I have been musing over Alan Moore’s concept of Aklo in The Courtyard (originally published separately, now found in the Neonomicon graphic novel). For those unfamiliar, the idea which permeates is that Aklo, (a fictional language coined by Machen and furthered by Lovecraft et al), is powerful enough to cause potent change within (and perhaps, without) one’s consciousness — a gateway to alternate dimensions, deep levels of the subconscious, etc.
Each word defined by Moore in the book seems to encapsulate a broad, mystical concept that usually takes a small paragraph in a vernacular, such as English, to properly describe. Hence, each Aklo word is loaded with a series of powerful images and ideas which cause a major shift in consciousness. Each word seems a potent seed or DNA code of sorts — containing the building blocks of psycho-spiritual experience. Now, I feel this idea — the idea of a truly “magickal” language, a “hieratic” script, if you will, can be coupled nicely with Spare’s (and later) Carroll’s concepts of an alphabet of desire. So, I have decided to begin constructing a series of terms for ritual, artistic, and meditational purposes. Afterwards, perhaps, I shall create a series of glyphs or sigils to associate with each term.
I am doing this for various reasons, but most importantly to better grasp my own emotional responses, as well as to better quantify my personal input/output. There are so many “feelings” that lack words to properly describe them, that I am first compiling a list of those “feelings”, and shall be placing terms to them later. I feel this would be a fun and interesting exercise for anyone, and I encourage all to do the same if the mood takes them. Examples of complex terms I shall attempt to create words for:
— A combination of energetic sensitivity, empathy, and partial trance that leads to a sense of longing or loneliness.
— Extreme hyper-sensitivity and over-stimulation, as if each external, sound, scent, or visual stimulus is too great to bear. Usually coupled with a frenetic need to withdraw to a safer, calmer place.
— An aggressive, somewhat desperate feeling of lust. A craving for complete sensory saturation and eventual exhaustion. A need to “devour” one’s lover until collapse.
Ancient Sanskrit is a real language that was meant to do the same. For that matter, so does Mandarin, especially in its old form. The picture/symbols were meant to completely convey each concept, considering the characters giving rise to a more complete understanding. They are ideas, rather then “words” as we understand them.
Point noted. Frankly, Qabalah does something very similar by adding a series of correspondences to already symbolically saturated letters. However, Sanscrit, Mandarin, Hebrew, or any other “real” language will inevitably fall short of the mark I am looking for. I am certainly open to the idea of learning from these languages. However, I do not intend to “reinvent the wheel”. Instead, I am attempting to create a personalized set of terms and glyphs — individualized code words, if you will, that I shall use to manipulate my consciousness alone.