§6 Abbreiviations

Abbreviations should be used according to the nature of the work and the needs of its readers. They are often helpful in notes, parenthetical references, tables, lists, bibliographies, and repeated citations of frequently used texts. In running prose, however, terms should usually be written out unless the abbreviation is familiar to the intended audience and unlikely to cause confusion.

Where abbreviations are used often, uncommon or technical forms should be listed in the front matter or another clearly identified place. This is especially important in Thelemic and occultural writing, where abbreviated titles, orders, grades, rituals, journals, scriptures, and magical formulae may be familiar to some readers but opaque to others. If an abbreviation appears only once or twice, it may be better to avoid it entirely.

The abbreviations provided in this section are intended as a practical reference, not as immutable law. Different traditions, publishers, and scholarly fields may use different forms. Authors may depart from these recommendations when there is a good reason to do so, provided their usage is consistent and clearly documented for the reader.