined at the White House.

But this and a dinner given by the Belgian Minister were the only strictly official affairs at which he was present in America.

He took his meals in the public dining room of his hotel, strolled about the streets, visited Grant's Tomb, watched the brokers from the gallery of the Stock Exchange,

Lunched at the Lawyers' Club, saw a dress parade of the Seventh Regiment, inspected the dry dock at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, and examined a monitor - The Terror - at Tompkinsville.



In Washington and New York, he made friends with a goodly number of newspaper reporters.

In fact, he relied, all through his visit, on American reporters to let him know what he ought to see and do.

As one them put it to the writer: "He never gave himself airs! He had an easy American way with him, and he never showed himself bored."



The Prince had a practical interest in newspapers. He once started a publication to advocate the building up of a Belgian Merchant Marine and wrote many articles for it himself.

Hence, no doubt originated the report that at one time in his career, he had held a place on the staff of an Antwerp journal.

As a matter of fact, he was a mere boy when he succeeded his dead brother as heir to the throne,

And immediately set to work at a desk in the Foreign Office at Brussels and in the War School of the Capital

To fit himself for the headship of the Monarchy so long administered by Leopold II. and, before that, by Leopold I.



One thing that helped him to do as he wished, while he was in this country, was the fact that we were all occupied with the problem of the Spanish War,

And, as he spoke English with no perceptible accent, he was as able to escape notice in mixed companies and pick up all sorts of information from casual strangers,

Who liked him instinctively, perhaps because of his modesty and good nature.



The Prince went to Boston and started from there on the tour which took him to the Pacific Coast.

His inspection of several railroad systems was made under the guidance of Mr. J. J. Hill, whom he visited in St. Paul.

Experts were surprised to find that this quiet young sprig of royalty was as familiar with the structure of locomotives as if he had been bred to the business.

Machinery had always been a passion with him. For part of the journey he was in the cab with the engineer and took his place at the throttle.

He explained that it was no new experience as he had run trains on several occasions in his own country.



In the course of his wanderings, he inspected the power stations at Niagara Falls, the Pittsburgh Steel Works,

A great variety of oil fields, cities, and all the agricultural or trade schools that came in his way.

A number of our Universities were visited by him, the living quarters and the athletic fields attracting his special attention.

It was at Harvard, when introduced by Dr. Eliot to a student's room, that the Prince remarked, on seeing a group of American women:

"You have some very beautiful women in your country. I have heard them praised, but everywhere I am learning that this praise is justified."



It was at Newport, where he rested and enjoyed himself after his travels, and where he visited Mrs. Potter Palmer, that he made himself at home in society,

Leaving a splendid impression due to his affability and unaffected charm. It was at Newport that he broke a heart or two.

In one case, in particular, he took a great fancy to a young American girl - now the wife of a diplomat in the United States service -

And he continued for a year or more to send her souvenirs and postal cards from Belgium.



He returned to New York on June 15, where he went to Madame Dupont's and had his photograph taken.

He was delighted with his visit, and declared with emphasis, "I have never seen in all my life so many beautiful women as I have seen in America."

A real compliment, as the women of Belgium maintain a high average of good looks.



A characteristic story is told about his return journey from New York.

Two cabins of the steamship Friesland had been knocked into one and elaborately decorated for his use.

But he refused to avail himself of the well-meant attention of the steamship company, saying that he would feel more at ease in a plain, simple room, and such a one he occupied.

On the way across the Atlantic, he was the least troublesome passenger aboard, making friends with everybody, from the children in the steerage to the loungers in the smoking room.

In his manner, there was no affectation. He has always regarded himself as a comrade of his country's soldiers

And as a fellow toiler with cabinet officers, legislators, and every citizen who is working for the welfare of his nation.



If he longed for any prominence it was to be considered a worthy successor to such men as Charles Rogier, Frère Orban, and other men of that type,

Who had left their mark on the face of his land in an industrial way.



How incredulous Americans would have been if in 1898 some prophet had told them that Prince Albert,

Who seemed to be interested mainly in powerhouses and rolling mills, in dairies and artificial fertilizers, fertilize in agricultural and trade schools;

Would someday, as the head of a little nation of seven million souls, effectually check the onset of the greatest war machine of modern times,

A war machine which had been improving steadily from the day when William I., surrounded by the sovereigns of the Empire, had re-entered Berlin in triumph,

Fresh from the conquest of France and the destruction of Napoleon III.



If King Albert had flinched at the critical moment in the present war; if he had saved Belgium from ravage, but destroyed her freedom;

If he had regarded the fundamental instrument of her very existence as a "scrap of paper"; the whole gigantic struggle would have taken on a different aspect.

But he was equal to the task, and his great soul never faltered.



Soon after he got back to Belgium from America he made a visit to the Belgian Colonies - particularly the Congo -

And suggested reforms in administration and management which did credit to him as a statesman and a sound economist.

It was, however, only after he had ascended the throne, that he was able to make his ideas on the subject of Colonial policy really effectual.

King Albert ascended the throne in December 1909. After almost five years of peaceful rule came the tearing up, by Germany, of the "scrap of paper."



That document was nothing less than the guarantee of Belgium's neutrality, "The Treaty of Eighteen Articles," signed, on June 26, 1831, by the Five Powers,

- England, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia; - strengthened, in 1839, by a definitive Treaty which brought Holland into the solemn pact, and formally acknowledged in 1870,

When Prussia and France scrupulously refrained from violating Belgium's neutrality, in spite of urgent military necessities.

What Bismarck and Von Moltke didn't do, Emperor William II. did. The "perpetual neutrality" of Belgium, attested by Prussia, became of no account whatever.



When the German Minister at Brussels handed to the Belgian Government the ultimatum of Sunday, August 2, 1914,

Demanding the passage through Belgium of a German army, it was promptly rejected by King Albert, after consultation with his Parliament, as an insult to his race.

He could do nothing else if he would keep his country independent. For, when the Five Powers guaranteed, in 1831, the existence of the Kingdom,

It was not only on condition that Belgium should remain neutral but also that the nation should be prepared, at all times, to resist any Power which might attempt to violate her neutrality.



It was because of his keen sense, from the first, of this solemn obligation that King Albert was ready at once to put his army in the field,

And that his troops gave such an account of themselves as astonished the whole world;

Affording the French and the British time to mobilize, and upsetting all the long-matured plans of Berlin for a rapid thrust to the westward,

To end - as the General Staff thought - with the rapid capture of Paris and the collection of an enormous indemnity.



If the sympathy of the world has gone out to King Albert, his Queen, Elisabeth, daughter of the ducal man of science, Charles of Bavaria, has not been forgotten.

She married the King in 1900, two years after his return from America. She is a heroic figure. A trained physician, she has proved herself perfectly at home in the field hospitals.

She has refused to leave her husband, going, by his side, close to the firing line. No dangers fright her and no labors tire.

She will share the noble place in twentieth-century history already assured to her husband.



The breaking of blood ties in Europe that has marked this war is indicated by the fact that in one of the bombardments - Antwerp -

The brother of Queen Elisabeth was serving with the troops whose heavy guns were trained on the retreat of his own sister and her three young children.

Albert of the Belgians has won as certainly the begrudged respect of his enemies, as the enthusiastic admiration of the active and neutral friends of his country.

Not his bravery, or grit, as a soldier-though those qualities he has abundantly have made his fame secure. Courage of the physical sort is a common thing.

No doubt the vast majority of the millions engaged on both sides have it, and to spare.

It is necessary to look in another direction for an explanation of this King's preëminence as a world figure.



The Belgians will insist, no doubt, on calling him "Albert the Great," and all disinterested persons will unite with the Belgians in so doing.

But whereas that designation, as applied to the successful Chief of State,

Has usually suggested national self-consciousness and even selfishness, In the present case, it will be quite different.



Czar Peter was named "The Great" by Catherine II - note the "second" - because of what he had done for Russia.

Frederick became "The Great" because he made Prussia something vastly more than the obscure state he found it.

Napoleon is "The Great" because he upset all of Europe, to the honor and glory of France.



The German Emperor William I. was labelled "The Great" by his grandson William II. - again note the "second" -

In order to slight Bismarck, and suggest, at the same time, the importance of what had been accomplished

When the Hohenzollerns became assured overlords of what had been the North German Federation,

Now turned into a modern and improved version of the Empire of Charlemagne.



But Albert of the Belgians will be "The Great," not for what he did for the Belgians - fine as that was - but for what he did for the world.

If the map of Europe is to be of many colors, and not of one color only, the credit must always be his.

If the "Family of Nations" is to continue as a legal, civilized idea, and an obstacle to the theory that all is fair in war, he is solely to be praised for it.



If International Law has been rescued from the blood-and-iron scrap heap, it was his strong hand that drew it forth. To accomplish all this it was necessary for him.

To put in jeopardy his own life and the life of his Queen; to risk the future of his three children; to give over his peaceful and peace-loving country to heart-breaking ruin;

To invite the destruction of every beautiful city in the land, and of every institution, from ancient Louvain to the newest Belgian agricultural school.

It was a case of opening the dikes. But the flood that was let in was not the sea, but a horde of invaders bent on destruction,

And equipped for the enterprise with the most terrible and merciless weapons.



A flamboyant general once signed a despatch, "From 'headquarters in the saddle." King Albert would have been justified, many times,

In dating messages from "The Belgian Capital in a Motor Car." From Brussels to Antwerp, from Antwerp to Ostend, from Ostend to the line of the Allies across the French border.

He has time and again been forced to change the seat of his Government. Belgium only wanted to be let alone. She is not looking for territorial gains in the war which was thrust upon her.

So far as is possible, she is to be restored through a huge indemnity to her original prosperous condition, even if her ruined cities cannot be made what they were.



England, Russia, and France are pledged to exact the utmost farthing of what is owing to her.

This is no mere debt of honor, no chivalrous resolve, but an acknowledgment of benefits received.

French civilization is intact today because the Belgians stood in the way of the destroyer who said "France must go."



Owing to the almost equal division of King Albert's country into Flemish and French-speaking people, the national parties are balanced.

If Belgium were to receive in the final settlement a slice of German territory, north of Alsace-Lorraine and west of the Rhine,

The result would be to introduce a Teutonic element into politics which might upset the existing balance.



A recent drawing has pictured King Albert standing in the midst of his desolated, violated, and burning country.

All around him are dying soldiers, ruins, smoke, and famine. The German Emperor is standing beside him and whispering in his ear:

"There! You see! You have lost everything." To which King Albert makes reply: "I have not lost my soul."



The Pittsburgh Post. February 13th 1898:



Prince Albert of Belgium, the nephew of King Leopold, of Belgium, and heir presumptive to the Belgian throne,

Will accompany his uncle to the Riviera on board the steam yacht Mayflower,

Formerly the property of the late Ogden Goelet, of New York, but recently purchased by his majesty.



The prince will then start for the United States. From one of the aides-de-camp of the king,

A correspondent of the Associated Press learns that the program of the prince's tour is very long.

He means to see almost every part of the United States from New York to California, New Orleans, and Florida,

And as far north as Seattle and Portland, and back through Canada to St. Johns.



The prince has already decided just what he will visit in each city. At Washington, for example, he will go to the Soldier's home at Mt. Vernon and the Cavalry schools.

The prince will also visit Boston, Bar Harbor, Lenox, Niagara, Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul, Minneapolis, Duluth, St. Louis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Pittsburg,

Oil City, Salt Lake City, Denver, Colorado Springs, Yellowstone Park, and numerous other cities.



The report that the prince intends to consult President McKinley regarding Congo affairs is unfounded.



Pittsburgh Post Gazette. March 3rd 1898:



BELGIAN PRINCE COMING.

Will Study American Methods of Government and Industry.



London, March 2.

Prince Albert of Belgium embarked for America today on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Grosse, at Southampton,

Accompanied by Col Jungblutte, Dr. Melts, his private physician, and two servants.



Col. Jungblutte said that the tour of the prince was more for study than pleasure.

He expects to study the United States government methods, to visit the factories, mines, and farms.

And to observe the people of the United States In their habits, thoughts, and manner of living, all of which, he added, would be useful for the prince's future.

The colonel said the prince had not given a thought to the social phase of his trip and had not decided whether he would or would not travel incognito.



The Pittsburgh Press. March 8th 1898:



PRINCE ALBERT ARRIVES.

Heir to Belgium's Throne Welcomed by Gen. Merritt.



News Publishers' Press Dispatch.



New York, March 8.

Prince Albert, heir to the throne of Belgium, arrived this morning on the steamer Kaiser Wilhelm Der Grosse.

The prince was welcomed to this city by Gen. Wesley Merritt, in behalf of President McKinley.

The general went down the bay to meet him in the revenue cutter Hudson.



Count De Lichtervelde, the British minister to the United States, went with Gen. Merritt to personally receive the young man, who will someday be his king, if he lives.

Prince Albert's visit forms part of a tour of the world. He will visit Washington, where he expects to stay about a week, and then make an extended trip through the states.



The Pittsburgh Post. March 10th 1898:



Belgian Prince Shows Democratic Tastes in New York.



New York, March 9.

Prince Albert Leopold of Belgium, who arrived in New York Tuesday, will leave for Washington tomorrow morning.

A dinner will be given in his honor Friday night by President McKinley at the White House,

And Saturday night another dinner in his honor will be given by Vice President Hobart.



After spending a few days in the National capital the prince will return to New York.

The second day of the Prince in the United States was as democratic as the first.

He roamed unrecognized through the lobbies of the Waldorf-Astoria.



The prince later visited the stock exchange, produce exchange and Equitable building,

After which he took luncheon in the Lawyers' club as the guest of Frederic Coudert.

Belgian Consul Charles Mali gave a dinner to the prince tonight.



The Pittsburgh Post. March 11th 1898:



PRINCE ALBERT AT THE CAPITAL.

Will Be Entertained by President McKinley Tonight.



Washington, March 10.

Prince Albert of Belgium reached here from New York this afternoon, accompanied by the Belgian minister, Count Lichtervelde,

Lieutenant Colonel Jungbluth of the Belgian army, his aid de camp, and the court physician, Dr. Charles Melis.

The prince is quartered at the Arlington Hotel. He dined informally tonight with the Belgian minister at the Metropolitan club.



Tomorrow morning he will meet President McKinley and tomorrow night will be entertained at dinner by the President and Mrs. McKinley.

Saturday night he will be the guest at a dinner given by Vice President and Mrs. Hobart.



The Pittsburgh Press. March 11th 1898:



MCKINLEY SAW PRINCE ALBERT.

Lunched Him and Then Went Driving With Him.



News Publishers' Press Dispatch.



Washington, March 11.

Prince Albert of Belgium, accompanied by Col. Bingham, in full uniform, was driven in the president's carriage to the private entrance to the white house at noon today.

In a second carriage were Count Lichtervelde, the Belgian minister: Dr. Charles Mells, and Lieut. Col. Jungbluth, of the Belgian army.

After President McKinley had shaken hands with the prince they partook of a small luncheon, which had been set in the corridor, and afterward took a drive together.



Pittsburgh Post Gazette. March 15th 1898:



DINNER TO PRINCE ALBERT.

Vice-President and Mrs. Hobart Give an Entertainment.



'Washington, D.C., March 14.

A series of entertainments in honor of Prince Albert of Belgium came to an end this evening with the reception by the vice-president and Mrs. Hobart,

When between 200 and 300 guests were presented to the prince. The reception was preceded by a dinner.



During the dinner, the Hungarian band, brought from New York for the evening, was stationed in an alcove of the library and played the national hymn of Belgium,

Following with "America" and the national airs of Great Britain, Germany, and France, in compliment to the ambassadors from those nations, who were present.



The Pittsburgh Press. March 15th 1898:



PRINCE ALBERT COMING.

He is Expected to Attend the Chamber of Commerce Banquet.



There was joy at the chamber of commerce this morning when the word came that Prince Albert,

The heir-apparent to the Belgian throne would more than likely be present at the banquet on Saturday evening.



As it was known that he meant to be in this city about that date an invitation was extended to him.

Vice Consul Schneider heartily backed up the Chamber of Commerce's step

And the Belgian minister at Washington hold out a strong hope of the prince's ultimate acceptance.



There is scarcely one prominent financial gentleman likely to be absent from the meeting on Saturday.

They are especially grateful for the work it has accomplished on behalf of sound money

And regard the bringing of Secretary Gage here as the climax of the efforts of the chamber.



Regarded from all points it is now certain that the banquet on Saturday evening

Will be without a parallel as far as -atory and the tickets are concerned.



The Pittsburgh Press. March 17th 1898:



NEARLY ALL THE TICKETS SOLD.

Prince Albert of Belgium May be a Guest.



Everything is now in order for the banquet of the Chamber of Commerce at the Duquesne Club on Saturday evening.

The number of tickets sold has exceeded that of any previous banquet and it is expected that by tomorrow the few remaining seats will be disposed of.



No definite promise has been received from Washington concerning Prince Albert, of Belgium.

The information Superintendent Anderson has received is, that if the prince can conclude his business engagements at the capital in time

He will come right on to Pittsburg and be present at the meeting of the most representative men of the district.



The dinner, which, as will be seen from the menu which follows, will be one of the finest ever prepared in Pittsburg, will be served promptly at 7 o'clock.

Prior to that, however, an opportunity will be given members and friends to meet the distinguished guests in the club library, where an informal reception will be held.



The Pittsburgh Press. May 26th 1898:



TRAVELING INCOG.

Prince Albert of Hamburg Seeing Some Pittsburg Sights.



Pittsburg will have for its guest for a day his Royal Highness, Prince Albert, of Belgium, and party, who are making a pleasure and educational tour of the United States.

The prince is traveling Incog, and thus far has had an opportunity of obtaining a vast amount of information in regard to the wonderful resources and extent of the country.

During his stay here he will visit the Carnegie company's plants, at Homestead, Duquesne, and Braddock, and the Westinghouse electric and airbrake plants at East Pittsburg.



It may be that plants in other lines of business may be visited, but at those mentioned, he will find sufficient of interest to occupy an entire day.

The prince has been greatly impressed with what he has seen during his tour, and it is a compliment to Pittsburg that he should arrange his program

So as to visit representative plants of a city which Andrew Carnegie says is to be the great manufacturing center of the future.



Prince Albert and party will be the guests of Mr. and Mrs. George Westinghouse for dinner, but it will be in no sense a social function.

The visits to Homestead and Westinghouse plants will be made tomorrow and the visitors will leave on a night train.



Pittsburgh Post Gazette. May 27th 1898:



ROYALTY ON A VISIT.

PRINCE ALBERT, HEIR TO THE BELGIAN THRONE, IN THE CITY.

He Is the Guest of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Westinghouse - Dinner and Reception Given in His Honor Last Evening.



His Royal Highness, Prince Albert of Belgium, arrived in this city last night from St. Louis to visit Pittsburgh.

The young prince has been in this country for several weeks for the purpose of studying the people and the resources of this nation.

It was announced previous to his coming over, that the city of Pittsburgh would be one of the places he intended to visit,

And when Mr. and Mrs. Westinghouse heard of his Intentions they extended invitations to his royal highness and suite to be their guests while here.



The prince and his party arrived at the Union depot at 6:40 o'clock last night where he was received by Mr. Westinghouse

And conducted to the Westinghouse residence at Homewood, where a small dinner party was given in his honor.

In addition to those invited to dinner, about 100 Invitations were extended for the reception, which followed afterward.



Prince Albert has preferred to travel with little publicity in order to devote his time.

The better to such subjects as may give him a proper idea of the vastness and the magnitude of the resources which this country possesses.

It has been his wish that no elaborate public functions should be given in his honor, and in this respect, his wishes have been most generally observed.



The following were the guests present at the dinner given in honor of the prince:

His Royal Highness, Prince Albert of Belgium. Lieut. Col. Jungbluth. Dr. Melis. Mr. Conseiller Joostens. Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Westinghouse.

Dr. Stewart, Mr. H. C. Frick, Mr. and Mrs. В. Н. Warren, Mr. and Mrs. H. Kirke Porter, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wood. Judge Buffington, Miss Florence Alken,

Miss Rachel Alken. Miss Mary Baggaley, Miss McConway. Mrs. Frank Moore, Miss Margaret Thaw. Mrs. Dr. Holland and Mr. and Mrs. George Westinghouse.



The distinguished guest and his party will visit the works of the Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company.

The Westinghouse Machine Company and the Westinghouse Airbrake Company this morning,

And in the afternoon they will visit the Carnegie works at Homestead.

In the evening the party will leave for the north.



The Pittsburgh Post. May 27th 1898:



SOCIAL HONORS FOR PRINCE OF FLANDERS.

HE CAME QUIETLY INTO THE CITY LAST NIGHT AND GOES SIGHT- SEEING TODAY.



WANTED NO DEMONSTRATION.

ATTENDED SMALL DINNER PARTY AT WESTINGHOUSE HOME.



Will Stay There Until Tonight. Electric Works and Carnegie Steel Plant Will Be Visited.



Pittsburg is enjoying the distinction of harboring one of the royal personages of Europe, Prince Albert of Belgium.

His Royal Highness arrived here last night at 6:40 o'clock, and he will depart this evening.

During his sojourn in this city, he will be the guest of Mr. and Mrs. George Westinghouse at Homewood.



The object of the prince's visit to this country is to make a close study of the people, of the great manufacturing interests, and of the wonderful resources of America.

It was announced before Prince Albert left Belgium that Pittsburg would be one of the places he intended to visit, and when Mr. and Mrs. Westinghouse were assured of this fact

They immediately extended to his royal highness and suite an invitation to be their guests while in the city.



Inasmuch as Prince Albert is traveling to study he has expressed a desire that no elaborate social functions be given in his honor anywhere,

In fact, he has made known his preference to move about, observe, and see things in the capacity of a private man.

This desire has been generally observed wherever he has been.



When the distinguished party arrived in the city last evening they were at once conducted to the residence of Mr. and Mrs. Westinghouse,

Where a small dinner party had been arranged in honor of his royal highness.



The following guests were present at this dinner:

His Royal Highness Prince Albert of Belgium, Lieutenant Colonel Jungbluth, Dr. Melis, M. Conseiller Joostens, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Westinghouse,

Dr. Stewart, H. C. Frick, Mr. and Mrs. B. H. Warren, Mr. and Mrs. H. Kirke Porter, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Wood, Judge Buffing- ton, Miss Florence Alken,

Miss Rachel Alken, Miss Mary Baggaley, Miss McConway, Mrs. Frank Moore, Miss Margaret Thaw, Mrs. Dr. Holland and Mr. and Mrs. George Westinghouse.



Today will be devoted to an inspection of the largest industrial establishments In the city.

In the morning the prince and his party will visit the Westinghouse Electric Works, the Westinghouse Machine Works, and the Westinghouse Air Brake Works,

While in the afternoon a trip will be made through the Carnegie steel works at Homestead.



The Pittsburgh Press. May 27th 1898:



PRINCE ALBERT AND SUITE AT WILMERDING AND HOMESTEAD.

Special Train Boarded at Mr. Westinghouse's Residence at Homewood - A Busy Day for the Visitors in Inspecting the Big Plants - Departure Tonight.



Prince Albert Leopold, of Belgium, heir presumptive to the throne, and his suite are today visiting the plants

Of the Westinghouse company at Wilmerding and East Pittsburg, and the Homestead mills of the Carnegie Steel company.

The special train, which carried the party to Wilmerding, arrived at Homewood this morning,

Stopping in front of the home of Mr. Westinghouse, whose guest the prince is during his visit to the city.



The train consisted of Mr. Westinghouse's private car, Gleneyre, and the private car of Supt. Robert Pitcairn, of the Pennsylvania railroad.

Mr. Pitcairn boarded the train at the Union Station. Within five minutes after the train arrived at Homewood the party was on board.



Prince Leopold was escorted by Mr. Westinghouse and the members of his suite,

Lieut. Col. Jungbluth, Surgeon Melis, and M. Conseiller Joasteus, chancellor of the Belgian legation at Washington.



In accordance with the wishes of the prince, the visit was very quietly planned, and few persons were at the station when the train pulled out.

The prince and party will leave tonight for the east.



Pittsburgh Post Gazette. May 28th 1898:



SAW MANY WONDERS.

PRINCE ALBERT INSPECTED PITTSBURGH'S FACTORIES.

Westinghouse and Carnegie Establishment's Furnished Much to Interest the Royal Visitor Personally Conducted By the Officials.



Prince Albert of Belgium, who has been in the city since Thursday night as the guest of Mr. and Mrs. George Westinghouse,

Was given an opportunity yesterday of inspecting the large Industrial establishments of Pittsburgh,

Which have made this city famous the world over, the Carnegie steel works at Homestead and the Westinghouse interests.



The party started from Homestead soon after 5 o'clock yesterday morning,

When a special car of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company and a private car was placed at their disposal.

The visitors were taken to East Pittsburgh. Mr. C. M. Schwab, the president of the Carnegie Steel Company,

And Mr. George Westinghouse accompanying his Royal Highness and suite.



At East Pittsburgh, the electric works were Inspected,

Mr. Westinghouse personally conducting the prince through the various establishments and explaining to him the various electrical machinery.

He explained to him the distinctive features of the alternating our rent system of electrical distribution,

of the rotating field, the Shallenberger meter, and the works lightning arrester.



The large dynamos which the company has in course of construction for the Niagara Falls Power Company

and the St. Lawrence Construction Company were shown to the prince,

And from the evident interest which the visitor displayed in all that he saw

It was not difficult to Infer that he was quite familiar with electricity and its various applications.



The large gas engines which the Westinghouse Machine Company is now making were also inspected at the shops of the Westinghouse Machine Company.

Whereupon the train took the party to the airbrake works at Wilmerding.

A tour through this establishment, where Mr. Westinghouse gave his guest a detailed description of the action and construction of the airbrake,

Was followed by luncheon, which had been prepared for the party on the train. At the airbrake works Mr. H. H. Westinghouse joined the party.



After luncheon, the train quickly sped across the Monongahela at Port Perry for Homestead to the Carnegie steel works.

Mr. Schwab took through the various steel mills, as well as the armor plate department,

And where it was convenient practical demonstrations of rolling gigantic steel beams were made before the guests.



Prince Albert is a gentleman of a serious disposition. Nowhere did he show that vivacious enthusiasm

Which one would expect to see in a person that has never seen anything so wonderful as the sights in these different industrial works,

But withal he was apparently deeply interested in all he saw.



From Homestead the party returned to the city, arriving at Homewood about 6 o'clock.

Prince Albert and his suite departed on a late train for the north, probably Buffalo and Niagara Falls.



The Pittsburgh Post. May 28th 1898:



PRINCE ALBERT DEPARTS.

Visited the Westinghouse and Carnegie Plants - Had Special Train for Him.



Prince Albert of Belgium has departed.

He went away last night after he had spent a whole day viewing some of the largest manufacturing establishments that he will probably ever see anywhere in the world.

Soon after 9 o'clock a special train of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, composed of two cars, was placed at the service of the party,

Which was composed of his royal highness, Prince Albert, George Westinghouse, Colonel Jungbluth, Dr. Melis, M. Joostens,

C. M. Schwab, of the Carnegie Steel Company, and Robert Pitcairn, of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company.



The train stopped at East Pittsburg at 10 o'clock, where the electric works and the Westinghouse Machine Company's factory were inspected.

Then a trip was made to Wilmerding through the Air Brake works. Here luncheon was served on the train,

And then the journey was continued to Homestead, where the different rolling mills, as well as the armor plate department, were visited.



His royal highness appeared to be deeply interested in all he saw, and it seemed evident that he was no stranger to mechanics nor electricity.

Mr. Westinghouse, who personally conducted the prince through the different departments of the works of East Pittsburg,

Explained to his distinguished guest the different apparatus and subjects of interest.



The party returned to Homewood about 6 o'clock, and after supper, the guests took a train for the North.



The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. September 7th 1919:



Albert of Belgium, as Prince, Was Guest Of A. A. Low of Heights 20 Years Ago; Dined With McKinleys; Visited Harvard.

Refused Military Escort On Tour of Country Signed Himself "Albert of Belgium" in Harvard Visitors Book and Admired Beauty of American Women.



The announcement that King Albert of Belgium will sail for the United States during the latter part of this month recalls to the mind of one whose memory stretches back two decades,

The visit which Albert made to us in March 1898. Incognito, he came and traveled for the most part, not as heir to the Belgian throne, nor often as a royal visitor,

But sometimes as a newspaper reporter, and usually as an interested sightseer and student of government and industry.



Albert visited New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Hartford, Boston, Cambridge, and a number of other cities, especially in the West.

At that time he was heir apparent to the throne, His uncle Leopold was king. but had no male offspring.

One brother. Albert's father, renounced the right to the throne, for he was deaf and infirm.

Thus Albert was the only heir, and to have accident befall him would have placed Belgium in an embarrassing position.



It would, indeed, probably have brought about a war of the dimensions of the one just past,

For France and Germany would each seek to place its choice upon the throne of the small neutral country that lay between their frontiers.

For this reason, it was with great reluctance that the Belgian people saw their prince leave his country and risk the dangers, however slight, of meeting fatal accident or illness.

In his youth, Albert had been weak and sickly. But, at the time of his coming to America, he was in splendid health and was a strong man, 23 years old.



Success and glory were predicted at that time that he would be one to hold his breast against the defiance of a German oppressor,

And that, driven from his kingdom, he would emerge from a long war the strongest ruler and the most beloved in all Europe,

But Albert came, in spite of the fears of his people. He expected to be king, and his life ambition was to make Belgium a maritime and an industrial power.

He wished that Antwerp might be the leading port on the continent.



He sailed from France March 2, and arrived in New York Harbor March 9, 1898, As the Kaiser William de Grosse steamed slowly up the bay a party representing President Mekinley,

Hoarded to welcome the heir presumptive to the Belgian throne. General Wesley Merritt led the group, followed by three officers, Court de Lichtervelde, minister of Belgium, and two friends.

After a brief reception, in the grand salon of the Prince, Gen. Merritt walked with him to the deck,

Where he pointed out the admirable fortifications of New York Harbor and her almost impregnable position.



During the conversation, Gen. Merritt offered to supply Albert or Count de Rethy, as he desired to be known, with a military escort to conduct him through the United States.

Albert did not wish this. He wanted no ceremony here, he desired, so far as possible, to travel unnoticed and unknown

That he might examine the country and its industries just as would the American student who traveled about for this purpose.



Landing late in the afternoon, Albert was escorted to the royal suite of the Waldorf-Astoria. His apartment was on the second floor at the corner of Fifth Ave, and 34th St.

Upon the evening of his arrival, he went for a short ride and to the theater. The following day Albert went to Washington to meet President McKinley.

He stayed at Arlington Hotel and dined on the evening of his first day with the Belgian Minister at the Metropolitan Club.



On the evening of March 11, a reception for the young Prince was held at the White House.

The main corridor was decorated with orchids and La France roses, among which intertwined colored lights.

It was this corridor that the Prince and President had their first meeting.

Albert accompanied Mrs. McKinley to dinner, while the president was with Mrs. Hobart the wife of the vice president.



For the next few days, Albert was busy visiting the government buildings, and on the final evening of his stay at Washington,

Vice President and Mrs. Hobart tendered him a reception at their home.



Dined With A. A. Low Family on the Heights.



Returning to New York, Albert further studied industrial conditions of America's largest city, and on March 17, he went to Brooklyn.

He crossed the East River on Rear Admiral Bunce's steam yacht and had luncheon at noon with Mr. and Mrs. A. Augustus Low at a Pierrepont pl.



The following day he went to Boston, stopping at Hartford on the way

That he might visit the Pope Manufacturing Company's plant and observe the process of making "motor carriages."



At Boston Albert had a suite at the Touraine Hotel. With him were Col. Jungbluth, Dr. Melis. Mr. Joostens and the Belgian Consul, and Mr. Mansfield.

A few visits were the wharves and industries of Boston. The most interesting of the inspection of the packing house of John P. Squire at East Cambridge.



But the chief object of the Boston trip was a visit to Harvard University in Cambridge.

Albert said that had heard much of the oldest America's schools, even while he was a boy in Belgium, and he was anxious to see the great institution of learning.



He was greeted by President Eliot, who, with Mr. Mansfield, escorted the Prince about the various buildings of the University.

At Memorial Hall, he saw the students dining and was a little worried when they arose and gave a

"Regular Harvard cheer with three Alberts on the end" for the distinguished guest.



Albert's Visit to Harvard.



Albert had luncheon with President Eliot at his home and immediately afterward set but to continue his tour of inspection.

He went down to the Charles River and saw the crews in action and then, coming back to the College, spent a considerable time in the gymnasium.



Professor Trowbridge took Albert to the Physics Laboratory, where he saw the greatest motor battery in the world,

A battery which Harvard is now replacing by a still larger one that is to cover the entire basement floor of Cruft High Tension Laboratory.



A student, to whose room the Prince went, tells of his arrival with President Eliot.

He was living in one of the big barn-like rooms Stoughton Hall with a roommate from Illinois.

Hearing from the secretary of the President of the College that the Prince was to visit their room

The boys cut all their classes and spent the morning making the room appear as well as possible before the arrival.



Then for two hours, they stood in readiness until "finally." says one of the boys, there came a knock on the door and President Eliot pushed it open and entered.

'Young gentleman, this is the Crown Prince of Belgium' he remarked as he stepped into the middle of the room.

The prince, a tall, pale-faced, angular, and awkward youth, followed him in.



The Prince held his silk hat stiffly in one hand and stepped forward with the other hand outstretched.

His handshake was hearty and vigorous. 'I am glad to meet you.' He said. 'It is a pleasure to see your quarters and it is very good of you to admit us.'

He spoke perfect English with scarcely a trace of an accent. Then he spied a Wisconsin banner over the mantel - That was my native State.

'O, Wisconsin is a long way from here, is it not? Do you live there?' He asked.



The Prince spied a group of some college girls and examined it carefully. 'You have very beautiful women in America,' he remarked with a smile.

'I have often heard them praised, and now I am learning that in all justified. After shaking hands and thanking the boys again for allowing him to disturb them, he left,

And at a room in Holworthy Hall, he met Arthur Scott, who was, at that time, a student in the Law School.



Signed Name in Visitor's Book.



Albert signed the Visitors Book at Harvard, using not his incognito name, Count de Rethy, nor, indeed, his royal prefixes, Prince Albert Leopold Clement Marie Meinrad of Flanders,

But simply "Albert of Belgium." Little in that day, Albert's name has become, now, synonymous with that of martyred Belgium.

What heart is not fired today by the thought of Albert of Belgium?



Leaving the Harvard Yard, Albert said that he had found in Cambridge, "Order, cleanliness, and vastness."

For the few weeks following this time, he studied the railroads of this country with James J. Hill.

He was in Philadelphia a short time, and after a reception in the Commercial Museum there, where he was met by Mayor Warwick, he left for the West.

He paid a visit to the Right Rev. Henry Gabriels, Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Ogdensburg.



On April 24, Albert received a telegram from his father telling him that he must return to Belgium at once.

He left immediately, well-satisfied with had seen of America's railroads, industries, governmental methods, and schools.

And now after more than 20 years and after a bitter war. He returns to us, a world hero from the country of Cardinal Mercier,

From the country of brave men, to repay the visit of President Wilson,

To observe our railroads and industries, and, perhaps, to see a Harvard football game.

hearty welcome awaits the King and Queen of the Belgians.



The Duquesne Times. October 24th 1919:



THE KING WAS VISITOR HERE ON MAY 27, 1898.

Came To Inspect the Steel Works and Furnaces and Was Greatly Impressed With the Magnitude of the Latter.



While it is not generally known, It is a fact nevertheless that King Albert visited Duquesne on May 27th. 1898.

He was then Prince Albert Leopold. In speaking of the visit at that time "The Observer" said:

Duquesne had the honor last Friday of entertaining a distinguished guest in the person of Prince Albert Leopold of Belgium.



His coming was unannounced and comparatively few people, outside of the employees of the Carnegie mill, were aware of his presence in the town until he had departed.

During his stay in town, he was entertained by Superintendent J. E. Schwab, In the morning, the Prince while visiting the Westinghouse Interests

At Wilmerding and East Pittsburgh expressed a desire to inspect the Duquesne mill.



Accordingly, his special train was brought to this place shortly before noon. In the company were the Prince and his suite and President C. M. Schwab of the Carnegie company.

The party, was at luncheon when the train reached the mill gate and finished the meal to delightful strains of music as interpreted by the Andrew Carnegie concert band of this place.

One of the selections was particularly pleasing to the Prince and at his request was played several times. It was the national air of Belgium.



After luncheon, the party was escorted through the mill and furnaces.

The Prince was greatly pleased with all he saw and especially at the magnitude of the furnaces,

Remarking that one of them was as large as the whole of many of the manufacturing plants of his native land.



"After the tour of inspection, the train carried the royal party to Homestead,

Where it was again met by the Carnegie band of this place and escorted to the big mills of the Carnegie company in that place.



The Prince is a tall, slender man. unostentatious and always pleasant and agreeable.

He was attired in a brown business suit and seemed more like an up-to-date, hustling American than a member of the royal house of Belgium."



The Duquesne Times. October 24th 1919:



Belgium's Royal Family Entertained In Duquesne

KING ALBERT, QUEEN ELIZABETH, AND CROWN PRINCE SEE THE WONDERS OF MODERN STEEL MANUFACTURE AT BIG PLANT HERE ARE GIVEN HEARTY WELCOME.



For the second time in 21 years, Duquesne had the honor yesterday afternoon of entertaining Belgium's distinguished and greatly beloved royalty.

The royal party has been making a tour of the principal points of interest in the United States and arrived in Pittsburgh yesterday morning,

Where it was welcomed by Governor and Mrs. Sproul, Mayor, and Mrs. Bahcock, and a big reception committee of representative Pittsburgers.



King Albert had expressed a desire upon his arrival in this country of inspecting some of the big and important manufacturing plants and very naturally,

Following his reception in Pittsburgh, he and his party were escorted: to Duquesne and shown through the great Carnegie steel works of this city.

The Duquesne plant was selected of all the industries of Western Pennsylvania because it has always been considered an ideal mill,

Fitted up, as it is, with the most modern equipment and having a reputation of an unusually high efficiency.



The visit to Duquesne followed the formal reception of the king and queen and their retinue in Pittsburgh,

A trip through the residential sections of that city, the conferring of an honorary degree upon the king by the University of Pittsburgh,

an inspection of the Carnegie Museum and Library and luncheon.



The party arrived in Duquesne in automobiles at 3:15 o'clock. It entered by way of the Monongahela Boulevard and was greeted on: all sides with the utmost cordiality.

Belgian flags were flying from the flagstaffs at the Carnegie Steel Works office and the Carnegie Library,

And In various other ways, the distinguished guests were made to feel that they were heartily welcome.



At the steelworks offices, the guests were greeted in happy fashion by General Superintendent A. N. Diehl and other officials of the plant,

Following which King Albert and other members of his party were escorted Into the works.

On account of the shortness of time allotted for the inspection, the visitors were kept on the move all the time.



The king, however, was not in any way annoyed or discomfited by this fact.

He proved a good traveler and hustled from one department to another as if it were an everyday occurrence with him.

Throughout the trip, his charming personality was much in evidence, and his unaffected, democratic manner and affable and amiable disposition

Won the Immediate friendship and admiration not only of the officials but of the steelworkers.



He manifested considerable knowledge of mechanics and machinery and was interested in everything that met his gaze.

The new method of making and rolling the steel was a revelation to him, and again and again, he expressed wonder at the remarkable operations of the plant.

The women of the party accompanied the men through the mill and appeared to be just as greatly Interested in what they saw.

The Queen plainly, but richly attired, kept pace with the rest of the party and seemed to enjoy the trip immensely.

The inspection consumed well onto an hour.



The royal party included King Albert. Queen Elizabeth. Count Leopold. The Belgian ambassador, Baron Cartier de Marchienne.

The Countess Chrislaine de Caraman-Chimay, lady in waiting to the Queen. Lieut. Gen. Baron Jacques, commander of the Third Division of the Belgian army.

Col. Tilkens, of the general staff. Aid de camp to the King Major of Artillery, Count Guy d'Oultremont. Adjutant of the court, M. Max Leo Gerard. Secretary to the King, M. Charles Graux.

Secretary to the Queen, Lieut of Cavalry Goffinet. Officer of ordnance to the King, Lienu. Col. Nolf. Physician of the King and Queen, M. Pol M. Mollier.

Secretary of the Belgian embassy, a stenographer, and 11 servants.



Officials of the United States government accompanying the party were Brand Whitlock, ambassador to Belgium, and Mrs. Whitlock.

Maj. Gen. William M. Wright, Rear Admiral. Andrew T. Long, G. Cornell Tarler, representative of the American embassy to Belgium.

Col. Patterson, aide to Maj. Gen. Wright. J. M. Nye, chief of special agents of the Department of Justice, and E. T. Bell, confidential stenographer.



Three special agents of the Department of State, three American correspondents, and five Belgian press representatives also accompanying the party.

Upon their return to Pittsburgh, the royal party was greeted by thousands of students at Forbes Field and still later by Pittsburgh's leading citizens at Exposition Music Hall.

Luncheon was served at the William Penn Hotel and at 6 o'clock the distinguished guests departed for the east.



The Duquesne Times. October 24th 1919:



THEY HAD MET BEFORE.



As the king of Belgians was escorted through the Duquesne steelworks last Thursday afternoon,

He was quickly and easily recognized by a number of the employees who, as members of the U. S. army, had seen him in the war zone last year.



Robert Walker. One of the employees had his eyes open for the crown prince and had no difficulty in spotting him in the royal party.

And thereby hangs a tale of interest. Last year as Walker was loafing about a dugout in France, the door swung open and a Belgian soldier staggered in.

The young man had been struck in the arm by shrapnel and was suffering much pain from the wound.



Walker gave him first-aid treatment and the soldier went on his way.

Soon after he had departed, the Duquesne boy was informed that he had bound up the wounds of the crown prince of Belgium.



The Duquesne Times. October 24th 1919:



King and Queen See Steel Made.

SOME OF THE INSIDE FEATURES OF THE VISIT OF THE BELGIAN ROYALTY TO THE DUQUESNE STEEL WORKS.

QUEEN'S DEEP INTEREST IN THE MILL HOSPITAL.



The people of Duquesne, and particularly the steel workers, are still talking about the visit of King Albert. Queen Elizabeth.

Prince Leopold and their entourage to this city last Thursday afternoon

And how amid the clamor and grime of the big mill they devoted over an hour to a study of the elaborate processes of steel making.



The inspection undoubtedly was the most interesting feature of the royal party's trip to the Pittsburgh district.

As indicated in The Times of last week, the distinguished visitors arrived here at 3:15 o'clock and were immediately escorted through the plant by General Supt. A. N. Diehl,

Assistant Superintendents S. G. Worton and W. B. Trainor and other officials.



The party was made up of some 75 or 80 men and women, and the women seemed to be just as greatly interested in what they saw as the men.

The first stop was made at the No. 2 blast furnace, where a cast was tapper for the benefit of the royal guests

And where the Queen took a picture of the molten metal as it escaped from the furnace.



The next stop was made at the No. 2 steam-blowing room.

From there the party was escorted to the No. 2 open hearth plant, where a special tap was made at furnace No. 94.

In order to get a good view of the process, the King and Queen donned colored glasses.

The drawing of the flaming metal into a 100-ton ladle held the close attention of both members of the royalty,

Despite the intense heat of the balcony on which, they stood. They also witnessed the charging of a furnace.



The machine shop next engaged their attention and, following this, the party went to the 21 and 38-inch mills

Where they witnessed the drawing of red-hot ingots from the soaking pits and watched them as they were drawn into the rolls and reduced into small billets.

The 40 and 14-inch mills were next on the schedule, and here they saw an 18x21-inch ingot rolled into 2-inch square billets and neatly chopped off by the flying shears.



Following a chase through the 40-inch mill yard, the visitors arrived at the emergency hospital, where the Queen in particular was all attention.

She is a graduated physician and during the war acted as a nurse in the army. She discussed in an intelligent manner with Dr. L. H. Botkin and Dr. W. C. Hocking,

The mill surgeons, the paraffine treatment of wounds, and the Dakin solution, and insisted on visiting the wards, the office, and examination room.



She had a talk with Mrs. Sue Smith the visiting nurse, and made, many inquiries with respect to her work throughout the city.

She was interested in housing conditions also and expressed regret over the fact that she was unable

To have a look at the 93 houses recently erected on Crawford Street by the Carnegie company.



The King inquired about the wages paid to the employees of the mill and when informed as to this matter, he expressed great surprise.

He also was plainly disappointed when he was informed that time did not permit of a visit to the bar mills. He wanted to see the whole thing.

Such a deep interest was manifested in the hospital by the Queen that the remainder of the party was compelled to wait for her to complete the inspection,

Notwithstanding the admonition of the committee that the party was nearly a half hour behind its schedule.



The King and Queen posed with nurses, physicians, and plant officials for a photograph on the steps of the hospital.

Before leaving the King read an address of appreciation to General Supt. Diehl in the following words:



"Belgium is one of the most industrial countries, and this is a reason for me to take a special interest in a visit to this world-renowned center of steel production.

Great men personifying the energy and the bold spirit of enterprise of the American race have conceived here metal works on a scale reaching the limits of human possibilities.

The world's ever-increasing population and modern civilization implies powerful means of production.

Therefore, places like Pittsburgh are examples of what industrial progress must be as an essential condition of the welfare of future society."



Queen Elizabeth was presented with a bouquet as she was leaving the plant by a committee representing the women of Duquesne.

The Queen thanked the committee graciously and presented them to King Albert.



During the trip through the mill, the King was introduced to a considerable number of the steelworkers

And others with whom he came in contact, And he seemed to have a happy word for each of them.

As he and his party drove away in their automobiles, they were tendered a cordial ovation by a great crowd of citizens of the city and an army of schoolchildren.
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Conversations With Soul • Personal

Posted a year ago

This is an intimate journal that contains our innermost conversations with our soul.

Please be aware that this journal is extremely sensitive.



This journal is an experiment to connect with the soul while in self-exile for 6-12 months.



Goal: Sit down silently, speak to our soul, and then write down what was said.

Dedicate one hour of the day away from technology and verbally engage with oneself in conversation.



"I" = Ego. I is used to show humility and honesty to the unconscious.

"We" = Unconscious. We is used to give expression to the unconscious consciously.
We live in a world that wishes to rid us as quickly as possible of suffering through a behavioral change or a pill.

But stop and think for a moment about the word psychopathology.



Psyche is the Greek word for soul.

Pathos refers to suffering. Logos means "word" or "expression."



So psychopathology is literally the expression of the suffering of the soul.

Wouldn't it make sense to stop and pay attention?

And remember also the etymology of the word therapy.



Therapeuein means "to listen or attend to psyche, the soul"

-to pay attention to rather than suppress psychopathology and to ask,

"What is the soul trying to say to me?"



Nobody can fall so low unless he has a great depth.

If such a thing can happen to a man, it challenges his best and highest on the other side;

That is to say, this depth corresponds to a potential height, and the blackest darkness to a hidden light.Exile Dream:

The following is a dream that occurred on August 8th, 2024.



The dream starts with a mission to break into a building.

Shortly after we approached a chain-link fence and crawled under it.

The metal seemingly came alive as we made it on the other side.

A piece of long wire hooks onto us to prevent us from going further.

Eventually, we were freed from the wire and were able to explore the location.



As we look around we feel like we are trespassing or treading somewhere we should not.

The feeling that is being registered here is that we are outsiders. Someone who is unwelcomed.

We entered a large open area that was populated with furries in fursuits. This is a convention.

They were standing around talking to one another and lounging around on the floor of the area.

Which made it difficult to traverse the area due to the sheer number of individuals on the floor.



The dream then entered a 'lucid confusion' state where we were stuck between dream and reality.

By this, we mean that we knew it was a dream but the psyche still saw the people as autonomous entities.

We became confused and remarked in a way that implied that this was reality and we were about to wake up.

After entering this state we came across a security personnel and saw a door slowly closing that we entered.

We would then enter a dining area with purple-cloth round tables that were decorated and set.

To the far left was the entryway to a dimly lit room that was reminiscent of a theatre dressing room.



There we were confronted by our "inner-brother" figure that criticized us harshly.

He blamed us for our interests and for being expressive and open about them.

It was then that he revealed that he had been plagued by an infection that had spread to us.

As he left the backrooms we quickly went over to the sink to clean ourself of the infection.
In-Depth Dream Analysis & Additional Details:

The following is our analysis of the dream and what happened before and after it occurred.



The mission to break into a location implies that it's a place that we don't belong.

The chain-link fence hooking our pant leg indicates the unconscious doesn't want us to go there.

The feeling of trespassing is similar to our feelings of being isolated at AC and not belonging.

The large room of people shows that we have difficulty relating and fitting in with others.

People lying on the floor is the equivalent of traversing a minefield or a den of sleeping lions.

The doors slowly closing means that a decision must be made. You must act soon.



The theatre dressing room is a place for actors and their costumes. Costumes are archetypes.

It is a deep and intimate area of the unconscious where aspects of the psyche meet and talk.

The "inner-brother" aspect is The Shadow archetype and he was wounded and hurt by others.

The infection reflects being denied self-expression and the repression of positive qualities.

Cleaning the infection means recognizing the source of the infection/problem and curing it.



Two days before the dream we were denied the ability to express ourself properly.

The experience resulted in positive energy being repressed. Turning it against us.

The feeling of guilt and shame for being honest and sincere to others.

That day of the dream we were wounded again by expressing the psyche.

It was then that we realized that the source of the infection was The Other.



Thus the decision was made to self-exile into the forest of the unconscious to commune with our soul.Whenever we touch nature we get clean.

People who have got dirty through too much civilization take a walk in the woods or a bath in the sea.

Entering the unconscious, entering yourself through dreams, is touching nature from the inside and this is the same thing, things are put right again.



I must learn the dregs of my thoughts, my dreams, are the speech of my soul. I must carry them in my heart,

And go back and forth over them in my mind, like the words of the person dearest to me. Dreams are the guiding words of the soul.

Why should I henceforth not love my dreams and not make their riddling images into objects of my daily consideration?

You think that the dream is foolish and ungainly. What is beautiful? What is ungainly? What is clever? What is foolish?

The spirit of the depths even taught me to consider my actions and my decisions as dependent on dreams.

Dreams pave the way for life, and they determine you without you understanding their language.
Personal Conversations With The Soul & Unconscious:

"I am so deeply sorry to you, my soul. I never intended to hurt you so.

I only wanted to express you in the external world by helping people, being sincere, and having a meaningful connection to nature and others

but all we got in return was a crushed heart and a wounded soul."



"We should've known better. We never truly belonged to this world.

This civilisation cares not for the soul. It values noise, pleasure, & illusion, whereas the soul finds solace in silence, suffering, & truth.

Where we belong is with the soul, within the inner world of the psyche."



"We must remain distant and reserved.

You cannot connect and talk to others, for it leads to trust and openness,

and the moment you reveal your heart those with daggers behind their backs will be ready to strike.

To be open, genuine, and sensitive is a weakness in this world."



"You are my closest confidant.

When the world forsakes me you are always there to give me alms and welcome me into your warm embrace.

Whenever I am lost and alone you are there to take my hand and show me the way forward.

You, my soul, are my guiding light."



"The radiant light of a beautiful, kind soul will always vanquish the darkness and provide warmth as it guides one upon their destined path.

The soul perseveres and shines brightly through even the most harrowing of times. The likes of man can never extinguish it."



"Like a young wine, sorrow can be bitter, but as one age, the bitterness lessens; only then can one truly appreciate it."



"My soul, I now see that suffering is your language in symbolic form.

I listen in silence to hear your radiant voice.

Whenever I get lost it is you who finds me.

It is your voice that guides me out of the labyrinth and back into your warm embrace.

This is the beauty of suffering."



"My soul, is it not childish to mourn another?

Is it not selfish to deny them their rebirth & spiritual renewal by believing we can keep them with us forever?

To keep them in their cocoon so they cannot become butterflies.

Who are we to deny them the beauty & wonders of death?"



"No tree, it is said, can grow to heaven

unless its roots reach down to hell.



My soul,

if we are to ascend to heaven

we must first descend to hell.



We must go into our depths and suffer

so that we may strengthen our roots. (bonds)



If we are to go to heaven

we must first fall to hell."



"We walk this path together but whenever we are hurt I let go of your hand, run into the dark forest, and hide from those who hurt us.

That's what I do best. I run and hide from others and from you, my soul. How often have I run from you only for you to find me again?

I can run and hide from others but you I cannot hide from. You always find me. You break through all my defences and insecurities.

You and your lantern shine through the dark forest of the night and back to me. You are always there to show me the way back.

With open arms, we reunite and continue our journey though the world. With you by my side, all pain and fear fade away."
The opening up of the unconscious always means the outbreak of intense spiritual suffering:

It is as when fertile fields are exposed by the bursting of a dam to a raging torrent.



There is a thought, a recurrent fantasy perhaps, that the purpose of life is to achieve happiness.

After all, even the Constitution of the United States promises 'life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'

Who does not long to arrive some distant day at that sunlit meadow where, untroubled, we may rest easy, abide awhile, and be happy?



But nature, fate, or the gods, has another thought which keeps interrupting this fantasy.

The split, the discrepancy between what we long for and what we suffer as limitation, has haunted the Western imagination.

To Pascal we are but fragile reeds that may easily be destroyed by an indifferent universe, and yet we are thinking reeds who can conjure with that cosmos.

Goethe's Faust speaks of the two souls that contend within his breast, one clinging to this spinning planet and the other longing for the heavens.

Nietzsche reminds us of that day wherein we discover and grieve the fact that we are not God.



William Hazlitt observes:

Man is the only animal that laughs and weeps; for he is the only animal that is struck with the difference between what things are, and what they ought to be.



Joseph Knecht in Hesse's The Glass Bead Game laments:

Oh, if only it were possible to find understanding. If only there were a dogma to believe in. Everything is contradictory, everything tangential; there are no certainties anymore. Isn't there any truth?



The litany arising from the gap between hope and experience is endless.

Whether to suffer it stoically, react heroically, or whine about one's condition seems an onerous yet unavoidable choice.

But Jungian psychology, and the disciplined practice of personal growth it promotes, offers another perspective based on the assumption that the goal of life is not happiness but meaning.



We may well experience moments of happiness, but they are ephemeral and can neither be willed into being nor perpetuated by hope.

Rather, Jungian psychology, as well as much of the rich religious and mythological tradition from which it draws many of its insights,

Avers that it is the swamplands of the soul, the savannas of suffering, that provide the context for the stimulation and the attainment of meaning.

As far back as 2500 years ago Aeschylus observed that the gods have ordained a solemn decree, that through suffering we come to wisdom.



Without the suffering, which seems the epiphenomenal requisite for psychological and spiritual maturation, one would remain unconscious, infantile, and dependent.

Yet many of our addictions, ideological attachments, and neuroses are flights from suffering.

One in four North Americans identify with fundamentalist belief systems, seeking therein to unburden their journey with simplistic, black-and-white values,

Subordinating spiritual ambiguity to the certainty of a leader and the ready opportunity to project life's ambivalence onto their neighbors.

Another twenty-five to fifty percent give themselves to one addiction or another, momentarily anesthetizing the existential angst, only to have it implacably return on the morrow.

The remainder have chosen to be neurotic, that is, to mount a set of phenomenological defenses against the wounding of life.

Such defenses too entrap the soul in an ever-reflexive response to life which grounds one not in the present but in the past.



An old saying has it that religion is for those who are afraid of going to Hell; spirituality is for those who have been there.

Unless we are able to look at the existential discrepancy between what we long for and what we experience unless we consciously address the task of personal spirituality,

We will remain forever in flight, or denial, or think of ourselves as victims, sour and mean-spirited to ourselves and others.



The thought, motive, and practice of Jungian psychology is that there is no sunlit meadow, no restful bower of easy sleep; there are rather swamplands of the soul where nature,

Our nature, intends that we live a good part of the journey, and from whence many of the most meaningful moments of our lives will derive.

It is in the swamplands where soul is fashioned and forged, where we encounter not only the gravitas of life, but its purpose, its dignity and its deepest meaning.



There is a power in loneliness, a purity, self-immersion, and depth which is unlike any other experience.

Being lonely is such a total, direct, vivid existence, so deeply felt, so startlingly different, that there is no room for any other perception, feeling, or awareness.

Loneliness is an organic experience which points to nothing else, is for no other purpose, and results in nothing but the realization of itself.

Loneliness is not homelessness. There is no departure or exile, the person is fully there, as fully as he ever can be.



Loneliness involves a unique substance of self, a dimension of human life which taps the full resources of the individual.

It calls for strength, endurance, and sustenance, enabling a person to reach previously unknown depths and to realize a certain nakedness of inner life.



Being lonely is a reality of far-reaching social consequence, yet it is distinctly a private matter.

It is an experience of raw sensitivity.

It is so entirely pure and complete that there is no room for anything else or anyone else.

Feelings of loneliness take root deeply and unfold in varied directions.

Being lonely involves a certain pathway, requires a total submersion of self, a letting be of all that is and belongs,

A staying or remaining with the situation until a natural realization or completion is reached;

When a lonely existence completes itself, the individual becomes, grows from it, reaches out for others in a deeper, more vital sense.

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King Albert's War Diary 5/5 • Tribute

Posted a year ago

Having uttered this warning, which was listened to in profound silence, the King closed the session. Receiving on the following day Mr. Baker, U.S. Secretary of State for War, the Sovereign, faithful to his policy of circumspection, uttered the hope "that after the big German attacks which were being prepared the statesmen would follow the path of reason rather than that of passion; otherwise they would lead the whole of Europe into the anarchy which had overwhelmed the Russians." He added that the war had gone on too long and that he was confident that President Wilson would soon bring about a just peace. The general military situation during the month of March became extremely active. The treaties of the 9th February with the Ukraine, the 3rd March with Russia and the 5th March with Rumania, allowed the Central Powers to cease hostilities on the Eastern Front and enabled Germany to concentrate almost her entire forces on the Franco-Belgian chessboard. Continuous streams of transport poured reinforcements into France and Belgium. We learned that two new armies under the orders of generals who had distinguished themselves by victories, one at Caporetto and one at Riga, had been fitted into the front between the Escaut and the Oise, while the mass of crack divisions were in full training for the new break-through, according to the tactics laid down by General Ludendorff.



In spite of everything, it seemed that the enemy could with difficulty line up a total of 200 divisions, i.e. exceeding numerically the Allied forces by more than twenty-five divisions; and the King wondered if he were not flaunting his resources with the object of starting peace negotiations rather than risking them in a battle which would certainly be very costly and of doubtful issue. Were the Germans not trying to intimidate the Entente and to persuade them that it would be vain to hope for a victory on the Western Front, now more powerfully defended than ever? Count Toring's step, which we have mentioned previously, fitted in quite well with this hypothesis. Whatever the reason, one had to foresee the worst, for one knew that the German General Staff was more inclined to offensive blows than to conciliation. It did not escape the notice of the King that, England being the most obstinate adversary, the enemy might bring his efforts to bear on the British sector and take once more as his objective the Pas de Calais coast; in which case the battle would affect the Belgian sector. The battles of Riga and Caporetto had made it clear, to the Belgian Command no less than to the French, that the Germans had perfected their means of breaking fortified fronts: a crushing and swift method based on thunderous artillery preparations, with large gas shells and the deep exploitation of the breaches by infiltration tactics. No less than General Pétain, the King was worried as to the means of holding this terrifying procedure in check. At Staff Headquarters and among the commanders of large units opinions varied. Some wished as soon as attack threatened to base our main defence on the canal between Furnes and Loo; others, and these were in the majority, proposed to stick to the Yser lines at the risk of having their troops exterminated under the preliminary bombardment. The former ignored the advantage the floods offered by canalising the attacker's advance in corridors where one had only to harass him and catch him in our artillery barrage; the latter, inspired by a praiseworthy if misguided ardour, were inclined to consider any abandonment of our advance trenches as the precursory sign of a general retreat.



The King decided both to deploy the greater part of our forces outside the range of the heavy German artillery and at the same time to reap all the possible advantages of our Yser defences. At the same time he was anxious that these defensive precautions should not damage the high morale of the front-line soldiers, and ordered Major Galet to transmit the necessary instructions to the General Staff and to make a personal tour of H.Q.s to assure himself of the blessing of the divisional commanders. March and April passed in this preparation and propaganda. When the attack came off it would find the Army full of confidence, spread out in depth and stretched like a spring ready to take the shock and to plunge into a counter-attack. Seeing further than the strategical horizon, the Sovereign envisaged all the possible consequences of a bending of the British front on the right of our sector. What was to be done if, pursuing their 1914 plan, the Germans based their efforts on the Lille-Calais axis and bent our Allies back towards St. Omer and beyond? On the suggestion of Major Galet, the King decided on a plan which was as reliable as it was bold. The floods of the Yser, prolonged to the west by those of Bergues, Watten and Calais, formed a natural entrenchment covering forty miles of coast, the possession of which was of great importance to Belgium, since it included our bastion of national territory, and also to Great Britain, since it covered the Pas de Calais. With the garrisons of Dunkirk and Calais, as well as the reinforcements which England could not fail to send us, the Belgian Army was capable of defending itself; furthermore, its lines of communication were assured. The naval mastery of the British Fleet guaranteed our supplies and in the last extremity our retreat by sea. From this point on the Sovereign's resolution began to take final form: the Army would defend its positions to the end, with no thought of retirement except to fold back its right wing along the upper Yser to conform with the floods of Bergues and Watten. Thus prepared, he waited eagerly for the launching of operations.



On the 6th March assault troops of the 214th Division captured the outpost of Reigersvliet; our mounted infantry recaptured it and took 120 prisoners. On the 7th on the banks of the Blankaert we lost the strongpoint of Grand-Pere, obliterated by 10,000 shells. On the 12th there was a bloody melee in the Grenadiers' section at Nieuport. On the 18th, under cover of a violent barrage, the enemy attacked in three places: at Nieuwendamme and St. Georges, where our advanced troops were lost until the following day; at Reigersvliet and Oudstuivekenskerke, where he penetrated, but was repulsed in hand-to-hand fighting; and in front of Dixmude, where he crossed the river and attacked our pillboxes with incendiary grenades and flame-throwers, without being able to hold the position. Finally, on the 21st the gunfire thundered along the whole front. The destroyers from Zeebrugge bombarded Dunkirk, La Panne and our coastal barracks, while our gun emplacements, were sprayed with gas shells. At the same time, a gigantic battle raged from Cambrai to La Fère. The developments of the battle were followed with the interest one can imagine after four days it appeared that under pressure from more than eighty divisions the right flank of the British Army had been completely overwhelmed; there was no line except scanty remnants behind the Somme, more than ten miles behind the original position. French divisions hurried towards the breach which had been opened at the junction of the French and British sectors. On the 25th, requested to extend the Belgian sector as far as Langemarck, the King agreed on the spot to release an English division for the main battle. On the 28th the fighting extended northwards and was unleashed against the bastion of Arras. The advance increased, particularly westwards, and did not stop until the 4th April at the gates of Amiens, after covering a distance of forty miles with 90,000 prisoners and 1,100 guns captured. The King considered that this indisputable success had increased rather than reduced the margin of superiority held by the enemy, seeing that the expanse of the Franco-British front had now been extended. His Majesty expected the German offensive to begin again elsewhere. In the light of information on enemy tactics received, he stressed once more the jointure in depth of our troops and found in General Gillain, whom he appointed on the 19th April as Chief of General Staff of the Army, an executive whose ideas were in line with his own.



On the 9th April fighting broke out on the Lys; on the evening of the 14th the Germans captured Merville and Bailleul. The British hastily evacuated Passchendaele ridge. General Foch, who had become C.-in-C. of the Franco-British front, proposed that the Belgian Army should release two divisions and its cavalry to the 2nd British Army. The King refused this suggestion, as it was unacceptable on principle. However, he agreed to extend our right as far as the outskirts of Ypres. He did not intend to deprive himself of reserves at the moment when the battle was about to break on us. In actual fact, on the 17th it was launched from Lake Blankaert to Langemarck, following the expected rhythm. Our outposts were lost and our front line was submerged. The preparatory bombardment, however, fell on empty trenches and abandoned gun emplacements. Our artillery, still intact, replied from its withdrawn positions and smashed the assaulting troops. Supported by its fire, our reserves advanced and, with a magnificent burst, recaptured in its entirety the lost terrain, taking 900 prisoners. However brilliant this result, we only learned much later that the Belgian Army had outwitted a pincer movement designed to encircle all the British troops in the Ypres salient. We thus saved them from a repetition of Tannenberg. In any case, the battle was not over. The enemy still possessed reserves in Flanders. For a whole week they were launched in an attack on the Kemmel and the neighbouring hills, heights which were fiercely disputed. However determined the King was to maintain at all costs the outskirts of the Pas de Calais, he had to warn the British Government and to ensure their approval. Finding it impossible to leave his commander's post, the King charged Her Majesty the Queen to go to London and give Lord Curzon a message, dated the 19th April, which ran:The situation of the opposing forces before the offensive was as follows: 202 German divisions of a strength almost equal to that of the British divisions; on the Allied side roo small French divisions (equal to 70 Germans), 60 British divisions, 6 American divisions and 9 Belgian divisions. All in all, a total of 145 Allied divisions opposed to 202 German. The superiority of the German artillery, reinforced by the Austrian and by material taken from the Russians and the Italians, must be proportionately greater still. The events which have taken place in the past month have once more accentuated the military superiority of the enemy. I admire wholeheartedly the courage displayed by the British troops, but the ferocity of their resistance against very superior forces has necessarily reduced their power. I firmly intend to defend to the last the positions occupied by the Belgian Army. They are the last on national soil and to the east they cover the ports of the Pas de Calais just as the British Army positions protect these ports to the south-east. The recent proclamation by Marshal Haig empowers me to believe that the British armies will also defend at all costs the positions guarding the Channel Ports. Now to abandon the Pas de Calais coast would be to deliver to Germany the objective she has coveted since the beginning of the war; it would be to render precarious the communications between England and the Continent by giving the enemy a new naval base, and would make it possible for her to stage an invasion of England in a surprise attack. One must not forget that in 1805 it was by starting from this same region of the Channel Ports that Napoleon under identical conditions-military superiority, naval inferiority-planned his swoop on England. This great captain thus did not consider the operation as by any means impossible. I have no doubt that the Admiralty will have made very plain the effect that a transfer of German naval bases to the Channel Ports would have on the defence of the British Isles. The interests of Belgium and of Great Britain are therefore one, to make the region covering the Pas de Calais the object of a desperate resistance.In the terms of the reply brought back by Her Majesty the Queen on the 25th April, the British Government declared "that the coast would be defended desperately by its armies and that it would never allow them to fall back behind the Somme". Nevertheless, learning that in French circles certain people envisaged a retreat of the whole Allied left wing behind this river, the King insisted on the 3rd May in a new letter to Lord Curzon:I must draw your attention to the fact that if England and France in this defensive campaign have common war aims, their armies have separate objectives. The French Army must cover Paris and the centre of France; the British Army must defend the coast and, in particular, the Channel Ports, including Dunkirk. I write to you on this point because it concerns the vital interests of Belgium and the action of her Army. The possession of Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne or even one of these ports would be the greatest possible victory for Germany and for us a terrible defeat and a direct danger for England and her naval supremacy. Now it can happen that the Allies have not the necessary strength to defend both these objectives at the same time. Should one then abandon the coast or part of it and use all our forces to defend France against the threats aimed at Amiens, Paris or Rheims? Violent discussions would undoubtedly break out under such circumstances between the Commands. I hope that the British Government has made up its mind on this major issue. I firmly believe that our common interest lies in defending the coast with the most obstinate energy, even if we were reduced to holding it on a narrow strip of shore, on a terrain protected by the floods which would be extended from Dunkirk to Calais. More than ever, the loss of Belgium is intimately bound up with the fate of England, and the action of the Belgian Army with that of the British Army. The alternative of defending the coast at all costs or of retiring southwards could suddenly mature on the fall of Amiens or an advance on Paris. From what I hear and see in certain high military and political spheres, I am afraid that at a critical moment dangerous tendencies may develop. Thus I consider it my duty to write you this in all confidence.In this connexion, the King discovered an enthusiastic and valuable ally in the person of the new commander of the Dover Patrol, Vice-Admiral Roger Keyes, who had distinguished himself on the 23rd April in the famous Zeebrugge raid and whom he held in high esteem. It remained to get the approval of General Foch. The latter's visit on the 22nd May gave him this opportunity. Thus it was the general opinion that, whatever happened, the Belgian Army would stand fast on the Yser and on the Pas de Calais shore. By a strange coincidence, at the very moment when the success of the Belgian troops had brought honour to the King's military perspicacity, a campaign was started to take the command of the Army from him. On the 17th April, while the guns were thundering at Merckem, the French President and General Foch arrived at Houthem G.H.Q. and suggested that the Belgian Army should pass under the orders of the General in the same way as the Franco-British armies. The King stressed the inexpediency of modifying the principle of "concerted and common action", which had proved itself to be the only one compatible with the Belgian constitution. Calling General Foch to witness, he added that "Experience shared promises good understanding in the future." As though by chance on the following day, the French Press published a success by the Belgian troops "under the orders of General de Ceuninck, subordinate to General Foch", and on the 24th M. de Broqueville handed the King a memorandum, trying to prove that the Sovereign's command was only fictitious and that the Chief of the Army Staff alone was responsible for the conduct of operations. The King immediately asked M. de Broqueville to tell him whether he shared the opinion of the author of this memorandum, and, not satisfied with the ambiguous reply he received, he wrote to him:I have received your letter of the 26th of this month. It clearly shows that your opinion is that a change in fact, following a new interpretation of principle, should take place as concerns myself in the High Command of the Army. I have outlined my views in a note which you will find under this cover. As you have told me that your colleagues have evinced various opinions on the subject of the organisation of the Command, I ask you to acquaint them, on receipt of this letter, with the necessary documents relative to the step which you have deemed it necessary to make by approaching me. I must add that it is unbelievable that your secretary should have taken the initiative, for reasons incomprehensible to me, of discussing in public, before the Army, the authority and prestige of the Crown, at the same time as my personal situation, going so far as to pretend that there is no military subordination between the Chief of Staff and the Sovereign. I cannot understand why you did not immediately stop him taking this step.NOTE:

1. By the terms of our decree of the 20th November 1916: "When the army in the field is commanded by the Sovereign in person" unity of command is invested in the person of the King acting in co-operation with the Chief of Staff. The King issues the commands (paragraph 7). Invested with the confidence both of His Majesty and of the Minister of War by virtue of his decree of appointment, and personally responsible for the orders he gives signed in the name of the King, the Chief of Staff to a certain extent acts as deputy for the constitutional monarch from the military point of view. The concept of a shared command, such as might be based on a collaboration between ministers, is thus clearly ruled out. Whether he be a civilian or a soldier, the Minister for War cannot deputise for me in the domain of active operations without interference. Ministerial responsibility would in such circumstances be merely fictitious, the more so as it would be lacking adequate sanction.



The Chief of Staff also carries out the instructions which the Minister of War in agreement with the King and in his name gives him as regards the administration of the army, i.e. its internal organisation and supplies. Finally the Government, knowing the King to be in agreement with his ministers, outlines to the Command the general plan it intends the Army to play in its role of defending our soil, in liaison with the Allies. In such a manner the Minister of War puts at the disposal of the Command a tool which the latter is bound to use with a view to the success of military operations, in conformity with the war policy of the Government. Two authorities thus exist, each with its own responsibility. The framers of the constitution foresaw this situation; desirous of assuring an indispensable balance and of preventing conflicts, they judged it better to entrust the safeguarding of the reciprocal prerogatives of governmental authority and military authority to the King, who, by his military upbringing and his experience of statecraft, is capable of understanding both and is naturally disposed to give equal care to each. Any other interpretation of the 1916 decree would mean to postulate on one hand that I have myself signed my abdication as Commander-in-Chief, and on the other hand that the Minister of War has wanted to bring this about without warning me, two hypotheses which are equally inadmissible. Is it necessary to add that a career general will always have the fault of being either too independent or too servile?



2. If the author of the memorandum had taken the trouble to read everything that Thonissen¹ said to the Command, he would have no doubt been chary of invoking the opinion of this statesman.



3. I have sworn an oath, which was incumbent upon myself alone: that of guaranteeing the integrity of our territory. It is by virtue of a factual command, and not a nominal or honorific one, that I can assume this responsibility before my country and my conscience, as I pledged myself to do once more before Parliament on the 4th August 1914.



4. Facts cannot be suppressed with legal quibbles. I have commanded the Army for nearly four years following on my Order of the Day of the 4th August, which was solemnly conveyed to the troops. No minister has ever opposed Article 64 of the Constitution to contest what was my right and my duty. To do it today would be to attack me personally on the command I have exercised. I will not tolerate it. I am certain that I have produced with the resources at my disposal a maximum of useful effect with a minimum of sacrifice. The country and the Army know it; and it is with their support that I intend to remain at my post, sure of the fact that they understand that I am guided only by duty.



5. Leopold the First took personal command of the campaign against Holland. It is therefore useless to comb the texts and to try to reinterpret their spirit just as it is idle to ask jurists to define the principles of military command. My grand-father, in agreement with the authors of our Charter, laid down for the future the exact bearing of Article 64. Faithful to monarchic and constitutional tradition, I have only spoken as he spoke when he left for Louvain, where the Army awaited his orders and his encouragement. I have always had a loyal care for the needs of parliamentary government, and my ministers will certainly bear witness to my constant desire, often in the face of my own preferences and sometimes to the detriment of my own authority, to facilitate the exercise of their constitutional duties; but they must understand that this time it is a question of an essential principle with which the question of confidence is intimately bound up and upon which I can make no concessions. On receipt of this letter, the Minister proffered his excuses. The incident remained closed, particularly as in Paris the Prime Minister paid homage to "the conciliatory spirit of His Majesty the King of the Belgians".



M. Clemenceau brought up the question again in June. In a full session of the Inter-Allied Commission at Versailles he complained to General Gillain of not having had the power to send Belgian troops to Italy. His diatribe was met by the unanimous disapproval of all the soldiers present. In the meanwhile, the enemy continued his offensive. On the 27th May he crushed the Aisne front and in a few days forced the Allies to retire on the Marne. On the 7th June the Montdidier-Noyon front collapsed and fell back as far as the forest of Laigle. Beneath the weight of these rude shocks aimed at the French reserves on the front directly covering Paris there was talk of a retreat of the Allied left wing to behind the Somme. The King travelled to Montreuil to get confirmation from Marshal Haig that the British would never accept this solution. In case of dire need, the Marshal assured him officially he would form a circular bridgehead welded to our right flank and covering the Channel.

At the beginning of July a new assault was expected in Champagne. But the situation had lost its critical aspect. The British Army was able to fill its gaps, the American Army totalled more than twenty divisions and its effectives were increasing rapidly. The Franco-British disposed of an incontestable superiority in tanks and aviation. In fact, for the first time under the far-sighted impulse of General Pétain the French Army was to practise a reasonable defence tactic similar to that adopted by the Belgians on the day of Merckem. No serious danger seemed to threaten the Belgian sector, and the King and Queen could accept an invitation which both gladdened and flattered them: a visit to the British Fleet which was cruising in Scottish waters. On the 5th July Their Majesties flew over the Pas de Calais in a Belgian military seaplane. On the following day they were received at Buckingham Palace as guests of the King and Queen of England, where the King had the great pleasure of seeing a parade of honour by the Scots Guards. They arrived at Edinburgh and were initiated with the greatest interest into the submarine-detection apparatus in Rosyth. On the 9th the King and Queen reviewed the magnificent squadron of battleships anchored in the Firth of Forth. The parade in brilliant sunshine of this long file of steel giants bristling with enormous guns, punctuated by cheers from the crews as each ship approached, left an unforgettable impression of discipline and power. This impression was confirmed Revenge and H.M.S. Warspite and at a lunch on board the H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth flying the flag of Admiral Sir David Beatty. The day ended with a reception on board the American battleship New York, which was operating with the British Squadron. On his return to London on the 10th, the King was invited to take part in a session of the War Committee, which he summed up as follows:Mr. Lloyd George asked my advice on the general situation. I declared that from the point of view of the possibilities of resistance by the Allied armies I thought it to be excellent; the opposing forces on the Western Front were in such a proportion that one should be able to conduct a victorious defence and, apart from grave mistakes, to prevent the Germans from obtaining a decisive victory. The aid brought by the United States was becoming more and more important. The numerical value of the American infantryman already amounted to half that of the French infantry. The following year the total of American divisions would equal 113 German divisions. However, our superiority over the enemy would not exceed that which the Germans had had over ourselves last April (above five to four). The Prime Minister also asked my opinion on what I considered would be the face of the war in 1919. I replied that I did not believe, even with American aid, that we should be able to push the Germans back to their country and out of occupied territory; they were very powerful in defence, as the English learned during their attacks in 1917 in Flanders. This was why the real moment to make peace will be reached as soon as the totality of American reinforcements will have landed in Europe. The enemy will then be really anxious. You must make peace when he fears you most, and very often he fears you more before an offensive campaign than after it. Mr. Balfour found that this was a new way of envisaging the end of the war. In common with Mr. Lloyd George, he did not believe a military victory impossible on account of the weariness of Austria and Turkey, and of the hopes that may be reasonably entertained of a resumption of operations in Russia or at least in Siberia. I objected that I thought a desire to obtain peace at all costs was the major preoccupation of the Russians. "Man is, above all, a creature of conflict," replied Mr. Lloyd George, "in whom it is always possible to develop warlike sentiments." He estimated that, once the offensives of this year are over, the Germans will have exhausted their reserves. I put him on his guard against over-estimating enemy losses. The figures usually quoted seemed excessive. A new estimate on a reasonable basis would, without doubt, give them a less impressive total more approaching reality. Mr. Lloyd George remarked that so far Germany had never made a declaration concerning the restoration of Belgium. He suspects her of wanting to retain a political and economic suzerainty over us. The German military party is still all-powerful; the fall of Kuhlmann is a recent and striking indication of this. I observed that the breadth of the Allied Governments' war aims and their violent language had given great support to the German military party and damaged the cause of the moderate element. Those who refuse to show a certain good will towards avoiding a fifth year of war would bear a heavy responsibility in the annals of history. It would be criminal to attempt nothing to avoid the further bloodshed which would result. Mr. Lloyd George reminded me that this year he had used moderate language on several occasions, but without obtaining the hoped for reaction from the enemy. He fears that any diminution of the claims of the Entente, proclaimed as I advocate with the design of damping the aggressive spirit of Germany, would only result in the disintegration of the Allied bloc.That evening Their Majesties were received at a solemn occasion at the Albert Hall. Before a compact and admiring audience, Lord Curzon rendered a moving homage to these monarchs who had been such good friends to Great Britain, the first who had landed on their island by air and in particular to His Majesty the King, "a King among men and a man among Kings". On his return to La Panne, the Commander-in- Chief found himself faced with the prospect of a new German offensive. Opposite the Belgian Army and the Second British Army, the enemy was actively carrying out preparations for an offensive. He had brought up batteries of minenwerfer and disposed in his support line of von Arnim's army-fourteen divisions, of which five were opposite our right flank. After the diversionary attack in Champagne, there would in fact follow the final assault for the Pas de Calais ports and peace. It never came to this. The attack in Champagne, launched on the 15th July, came to grief against the able dispositions of Gouraud's army; on the 18th a Franco-American counter-offensive on his flank in a few days reconquered the Chateau-Thierry pocket. At the beginning of August the Canadian and Australian Corps pierced the Morcuil-Albert front and straightened out the Montdidier pocket. The Germans lost the initiative. Their offensive in Flanders would never be realised. From that moment Foch, created Marshal of France on the 7th August, began the launching of a triple attack: Franco-American in the Argonne, Franco-British, which broke the Hindenburg Line, and Belgo-British in Flanders. The three échelons went over the top at twenty-four-hour intervals on the 26th, 27th and 28th September respectively...



When on the 9th September he notified this plan to Marshal Haig and General Gillain, he was in possession of a Belgian note dated the 17th August, in which the King suggested to him that a giant attack should be carried out by four divisions, debouching to the north and south of Dixmude. In fact, in his clear-headedness the King realised that the enemy had definitely been thrown off his balance. Although this time taking a completely opposite view to his military adviser, he considered that the Belgian Army could not be satisfied with only small raids while the Allies were launching the general assault which was to break the Western Front. He considered it inadmissible that our troops should not participate with all their strength in the reconquest of our national territory. Marshal Foch's plan entailed the direct participation in favourable conditions of nearly the entire Belgian Army in an important phase of the general offensive. The Sovereign gave his consent when the Marshal came to La Panne on the 9th September to offer him, in agreement with Sir Douglas Haig, command of a combined force in which the preponderant role would be reserved to our troops. The constitution of the "Flanders Army Group" was decided it would include the Belgian Army and the Second British Army. The French Army would be represented by the 7th Corps of three divisions and the 2nd Cavalry Corps, as well as important reinforcements of artillery. On the following day, the 10th, at the Château de Bombom, the Marshal's residence, the King signified his approval and accepted as Major-General General Degoutte, who had distinguished himself at the head of the Sixth French Army.SOLDIERS!

You are about to deliver a powerful attack on the enemy positions. At the side of your British and French comrades, it is your task to fling back the invader who has oppressed your brothers for more than four years. This hour is decisive. Forward for Right, for Liberty, for glorious and immortal Belgium!Such was the wording of the proclamation received by our troops on the night of 27-28th September. At 2.30 a.m. the thunder of the preliminary bombardment opened. At 5.30 a.m. the infantry left their trenches, the Belgian Army took the offensive. The rest is known. In less than two days the crest of Flanders, the Forest of Houthulst and Dixmude were conquered, and 6,000 prisoners and 250 guns were captured. The battle relaunched on the 14th October was carried at first to the Lys and the Deynze Canal, then with the arrival of French reinforcements and two American divisions to the Escaut and the Ghent Canal at Terneuzen, where the news of the armistice arrived on the 11th November at 11 o'clock. These results and our losses-30,000 officers and other ranks prove that the Belgian Army had responded to the appeal of its Commander-in-Chief. On the 22nd November Their Majesties the King and Queen and H.R.H. Prince Leopold, riding at the head of the 6th Division, returned to their capital, which was delirious with enthusiasm. On their arrival in front of the Palais de la Nation, they dismounted and entered Parliament, where the Senators and Deputies were waiting. After the roars of cheers had subsided, the King made the following speech from the tribune with his usual noble simplicity:GENTLEMEN!

I bring you the greetings of the Army! My soldiers and I have arrived from the Yser through our towns and our liberated countryside, and here I now stand before the representatives of my country. Four years ago you entrusted me with our national army to defend the Fatherland in danger. I have come to give you an account of my actions. I have come to tell you what our Belgian soldiers have been like, the endurance they have shown, the courage and audacity they have displayed and the great results achieved by their efforts. What were the principles which governed my conduct during this long war? On the one hand to fulfil, so far as was practicable, all our international obligations and to safeguard the prestige of the nation, duties to which any nation that wishes to be esteemed must remain faithful; on the other hand to spare the blood of our soldiers, to ensure their material and moral well-being and to alleviate their sufferings.

This speech illustrates better than any other praise the Sovereign, the Commander-in-Chief, the man- Albert the First, King of the Belgians.

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28th December

M. Berthelot was announced at 3.30. He had come from London, where he was present at the meetings of the War Cabinet with MM. Ribot and Albert Thomas; M. Briand, who was ill, was unable to make the journey. He brought me a letter from Lord Curzon and immediately broached the subject of separate notes and of the danger which the submission of separate replies to Germany and to the United States represented.  "It will be looked upon," he said, "as a change of attitude on the part of Belgium, which the enemy will utilise in an attempt to reach a separate peace." "Have you been charged by the British government to tell me all this?" I asked. "Mr. Lloyd George, who was very disturbed, requested me to point out to you all the perils of the attitude the Belgian Government wished to adopt. The English Ministers were very preoccupied with this question." "Separate notes do not imply a separate peace, a thing which no member of the Belgian Government has in mind. The latter had given careful thought to the matter and had unanimously reached the solution of separate notes. I shall support this procedure, which, in my opinion, best conforms to the interests of my country. We have duties and responsibilities to Belgium." M. Berthelot insisted on the anxiety this act, which might seem to be a change of attitude on the part of Belgium, would cause the Allies. "Belgium," I replied, "has no intention of altering her present relationship with the Allies, but a clarification of the situation is necessary as regards the neutral nations and, in particular, as regards the United States, with whom we occupy a special position. In replying to the latter, we are addressing a protector and not, as in your case, a mediator." The conversation lasted a long time without either of us yielding a point. Among M. Berthelot's assurances, I must mention his conviction of total victory. "Our ideal must triumph," he said. "It is a war of principles. Were France to be offered Alsace-Lorraine and even more, no Frenchman, in my view, would dream of laying down arms. What is your opinion?" "For every country, it is a question of self-preservation, whose really patriotic statesman should be its highest expression." M. Berthelot denies that the war is, above all, a conflict between England and Germany. According to him, Great Britain is not aiming in any way at a hegemony; she took up arms to defend the principle of nationalities.In the letter M. Berthelot brought, Lord Curzon observed: Certain telegrams had been brought to his notice, indicating that the Belgian Government wished to send replies distinct from the joint note of the Allies, both to the German and to the American notes. The opinion was strongly and unanimously voiced that a procedure of this nature would be inopportune and could have a serious influence upon the future progress of the war. It was quite true that Belgium was, to a certain extent, in a different position from the other Allies and that she took up arms solely to defend her violated territory; it was quite true that she claimed no more than the recovery of what had been taken, reparations for unjust cruelties and guarantees for the future. It was possible that Germany might be disposed to agree to this and that she would joyfully pay this price in the prospect of detaching Belgium from the Allies and making a separate peace with her. He did not imagine for a moment that King Albert or his Government envisaged a result of this nature, but he was very much afraid that if the King embarked upon separate notes it would result in separate peace negotiations which could be followed by separate conditions...



To which the King replied immediately:I am most grateful for the frankness with which you have explained your point of view and for the opportunity you have given me to develop my own. I intend, therefore, to explain my current viewpoint with the frankness which I consider to be called for by the great events we are living through and by the grave responsibilities which weigh on us. You fear that the instruments drafted by the Belgian government might imperceptibly lead her to a separate peace with Germany. I do not share your fears on this subject. According to the conditions stated, Belgium declares that she will not lay down arms until she has recovered her independence and her integrity, obtained legitimate reparations, guarantees and security for her future. Germany cannot leave Belgium until she had made peace with the Great Western Powers and, in particular, with England, for Belgium constitutes Germany's security as regards Great Britain. She cannot and will not evacuate the country before making peace with the latter. England holds the seas and the German colonies; Belgium is the counterpart in German hands. I have never envisaged the idea of a separate peace. The fate of Belgium during this war is irrevocably bound to that of England, but where our ideas differ is on the issue of the conflict, and it is this which leads us to explain our point of view to President Wilson. You want to pursue your conduct of the war to the end, to the final exhaustion of the enemy, and you think that you can achieve this result. I do not share your view. I think that there will be neither victors nor vanquished, that the present results will not be perceptibly modified. Everything leads me to believe that the Western Front is now static on its present lines; and that Germany will transfer to this front, which is so essential for her, all the forces she can spare from the Eastern Front which we see growing weaker every day. In the struggle which the Great Powers want to wage to the bitter end, I can see for the Belgian people-Almost entirely in the hands of the enemy-only an increase of suffering as a result of the ruthless character the war may now assume and of which the invaded countries will bear the brunt. Those who are responsible for safeguarding the interests of the Belgian nation cannot, with their eyes open, subscribe to a war policy which exposes Belgium to total destruction. Probably the moment for negotiations has not yet arrived. It is not when the enemy has just won great victories that one should bargain with him. When the moral effect of his conquests has worn off, however, it would be intelligent than to lay down the aims to be achieved.While the King loyally and strongly defended the position of Belgium, the Government continued to strike its flag daily under special pressure from the Allied diplomats. It allowed our texts to be changed to an arrogant intransigence; it agreed to efface from our reply to Washington the announce of our war aims and to transform this reply into a commonplace propaganda lecture. Profoundly disappointed by these successive weaknesses, His Majesty expressed his displeasure to the Minister for Foreign Affairs:As you very rightly state, the Allies, after asking us to suppress in our note everything concerning peace conditions, have decided to list the most far-reaching war aims in their own text. In actual fact you have been circumvented by M. Cambon, who, not content with Belgium's total adherence to the Allied war aims, obtained the deletion of our own and even the despatch of an obedient letter, whose terms, had they not been modified, would have been the equivalent of a posthumous signature to the London Pact... What I should have liked to obtain in the interests of Belgium was the definition of our national viewpoint in an official text. This was necessary with regard to the neutrals at a moment when the latter are preparing to bring pressure on the belligerents to end the conflict. This goal, which the Cabinet had assigned to its policy, has not been reached. We must recognise the fact. I think that with more firmness we should have been able to obtain a definition of our particular situation for the purposes of America. From the moment our campaign ended with merely securing a rather more wordy adhesion on our part to the Allies' war aims, it would have been better to renounce the separate note and to send, as you suggested in one of your letters, a special official address to President Wilson. You speak of the Allies' suspicions; we must not exaggerate them. They need our flag, our example and our sufferings. Let us not be so naive as to fall for this bogey, which consists in trying to intimidate us by the threat of suspicions these leaders would be incapable of making the public in their own countries share.THE CAMPAIGN OF 1917



The state of the Belgian Army-The Peace Campaign fails; the favourable moment has passed-England takes over the direction of the war-The ideas of General Nivelle-His plan-The Russian Revolution-Total submarine warfare-The strategic German withdrawal-The Nivelle Plan re-formed and already compromised-The April Allied offensive-General Petain Commander-in-Chief of the French armies-The plan for the reconquest of the Belgian coast-Refusal on the part of the King to come under the British Command-The King does not believe in the success of the plan-The conditions for Belgian participation-The vast, open preparations for the offensive-The German reaction-Mediocre results of the 31st July attack-The new English plan-Refusal to join it by the French and Belgians-The fruitless battle of mid-August-The poor success of the October battle-No prospect of debouching by Dixmude-The wearing down of the British forces-The Russian disintegration-The Italian crisis of Caporetto-General Petain's opinion-The King's conclusions-The reconstitution of the Government.



Although the 1916 campaign involved the Belgian Army in no important operation, the Yser sector was never quiet for a single day. The Dixmude and Steenstraet regions, in particular, became the normal scene of frenzied mortar duels. In all, the fighting cost us 16,000 men. The arrival of volunteers who had escaped from Belgium by crossing the Belgo-Dutch frontier which the Germans had closed, balanced these losses and, together with militiamen raised in the non-occupied zone, allowed our effectives to rise to 130,000 men. Great advances were realised or were in the process of realisation in the matter of armament and equipment. The infantry was to be issued with Lewis guns. The introduction of the Van Deuren mortar put us in a position to reply blow for blow to the terrible short-range Minenwerfer. our factories at Le Havre and Birmingham, created and developed on the initiative of Colonel Blaise, kept our material in repair and supplied us with ammunition. Through the services of Baron Empain we were able to acquire small arms and batteries of medium-calibre guns, which gradually gave some shape to our heavy artillery. The Belgian divisions went by rota to Mailly Camp, where they learnt the elementary tactics practised by the French Army. A complete network of hospitals and dressing stations under the aegis of Her Majesty the Queen with a selected medical staff and the best possible medical supplies, assured rapid and effective attention for our sick and wounded in comfortable surroundings. The month of December saw changes in the Allied Governments, its last days being marked by alterations in the French High Command. General Joffre handed over his task to General Nivelle. General Foch was replaced in his command of the northern armies by General Franchet d'Esperey. These changes heralded the adoption of new methods. General Nivelle had just distinguished himself by closing the battle of Verdun with a remarkably well-organised counter-attack, which pushed the Germans back to their initial positions with the loss of 11,000 prisoners and more than 100 guns. Full of confidence in his method of attack-swift, continuous and in-depth-he intended to apply it to large-scale offensive. Hardly had he taken up his command than the new Generalissimo, in company with the President of the Republic, came to visit the King, who wrote after the interview:4th January

The new Commander-in-Chief, General Nivelle, gives one an excellent impression. He is calm, energetic and thoughtful. He condemns battles which last several months. "We must gain our objectives in the first two days," he said, "profit by the surprise effect and exploit the break in the enemy line on the principles of open warfare." The next offensive will be speeded up. We hope to start it in February. I expressed my fears on the subject of an offensive movement to be carried out across our country, which would bring it to destruction. The General replied that with his plan nothing of the kind was to be feared. He seems to have a very fair conception of the role of our army, of the suffering it has endured and its lack of reserves. He understands the difficulty of imposing upon it a real offensive in the terrain of the Yser; he realises that the objectives it would reach would be of no strategical value.This good impression was confirmed on the receipt of a note dated the 12th, in which the General declared: "As far as the participation of the Belgian Army in the Franco-British offensive of 1917 is concerned, I consider that it should not take place before the last phase of the general battle. "The co-operation of the Belgian Army will be indispensable when it becomes a question of exploiting successes subsequent to the break-though, and of chasing the enemy from Belgian soil. There is no question of launching the Belgian Army in offensive operations against an intact enemy or one still in possession of most of his defences." The Generalissimo's projects, however, seemed a trifle ambitious. Announceing as his objective "the destruction of the main enemy forces on the Western Front", he was staging a double offensive-Anglo-French between Arras and Roye, French between Rheims and Soissons-aiming to strangle the Noyon salient. He wanted to attack as quickly as possible for fear of seeing himself forestalled by the enemy, as had been the case the year before. But his forces had little superiority. He also had to overcome the resistance of the British, who wanted to attack in Flanders and who would not join his plan except on the decision of the War Office. Thus he was forced to postpone the start of the offensive until March. On the 31st January the Central Powers declared total submarine warfare in the blockade zone of the British, French and Italian coasts. This was an insult to the rights of America, and on the 4th February the United States broke off diplomatic relations with Germany It was, anyway, clear that the new German Command-Hindenburg-Ludendorff-was doing its best to counter the Allied land offensives.4th February

Diplomatic relations broken between the U.S.A. and Germany. Total submarine warfare must have been foreseen in all its aspects in Berlin. It must have serious chances of influencing the outcome of the war; otherwise, Germany would have recoiled before its possible consequences. Does she hope to strike England at her most vulnerable point? Only the future can give us the answer. This will obviously be one of the last phases of this immense conflict. We learn that the German Army is being reinforced in material, particularly on our front. It is announced in other quarters that twenty new divisions are being formed in Germany; this will bring the number of German divisions on the Western Front to 155. The Allies dispose of 170 divisions. This slight superiority does not allow us to bank on decisive results for the great offensive planned for March.On receipt of a note from the Generalissimo asking for our heavy artillery to be put at his disposal to reinforce the preparatory bombardment for the French attacks, the King accepted eagerly.9th February

General Nivelle has sent us a note asking for the collaboration of our heavy artillery. We agree to this request, happy to have an opportunity of showing goodwill.A second note arrived two days later saying that if the effects of the great combined offensive did not come up to expectations an amphibious Anglo-Franco-Belgian operation would be staged, under British command, aimed at reconquering the Belgian coast. In his capacity as Sovereign as well as Commander-in-Chief, the King viewed the revival of this prospect with undisguised apprehension. The following comment proves it:11th February

The Chief of the French Mission has sent us a new note. It comprises two parts: the first outlines the action of the Belgian Army subsequent to the success of the great Franco-British offensive of the Somme and the Oise; the second, valid only in the case where the main offensive does not give the hoped-for results, deals with a minor operation to be carried out on the Flemish coast with twenty English, three or four French divisions and the Belgian Army with the co-operation of the French and British fleets. For this last operation, the combined forces will be entrusted to Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. The note quotes in this connexion the example of the Salonika Army. This point has made a bad impression on us. It is a humiliation for the Belgian Army Command. It also exposes us to very great sacrifices. The recapture of the coast serves the interests of England rather than those of Belgium. It is astonishing that we have been notified of such a plan, which could only cause us a disagreeable surprise. One sees quite well that small countries must beware of the big ones, even when the latter call themselves Allies! Meanwhile, the trend of the submarine war was followed with great care.13th February

All eyes are on the submarine conflict. The British Navy inspires very great confidence. We have faith in its strategy and in the courage of its crews. Nevertheless, the problem of British supplies entails fearful unknown problems. Has everything been foreseen? May they not run short of tonnage? The Government has allocated for war purposes 50 per cent according to Lloyd George, 60 per cent according to Runciman. There remains a very small margin for the food-supply and general commercial requirements. Submarine warfare could eat into this margin dangerously. Even if it does not lead to a decisive result, this action will go far to create a state of embarrassment which may well influence the development of the war.4th March

Visit from Admiral Jellicoe.

A real sailor and a real Anglo-Saxon. He takes a serious view of the situation as a result of the submarine war. In February 500,000 tons were sunk, and against this between eight and ten enemy submarines were destroyed. It is extremely difficult to know when a submarine has been sunk. The training of hunter crews is not difficult, above all when only mine-laying is involved. The Germans are beginning to lack experienced officers.While on the Somme and the Aisne fronts the British and French were feverishly equipping their sectors for attack, the curtain went up on two events of the utmost gravity which reduced the already poor chances of the future offensive and foreboded far-reaching modifications on the world stage. On the 12th and 13th March riots broke out in Petrograd; the revolutionary hordes, composed for the most part of workers and soldiers, swamped the town, overpowered the police, opened the prisons and set fire to Government buildings. The ministers of the Tsar were forced to resign. Besides a Duma, which was to study constitutional reforms, a Council of Workers and Soldiers was set up, whose admitted goal was to proclaim the "Socialist Republic" and to put a stop to the war. On the Western Front the Germans carried out a vast strategical withdrawal and, after systematic demolitions, evacuated the whole region situated to the east of La Fere-St. Quentin-Croisilles. Evading the pincer movement prepared by General Nivelle, they based their defence lines on a shortened, rectified and very powerfully defended front known as the "Hindenburg Line". The King immediately sensed that the Allied plans could be completely upset.[/quote]15th March

Russia presents symptoms of a very grave internal situation. We learn that a revolt has broken out in Petrograd caused by the food crisis. Despite a ukase of dissolution, the Duma remains in session, as did the States General in 1789. Several regiments appear to have thrown in their lot with the rebels, who have taken the arsenal, burnt the Law Courts and opened the prisons. The Duma has formed a provisional government; it has imprisoned the ministers, except the Minister for Foreign Affairs. A message has been sent to the Tsar.16th March

We have suddenly heard that the Tsar has abdicated; that the Grand Duke Nicholas has been offered the Regency; that the rebels hold Petrograd and Moscow and that the entire Army has joined the uprising. The truth will gradually come to light. The Tsar seems to have been forced to abdicate. The Grand Duke Nicholas does not seem anxious to accept the crushing burden offered him. What role have the English and the French played in this tragedy? Their ambassadors have been very hasty in recognising the new Government. When a traditional power is overthrown, a course has been entered upon which it is difficult to arrest. The people, their appetites whetted, are no longer content with moderate measures. Whether they wish it or not, they too have to go on "to the end".18th March

We are surprised to see that the English and French newspapers-Action Française being the honourable exception-consider the Russian Revolution to be a triumph for the Allies; that the "Russian nation" will accomplish the miracles which the Empire was incapable of realising. However, we read that, despite the war, the provisional Government is determined to bring about all the social and political reforms; and first of all to organise general and local elections, an idea which the British and French Governments refuse to entertain, even though they are not in the throes of a revolution!21st March

The great event is the German withdrawal to the new front line, Arras-St. Quentin-Laon. The Allies see in this the consummation of the Battle of the Somme. I myself prefer to regard it as a very bold large-scale manoeuvre, intended to draw the French forces far from Paris in order later, south of Verdun, to attempt a powerful offensive movement westwards to turn their flank or encircle the French troops in actions further to the north. The Chief of the French Mission tells me that General Nivelle is determined to press on with his offensive in the region originally fixed, Rheims- Soissons, while the British will operate to the north of Arras. It is very dangerous to move in the north and expose their flank and rear to an enemy offensive!22nd March

The Russian Revolution exceeds all expectations. They do not want Grand Duke Nicholas as their leader. No more Romanoffs! Russia, in the grip of extremists, will march towards a republic, and discipline in the Army will be compromised. The unity and strength of the latter will be proportionately diminished. That is the result of this movement, which, with their short-sighted views, most of the Allies greeted with such candid joy. In spite of everything, the Generalissimo's optimism remained unshakable.23rd March

Visit from General Nivelle.

The General maintains that the German withdrawal is more than he could have hoped for. "It does not alter one whit," he added, "the Anglo-French offensive, whose front will merely have to be modified. It will be started on the 8th April, in the neighbourhood of Rheims by the French and of Arras by the British." General Nivelle is full of confidence, nevertheless, he admits that the Germans are stronger than last year. Many people, he confesses, are against the offensive we are going to undertake. On the question of the Russian events, he complains that we are so ill-informed; a fortnight before the Revolution General de Castelnau had written that the Tsar's authority had never been stronger.1st April

The Extremists seem to hold the Moderates in their power. That is the way with revolutions. So far it is very difficult to estimate the morale of the Army, and what tendencies will manifest themselves as a result of the latest events, under the initiative of leaders who have brought about the fall of Tsarism.2nd April

We read in the declaration by the Russian Committee that the Russian nation will not make peace except with the German Republic. This idea will be clung to by the innumerable socialists sent by the Allies to Russia to stimulate the warlike ardour of the Muscovites. But in the meanwhile, a great Russian offensive has become an improbability; nor will the Italians achieve anything. Therefore Hindenburg will be able to bring back enough divisions to the Western Front to try and reach a decision.7th April

An event of great importance: the declaration of war by the United States on Germany. America will immediately furnish 500,000 men, followed by a second 500,000. Germany's need to seek a final decision on the Western Front is growing more urgent. The Germans have there at the moment 147 divisions, as opposed to 119 in 1916, the period of the great Allied attack on the Somme. I asked M. Painleve why an offensive was being planned, when America will soon be entering the conflict. He replied: "I agree with you, but I did not order this operation." The battle was opened on the 11th April by the British on the Arras front, and was continued from west to east by the French armies between the 11th and 18th April. The Allies, who incidentally were hampered by bad weather, came up everywhere against an enemy who had made sure of his rear organisation and had brought up his reserves; local successes were achieved, above all by the British; but a break-through occurred neither in Artois, nor north of the Aisne, nor in Champagne, and the French troops paid very heavily for their feeble gains in the Soissons sector.19th April

The great French offensive carried out by the Third Army on the 11th, by the Fifth and Sixth Armies on the 16th and the Fourth Army on the 17th, has produced only insignificant results in comparison with the goals aimed at and the assurances expressed by the High Command. The newspapers will naturally celebrate the capture of 14,000 men and twelve guns; they will proclaim that this is the beginning of an uninterrupted train of successes destined to carry us to the Rhine. The losses will not be mentioned. Why should they be mentioned?23rd April

A new offensive by the British. Without great result, if one considers the number of troops engaged and the losses suffered. It is the war of attrition all over again-what an absurd idea to pursue victory by wearing-down tactics which in actual fact wear down both adversaries at the same time! The true art of war, or a proper understanding of the principles of military leadership, would never admit of such a system.Faced with the setback to his break-through, which cost the French Army 85,000 dead and wounded, General Nivelle reverted, in fact, to wearing-down operations. On the 11th May his dismissal was announced by the War Committee. He was replaced on the 15th by General Pétain. No sooner had he taken over his new duties than the new C.-in-C. of the French armies forwarded to the King a statement, which read as follows: "The forthcoming operations in Flanders will be carried out for the most part by the British Army, which will assign about thirty divisions to it. Because of the front it occupies as well as by reason of the prospects thus opened for the reoccupation of Belgian territory, the Belgian Army has an inevitable interest in this. The French Army will also participate "In these conditions it is only natural that the conduct of these operations should be in the hands of the British Army. The minor part to be taken by the Belgians and the French requires that the troops of these two nations be united under a single command. The best way of solving this question seems to me to offer His Majesty the King of the Belgians the command for the duration of operations of the French divisions which will participate. Our troops, which have never been placed under a foreign command, will be proud in these exceptional circumstances to take orders from the King of the Belgians; they will certainly consider it to be an honour to serve under such a leader." Through his Chief of Staff His Majesty replied:



Although greatly flattered by the offer to command the French troops, whose great merit has been confirmed in so many battles, the King cannot accept a situation where, in fact, he would be abdicating his authority over the Belgian Army. The King holds the command of the Army from the constitution, that is to say, by the will of the Belgian people, whose first servant he considers himself. It is not for him to relinquish a part of this command, the responsibility for which has been entrusted to him by the nation. He is therefore obliged to decline the offer to command the Franco-Belgian Army and to retain the effective and exclusive command of the Belgian Army...



The visit of the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army gave the King an opportunity of developing his protest as regards a plan to which he was asked to contribute although it was conceived without his knowledge.



25th May

Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig visited me today at eleven o'clock at La Panne. He spoke to me of the entry into action of a Franco-Belgian army, the organisation and role of which General Pétain had told him was agreed with the Belgian Command. "I have had no exchange of views with General Pétain," I replied. "The latter sent me a note proposing the formation of a Franco-Belgian army made up chiefly of six French divisions, of which I was to assume the command. I declined this offer because it took away from me the exclusive authority I exercise over my own army, which I intend to retain in conformity with Belgian law." "It would make my task much easier," objected the Marshal, "had I to deal with a single Allied commander in the conduct of the enterprise entrusted to me." "The co-operation of the Belgian Army," I replied, "has been effected perfectly during the most difficult periods of the campaign, particularly during the battle of the Marne and the battle of Flanders. All of us are animated by a single desire: to contribute to the common success. Nevertheless, we ought not to be asked to do the impossible; for example, to undertake an offensive in a terrain as difficult as ours against an enemy who is always in possession of large reserves. "Our action," I added, "should have been concerted, in conformity with the pact of the 4th August 1914. But now we are faced with cut-and-dried decisions." "The Governments," he said, "have laid down the principle of an offensive destined to free the coast, but the details have not been completely fixed. The British will begin by occupying the Messines Ridge in order to straighten out the Ypres salient; they will then advance on Roulers by the Forest of Houthulst and Zonnebeke. A landing will possibly take place between Nieuport and Ostend, in which case British troops will replace the French at Nieuport. The French will take over the Het Sas sector." In conclusion, the Marshal told me that he intended to see General Pétain on Wednesday and to come and see me again later for a further discussion of these plans.It is worth remarking here that it was the statesmen and not the soldiers who from now onwards assumed the direction of operations. The General Staffs had to adapt their methods to political decisions, and to enlighten the politicians on the possibility or impossibility of achieving the objectives assigned to them. The King, moreover, without refusing our co-operation, expressed from the very start the most emphatic reservations as regards the success of the operation planned.

He repeated them to the French C.-in-C.7th June

Conversation with General Pétain.

This is the first time that I have met the new C.-in-C. He made the best possible impression upon me. He affirms that in the present situation a breakthrough is impossible, since the opposing forces on the Western Front are almost equal: 156 divisions on the German side and 181 on the Allied side. I questioned him as to the possibility of a fourth winter of war. He assured me that he could see no possibility of this. "The military chiefs," he added, "must tell the politicians the truth. They have not always done this. Many people are badly informed. This insistence on the offensive has been one of the causes of the enormous French losses." As Generalissimo, he would not entertain proposals of peace being made to an enemy still installed on French and Belgian territory. In view of the gravity of the situation, he had been forced to intervene with the politicians. It was he who had forced the head of the Government to make the speech repudiating the Stockholm manoeuvre. "Had we gone to Stockholm," he said to me, "we should have given the Army a glimpse of peace in the near future. This would have caused an immediate upheaval. There can only be talk of peace after the evacuation of the occupied territories, but it remains to be seen whether these are to include Alsace-Lorraine." The general spoke to me also of the crisis in certain French regiments which had assumed a very serious nature. "The French Army," he said, "is no longer what it was."From the practical point of view it was agreed that the Belgian Army should remain completely and exclusively under the command of His Majesty; that the French divisions would be transferred to the Boesinghe-Drie Grachten sector; that the Belgian Army would try to advance towards Dixmude beyond the Yser as soon as the British Army should have advanced far enough the King was to be the judge of this. The operation in its entirety did not aim at a strategic break-through of the front. It was to form part of the series of attacks on limited objectives which, in General Pétain's words, corresponded to the situation of the opposing forces on the Western Front. The agreement was incorporated in a protocol drawn up the same day between General Pétain, Marshal Haig and our Chief of Staff. It ran as follows: "Offensive operations will be undertaken in Flanders during the course of the summer, with the object of chasing the enemy from the Belgian coast. "The troops taking part will be as follows: three British armies and the First French Army under the orders of Marshal Haig, and the Belgian Army under the orders of His Majesty the King. "The British armies will operate in part from the region of Ypres and in part towards the Belgian coast. "The French Army will operate on the left of the British armies starting from the region of Steenstraet. "The Belgian Army will hold itself in readiness to advance from Dixmude when the Franco-British forces on its right flank have advanced sufficiently to facilitate this operation, i.e. when they have reached the front Etang de Blankaert-Foret d'Houthulst (northern fringe)." I may say this new conception of our participation received the full support of the King. The latter knew, furthermore, from his conversations with our unit commanders, that our troops, both officers and men, weary of the long wait, were longing to attack and would welcome enthusiastically an occasion for distinguishing themselves by some feat of arms.



The same day, after a long preliminary bombardment by a formidable weight of artillery, the Second British Army opened the new Battle of Flanders by capturing the Wytschaete-Messines hills. The same evening it announced that all the objectives had been reached and the capture of 7,000 prisoners and sixty guns. After the capture of Wytschaete Ridge preparations for the offensive were carried out on a large scale. The small area of Flemish soil which had remained inviolate was covered with railway lines, cobbled roads, camps, munition dumps, hospitals and aerodromes. During the first days of July the Fifth British Army took up its position between Hill 60 and Boesinghe; the First French Army between this point and Drie Grachten; the 15th British Corps along the coast and in the Nieuport bridgehead. Three thousand guns supported the attacking front; the French Army alone had brought up goo, including some of the largest calibre. A concentration of squadrons ensured mastery in the air and perfect observation for artillery fire, closely verified by aerial photos. In the region of Mardick a British division carried out practice landings, with a view to which Admiral Bacon in command of the Dover Patrol equipped a flotilla of flat-bottomed landing-craft. The artillery preparations consisted of eight days of counter-battery fire, followed by fifteen days of intensive bombardment, alternated with raids and gas attacks. It goes without saying that the Germans replied as best they could. Their fire sowed devastation and death among the civilian population military targets.



In addition to this the British authorities, in the grip of spy fever, proposed to evacuate the inhabitants of the villages they occupied to France. Such a plan greatly disturbed the Sovereign, who arranged for the local councils to be sounded by his aides-de-camp. From their conversations with the inhabitants they informed him that the latter preferred to perish in the ruins of their houses rather than to emigrate. The King took active steps and insisted that our people should be able to decide freely as to whether they would leave. Furthermore, their Majesties set an example. Faithful to their principle of remaining with their national troops, they left La Panne for the Chalet des Moëres, which was likewise on Belgian soil. Alerted by the appearance of the British at Nieuport and by the infernal din of their artillery, the enemy as early as the 10th July overwhelmed the troops guarding the east bank of the Yser and reduced the bridgehead of Lombardzyde to inoffensive proportions. On our flat meadows, clearly visible from his observation posts, they had missed nothing of the Allied preparations. Reinforcements of artillery, aircraft and troops had reached them. Furthermore, their defence system comprised a host of concrete pill-boxes dispersed among the ruins of houses or the remains of parks and woods. The King realised that all surprise effect had disappeared and that the battle would be a simple test of strengths, that the Allies would relapse into a wearing-down battle of the same type as the Somme. He said to one of his aides: "The British from now onwards are embarking upon a chamfering tactic which will prove very expensive." On the Eastern Front the Russians had begun a great offensive and had once more defeated the Austrians, but their effort rapidly petered out, apparently for ever. No more help was forthcoming from this direction. On the 31st July at dawn the Franco-British went over to the attack from Steenstraet to Warneton. The results immediately showed themselves to be disappointing; the troops advanced a mere mile and the enemy recaptured part of the lost terrain the same day. The torrential rain, which had not ceased for a week, had transformed the battlefield into a morass. A series of minor operations with the support of numerous tanks proved fruitless. Despairing of an advance from Ypres and urged by his Chief of Staff, Marshal Haig proposed on the 9th August that the French and Belgians should overrun the forest of Houthulst from the north. The boldness of this concept, the reverse of that laid down in the protocol of the 8th July, did not escape the notice of the King or of General Anthoine, the shrewd commander of the First French Army. They discussed the matter together in perfect agreement.9th August

General Anthoine agrees that the Forest of Houthulst cannot be taken by frontal attack. In the light of the general situation he showed how the original ideas have been modified according to circumstances and the difficulties which have cropped up. The bad weather has delayed operations considerably. It will be lucky if the English arrive at Staden by mid-September. After this date one can no longer count on the possibility of waging full-scale operations in Flanders. General Anthoine has no reserves at his disposal. He has to live on his means, for General Pétain will not send him any reinforcements. He doubts whether he will be able to establish a line which would allow him to lean on Kippe and the inundations of the Blankaert; he thinks he will be able to reach a line based on those of the Martjevaart. He does not see any possibility in the near future of bringing up his artillery to Merckem. He is going to study a way of preparing with artillery fire his attack on the positions of Woumen and Clerken. Like myself, the General is opposed to the idea of mixing Belgian and French troops in the attack which is to start from Dixmude. Two of our divisions, the 2nd and the 6th, will carry out these offensives. A brigade of the 4th or the 5th will cover the flank of the movement from the moment the first objective is taken. He adds that if the English manage to reach Staden (an even chance) he will advance his left wing by using the 36th Corps towards the Blankaert.After getting contact with London, Marshal Haig changed his mind. On the 16th August the Fifth British Army, with the First French Army on its left flank, tried a new general assault. The Martjevaart was reached; a massive tank formation on the heights of Geluvelt was destroyed at blank range by enemy fire. That was the end of the British offensive for a month. September passed in straightening out and consolidating the battle sector. The stubborn English decided to resume operations on a grand scale from the 10th October. The Belgian Army received advice to be ready to attack on the 25th. The new offensive was launched on the 12th, powerfully staged in depth. Despite the endurance and the bravery of the attacking divisions, the gains were insignificant, so much so that during a stormy meeting held at Cassel on the 14th between Marshal Haig and his army commanders, General Plumer commanding the Second British Army declared it impossible to continue operations except perhaps the capture of Passchendaele; General Gough, in command of the Fifth Army, warned that future advances could not be expected to exceed 400 yards and should take place at intervals of at least four days. As for General Anthoine, he considered that operations were finished provided the Belgian Command agreed with him. This was also the opinion of the King, who thus summed up the situation:17th October

Once more a summer has gone by without military operations bringing any solution. The revolution has been a decisive factor in the disintegration of the Russian Army. Despite the hopes and speeches of the English, French and Belgian socialists, the Eastern Front is disrupted. Abandoning their pledges, succumbing to the disorganisation of their transport and supply services, the Russians are all set for anarchy and famine, possibly the precursors of a separate peace. The French Army, after having passed through an extremely dangerous moral crisis in the months of May and June, has recuperated, chiefly thanks to the courage of General Pétain and his decision to reduce the number and scope of his offensive undertakings. The attack of the 16th April had shaken the men's confidence in their leaders. There were many cases of insubordination and even of revolt. He had to act with energy. It was, above all, the personality of the C.-in-C. which restored calm and confidence in the ranks. The French Army knows today that the principle of offensive for offensive's sake, whatever the situation and the respective strength of the adversaries, has definitely been abandoned. The victorious actions of Verdun and Flanders have buoyed up public opinion. Unfortunately, it has been profoundly affected by the revelation of scandals which have left a stain on the honour of Parliament. What will happen to the morale of the French nation when winter comes, when the present offensives come to a standstill, and when the prospect of a new cycle of twelve months of war will become apparent to the people? The British Army will have furnished the maximum effort in 1917. It has reached the apogee of its power. In the future it can only wane. Now it is the turn of the American Army. Can Great Britain allow the United States to play the decisive role and to determine the outcome of the war to build thousands of ships to this end at the very moment that the British Navy is depleted? Marshal Haig has embarked upon this giant offensive in Flanders at the risk of exhausting the entire British Army. They are at their eighth battle! The weather is becoming quite unfavourable. This operation has been badly staged: a narrow front, and a pivoting movement demanding an advance on the part of the right flank, which could not be realised. Furthermore, the enemy had time to bring all his reserves up to Flanders, as a result of the inaction of the French troops and the growing weakness of the Russian Army. Marshal Haig is supported in his obstinacy by several politicians who look upon his offensive from the standpoint of political advantages, which bear no relationship to the military point of view. Little attention is paid to the voice of his subordinates. The army and corps commanders have expressed their complete scepticism on the results to be obtained by a continuation of the attacks. The position of the Belgian Army is fortunately decided. It is not to attack from Dixmude until after the encirclement of Houthulst by the French as far as the Blankaert and by the English as far as Stadenberg. Now the latter will not reach Stadenberg this year, while from now onwards the terrain forbids any operations to the east of the Blankaert on the part of the French. In front of Dixmude the terrain is becoming impracticable.On the supposition that our troops succeeded in conquering the Dixmude-Clerken bastion, to maintain them there during the winter, with a marsh on each flank and the Yser in their rear, would have been to lead them into a death-trap. The King, who realised this, was delighted that this possibility had now been removed. As for Marshal Haig, he continued for a month with his hammer blows, which admittedly caused severe losses to the enemy but took an equally heavy tribute from the British troops. On the 5th November the energy of the Canadians enabled them to get a foothold in the ruins of Passchendaele, which brought to a close the most bloody battle of the war. At this time general attention was transferred to the Italian war front. In less than seventy-two hours the Austro-Germans breached the Caporetto sector, crossed the barrier of the Alps and streamed down into the Tagliamento Valley. Under the threat of being flung into the Adriatic, the Italian Army took hasty refuge behind the Piave. In response to Marshal Cadorna's appeal, French and English divisions left for Italy. The King concluded:10th November

Hardly had the echo of the speeches in which British and French statesmen reaffirmed their conviction of victory died away than we learned in quick succession of the attack and the break-through on the Italian front. The retreat of the Italian Army soon assumed the proportions of a disaster: 200,000 prisoners, 1,800 guns and the passage of the Tagliamento forced. The situation of the Allies has been greatly compromised by this defeat, or rather by this rout of the forces of one of the great Powers of the coalition. One must look for the causes for the breaking of the Italian soldiers' fighting spirit in the weariness resulting from the length of the war, in the losses suffered in the recent offensives and in defeatist propaganda. The morale of an army must be very carefully assessed. There are traditional virtues just as there are lacunae in the military character of races. The Italian Command was not unaware of the weaknesses of its troops. It always feared a great enemy offensive and asked for Franco-British reinforcements in view of such an eventuality. The Allies neglected these wise warnings. On the contrary, they demanded continual attacks by the Italian Army. The mistake made by General Cadorna was in giving way to these demands, and wearing down the weak morale of his units in very costly offensives which were unlikely to achieve a decisive result. The Entente is paying more and more dearly for its mistakes. Will its leaders ever open their eyes? They are faced with a terrible dilemma. The day will come when the exhausted peoples will see in revolution the only remedy for their ills and the only means of putting a stop to the war.In actual fact, in Petrograd on the 7th the Bolshe vists proclaimed the "Soviet State" and urged the belligerents to start negotiations immediately for peace without annexations or indemnities. The letter in the Daily Telegraph, too, in which Lord Lansdowne made an appeal for peace, provoked the following comment: 30th November Lord Lansdowne's peace letter. This has caused a great scandal in the camp of the partisans of War to the Death, but it was a fine act of courage on the part of a wise and experienced statesman, who has rendered great services to his country. Lord Northcliffe and The Times almost had apoplectic strokes. General Pétain's visit was an opportunity for discovering the opinion of the French C.-in-C.10th December

General Pétain is not satisfied with the general situation; it has never been worse. He believes that the Italians will not hold if strong pressure is brought to bear on their left flank. He declares that the British Army is very tired; that the British Command will not agree to relieving the Third French Army; that the French armies drawn out on a 360-mile front run the risk of being broken if they are suddenly subjected to a large-scale attack. The depots are bare-except for the new class and a few men who are reported fit again. The morale of the troops is good, but they are incapable of large and sustained effort. Clemenceau is popular and will remain in power if things go well. The General deplores the inefficiency of the British Command. The troops are excellent but they have been clumsily used. The Americans lack discipline and experience. Their baptism of fire will probably cost them dear. In conclusion, the General considers that the moment is not ripe for making peace, but if the enemy in a few months' time makes any proposals he thinks that they should be carefully examined.In the midst of all this, the position of the Sovereign was proving very difficult. Through the services of M. Coppéc, Comte de Broqueville agreed to contact M. van der Lancken, Governor of occupied Belgium. These exchanges, entered into with the knowledge of the French Government, constituted merely a quest for information. Nevertheless, they infuriated certain of our ministers. Although the Sovereign considered the moment unripe for negotiations, he understood what was in the Premier's mind, and noted in his diary:15th December

I am of the opinion that it is the duty of governments to obtain all information on the enemy's dispositions. The conflict should not continue a single day after war aims have been achieved, taking into account the great suffering which war inflicts on all peoples and in particular on the Belgian people. Now, in order to be certain that these aims have been achieved, one must have information. Accordingly, when an enemy personality of sufficient qualifications presents himself to make a declaration, after assuring oneself of his credentials, he should be given a hearing by an unprejudiced party of the same rank or in an equivalent position, naturally in agreement with the Allied Governments.The King realised, nevertheless, that in the Government two different policies existed, which M. de Broqueville himself defined as follows: "that of prudence, expectation and acceptable compromise; and that of diehard, chauvinistic death or glory". With the idea of appeasement and peace in mind, the King agreed to a change of government, placing M. Cooreman at the head of the Cabinet, M. de Broqueville in charge of Economic Affairs, and M. Hymans in the Foreign Office. After conferring with the latter, the King notes his satisfaction at his new minister's reasonable views.17th December

M. Hymans will keep me informed of everything that goes on in his department. He agrees with me that we must not make a pronouncement at the moment on the future state of Belgium. No customs union with France. If events take a disturbing turn he admits that the Government should insist upon the Great Powers examining the methods of bringing to a close a war whose length threatens to ruin the social structure everywhere. The example of Russia is full of dangers.The CAMPAIGN OF 1918



The Belgian Army, in excellent fettle, takes over the Nieuport sector again-Visit to the Italian front-The Flemish question in the Army-The question of informatory contacts with the enemy-German superiority on the Western Front-Alerting of the Army in the event of an enemy offensive-The fortified camp of the Yser and the coast of the Pas de Calais must be defended at all costs-The steps taken in London-England agrees- German offensive of the 21st March-The offensive in Flanders-The battle of Merckem-Quarrel over a unified command-The King upholds the principle of "concerted and common action"-The visit of the Sovereigns to the Grand Fleet-The session of the War Committee Solemn occasion at the Albert Hall-Threat of a new attack in Flanders-German offensive in Champagne-The reply-The initiative goes over to the Allies-The King suggests a large-scale raid on Dixmude- Marshal Foch's great offensive-The King Commander-in-Chief of the Army groups in Flanders-The offensive of liberation-The return of the Sovereigns to Brussels-The King renders account to the representatives of the nation.



1918 found the Belgian Army in excellent fettle, both in material and from the point of view of morale. The troops had experienced a great battle, had undergone the most violent bombardments and taken the measure of the enemy in the course of raids and counter-attacks. They knew that in future they would be in a position to fight on terms of equality of armament. Our forces were reorganised into twelve infantry divisions and one cavalry division-with weak effectives, it is true, and almost without reserves in the depots. Our sapper units were excellent and well equipped, the heavy artillery satisfactory, and our aviation well equipped and full of spirits. In February, in agreement with General Pétain, we relieved the French troops in the Nieuport sector. In this way a desire which had long been nursed by the King was realised: with its flank on the sea, the Belgian Army held the extreme left of the Western Front. Its sector stretched over eighteen miles. During the first days of the same month, in reply to an invitation from King Victor Emmanuel, the King paid a visit to the Italian front. On the 2nd February, at 8 p.m., we left Paris, arriving at Mentone at 8 p.m. on the 3rd. February 5th, at 8 p.m., we left Ventimiglia and arrived at Battaglia, near Padua, on the 6th February at 8.30 a.m. On the morning of the 6th we were installed in a Venetian villa. During the afternoon a review and march-past of four battalions of Bersaglieri, an artillery battery and a squadron of dismounted cavalry; a visit to the Air Force. My impression was good, the superior officers and generals are young and go-ahead. They have character. The troops look well, and so do the airmen.7th February

Visit to the Pasubio sector in the Alps.

We climbed more than 6,000 feet. Large-scale opera- tions are hardly possible there. We noticed the fine work which had been carried out on the roads and the communications. On our return, near Santa Caterina, we saw a practice attack by an assault battalion which was not very impressive.8th February

Visit to the defences of Venice, the Piave front and the Adriatic.

A detachment of sailors marched past; they seemed a trifle undisciplined.9th February

Visit to the Asiago sector at a height of nearly 4,500 feet.

In this terrain, both infantry and field artillery can manoeuvre comfortably. It is a sector for attack, and one can understand the Austrian operations of June 1916.

As a general impression, I thought that the Italian Army was more disciplined than ours. The troops looked better and the convoys marched in good order. They did not, however, possess the perfection of the British troops. Nevertheless, it appears that if they were properly used, the Italian troops should fight well.10th February

Arrived at Mentone at 11.30 a.m.

On his return to Moëres, the King busied himself with the unrest which had broken out since the beginning of winter among certain regiments in the form of sudden and noisy manifestations on the part of Flemish soldiers in favour of linguistic claims. The men roved in bands round the barracks maintaining that they wanted to be given orders in their own language. Pamphlets and inscriptions were circulated to the same end, all reflecting a national and religious mysticism encouraged, if not fermented, by the chaplains and stretcher-bearers, not to mention war-weariness and a certain animosity against France. Enquiries and arrests proved that those taking part were nearly always combatants, irreproachable under fire, who could be appeased by the promise of the post-war creation of Flemish regiments and a Flemish university. Two Council meetings on the King's initiative showed that the Government was divided on the matter of conceding such far-reaching reforms. During March the inertia of the authorities brought about a repetition of these manifestations amongst certain of the troops. The King accordingly convened the Council once more, whose deliberations he relates as follows:20th March

The question of the day is the Fleming in the Army.

We read the findings of the two last Councils held at Houthem at the beginning of February. We thus managed, in the light of all that had already been said, to avoid a further general discussion. I declared that I only intended to hold a morning session and that the Government would have to come to an agreement on a solution. I concluded by showing the necessity for giving the Flemings a proof of the Government's goodwill and the possibility of doing so, since from the minutes of the last Council there seemed to exist a basis for agreement among the ministers, particularly in the domain of education. The Chief of Staff was asked to read a report on the agitation among the troops. In his speech he maintained that a complete organisation of the movement existed among the front-line units; but that so far the manifestations had not been of a violent nature, and the police hoped to find the centre of this propaganda. He added that the situation could become serious, but that he was firmly resolved to maintain discipline. He continued to think that the origin of the agitation was frivolous and exclusively the work of a few intellectuals. M. Van der Vijvere protested the use of the word 'frivolous'; the movement had its roots in the deepest feelings of the race. MM. Hymans and Vandervelde stressed the need for rigid discipline but admitted that the Flemings had the right to certain cultural privileges. They agreed that the question as a whole should be submitted to a commission on condition that another was formed at the same time to look into the question of revision and another into the educational question. M. Renkin was of the same opinion. I observed that certain ministers were under an illusion if they thought it possible to impose upon the Belgian Army a discipline as rigorous as that to be found among the French and British troops. One could not dream of having recourse to repression without having previously given some sign of goodwill to the Flemings. The Chief of Staff insisted that he would never allow Belgian soldiers to fire on their comrades; that every repressive means must be exhausted before reaching that point. M. Segers proposed three things: Flemish schools for officers and N.C.O.s; a committee, to be composed of politicians or officials, to control the use of languages in the Army; and a Commission to study the Flemish question. The schools for officers and N.C.O.s were acceptable to the Council; the Control Committee was also acceptable, but it was to be composed only of soldiers appointed by royal decree. The Minister for War accepted this formula. As for the Commission, after a lively debate in which MM. Hymans and Renkin took part, it was decided to create simultaneously three commissions: Flemish, revision and educational. The idea of a declaration or royal proclamation to the Army was opposed by MM. Renkin, Vandervelde and Hymans. A few ministers suggested that I should profit by the recent military events to address a manifesto to the troops, praising their fine conduct. M. Segers considered that a few remarks on the Flemish element in the Army should be included. I replied that six months ago I had been in favour of a proclamation dealing with linguistic differences, but that today I was opposed to a glorification of our military achievements. The situation of the Army is critical; the enemy is very powerful; we can be attacked in the near future, and can only count on ourselves. It would not be opportune to raise our voice loudly on the subject of events which might only be the prelude to more important actions, or to use a language the enemy might consider a provocation.In the course of the same Council M. Hymans read the instructions he had sent to our minister in Berne, laying down the attitude he should adopt towards Count Toring, who, on the initiative of the German Government, had requested a meeting with him. These instructions implied so arrogant an attitude on the part of the messenger who was none other than the Queen's brother-in-law that the King was shocked by them.Our Minister for Foreign Affairs and our politicians seem to have lost touch with reality. What, in fact, is the situation? Might is on the side of the Germans. Opposite our front, in contrast to the situation we have been faced with since 1914, Germany has grouped several excellent divisions. Moreover, she has given us proof of this. For a month we have suffered important losses. On the 18th March alone we lost 1,100 men. We must not deceive ourselves; the enemy is in a position to teach us a lesson whenever he likes. It is a mistake to count too much on military aid from the Allies, for in fact what aid they could bring us would be weak and tardy. Our politicians adopt a haughty and provocative attitude towards Germany, and the Army bears the brunt. Let us suppose that in our interests the German delegate has arrived with the intention of advising us to use a more moderate language. If our minister at Berne behaves "coldly and distantly" to him, if he is contemptuous, if he follows the instructions he has been given, the delegate will withdraw, convinced of the need to administer us a rap over the knuckles. This blustering attitude will be paid for by the soldier. It is invariably upon him and upon the people that the faults of the leaders fall. Of course, as long as our country is occupied we cannot lay down our arms, but if our war aims were achieved, if it were duly established that our claims would be satisfied and we could never be sure of this without confirmation our Army could wage a special type of warfare designed to spare the blood of our soldiers. Any provocative statements might be expensive for him.

Part 5

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King Albert's War Diary 3/5 • Tribute

Posted a year ago

21st September

Visit from General Joffre.

The Generalissimo displayed great confidence in the future. "The Somme offensive," he declared, "has succeeded. The Germans are being worn down; they are short of men; the 1917 class has been entirely enrolled. Prisoners' reports say that their supply depots are empty. our aviation has the upper hand and prevents the enemy from getting his range. The Germans' shells are inferior to ours. The enemy has tried to check our advance, but his counter-attacks- even those undertaken with two divisions- have failed." "Do you believe," I asked him, "in a general retirement of the lines?" General Joffre avoided making a pronouncement. "The struggle," he went on, "will still be a long one. It will last throughout the winter and throughout the whole of next spring. Even if peace pourparlers were started, we should have to remain very strong, to be in a position to resume operations. This war will be the last one, or at least there will be no more for a very long time." The General went on to say: "We learn from Munich that the Bavarians are displeased with the Prussians, who always send them into the difficult and the most murderous positions. They are the best soldiers, even better than the Prussian guards." I began to praise the French Army. "Discipline," replied the General, "is freely accepted, and the officers are obeyed because they are loved. our most remarkable achievement is the resistance at Verdun followed by the Somme offensive. We are strong and we have not yet enrolled the 1917 class. We have adequate material and we shall win." "I regret and deplore," I said, changing the subject, "the Allied air raids on our towns, which inevitably kill Belgian civilians. These attacks irritate the people and encourage them to lend an ear to German agitators. The French troops should appear to everyone as the forces of liberation animated by an ideal of gallantry and generosity." "I will attend to this question and I will also speak to General Sir Douglas Haig. We must give an example of moderation." Before leaving La Panne the General assured me again on several occasions of his optimism. "The offensive," he said, "will go on for another two months at least. We shall not leave the enemy in peace during the winter. Nevertheless, it is quite certain that you will spend another inclement season at La Panne."Reviewing the various theatres of war- the West, Italy, Russia and the Balkans- the King noticed that everywhere the fronts seemed static- a condition which was evidence of a general balance of forces. He also recorded his disillusionment.30th September

The great offensive continues on the Somme.

Obviously it has achieved successes. The Allies, it seems, enjoy superiority in the fields of artillery and aviation. Despite this, their progress is of relatively little importance. This is because their leaders, with immense resources at their disposal, do not possess the knowledge of how to put them into action. It is highly improbable that they will achieve a real break-through of the German Lines. In consequence, this offensive will peter out as all the others have done. At the moment French and British optimism is so high that they both entertain the most ambitious dreams and high-handedly repel any pacific moves. No one can put himself up as a mediator. This is a war of peoples; it is up to the peoples to put a term to it. They will stop when their exhaustion begins to be felt more acutely and when, despite the lies of their Governments, they are convinced that nothing good can be expected from a continuation of the carnage. Moral: the partisans of peace should enlighten the peoples, and the Germans, if the war is weighing on them, should give the other nations proofs of moderation.However, from furthest Africa, a message of victory meanwhile arrived. After six months of tough campaigning, General Tombeur's expedition had captured Tabora, the capital of German East Africa. Belgium thus brilliantly asserted her rights to her colonial empire. The King showed his satisfaction at this fortunate result:My dear General, I learn that after long and tough fighting, our brave African troops have captured Tabora, the citadel of the German East African defences. I would like to take advantage of this brilliant feat of arms to offer you, as well as the officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers under your command, my warmest congratulations on the constant successes won in this far-off campaign which has demanded so much effort to organise. Be so good as to convey to them the expression of my deep gratitude for the brilliant way in which they have upheld the honour and the reputation of our arms on African soil.While the Sovereign was busy with these considerations, grievous news began to reach him from occupied Belgium. The enemy was subjecting all able-bodied Belgian workers to forced labour and that at a distance from their domicile. Workers, unemployed or employed, were torn from their homes. Deportations begun in the battle zone spread throughout the country. They already amounted to 100,000 persons and threatened to reach two or three times this number. Incidentally, the behaviour of the victims was admirable. Despite their sufferings and the lure of heavy wages, they almost unanimously refused to sign an engagement. On the other hand, in spite of the zeal of the Belgo-American Red Cross, the food supply of the population left much to be desired. Very affected by this news, the King approached the Pope, the President of the United States and the king of Spain, soliciting their intervention to allay if possible the distress of his subjects. He found herein support for his view that it was not inopportune to try and put a term to these calamities. Actually, during the first days of October, through the offices of Mr. Philipson on the one hand and of Messrs. Hoover and Heineman on the other, the British and Belgian Governments were the object of an official overture on the part of Germany, who offered, as a basis for negotiation, the complete restoration of Belgian independence with indemnity and the surrender of Lorraine to France. The British Cabinet was hesitant to refuse, but Mr. Lloyd George, supported by The Times, proclaimed quite plainly that England did not intend to negotiate at a moment when the weight of her effort was just beginning to turn the scales. As a result of this, the Belgian Government judged it prudent not to compromise itself and dispatched the Minister for Foreign Affairs to La Panne to ensure that the Sovereign did not receive Mr. Philipson. After hearing the minister, the King wrote:10th October

We know the tone taken recently in Paris by Lloyd George. We also know that M. Briand insisted that access to La Panne should be forbidden to Mr. Philipson. In any case, the latter has not come and probably will not come. It is quite certain that the moment is not favourable for such a step. The Governments believe in the possibility of pushing back the German lines and they believe firmly in victory. We must let the Somme offensive exhaust itself and then, with the aid of winter, people will perhaps start to reflect.The mere idea that the King might not give a categorical refusal to possible enemy approaches aroused in ministerial circles in Le Havre a tempest of criticisms and protests of both a political and constitutional nature. As a result of this, the Sovereign received in succession the Minister for Finance, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, and the Premier.18th October

I find the Minister for Finance very moderate in his views on the war. He declares that as far as the German peace proposals and the possible visit of Mr. Philipson are concerned the Cabinet above all feels scruples of a constitutional nature; it is opposed to his having access to the Sovereign.19th October

The Minister for Foreign Affairs seems very upset by the meeting, where he was the object of some lively observations on the part of his colleagues. It is now more than the question of peace. He is irritated by the irresponsibility of the French and even minds that M. Cambon has lost his sense of proportion. "Everyone," he declared to me, "is blinded by objectives which exceed the military possibilities. No one can see that war is incapable of putting a stop to war; that this gigantic butchery is useless and that those who organise it are the culprits." The minster complains bitterly of the exaggerated optimism to be found among the majority of his colleagues. At the Cabinet meeting they went so far as to speak of treachery on my part. The Premier declared that the Sovereign was already suspect in France!20th October

The Premier violently attacked the Minister for Foreign Affairs...

I spoke to him about the letter destined for M. Hymans. He suggested informing Mr. Philipson through Mr. Hoover that his step was inopportune and nothing more. I remarked that it would be preferable for this statement to be made through a Belgian in order that we might not appear to be in tow of the foreigner. The minister accepted this point of view without hesitation. He promised me he would notify the Cabinet. In insisted that he should use his influence to make the XX Siecle keep silent on the question of Luxemburg and the Escaut.About the 15th November, when the Somme offensive collapsed from exhaustion on the part of the attackers hardly a few kilometres from where it started, the Germans replied in Transylvania by forcing the barrier of the Carpathians and streaming down into the Rumanian plains.26th November

Rumania is under even greater threat of invasion. The Government is said to have left Bucharest. In Belgium the deportations of unemployed, and even, it is reported, of other persons, grow more and more widespread. In France and England the problem of supplies has taken on a serious aspect. The Somme offensive is dying slowly, without the General Staff daring to admit it. The submarines are becoming increasingly active. The prospects of peace are more and more remote, but the speeches remain just as impassioned.5th December

Times become more and more troubled. In France, secret meetings of the Chamber, distrust of the Government and the High Command; in England, the ministerial crisis- these are so many indications of the growing anxiety and of the popular emotions aroused by the diplomatic and military setbacks in the East and the slowness and indecisiveness of the offensive actions in France. We shall see the arrival of more violent, less reflective men who will give the public an illusion of strength. Fifteen changes of ministers will not produce a leader; it is the absence of a capable soldier which is causing all the harm and the stagnation in the lines. The general conduct of the war has been entrusted to incompetent men- there the trouble lies. Lloyd George will galvanise the crowds, but he cannot inspire in the Staffs the proper methods without which the armies mark time in costly indecision. In the meantime, the new British Government intends to prepare a crushing offensive for the spring. They would like to include our Army in the enterprise, or rather be able to draw upon it; they will try to attach our divisions to the British Army, which is now our neighbour. This must be resisted. Our war aim is not the same as Great Britain's; we are not under arms to destroy Germany. We will not take part in unrealisable undertakings. For these offensives do not succeed, as experience has shown. I do not intend to sacrifice my men in operations in whose success I have absolutely no faith. At G.H.Q. they seem to share my feelings. On talking with Colonel Maglinse I insisted upon the opposition we should make to an offensive starting from Ypres and deploying through our richest provinces. There are regions adjacent to Germany much more favourable for attack and from where, if they succeed, the war could be carried into enemy territory.The Sovereign also decided to put the Government on its guard. After a consultation with the Ministers Van de Vijvere and Poullet, whose moderate views he appreciated, he wrote to the Premier:The sufferings our people endure and the march of political and military events inspire the gravest fears in me, and I consider it my duty to communicate them to the members of my Government. The liberty and the property of our compatriots are more and more threatened. The latest news shows that the invader is not hampered by legal scruples in forcing Belgians to perform work which will contribute to his military effort, and gradually mulcting the country of its resources and the means of its prosperity. We have exhausted our methods of protest against these abuses. So far our interventions do not seem to have given any results... At a moment when this vast war has settled into an appalling indecision, and when the hour of extreme or compromise solutions may sound from one moment to the next, what do we find in high quarters?- Belgium was not admitted to the last Allied conference in Paris. To speak frankly, this means that we are excluded from deliberations on the conduct of a war, from the effects of which our Army and our people suffer so harshly. Decisions upon which perhaps the conditions of our liberation and our future existence depend, are taken without us being in a position to discuss them. I urge my Government to make our policy and our place in the Councils of the Allies the immediate and essential objects of its deliberations.Taking into account the debates resulting from this message, Minister Van de Vijvere wrote His Majesty a letter, dated the 10th December: "The spirit of my colleagues has greatly changed during the past two months... "Two considerations have made a great impression on the Cabinet." "The first, of a military nature, is the assurance given by the Premier after a recent conversation with Sir Douglas Haig, that the Allies are planning an offensive to chase the enemy from Belgium, which, if successful, would completely devastate our unfortunate country." "The second, based on the increasingly intolerable situation of Belgium with regard to the deportations and the demands to which she is subjected. We must hasten the end of this martyrdom, which the representations made to Berlin by the neutral powers will not do..." "In conclusion, unanimity was reached on a motion put forward by M. Poullet 'proclaiming' the necessity of participating in the Allies' discussions upon war aims and policy and, furthermore, to obtain information with all necessary prudence about the views of the enemy powers in order to work in all loyalty for peace as soon as circumstances permit."



Strengthened by these ministerial views, the king proposed to intervene in person to sound the feelings of the British Government. He considered that the extreme military efforts deployed on both sides of the trenches having resulted in a state of equilibrium, the moment was at hand- helped by the winter- when all reasonable governments would try by direct or indirect means to equate the aims of the belligerents so as to strike a balance between the advantages or disadvantages of an end to hostilities. In his opinion, the hour for negotiations had arrived. Three events followed in quick succession to prove that this point of view was shared in other circles.



The 12th December, on the announcement of the fall of Bucharest, the German Government handed to the representatives of the United States, Spain and Switzerland a note addressed to the Allied Powers to propose that peace talks should be opened. On the 18th December the United States Government invited the belligerents to state their war aims with a view to examining the practical possibilities of putting an end to the conflict... and measures to prevent a recurrence of a similar calamity. The note specified that it was merely proposing sounding how far away humanity as a whole was from the goal of peace for which it increasingly longed. Finally, at Rome, the Pope proposed to our minister that he should mediate on the basis of the recognition of the total independence of Belgium, the integrity of the Congo and just reparations. The German note, dictated in a naughty and clumsy tone, met with a hostile reception in London and Paris. With a unanimity which in fact sounded the keynote of policy, the AAllied Press declared it "insincere and without significance." Advised by the Philipson incident and the papal proposal, however, that it implicitly conceded the restoration of our independence, the integrity of the colony and an indemnity, the King considered that it was in Belgium's interest to reject purely and simply the prospect of realising our war aims. He summoned the ministers to La Panne and for two days, the 19th and 20th December, discussed the matter with them after setting out the problems in this preliminary speech:The Government must give thought to the national interests in the light of recent events. I owe it to you to give you my opinion, which is born of my deep attachment to our country. Whatever procedure may be adopted for the reply to the German note, we cannot identify our reply with that of the Great Powers. The Belgian point of view is not the same. Our country is almost entirely overrun. on the other hand, the experience of recent offensives shows that the conquest of Belgium by the Allied armies would expose her to total destruction. What judgment would history pronounce on a policy which had been unable to conceive any other means of liberating the country than a war of attrition, bringing in its wake the ruin and depopulation of our finest provinces? Far be it from me to suggest a dishonourable peace. I would prefer to fight to my last breath rather than return to a Belgium enslaved or with contracted frontiers. But I declare that the Government in the present circumstances cannot stand aside or bow to fate. It is also important that we should maintain in face of the neutrals and of the civilised world the strong position which the cause for which we entered the war has gained for us. Furthermore, if we are forced to continue the war, we must be able to justify our future action. It is to our interest to know the conditions which the enemy offers and to see if they accord with our legitimate and reasonable aims.At the close of the debate the King wrote:20th December

Three Cabinet meetings. I read them a note in which I drew their attention to the dangers Belgium is running. Her liberation by arms is tantamount to her destruction. But she is towed in the wake of the Great Powers, confused with other small countries who have not the same rights. The moment has come to defend our point of view before the Allies, and, without requiring an impossible separate peace, at least to define our war aims so that Belgium, after having played a great role in the struggle, may play one in the preparations for peace. The Cabinet was unanimous in declaring it impossible and inadmissible that Belgium should be reconquered foot by foot and destroyed. The ministers decided unanimously on the utility of a separate reply to Germany, defending our aims and reasons and affirming our point of view. Several ministers are haunted by fear of the Allies. They think that our alliance could not survive the least discussion, even though the Allies need us and we represent an invaluable moral strength for them.The Cabinet further agreed that we should send a note to the United States, stating our war aims, in reply to the question asked by that Government on the 18th. The diplomatic documents were therefore drafted. The Premier and the Minister for Foreign Affairs undertook to take them to Paris. The Sovereign had every reason to think that in future Belgium's position would appear to be clearly defined in everyone's eyes. He was utterly amazed to learn by a short telegram that no sooner were they faced with the Allied statesmen than our envoys wavered, agreed to renounce the despatch of a separate reply to Germany, accepted the incorporation of our reply in that of the Allies, reducing it to the vague, almost tendentious formula: "Belgium desires a peace which will ensure her legitimate reparations, security and guarantees for the future." It is true that Belgium's inclination to make her voice heard independently provoked such anxiety among the Franco-British that they sent in all haste to La Panne M. Berthelot, of the political branch of the French Foreign Office, a notorious partisan of carrying on the war to its bitter end. The King wrote:



Part 4

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King Albert's War Diary 2/5 • Tribute

Posted a year ago

16th September

Conversation with General Hely d'Oissel in charge of the reinforced 36th Corps. The plan of defence sent by this general to Belgian General Staff Headquarters did not mention the arrival of French reinforcements until our troops should have been forced to retreat on the line Cassel-Oostcappel-Hondschoote. This plan disturbed me very much. I firmly believe that the main resistance should be carried out on the Yser line, both from the military as well as the political point of view. General Hely d'Oissel, whom I had asked to come and talk things over with me, was of my opinion and declared that the considerations of his plan refer to the defence of Dunkirk, which has been entrusted to him with the order to hold out to the last. The matter is agreed, but the General counts on writing to General Foch, which is useful. The inviolability of the territory remaining to us must be a principle admitted by the Allies.On the 17th September General Joffre notified us in writing of his intention regarding our participation in the imminent offensive: "1. We are preparing a particularly important effort on the date arranged and communicated by General Foch to His Majesty the King. "2. If it succeeds, if the attacking forces break the enemy line, it will be followed by a general action by the French and British Armies, of which the attacking troops are formed. These will include the Second British Army and the 36th French Army Corps advancing on the left of this army in the direction of Roulers and further south. "It seems that for the moment it is necessary to keep the French forces in their present positions from Boesinghe to Steenstraete, the Belgian Army on its present front and the French troops at Nieuport. But it would be of interest to join the Belgian Cavalry Divisions to the 36th French Corps to support its offensive action and to guard its flank as it advances. "3. The advance of the Belgian Army will take place later..." The great battle was to start on the 25th September. From his villa at La Panne, the King waited for news of it, which was soon disappointing.24th September

We are on the eve of the attack. once more we are keyed up with hope. What will be the outcome of this offensive, the largest which has yet been undertaken? No one knows. The German forces are, to a great extent, engaged in Russia trying to wage a decisive operation. Can the Germans bring their forces back here. Or have they still enough reserves in Germany?25th September

The first day of the great offensive. Anyhow, despite everything, we are optimistic; the surprise, our numbers, panic among the Germans, poison gas, I don't know- the Allies talk of so many infallible methods. The weather which has been threatening for two or three days has definitely grown worse; it is pouring with rain. The bombardment began at 4 o'clock this morning. They are the English guns we can hear in the direction of Ypres. At 7.30 the fleet, two miles off La Panne begin a brisk fire against Raversyde and Westende. The bombardment lasted two hours. The Germans did not reply. At midday, we received some news. The English have taken Looz; the French are advancing in Champagne. At 5 o'clock this afternoon it was announced that the English have taken Hill 70 and Hulluch. In Champagne, a breach has been made, through which the French cavalry has been launched. At 9 o'clock this evening it was put out that Souchez has been taken. Elsewhere the advance has been stopped by bad weather. The English have lost Hulluch after heavy counter-attacks. In Champagne, we have captured twenty-five kilometres of front line. This is not yet the real victorious break-thought. The capture of trenches is not the goal but the first act of the operation. It is necessary to pierce the whole of the enemy's system in depth by massing heavy forces at one point. That is how one makes a break-through and profits by it to advance with fresh troops. For a large attack to succeed, the armies, in my opinion, should be drawn up in depth on two corps fronts.26th September

This morning, beautiful weather. At 9 o'clock no news as yet. The night was calm on the Belgian front. Towards 1 o'clock this afternoon, favourable news arrived, but it was not until 6 o'clock this evening that the capture of 18,000 prisoners and many guns was announced. The English have lost several points conquered yesterday and are preparing to recapture them. Hill 140 to the north-east of Arras, as well as Thelus, are apparently in the hands of the French. Things, therefore, seem to be going the right way, provided they last. This offensive, announced with less din, and awaited with far less confidence than the preceding ones, seems to be going more successfully.27th September

A gale is blowing. No news came during the night and there was none this morning. All quiet on our front. Towards 11 o'clock we learnt that the number of prisoners has risen to 20,000 and that about forty guns have been captured. That is good. The English have been heavily attacked and they are going to try and recapture what they have lost. Their attack is timed for 1 o'clock, as well as that of the Tenth Army. This seems to be a great mistake- the battle should be continuous. Yesterday evening the 12th Corps at Thelus had practically nothing in front of it. That was the moment to press forward with fresh troops. During the evening details were given of the results obtained yesterday in Champagne: they consist of an advance of three kilometres in depth on a twenty-five-kilometre front. Today we know no more. In Artois the success was more limited than was at first thought; the famous Hill 140 has not been captured. The German communique mentions six thousand English and French prisoners and immense enemy losses. It declares that the progress made by the attackers is of little importance. Naturally!28th September

The English retook Hill 70 yesterday and consolidated their gains. In Champagne, we know nothing of the attack, which was only launched at 5 o'clock in the evening. In Artois, the Tenth Army made practically no progress. The booty must be considerable: 22,000 prisoners, 70 guns. The Allied newspapers are jubilant; they believe that this is already a decisive victory and that the march towards the Rhine has begun.29th September

The north-westerly gale has been raging with heavy rainstorms. We learned about 10 o'clock that in Artois the coast is in the hands of the French, and that the English have occupied Looz and several points in the vicinity. The head of the French Mission came at 1.30. He affirms that three divisions, as well as cavalry, have crossed the breach made in Champagne. He speaks of the possibility of an extended offensive along the whole front, for which General Joffre will shortly give the signal. This evening there is no confirmation of the breach in Champagne and the crossing of the three divisions.30th September

The English have resisted the German counter-attacks and have advanced slightly. The French are digging in on Hill 140. They have entered La Folie Wood. In Champagne there is no more mention of the breach but of resistance from a German stronghold north of Mesnil-lez-Hurlus. The village of Tahure, which was believed to have been captured, is still in German hands. The total number of prisoners has risen to 33,000. Major de Posch, our liaison officer with General Foch, announces that the fighting is very bitter in Artois, although we are no longer faced with heavily defended positions and the fighting is in the open. This seems exaggerated. The offensive has lasted six days and it does not need months for German troops to put a given obstacle in a state of defence; elsewhere the penetrations are too weak for the attacking units to be able to manoeuvre. In Champagne things are going well; the number of prisoners and guns which have fallen into French hands is increasing. In any case, we are still far from the Somme Py/Railway!1st October

The wind blew very hard all night. It is cold, with intermittent rain. The capture of Givenchy Wood has been announced in Artois; in Champagne the loss of one position and the capture of another...2nd October

The weather has changed to fine. In Artois, a big artillery preparation and a powerful attack is being lined up for the 4th.6th October

No more talk of the great offensive, although a large Franco-British attack at Arras is announced for today. It is to be feared that the Germans have been able to bring up reinforcements and that the offensive has come to a standstill. There must be something wrong with our methods, for this is the fourth big general offensive which crossed the first lines only to be halted at the second.[quote/]In actual fact, from the point of view of timing, choice of sector for the main attack, concentration of resources and morale of the troops, this powerful breaching operation deserved to succeed. It failed because we lacked sufficient heavy quick-firing artillery, because of faulty tactics on the part of the French infantry, the solidity of the enemy infantry and the depth of his defences. As a result of this setback, General Joffre was constrained by his government to increase French participation in the British undertakings in the Balkans. A long period of quiet set in on the Western Front. The Dardanelles Expedition retained a precarious foothold on the Gallipoli Peninsula. Throwing off the mask, Bulgaria mobilised and declared herself for the Center Powers. On the 7th October, an Austro-German Army crossed the Save and the Danube, while two Bulgarian armies invaded Serbia from the East. Attacked by superior forces, the Serbian Army retired yard by yard before the pincers. A Franso-British expedition hastened to Salonika.[quote]17th October

The great Franco-British offensive is already forgotten. Events on the Eastern Front have occupied everyone's attention for a week.27th October

Invasion of Serbia. The conflict has been transferred to the East. It will allow the Germans to wage their military and political action in Constantinople. It is a direct blow at Russia. Then, incorporating the Turkish troops, they can cross into Asia Minor, attack Egypt, occupy the Persian Gulf, rally the Persians to their side, stir up the Moslem world, prove the impotence of England and bring about a general revolt against British rule. This would be a terrible blow for the British Empire. The German and the British Empires will come to grips and it will be an age-long conflict.A few days later the King learnt that the Allied Powers had made a pact not to negotiate for a separate peace. This treaty, which bore the name of the "London Pact", contained a secret clause detailing a whole programme of territorial annexations at the expense of the Central Powers, whose remnants were to be shared. Without knowing more of this subject, the King commented:3rd November

Countries like France and Belgium, which have been dragged into the conflict in spite of themselves and against their wishes, have everything to lose in being chained to an indestructible power like the British Empire. They take all the blows which were not intended for them. The struggle between England and Germany will last for centuries and will have the universe for theatre.10th November

Belgium must be no one's vassal, neither English's nor France's. She was neutral before the war. The mass of the people does not want to be tied up with any of its neighbours.THE CAMPAIGN OF 1916



The outlook according to the King- The exuberant optimism of circles in La Havre- The subdued confidence of General Joffre- Lord Curzon and General Haig wish to reconquer Flanders- Colonel Houses's enquiry- The incredible atmosphere at Le Havre- The King's reaction- The offensive plans of the Generalissimo- The divergent opinions of Generals Joffre and Foch- The battles of exhaustion- Verdun- The Somme- The Russian effort- The Tabora Campaign- The Rumanian mishap- The Ministry and the Pilipson incident- The King's attitude- The war map and the sufferings of occupied Belgium- The Sovereign rallies the Government to a national policy- Stalemate and weariness, favourable conditions for the beginning of pourparlers- The German note and the American notes: an occasion to proclaim our war aims- The King's effort to ensure that Belgium gives separate replies- The weakness of the ministers- Allied opposition.



In the eyes of the King, 1916 opened with prospects which aroused little enthusiasm. He wrote:2nd January

The New Year is always an occasion to examine the situation and to scrutinise the future. Never perhaps since the beginning of the war has the French Press stated its belief in victory with such conviction. Does this state of mind correspond to reality? Can one expect a total success of the Allied Armies and the military, economic and financial weakening of the Central Powers, obvious signs of which the French pretend to see? I do not think so. The destruction of the Serbian Army and the entry into the war of the Bulgarian Army correspond to a double increase of enemy strength. The French have so far enrolled the 1917 class; the Germans have not yet called up the 1916 class. The Russians have only a derisory number of soldiers in the line. One therefore seeks the reason for an optimism which an examination of the facts does not justify. It resides in the artificial enthusiasm aroused by the Press regarding the great principles for which they are supposed to be fighting. French politics are ruled by demagogy. They take their support from the most rowdy elements: radicals, socialists, revolutionaries. After inflicting in peacetime blows on the Army from which it still suffers, they are preparing to ruin their country in the name of civilisation by pursuing the conflict in conditions which can only result in the total exhaustion of France.Several visitors echoed the propagandist optimism which was fermenting in the rear, even in Government circles.3rd January

Conversation with Monseigneur Deploige, Director of the Institut Superieur de Philosophie at the University of Louvain. He expressed his optimism on the subject of the war. "We must hold out," he said, "hold out to the end, to be certain of obtaining good peace terms." Always the same formula; it is an easy one to propose and it is never compromising.4th January

Conversation with the Minister for the Colonies. He declares that he has studied certain historical questions. He sees the moment ripe for Belgium to voice her claims to all the territories which, in the course of the centuries, have belonged to her! "The duty of the Government," he said, "is to speak loudly and firmly and to study all these questions. A decisive hour is at hand for the monarchy and for the country. We must seize it and take advantage of it before it is too late. The country will never pardon its leaders for a peace without advantages and aggrandisements."6th January

Conversation with the Minister for Foreign Affairs. The minister is sorry for himself; life has been made difficult for him by the partisans of a policy of territorial claims which number influential elements among the members of the Government, and also in his own office. he is of the opinion that the longer the war lasts, the more moderate the German conditions will become. He takes an optimistic view of the unity and resolution of France.11th January

Conversation with the Minister for Railways. He is firmly optimistic. He finds the situation in the Balkans particularly brilliant!The views of the Generalissimo, always a man of reflection, were subdued but confident.20th January

Visit from General Joffre. The General arrived at about 8 o'clock and summed up the situation: "The Russians," he declared, "are behindhand. Their munition factories are not working badly but their guns are below standard. The Russian Army consumed an incredible number of them. The port of Archangel is icebound; Murmansk is free, but the railway-line is not completed; a stretch of 200 kilometres remains to be built. The rifles and runs we sent to the Russians have to make an immense detour by Port Arthur which makes the journey at least three months. In short, the Russians, according to their own words, will not be ready before June, and in my opinion not before July. "We shall then launch a general offensive simultaneously on all fronts. "Until then we must wear down the enemy. This task falls on the armies which dispose of the largest reserves and in consequence mainly on the English and the Italians. The English are practising this; they are undertaking small and frequent raids which disturb the enemy and inflict losses. The Italians, on the contrary, do very little, but their terrain is difficult and they lack heavy artillery." "Why," I asked him, "Should one not suggest to the British Army, since it has fifty or sixty divisions on the Western Front, to hold the whole line defensive, allowing the French Army an entirely free hand to take the offensive? We should thus be almost certain of victory, thanks to the offensive and tactical qualities of the French troops. "I should never dare leave the defence of the line to the English alone. It would be broken. I only have confidence in them when they are flanked by the French. I pin my hopes in the exhaustion and the discouragement of the Central Powers. "I also think that the economic and financial situation of the Central Powers leaves much to be desired. Nevertheless, I believe them capable of holding out for a long time. They are states which possess a strong national discipline, solid countries little exposed to revolution. The well-to-do classes are full of confidence. In the seventeenth century, it needed thirty years of an exhausting war to conclude the Treaty of Westphalia. "We must, therefore," concluded the General, "obtain a decisive success on the battlefield. I do not believe in a third winter of war. A decision will be reached this summer. France would be in difficulties if the struggle were prolonged beyond that, for she is spending 2.5 milliards a month and she already has to economise her resources of manpower."



Collectively, the members of the Government in the meantime gave proof of their wisdom. We were advised officially of the treaty concluded in London, by which the Allies engaged not to negotiate separately with the Central Powers. Was it opportune for Belgium to adhere to this pact? The Prime Minister called a cabinet meeting to debate the question.27th January

The question of the London Pact has been examined. The Minister for Foreign Affairs made a speech in which he showed that the signing of this treaty and participation in the peace negotiations are two distinct things; that France and English do not ask us to join in this pact that, finally, it is to our advantage to remain in the special situation created by our neutrality, the defence of which made us take up arms. No minister raised his voice to put forward arguments for our abstention.The English leaders had been flirting for a year with the plan of seizing from the Germans their installations on the Belgian coast which, equipped as a lair for submarines, threatened Great Britain's sea routes. To reconquer Ostend and Zeebrugge was one of their greatest desires. They now envisaged making this the first objective of the new campaign. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Lord Curzon, came in person to La Panne to try and assure himself of the support of the King and the Belgian Army for this operation.7th February

Conversation with Lord Curzon, who was accompanied by General Douglas Haig. "The object of our mission undertaken in the name of the British Government and with the assent of the King of England," declared Lord Curzon, "is to know your opinion on the situation and to discuss military plans. If you have some suggestion or some advice to give, we shall be very pleased to listen to it. We shall communicate to you the plans and the views of the Government and the War Office, and thus give you an opportunity of expressing your own concepts. "In our opinion, it is more necessary than ever to persevere with the struggle. No one in the British Cabinet would even dare to utter the word 'peace'. Public opinion in England is unanimous on the question of continuing to the end, until final victory." "And now," I asked him, "do you envisage the future?" "From the military and economic point of view, we must not, in my opinion, bank on the exhaustion of the Central Powers. A black spot is the lack of French reserves. In the case of a setback to the big offensive would France continue to bleed herself white? The solidarity of the Allied coalition may reserve surprises: Italy will probably give in first; France and Russia are on much the same footing; Great Britain, of course, is the most resolute." "Do you foresee any basis for agreement between England and Germany?" "No, it does not exist. The British people realise that they are fighting for the hegemony of the Empire. If necessary, we shall continue the war single-handed. One of the two foes must bite the dust. We shall not lay down our arms, and in this, we have the support of British public opinion, which is slow to be roused but which, now it is unleashed, is displaying passionate hatred for Germany." "We are resolved," General Haig declared in turn, "to begin at first with demonstrations followed by decisive attacks. My idea is to attack in the sector between Arras and the Somme towards the end of April. I should prefer to take the offensive in the direction of Houthulst Wood, Thourout and Roulers in order to cut off the Germans from the coast. In this case, I should ask for the co-operation of the Belgian Army." "We are weak in effectives," I objected, "and our front is very spread out." "English troops would take over a part of the Belgian front; an English staff officer would be sent to go over the terrain..." "Have you any other ideas on the subject of operations? enquired Lord Curzon. "To try and reconquer Belgium by an offensive movement west-east is to pledge the whole country to destruction. On the other hand, partial offensive have never achieved any success. The only way of winning an advantage is to devote all our means to a single attack in a direction likely to obtain decisive results. This direction can only be towards the east; along the valley of the Meuse, for example, where even a feeble advance would threaten the communications of the whole German Army. This question of the direction of the offensive is important attacks carried out in Flanders or in Artois only push the Germans back along their lines of communication. In this way, they can fall back by stages on their prepared defences." "An attack in the direction of Houthulst Wood," objected Lord Curzon, "would be assured of the support of the British Navy." "The German shore batteries would keep the British warships at a distance and prevent them from firing inland." "The offensive," continued Haig, "must coincide on all fronts. This was the conclusion reached at the Chantilly conferences. The Russians will not be ready until July; the French will not act before that time. Being short of reserves, they can only undertake one or two important efforts." "The seriousness of the Allied situation," I said, "arises from the fact that the Russians have not come up to expectations. At the moment they appear to be in an irremediable muddle..." "I am in favour of Belgian neutrality," Lord Curzon also told me, "for I see no other solution. Either neutrality or alliances. But with whom? The alliance of a small country with a big one is vassalage."Less formidable, but no less interesting in the eyes of the King was the arrival of Colonel House, the trusted envoy of the President of the United States.8th February

Visit from Colonel House, President Wilson's delegate. Colonel House came to Europe in April 1915. He has just completed a tour of the capitals. This is how he sums up the situation: "There are no indications of a move towards peace and yet the continuation of the struggle serves no purpose. In Germany, the hatred against the Allies has slightly abated. On the other hand, in England, the public is just beginning to be resolute and filled with hatred. In France, the leaders seem very determined. in all countries there is a party favourable to peace it numbers many supports among the people but few in governmental circles. It is difficult, not to say dangerous, to talk reasonably, for public opinion is intransigent and implacable, When the moment seems favourable to peace in one country, it no longer does in another. The longer this goes on, the more deep-seated it becomes. "We shall have to let spring and summer pass, but the beginning of the autumn will be entirely favourable for a peace move. The conditions demanded by the belligerents will then be less rigid. "England declares that she is only fighting for France and Belgium and that she has no personal ambitions, but what she wants above all is to destroy German power. France pursues the liberation of Alsace-Lorraine. Germany intends to make her evacuation of Allied countries subject to payments of a large indemnity. She will not yield Alsace and Lorraine at any price and claims a sphere of influence in Asia Minor. On this last point, she hopes to find support from France and Russia, which would facilitate an entente on the Western Front, where some burning questions have to be solved." After this summing up, the Colonel asked me: "Do you consider the right to a war indemnity a primary condition for Belgium?" "An indemnity," I replied, "is absolutely necessary. The position of a sovereign and of a government returning to the country without bringing back reparations would be difficult." "How would Belgium look upon a proposal for the sale of the Congo? Germany will need colonies. English and France would accept the idea of a vast German colony made up of Belgian, Portuguese and other countries' possessions to the north of South Africa. The price received for assignment of the Congo would be a kind of indemnity. Colonies are the cause of weakness for the mother countries. The United States, after twenty years' experience, would readily give up the Philippines." "I do not share this view at all. The Congo is the work of the monarchy and is useful to Belgium. Both as monarch and as a citizen it is, therefore, my duty to preserve it. Other countries apart from Belgium have colonial possessions whose areas greatly exceed their administrative and economic possibilities." "Are the Belgians animated by ideas of revenge?" "Hatred of the Germans is very real, but with time sentiments of this sort die down, particularly in a nation which is more reasonable than passionate." In conclusion, the Colonel declared that we count on President Wilson as on a personal friend.This final assurance was received with all the more satisfaction after the allusion to a possible loss of the Congo, which had profoundly offended the Sovereign. Our imminent participation in active operations in Africa would happily contribute to a vigorous rejection of such a plan. The King would have liked to keep our colony outside hostilities. The German insults to our flag by frequent violation of our frontier posts originally constrained us to take a series of military defence measures. Organically the Congolese Defence Force was under the jurisdiction of the Minister for Cononies. It was therefore in conjunction with the latter that the African campaign had to be waged. The minister- as was evident from certain of his speeches- nursed ambitious plans. As early as May 1915 he proposed to London a combined attack on German East Africa. When this suggestion was turned down he envisaged undertaking the conquest of the Ruanda with our arms alone. The King warned him against such an imprudence, and, in agreement with Colonel Tombeur, his former aide-de-camp, whom he had promoted to the High Command, obtained a postponement of this enterprise until such time as the British for their part should have formed an expeditionary corps sufficiently large to combine their operations with ours. In December, the British Government reported that it was concentrating considerable forces in British East Africa and Uganda, and solicited Belgian help in a simultaneous invasion to begin in February. In agreement with the minister, the King gave his consent, with the double reservation that the Command of the Belgian expedition should remain independent and that our offensive should only take place when the participation of British forces could be assured.11th February

Visit from Monsieur Millerand, French Minister of War. He spoke of a struggle to the end. I observed that after the war our Governments would have to face a difficult if not critical situation. He counts on the liberation of Alsace and Lorraine to allay the recriminations of the French people.16th February

Conversation with Minister Poullet. He deplores the wild language of our publicists, especially their mania for annexations to the detriment of our northern neighbours. He has tried to make them see reason. He is a wise and moderate man. He does not believe in a decisive victory and considers that had it been possible it would already have been won.17th February

Visit from General de Castelnau. The General, affirming his confidence in the future, told me that we must struggle on to the end. "The virtues of a defensive strategy," he maintained, "are superior to those of an offensive one. The Germans are preparing an offensive, which we are awaiting with confidence. They will not break through. The exhaustion of the enemy will put a stop to the war. Austria is the weak point, and it is she whom we must try to defeat." "I do not believe," I said, "either in the exhaustion or in the collapse of the Central Powers. They are countries with a belief in order and authority- military races. Defeatism existed in Austria when, a year ago, the Russians were in the Carpathians. At that time one might have been able to win that country over to making a separate peace. France, who bears the weight of the greatest sacrifices, should direct Allied war policy, or at least pursue a national policy of her own. The friends of France who appreciate the value of her actions in the world see with disquiet the losses she is suffering and the exhaustion to which the prolongation of the war exposes her." "Whatever the sacrifices may be," he replied, "it is better to go on to the point of exhaustion than to accept an equivocal solution. It will perhaps cure France of the disintegration which has gradually been gaining on her...." I then spoke to the General about the situation of the Belgian Army, of how it was engaged, of what could be asked of it, of its difficulties and the extent of its front. I drew his attention to the weakness of our right flank, its lack of organisation and the paucity of the troops there when this region could become the theatre for an attack on Calais.On the 21st February, five days after this interview, the Germans opened the battle for Verdun with a hurricane bombardment. From this remote sector, our news arrived very late and only through the official communiques. At La Panne, it was felt that it was a question of a violent attack on a relatively restricted front.27th February

The fifth day of the German offensive at Verdun. The enemy has advanced between six and seven kilometres on a twenty-kilometre front. About 15,000 prisoners have been taken. Verdun itself is a heap of ruins. The French speak of their resistance as a victory; the Germans of their advance as a great success. The losses must be very high on both sides. This battle will not end the war either, but it will prove the practical impossibility of breaking the lines. It will prove that the action of an artillery bombardment, however powerful, will not suffice to capture positions when the enemy disposes of reserves to defend them. This attack will also reveal that the Germans are not as exhausted as it has been pretended; that their troops have preserved their offensive qualities. The longer the war lasts the less one sees of any precursory signs of the great Allied victory. The exhaustion of France must be far greater than that of Germany. As a result of the weakness of its Allies the French Army is bearing the whole brunt of the major part of the German forces. La Havre becomes more and more the centre of nationalist exaggerations. The XXe Siecle is at the head of the movement, encouraged by certain ministers. These politicians think they are enhancing their own glory by affecting a diehard and aggressive patriotism which accords perfectly with the care they take to keep as far away from danger as possible. The monarchy evidently stands in their way, therefore they also try to cast a slur on the actions of the monarch. Events will crush these pygmies, who believe that realities can be moulded to their poor ideas. Invaded Belgium will judge them severely if after all their extravagant promises they return home empty-handed.Resolved to put an end to those intolerable intrigues, the King summoned the Prime Minister to give an explanation.3rd March

"One of the causes of the prevalent malaise," M. de Broqueville told me, "is the feeling that two policies exist: that of the King and that of the Government... The Minister for Foreign Affairs is reputed to be the King's man, and his neutrality policy is keenly criticised. An active policy is called for. In London and in Paris we begin to be looked on coldly. We have let slip the favourable moment to solicit economic advantages and territorial aggrandisements. The country will come out of the war diminished. This is a culpable lack of patriotism." "This malaise," I replied, "is a sign of weariness. It results primarily from the length and the indecisiveness of the war, and next from a growth of nationalism in political circles, a manifestation of the impatient ambition of some or the exaggerated ideas of minds suffering from the upheaval in events. "Our policy must be inspired by the country's essential interests; firstly the interest of self-preservation and later of development in greater security. We have taken up arms to honour our engagements, out of respect for the treaties ruling at the creation of an independent Belgium. Are we now to repudiate these principles and to declare that we place ourselves on the same footing as the other belligerents? Would this be prudent while the conflict still remains undecided? Would it conform to the obvious interest of the country? I very much doubt it." "We must insist," the minister rejoined, "on the English and French Governments no longer imposing neutrality on us. The country no longer wants it... "Our insistence in this respect might offer these powers the opportunity, while granting our wishes, of imposing upon us conditions solely inspired by their own security and which would be far more unpleasant for the Belgians than neutrality: military alliance, garrison rights, military impositions, the right to inspect the organisation and command of the army, etc."The day after this lively interview the King confirmed his categorical position in writing to the Prime Minister:4th March

It would be bad policy, to which I do not wish to subscribe, to speak of territorial claims and the abandonment of neutrality with regard to the Great Powers. At Le Havre, the monarchy is being attacked. That is a dangerous game. The King, despite ministerial fabrications, has a true responsibility in wartime. he will be held responsible for the misfortunes of the country. During the 1914 campaign, he rendered great services to Belgium by preventing the destruction of the Army. You tell me that France and England are dissatisfied with us. In view of the services we have rendered them, they are very hard to please.In contrast with the bellicose outbursts from Le Havre, some echoes of moderation arrived at this moment from Belgium in the person of M. Franqui and Baron Lambert. These gentlemen declared that in occupied Belgium the popularity of the King was very great; that no territorial aggrandisements were desired but that the union of Belgium and Luxembourg was acceptable if the latter wanted it. The King noted:March

M Franqui takes a pessimistic view of the Allied situation.

He thinks that a revolution will break out at the end of hostilities. He sees no advantage in continuing the war.13th March

Visit of M. Poincare to La Panne. The President declares that the Russians will be ready sooner than was hoped and that their action will soon make itself felt, allowing the date of the great combined offensive, whose success gives no cause for doubt, to be put forward. I asked him his opinion as to the duration of the war. He replied: "The war will drag on until next winter. The French people are determined to fight to the end. The Government has their unanimous support."16 April

Interview with M. de Broqueville. The Minister for Foreign Affairs had suggested a text in reply to the Chancellor's speech, a text intended to serve as instructions to our diplomats and to be given to the Press. It was a document couched in violent and extravagant language. The French Government would never dare to use such language. M. de Broqueville did not subscribe to it; he had merely agreed to pass it on to me. I showed him the translations of the two speeches made by the Chancellor, the first on the 9th December 1915 and the second on the 5th April 1916. Both of them have the same bearing for us. The first has not been answered and there is no question of replying to the second. We are at war, we participate in the Allied conferences in Paris, no misunderstanding is therefore possible as regards the loyalty of our conduct. M. de Broquevill seemed to be in agreement with me.27th April

The Minister for Foreign Affairs arrived in person to insist upon the necessity for replying to the Chancellor. "There has been no reply," I objected, "to the speech of the 9th December, which is the same its demands as that of the 5th April." "Paris and London advise us to reply: the Belgians of Le Havre would not understand the Government's silence. The tone of the reply could be modified." "I find it, in fact, too violent." "Do you want to humour Germany, then?" "Certainly. It is of no advantage to us to provoke her. One must take into account the military situation. We could be in a most embarrassing situation if the conflict assumed a very violent character on the Belgian front. Remember that the Germans could render the remaining portion of free soil in the country untenable; thus we should lose all the profit of our long and glorious resistance on the Yser!" The minister seemed to admit this point of view. His proposed note was finally much reduced and toned down. It is important that our opposition to vassalage relate to all the great powers without distinction.The minister ultimately renounced his reply. The King's point of view had won him over completely. In the meantime, at Verdun, the violence of the battle seemed to have died down. Halted on the right bank of the Meuse near the line of the Douaumont and Vaux forts, the Germans extended their attacks to the left bank and succeeded in reaching Morthomme and Hill 304. Their efforts to advance any further failed. The French reserves being fed into the battle, the opposing forces were almost equally matched. General Petain now launched his proud proclamation: "Courage. On les aura!" On the Eastern Front, a Russian offensive of disengagement in the Vilna area was surprised by the thaw and bogged down in a sea of mud.22nd April

The French Generalissimo has visited La Panne on the anniversary of the battle of Steenstraet. General Joffre spoke of Verdun. He declared that the German losses amounted to 270,000 men and the French losses to 150,000 in the forty divisions engaged in the battle. The French High Command has to be economical with its soldiers; the reserves are beginning to run out. The 1916 class produced just 150,000 men and the 1917 class only 120,000. The Generalissimo does not think that a third winter of the war would be accepted. In his opinion it would be a very hard ordeal for France, and the war cannot go on indefinitely. He announced that the Russian and Italian offensive will be launched during the first fortnight of May; the Franco-British offensive towards the end of May or at the beginning of June. French participation will be limited to about fifteen divisions as a result of the previous losses suffered at Verdun. He affirmed his confidence in the Franco-British offensive as well as the Russian. Finally, touching on the question of our troops, the general asked that when the moment was ripe the Belgian Army should produce an action both offensive and defensive in character. He does not accept the proposal made to him to extend the Belgian front towards Nieuport on the pretext that this sector forms part of the defences of Dunkirk. He asks that we should carry out an effort towards Dixmude, in conditions which will be outlined in a note we are to receive from the French General Staff. I pointed out that the terrain round Dixmude is difficult and that a strong attack is almost impossible; that we could attempt an extension of the bridgehead and a methodical attack south of the town.The Generalissimo's intentions were published in a note of April 24th asking for our co-operation in the forthcoming Franco-British action in the form of an extension of our front as far as Boesinghe and an offensive operation entailing the use of one or two divisions aimed at pinning down the German forces opposite us. The most favourable region for this operation would have been that of Dixmude, the proposed attack having as its goal the formation of a solid bridgehead on the right bank of the Yser and the capture of the heights between Dixmude and Clercken. Although far from enthusiastic about the offensive part of this programme, the Commander-in-Chief ordered the General Staff to draw up the necessary orders. On the 7th May Major de Posch reported that he had learnt from General Foch that in French political circles, a lively opposition to the plans of General Joffre was expected. Led by M. Clemenceau, this opposition only envisaged finishing the war with a victory which would allow the dictation of the peace terms. It considered that the Allies were not at the moment in a position to obtain such success, since the Russians lacked material and the new British armies lacked both material and experience. It concluded that the decisive offensive must be postponed until 1917 and that they must confine themselves in the meanwhile to local operations of little cost in men and ammunition. This thesis had been commented upon at length by General Foch, who seemed to approve it warmly and who maintained on two occasions that he got on extremely well with M. Clemenceau. A few days later General Foch visited the King.11th May

General Foch is in excellent health, full of spirits and overflowing with vigour and conviction. He makes a striking contrast to General Joffre. He declares that they are not working hard enough and admits that he disagrees with the Chantilly General Headquarters Staff. He would like them to go to the country for an opinion instead of lulling it to sleep. The country would give a clear reply. "We must," he said, "give it proof of the necessity for winning on the battlefield. All the rest, the blockade, the duration of the conflict, the exhaustion or division of the enemy, is an illusion... In order to conquer one must be ready, and we are not ready. We lack material and we must build it up. There is an urgent need for plain speaking and for taking firm resolutions. As long as the battle of Verdun lasts we cannot undertake the offensive planned." "General Joffre told me that the offensive was to be in June." "We can't start," replied General Foch, with a shrug of his shoulders, "until we are on an equal footing with the enemy; and if we have to wait a year, the war will just have to last another year." "We have lost time. We have no information as to the enemy's output. France is bearing the main brunt of the conflict." "I admit all that and even the disturbing falling off in our reserves. But it is of little importance! We must think only of the final effort, and this can only start when we have in our possession all the necessary means, material and munitions." The King noted in the margin: There is a complete contradiction between these declarations made within a fortnight of each other by the Generalissimo and General Foch. The former declared that the date of the offensive was definitely fixed, the latter maintains that this offensive is now out of the question. One wants the war to end in October, the other considers that at least another year will be necessary to end it.These conflicting opinions inspired the King to further comments:16th May

Clemenceau's campaign has begun in Franch. Parliament meets again tomorrow. Will it achieve the union so necessary to the salvation of the country? There could not be a more dangerous policy than that of Parliament resolved to bring about changes in the High Command. It would mean the beginning of the end, a shaking of confidence and a rift in the very heart of the Army. The length of the war is irritating France, and the means to stimulate public opinion by new victories are lacking. Weary of a struggle of which she is bearing the full weight, France is in danger of becoming a prey to internal divisions, her exhaustion manifesting itself in discord. England, in spite of her constant defeats, suffers less than the Continent; she wants to win the war by prolonging the struggle; the exhaustion of the Continent does not frighten her. She has a million men in France on a front of no more than 140 kilometres, and installations spreading from Amiens to Dunkirk; she has, therefore, a solid hold on French territory and she can speak with authority. French is in the hands of politicians incapable of rising to the heights to which her sacrifices entitle her. They shed the blood of their soldiers in streams instead of exacting an effective support from their Allies. They take refuge, as does public opinion, in formulas whose apparent logic is far removed from any reality. What does a struggle for right mean? Or a fight for civilisation? Or to go on to the end? This end is exhaustion, but it can prove fatal! To serve civilisation would be resolutely to seek to bring about peace in a still healthy Europe; to take into account the potentialities of the conflict; not to encourage an optimism which can only entail the danger of a rapid collapse- capable of engendering many evils, and in particular that disorder which is such a formidable danger in France.These sentiments were by no means allayed by a visit from President Poincare, still aglow from his vehement speech made at Hancy on the 14th.21st May

"The end of the conflict is not yet in sight," the President told me. "In many circles, we are preparing for a third winter of war. Furthermore, we are trying to persuade the people to grow resigned to it. Thanks to our defence at Verdun the German reserves have begun to be seriously impaired. We must go on to the end. The financial situation is becoming grave; the national debt will reach forty-seven milliards, and may perhaps exceed sixty milliards. But morale is good and everyone is determined to continue the struggle. Doubtless, we have to fear political troubles after the war as a result of financial difficulties. All these questions will come to a head at the same time." "It would be dangerous," I ventured, "to wait until Europe is sick from the war before making peace." "It is impossible to find a basis for reconciliation." The King notes in conclusion: Never have the chances of peace appeared so weak. The Governments live by the war. It is to their interest to prolong it. Everyone believes once more in the success of the forthcoming attacks. They revive hopes which nourish the optimism of the masses, but they have not failed to divide political and military spheres: the former demand an immediate offensive, the latter want to postpone it for a year in order to make good a lack of heavy artillery.Despite his optimism, M. Poincare complained bitterly of events on the Italian front. In actual fact, on the 15th May General Conrad's Austrians debouching from the Tyrol broke through the Italian positions on a thirty-kilometre front between the Adige and the Brenta and advanced in a few days as far as the Asiago Plateau, taking 30,000 prisoners and threatening to encircle the main body of the royal forces deployed on the Isonzo and the Carso. Marshal Cadorna clung to the last mountain buttresses to bar the attack access to the plain of the Po. The last days of May and the beginning of June were marked by important vicissitudes. Around Verdun, Douaumont Fort reoccupied for forty-eight hours, could not be held. The Germans resumed the battle with more violence than ever. The fall of Vaux Fort was imminent. The heroic defenders were pushed back to their last line of defence on the right bank. On the 31st May, the German Fleet made a sortie into the North Sea, ran into the Grand Fleet off the Coast of Jutland and managed to return to its base after a battle which seemed to be indecisive. On the 5th June, the German Chancellor declared in the Reichstag that "peace negotiations could only ensue on the basis of the true military situation indicated by the war map!" But the same day General Brusilov's Russian armies went over to the whole Austrian front in Galicia. The King noted:10th June

The Russian Offensive has given unhoped-for results. The Austrian front has been pushed back considerably and 65,000 prisoners taken. It is a great victory; if only it could us nearer to peace! It will incite the pan-Germanists to be more moderate and will perhaps facilitate the arduous task of the mediators.On the 14th of June, the head of the French Military Mission brought orders for the Somme offensive, which was to begin on the 1st July. He announced that twenty-two French divisions and twenty-eight British would take part. He added that the war should be over this year.30th June

Visit to the sector of the British 29th Division (General Hunter-Weston) at Ypres. The British Army, from its leaders down to the ranks themselves, gives the impression of being a power of the first order. They are excellent troops from the point of view of courage and discipline. They are perhaps a little inexperienced, but that is quickly remedied in wartime. Particularly striking are the order, the ready obedience and the outward gaiety of the men, and the fine physique and the bold and resolute attitude of the officers.1st July

Visit from the Marquis de Villalobar, the Spanish Ambassador. He brought a warm expression of sympathy from his sovereign, adding that the King of Spain thinks the war has lasted long enough and has an ambition to play a role in paving the way for peace. The Marquis wants peace for peace's sake. He believes the continuation of the war to be disastrous for his country. I told him that it was up to Germany to desire peace sincerely. The German Chancellor in his recent speech, by voicing his pretension of not discussing terms until the Allies admit defeat, has definitely postponed any chances of peace. "For," as Sir Edward Gray said, "the Allies are not beaten but feel full of strength and hope." The impossibility of arriving at a peace in the near future must therefore be laid at Germany's door. I warned him against a premature intervention on the part of the King of Spain. At this moment, so long as the Allies persist in their offensive action, which will probably last a long time, nothing can be done in favour of peace.During the day it was learnt that after eight days' preliminary bombardment the Franco-British armies had attacked on a thirty-kilometre front astride the Somme.2nd July

Yesterday, at last, the great offensive was launched, the offensive which was announced months ago, later postponed and heralded by the statesmen as the signal for liberation by total victory. French and English together announce 11,000 prisoners. The first German line was captured, but we were halted by the second. We are assured that the attackers' losses are negligible, naturally! Now we are making time and brining up artillery; then the attack will continue, and in this way the Germans will have time to bring up their reserves. In any case no surprise effect has been sought. This is a "sledge-hammer" attack, not a penetration. Penetration is antiquated! In any case, this offensive, by wearing down the armies taking part, is leading us towards the end of the war. When this battle has lasted two or three months weariness may set in and ideas of peace will at last find favourable soil.8th July

The Franco-British offensive seems to be slowing down. Contalmaison has been retaken by the Germans. We are no longer advancing. The defending forces are now sufficient to contain the attack. The Russians are advancing at the spots where they contact the Austrians but make little progress when they come up against the Germans. This formidable activity on all fronts must be bringing us towards the end of this horrible butchery. We now have the impression that the Germans are beginning to flag; as for the Austrians, they must be exhausted. The Russians have clearly taken the initiative and regained the ascendancy they enjoyed at the time of their victory at Lemberg. It is the Germans who should make the peace overtures. The Chancellor's speech invoking the war map and exacting that the Allies must declare themselves defeated before any pourparlers, presents an insuperable obstacle to any reconciliation. For this reason, the Austrian retreat and the wearing down of the Germans on all fronts constitute a healthy lesson for German pride. Their tone must be considerably lowered to allow of any conversations at all.On the 11th July the General Headquarters Staff presented the King with a plan of attack with two divisions corresponding to the generalissimo's note dated the 24th April, but to be carried out by our right wing in conjunction with the British. On the 15th General Joffre notified us that he would not call for the co-operation of the Belgian Army except in the event of a general advance. he would then place at our disposal the necessary artillery and ammunition to carry out a crushing preliminary bombardment. Later, the C.-in-C. replied that in the event of a general advance the Belgian Army would attack in the Steenstraet-Boesinghe sector as soon as the British left wing took part in the movement. The message from the Generalissimo led us to suppose that he did not consider this advance to be very imminent. This was because the progress of the Picardy offensive had fallen very short of expectations. The massive preparations must have taken away all surprise effect. The intrepid assaults of the young British divisions broke against an expert veteran defence which during the lulls in the attacks could feed the battle by calling on its reserves in proportion to the new forces thrown in by the attacker. The battle took on the features of a war of attrition as at Verdun. The losses were heavy and the gains negligible. On the Eastern Front, the Russians extended their offensive in several sectors. Their efforts was on a huge scale but brought about no alterations in the contours of their immense front. These results dispelled a great many illusions. At the rear, it was the most enthusiastic who were now the most discouraged. In the meanwhile, government circles in Le Havre made certain contacts with Paris and London on the subject of economic problems, which took an imprudent turn. The Prime Minister returned with a proposal for a customs union with France; the Minister for Foreign Affairs with a plan substituting for our neutral status a military alliance with France and Great Britain, pledging us to compulsory military service. On the other hand, the territorial claims put forward by a Belgian newspaper in Le Havre to the detriment of our northern neighbours caused the Hague Government to take umbrage and to lodge protest with the Allies. Without the Sovereign having to invite them, the ministers considered it opportune to hold a debate on these important questions. They concluded by rejecting both the customs union and a system of guarantee entrailing military obligations. The responsibility for such arrangements could only be assumed by Parliament. They were also in agreement on a common declaration of disapproval of annexionist claims to the detriment of Holland. On the 22nd July, M. de Broqueville informed the King of these wise decisions. The King wrote:22nd July

In a conversation with M. de Broqueville I was able to convince myself that the Government has become clearly hostile to all policy of alliance and admits of no compromise that might lessen our autonomy. This is a very important point, the result of an evolution and a reaction produced almost entirely without my knowledge. The Premier is opposed to any territorial extension to the detriment of Holland. He wants a Belgium living in "splendid isolation" but as strong as possible. I spoke to him of the advantage of a declared neutrality. He is not opposed to it, but does not like the use of the word neutrality, at this moment. M. de Broqueville has confidence in the strength of the country, which can, he declares, be ensured more than by union, by discipline and a greater military effort. If this result can be achieved, a policy of absolute independence even with regard to the Powers of the Entente would obviously be the ideal policy on condition that it keeps us in a good position as regards Germany.His Majesty was delighted with these decisions and expressed his great satisfaction in a letter which was intended to be read before the Cabinet.23rd July

I feel bound to write to you as a result of our conversation yesterday. I was very happy to learn that the entire Government has declared itself frankly hostile to all policies of alliance or enfeoffment and repudiates any engagement of a nature which would bind us after the war to the Great Powers, to the detriment of national sovereignty. This is a major issue, and I am convinced that it is the very condition of our autonomy. This attitude demands a resolve on our part to become strong, to arm and to educate a race of patriotic soldiers. Otherwise we should be delivering ourselves to the Germans. I believe, as you do, that this attitude is a possible one, and that it best conforms to our interests, to our past sacrifices and to the aspirations of the best of our nationals. We must never lose sight of the fact that any engagement with a Great Power, particularly Great Britain or France, invariably ends in an interference by that Power in our military, political and economic regime...On the 2nd August, faced with the paltry progress of the Franco-British attacks in Picardy, a General Council, in which M. Poincare, and Generals Joffre, Foch and Haig took part, decided that in view of the impossibility of forcing the German line the battle would only be continued in the form of local attacks to be launched at intervals of between six and twelve days. The Allies wished and hoped in this manner to immobilise the German forces on the Western Front and to favour the operations of the Russians, whose southern armies had made a breach in the Austro-Hungarian Army. It was also intended to encourage Rumania's entrance into the war at an early date.28th August

Rumania has entered the war. Certain people prognosticate the end of the war for this year. One must not be under any illusions as to the military bearing of this intervention. The entry into action of the Rumanian Army will provoke the utilisation of all the Bulgarian and Turkish forces.11th September

The affairs of Rumania do not seem to be going as required; after the loss of Tutrakan comes the fall of Silistria. This is probably the result of the politicians' hasty action in sending all their troops to conquer Transylvania while neglecting their defences against the Bulgarians. There is no change in the general situation. By every method in their power, Allied newspapers buoy up public opinion with hopes of victory. The Franco-British offensive continues with daily gains proclaimed with a great fanfare. The Staffs declare that they are not aiming at strategic objectives but are interested only in wearing down the enemy. A strange contradiction between the mediocrity of the action and the grandeur of the goal aimed at by the diehards: the total destruction of the Central Powers.13th September

The Somme offensive goes on! Two and a half months have passed, during which it has continued with rather meagre results. We are assured that the enemy is suffering great losses; they fail to add that we, too, are losing a great many men.Wishing to add his homage to that of the Allies for the magnificent defence of Gerdun, the King awarded the Cross of the Order of Leopold to the heroic city. On this occasion, he addressed the following message to the President of the French Republic:"In conferring upon the town of Verdun the Cross of the Order of Leopold I am happy to recognise and in the name of the Belgian nation and Army to hallow the heroism, the spirit of sacrifice and the extraordinary tenacity displayed by the French Army around this stronghold, in a conflict of a duration and a bitterness without precedent in military history."The Generalissimo came in person to thank the King for this mark of courtesy...



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King Albert's War Diary 1/5 • Tribute

Posted a year ago


In honor of the 114th anniversary of our accession, we are pleased to share the entries of our war diary.

We dedicate this to brother Antoine from our previous life and our faithful canine companion Hannah.



During the time when I occupied the Chair of History at the Ecole de Guerre, King Albert began to take an interest in my studies, which he continued to follow as the publication of foreign archives gradually revealed the true features of the Great War. In the course of his daily afternoon walk or of evenings alone together in his magnificent study at Laeken he would enjoy recalling his wartime memories, always accurately placing each reminiscence in its context as experienced, passing through a sieve an inexact version and commenting with humour on the behaviour of some well-known character or the turn of an incident. Without a trace of self-satisfaction, other than that of a duty done, he could maintain that under his aegis as Commander-in-Chief the Belgian Army had played the role demanded of it for fifty-three months. His conscience could congratulate itself all the more in that this goal had been achieved without costing his soldiers more than normal sacrifices, especially since besides the struggle against the invader he had at times to defend our attitude against the requests of the allies, not to mention resisting certain impulsive tendencies on the part of a government living in exile, exacerbated by a long train of alternate hopes and disappointments.



One evening in 1932 His Majesty said to me:

"Later the truth must be known. I shall entrust these notes to you, and I know that you will make good use of them."

At the same time, he handed me two notebooks bound in a blue gilt-edged morocco, one of which had a lock and key. It was the war diary of the King, written in his own hand, which I have produced here in its entirety. The pages of the manuscript do not follow regularly the train of events, and the reader would perhaps find it difficult to enjoy their full significance had not some editorship been undertaken. I have therefore thought it correct, having personal memories at my disposal and possessing original complementary documents, to insert them in a general succinct framework which will bring to light the continuity of our war policy through the vicissitudes of the years 1915-1918, and allow a clear appreciation of the wisdom and purpose with which the King conducted it. Any other use of the royal manuscript would appear to entail a risk of distorting the truth and of diminishing its impact.



R. Van Overstraeten



The campaign of 1914 in Belgium- The state of the Belgian Army at the conclusion of the Battle of the Yser- The military and political standpoint of the King.



The invasion of the 4th August 1914, famous for the rapid attack on Liege, struck Belgium at a time of full military reorganisation. In conformity with the Constitution, King Albert nevertheless assumed the post of Commander-in-Chief of the Army, which, apart from the three fortresses of Liege, Namur, and Antwerp, comprised only 117,000 field troops. Invoking the Treaty of 1839 which placed the neutrality of Belgium under the guarantee of the Great Powers, the King asked help of France and Great Britain with a view to "a concerted and common action to repel the invader". Londer and Paris replied immediately that they would honour their obligations, and so on the 20th August the leading French and English columns entered Belgium, on a line from Mons to Arlon. In the meanwhile, the last forts of Liege having succumbed beneath the blows of an irresistible artillery, the hoardes of the German armies overwhelmed central Belgium and Brussels with the 13th Army Corps of von Kluck and von Bulow, while in the Ardennes the 13th Corps of the 3rd, 4th. and 5th Armies took up a position on the Dinant Arlon front. Outstripped by this avalanche, the Allies avoided encirclement and retired southwards, while the isolated Belgian Army fell back on Antwerp. It did not remain inactive, and helped in the victory of the Marne by its sorties of the 7th, 8th, and 9th September, which immobilised opposite it the equivalent of three Army Corps.



In order to remove this intolerable threat to their lines of communication, the Germans had recourse to the fabulous 380 and 420-cm. mortars of the Beseler Army, which pulverised the forts of Antwerp, as they had already done those of Liege and Namur. Almost the only man, apart from King Albert, to realise the importance of this fortress to the Allies was Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, who rushed a naval brigade to Antwerp and promised further aid. Too late. Avoiding imminent encirclement, the Belgian Army slipped along the Dutch Frontier and, supported by Admiral Ronarch's Brigade of Fusiliers Marins and by the 7th British Infantry Division took up positions on the Yser from Nieuport to Ypres, at a time when the French part of the Allied front stretched from Arras to Lille. Beseler did not wait to pursue, and the arrival of four fresh Army Corps from Germany unleashed the furious battle for Calais, whose weight was initially brought to bear on the Belgian Front. The King now conveyed to his troops that the last ditch had been reached and warned his officers that he would tolerate no orders to retreat. After eight days of bitter struggle, on the 31st of October the last German assault was halted by the floods which were ably let loose at the decisive moment.



The King looked upon this as a major victory because it ensured the maintenance of the Army on national soil. He personally refused to follow the government to France and installed himself, and Queen Elisabeth, in a modest villa at La Panne. At the close of the Battle of the Yser on the 31st of October, the Belgian Army consisted of no more than 65,000 men, 32,000 being infantry. Many of the guns needed overhauling, and the supply of ammunition rested entirely on weak French deliveries. The reduction of effectives necessitated a general reorganisation involving the suppression of infantry regiments and the regrouping of the divisional artillery. The battles had reduced the strength of the cadres, revealed weaknesses in some, and brought out remarkable qualities in others. Gaps had to be filled, promotions to be made, bravery rewarded and the higher commands entrusted to the best men. It was also important to establish the Army in its positions, to improve the trenches improvised during the course of fluctuating battles, and to transform them into a coherent system of defence.



We lacked material; our equipment was inadequate, our machine-guns insufficient and our heavy artillery non-existent- deficiencies which called for all our efforts and could only be overcome slowly. Fortunately behind the lines, stationed in France, we had at our disposal a reserve made up of militiamen of the 1914 class, increased by many volunteers. These had to be carefully trained and prepared to enter the front lines during the spring, which would double the numerical strength of the units. The addition of this enthusiastic youth to the old veterans would infuse the Army with a new ideal and strengthen our co-operation in the "concerted and common action" to continue with the Allied Powers. This co-operation was to be, as before, loyal and in proportion to our means, and conditional, in any case, on reasonable undertakings; the blood of our soldiers, that precious capital, was not to be shed except to good purpose. The great battle of Flanders came to an end at the sea, It was concluded with a balance of forces on the Western Front and grievous casualties on both sides. Winter, far from favourable to military operations on northern battlefields, would, we hoped, be a period of calm from which we could profit to dig in on the Yser position, a natural entrenched camp on home soil, where we must hang on without thought of retirement, whatever happened. In the domain of general politics, our ambitions must not be confused with those of the Allies. The latter, with their immense resources, could envisage revenges, conquests and annexations. Belgium was fighting for her honour and independence. Reduced to her little army, she could not afford to gamble with it other than parsimoniously. Furthermore, she had every right to fear a reconquest foot by foot, which would lay her country in ruins. Finally, from a world point of view, it was supremely desirable that the war should end with a lasting peace. The restitution of usurped annexations, and the eradication by just preventive action of foments of revenge or dissatisfied irredentism, should form the basis of a peace to be negotiated in a balanced spirit of justice for the good of humanity as a whole.



Such were the general views which guided the King's mind and governed his actions from the day after the harsh battle which halted the invader and brought glory to our standards. The realisation of this very natural programme clearly could not be carried out without difficulties and frequent dissensions. The experience of the first months of the campaign suggested that it would not always be easy to recommend such principles to the Grench Command, whose doctrines and love of the offensive inspired distrust; or to the Belgian government, occasionally subject as it was both to pusillanimity and braggadocio; or even to our General Staff, with its inclination to yield to Allied requests out of amour propre, a spirit of comradeship, or eagerness for action. With his lucid integrity and his imperturbable calm, the King yet managed to avoid all the shoals and, while retaining general respect, to bring his vessel safely to port.



THE CAMPAIGN OF 1915



The King opposes any interference with his Command or with the autonomy of the Belgian Army- The Nieuport offensive- The bridgehead south of Dixmude- The King dispels his ministers' illusions- The battle of Steenstraet- The bridgehead north of Dixmude- First Artois offensive- The King reveals his views to General Foch on the offensive to be waged in the West- Second Artois offensive- The defence organisation of the Belgian front- The Yser position, the Belgian entrenched camp to be defended to the end- The Commander-in-Cheif's visits to the trenches- The King's visit to the French front- The great September Allied offensive- The war in the Balkans- Belgium must remain neutral outside the London Pact.



The first open trust came from our friends and attacked a fundamental principle. From their contact with our troops in battle, the Allies had gained the impression that our higher commanders lacked both ability and energy. On the 19th November General Foch used this argument when he proposed to transfer four of our divisions to the Ypres sector, or else to distribute our units among the French forces in the proportion of one brigade per division. At the moment the Belgians were holding the front from the sea to Dixmude. The King would neither agree to being deprived of his constitutional prerogatives, nor let his Army be split up, nor deliver the fate of his soldiers to decisions of foreign authorities beyond his control. He sent the following reply by his Chief of Staff:



The Belgian Army must remain intact, master of its own operations and absolute master of its organisation. It will adapt its movements to those of the Allies. When they take the offensive it will follow suit. Its past and the services it has rendered will vouch for it.



A few days later the chief of the English military mission, on behalf of Marshal French, transmitted a proposal which was just as off-hand: "On the next arrival of British reinforcements, the British, with the co-operation of the Belgian Army, will take over the whole line extending from La Bassee to the sea. Field-Marshal French has asked whether the Belgian Army undertakes to stand fast even without being behind the flooded area and to be able to take the offensive. If the answer is in the affirmative, a sector will be given to the Belgian Army; if in the negative, your Army will be incorporated into the British Army, one brigade per British division."



On the 1st January, the King replied personally to the British Commander-in-Chief:Dear Field-Marshal, I am perfectly well aware of the laudable motive which dictated the steps Colonel Bridges took in your name with intent to distribute certain divisions of the Belgian Army among those of the British Army; in this manner you count upon obtaining a greater return from the whole. I very much doubt if the result can be achieved in this manner. Rivalries would quickly spring up between the two armies; officers and soldiers would be reluctant to obey foreign leaders. From another point of view, that of national unity, the measure proposed is quite unacceptable. My country can only make its existence felt thought its Army and it would never understand a change which would be equivalent to suppressing the latter. Neither I nor my Government, whom I have consulted on this subject, find ourselves able to agree. I propose to carry out radical changes in our High Command, and I think I can give the assurance that the Belgian Army will be capable of holding a position in the line proportionate to its effectives. Within the limits of the preservation of its autonomy, I furthermore declare myself ready to accept any proposal for extending the front or any other which comes within the general plan.Following upon this, addressing the new Divisional Commanders of his choice, he made the following recommendations:The Army, side by side with the neighbouring armies, may be called upon to carry out offensive or defensive operations which will demand far greater efforts than in the past. Can you undertake these operations? As far as your subordinate officers are concerned, choose those who combine the indispensable qualities. He is a criminal who does not sacrifice an incompetent officer... I want divisions on which one can count; the existence of our country depends upon it.The Allies abided by this. The English, short of artillery, merely asked that a regiment of this arm should be placed at their disposal for the defence of the Ypres salient. This request was immediately granted. Later, they were to congratulate us on the brilliant services rendered by this unit. In the meantime, the Allied Command had no intention of leaving us inactive. From the month of December onwards, we were told to prepare ourselves for an operation which, launched from Nieuport, would disengage the Yser Front and the Belgian coast. In the eyes of the King this was wishful thinking. The density of the enemy forces in Flanders, the impracticability of the terrain, and the material distress of our Army excluded any chance of a favourable advance. Nevertheless, to support the French troops under General de Miltry, who had to open the way along the sea, he agreed to an extension of our front as far as the Fort of Knocke and to support the French attack on St. Georges with a few of our left-flank battalions. Requested in addition to stage an offensive, the King decided, under cover of raids on isolated positions in the flooded area, to form a bridgehead in the elbow of the Yser to the south of Dixmude, a tactic designed to impress both the Germans and the Allies on account of the threat to Dixmude. Launched on the 21st December, the operation was a complete success, without exaggerated casualties. our light infantry stood fast against enemy counter-attack. The effect produced by this incident had more repercussions than the bloody assaults of several Zouave regiments in the sand dunes of Lombardzyde. From the 20th January onwards our front was lengthened as far as the Maison du Passeur. On the 24th February there was a question of stretching it still further, perhaps as far as Langemarck. Of the extra five miles, two were covered by the canal; the others, from Steenstraet to Langemarck, were part of the Ypres salient and were protected by no obstacle. The King agreed to help General Joffre, who was organising an offensive to be launched this time between Verdun and Rheims; nevertheless, he estimated it premature to commit our troops to the defence of a sector whose outline suggested it would be the object of an enemy attack. He accepted the extension only as far as Steenstraet. It was lucky for us; it was against this sector that the Germans were preparing the poison-gas attack which took the Allies by surprise on the 22nd April.



On the other hand, this new extension allowed us to decline on the 9th March the request of Field-Marshal French to place one of our divisions in reserve behind the British Army for the Neuve Chapelle offensive. The King considered this enterprise doomed to failure and that we should support it merely by local demonstrations. Everything indicated, in fact, that the forces which faced us were not inferior in number and that they were better equipped. As a proof of this on the 8th April the Germans captured from us the post of Drie Grachten; a few days later an advance post further south, to the east of the Ypres Canal, suffered the same fate. Moreover, in Woevre an encircling movement undertaken by the French on the two walls of the Saint-Mihiel "hernia" achieved no success. The King noted in his diary:14th April

We learn that the Meuse-Moselle offensive has come to a standstill. The smoothing out of the line between Verdun and Pont-a-Mousson has therefore not been accomplished. I am more and more convinced that the present line will not move and that peace will be negotiated on today's positions, which in any case are the same as they were six months ago.A few days earlier, the 5th April, at La Panne, on the lines of his own presentation to the Grenadier Regiment, of which Leopold II was once Honorary Colonel, he insisted on personally presenting His Royal Highness Prince Leopold to the 12th Regiment of the Line. After evoking the brilliant record of this unit, he concluded:[/quote]I have assembled you today to present my young son to you. The reason I have chosen the 12th Regiment of the Line to instruct him in the profession of arms is because this regiment has particularly distinguished itself by its valour in the course of the campaign. By placing my son in this regiment I am pleased to give you a token of my entire confidence. Princes must be brought up early in the school of duty, and there exists none better than an army like ours, which heroically personifies the nation. My son has claimed the honour of wearing the uniform of our valiant soldiers. He will be very proud to belong to a regiment whose acts of bravery and of devotion to our country will form a glorious page in our national history.[/quote]In the meanwhile, it came to the ears of the Commander-in-Chief that various members of the Government were harbouring pretentious illusions, which certain journalists even attributed to the Chef de Cabinet, as a regards the peace terms to be imposed on Germany. Our war policy had to be agreed and, once agreed, pursued in common accord by Government and Sovereign. The King attached the greatest importance to the observance of this principle. He therefore hastily convened the ministers to sound them and to influence them towards moderation. He tells of this meeting in his diary:7th April

Cabinet meeting.

I propose first of all to discuss the question of peace and the conditions preliminary to this. M. van de Vijvere considers the economic point of view to be of prime importance. If our national debt is not doubled we shall come through. He is of the opinion that we should accept territorial aggrandisements if they are proposed to us. I point out that the question of maintaining or not maintaining our neutrality must be solved before everything, as it governs our political orientation. We cannon, on our own account, launch into a policy of conquest which would eventually exclude us from the benefits of neutrality. The latter will facilitate the resumption of relations with our neighbours. M. Helleputte does not believe that we should resume relations with Germany. He is of the opinion that this Power would only seek some occasion for taking revenge on us. The annexation of Luxemburg meets with general sympathy. I recommend prudence in the utterance of these ambitions. The result of the war remains indecisive, and our recent offensives have hardly been crowned with success. It is possible that peace may be signed on the present-day line and that the reduction or the splitting up of Germany may turn out to be false dreams. The optimistic ideas of my ministers are so deep-rooted that what I say does not shake them very much. I point out, however, that it would be dangerous to let the country think that all the damage they have suffered will be reimbursed by the Government. The meeting then adjourns for closer examination of the attitude to be adopted by the government on the subject of Belgian claims.This question was resumed at a meeting held on the 17th April, which the King sums up as follows:17th April

Cabinet meeting.

M. de Broqueville began by reading a plan of instructions to be given to our diplomats. On the question of indemnities, everyone was in agreement. I remarked how important it was for Belgium to take part in the Peace Conference. We had to claim our place; the diplomats must insist on this point. Everyone was in agreement- M. Davignon proposed to ask that the Conference should be held in Brussels. Agreed unanimously. The question of neutrality, which is so essential, cannot, in my opinion, be the object of a categorical declaration, which would risk closing the doors of the Peace Conference to us. The expediency of neutrality with or without guarantee is to be studied at the wish of the Cabinet. The territorial aggrandisements which everyone hopes for, particularly the annexation of the Grand Duchy, will not be the object of declarations on the part of our diplomats; this question must be left open, particularly in view of the indecisive character of the war. This indecisive character compels us to envisage the compensations which eventually we shall have to demand of our Allies, who have made us such fine promises regarding our restoration. There are the commercial treaties, the loan facilities, the restitution of rolling stock, the transfer of shipping prizes to allow us to traffic on an ocean which will be shut to the Germans. I drew the attention of the Cabinet to MM. Segers; excellent plan. This is the moment, now or never, to create a navy. There will be gaps in the sea lanes on account of the exclusion of the Germans from certain ports. We must be able to fill these gaps, and it is to be supposed that England would favour our efforts to take the Germans' place. I pointed out to the ministers that in the present situation of the war, prudent expectations was the wisest course and that we should make ourselves ridiculous by planting flags on territories which nothing suggested that we should ever conquer. Nor must we ally ourselves to the Great Powers, seduced by the ambitious dreams which certain people dangle before our eyes to inveigle us into the orbit of military alliances. We must bring into the limelight the services we have rendered, the important role of our Army, always in logical concert with those of our greater neighbours. The Allies have done little for us. Even if the Germans have violated their treaties, the Allies have not known how to implement theirs. There is, particularly in France, a tendency to play down what we have done... The ministers appeared to be weaned from their over-optimism, fostered by the cafe gossip of the intriguing and hot-headed publicists who swarm in La Havre. It was decided to redraft once more the note to be given to the diplomats and to meet again in May when we can sit down to discuss the new findings.The capture of Drie Grachten by the Germans was the prelude to their great attack of April 22nd, tragically famous for the first tactical use of poison gas. Favoured by the surprise effect, the enemy assault, launched from both sides of Langemarck, in a few hours penetrated the Ypres salient. Our right wing, which had come to a halt as though by miracle at the limit of the chlorine waves, held its position coolly. For eight days our regiments of the 6th and 1st Divisions formed a rigid pivot on the flank of the pocket created by the enemy. This battle cost us 1,500 men. However, on the 26th M. Poincare visited the Belgian G.H.Q. and suggested that the loss of Drie Grachten by the Belgians was a setback all the more to be regretted, "because the Germans will turn it into a success which will impress the neutrals". Subsequent to this remark, His Majesty noted in his diary:I do not think that this incident is of a nature to impress the neutrals; they know that our positions have held for six months.But this reproach, repeated widely by the Chief of the French Mission, wounded the self-respect of our General Staff and the head of the Government. Warned that General Foch was preparing a large Franco-British attack in the region of Arras, the General Staff considered it indispensable for us to carry out an attack on the heights of Clercken, south of Dixmude. As for M. de Broqueville, he was of the opinion that certain of our new divisional commanders were lacking in enterprise.29th April

The Minister for War has spoken to me at Houthem about the promotion of officers. he questions the efficiency of Generals Drubbel and Jacques, both of whom are men of undisputed courage. He reproaches them for not being tacticians, a term which he does not seem able to define. He continues to judge from behind the lines the men who fight at the front. Given a little scope, he would like to reinstitute the peacetime examinations, as though war did not bring out the qualities in an officer.In actual fact, General Drubbel, whose division would bear the brunt of any attack south of Dixmude, considered that a crossing in force of the Yser, even if successful, would be costly and would place our troops in a salient and in an untenable position. Fortunately, General Foch, when consulted, was of the same opinion. On the other hand, the Allied counter-attacks between Langemarck and Steenstraet made little progress. The King noted:1st May

The positions lost in front of Ypres have only partially been recaptured by the English and the French despite some very violent attacks. One grows more and more convinced that the Allies will not force the German line, which is formidably organised; a break-through would demand a numerical superiority which the assailants do not possess. According to the Swiss newspapers, the Russian Front is becoming static. It is possible, therefore, that the war will end without a decision and that the forces engaged are equally balanced. The decision, or superiority, will fall to the one who can hold out the longest.From that moment it was decided that our participation in the form of a diversion would comprise two operations of a nature both effective and spectacular: the 2nd Division was to enlarge the bridgehead south of Dixmude and the 5th Division create a bridgehead in a favourable arc to the north of that town, flanked by a raid on the "oil tanks"- both operations to be accompanied as usual by an artillery barrage. The attack was launched on the 9th May simultaneously with the Allies' Artois offensive. it was successful at both bridgeheads. Our battalions dug in on the ground captured and held it in spite of heavy bombardments. We paid for this result with the loss of 600 men, but our troops gained self-confidence. On the 11th General Joffre came to express his satisfaction. He was, however, far from pleased with the trend of the main battle.12th May

Yesterday, saw General Joffre. Fairly satisfied. It is the terrible strongpoints which are stopping the Arras offensive. An attempt is to be made to bypass and invest them... The Bavarians, he says, are even more tenacious than the Prussians... According to him, the English offensive hardly functioned; there was no liaison with the French offensive.14th May

The French offensive is languishing. Will it finish as the preceding ones have done, with insignificant gains? This is to be feared. The proportion of forces engaged allows no chance of successful offensives against troops as tough as the Germans, who are past masters in organisation, in the occupation of localities, farms, and, indeed, anything that can serve as a strongpoint.This appreciation, although uttered far from the battle area, corresponds exactly to events. In a first magnificent spurt, the French attack broke the enemy lines at several points, chiefly on the front of the 33rd Corps, most ably commanded by General Petain. However, the Bavarian troops clung fiercely to the large villages of Carency, Souchez, Givenchy, Neuville, Ablain, St. Nazaire, defended in depth. The attack, successful between these jetties of resistance, found itself strangled in the insufficiently wide breaches. A struggle had to be waged yard by yard to expel the defenders from their system of deep dug-outs and communication trenches. This allowed the German Command time to bring up its reserves. Attacks and counter-attacks followed for several weeks, at the cost of bloody losses, without altering the contour of the front line. In the meanwhile, in the eastern theatre of war the Austrians and Germans, thanks to their heavy artillery, broke through the Russian Front in Galicia, advanced more than sixty miles, took 100,000 prisoners and relieved Hungary, which was expecting an invasion over the Carpathians. Without allowing herself to be influenced by these far from encouraging events, Italy, which since the outbreak of war had shown great sympathy for the Belgian attitude, decided to join the Allied camp. The King recorded this with a gleam of hope:21st May

The Italian Parliament has decided to enter the war, the deputies in favour numbering 407 against 74, while the senators were unanimous. This is the most important and the happiest event since the Battle of the Marne.The intervention of Italy bringing to the Entente an appreciable increase in forces, the King now took to studying the most logical and effective strategy to be undertaken by the Allied armies in order to relieve the Western Front and to win a large-scale victory. He arrived at a solution which he regarded as all the more valuable, as it would liberate Belgium while sparing her useless devastation. His Majesty took advantage of a visit to General Foch to win him over to his ideas.25th May

Visit to General Foch at Brias.

Left La Panne at 12.45. Arrived at Brias at 15.05 hours (nearly sixty miles) via Houthem, Hondschoote, Steenvoorde, Hazebrouck, Saint-Venant, Lillers. Beautiful countryside, radiant with the brilliant greenery of May. Farming continues everywhere, and one would not believe there was a war on if one did not meet motor convoys of wounded, munitions and supplies or see concentrations of troops everywhere. General Foch is comfortably installed with his General Staff in a magnificent chateau surrounded by a fine park. I expressed my fears for the future. "Now that the Italian armies have joined the Allies," I told him, "the balance of strength has broken in our favour; we should be able to push the Germans back. But in order to achieve this goal, and to achieve it quickly, there must be co-ordination in the action of the Allied forces. Unfortunately, this co-ordination does not exist. The English, who have well-hardened troops for the defence, should extend their front, thus freeing the French troops which are so suited to an offensive. They do not wish to extend their front, however, partly out of prudence, and also in order to preserve their troops for launching offensives of their own. "On the other hand, the direction of the attack now in progress exposes Belgium to all the horrors of war. The centre of the country risks being completely ravaged. This line of progress, furthermore, does not threaten the communications of the German Army. Even if we succeed in capturing Tournai, the enemy could hold the Yser front. On the supposition that we succeeded in advancing further, the Allies would break their heads against the formidable Antwerp-Brussels-Namur-Meuse line. "On the other hand, an operation undertaken from Verdun along the right bank of the Meuse in the direction of Montmedy, Virton, Bastogne, would quickly constitute a real peril for the German Army. This region, which I know well, would not provide the obstacles to such a manoeuvre that one might imagine. It is a country with broad, undulating hills, very sparsely inhabited and thinly wooded. A relatively shallow advance would, at one blow, force the enemy to evacuate not only Belgium but the whole of the invaded area of France." "I have tried my best," replied the General, "to persuade the English to take a larger front so as to free more French troops. But the British leaders, prudent to excess, have put up a thousand arguments against it." "Can't you prevail upon Lord Kitchener?" I insisted. "And on the British politicians? Speak to them in the language of common sense, show them that isolated offensives sacrifice thousands of men for insignificant results; tell them that by accepting a broad, defensive front they would be exploiting their soldiers' characteristic tenacity and that they would hasten the end of the war by liberating the greatest possible number of French divisions, which could immediately undertake a large-scale offensive" "I have spoken on several occasions," the General answered, "to certain people of the desirability of better co-operation between the French and the British Armies. I have little confidence in the usefulness of these steps since the British government is weak and divided and its Opposition incredibly incompetent. Our Allies lack leadership and unity. Lord Kitchener and Marshal French do not get on well together. However, we must keep French; he is the only man who understands the present war. In England, they have no conception of it." General Foch then did his best to dismiss my objections regarding the prospects of the Artois offensive, assuring me that things would go well, that the Germans were using up their resources, that we were advancing slowly and that we must be patient. Showing me a map with the contours of the front marked in different colours- "You see," he said, "how favourable the Arras sector towards Mons is- devoid of hills and descending in a gentle slope. In the Argonne and the Woevre the country is too difficult and the German defence system really very strong. And then if we continue beyond Mons, we come to the plain of Waterloo, the traditional focal point for international decisions..." "You must admit, however, that if the French reached lower Luxemburg the Germans would grow very anxious about their line of retreat." "I do not think so, because they would protect it by relying on the obstacles presented by the valleys of the Ourthe and its tributaries. I agree that Belgium will suffer the horrors of war, but I see no means of avoiding them. In any case, there will be no siege of Brussels; we shall attack the Antwerp-Namur position between the latter town and Brussels. The French Army hopes to move forward in the direction of Mons-Waterloo, the English Army towards Brussels; the Belgian Army will advance north of Brussels."The arguments put forward by General Foch disappointed the King. He bore away with him a disagreeable memory which was to remain with him. Often, after the war, he alluded to this interview and expressed his surprise that he had not been understood or listened to. On the 9th June General Foch announced that he was launching a new Franco-British offensive in the same Arras region. It would begin on the 16th. He hoped that the Belgian Army would take part in the shape of "a real attack". At the instigation of the Head of the French Mission, Comte de Broqueville supported this request for reasons of prestige; and our General Staff planned to cross the Yser in strength to the north of Dixmude should the Artois offensive succeed. Without wishing to discourage the General Staff, the King pointed out to them our weak holding in the line- two men per yard- and our complete lack of heavy artillery, whereas on the Allied attacking front eight to ten men were to be massed per yard and an impressive amount of material. Furthermore, the Germans were well on the alert north of Dixmude, where they did not cease to harry the bridgehead and "Death Alley". He did not believe in the success of General Foch's new operation, undertaken on a terrain which had been disturbed by a battle lasting a month. These forecasts proved true. The Franco-British attack on the 16th June against Vimy Ridge was a complete failure. On the other hand, in Galicia Mackensen's army resumed its advance and captured Lemberg. His Majesty noted:19th June

Now it will be a long time before we can start any new major offensive, and it will have to be launched in another place. A break-though on the Western Front grows more and more problematical, just as I have always predicted.22nd June

What with the halting of the Arras offensive and the continual retreat of the Russians, we can only look upon the future with apprehension. The Germans resist victoriously on one front and attack successfully on the other; they have, in fact, superiority of forces. It is only by a war of attrition that the Allies will reduce them, by encircling them and refusing to grant them peace terms for as long as possible.24th June

There is less and less chance of a break-through on this front by the Allied troops. On the other hand, the Germans cannot take new positions or advance in this sector. This impasse, in which both sides will be involved, will gradually result in peace feelers being put out.29th June

The French losses on the 16th, 17th and 18th June amount to 100,000 men; the result obtained- nil.The bloody reverse of the Battle of Artois suddenly seemed to have intimidated the British. During the month of July the British Military Misson warned us of a possible large-scale attack in six weeks' time and on several occasions inquired into the solidity of our defences. This anxiety spread even to our ministerial circles. In mid-August the Prime Minister made himself the spokesman of their alarm at the cabinet meeting. His Majesty retorted on behalf of our soldiers, that even if our lines had not the thorough organisation of the British defences, this was because our front was relatively spread out in proportion to our effectives; because the waterlogged terrain forced us to build all trenches in material transported from a distance; because of the take-over of sectors which had been little developed by the Allies; and above all because of the offensive actions in which we were always being asked to participate, thus absorbing most of our combatants in the front line. Furthermore, the General Staff had received the necessary recommendations and the King would see that they were carried out by numerous visits to the trenches. These were duly entered in the King's diary:2nd July

Visit to the 1st Division.

Accompanied by General Bernheim and Major Galet, we entered the trenches north-west of Noordschoote, which prolong the line beyond the Reninghe road. There we found a company under the orders of Major Perraux (2nd Regiment of the Line). From a machine-gun post we could see a few hundred yards away a small wood where the Germans were supposed to be entrenched. A sap placed in front of the lines was supposed to be occupied or to have been destroyed. We skirted the edge of Noordschoote, following the line of the trenches. Here were troops of the 2nd Regiment of the Line, which occupy the whole of the northern sector. The trenches were good. The locality could have been better defended; it should have formed a strongpoint in the line, which is not the case. We continued along the trenches, which first approach and then run parallel for over half a mile to the cobbled road leading south of Noordschoote. The trenches are good and comparatively clean; the men look fit. The central sector of the division stretches along the right bank of the Yser Canel to Ypres, as far as the Maison du Passeur. It is occupied by the 4th Regiment of the Line. We arrived here at a more battered zone; the shell-holes grew more numerous, and parts of the trench had been damaged that morning by shells. The number of crosses indicates that the defence of this position has cost many lives. Near the Maison du Passeur, where the French fought for more than a month to drive out the Germans who had crossed the Canel, a third row of trenches runs along the Ypres Canel. To reach them we had to follow a narrow communication trench where you have to keep your head down, for if you show it for one moment you risk being hit by a sniper's bullet. This is the sector occupied for the moment by the Grenadiers. They are hardly a hundred years away from the Germans and there is a constant exchange of fire. The Grenadiers make an excellent impression. It is a crack regiment. I met Major Borremans, in command of the front-line battalion. We reached Pypegaele by a good communication trench, which follows the crest. We visited the pickets. About 4.30 we returned to Oostvleteren after meeting Colonel Burguet on the way.6th July

I have seen General Michel and General Jacquet. I advised them to strengthen their lines and to bring up material for the protection of their men.31st July

Visit to the 5th Division sector.

I left La Panne by car about 4.30 in the morning. The weather was farm and fine. We went first to Forthem Bridge, where we had an appointment with General Rucquoi. We made our way with him towards Lampernisse and Oostkerke, where we left the car and followed the Dixmude railway track on foot. After half a mile we visited to our right the "Franco-Belgian" farm which serves as a strongpoint for the third-line defence and leads to St. Jacques-Capelle. The walls have good loopholes, and one can see that those responsible take an active interest in the defences of the sector. The country is resplendent with green. In the distance, through the mist on the horizon, lie outlined the houses and ruins of Dixmude, Caeskerke, the Troost Farm, the houses of Burg and Tanks. We could hear the gunfire; two aeroplanes were having a dog fight and using their machine-guns. We left the Furnes railway track for that of Nieuport, where the old trenches are, and further south arrived at the battalion headquarters of the northern sector. The O.C., Major Tassier, accompanied us on a visit to his sub-sector. We passed through the terribly devastated village of Caeskerke and, along a very good communication trench, at least reached the trenches of the Yser near Milestone 16. It was 6.15 a.m. Our main defence line is firmly established in the dyke which dominates the other bank. Sacks of earth have been accumulated, and the parapet is six feet high. There are firing bays, which are preferable to loopholes. We met first the 3rd Chasseurs, then the 2nd Chasseurs and finally the 1st Regiment of the Line. The officers and soldiers make a very good impression. I met Major Gateau, Major Plouvier, Captain Hognoul and Captains Leurs, Duflou and van Oberghen. With the 2nd Chasseurs, I met Lieutenant-Colonel Blijkaert, Major Panhuis, Majors Borlee and Desclee; with the 1st of the Line, Major van der Hove, Majors Spiegeleer, de Bel, Hennequin and Migeon. Through a loophole near one of the foot bridges crossing the Yser, we had a view of the bridgehead north of Dixmude, which cost so many lives and where we lost two first-class officers: Colonel Rademaekers and Captain Vilain. There are a few good dug-outs proof against 8-inch shells. The trenches are narrow, and there is no risk of being hit by a bullet. The trenches are clean and are a credit to the 5th Division. My visit to the front-line trenches in this sector, over a mile and a half long, took me exactly 1 hour 25 minutes. There are three sub-sectors, each of them divided into two headquarters for two companies. We left the line at Milestone 19 of the Yser, where the 2nd Division starts. Following a communication trench to begin with, we crossed the fields and reached Milestone 2, on the Dixmude-Alveringem road. It was a quiet day- an exchange of rifle shots and the drone of a few 210-cm. shells, which we heard pass overhead, destined for Caeskerke halt.The King accepted with enthusiasm an invitation to visit the French front.22-23-24 and 25th August

Journey to the French front.

General Biebuick, Major Galet, Major Preidhomme and I left La Panne on the 22nd at 8.15 p.m., on a magnificent evening. It was bright moonlight; light mist rose from the fields and turned the flat countryside white. At Dunkirk we boarded the special train sent by the French Government to meet us. Colonel Penelon, of the President's Maison Militaire, Major de Galbert of the General Staff and M. Pierront of the Compagnie du Nord received us. A few decorations were given and precisely at 9 o'clock in the evening the train left. Our speed was very slow; we were not due to arrive at Chantilly before 9 o'clock in the morning. We passed through Cassel, Walon-Chapelle, Saint-Omer, Caffiers, Boulogne, Etaples, and Abbeville. At Amiens day broke. It was glorious weather, and the countryside, with its valleys and woods, was a refreshing sight for our eyes, weary of the monotony of the beaches and sand dunes of the North Sea. We were received at Chantilly station by the President, M. Millerand, and General Joffre. Exchange of compliments and wards of decorations. Then we set out in a car for Rethondes, where a presentation of flags to regiments of the 35th Corps was to take place. We crossed the town of Chantilly and had a glimpse of the superb chateau in its beautiful park. Then came the rather arid plain as far as Senlis, where the forest of Compiegne begins. Compiegne has suffered little, although it has been bombarded from time to time by long-range guns. After leaving Compiegne we followed the valley of the Aisne, which passes through Rethondes. We found ourselves before an immense plain flanked on the north by the Forest of Laigle and bounded on the south by the river. We were received by General Ebener, commanding the 35th Corps. The troops were lined up in mass formation. They were the 174th, 408th and 409th Regiments of the Line (one battalion); the 2nd Combined Regiment of Zouaves and Infantry; a regiment of Moroccan infantry, and the 7th Chasseurs d'Afrique. After passing along the line of troops, the President presented five flags and made a very beautiful speech in his clear voice. The march-past then took place. It was very fine and impressive at the lithe, rapid pace characteristic of French infantry. Although newly formed, the troops had been well drilled and were well equipped. Returning to the car, we went through the village of Rethondes, where the population gave a very patriotic demonstration. We skirted the southern edge of the Forest of Laigle; to our left was the Aisne surrounded by rich fields. We crossed the Oise at Choisy-au-Bac and made our way up the valley of the Aronde as far as the ample wooded hills. After a few miles, the road leads to Marqueglise, where one rejoins the valley of the Mats. At Bessons-sur-Matz, headquarters of the 13th Corps, we left the valley to visit the magnificent observation post of Boulogne-la-Grasse, a wooded hill, nearly 400 feet high, dominated by a castle, whose tower we climbed. There we found an observer officer, who showed us the interesting localities scattered over the immense horizon of hills, plateaux and woods, which extend as far as the eye can see: Lassigny, Roye, Les Loges, Thiescourt Woods. By a few scars in the ground of different-coloured soil, we could guess rather than actually see the position of the German trenches. Profound silence everywhere. Not a gun shot, not a rifle shot. Here the war seemed to languish. Nor could we even see a single shell crater around this observation post just over two miles from the lines. It was 1 o'clock and time pressed. We went through Rollot and Montdidier to Davenescourt and its fine chateau, where we had lunch. An open landscape, a few tall trees, the valley of the Avre, a tributary of the Somme. Then we visited a plateau to the south of Villers-Bretonneux, where we were received by General Cure and where are based the troops of the 18th Division (9th Corps) under the command of General Lefevre. Magnificent troops: a most impressive march-past by the 32nd, 77th, 66th, 90th, 125th and 135th Regiments of the Line and the 7th Regiment of Hussars. The 9th Corps is one of those which has been most in action since the beginning of the war, particularly in Lorraine, Arois and at Ypres. About 6 o'clock we arrived by some pretty little ravines enclosed by the Forest of Thiescourt at the strongpoint of that name, situated to the east of Maroeil. Under the excellent cover of the forest, positions can be organised comfortably without being spotted. We pushed forward as far as the forward lines. The pickets were entrenched in a quarry, where they were completely sheltered from bombardment. Officers and soldiers looked spick and span. Still the same claim; no shell-holes. One wondered if we really were at war. The villages near the front have hardly any houses damaged. What a difference from our front! We returned to Chantilly at 8.30 p.m., after a day which was frankly tiring, but in the course of which we had seen a great many interesting things. General Joffre invited us to dinner in his spacious villa. That evening at 10 o'clock we boarded the special train which was to take us to Lorraine. About 6 o'clock next morning, in magnificent weather, I woke up as the train was crossing the rocky plateau of Lorraine. We left the main Nancy line and made a detour through Gondrecourt, to avoid Commercy and Lerouville, which are sometimes shelled. We rejoined the Nancy line at Sarcy; and passed through Pagny-sur-Meuse and Toul. Then we followed the Pont-St. Vincent line, where we arrived at 8 o'clock. We set out immediately for the Azelot plateau, where a great review of the 20th Corps was to take place. On a beautiful morning, we rode past these magnificent troops, presented by Generals Balfourier, Ferry, Deligny and Varin. Then they marched past. There were massed bands and an impressive group who passed at a fast double. A grandiose sight, thanks to the martial pace of these crack regiments, quite near the battlefront, beneath a dazzling sky. These solid squares really represented the strength and hope of France, a living picture of the vigour and valour of this admirable race. After the review and the presentation of decorations, we got back into the car and went through Luneville on the way to Einville, where a cavalry division is stationed. Colonel Gatinne welcomed us and took us round the camp. We returned by Crevic, General Liautey's village, which has been almost entirely destroyed and came back via Dombasle and St. Nicholas-du-Port to lunch at the Chateau de Fleville, the beautiful old place of the de Lamballe family. After lunch we went to the aerodrome of Matzeville, by-passing the town of Nancy. It dominates the latter, as well as the valley of the Meurthe. Here a magnificent display had been arranged for us: a simultaneous take-off of sixty planes. The whole sky was full of them. It was an intense and general buzzing which reminded me of a swarm of bees. Major Roisin showed us the ground installations and the machines themselves, with their bombs and rockets. He is a bold pilot and a fine leader. We then went to Mont. St. Jean, the Grand Couronne of Nancy from which one enjoys a magnificent view over the valley of the Seille and its woods, the hills of Delme and Chateau-Salins, Noumeny, and even the steeples of Metz. The summit, covered with a pine forest, forms an excellent cover for artillery batteries. There is a 160-cm. navel gun here which can fire eleven miles. We came down by way of Custines, where we visited the camp and then took our places in the train, which left at 6.15. The thing that struck me during this rapid journey was the good order of everything; the fine behaviour of the troops and their discipline, their manner of saluting and their excellent morale.While the English geared an attack in Flanders, the French Command considered it only right to take advantage of the weakening of the enemy in the West resulting from his transfer of troops to the Russian front. It thus determined to launch in September a large-scale offensive into which fifty divisions were to be thrown. General Foch and General Joffre told the King of this intention in successive visits.11th September

General Joffre has just told me of the new big offensive which the French and the English are going to attempt, involving more than a million. They have plenty of ammunition and new big guns. The General is very hopeful. The main attack will take place in Champagne, with a subsidiary attack at Arras, next to that of the English. "Whether it succeeds or not," said Joffre, "we can do no more. The Italians will make a great effort towards the end of September; the Russians lack guns, but they have plenty of man power." General Foch, who had come before the Generalissimo to announce the visit and tell me the latter's plans, was not very optimistic. One has the impression that decisive days are at hand and that there is less confidence than at the time of the earlier offensive. Is this perhaps a good omen? I asked General Joffre what reinforcements he proposed to give our army in case it were attacked. He considers that the terrain before Ypres is stoutly defended, held by good and numerous troops commanded by an excellent general. In the case of a mass attack from this side, which he considers highly improbable, the reserve of the French troops at Nieuport, three divisions strong, as well as three British reserve divisions, will be swiftly thrown in.Shortly after this, on receiving from General Hely d'Oissel, in command of the French forces at Nieuport, a note which envisaged, in the event of a German offensive on Ypres, a falling back if necessary to the advanced posts of Dunkirk, the King expressed his anxiety at a concept which was so contrary to his firmest intentions. He sent for the General to intimate to him his decision never to abandon the Yser position and to explain the way in which he understood its defence.



Part 2

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Future Goals • Personal

Posted 2 years ago

Matters Of The Mind:

• Find correlations between the paranormal, psychology, and reincarnation.

• Open the mind's 'door' and engage in dialogue with unconscious guests.

• Sacrifice social relationships in return for unconscious relationships.

• Study analytical and depth psychology topics more intensely.

• Practice 'seeing around corners' via dreams or meditation.

• Analyze dream material and adhere to it accordingly.

• Become calmer, distant, reserved, and isolated.

• Perform Active Imagination sessions weekly.

• Read a new book every two weeks.

• Visit the forest more often.



Matters Of The Body:

• Enforce a strict diet for Monday through Friday.

• Recreational activity (Archery, Boxing, Fencing)

• Workout daily or once every 2-3 days.

• Gain mass and increase strength.

• Resist unwanted temptations.

• Travel more locally.



Matters Of The Soul:

• Bond with our past selves and be conscious of them.

• Give them a voice in affairs during our waking hours.

• Devote time to spiritual matters on behalf of Albert.

• Fulfill Max's desire to travel and explore the world.

• Express James via listening to music and reading.

• Be considerate of their opinions on matters.

• Pursue, learn, and discover spiritual mysteries.

• Recover fragments of ourselves and our lives.

• Visit our grave sites in Brussels and Overijse.

• Memento Mori. You Must Remember.

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Reverence • Personal

Posted 2 years ago

A day doesn't go by when we don't think of you. We hope you are happy wherever you are.

Rest in peace, Hannah. Our precious girl.

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Anthropology & Mythology • Research

Posted 2 years ago

This future journal entry will cover the furry community and its true meaning and origin.

I will attempt to cover anthropomorphism, anthropology, and mythology and its relation to the community.
This journal entry will be worked on and finished in 1-2 months (or sooner if I am not busy exercising, moderating, or working out.)

Here is a short example of what to expect:



"Anthropomorphism appears to be an expression of the unconscious in which it imbues traits onto animals as a form of reverence for life and nature.

The conscious ego is a paintbrush within the world that it lives. It creates beautiful, expressive works of art without; even knowing that it's the tool and not the hand itself."



I will attempt to delve into:

• anthropology and various ancient cultures and their relation with the furry community

includes but are not limited to the Celtics Samhain, Egyptian culture, and African mask ritual dances.

• anthropomorphism and the expression of the psyche and unconscious.

• mythology and how it has affected society and modern man.



Resources:

African Masks

More resources to be added in the near future.



Note:

The previous journal entry is now finished!

I will still make edits and add more to it in the future

but feel free to check it out along with the other entries that we have to offer!
This project has been delayed in favor of other important research projects.

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Spirituality, Tarots, Etc. • Research

Posted 2 years ago

This journal entry discusses my tarot birth cards and their meanings

and the beliefs and purpose of spiritual beings that travel on the 7's life path.

this entry will be updated over time and possibly expanded to include more information.
The Tower | Major Arcana 16 | Spiritual Awakening

meaning and symbolism behind the card:

1. The crown symbolizes the ego. (avarice, pride, and unconsciousness)

2. The lightning symbolizes divine intervention. (the unconscious and humility)

3. The sky symbolizes conflict (the dark night of the soul)

4. The two people falling symbolize one's knowledge and values. (abandoning old knowledge and values)

5. The flames symbolize the 22 Major Arcana and their lessons. (acquiring new knowledge and adjusting one's values)

6. The tower symbolizes the life that one has built and the destruction of it (death of the old self)

7. The jagged cliff symbolizes the precipice to a spiritual awakening. (rebirth of the true self)



Allegory | The Tower:I saw a lofty tower extending from earth to heaven; its golden crowned summit reached beyond the clouds. all around it black night reigned and thunder rumbled.

Suddenly the heavens opened, a thunderclap shook the whole earth, and lightning struck the summit of the tower and felled the golden crown.

A tongue of fire shot from heaven and the whole tower became filled with fire and smoke. then I beheld the builders of the tower fall headlong to the ground.



And a voice said:

The building of the tower was begun by the disciples of the great master in order to have a constant reminder of the master’s teaching that the true tower must be built in one’s own soul,

That in the tower built by hands there can be no mysteries, that no one can ascend to heaven by treading stone steps.



The tower should warn the people not to believe in it.

It should serve as a reminder of the inner temple and as a protection against the outer;

It should be as a lighthouse, in a dangerous place where men have often been wrecked and where ships should not go.



But by and by the disciples forgot the true covenant of the master and what the tower symbolized, and began to believe in the tower of stone, they had built, and to teach others to so believe.

They began to say that in this tower there is power, mystery, and the spirit of the master, that the tower itself is holy, and that it is built for the coming master according to his covenant and his will.

And so they waited in the tower for the master. others did not believe this or interpreted it differently. then began disputes about the rights of the summit.

Quarrels started, ‘our master, your master,’ was said; ‘our tower, your tower.’ and the disciples ceased to understand each other. their tongues had become confused.



Do you understand the meaning here? they had begun to think that this is the tower of the master,

That he builds it through them, and that it must and, indeed, can be built right up to heaven. and you see how heaven responded?Dark Night Of The Soul And The Tower:

It’s a kind of re-birth. the dark night of the soul is a kind of death that you die. what dies is the egoic sense of self. of course, death is always painful, but nothing real has actually died there.

Only an illusory identity. now it is probably the case that some people who’ve gone through this transformation realized that they had to go through that, in order to bring about a spiritual awakening.

Often it is part of the awakening process, the death of the old self and the birth of the true self.



The Chariot | Major Arcana 7 | Spiritual Victory

meaning and symbolism behind the card:

1. The castle symbolizes the departure from materialism and the evocation of a higher calling. a spiritual awakening.

2. The river symbolizes the threshold between earth and heaven. the successful crossing into the realm of spirituality.

3. The canopy of stars symbolizes celestial and metaphysical influences that watch over the charioteer.

4. The four pillars of the chariot symbolize stability in the life journey of the charioteer.

5. The coat of arms symbolizes the lingam-yoni. the union of opposites.

6. The winged sun symbolizes divinity, protection, royalty, and power.

7. The laurel wreath symbolizes accomplishments and victories in spiritual endeavors.

8. The eight-pointed morning star crown represents balance, destiny, and harmony.

9. The shoulder plates represent urim and thummim. symbolizing mastery over emotions.

10. The lunar crescents on the shoulders symbolize the zodiac sign cancer and the divine.

11. The square on the breastplate symbolizes the earth, order, and being grounded.

12. The scepter symbolizes willpower and the ability to control one's own destiny.

13. The belt contains various symbols which pertain to zodiacs and planets.

14. The clothing contains geomantic symbols which symbolize protection.

15. The sphinxes symbolize the masculine and the feminine. the conscious and the unconscious.

16. The sphinxes holding their tails symbolizes the ouroboros. wholeness and rebirth.



Allegory | The Chariot:I saw a chariot drawn by two sphinxes, one white. the other black.

Four pillars supported a blue canopy, on which were scattered five-pointed stars.

The conqueror, clad in steel armour, stood under this canopy guiding the sphinxes.



He held a sceptre, on the end of which were a globe, a triangle, and a square. a golden pentagram sparkled in his crown.

On the front of the chariot, there was represented a winged sphere, and beneath that the symbol of the mystical lingam, signifying the union of two principles.



“Everything in this picture has significance. look and try to understand”, said the voice.



This is will armed with knowledge. we see here, however, the wish to achieve, rather than achievement itself.

The man in the chariot thought himself a conqueror before he had really conquered, and he believes that victory must come to the conqueror.

There are true possibilities in this beautiful conception, but also many false ones. illusory fires and numerous dangers are hidden here.



He controls the sphinxes with the power of a magic word, but the tension of his will may fail and then the magic word will lose its power and he may be devoured by the sphinxes.

This is indeed the conqueror, but only for the moment; he has not yet conquered time, and the succeeding moment is unknown to him.

This is the conqueror, not by love, but by fire and the sword, a conqueror against whom the conquered may arise.



Do you see behind him the towers of the conquered city? perhaps the flame of uprising burns already there.

And he is unaware that the city is vanquished by means of fire and the sword is the city within his own consciousness,

That the magic chariot is in himself, and that the blood-thirsty sphynxes, also a state of consciousness within, watch his every movement.



He has externalized all these phases of his mind and sees them only outside himself. this is his fundamental error.

He entered the outer court of the temple of knowledge but thinks he has been in the temple itself.

He regarded the rituals of the first tests as initiation, and he mistook them for the goddess, the priestess who guarded the threshold. because of this misconception great perils await him.



Nevertheless, it may be that even in his errors and perils the great conception lies concealed.

He seeks to know and, perhaps, in order to attain, mistakes, dangers, and even failures are necessary.

Understand that this is the same man whom you saw uniting heaven and earth, and again walking across a hot desert to a precipice.My personal story:

Work In Progress!

I will work on this section and discuss my birth cards and how they have affected me at a later date.The ending of the chariot allegory tells us that the charioteer is the same person shown in the tower and the fool tarot cards.

The Tower looms, its firm facade we once knew unravels. Amidst the rubble, emerge new perspectives, illuminating paths once shrouded in mystery. Look not with fear, but with awakened eyes.



Like all the tarot cards, the chariot contains a complexity of sub-images and details.

We can safely assume that each sub-image is not merely a random or decorative item and that there’s a purposeful and organic relationship between them all.



We start, of course, with the main motif:

A figure riding in a chariot. his countenance bears authority and clear intent. his gaze is firm. clearly, he is in control.

But in control of what? in control of life, it seems.



More immediately, he’s in control of the two sphinxes that pull the chariot.

On closer examination, we realize the sphinxes have inverted black-and-white coloring. and each sphinx would go its own way if it weren’t for the governing will of the charioteer.

He carries the wand of authority with such resolute intent that the chariot materializes as a virtual extension of himself as the charioteer.

Yet it would seem from the card’s pictorial and structural elements that the charioteer does not bring forth his unquestioned authority out of himself alone.

It seems that he has a mandate from the overarching heavens, the realm of ultimate authority and command. 



The picture suggests that the charioteer fulfills his mission by uniting the archetypal feminine and masculine (as contrapositions) within himself.

The marriage of two contrary elements within the psyche is indicated by the chariot’s crest, which features the lingam and yoni.Numerology | Life path 7 Information:

In pythagorean belief, the universe consisted of four elements: fire, air, water, and earth.

Each element was associated with one of the four classical planets:

Mars, mercury, jupiter, and saturn.



The number 7 was thought to represent a perfect or divine balance between these four elements.

In addition, the number 7 was believed to be the number of days it took for the soul to be reborn after death.



As a result, pythagoreans saw the number 7 as a symbol of hope, spirituality, and resurrection.

The number seven symbolizes humanity’s deep inner need to find depth, meaning, and spiritual connection.

7 is the number of spiritual awakening, inner growth, introspection, wisdom, and intuitiveness.



Life path 7s are often referred to as the "seekers" of numerology because their life is all about the pursuit of higher knowledge.

The biggest motivating factor in a 7s life lies in the pursuit of truth, knowledge and committing itself to a sacred calling.

They ask why and travel within to find out. those who desire to know the inner secrets of life, the cosmos, and the universe.

Indifferent to the outer world of phenomena but not to the inner worlds of secrecy, intrigue, and hidden mysteries.

Nothing matters to this life path more than finding the answers to all the burning questions of existence.



Life path 7s are generally contemplative, detail-oriented, and analytical.

They are an investigator, and inventors, and must have solitude in which to find the inner voice.

They're talented students, problem solvers, and strategists who are often drawn to technology, health, science, spirituality, or psychology.

Sevens tend to be different, eccentric, or loners.



Characteristics Of Life Path 7:

Holds everyone, including the self, to high, exacting standards.

Introspective. observant of surroundings and human nature.

Possesses spiritual wisdom and intuition.

Likely to be respected among society.

Suited for academia; arts and letters.

Humble, refined, stately, and quiet.

Distant, reserved, and reclusive.

Born thinker and philosopher.

Sensitive and highly analytical.



Resources:

Joseph Campbell Myth Blast • The Chariot: A Symbol Of The Mature Integrated Psyche.

Joseph Campbell Myth Blast • Chariot Reins And Skeleton Keys.

The Chariot Major Arcana 7 And Its Relation With Numerology.

The Tower Major Arcana 16 And Its Relation With Numerology.

Images And Information.

The Chariot's Life Path.

The Chariot Explained.

The Tower Explained.

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Synchronicities & Past Lives • Research

Posted 2 years ago

This journal is related to the seemingly acausal nature of past lives, the synchronicity behind them, and the locations that we have visited or lived in.



TABLES OF CONTENT:

1. Identities ••••• Alpha

2. Locations ••••• Bravo

3. Kennywood ••••• Charlie

4. Anthrocon ••••• Delta

5. Anthrocon Deux ••••• Echo

6. Brothers ••••• Foxtrot

7. Baudouin ••••• Golf

8. Kingdom Come Deliverance ••••• Hotel

9. Knights Of The Golden Fleece ••••• India

10. Coober Pedy Black Opals ••••• Juliett

11. Horne Department Store ••••• Kilo

12. Discovery Of The Self ••••• Lima



CTRL+F the above keywords, e.g., Alpha, to skip to different entries.

Major synchronistic discoveries on Kilo and Lima entries.



Future updates:

• Pittsburghese & Flemish dialects.

• King's Family Restaurant in North Versailles.

• 1916 steel driver's license buried in our yard.

• The Union Trust Building, Brabantine Gothic architecture.

• The origin of French Fries & their connection to Pittsburgh.
Identities: [Alpha]

Maximilian Emanuel Fst Van Horne was a South Dutch past life identity from the Netherlands. Born on the 31st of August 1695.

We held the title of Third Prince Of Horne, Grand Huntsman Of Brabant, Lord Chamberlain Of Brussels, and Knight Of The Order Of The Golden Fleece.

During this lifetime, we oversaw our principality that would later become parts of Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands,

French villages Auchy-au-Bois, Lestrem, Bailleullèslès-Pernes, Saint-Michel-sur-Ternoise,

Horne Castle, and Gaasbeek Castle were part of the Horne estate.



We had two daughters and fourteen grandchildren with a direct line of descendants belonging to the house of Hohenzollern in Germany.

The direct line of descendants to our next past life identity and their relation to us and the house of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen is as follows:



Grandfather of Amalie Zephyrine > great-grandfather to Prince Karl > great-great-grandfather to Prince Karl Anton > great-great-great-grandfather to Princess Marie.

(granddaughter, great-grandson, great-great-grandson, great-great-great-granddaughter.)

Princess Marie would become the mother of Albert. Our great-great-great-great-grandson and next past life identity.



Sigmaringen Castle and Hohenzollern Castle.



The line of male Horne princes ended with us in the year 1763.

The agnatic line of the House of Horne went extinct in the year 1826.

This identity perished on the 12th of January 1763.



This past life personality was the catalyst that caused my spiritual awakening.

This unconscious personality was attracted to images of the Netherlands.



Despite being born in modern-day Brussels, the area was formerly just known as the Netherlands. Which explains our affinity for the land.

Our spiritual lineage from 1763-1874 is blank, and information regarding this past life is extremely limited.

There is also the possibility that we traveled and spent over a century in spiritual form on the earth before reincarnating in 1875.



Albert Leopold Clemens Maria Meinrad was a German past life identity from Belgium. born on the 8th of April 1875.

We held the title of a German Prince, Knight Of The Order Of The Golden Fleece, and King Of The Belgians from 1909 to 1934.

During this lifetime, we experienced the sorrowful loss of our older brother at the age of 21. Regretfully, we were next in line for the throne.

The weight of the kingdom was brought down upon us, and we were forced to answer the summons of the heavens to better serve our people.

We studied and worked hard at the early age of 16 so that we could better understand what ailed the people and how we could improve their lives.

I wholeheartedly believe that a king is to serve and protect his people.



On the 2nd of October 1900, we married Elisabeth Valerie Gabrielle Marie von Wittelsbach.

We had two sons, one daughter, and eleven grandchildren.

Perished on the 17th of February 1934.



This past life's personality caused my spiritual awakening by guiding me with clues since childhood.

Starting with the desk with the decorated military photo from when I was very young.

The June Dream from 2021 was when I discovered who it was in that photo,

In April of 2022, that desk appeared again in a dream with a coin dated "1763"

Which led me to the discovery of my past life as Maximilian.



Synchronicities • Locations: [Bravo]

Albert had made trips to various countries and cities in the year 1919.

Most notably being Boston, Washington, D.C, and New York City.

On the West Coast, we visited California and the Native American people of New Mexico.



I would also like to mention that James is originally from New York.

Albert had visited New York on two occasions.



Albert is connected to France, and James had moved there later on in life.

What if our previous identity was influenced by the unconscious to go to France?

Since that is where our previous identities would've felt the most comfortable, given our history with the region?



Past lives can linger in an area for centuries, as with Maximilian and Albert.

But sometimes, the Self might prefer to explore and try new experiences.

The difficult part is figuring out if a previous personality had an interest in an area or at least had visited it.

I would like to study this more and see what factors play into reincarnating in different areas or foreign lands.



I do believe that we reincarnate into certain areas or move to other places to evoke the unconscious.

And awaken memories that were once lost within the depths of the psyche.



Maybe living next to the ocean or a river can remind one of their life near a river or ocean.

Perhaps living in a crime-riddled region and being surrounded by death can awaken dormant past-life memories of war.



While I was working on this, I discovered via an article that we also went to Pittsburgh during this year.

But I cannot access it due to it being paywalled. The title reads:King Albert is due in America Friday; Belgian Rule and Queen Elizabeth Go to Washington First, Returning Oct. 7.

A whirlwind tour follows. Visitors Will See Thirty Cities in Twenty-three Days, According to Itinerary Arranged.This makes two separate occasions that I can link myself to the Pittsburgh area before my birth on the 10th of January 1994.



It was not until the 18th of April 2023 that I learned about our earlier trip in the Spring of 1898.

When we visited Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, Toronto, Ottawa, Quebec, New York, and Pittsburgh.

New York and Pittsburgh are the most important locations for this journal entry.



On January 21st, 2024, we came across this article.

This blog contains the information that we've spent the last 1-2 years searching for. An exact location and the path that we traveled.

Being a native of the area, I would drive in Duquesne and past an empty plot of land when we would go to our local Kennywood park.

It wasn't until that day that I learned that there was once a steel mill on the bank of the Monongahela River in Duquesne.



We traveled to Duquesne on May 27th, 1898, as a prince under an incognito name. Comte de Rethy. Mode of transport unknown.

During this time, Kennywood was set to open on the 30th of May 1898. In just three days.

Undoubtedly, a representative of Pittsburgh would've mentioned the amusement park to us as we rode past the location.

Their detailing might've intrigued us so much that it could've been a deciding factor in us reincarnating in the area.



On Oct. 23rd, 1919, we would discreetly return to Duquesne, but this time as a representative of a small country.

Kennywood would have been open for about twenty-one years now. A thriving amusement park that might've interested us to see.

Of course, such locations weren't possible to see during this trip, but we would ultimately get to visit the park 90~ years later.

The location of Duquesne's steel mill on the bank of the Monongahela River is a mere two miles from our place of birth.

UPMC McKeesport Hospital. Just across the Monongahela River and within two miles of the place we had visited twice.



On February 20th, 2024, we realized that during the majority of our childhood, we had lived on Versailles Avenue.

The location was a bakery with an apartment above it, where we had our past life dreams, which started this all.

The bakery suffered an electrical fire in the downstairs bakery while we were at our grandparents' back in 2004.



On the 28th of June, 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signed.

As King Of The Belgians, we had a direct role at Versailles with the treaty.

It isn't a mere coincidence that we spent our childhood on Versailles Avenue.

There was certainly some planning going on behind the scenes here.



Versailles means "ploughed field," while Duquesne means "of the oak."

Both are French words that our past self would've recognized.

Giving us some familiarity when we visited Pittsburgh in 1898 and 1919.

This might've given us an interest in visiting Duquesne on both trips.



On March 4th, 2024, we learned that UPMC McKeesport Hospital was built in 1894.

Meaning that we were born on the 100th anniversary of its founding.
Synchronicities • Kennywood: [Charlie]

It was around this time that I made plans to visit my childhood amusement park, as I had not been there since Fright Night 2007-2008

2023 marks the 125th anniversary of the amusement park and my trip to the region in 1898.

Upon the opening weekend, I noticed the synchronicity behind that date as it was plastered on walls, banners, and even a coffee shop.

I was born in the Pittsburgh Metro Area (City of McKeesport), and there is a reason behind our decision to live here, but I digress.



At Kennywood, as a child, I learned of my fear of acrophobia during Noah's Ark.

When I arrived at the skeleton crew storage hull section of the ride

I was petrified and could not move, so I had to turn back.



This served as the earliest memory of my fear of falling and helped with my past life research.

Dr. Ian Stevenson's notes say that over 35% of violent deaths are inherited as phobias in children.



On the wall, as you leave, is a mural that says "All Roads Lead To Kennywood"

Kennywood isn't just my childhood amusement park. It's a spiritual place that is filled with synchronicities that are pointing us in the right direction.



I visited Pittsburgh in the year 1898 when Kenny's Grove became the trolley park known as Kennywood.

In 1934, I died from falling, and in 1994, I reincarnated in the Pittsburgh area and experienced my fear of falling at Kennywood's Noah's Ark as a child.

On the 125th anniversary, I went back to Kennywood for the first time in sixteen years.

The newest addition to the park for the anniversary? A coffee shop aptly called 1898 Coffee Co.



Directly across the river from Kennywood is the Edgar Thomson Steelworks, with the date "since 1875" written on the building.

1875 is the year of our birth as Albert of Belgium. This makes two important years that can be found in this small area.

The year we travelled to America and Pittsburgh for the first time, and the year of our past life's birth.



Synchronicities • Anthrocon: [Delta]

I had only gone to my local furry convention (Anthrocon) once due to social anxiety.

But this year was different due to the smog from the Canadian wildfires that filled the air during my visit.

I couldn't help but wonder if I was following in my past self's footsteps through 1898 Pittsburgh...



It's like destiny or something is reassuring me that I am on the right path.



During the last day of Anthrocon, I stumbled upon the perfect opportunity to do some research.

I had taken the moment to analyze a dance competition and was almost overwhelmed with emotions (again.)

It was like watching our ancient ancestors dancing and singing around a giant bonfire as they adorned their masks.

It was beautiful to watch the unconscious express itself in such a way, and it made me remember that we are all connected.



It intrigued me to see the parallels between these suiters and their ancestors.

They were not just dancing by themselves; they were also dancing with the dead.

This pseudo ritual was the expression of both the soul and the collective unconscious!



While I was watching, I held onto my 1934 Memento Mori coin.

Later on, I thought to myself and aired my grievances about James and the number "16"

Then I had dinner at The Standard and fiddled with the coin in my hand.



As the night came, I decided to hang out with a group of new friends at the Waterfront.

But I was distracted by thoughts, so I looked up at the sky and thought to myself.

Whenever I look up into the sky, I am also at the same time, looking into my soul.



Then I noticed somebody had a jacket on with the date "1987"

It did frighten me to see it pop up when I was so deep into my thoughts.

At first, I thought it was an omen since my June 2021 dream mentioned I had only two years left to live.

I would then jump into the river/ocean in that dream, and here I was near the Allegheny River when I saw that jacket.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I was worried that it was a premonition dream and became terrified at that moment.

But I know now that there is no need for me to worry, given that the ocean/river is a symbol of the unconscious.



After leaving the convention, we got dinner and prepared to clean up in the basement.

While preparing, I heard Green Day's "I Hope You Had The Time Of Your Life" on 96.9 Bob FM.Another turning point, a fork stuck in the road

Time grabs you by the wrist, directs you where to go

So make the best of this test, and don't ask why

It's not a question, but a lesson learned in time

It's something unpredictable

But in the end, it's right

I hope you had the time of your life.It felt like a "welcome home" message from the unconscious.

Once again assuring me that I was never alone and that I don't have to be scared.



The last day was certainly interesting...



Synchronicities • Anthrocon Deux: [Echo]

Admittedly, there were some difficulties regarding these synchronicities during our visit to Anthrocon and the convention center.

Upon arriving at the registration line at noon on the Fourth of July, we held onto our Austrian Netherlands memento coin from the year 1763.

As previously stated, the coin is a powerful talisman for synchronicities.

We carry and hold it for spiritual guidance and self-knowledge. To connect with the unconscious and the unus mundus. 'One world.'



The coin was held onto for two hours while in registration, and it was analyzed intensely during the full duration.

Once the badge was secured, the coin was deposited into our pocket with the rest of our spiritually significant items.

The first day went fairly well, but given that we practiced prudence, we chose not to talk and interrupt ongoing conversations.



We did have a wonderful conversation with another individual about various topics such as exercise, locality, and workouts.

At one point, they noted our usage of 'we' instead of 'I', and we delved a bit into what we do as an analytical depth researcher.

To explain, we showed our 1763 memento coin and tried to briefly explain the transmigration of souls by mentioning our previous lives.



As one would expect, talking about esoteric experiences and the numinous is quite difficult given that rationalism is so prevalent these days.

Jung stated as much with this quote that can be found on our main page:



"One has not really understood something until one has lived it. Just having a term for something means nothing.

It needs to touch the heart or affect one’s life. A word has to get under our skin. Sink in deep so that it becomes part of us, so that we live in it.

Only when this is the case. When it is about more than words, does one know what the heart says and what the spirit thinks."



During that conversation, there was a new insight gained that was not previously made regarding the numinous events in April 2022.

As we spoke about the coin, we did mention the loud inner voice that spoke about seeing the world during our cardio session

and the joke that we made about us not going anywhere unless they buried treasure.



It was at that moment, after two years, that we realized that the unconscious did indeed bury a treasure, but not the traditional kind.

As mentioned in the other journal, there was a dream that accompanied this encounter with the one known as 'Maximilian.'

The contents of that dream were the treasure. The treasure was in our hands, and we didn't even realize it!

The coin symbolically represents the spiritual knowledge that the unconscious has given us.



Due to our maturity, humility, and reverence towards the unconscious, a long-forgotten treasure was discovered.

We have a term in the field of depth psychology for significant dream material. We call them 'big dreams.'

Our childhood dream, spiritual awakening dream, and this dream would be classified as big dreams.



At the end of the day, while getting refreshed, we heard a personal song on the radio, 'These Dreams' by Heart.

Everything had come full circle. It was a magical experience to recognize that our treasure was our spiritual knowledge.

We also came to realize that the entire reason we went to Anthrocon was because of that dream.



The second day of the convention went well for the most part, but we did at one point retreat from a panel.

Solely due to our ability to speak and converse with others. Instead, we analyzed others and went on our way.

Lunch went well, and there were some good casual conversations to be had with a few individuals.



The majority of this and the following day were spent reading our book at the tables on the second floor of the Westin.

The title: Inner Work: Using Dreams and Active Imagination for Personal Growth by Robert A. Johnson.

Little did we know how important rereading this book would be.



On the third day, we felt an unusual sensation as we entered the city limits of Pittsburgh.

The feeling function was in overdrive, and the city had an ominous aura to it.

An aspect of the psyche somehow knew that things would go awry today.



We promptly attended a panel upon arrival that had introductions.

A short, simple introduction was planned:



"The name is Balendin, and we are an analytical depth psychologist

and transmigration of souls researcher from the Pittsburgh metro area."



Suffice it to say that the introduction did not go as intended.

The original analysis was that the stammering was caused due to the introvert becoming the object.

But then we realized that a part of the introduction was omitted. Transmigration of souls researcher.



An aspect of the psyche felt it wouldn't be understood, and so it invaded the consciousness side,

to prevent those particular words from being spoken to a room filled with strangers who wouldn't understand.

The experience was debilitating to both the conscious and the unconscious, as neither side could properly express itself.



During the parade, we spent our time in the Westin finishing our book.

By the time we were done, the block party was already in effect, so we did some analysis work on the corner.

We utilized our time analyzing people and our surroundings via the feeling function, as well as our thoughts and feelings.

The sensation was that we were observers, someone who analyzes but cannot participate with others.



This thought came to mind as we looked at the buildings. It was quickly grasped and analyzed:

"Primitive man in modern times."



This aspect of the psyche felt it was primitive and couldn't express itself among others.

The active imagination session with this unconscious inner man confirmed as much.



Due to feeling left out and sensing no deep, meaningful connections to others

We had decided to leave and go to the Heinz History Center until 5 pm.

It genuinely felt like the community wasn't our tribe, and the soul ached.



There was a tearful moment afterward when we showed humility and said we didn't deserve that treasure.

Our spiritual knowledge. This was symbolically represented by our 1763 Austrian Netherlands memento coin.



We did not attend the final day of the convention on the seventh due to the events of the following day.

No attention was paid to posts and messages regarding the number of attendees over the four days...

It was on the 10th of July, three days after it ended, that we looked at the attendance numbers...



Anthrocon final attendance numbers: 17,639!



This synchronicity was awe-inspiring, especially given that the estimate was 15,000-15,500.

To see our spiritual numbers appear like so after experiencing a dark night of the soul humbled us and made us feel appreciated by the unconscious.

The unconscious was kind enough to create a deeply meaningful synchronicity to help guide us back on the right path after going astray.



Synchronicities • Brothers: [Foxtrot]

During our past life as Albert, we suffered the loss of our only brother. Prince Baudouin.

On January 23, 1891, our brother Baudouin passed away from pneumonia at the age of 21.

At the age of 16, we were next in line for the throne with insurmountable pressure put upon us.



On the 5th of November 2023, we conducted more past life research into ourselves.

As Maximilian, we suffered the loss of our brother. Count Antoine Joseph Van Horne.

He was broken on the wheel for murder at the age of 21, while we were at the age of 24.

He was our only brother.



On August 9th, 2022, we ventured into the musical talents of The Highwaymen.

One song in particular felt personal for some unknown reason.

That song turned out to be Born And Raised In Black And White. 
Reading about the troubled past of our brother explains why the song felt personal.

Deep down, it gave expression to our soul and Maximilian.



Something else that should be noted is the content of dreams.

We cannot accurately give dates on the following dreams,

but they could've very well started at around the age of 16.



In two separate dreams from over a decade ago, we experienced the death of our only younger brother.

In one instance, he disappeared between two walls. In another, I tried to pull my brother up from a dark pit.

In 2023, we had a dream of our brother disappearing under the wheel of a train.



In our spiritual awakening dream and the accompanying one, we were accosted by a slender, suave man.

In hindsight, this could've very well been our brother Antoine.



As a result of these past events, a past life trauma has developed and lingered for three hundred years.

Deep down, the trauma persists to this day, but it has made us more caring and protective of our brother.

Our goal is to resolve this centuries-old trauma for Maximilian and Albert.



Synchronicities • Baudouin: [Golf]

We had a revelation on August 21st, 2024, and realized that Baudouin is French for Baldwin.

This is a rather interesting development, given that our previous personality was formerly known as James Baldwin.

This has proven intriguing for our research into the transmigration of the soul and the theory of the familiarity of the soul.



During our past life as Albert, we had a brother named Baudouin who passed away at the age of 21 while we were 16.

After this past life, we would travel to New York and form a bond with a ten-year-old child named James Baldwin.

We vehemently despise New York in the modern age, but the area is an important part of our research.

It was at the docks in New York that we first arrived in America in the year 1898.



It would happen that James would leave America to live in the countryside of France.

This shows we have a deep spiritual connection to Belgium, France, and the Netherlands.



Synchronicities • Kingdom Come Deliverance: [Hotel]

What caused my spiritual awakening, and the discovery of my past lives in the first place, you may ask?

Well, it started with an interest in a game called Kingdom Come: Deliverance which intrigued me due to its themes.

Somewhere in the deepest, intimate parts of my psyche, memories secretly unfolded as I played this game.



Spoilers

The main character you play is a commoner and the son of a blacksmith known as Henry.

But it is revealed later on in the game that he is the illegitimate bastard son of Sir Radzig Kobyla.

Which makes him a nobleman or at least the son of a nobleman.



Henry can also become the Master Huntsman of Talmberg once certain prerequisites are completed.

These two things mysteriously awakened something from within the depths of the psyche.



I became fascinated with the game and knights in general

So I decided to create a knight fursona due to this new fascination.

But now I suppose that my past selves were expressing themselves through me.

Because, as it turns out, like Henry, we too were a nobleman and Grand Huntsman of a region.

By creating this character, I unknowingly was expressing an ancient part of myself.

As Maximilian and Albert held the titles of knights for the Order Of The Golden Fleece.



I played the game on the 12th of March 2018.

Our spiritual awakening occurred on the 5th of June 2021.

My fursona debuted on the 6th of May 2022.

The discovery of Maximilian happened around the 18th to 21st of April 2022.



On February 4th, 2025, we played the sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance and discovered more information on our past life.

One of the characters we encountered on the 21st of February was the Lord Chamberlain of Prague.



If the Prague equivalent is the same as the Brussels, we would've been among the nine most powerful officials in the Austrian Netherlands.

Among our responsibilities and duties, we would've managed the royal towns and monasteries.

Along with appointing councillors, abbots, and royal judges.



Synchronicities • Knights Of The Golden Fleece: [India]

As mentioned in this journal. We were knights of this order in two previous lives.

This order is directly spiritually significant to us as there are multiple connections to it.



On April 7th, 2024, we came to realize that the order was founded on January 10th, 1430, the date of our birthday.

Unfortunately, we forgot to celebrate Albert's birthday the next day due to the solar eclipse.

In any case, we have a special connection to this order, and more work needs to be done in researching the reason why.



Synchronicities • Coober Pedy Black Opals: [Juliett]

Recently, I came upon the estate of an esteemed voodoo priestess and granddaughter to the voodoo queen of New Orleans, Ms. Marie Laveau.

I procured six of the sixteen black opals she had attained for personal use. We managed to extract synchronistic information shortly after acquiring them.

The first synchronicity that the black opals assisted in recalling was the revelations that we lived in a household for 15+ years with two individuals named "von"

The synchronicity in question is that our name was Maximilian Emanuel Fst Von (Van/De depending on region) Horne.



Another synchronicity occurred on the night of October 30th, where a distant lingering memory from 2008 was slowly making itself conscious thanks to the powers of the black opals.

It involved a game that we used to play that was called "Chocolatier 2: Secret Ingredient." A game about traveling the world, collecting recipes, and making and selling confectionery goods.

Something that went unnoticed was an unconscious affixation on the chocolate "pralines", aka Belgian chocolates. At the time, the cause of the affixation was unknown.

Another thing to note is that this game is set in 1925, and as time progresses, locations change and buildings are added to locations such as New York and San Francisco.

The previous game started in the 1880s, but it seems that the unconscious was intrigued by these games and that these games assisted in our spiritual awakening.



As noted in my past life document journal, the dream that caused our spiritual awakening occurred on the 5th of June, 2021.

Within that dream, a disembodied aspect of ourselves floated above us and whispered to us a perplexing clue to our past.

A single word, "chocolate," from high above in the sky overlooking myself and the city with no name. At the time, I had taken this as a test from the unconscious.

It was a mission given to me by my higher self and was meant to test my mettle and resolve as a seeker of knowledge and lost forgotten truths.



At the time, conscious and unconscious were not on speaking terms, so to speak, so we were oblivious to any of this information back in 2008.

Even so, the unconscious remembered the significance of pralines and the 1920s and gave us a perplexing and frightful puzzle to solve in the form of a dream in 2021.



After performing shadow work on 10/30/23 and opening up dialogue with the unconscious, it was like a dam had burst, and the psychic energy that was contained within it

Was free to flow forth, and in the ensuing chaos, the torrential waves almost drowned us. The experience itself was esoteric and quite wonderful if we are being honest.



Synchronicities • Horne Department Store: [Kilo]

Major past life synchronistic discovery.



A research trip was conducted on July 27th, 2024, at the Detre Library & Archives at the Heinz History Center.

The goal of this research trip was to find articles relating to our original 1898 trip and find the original infirmary location at Duquesne Steel Works.

The intention was to one day visit the exact spot where our picture was taken in 1919 and lay some flowers as a tribute to the workers of the Mon Valley.



We spent a good hour or two at the computer analyzing local articles from around 1898 to study and research the transmigration of souls.

Thanks to the assistance of the Detre staff, we managed to procure fifteen articles and other materials during our trip, which we will review later.

When researching the matter of the transmigration of souls, we focus on two important key points such as personalities and the soul's familiarity.



Familiarity is the most important aspect of our research. To understand the soul, you must analyze the past and present.

One must study their past and present selves to find connections and familiarity between them.

Geography, regions, locations, people, environment, etc., are examples of what must be studied intensely.



Here is an example of us studying our past and present selves:

A person who grew up in a royal family and became a king would not be an individual. They would be a collective man.

Secretly, they would wish to be freed from the gilded cage and become a private man. An individual.



"Look at the faces, it's just like a dream.

Nobody knows where you're going.

Nobody cares where you've been.

Now you're back again, and you're feeling strange.

- - -

So much has happened, but nothing has changed.

Still don't know where you're going.

You're still just a face in the crowd."



After conducting our research and exploring the exhibits, we would arrive on the first floor around 3:40 PM.

What we found was the most incredible synchronistic discovery to date. A plaque to a department store called Horne.

We had no intention of finding a past life synchronicity at the Heinz History Center, but here it was right before us.



Horne was a department store that opened on February 22, 1849, in Pittsburgh and operated in the region for 145 years.

The 15 businesses were later sold to a competitor, leading to the removal of the brand's name on August 29, 1994.

7 months 2 weeks after we were born in the region. Thus making this a major synchronistic past life discovery.



This shows that the soul is capable of travelling great distances to find a familiar and synchronistic area to reincarnate in.

Our current research doesn't appear to show our past life as Albert travelling past any of Horne's department stores in 1898 or 1919.

This indicates that the soul itself saw the department stores sometime before 1994 and felt enough familiarity to reincarnate here.



Horne is the last name of our past life, who spoke to us back in April 2022.

Maximilian Emanuel Van Horne, as stated above, is connected to Albert Meinrad.

4x great-grandfather. 4x great-grandson.



Quite honestly, we did happen upon a book with the title "Horne's" on the spine at the center after leaving Anthrocon on day 3.

But we dismissed it and didn't bother grabbing or checking out the book due to the pensive feelings dominating us at the time.

The beauty of it was finding that plaque 21 days later and realizing that it wasn't just a meaningless coincidence.

We acquired the book at 3:57:20PM on July 27th, 2024, to commemorate this major event.
 We realized some interesting symbolic images of our life on December 3rd, 2024.

The first thing that we realized was that our zodiac sign was that of Capricorn.



The second symbolic image related to this is our favorite video game character.

The gnorc roasting and warlock ramming purple dragon named Spyro.



The third and final symbolic image consists of an anthropomorphic character named Cornelius

One who has been a psychological wellspring of knowledge into the shadow and psyche.



The symbolic connection and meaning between these three images is related to horns.

Capricornus, Cornelius, and Horne all translate into the symbolic image of the horn.



All three were subtle messages being relayed from the unconscious.

Hints along the path prescribed by the unconscious.

Their aim was for us to awaken by recalling our past.



Discovery Of The Self: [Lima]

Major revelation.



On March 10th, 2025, we had a revelation after analyzing the words of Carl Jung on the importance of secrets. There is no better means of intensifying the treasured feeling of individuality than the possession of a secret which the individual is pledged to guard.

The very beginnings of societal structures reveal the craving for secret organizations.



When no valid secrets really exist, mysteries are invented or contrived to which privileged initiates are admitted.

Such was the case with the Rosicrucians and many other societies.

Among these pseudo-secrets, there are ironically real secrets of which the initiates are entirely unaware as,

For example, in those societies which borrowed their "secret" primarily from the alchemical tradition.



Nevertheless, it may be that for sufficient reasons a man feels he must set out on his own feet along the road to wider realms.

It may be that in all the garbs, shapes, forms, modes, and manners of life offered to him, he does not find what is peculiarly necessary for him.

He will go alone and be his own company. He will serve as his own group, consisting of a variety of opinions and tendencies

Which need not necessarily be marching in the same direction.



In fact, he will be at odds with himself and will find great difficulty in uniting his own multiplicity for purposes of common action.

Even if he is outwardly protected by the social forms of the intermediary stage, he will have no defense against his inner multiplicity.

The disunion within himself may cause him to give up, to lapse into identity with his surroundings.



Like the initiate of a secret society who has broken free from the undifferentiated collectivity,

The individual on his lonely path needs a secret which, for various reasons, he may not or cannot reveal.

Such a secret reinforces him in the isolation of his individual aims.

A great many individuals cannot bear this isolation.



They are the neurotics, who necessarily play hide-and-seek with others

As well as with themselves, without being able to take the game really seriously.

As a rule, they end by surrendering their individual goal to their craving for collective conformity

A procedure which all the opinions, beliefs, and ideals of their environment encourage.



Moreover, no rational arguments prevail against the environment.

Only a secret which the individual cannot betray, one which he fears to give away, or which he cannot formulate in words,

And which, therefore, seems to belong to the category of crazy ideas can prevent the otherwise inevitable retrogression.



The need for such a secret is in many cases so compelling that the individual finds himself involved in ideas and actions for which he is no longer responsible.

He is being motivated neither by caprice nor arrogance, but by a dira necessitas which he himself cannot comprehend.

This necessity comes down upon him with savage fatefulness, and perhaps for the first time in his life, demonstrates to him

The presence of something alien and more powerful than himself in his own most personal domain, where he thought himself the master.



The man, therefore, who, driven by his daimon, steps beyond the limits of the intermediary stage,

Truly enters the untrodden, untreadable regions where there are no charted ways and no shelter spreads a protecting roof over his head.

There are no precepts to guide him when he encounters an unforeseen situation, for example, a conflict of duties.



For the most part, these sallies into no man's land last only as long as no such conflicts occur,

And come swiftly to an end as soon as conflict is sniffed from afar.

I cannot blame the person who takes to his heels at once.



But neither can I approve his finding merit in his weakness and cowardice.

Since my contempt can do him no further harm,

I may as well say that I find nothing praiseworthy about such capitulations.



But if a man faced with a conflict of duties undertakes to deal with them absolutely on his own responsibility,

and before a judge who sits in judgment on him day and night, he may well find himself in an isolated position.



There is now an authentic secret in his life which cannot be discussed, if only because he is involved in an endless inner trial

In which he is his own counsel and ruthless examiner, and no secular or spiritual judge can restore his easy sleep.

If he were not already sick to death of the decisions of such judges, he would never have found himself in a conflict.

For such a conflict always presupposes a higher sense of responsibility.



It is this very quality which keeps its possessor from accepting the decision of a collectivity.

In his case, the court is transposed to the inner world where the verdict is pronounced behind closed doors.

Once this happens, the psyche of the individual acquires heightened importance.



It is not only the seat of his well-known and socially defined ego;

It is also the instrument for measuring what it is worth in and for itself.

Nothing so promotes the growth of consciousness as this inner confrontation of opposites.



Quite unsuspected facts turn up in the indictment, and the defense is obliged to discover arguments hitherto unknown.

In the course of this, a considerable portion of the outer world reaches the inner, and by that very fact, the outer world is impoverished or relieved.

On the other hand, the inner world has gained that much weight by being raised to the rank of a tribunal for ethical decisions.



However, the once unequivocal ego loses the prerogative of being merely the prosecutor; it must also learn the role of defendant.

The ego becomes ambivalent, arid, ambiguous, and is caught between hammer and anvil. It becomes aware of a polarity superordinate to itself. It was then that we realized a long-forgotten soul agreement that was made during our early years.

We cannot share this intimate secret agreement, but we can say that it's one of the core responsibilities of shamanism.

It was at this time that we learned what the visions meant and why we have chosen to live in this region.

After almost three years, we have finally learned what we are.



We reincarnate into regions where we needed the most and learn what ails souls to guide them thereafter.

The maturity of the soul is based on experience, and a [redacted] is a caring and experienced spiritual being.

This explains the gap between past lives from the death of Maximilian in 1763 to the birth of Albert in 1875.

We acted as the [redacted] for the Austrian Netherlands and Belgium for well over a century.

Then, as King of the Belgians, we led a collective of souls through times of difficulty and strife.

With our work finished in Belgium, we then reincarnated in America to analyze and study the people of this land.



This work is isolating for us here in the physical world, and sometimes we wish to go home.

Then we remember the reason we're here and what we're meant to do.



We're the ones who carry the lantern that shows the way forward.

The shining star during the twilight nights that guides lost souls.

The lighthouse that protects ships across dark, treacherous seas.



We're the light that guides and protects souls.

That's what we do here on Earth.



Our nuummite sterling silver ring contributed to this discovery.The oldest mineral on Earth, Nuummite, was formed over three billion years ago from volcanic origins.

Nuummite, the Sorcerer’s Stone, draws from the fiery energies of ancient Earth and combines with the elements of Storm.

Black as midnight shadows on moonlit water, this talisman shimmers with mystical gold light, lifting the murky to see what lies beneath.

It is a stone of personal magic, increasing the frequency of synchronicities and luck, clairvoyance, intuition,

And for those evolved enough to work with its intensity, it allows for journeying deep into the personal psyche, offering a clear vision of one’s true Self.

It helps to release energies trapped in the unconscious and brings the gift of inner power, healing, and self-mastery.On March 27th, 2022, our kitten, Moses, passed away at the age of six months.

About three months prior, we had a premonition dream with disembodied voices whispering in our living room.

They spoke about how our kitten only had three months left to live.



At first, we didn't want to take the dream seriously. We thought it was related to us. It was not.

Our kitten passed away in the living room from feline leukemia at the age of six months.

The same place where the dream had taken place...



After we buried him, a pinkish-red tulip grew at the base of the grave one week later.

No tulips were ever planted in our yard, and it was the only tulip around.

During this time, we had the wallpaper on our phone set to tulips.

This was a kind gesture by our fellow [redacted] from the dream.



An audible vision occurred the day of his passing while resting, which was distinctly heard.

The vision had a female voice who spoke: "We have a 302." Followed by beeping noises.

This alarmed us enough to make us jump to search for the meaning behind those numbers.



Much to our shock, we learned that 302 is a unique code for Pennsylvania.

Section 302 of the Mental Health Procedures Act. Involuntary commitment.

We did not know what this code meant until we researched it online.

At first, we thought this was related to our current mental state. Again. It was not...



Nine months later, an incident on the 1300 block of Grandview Avenue

When Officer Sean Sluganski was murdered by a mentally ill individual.

This occurred just three blocks away from our house on 1300 Craig St.



We realized shortly after that we experienced an auditory vision of when the two arrived at UMPC McKeesport Hospital.

The female voice was the nurse who referred to the suspect as a code 302, and the beeping was the medical equipment.

We learned soon after that we had an underdeveloped gift that wasn't completely understood until now.

Given the nature of that vision, we have since learned that we are a [redacted].



We realized that we're not the only ones when our faithful companion, Hannah, passed away on November 29th, 2023.

We knew intuitively that she was going home soon, and we were secretly afraid for the canine we cared deeply for.

It was two weeks before her death that a workout glove disappeared and was returned the following day.

Our pain was felt, and this message meant that someone was there to guide her when the time came.

Originally, we thought it was a normal spirit, but now we know it was a [redacted]. That assured us.

On the last night, we hugged her goodbye before she left us to go home in the morning.



The glove disappearing meant that she'd be gone soon, but not to worry.

For one day, like the glove, she will return and we'll meet again.
He has a passionate interest in everything that affects the worker, his life, and his well-being.

In fact, Albert did not hesitate to frequent a cabaret table or to visit a coal mine, as in Seraing in 1897, where he descended into a mine shaft six hundred meters underground.

•

In the spring of 1898, Albert made a trip to North America, which took him first to the United States and then to Canada.

This four-month journey from the 3rd of March to July 2nd led him successively to

Washington, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Denver, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Ottawa, and finally Quebec, where he notably visited Montreal.

This very formative journey offered the young man the opportunity to acquire new knowledge and to meet a society very different from that which he encountered in Europe.

He came into contact with American political and financial circles. He is as much impressed by the degree of industrialization as by the natural beauty of the places he visits.

•

On November 17, 1905, the Count of Flanders Philippe dies; his son Albert, therefore, becomes the heir to the crown.

However, Leopold  II not preparing him to reign, Albert understands that he must train in the shadows for his future monarchical functions.

He read a lot of books in various fields: political economy, statistics, sociology, and philosophy.

•

On December 23, 1909, the crowd present in Brussels to attend the ceremonies surrounding the taking of the oath gave a particularly warm welcome to the new king.

Albert I is the first sovereign to take the constitutional oath in French and in Dutch.

In the speech he delivers, he defines two objectives of the new reign: more humanity towards the Congolese population and more social justice.

During the first years of his reign, Albert I strictly limited himself to his constitutional role. He surrounds himself with personalities of liberal tendency.

•

The king tries, from the beginning of his reign, to bring the monarchy closer to the people, in particular by removing the armed escort which separated him from the crowd.

And by authorizing journalists to accompany him on his travels. In terms of image, the couple he forms with the queen offers an impression of modernity.

Their personalities are contrasting, but Albert's reserve and Elisabeth's spontaneity are complementary. They share the same humanistic vision of society.

•

The door banged. Alfred Haine, who runs a little inn in the village of Marche-les-Dames,

Looked up just at dinner time to see a man in tweeds, very pale, very breathless, but despite his nervousness, very polite.

"Please may I use your telephone?" he asked. "My friend, my friend was climbing the cliffs. He seems to be lost. Perhaps he has had an accident. Please, I must telephone at once to Brussels."

"But of course," said M. Haine. The man in tweeds put through his call and darted out into the night again. An hour and a half later, he was back, with his knees muddy and his jacket torn.

"Has my friend come back? A tall gentleman, red cheeks, curly hair, a white mustache?" He dove to the telephone again, then went off to continue his search, this time with several helpers.

Alfred Haine was told to stay in his inn. At ten o'clock, a heavy automobile roared up, and then Alfred Haine knew that something dreadful had happened.

Out stepped two of King Albert's personal aides, Count Xavier de Grunne and General Baron Jacques de Dixmunde, with a doctor.

They joined the searching parties crawling over the cliffs, shouting to each other, their flashlights flickering like wintry fireflies.



There are more carillons and bell towers in Belgium than in any other country in Europe. The next morning, in every village and town, the deepest bell in every tower began to toll.

The last time they had sounded like that was in 1914. This was not the next war, but the passing of one of the greatest heroes of the last. Albert King of the Belgians was dead.



Early that afternoon in Brussels, King Albert, eager for exercise, had slipped into his dressing room and put on an old pair of riding breeches and hobnail boots.

His son, Crown Prince Leopold, was where he himself longed to be, at Adelbogen, high in the Swiss Alps.

For a passionate Alpinist, most of Belgium is as flat as a hand, but lusty Albert thought he knew a place.



Only a few days earlier, the Belgian Cabinet had set aside the cliffs near Marche-les-Dames as a national park. Marche-les-Dames "The Walk of the Ladies"

Got its name from 139 Noble Widows of Crusaders who in 1101 pooled their resources, built an abbey above those cliffs, and retired there to spend the rest of their lives.

King Albert knew that the cliffs were nearly 600 feet high, full of exciting chimneys, crevasses, and pinnacles. With only his valet, van Dyck, he jumped in a little car and drove over.

At the foot of the cliffs, he looked at his watch and recalled that he had an engagement at the Palais des Sports in Brussels that evening.

Then he took a rope, a canvas knapsack, and a climbing ax out of the rear of the car and started up the cliffs.



At two in the morning, when the search seemed most hopeless, Baron de Dixmunde, atop the cliff, tripped over a rope caught around the limb of a tree. The end was broken.

Twenty feet below were the King's broken glasses and his cap. There were traces of blood on the rocks. At the foot of the cliff lay the body of Albert.

He was quite dead. There was a great hole in the back of his skull.



In the royal residence, Castle Laeken, he lay in state in his own very simple bedroom. A heavy white bandage was wrapped around his head, and he wore the olive-drab uniform of a general.

The scarlet sash of the Grand Cross of Leopold was across his chest. There was an ivory crucifix in his bruised hands. The plain rosewood bed on which he lay was covered with white lilacs.

Two yellow altar candles burned steadily at its foot, two black-gowned nuns prayed at its head. His clock ticked steadily away on the bedside table.



Albert of Belgium was a German prince. His father was a prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. His mother was a Hohenzollern. Like George of England,

Albert of Belgium had little expectation as a young man of ever succeeding to the throne. His father was white-bearded, old King Leopold's younger brother.

Leopold had an heir, the Comte de Hainaut. Albert himself had an older brother, Prince Baudoin.

But the Comte de Hainaut died. So, very mysteriously, did Prince Baudoin, and Albert's father, renounce his own right to the throne.



In 1898, Albert went to the U. S. for the first time, a gangling blond young man loosely disguised as the Comte de Rethy.

Quickly losing his entertainers, he got a job as a reporter on a Brooklyn paper.

Later, he worked on another paper in St. Paul. Famed old Railway Tycoon James J. Hill taught him to drive a locomotive.



In 1900, he married another German, Princess Elisabeth of Bavaria, and succeeded his uncle as King of the Belgians nine years later.

On July 31, 1914, Albert of Belgium rejected the demands of his royal cousin Wilhelm II to give German troops free passage through Belgium to France,

And what happened after that, all the world knows.



Albert of Belgium became one of the great heroes of the 20th Century. Tall, handsome,

He was the only king in Europe to take personal command of his troops and fight in the trenches with them through the war.



"I listened to the generals," he once said to Marshal Joffre,

''and it seemed to me a great responsibility to decide between their different plans, so I would just pick out the one that made the most sense."



With his own hands, he shot and killed a traitorous chauffeur who was trying to kidnap him through the lines to Germany.

He let his young son Leopold enlist as a private at the age of 13 so that he should know "what a serious business this is, being a king."



After the War, perhaps because Belgium's royal family has never been a rich one, King Albert's simple way of living became world-famed.

He rode on streetcars unattended. When mountain climbing, the sport he loved best, he shared his sandwiches with his guides, and he dug himself very deep into the world's affections.
Resources:

Descendancy Chart Maximilian

Maximilian Burial Site

Past Life #1 Dutch

Past Life #2 French

Article Transcripts

Past Life Journal

Synchronicity

Elisabeth

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King Albert's Book 6/6 • Tribute

Posted 2 years ago

By M. TOUGAN BARANOVSKY

To Belgium and Her King 



IN the life of a man as in the life of a Nation, Evil is closely interwoven

with Good. Without Evil there would be no Good—for Good is nothing

more than the vanquishing of Evil.



From this point of view Evil not only serves Good but is also, as it were,

the invariable basis of its activity. Great historical crimes, like those of

which we are eye-witnesses today, have their place in the triumphant

onward march of eternal truth. The more terrible the crime, the more

beautiful and the more dazzling the power of that good which overcomes it.

Was not the Crucifixion essential to the everlasting victory of Jesus? And

shall not the picture of Belgium ruined and laid waste by her foes be graven

forever on the pages of human history? Shall not our remote descendants

make songs and legends about the glorious country of King Albert which

has given proof of supreme courage and unconquerable spirit in the awful

hour of barbarian invasion? And shall not Belgium by her example inspire

Humanity throughout the ages to do deeds of heroism and to battle for truth. 

Henceforth King Albert belongs to all of us, he is our common possession,

like one of those spiritual heroes who raise the value of the whole of mankind.

And after many, many years, when every trace of the present bloody struggle

has vanished, when the names of the battle-fields and the great commanders

are forgotten, when all the horrors we are now living through seem but far-

off legends, when the proudest temples and palaces of our era have crumbled

into dust, the image of the noble King shall still continue to inspire the poet.



By A. KOUPRINE



NOT applause, not admiration, but the deep eternal gratitude of the whole

civilised world is now due to the self-denying Belgian people and their

noble young Sovereign. They first threw themselves before the savage

beast, foaming with pride, maddened with blood. They thought not of

their own safety, nor of the prosperity of their houses, nor of the fate of

the high culture of their country, nor of the vast numbers and cruelty

of the enemy. They have saved, not only their fatherland, but all Europe,

the cradle of intellect, taste, science, creative art, and beauty; they have

saved from the fury of the barbarians, trampling in their insolence, the best

roses in the holy garden of God. Compared with their modest heroism,

the deed of Leonidas and his Spartans who fought in the pass of Ther-

mopylae falls into the shade. And the hearts of all the noble and the good

beat in accord with their great hearts...



No, never shall die or lose its power a people endowed with such a noble

fire of blood, with such feelings, that inspire it to confront bereavement,

sorrow, sickness, wounds; to march as friends, hand in hand, adored King

and simple cottager, man and woman, poor and rich, weak and strong,

aristocrat and labourer. Salutation and humblest reverence to them!



By M. D. ANOUTCHIN



WHO now, save the Germans, would not compassionate poor Belgium,

small, but at the same time great, utterly devastated and depopulated for

this sole reason—that she has dared to remain loyal and to defend her soil

against the unrighteous invasion of barbarians.



One would have to be a William II, representing the worst side of Teutonic

militarism, to dare name the noble country a traitor. We Europeans

admire the heroism of the Belgians and their knightly King.

Let us hope that with the united forces of England, Russia, France, Belgium,

Serbia, and Japan, the enemy of good faith and humanity will be utterly

broken. In all these emergencies the device " now or never " is not to be

forgotten, and the sword shall not be sheathed until the Kaiser acknowledges

himself beaten.



By LOUIS COUPERUS



TOWARDS noble Belgium, victim of a world-tragedy, all sympathies

stretch out like maternal hands, eager to soothe her quivering griefs. To

her noble Sovereigns, King Albert and Queen Elisabeth, a chorus of con-

solation raises this cry: Despair not, for sooner or later the victim is always

avenged by Justice and Destiny.



By HALL CAINE

Great Britain



Not that she's old and full of days, O God,

Not that she keeps the round Earth's wealth in fee,

Not that her ships are sovereign of the sea,

Not that her sons, forth from their native sod

Have borne her flag as far as man has trod,

Not that her arm feared, nor yet the flood

Of her avenging wrath, her ancient blood—

Not therefore is she mighty, O my God.



But that as Mother of Nations, strong yet meek.

Her strength is given her to protect the weak.

And that she cries o'er any child of Thine

At any wrongful blow of any State,

"Because her soul is outraged she is mine"—

Therefore it is that God made Britain Great.



*Reply to Rossetti's " Refusal of Aid Between Nations."



By MAETERLINCK

To the Editor of King Albert's Book



It is not for me to sing the glories of my little country

at this moment, and indeed you have done so yourself

mth such a true and noble eloquence that it would be

difficult to add anything to your Introduction.



Your words brought tears to my eyes. They bear the

highest testimony we can hope for in history for they

speak in the name of a great people to whom honour,

loyalty, faith to solemn covenants, and silent

tenacious, invincible courage have always been the

very law of life. With all my heart, thank you!



THE END OF KING ALBERT'S BOOK

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By SIR NORMAN LOCKYER



MEN of science have been accustomed to look upon German methods in

education and applied science as worthy of imitation, and in my address as

President of the British Association in 1903 I pointed out the serious danger

we were running in allowing them to outstrip us in these directions. But

we now know that their guiding spirit was not the advance of civilisation

but the provision of means for the destruction of all who opposed the

inordinate ambition of the ruling class for world power.

The story of the bravery which King Albert and his nation have shown in

sacrificing everything rather than honour will be handed down from

generation to generation, a monument to a great people.

The present is one of misery and sufïering beyond all precedent, brought

about by unexampled brutality in waging war by means of destruction,

rapine, cruelty, and lies rather than by the best generalship and fighting

power. But a time will soon come when Belgium will rise like a Phoenix

from its ashes and she may console herself with the thought that even in

the distant future it will be recognised that the history of the world has been

ennobled by her deeds and her determination to defend her honour. Her

efforts will be chronicled as a brilliant chapter in the annals of the human race. 



By SIR FREDERICK TREVES



With grave

Aspect he rose, and in his rising seemed

A pillar of state; deep on his front engraven

Deliberation sat, and public care;

And princely counsel in his face yet shone

Majestic though in ruin.—Paradise Lost.



By ANTONIO MACIEIRA



And you will judge which is the better:

To be King of the world, or King of such a people.

Luiz DE Camoëns, Lusiad, Canto I, 1. lo.



"Barbarism multiplied by science," as M. Boutroux

has defined German action with scientific precision,

has brought the pains of death upon the great people

of a little nation. This "civilised barbarism,"

repudiating a solemn treaty, has proceeded to kill,

burn, and massacre, after a vain attempt to suborn

an industrious people, wholly absorbed in progress,

cherishing no external ambitions, giving no pretext

for hatred, and hating no one—a people who had

never given the least justification for the savage

onslaught of deified Imperialism.

Nothing sufficed to avert this—neither the duties of

humanity, nor pure pity, nor artistic sentiment—in

other words: equity, liberal aspirations, the tears of

innocence, beauty itself!



From the dire tragedy that has so deeply wounded all

souls capable of pity, we may learn the most admirable

lesson of untarnished honour that any people could

have given; to listen to the lesson is to have one's

heart torn by pain, to think of it is to feel one's spirit

uplifted to the most intense, the most effective, and

the most grateful of admirations.

Great is Belgium, both in peace and war! Heroic

nation, which has arrested the thunderbolt aimed at

the life of France—our common life—and foiled the

attempt to baffle the protecting effort of England,



worthy collaborator in the defence of that common

life! Nation groaning and travailing, the shrine of

supreme suffering brought about by supreme injustice!

Blessed be this glorious country by those who love

liberty, desiring it for all, by those who worship the

beauty of ideas and of form with the art-inspired

passion of simple souls!



The Belgian nation is the prototype of Pain glorified.

German Imperialism has not conquered Belgium, for

triumphs cannot be achieved over a people's pain;

a nation grows stronger by suffering.

Wherever the brave King of the Belgians is, there is

Belgium; wherever we find that noble Queen who

has wandered over the territory of her kingdom,

always close to the souls of its heroic defenders, there

is Belgium.



And if in war Belgium seems morally more beloved,

more respected, and mightier, with her devastated

fields, her ruined monuments, and her homeless people,

in the peace that will come before long, she will remain

the model for all nations who fight for their honour,

for their own defence, and that of the great causes of

humanity.



Citizen of a glorious land, who loves his country as

his own flesh and blood! Republican in heart and

mind! 'This homage I pay with deep emotion to

the brave representative of a brave people is one with

the homage which the Portuguese nation offers him

in lietter terms—will offer him shortly, I hope, in

terms of action!



By GEORGE H. PERLEY (representing the Canadian Government in London)



ALL honour to the boundless courage of the Belgians and their brave King!

They have given to the world the most splendid example of a small country

fighting against enormous odds in defence of its soil and for the principles

of freedom and liberty. We can never repay them for their tremendous

sacrifices, but it is our duty to drive the enemy from Belgium as quickly

as possible and to punish him for his ruthless slaughter and wanton

destruction.



By WILLIAM CANTON



IT has now been for months, it will be for centuries, one of the glorious

things of history, that in this world-war it was one little nation, which had

no ambition to serve, which had much to lose, but which was intrepid and

unbribable that flung itself across the first rush of a great empire, and held

it in check single-handed. It was overborne by the weight of brute millions;

its storied cities, its prosperous villages, its fruitful fields were looted,

drenched with blood, ruined by fire; yet it fought on alone, with unshaken

faith; it was never defeated. Its very reverses were material and moral

triumphs; the success of its amazing courage and tenacity is visible today

in the gigantic battle-front of the Allies from the sea to the Vosges.

Every drop of blood that Belgium has shed has been a testimony to the

heavenly Powers; a vindication of the world's ideals of liberty, justice,

mercy, honour, chivalry; an appeal to the conscience of Christendom.

Yes, and every outrage of the drunken and unclean hordes of Berlin has been

a cry to Heaven for vengeance. Our material debt to Belgium is enormous;

our moral debt is beyond calculation. And these are not our debts only,

but the debts of the world.



The heroisms of old days rise before me—Leonidas at Thermopylae, our

own Byrhtnoth holding Blackwater ford below Maldon, the Swiss peasants

with their boulders and tree-trunks at Morgarten. They are dim shadows

beside this little people, whose women and children are heroic. I see their

King in the trenches, sharing the dangers and hardships of his comrades

in arms, inspiring them with the cheerfulness of an indomitable soul. And

I see another king, frantically fussing from front to front under the pro-

tection of the Red Cross, and sleeping at night, when he can sleep, in a

huge iron cage encircled by a swarm of Uhlans and a guard of airmen.

His iron cage! The words evoke another memory. Out of the far past

I hear the voice of a greater Kaiser, scared by a dream of the night:



Behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven; he cried

aloud, and said thus, Hew dozwn the tree, and cut off his branches; shake

off his leaves, and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it,

and the fowls from his branches:



Nevertheless leave the stump of his roots in the earth, even with a band of

iron and brass, in the tender grass of the field; and let it be wet with the dew

of Heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth:

Let his heart be changed from mans, and let a beast's heart be given

unto him; and let seven times pass over him.



The same watchers and holy ones still look out of the clouds. Surely

no man, whatever his love of peace and horror of war, can consent to

any end of this unprovoked and barbarous aggression but "a fight to the

finish"; and when the tribunal of the nations sits in judgment, to any

plea of mistaken pity or of high policy, of diplomatic expediency, or of

kinship to stay the hand of justice and retribution.



What shall be said of this sorrowful nation eating the bread of the exile?

What need there be said? The "tears of these things" grip the heart of

two hemispheres. These houseless men and women and children are in a

bitterly literal sense our blood-brothers and blood-sisters and little ones.

They are the kinsfolk of all right-minded and true-hearted people. All the

material help they need will be given gladly and gratefully. But they need

more—the uplifting of the heart by admiration, by honour, by the cheering

strength of personal affection.



A new spring will come to the ravaged land; new cities and villages will

replace the old. Lament not overmuch the great and beautiful art that

has vanished—it lives everlasting in the heavens and in the memoiy of men.

And the dead — weep for them, but with a proud joy that they died for all

that makes life worth living.



O King, O people, the sound of a great bell is ringing over your land—a

mightier bell even than "Roland"; it is the bell of eternal justice and

right, crying that there is "Victory in the land."



By MRS. W. K. CLIFFORD

To His Majesty King Albert



GREATLY daring I venture to address you, while I bow my head, as all

the world does. Sir, to you and to your crucified country—crucified, as

Christ was, to save others. You are bereft of the temporary deckings of

your Kingship, and your people of all they possessed; and yet so much has

come to you and them, though it is obscured now by the wreckage of

many homes, the vanishing of many lives, by all the calamities that a cruel

dishonourable enemy could bring.



For a splendid immortality is yours—even here in this mortal world—and

none can take it from you. Your enemy came in shining armour that is

for ever blackened with crime and stained with blood; but your armour

none can hurt nor time disfigure: it is woven of Truth and Honour, of

Courage and Endurance, and through the centuries it will shine to those

who sit in darkness, to those who doubt or hesitate. You have made the

whole world better because of all that you have put into it. And for thought

of you, and your people, many will become great, and brave deeds will be

done; and thousands whose courage would fail will take heart, feeling that

they must be worthy of a world in which you lived, that as you kept faith so

in turn will they; and whether their swords be strong or weak they will fight

and endure, as you have done, without flinching. Do you realise it all, Sir,

the divine example you have set us; does it help you a little, does it comfort

you, to know that our hearts go out to you as we reverently bow our heads,

to you and your Queen, to your soldiers and your dead?



By HJALMAR BARNTING



My personal homage to Belgium means so little.

Therefore I will speak about my people.

Sweden was predestined to look upon the world-

crisis with German eyes. The Germans are our

kinsmen. To them goes the closest network of our

communications, the strongest influence on Swedish

culture has come from Germany. Our upper classes

admire the German orderliness, sense of duty, the

discipline of the subordinate classes among the people

and the enormous materialgrowthh of the country.



Our labour movement grew as a German plant

before it took root in and was reshaped for

the Swedish soil. And when the Swedish workers

fought their great defensive battle in the general

strike of 1909, their German brethren gave them a

powerful support. Naturally enough Sweden was

ready to listen to the first German proclamation:



"Tsarism is the peace disturber, the danger of all Europe."

We Swedes had had the opportunity

to see how the confirmed self-government of Fin-

land had been destroyed, we had seen how troop

concentrations in that country had been increased,

while our own had been subjected to a system of

intrusive Russian espionage.



But then came the crime against International Law,

the violation of Belgium's neutrality. For us, we

who intend to defend to the very utmost our neutrality,

it was like a thrust directed against our own heart.

It changed altogether the feelings among the broad

ranks of our nation. Even in the most Germanophile

part of the newspaper press it seemed as if the voices

had lost their note of self-confidence. The more ruth-

less the methods became, the more the "march

through" assumed the character of a ravaging con-

queror's invasion, the stronger grew the sympathies

in Swedish hearts for the little brave nation that



undaunted held on for right and liberty wtthout

counting the crushing superiority of numbers.

Perhaps German strategy, in spite of it having miscal-

culated the resistance, won some advantage through

the invasion of an internationally protected country.

But there are powers in the world which after all

count more than strategy.



Short-sighted wiseacres may calculate that Belgium

ought to have yielded after a first resistance sufficient

to mark her neutrality. No, in the midst of destruc-

tion and despair, it must be said: Only now, when

the young Belgian nation has shown how thoroughly

she has taken over from her ancestors the heritage

of courage and poiuer of sacrifice, only now is her

liberty, her place in the chain of brother-nations

irrevocably secured for all time. That the whole

Belgian nation, her socialistic working class not

least, has staked so much more than feeble protests

of words has made her cause sacred to all those men

and tuomen in the whole world, who still value justice

and liberty.



Therefore: Hail to Belgium! And my sincerest

wish as a Swede must be this: if in spite of the

hope we cherish and the peace between the nations

we are trying to prepare, the day should arrive,

when our own neutral country is threatened by viola-

tion, may we then unanimously follow the magnificent

example of Belgium, securing victory in the midst

of apparent ruin.



"Rather die than become a slave,"

says a Frisian proverb. It is the same

spirit as in the song from the fifteenth century by

our Swedish Bishop Thomas:



Liberty is the best of all things

that can be sought in the whole world;

Because with liberty comes honour.



By VINCENTE BLASCO IBÀNEZ

The Noble King



This is what we in Spain call Albert of Belgium.

Our period offers to public attention two different

types of monarchs.



Some there are who rehearse their actions and words

as if they were actors, adopting theatrical poses,

trying to do a thousand different things at once,

seeking at every moment to receive the incense of the

admiration of the people and to astonish the popular

mind. They would burn dozen half the world if that

could add to their Nero-like glory and make them

more renowned. The force of their madness may

succeed in inspiring terror, but never in exciting

affection or genuine admiration.



Albert never thought of dazzling anyone; he is not

familiar with theatrical poses; his wish was to live

in peace and industrial prosperity, surrounded by his

hard-working people, and at all times he has led a

good and upright life, gentle and liberal at the same

time, like his own physical traits. He has become a

hero without wishing or seeking to become one; the

greatest and most attractive hero of the entire twen-

tieth century. He is "the noble King."



This sovereign, so suddenly called to lead his army,

in spite of his inexperience, was able to conduct the

war as many old campaigners could not have done.

His heroic tenacity at the head of a small but brave

nation was able from the very first moment to drive

back the terrible German onslaught and to break its

might.



What a glorious epic is this episode of Belgium and

her noble king! Many of his subjects perished. He

still lives because Death wished to spare him. Like a

simple gunner, he served the guns of Antwerp under a

hail of lead from the machine guns of the foe. Taking

the rifle of a soldier, he fought among the ranks of

his own infantry as their comrade.



The Belgian people have lost their homes, he has

almost lost his kingdom.



Do we not recall those inimitable models of chivalry

the uncrowned kings of the Middle Ages, wander-

ing and unfortunate, but renowned in poetry and

drama? Our period of ordinary material prose

holds still more romantic heroes in its records.

Albert the Landless is worth more than all the

Landless monarchs of history. They lost their

crowns through deeds of their own or of their families,

desire of conquest and further power. The Noble

King sees his kingdom lost for liberty, for justice, for

brave resistance to the dictates of overbearing force.

And with the noble sadness of the hero who may be

defeated but is never conquered, who knows that he

has right on his side, he stays in a corner of Flanders,

at the head of a handful of courageous souls, enabling

the whole world to see how a man of peace fights

when he has been forced to become a warrior through 

the necessities of honour, how, if it be needful, the

first citizen of a democratic monarchy will know how

to die in defence of his own nobility. 



A journalist caught sight of him one afternoon as the

twilight fell, leaning from a window in the City Hall

in Furnes, watching the setting sun, dreaming per-

chance.



He appeared sad, and he watched the sinking God of

Day with an aspect of deep depression. 

The night was coming, and with it darkness, the hours 

of uncertainty, the hours when despair is nigh. 

But the night is not eternal, and when it is gone, 

there comes another day, bringing with it a new sun. 



By ANATOLE FRANCE

King Albert

He was born with the soul of a hero and of a righteous

man. From the moment of his accession to the throne

he was esteemed (I say this on good authority)

by his whole people, and respected by all political

and social parties, even by those least inclined to

reverence the royal prerogative. He inspired confi-

dence in all, and the truth, wisdom, justice, and mildness

of his spirit were unanimously recognised. His natural

simplicity was attractive-that simplicity which in a

prince nearly always indicates a character more

exalted than his rank.



While he was still quite young, a terrible catastrophe

fell suddenly upon him and his people and gave him

an opportunity of proving his quality. When Germany

violated the neutrality of Belgium by a monstrous

attack, King Albert did not bow to violence, and was

not content merely to protest against this infrigement

of the most sacred treaties. He drew his sword, and

this with no idea of a simulacrum of defense. He

did not think that Belgian honour could be satisfied

by a brief demonstration. Deaf to the promises of the

invader as he had been to his treaties, he did not blench

when he saw the barbarians bear down upon him,

bringing fire and sword into a country guilty only of

having obeyed the laws of honour. King Albert

opposed the little Belgian army, and his pure and

shining sword, drawn in a just cause, to the Kaiser's

innumerable hordes. He showed himself worthy of

his people; his people showed themselves worthy of him...



In the holy war King Albert showed himself a good

leader and a good soldier. He was seen at Anywerp

in a battery, laying a gun himself, and hitting an

objective which was supposed to be out of range.

At another point he was found in the trenches, armed

with a rifle, and shooting side by side with his infantry-

men. How fine is the spectacle of this young Prince,

who rivals the best kings in wisdom and the roughest

troopers in courage!



These great deeds of the Belgian King and people

will not have been done in vain. Not in vain will

Albert and Belgium in arms have made Liege the

Thermopylae of European civilisation. They have

broken the rush of the barbarians, contributed largely

to the victory of the Allies, and ensured the triumph

of right and liberty.



My country owes a debt of gratitude to King Albert

And his people which they will ever hold sacred.

This will be evident, when, in concert with our noble

Allies, she will work for the constitution of a har-

monious Europe, after our final triumph.



By WALTER SICHEL

To King and People



All the great things have been done by the little peoples.— Disraeli



Sire, King of men, disdainer of the mean,

Belgium's inspirer, well thou stand'st for all

She bodes to generations yet unseen.

Freedom and fealty—Kingship's coronal.



Nation of miracles, how swift you start

To super-stature of heroic deeds

So brave, so silent beats your bleeding heart

That ours, e'en in the flush of welcome, bleeds.



No sound of wailing. Look, above, afar,

Throbs in the darkness with triumphant ray

A little yet an all-commanding star.

The morning star that heralds forth the day.



By ISRAEL ZANGWILL 

Paradise Lost 



OCCASIONALLY for me the fog in the North Sea lifts, and through the

letters of a young officer on a battleship I get a glimpse of how Britannia

is ruling the waves. The precise position of her trident remains scrupu-

lously shrouded—at first even the name was removed from the ship's letter-

paper—but the glimpse is enough to reveal the greatness and madness of

mankind. It is life at its acme of strain and exaltation: life joyously ready

to pass on the instant into death, as some unseen mine is struck, or some

crafty torpedo strikes. Everybody sleeps in his clothes, and half the night

not at all. The great ship is bared of all save necessities: my young friend's

spare wardrobe, with all his miscellany of superfluous possessions, the queer

garnered treasure of the years, comes economically home. Why, indeed,

sink more capital with the ship than is absolutely inevitable?

Now and again the tension of this terrible vigilance is relieved, if only by

a change in tension. One seeks death instead of waiting for it. There is a

grapple with a German cruiser, and those not at the guns crowd cheerfully

on deck to watch the match with that wonderful British love of sport. They

compare the cannonading, note with lively interest the scores made by the

rival shells. Once the rift in the fog shows the return of a raiding flotilla,

scarred with glorious battle, and the other vessels of the fleet are dressed

to salute its triumph, the bands are playing "Rule Britannia," the crews

are cheering and singing.



But none of these peeps has left on me so ineffaceable an impression as the

picture of my young friend reading—reading at every break in his grim

watches—and reading not the detective stories that unbent Bismarck but—

"Paradise Lost!" For the first time he has had leisure to read that

sonorous epic straight through and, unlike Dr. Johnson who questioned if

anyone ever wished it longer, he revels insatiably in the Miltonic splendours,

and he quotes Addison and the Spectator in endorsement of his enthusiasm.

Despite the Admiralty decree, you see, he has been unable to regard his

books as dispensable: they must sink or float with him. And so in the

midst of this waste of white waters and hissing shrapnel, he has found for

himself a quiet Paradise of beautiful words and visionary magnificence,

and it exists for him out of relation to the tense and tragic actual. And

yet what could be apter reading than this epic



Of man's first disobedience and the fruit

Of that forbidden tree whose mortal taste

Brought death into the world and all our woe?



The very first incident, indeed, recorded after Paradise was lost is a murder,

and this fratricidal strife of Cain and Abel has repeated itself in every

generation and given to the phrase "the brotherhood of man" a sinister

significance. But never in all the long history of blood-lust have so many

millions of brothers stood embattled, ready to spike one another's bowels

with steel, or shatter their faces with devilish explosives, as in this twentieth

century of the Christian era.



Now, whatever be the rights or wrongs of war, one thing seems clear. The

weapons are wrong. My young friend, with his fine-spun brain and his

spiritual delight in Milton's harmonics, ought not to be annihilated by a

piece of raw matter. One does not fight a Sèvres vase with a stone. Bring

up your Chinese vase an you will, and let the battle be of beauty. There is

a horrible expression, "food for powder"—you will find it in all languages

that are really civilised. It implies that the masses are so coarse in texture,

are carcasses so gross and sub-human, that their best use is to be thrown to

the guns—a providential fire-screen for the finer classes. Democracy will

in due time take note of this conception. But in its rude way the phrase

shadows forth a truth—the truth that, for all who have passed beyond the

animal stage, the war of tooth and claw is antiquated. Our war, if war

there be, must be conducted with weapons suitable to the dignity of the

super-beast who has been so laboriously evolved, suitable to the spirit

which through innumerable aeons has been winning its way through the

welter of brute impulses. Not for man the slaver of the serpent, the fangs

of the tiger. And shelling is only the ejection of a deadlier slaver, the bayonet

only a fiercer fang. It seems futile to have evolved from the brute if our

brain-power only makes us bigger brutes. "The man behind the gun"—

a 15-inch gun that hurls a ton of metal for twelve miles—is a wilder and

more monstrous beast than ever appeared even in the antediluvian epoch,

and that he should not be kept safely stuffed in a museum like the ptero-

dactyl is an intolerable anachronism. A world in which with one movement

of his paw he can kill off a whole congregation of Milton-worshippers is a

world which should have been nipped in the nebula. No, if fighting there

must be, let my young friend fight against Nietzsche-worshippers—let the

lucid lines of the Puritan poet confound the formless squadrons of the

Pagan dithyrambist. Brain against brain, soul against soul, thought against

thought, art against art, man, in short, against man—there lies the fight of

the future. If my young friend were a man of science, he would be kept

awake not by the German torpedoes but by the German treatises: were he

only a tailor, he should never throw away his yard-stick for a lance but

with his good old scissors cut out the Teutonic tailor.



After such civilised fashion, indeed, the Anglo-German contest has long

been raging, and the German has been winning all along the line. His

patience, his industry, his nice study of his customers, has everywhere

swept the Englishman aside. Before his music the Briton fell—in worship;

his drama invaded us triumphantly. Why was Germany not content with

this victorious campaign, with this campaign worthy of human beings?

German influence, German Kultur—it is spread by peace, not by the sword.

To German Universities shoals of Russian students flocked as to shrines,

humble feudatories of German scholarship, German thoroughness. To

the barbarous regions, where an Ovid might still lament his exile, they

carried back German methods, the cult of German science. And to me,

on my illiterate island, little German cities, a Munich, a Dresden, where

the theatre was classic and inexpensive, and the opera a form of art and not

a social display, loomed like models of civilisation. Why must Germany

challenge the world on the lower plane of brute matter? It is only the

inferior peoples that need the sword. The Turks have had to rule with a

rod of iron—they had no right but might, no gift for the world. Such races

must assert themselves in fire and write their edicts in blood. But fire

burns down and blood dries up and fades, and the only durable influence

is the power of the spirit.



Fatal perversity of Germany—to have misunderstood her own greatness!

Proud in her pseudo-philosophy, she has repeated "man's first disobedience"

—she has ignored the divine voice, she has listened to the lower promptings

of the serpent. There will never be a Paradise again for man till he bends

his ear to a truer philosopher than Treitschke to a prince of peace:



Till one greater man-

Restore us and regain the blissful seat.



By EDITH WHARTON

Belgium 



La Belgique ne regrette rien.



Not with her ruined silver spires.

Not with her cities shamed and rent,

Perish the imperishable fires

That shape the homestead from the tent.



Wherever men are staunch and free.

There shall she keep her fearless state,

And, homeless, to great nations be

The home of all that makes them great.



By COMMENDATORE TOMMASO SALVINI



Ali civilised nations offer here their tribute of homage

and admiration to the King of the Belgians, that

modern Spartan Agis.



A vain-glorious invading monarch has destroyed the

peace of the industrious Belgian nation, a nation

devoted to intellectual and commercial progress, rich

in works of art, in classical monuments, and flourishing

by virtue of her enviable industry.



And this was in no wise the fault of the King

nor of his brave people. For the Belgians,

persisting in their neutrality, could not allow the

German troops to march through their country to

the conquest of France. They could not and they

would not.



Whereupon Germany carried out her critical and

brutal invasion, defying the rights of nations. Shame

on the invader! All honour to the Belgian people

and to their noble King!



I feel sure that even in Germany the intellectual and

humane minority can but disapprove in the depths of their

hearts that Prussian militarism, which by sheer brute

force has violated political treaties with other Powers,

and failed to keep an undertaking "rooted in honour."

I deplore the fact that Italy, Spain, Roumania,

Bulgaria, and Greece have not joined England, Russia,

France, Serbia, Portugal, and Japan to punish the

insolence and treachery of Germany and Austria-

Hungary.



But there is an old Italian proverb which is rarely wrong:



"DIO non paga il sabato"

"GOD does not pay every Saturday,"



i.e. He punishes in his own good time.

Therefore we must await the

judgment and sentence of our Lord.



By CONDE DE ROMANONES



The world of civilisation awaits with anxiety the

results of the terrible events which will make known

the fate reserved for Belgium. This little nation,

small until the day of her disaster and overthrow,

but now possessing a moral greatness unsurpassed in

history, cannot disappear, cannot lose her sovereignty.



If such a thing could happen, w should have to

admit that Right and Justice are no longer the

principles of existence among civilised people; it

would further be a terrible lesson that these could

never forget. Why should so much care, so much

energy be expended in increasing the moral and mate-

rial forces of a small territory, and transforming it into

a model nation, worthy of all respect and considera-

tion-why should such efforts be made to further its

advance on the path of progress, liberty, respect for

the rights of others, if in the last resort the rights of

the strongest is to prevail?



In this case it would be better to live the life of savage

independence proper to people as yet outside the pale

of civilisation.



By DR. LYMAN ABBOTT



WHATEVER may be our various opinions respecting the merits of this

terrible war in Europe there can be no question that Belgium, which so far

has been perhaps the chief sufferer, is absolutely innocent of any offence.

The war has swept over her land, cities have been destroyed, homes desolated

and thousands of Belgians killed, because she refused to disregard her own

promise but chose rather to battle bravely in a desperate endeavour to

maintain that neutrality to which she and the Powers of Europe were

pledged. The needs of the Belgians appeal to all lovers of their fellow-men

whatever their race, their religious creed, or their sympathies in this war.



By LADY LUGARD



I AM honoured in being allowed to express my profound respect for a

nation which has lifted contemporary history in one step from the

commonplace to the heroic. The times have suddenly become great. It

is the prayer of all our hearts that we may be great with them. For Belgium

the prayer is already answered—she has become a great nation. In material

ruin she has risen to spiritual conquest so complete that the world lies at

her feet. No enemy can deprive her of this triumph. Her young King

has reason to be proud and glad. So long as history is told it will be re-

membered that under his leadership Belgium as an entire nation was ready

to face martyrdom for her faith. She has suffered a martyrdom which,

by its detail of horror and brutality, seems to be misplaced in the history of

civilisation. And the faith for which she has suffered is not her faith alone

—it is our faith too. It is faith in honour, faith in truth, faith in courage,

justice, liberty—faith in all that renders human relations sacred, tender,

and inspiring. For this common faith we are prepared to stand. The

nations feel, their Governments have said, that arms cannot be laid down

until this faith has been vindicated. With its vindication must come the

ultimate victory of Belgium and her reinstatement upon a new and higher

plane of nationality.



It has been happily given to England while waiting in confidence for that

day to take her part in offering to the stricken Belgian population such help

as hospitality and sympathy can give. My own humble part has been to

share with others in this work of consolation. It has been at once our

comfort and our privilege. We know, alas too well, how little it is,

humanly speaking, possible to assuage the unparalleled sufferings in the

presence of which we find ourselves. But as we have moved daily in the

midst of sorrows which must have touched a heart of stone, and have noted

with growing admiration the magnificent fortitude, the simplicity, the

gratitude for kindness received with which they have been borne, the hope

has become conviction in our hearts that the noble promise will yet again

be fulfilled: "They that sow in tears shall reap in joy and he that goeth on

his way weeping and beareth forth good seed shall doubtless come again

with joy and bring his sheaves with him." "Shall doubtless"—It is for

that "doubtless" that I believe our whole nation is prepared to maintain

the fight while there is a man or a woman left in the British Empire.



By ROBERTO BRACCO



At this historic moment, Belgium—"a nation in its agony"

—is the greatest nation of Europe.



By MARCEL PRÉVOST



Ai the tragic moment when one Sovereign of Europe

was unleashing the dark powers of barbarism, another

Sovereign arose who freed the powers of heroism.

And all at once the spirit of the hero permeated



the nations—these old Western nations that were

thought too civilised to smile at the menaces of Death.

Glory to King Albert, King of the Belgians, who has

revealed to us the value of our souls.



By JONAS BOJER



We are at last in for an epoch of heroism, the King again taking the supreme

place among his nation. The storm has swept away Parliament and speakers.

Government and elections, parties and party programmes. Only one thing

remains, a monumental thing—the nation and the nation's father.



King Albert, rich when his country was wealthy—happy when Belgium

flourished—poor when his kingdom was sunk in ruins—a refugee in his

land when his own countrymen were driven away from hearth and home.



Brave among the braves, wounded among the wounded, but forever

standing erect as a symbol of the vitality of his people, who had only dreamed

to live and work on the plains of Flanders. He was too proud to become

a martyr, too strong to ask for pity; he boldly faced destruction, uncon-

querable because justice and the future are on his side. There where he

shows himself refugees find a home, the fatherless a brother, the homeless

a fatherland, the desperate a leader whom they can trust and who is full of

faith. He is the man who has given the faded glories of royal crowns a

new splendour; he is the only one in this gigantic fight who bears on his

forehead the stamp of divine innocence.



At his side stands his wife, a woman who from being Queen over a realm

rises to become the Holy Mother of a nation.



By FREDERIK VAN EEDEN



Homage and sympathy for the Belgians and their King.



By LUIGI CAPUANA



HITHERTO it seemed a horrible nightmare from which I could not escape.

So I turned to the vigorous novels of my friend Camille Lemonnier, to

the delicate melodies of my friend Valére Gille, to the strange but powerful

dramas of Maurice Maeterlinck, in all of which I had loved and admired

different aspects of a happy laborious Belgium, flourishing in Industry,

Commerce, Art, and Letters.



I asked myself: Is it possible? Is it possible?

And with feverish hands I turned over the noble pages which La Belgique

artistique et littéraire of April 1909 devoted to the relief of Messinese and

Calabrian sufferers from the earthquake, an outburst of ardent writings

and a magnificent series of drawings, beginning with an etching by Her

Royal Highness Marie, Countess of Flanders.



My Sicily still remembers this outburst of fraternal charity, and would

certainly like to repay it now in the worthiest manner.

Is it possible? Is it possible? I still ask myself. In the presence of such

a treasure of vitality, love, and compassion, I felt my heart wrung when I

recognised, as alas! I was obliged to do, that I was confronted, not with

any horrible hallucination, but with a terrible reality, transcending any

monstrous aberration of the human imagination.

Does Belgium no longer exist?



The arbitrary madness of a Sovereign who believes himself to be in direct

communication with God has suddenly let loose a hurricane of fire and iron

on her capital, on the richest and most peaceful of her cities, on the most

fertile districts of her characteristic provinces, condemning to miserable

exile thousands of old men, women, and children, who have fled before the

barbarian violence of hordes unworthy of the name of soldiers.



Belgium no longer exist?

Oh! it cannot be!

No one could have supposed that this tranquil nation could have had the

strength and courage to contest the cowardly German invasion, step by

step, to resist continuously, in the face of overwhelming numbers and the

gradual decimation of the proud army gathered round her heroic King and

her not less heroic Queen.



And none would yet dare to believe that the hour will not soon come when

there will be a great reconquest, in which the hated invaders will be driven

from the sacred soil of Belgium and he who has not hesitated to expose his

own life as freely as the humblest of his soldiers will return to the Royal

Palace at Brussels, crowned with a halo of glory.



France, England, and Russia are and will always be proud to contribute to

this lofty work of restitution, and I hope to see in the victorious procession

with them, my Italy, who cannot and ought not to tolerate the disappearance

of Belgium from among the nations of Europe.



And now let us remember again!

The publication of that wonderful number of La Belgique artistique et

littéraire was followed by a military fête, given by the Brussels garrison in

aid of the victims of the earthquake; proud young soldiers took part in

equestrian exercises, and in the evolutions of quick-firing batteries... I

think with horror how many of those young figures have disappeared,

mowed down by the treacherous war thrust on them by the Germans;

and I think too how many writers like Paul André, Georges Eckland, Henry

Davignon; poets like Emile Verhaeren, Georges Marlon, Auguste Vierset,

Théo. Hannon; painters and sculptors like Edmond Piccard, Xavier

Malléry, Ferd. Georges Lemmors, Henry Wautiers; musicians like Paul

Gilson, Emile Mathieu, Victor Ruffin^I take the first names that come

into my head—I think how many of these, suddenly transformed into

combatants, have paid with their lives for the patriotic ardour of their hearts.

Nevertheless, how marvellous is the revelation of that stricken, devastated,

and starving Belgium, pressing round her noble King and her gentle Queen,

and almost forgetting her own pains in those of the elect couple, those living

symbols of a land violated but not vanquished.



And how I suffer at the repression of the Hymn of Praise I would fain pour

out to them by the horrible spectacle of the barbarian invasion, which freezes

the words on my lips, and confounds my thoughts!



Yet this is powerless to overcome my steadfast faith in the speedy advent

of a glorious and complete reconquest.



And with a heart overflowing with this hope, and a hand trembling with

emotion I write:



Long live King Albert! Long live Queen Elisabeth! Long live heroic—

and immortal—Belgium!



By SIR F. CARRUTHERS GOULD



WHEN the story of the terrible European War which is now raging comes

to be written in the calm dispassion of impartial judgment, it will without

doubt be recognised that no nobler page in history can be found than that

which records the heroic self-sacrificing stand which martyred Belgium

made, not merely to protect herself against unscrupulous and brutal ag-

gression, but to assert her sacred right to her independence and to protest

against being made a passive tool for furthering the wanton and wicked

designs of German military dominance over Europe.



War in the twentieth century, and after nineteen hundred and fourteen

years of Christianity, seems a monstrous outrage on civilisation, but we in

this country, in spite of our hatred of war, feel that Christianity itself would

have been still more foully outraged if we had not resolved to draw the

sword, and to the best of our power to stand by Belgium and her heroic

monarch and his gallant people, and to assert the eternal principles of

Justice and Honour.



By DR. OLINDO MALAGODI (To represent "La Tribuna," Rome)



All-powerful Germany, seeking to justify her violation

of Belgium's neutrality, to which she herself was

solemnly pledged, proclaimed by the mouth of her

Chancellor that "Necessity knows no law." By

these words she attenuated her own power, making

it the subject and slave of conditiotis and circumstances,

and thus humiliating herself as a nation.

Belgium, small and poorly armed, replied by her

heroic defence, which may be translated by the anti-

thesis: Law knows no necessity. Though Belgium

has been crushed materially, this deed has raised

her far above her powerful adversary and has given 



her a moral victory of infinite value to the world,

In this contrast all the glorious epic of Belgium's

defence is expressed. It holds a promise and an

augury for the future of mankind. The Germany of

today, which is no longer the Germany of Kant and

Schiller, bases her policy on the axiom: Might is

right. This axiom is perhaps in harmony with actual

realities; but all the more must we value any action

which contradicts this iron law, any action which,

like the sacrifice so heroically submitted to by Belgium,

tends to prepare a new and more humane reality, in

which Right will be Might.



By EARL BRASSEY



THE Belgian people may be well assured that we in England are their true

friends. We have felt the keenest sympathy with them in all that they have

suffered. We have profoundly regretted our inability to come more

promptly to their relief. We have appreciated their exalted patriotism

and the dauntless valour of their brave troops. We hope the day is not

distant when they will receive compensation for their heavy losses and cruel

sacrifices.



By ELLEN KEY



SOME months ago Belgium was fertile and fair beyond expression. It was

the land of calmly flowing rivers, grand forests, wide fields: beautiful at

every time and glorious when wrapped in the golden mists of summer

sunset. It was the land of splendid old towns, where the belfries made

the heart glad with music, and where great works of art—by masters old

and new—filled the soul with joy.



Now Belgium is full of sorrow and misery. The garden is changed into a

desert. A great number of the people are dead; a still greater number are

wandering in exile in foreign lands. For the remainder—for King as for

beggar—life is a tragedy too deep for tears. This fate has overcome Bel-

gium because the world is still ruled by force, not by justice.

But the name of Belgium is now engraved in the conscience of the world.

Humanity can have no peace in sight of the fate of this people. That fate

must be changed or we shall witness such a defeat for our higher ideals, such

a loss for the great principles which our best men and women have lived

or died for, that we ought to resist this defeat and be on our guard against

this loss with as much energy as we should use in the defence of our own

country.



By LEONARDO BISTOLFI



THE sublime sacrifice of the Belgian people will consecrate the blood-

stained earth of its martyrs as an altar reared by the hands of Death to the

pure and inviolable beauty of Life.



By LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR ROBERT BADEN-POWELL



IT would be trite to quote David against Goliath in the case of gallant little

Belgium standing up to the ogre of Prussian Militarism, but that historic

fight had its counterpart recently where a peaceful, hard-working little

tailor was set upon by a big, beery loafer. The neighbours, out of pity

and sense of fair play, were prepared to run to the rescue, when they stood

back to cheer, for the little man stuck up, on his own, to the bully, and

punched him and tripped him and held him down till help arrived. In a

moment the insignificant little worker had changed into the hero of the

village.



There are two things above all others which Britons, down to the very

lowest among them, inherently appreciate, and those are Pluck and Fair Play.

That is why their sympathy is hot and strong for the plucky little nation

which stood up as a champion for liberty and fair play against the over-

whelming tide of brute-force.



By SIR JAMES BARR, M.D., LL.D.

Some Eugenic Ideals



AS one of those who do not look upon war as an unmixed evil, and who

think that it is sometimes well for a nation to be purified as if by fire, I feel

confident that a fine race like the Belgians, who have shown their survival

value, will yet rise superior to "German Kultur," and with the aid of their

Allies will crush the barbarous monster who seeks to rule the world by

brute force. War, no doubt, has played an important part in the evolution

of the human race, just as a struggle for existence among lower forms of

life occurred long before the appearance of man on the globe. No doubt

this struggle in one form or another will continue for generations yet unborn.

The millennium, whatever that may mean, is still in the dim and shadowy

future. There is now a vain hope, a kind of blessed assurance, among many

peaceful individuals that this is the last great war, that the battle of Arma-

geddon is being now fought, and that men will learn the art of war no more.

This is a consummation devoutly to be wished, but one which will not be

attained as we are still on the borderland of savagery. I hope the rulers

of the allied nations will not be actuated by any such foolish ideas, but will

recognise facts and not be misled by lying proclamations of Germany's

peaceful intentions—proclamations which contravened facts and the falsity

of which should have been apparent to every intelligent being.

I have long recognised that a life and death struggle would be forced on

Britain by Germany, but I never thought that it would occur under such

favourable conditions for our country. Now that this struggle has occurred

it should be the duty of all the Allies to see that the conditions are so altered

that it will never recur. As a wise preventive the Hohenzollern and Haps-

burg families should be eliminated root and branch, and sane rulers placed

in their stead. It should not be left within the power of any series of

megalomaniacs to disturb the peace of the world.



The "German Kultur" as manifested in Louvain, and by rapine and

plunder throughout Belgium, must be exterminated, and this savage breed

as far as possible wiped out, but herein arises an insuperable difficulty.

Maeterlinck truly says the Germans are all guilty, any differentiation is a

mere matter of degree, and you cannot wipe out loo millions. Moreover,

any such attempt would degrade the Allies to the low base level of German

conduct. We must carry on an honourable warfare which will leave no blot

on our escutcheon. We must conquer nobly, we must make the Germans

pay to their last stiver for the war which they have so ruthlessly conducted.

We must weed out the worst of the barbarians, and utterly destroy the

princely looters with the rest of the Prussian military gang who have proved

themselves a disgrace to humanity. When the Germans discover that

dishonourable conduct does not pay, that it has no survival value, then we

may eventually get a newer and truer Germany.



Personally, I have no objection to German ascendancy if they produce a

finer race than ourselves, but I do object to that ascendancy being attained

by brute force. I have never liked German methods, but I have always

given them full credit for their perseverance and ability. Unfortunately

we have all been too apt to accept the German at the face value put on by

himself without carefully examining his intrinsic merit or demerit as the

case may be. Germany has produced no genius, there is no scope for

individualism, her work is the collective wisdom of commonplace savants,

she has never produced nor is ever likely to produce a super-man, there has

been no evolution of the higher and nobler nature of man, the race has not

received that internal push, as Bergson would say, which has carried life

by more and more complex forms to higher and higher destinies. There

has been no cultivation of the spirit of altruism, that highest product of

human evolution which is shown by sympathy with our fellow-beings in

their suffering. On the contrary the worst and most brutal characteristics

of the Huns were evolved and developed in the Franco-Prussian War of

1870, and have now been perpetuated in an even more accentuated form in

the present war. The German Emperor emulates and out-Herods the

conduct of Attila, "the Scourge of God." When, O God, when can such

scourges be eliminated? Surely their existence can be of no value to the

higher evolution of the race. The blasphemous speeches of this monarch

can have no divine sanction, and should not be allowed to mislead a deluded

nation; the only beneficial effect which they can have may be to lead the

guilty to their destruction.



The Allies have shown their manhood and the capacity to rule, we must

not therefore rest satisfied with the conquest of Germany, the establishment

of peace and the rehabiliment of Belgium, but we must also raise imperial

races whose influences will be felt for good throughout the world. We must

raise healthy, vigorous manhood and womanhood, men and women who will

hold their own in the battle of life with any other nations—we want nations

of stalwarts. This can all be rapidly attained by intelligent artificial selection,

and the nation which produces the finest, noblest, and most intellectual race

will win in the long run. Bacon said:" The principal point of greatness

in any State is to have a race of military men." He did not then contemplate

the Prussian braggadocio. We are getting more peaceable since Bacon's

days. Some are preaching peace, eternal peace, forgetting that there has

been a constant and incessant struggle on the earth since the first appearance

of life thereon, and the surest way of any nation preserving the peace is to

be always ready for a fight. If the Allies had been ready Germany would

not have attacked them. The health of a nation is its most valuable asset,

and I should like to see every man between the ages of 20 and 60 able to

handle a rifle and a bayonet, and, if needs be, take part in the defence of

his country.



In King Albert we have a worthy ruler of an imperial race, and I hope he

may live long to rule over such a self-reliant and noble people.



By ARMANDO PALAGIO VALDÉS

The Legend of King Albert



In the coming ages, during the long winter

evenings, mothers will tell their children

"The Legend of King Albert."



"Once upon a time, my children, there was a King

who reigned over a small, industrious, noble and

valiant race; and this King was the noblest of the

noble, and the bravest of the brave. Near him there

lived a dreadful giani who ruled over a great race of

warriors. This giant kept all those about him in

awe and fear, and he abounded in power and pride.

Moreover, he had a wonderful cannon, the size of a

cathedral, with which he made havoc of the country-

side and ground cities into dust. This small nation

had for its neighbour another state—a rich and happy

state, which the giant coveted.



"'Let me pass through your dominions,' he said one

day to our King. 'I want to destroy and enslave

that nation which dwells nigh you. If you let me

through, you shall have wealth; you shall share the

plunder that I get; some of the provinces of that

nation shall come under your sway. Should you not

let me through, I will crush your people and you

shall all be slaves'



"'You shall not pass—except over our dead bodies'

answered the valiant King.' My people, one of the

most prosperous on earth, sets great store by its

manufactures, its riches, its large cities, its handsome,

monuments: but it loves honour more. You can

again pile stones one upon the other; but, if honour

be uprooted, who can raise it from its ruins? Keep

your money; if that is what you want, take mine

and my people's! Take our lives! Enslave us!

You will fail to make us base!'



"Then the cruel giant fell on that tiny race, destroyed

its cities, burned its hamlets, slew many of its in-

habitants, and spread fear and misery everywhere.

"The high-minded King set forth from his dominions,

but—marvellous to tell!—he found them growing

larger. All proclaimed themselves his vassals.

Wherever he went, he was hailed as though he were

a triumphant conqueror. Women scattered flowers

on his head; men waved their hats, and cried—

'Long live the King!'



"At last, surrounded by a handful of heroic soldiers,

he made his way once more into his Kingdom, and

began to win it back again. Many helped him:

some with their swords, some with their pens, others

with their prayers. The angels of heaven opened up

a path for him. And, after a desperate and bloody

struggle, inch by inch, he kept on recovering his lost

Kingdom. When, at last, he came to his throne

again, the whole world raised a shout of exultation.

For justice had triumphed, God's word was fulfilled,

and the powers of darkness were vanquished.

"My children, this King was happy afterwards on

earth, and is now happy in heaven."



By PAUL BOURGET



War, in the midst of its awful and manifold trials,

bestows at least one benefit on the nations and in-

dividual who accept its tragic necessity in a manly

spirit: that of education by endurance, which may

make this formidable element of destruction a fertile

element of reconstruction. War has yet another

benefit to offer to "men of good will"; that of the

example to be given and received, by means of which

this bloody artificer of discord becomes also an agent

of union. It binds the social sheaf more closely

together, at the very moment when it seems about to

scatter it. Example, when it is the example of duty

on the battle-field, rallies all energies round the

standard with extraordinary vigour! The superior

models the inferior upon himself, courage reanimates

despair, strength becomes the rule for weakness, the

stout of heart is a living sermon. He shows what

man can do if he will, what you, his comrade, could

do if you would. And you will.—To brave danger,

to suffer, to die—to you, fortunate heir of a happy

age, these words had such a remote significance!

In a few days war made them a terrible reality.

Would you have strength to face it? You doubted

it. But another, close to you, showed this strength,

calmly and quietly. His altitude was contagious.

What he can do, you will do. You go out to meet

danger, you are willing to suffer, you will be able to

die. It is the miracle of sacrifice that it multiplies

in all who witness it. We have been seeing this

miracle every day, every hour for the last three months.

This propagation of the sacred flame is really the

handing on of the torch of which Lucretius speaks:



Et quasi cursores virtutis lampada tradunt,



I would venture to say, replacing the vital of the text

by that word to which those born soldiers, the Romans,

gave such deep meaning: virtus!



Among these hearers of the heroic torch, no figure is

to me so touching as that of the Prince to whom my

country, France, can never be too passionately

grateful. I speak of that King Albert whose splendid

personality has given the highest meaning to this

stern war. Without him, and without the Belgian

people, it would have been but a universal cataclysm

of no very definite significance.



King Albert has done more. The First of Englishmen

has recognised this in one of those speeches British

orators make when they are moving on the great lines

of their history. Europe was formerly a collection

of small States, the fragmentary nature of which

made the monstrous onslaught of immense human

masses such as that we are witnessing today very

difficult. Prince Bismarck was the sinister genius

who destroyed this prudently arranged Europe.



Belgium is one of the few small states that survived.

If when the storm is over we wish to establish a

lasting peace, we must return to this policy of small

States. One of the Sovereigns of the Coalition wisely

said to one of our best Ambassadors: "The task of

the Allies is to bring Europe back to the ante-Bis-

marckian period."The cure lies in this direction,

not in ineffectual and chimerical proclamations of

definitive peace, nor in the redoubtable project of a

greater unification of Germany under a republican

label. It is essential to the future of the civilised

world that there should be no longer a Germany, but

several Germanys, a mosaic of small States, instead

of the block amalgamated by the mighty hand of the

Iron Chancellor. But to ensure the existence of such

a Europe, it is a sine qua non that the first article

of its code should be the independence of small States.

It was this principle, the basis and the guarantee of

future international equilibrium, that the Belgians

called upon the English and the French to defend

with them, thus bringing us too back to the great

tradition of our history. The old French monarchy

was faithful to this principle, and political truth

recognised social truth in the King's action. This

action he performed with the greatest simplicity.



Throughout the long, hard weeks in which he has

seen his towns bombarded, his banks robbed, his

subjects massacred, his Ministers compelled to seek

asylum in France, he has not uttered a single com-

plaint, and such has been the sublime sympathy

between the heart of the Prince and the heart of his

people, that not a word of regret has been heard

revealing the despondency of an invaded people. An

invincible will, serving a true conception—could any

spectacle stir the soul to more virile respect and,

if possible, emulation? Michelet tells us Kléber

had such a martial air that those who saw him

became brave. Of King Albert it may he said that

even thinking of him makes one a better man.



By T. P. O'CONNOR



"YOU have saved Europe," were the words that came instinctively to my

lips when I met my friend, M. Edmond de Prelle, of the Belgian Legation,

for the first time after the opening of the War; and these words still sum up

my feeling and the feeling of millions of the peoples of our Empire with

regard to the part which Belgium has played in this great tragedy of a

European War. Give due praise to the gallant entry of the French Army,

to the deathless story of French's retreat; and still you have to come back

to the point that it was Belgium that met and held back the first onrush of

the Germans in their invasion of Western Europe. The heroic defence of

Liege, followed by similar heroism, obstinate bravery, tenacious defence,

in other parts of the Belgians' native land, had the incalculable results on

all the future of staying the progress of the war of the Germans; of turning

topsy-turvy their ambitious and well-arranged Time-Table; and thus of

giving to both France and England the full time and opportunity to be

ready for the invaders on their belated arrival on the soil of France. If

Paris be safe today, if the French and British troops are now steadily

throwing back the invader, if, in short, the whole tide of the fortunes of

battle have turned, it is Belgium that must always have the glory of striking

the first and decisive blow which led inevitably to those splendid results.

The heroism of this resistance is made all the greater by the gigantic in-

equality between the forces of Belgium and those of her powerful enemy;

the greater the disproportion the greater the heroism. It is comparatively

easy for one brave army to face another which is about its equal in strength;

but for an army infinitesimal in point of numbers to face the gigantic army

of Germany to go into battle was what soldiers call a forlorn hope—that is

to say, an enterprise for which only the bravest even among the brave

volunteer to undertake. And to Belgium, as to Greece in the days of her

ancient struggle against the hordes of Asia, civilisation will always give her

infinite gratitude, and Liège will take its place in the same calendar as

Thermopylae.



This resistance then to Germany has put Europe and civilisation under this

great debt to Belgium; but I can add that future generations of Belgians

will bless the generation of today who by their heroic resistance have

placed the liberty and the independence of Belgium on an impregnable

rock. Never again will any Power, however powerful, unscrupulous, or

cruel, dare to violate the soil or attempt to destroy the national and in-

dependent existence of Belgium. The men—the women and the children

also—of Belgium who have died, have sealed with their blood the divine

right of Belgium for all time to own and rule their own country.



By M. D. MEREJKOWSKY

To THE Belgian People



WE do not say to you—Have courage. No courage could be greater than

that which you have shown. But we say to you—Have faith. Your

sufferings have not been in vain; they have awakened the conscience of the

peoples. From henceforth your land, drenched with the blood of your

sons, shall be a Holy Land: from henceforth your cause shall be the cause

of Humanity. To wipe away the tears from your eyes, to heal your wounds,

to restore a hundred-fold that which has been taken from you, this the

peoples have solemnly sworn—to this they have pledged their honour, and

that oath will be kept. We desire no solace while you remain desolate, we

desire no liberty while you remain in bondage, we desire no victory until

you have conquered. In the day when the victors triumph, the first crown

shall be yours; and Humanity shall bestow it upon you. All nations shall

make way for you, and in the forefront you shall enter the promised land.



Part 6

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