THE LHP
Posted: Sun Nov 27, 2011 12:33 pm
What follows is a brief introduction to a left hand path by way of argument it is put like this for the specific reason it aims to be convincing and explicitly so. With much attempt by what is now colloquially called 'fluff' which has taken the occultism of what we might call the Post-Crowley era by storm. Semantic differentiation and in fighting over the most basic relation of terminology, values and practice has reached the point of absurdity. The purpotrators of which are most often of which are the arm chair magician those who only wank with words but do not actually practice the arts they speak of. Talking about something is fine and good one might talk of another nation without being one of it's citizens but this would be regarded as an outsiders perspective and would not protest to be otherwise.
But perhaps the worst and most sychophantic thing of this age is the moralizing of magick. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" either you believe all is permissable or you do not. It is not there is a choice but if you make the wrong one you shall be automatically punished and condemned. Either you travel a road that takes you beyond good and evil or you don't just like light switch is on or off there are somethings for which there are no middle ground. The moralizing and neo-liberal ideology that has moved in is more or less a condemnation of all things particularly of the Left Hand Path to be denograting.
But rather then try and make this accepted as a matter of opinion, you know I have my opinion and you have your opinion and we can just agree to disagree within a relativist vaccume. I would rather say bugger that and let us speak in a way which transcends mere opinion and make a distinction between what is philosophy and sophistry. Sophistry would be rhetoric opinion, interpretation, value and tone to which can form an argument but this is not it's primary interest rather it is most formally an emphasis on statements one wants to make. Philosophy takes the form of argument it references things that exist outside of itself and whilst not objective it takes upon itself a larger burden of proof to demonstrate it's point.
What I will be doing here is something akin to a philisophical examination of The Left Hand Path my purpose is not to define the term austensibly FOR ONE AND ALL. This would be counter intutivie to my taste or my interest what I am providing here is an argument and example. For where people who want to travel the darker corridor and take the road less traveled who can exist isolate on lonly peaks but appreciate the air as sweeter an example so they might take that road themselves for their own sake.
In order for this to happen the reader must be able to distinguish between for our purposes here we might call essence and form. Form is the language, ideas, concepts, symbols etc a tradition takes. They are your writers and they are your methods, your gods stories, methods etc. But whatever you might believe the map is not the territory and so the real world is unspeakable for the word is not the thing. The essence however is that which is unspeakable and of what tradition speaks of, the form represents those precious books whatever they might be you have that you believe points a finger a way across an abyss. If we might borrow from the Tao.
"The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name."-Tao Te Ching
We might borrow here from the Tao and say the Tao as a word is the form, but in contrast the essence is the Eternal Tao which cannot be named. I am more or less interested in the reader who sees something in the essence of what I say and more moves that to effectively change their life. But what I will largely be discussing is the form as a finger pointed across an abyss like all tradition is. If you found something here enlightening or objectionable it is good that you found something but if you only found a talking point go play in the traffic this was not meant for you.
The Left Hand Path might exist as a terminology but it exists as the negation of normatives and as a term of demonization so exists in it's most full character when alienation is allowed to occur. One might take the Varmachara who's practices would include the digestion of meat, sexual intercourse and wine which would be vastly opposed to heterodox normatives. But even more extreme practices might be seen in Agorah which meditate on dead bodies as part of their sadhana and might eat funeral ash. These practices particularly the latter might discuss some readers but it is the ritual significance of this the confined of taboo as to why the LHP actually exists and seeks to transcend. To quote William Blake "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom; for we never know what is enough until we know what is more then enough."
With regard to magick as distilled by the book of the law, the law as so consistently quoted is "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" and those remotely familiar with Crowley's lifes work. They will know what went on at the Abbey of Thelema but those who can comprehend and align their mind to some appreciation and empathy of The Left Hand Path as a manner of tradition would not condemn him for it. The majority of religions/spiritual paths embrace an aceticism of sort which abstains as manner of course whilst the Left Hand Path in form might be more analogized to an imagined hedonistic fancy of ecstatic, sexual,indulgent,dance and wreckless, lawless, violent and chaotic in it's more dark form. The term Left Hand Path is abstract to say the least therefore I really only use this as innuendo to paint a picture of metaphor and symbology the widest scope for where this finger points.
For my argument I will be taking specific ideas as illustration for what I think might be represented underneath this and show a purity that has been forgotten within the insipid self righteous chatterings of many.
Beginning first with a critique of ideology which would be form in its most concrete phase. Where people battle over politics, religion, class, race etc it is all ideology. What I am going to aim to show is that if one really looks and starts ferreting out different components of psychology, sociology, discourse and history that there is something perverse with the way people actually go about expressing themselves and interpreting history.
Authoritarianism might be described as a form of social organizing that demands obedience. My argument is simply that what comes in disguise of calling itself RHP, 'the light', 'white' paths hold in certain people and in certain parts of the social discourse a neo-liberal Authoritarianism which cripples esotericisim and authenticity of form. There functions a sickness which tries to breed guilt where if people actually try and condemned or alienate someone they are 'judgemental' and 'not open minded.'
Let us make a distinction in pluralism the right to an opinion i.e. what gives you the liberty to say what you want to say gives you EQUAL LEGAL entitlements as myself or any other. I support that I am all for personal freedom, but to then say that opinions are then of EQUAL VALUE I could not disagree more. If you believe the earth is flat I think you are wrong, if you think an invisible ghost monkey is fucking your neighbour in the ear I think you are wrong and I think that if you use the words open minded to get this all EQUAL VALUE thing across you are wrong.
Being open minded means being open to new ideas, opinions and beliefs it does not mean accepting them a door may open but it does not mean all shall pass. The inconvenient truth of this though will force people to actually have to reason and provide an account of assertion for what they say, thin and do. Wicca is not the oldest religion on earth and anyone that says so does not know what they are talking about, just like holocaust deniers some things just happen which are out of the realm of fact. Even in values try turning up half an hour late to work each day for a week to work and explain to your boss in your opinion you believe you are on time. See what happens...
I understand why this neo-liberal ideology permeated magick, neopaganism, wicca etc etc. For one it became more widespread throughout the Western World as a whole but even more so it became useful to gain a legal status of fringe religions. Promoting the political interests of their particular members lets take Wicca again there are a lot of homosexual people and it is a nature based religion. So it would be natural to see them get behind alot of the pagan pride, gay pride and ecological invested politics and political campaigns. But this does not go vis a vis with a realm of basic social fabric and basic facts of life. If you feel such things are merely distractions, delusions and worldly feel free to sign over all of your worldly valuables and property to me and you can live happily with a higher wisdom in spiritual benidiction.
However if I might summon a discordian bone in my body and quote the Bible Mark 2.27 "The Sabbath was made for man, man was not made for the sabbath." Initiationatory traditions are supposed to move you to transcendence not to a bigger pile of mud. The point at which one starts no longer creating with a tool but becomes determined by it is the point where initiatory traditions lose their value. For rather then functioning as a means to liberation it becomes just another chain, another bubble which must be burst. A reminder I am here to be an ear and voice, but I am no guru my dear. So what I illustrate if it begins to ring true it is paramount that the reader DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES what to do about it. (note this of course implies thinking and acting for oneself as prerequisit)
I suppose to further illustrate the point I will try to show how this everything is okay and there is no standards are all so corrosive in a practical sense. For it moves the religion out of religion. I think the most easy way to do this is see how it is fine to do nothing. Not that one should be doing nothing but it is completely okay. I say inspiration is only as good as what it inspires one to do and if one is ultimately and holistically transform their life. Then just feeling something is tantamount to only being able to appreciate spirituality like a painting you can look at but never actually be part of. As such it is of high detriment to attaining self discipline. One of the big problems with modern man is fetishistic disavowment the think, feel or know X but do Y anyway. It is the habitual alienation between one's word and their action. Perhaps if they followed this with some success and treate it like the plague of reality it is they might actually feel some kind of power, purpose and vitality and would be less concerned on 'the path' but rather the walking.
It goes on though because as above so below economists long knew New Orleans had an insufficient buffer to hurricane threats it might be prone to and nothing happened. The sub prime mortgage crisis was predicted quite some time in advance but nothing really happened. Mankind might one day destroy itself and we will probably do nothing to stop it. There is a saying complacency breeds contempt and the irony is in the mass age of materialistic consumerism is also refered to as the post modern age and age of contempt.
But of course there is more......
Have you ever met someone where if you actually get upset with them you crippled their aura ? These are the type of people for which are just dreaming in memetics of white light. If one was truly 'open minded' one might realize or even do the research or introspection to see how many times their anger actually led to violence. Know that certain levels of stress say during exams increases, retention, alertness, energy and awareness. Be aware of mechanisms like the flight and fight response and maybe actually think that this 'positive' and 'negative or 'light' and 'dark' is no absolute on their being.
Sometimes it is okay not to enjoy life and to be upset and angry but there is almost a guilt in some of the RHP & new age beliefs where anything but weeping is unacceptable 'negativity'. What is this combined with accept everything and be peaceful then an attempt to influence what you think, feel, do and say? There is an irony in doing this and associating the term organic and natural unless one argues that it is indeed and inextricably part of Man's nature to use coercion. In which case they might have their nature but may their nature be acquiesced to the same hole those of occultism placed the faith of Christianity for I do not feel they have done so wholly.
Christianity was the dominant religion of the west for centuries surely one cannot be naive to think they escape it's influence because they do not believe in the resurrection, holy book and historical Jesus? Naive would it be and a revealing truth that one does not understand ideology or it's functioning to make this assertion. Look at the dark night of the soul where the Christian doubts his faith but it becomes something to celebrate an opportunity to be more faithful. But for many of the followers of magic(k) they went through this and called this doubt a coming to truth their new belief was disbelief. They then enter some kind of spirituality and have a spiritual crisis and it is an opportunity to become more spiritual not necessarily for truth. In philosophy it is called the existential crisis in psychology alienation same shit different wrapper but even the response is the same.
I’ve seen many people leave occultism, spirituality, yoga because they felt it tried to much to affirm another world rather than this one. This frankly in a ‘self directed’ path should not occur. But it isn’t entirely self directed is it? Particularly those paths of a more social and who emphasize cooperation above all else risk and I believe I have provided a fairly comprehensive guide enact a sociological phenomenon Groupthink. This sociological phenomenon Groupthink might be defined as the desire for cooperative harmony within a group’s interaction and discourse will supersede an honest appraisal or dialog for possible alternatives. Thus in the ideology of ‘open mindedness’ one actually becomes closed minded.
It is not as if this is the be all and end all of the dialog but most of the type of ripples that question this open mindedness. I have seen it contended very briefly a few times but mainly for the purposes for infighting. So what I am going to do here is more or less try to open a dialog of a world of violence, pride, sexuality, war, nihilism, drugs, materialism to butt hurt the ‘open minded’ zombie faction and provide something of an insight for those looking for a way out.
It is here I am going to move to describing things aphoristically so each point is clearly ruminated on as a point in and of itself to the effect of supporting and illustrating what I want to illustrate as intergrally apart of the world whether they like it or not.
I
There is no objectiv morality there is no ought that can be extrapolate from what implicitly is. It might be a fact humans for instance love and care for one another this does not mean we should. For humans hate and destroy one another this is also a fact it does not mean we should. Because there is no bedrock for morality all in essence is permissable.
II
There is no free choice in an outlook that offers any number of options but there is only one correct answer. This is more a test then a choice and the conclusion already certain it is a condenscendtion to say you value liberty intrinsic to other beings.
III
The placation of ego is the path of the profane if magick is the art and science of creating change in conformity to Will. One either does this or not there is no resting on your laurels. If you want to quit smoking but continue to smoke, lose weight but eat fatty foods and don't exercise, get a job but don't look for work. Don't expect me to take you seriously as you lie to yourself what sort of genuineity should I expect from you ?
IV
Those who can only see the surface of things are the profane and mundane they are the one's obsessed with a world of form. It is the essence a true initiate seeks for it is only there the value does lay. Anybody can call themselves a martial artist it does not mean they are not lieing. The value is in how one could move if pushed against the wall as a martial artist and defend oneself not the identifier.
V
If you remove the background noise of ideology tearing back the layers and you found people to be much the same. In what they value, said and did but viewed themselves intergrally as seperate should you accept that line as existing for they insist it is there ?
VI
Nature might be understood as beautiful but she is also cruel, look deep within the Tiger's eye as William Blake did and wonder who crafted their frightful symmetry. More look at what Man has done in this world and know that we are truly the most ruthless animal of all.
VII
Violence solves nothing is horseshit. WWI and WW2 defined alot in terms of world power, colonialism shaped the globe, the nations most admire of antiquity would have warred for their land be it Egypt, Greece or Rome no matter what gods. These were city states, empires and warriors and the condescending ploy to say that violence in itself solves nothing is delusion and an affront to human history.
VIII
For the followers of the Norse gods there was but one way to Vahallah and that was the heroes death. For the Spartans there was pride of the conquerors race and the blood mystery of Herculean descent. Those that would tell the history of peoples like this without war tell but lies.
IX
The far east venerates the peacful man but no less does it have a place for non being for those with blood on their hands. The japanese sword master shall wipe your blood stain and weight of the guilt for having taken your life with but one movement the Chiburi. The Zen archer shall pick you off like you were an inanimate object without hesitation and redraw to fire again. A sage like Tsun Tsu might be known to have said beating your opponents without fighting is the highest strength but his wisdom was not one of pascifism.
Myamoto Musashi did much to dispell the glamour of war but spiritualized movements of his sword in koan of the nature's elements but made no pretense to acknowledge it the art of murder.
X
Those the deniers and despisers of the Tao create more then suchness and move to otherworlds. It is they who are an affront to nature, when at once they look particularly now more then ever to the East for the god head. But find the astral plain in Buddhism ? Not in anything but the universal proposition of Mind would we come close and is this all is consciousness innately or all is experienced through consciousness the point being made. The despisers of this life live for other lives past and future ones. The lovers of life live like they only have one life and savour it.
XI
Those of 'magick' who cannot introspect or break the mould of social confines have no Will of which to speak. Their entire 'spirit' is determined by form and is more likely the manufactured by llewellyn publishing then anywhere else. An individuality assumes autonomy this means being able to make use of metacognitive processes to define one's intentionality in a way which is not manufactured as some transparent naive realism.
Magick as defined by Aleister Crowley might be more an attempt to make an esoteric compartmentalization of The Will to Power over and above anything close to preserving traditional belief structures.
XII
Talk is cheap living life counts rather then talk about the global impact of globalization on ecology plant one tree a year and lead by example try and get others you know to not say but do. This is what initiation is the process enacted and when it becomes effortless it shall fold into the Tao.
XIII
In doubting the metaphysics one is not necessarily in a spiritual crisis but coming to truth or belief that 'God is Dead.' It does not mean magick must die as it still might function as theatre use of mythology, ritual etc to produce psychodrama and effect one's consciousness or meditate. In destroying the transcendental it opens the imminent and one might walk the path of a 'mystic' in devoting all to the change of self and how the self relates to the world.
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I could go on like this for too long, this should be more then enough to demonstrate my point lucidly. Not to the point where it becomes unalienable to criticism but rather another way does exist and this is more or less what I follow and what I believe. The devil is in the details and now you know the devil in me you can know the abstract if you care to. I am a wiccan who considers himself no more then a witness of an unspeakable goddess. Many when they see nothingness see the world empty I see it pregnant with meaning. In my principle god face I venerate various dances of Shatki as creating, sustaining and destroying the cosmos.
I borrow little from traditional texts and consider what I do no less an intentional fallacy but I lay no historical claim thus I see no justification to be made. Rather considering what I do art that a deity 'made an impression on me in idea' so I use that to give impression as an object of consciousness to assess the cosmos. Truly my goddess has no name for she is the mystery that is darkness within darkness and thus belongs to and is the eternal Tao.
I am an adherent in the Left Hand Path for I believe all is permissable in the cosmos but that each action shall bare a consequence without it necessarily reflecting a cosmic justice. I follow the path of ecstasy and seek to make my being like ecstatic tides in an esoteric sense.
But perhaps the worst and most sychophantic thing of this age is the moralizing of magick. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" either you believe all is permissable or you do not. It is not there is a choice but if you make the wrong one you shall be automatically punished and condemned. Either you travel a road that takes you beyond good and evil or you don't just like light switch is on or off there are somethings for which there are no middle ground. The moralizing and neo-liberal ideology that has moved in is more or less a condemnation of all things particularly of the Left Hand Path to be denograting.
But rather then try and make this accepted as a matter of opinion, you know I have my opinion and you have your opinion and we can just agree to disagree within a relativist vaccume. I would rather say bugger that and let us speak in a way which transcends mere opinion and make a distinction between what is philosophy and sophistry. Sophistry would be rhetoric opinion, interpretation, value and tone to which can form an argument but this is not it's primary interest rather it is most formally an emphasis on statements one wants to make. Philosophy takes the form of argument it references things that exist outside of itself and whilst not objective it takes upon itself a larger burden of proof to demonstrate it's point.
What I will be doing here is something akin to a philisophical examination of The Left Hand Path my purpose is not to define the term austensibly FOR ONE AND ALL. This would be counter intutivie to my taste or my interest what I am providing here is an argument and example. For where people who want to travel the darker corridor and take the road less traveled who can exist isolate on lonly peaks but appreciate the air as sweeter an example so they might take that road themselves for their own sake.
In order for this to happen the reader must be able to distinguish between for our purposes here we might call essence and form. Form is the language, ideas, concepts, symbols etc a tradition takes. They are your writers and they are your methods, your gods stories, methods etc. But whatever you might believe the map is not the territory and so the real world is unspeakable for the word is not the thing. The essence however is that which is unspeakable and of what tradition speaks of, the form represents those precious books whatever they might be you have that you believe points a finger a way across an abyss. If we might borrow from the Tao.
"The tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao The name that can be named is not the eternal Name."-Tao Te Ching
We might borrow here from the Tao and say the Tao as a word is the form, but in contrast the essence is the Eternal Tao which cannot be named. I am more or less interested in the reader who sees something in the essence of what I say and more moves that to effectively change their life. But what I will largely be discussing is the form as a finger pointed across an abyss like all tradition is. If you found something here enlightening or objectionable it is good that you found something but if you only found a talking point go play in the traffic this was not meant for you.
The Left Hand Path might exist as a terminology but it exists as the negation of normatives and as a term of demonization so exists in it's most full character when alienation is allowed to occur. One might take the Varmachara who's practices would include the digestion of meat, sexual intercourse and wine which would be vastly opposed to heterodox normatives. But even more extreme practices might be seen in Agorah which meditate on dead bodies as part of their sadhana and might eat funeral ash. These practices particularly the latter might discuss some readers but it is the ritual significance of this the confined of taboo as to why the LHP actually exists and seeks to transcend. To quote William Blake "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom; for we never know what is enough until we know what is more then enough."
With regard to magick as distilled by the book of the law, the law as so consistently quoted is "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law" and those remotely familiar with Crowley's lifes work. They will know what went on at the Abbey of Thelema but those who can comprehend and align their mind to some appreciation and empathy of The Left Hand Path as a manner of tradition would not condemn him for it. The majority of religions/spiritual paths embrace an aceticism of sort which abstains as manner of course whilst the Left Hand Path in form might be more analogized to an imagined hedonistic fancy of ecstatic, sexual,indulgent,dance and wreckless, lawless, violent and chaotic in it's more dark form. The term Left Hand Path is abstract to say the least therefore I really only use this as innuendo to paint a picture of metaphor and symbology the widest scope for where this finger points.
For my argument I will be taking specific ideas as illustration for what I think might be represented underneath this and show a purity that has been forgotten within the insipid self righteous chatterings of many.
Beginning first with a critique of ideology which would be form in its most concrete phase. Where people battle over politics, religion, class, race etc it is all ideology. What I am going to aim to show is that if one really looks and starts ferreting out different components of psychology, sociology, discourse and history that there is something perverse with the way people actually go about expressing themselves and interpreting history.
Authoritarianism might be described as a form of social organizing that demands obedience. My argument is simply that what comes in disguise of calling itself RHP, 'the light', 'white' paths hold in certain people and in certain parts of the social discourse a neo-liberal Authoritarianism which cripples esotericisim and authenticity of form. There functions a sickness which tries to breed guilt where if people actually try and condemned or alienate someone they are 'judgemental' and 'not open minded.'
Let us make a distinction in pluralism the right to an opinion i.e. what gives you the liberty to say what you want to say gives you EQUAL LEGAL entitlements as myself or any other. I support that I am all for personal freedom, but to then say that opinions are then of EQUAL VALUE I could not disagree more. If you believe the earth is flat I think you are wrong, if you think an invisible ghost monkey is fucking your neighbour in the ear I think you are wrong and I think that if you use the words open minded to get this all EQUAL VALUE thing across you are wrong.
Being open minded means being open to new ideas, opinions and beliefs it does not mean accepting them a door may open but it does not mean all shall pass. The inconvenient truth of this though will force people to actually have to reason and provide an account of assertion for what they say, thin and do. Wicca is not the oldest religion on earth and anyone that says so does not know what they are talking about, just like holocaust deniers some things just happen which are out of the realm of fact. Even in values try turning up half an hour late to work each day for a week to work and explain to your boss in your opinion you believe you are on time. See what happens...
I understand why this neo-liberal ideology permeated magick, neopaganism, wicca etc etc. For one it became more widespread throughout the Western World as a whole but even more so it became useful to gain a legal status of fringe religions. Promoting the political interests of their particular members lets take Wicca again there are a lot of homosexual people and it is a nature based religion. So it would be natural to see them get behind alot of the pagan pride, gay pride and ecological invested politics and political campaigns. But this does not go vis a vis with a realm of basic social fabric and basic facts of life. If you feel such things are merely distractions, delusions and worldly feel free to sign over all of your worldly valuables and property to me and you can live happily with a higher wisdom in spiritual benidiction.
However if I might summon a discordian bone in my body and quote the Bible Mark 2.27 "The Sabbath was made for man, man was not made for the sabbath." Initiationatory traditions are supposed to move you to transcendence not to a bigger pile of mud. The point at which one starts no longer creating with a tool but becomes determined by it is the point where initiatory traditions lose their value. For rather then functioning as a means to liberation it becomes just another chain, another bubble which must be burst. A reminder I am here to be an ear and voice, but I am no guru my dear. So what I illustrate if it begins to ring true it is paramount that the reader DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES what to do about it. (note this of course implies thinking and acting for oneself as prerequisit)
I suppose to further illustrate the point I will try to show how this everything is okay and there is no standards are all so corrosive in a practical sense. For it moves the religion out of religion. I think the most easy way to do this is see how it is fine to do nothing. Not that one should be doing nothing but it is completely okay. I say inspiration is only as good as what it inspires one to do and if one is ultimately and holistically transform their life. Then just feeling something is tantamount to only being able to appreciate spirituality like a painting you can look at but never actually be part of. As such it is of high detriment to attaining self discipline. One of the big problems with modern man is fetishistic disavowment the think, feel or know X but do Y anyway. It is the habitual alienation between one's word and their action. Perhaps if they followed this with some success and treate it like the plague of reality it is they might actually feel some kind of power, purpose and vitality and would be less concerned on 'the path' but rather the walking.
It goes on though because as above so below economists long knew New Orleans had an insufficient buffer to hurricane threats it might be prone to and nothing happened. The sub prime mortgage crisis was predicted quite some time in advance but nothing really happened. Mankind might one day destroy itself and we will probably do nothing to stop it. There is a saying complacency breeds contempt and the irony is in the mass age of materialistic consumerism is also refered to as the post modern age and age of contempt.
But of course there is more......
Have you ever met someone where if you actually get upset with them you crippled their aura ? These are the type of people for which are just dreaming in memetics of white light. If one was truly 'open minded' one might realize or even do the research or introspection to see how many times their anger actually led to violence. Know that certain levels of stress say during exams increases, retention, alertness, energy and awareness. Be aware of mechanisms like the flight and fight response and maybe actually think that this 'positive' and 'negative or 'light' and 'dark' is no absolute on their being.
Sometimes it is okay not to enjoy life and to be upset and angry but there is almost a guilt in some of the RHP & new age beliefs where anything but weeping is unacceptable 'negativity'. What is this combined with accept everything and be peaceful then an attempt to influence what you think, feel, do and say? There is an irony in doing this and associating the term organic and natural unless one argues that it is indeed and inextricably part of Man's nature to use coercion. In which case they might have their nature but may their nature be acquiesced to the same hole those of occultism placed the faith of Christianity for I do not feel they have done so wholly.
Christianity was the dominant religion of the west for centuries surely one cannot be naive to think they escape it's influence because they do not believe in the resurrection, holy book and historical Jesus? Naive would it be and a revealing truth that one does not understand ideology or it's functioning to make this assertion. Look at the dark night of the soul where the Christian doubts his faith but it becomes something to celebrate an opportunity to be more faithful. But for many of the followers of magic(k) they went through this and called this doubt a coming to truth their new belief was disbelief. They then enter some kind of spirituality and have a spiritual crisis and it is an opportunity to become more spiritual not necessarily for truth. In philosophy it is called the existential crisis in psychology alienation same shit different wrapper but even the response is the same.
I’ve seen many people leave occultism, spirituality, yoga because they felt it tried to much to affirm another world rather than this one. This frankly in a ‘self directed’ path should not occur. But it isn’t entirely self directed is it? Particularly those paths of a more social and who emphasize cooperation above all else risk and I believe I have provided a fairly comprehensive guide enact a sociological phenomenon Groupthink. This sociological phenomenon Groupthink might be defined as the desire for cooperative harmony within a group’s interaction and discourse will supersede an honest appraisal or dialog for possible alternatives. Thus in the ideology of ‘open mindedness’ one actually becomes closed minded.
It is not as if this is the be all and end all of the dialog but most of the type of ripples that question this open mindedness. I have seen it contended very briefly a few times but mainly for the purposes for infighting. So what I am going to do here is more or less try to open a dialog of a world of violence, pride, sexuality, war, nihilism, drugs, materialism to butt hurt the ‘open minded’ zombie faction and provide something of an insight for those looking for a way out.
It is here I am going to move to describing things aphoristically so each point is clearly ruminated on as a point in and of itself to the effect of supporting and illustrating what I want to illustrate as intergrally apart of the world whether they like it or not.
I
There is no objectiv morality there is no ought that can be extrapolate from what implicitly is. It might be a fact humans for instance love and care for one another this does not mean we should. For humans hate and destroy one another this is also a fact it does not mean we should. Because there is no bedrock for morality all in essence is permissable.
II
There is no free choice in an outlook that offers any number of options but there is only one correct answer. This is more a test then a choice and the conclusion already certain it is a condenscendtion to say you value liberty intrinsic to other beings.
III
The placation of ego is the path of the profane if magick is the art and science of creating change in conformity to Will. One either does this or not there is no resting on your laurels. If you want to quit smoking but continue to smoke, lose weight but eat fatty foods and don't exercise, get a job but don't look for work. Don't expect me to take you seriously as you lie to yourself what sort of genuineity should I expect from you ?
IV
Those who can only see the surface of things are the profane and mundane they are the one's obsessed with a world of form. It is the essence a true initiate seeks for it is only there the value does lay. Anybody can call themselves a martial artist it does not mean they are not lieing. The value is in how one could move if pushed against the wall as a martial artist and defend oneself not the identifier.
V
If you remove the background noise of ideology tearing back the layers and you found people to be much the same. In what they value, said and did but viewed themselves intergrally as seperate should you accept that line as existing for they insist it is there ?
VI
Nature might be understood as beautiful but she is also cruel, look deep within the Tiger's eye as William Blake did and wonder who crafted their frightful symmetry. More look at what Man has done in this world and know that we are truly the most ruthless animal of all.
VII
Violence solves nothing is horseshit. WWI and WW2 defined alot in terms of world power, colonialism shaped the globe, the nations most admire of antiquity would have warred for their land be it Egypt, Greece or Rome no matter what gods. These were city states, empires and warriors and the condescending ploy to say that violence in itself solves nothing is delusion and an affront to human history.
VIII
For the followers of the Norse gods there was but one way to Vahallah and that was the heroes death. For the Spartans there was pride of the conquerors race and the blood mystery of Herculean descent. Those that would tell the history of peoples like this without war tell but lies.
IX
The far east venerates the peacful man but no less does it have a place for non being for those with blood on their hands. The japanese sword master shall wipe your blood stain and weight of the guilt for having taken your life with but one movement the Chiburi. The Zen archer shall pick you off like you were an inanimate object without hesitation and redraw to fire again. A sage like Tsun Tsu might be known to have said beating your opponents without fighting is the highest strength but his wisdom was not one of pascifism.
Myamoto Musashi did much to dispell the glamour of war but spiritualized movements of his sword in koan of the nature's elements but made no pretense to acknowledge it the art of murder.
X
Those the deniers and despisers of the Tao create more then suchness and move to otherworlds. It is they who are an affront to nature, when at once they look particularly now more then ever to the East for the god head. But find the astral plain in Buddhism ? Not in anything but the universal proposition of Mind would we come close and is this all is consciousness innately or all is experienced through consciousness the point being made. The despisers of this life live for other lives past and future ones. The lovers of life live like they only have one life and savour it.
XI
Those of 'magick' who cannot introspect or break the mould of social confines have no Will of which to speak. Their entire 'spirit' is determined by form and is more likely the manufactured by llewellyn publishing then anywhere else. An individuality assumes autonomy this means being able to make use of metacognitive processes to define one's intentionality in a way which is not manufactured as some transparent naive realism.
Magick as defined by Aleister Crowley might be more an attempt to make an esoteric compartmentalization of The Will to Power over and above anything close to preserving traditional belief structures.
XII
Talk is cheap living life counts rather then talk about the global impact of globalization on ecology plant one tree a year and lead by example try and get others you know to not say but do. This is what initiation is the process enacted and when it becomes effortless it shall fold into the Tao.
XIII
In doubting the metaphysics one is not necessarily in a spiritual crisis but coming to truth or belief that 'God is Dead.' It does not mean magick must die as it still might function as theatre use of mythology, ritual etc to produce psychodrama and effect one's consciousness or meditate. In destroying the transcendental it opens the imminent and one might walk the path of a 'mystic' in devoting all to the change of self and how the self relates to the world.
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I could go on like this for too long, this should be more then enough to demonstrate my point lucidly. Not to the point where it becomes unalienable to criticism but rather another way does exist and this is more or less what I follow and what I believe. The devil is in the details and now you know the devil in me you can know the abstract if you care to. I am a wiccan who considers himself no more then a witness of an unspeakable goddess. Many when they see nothingness see the world empty I see it pregnant with meaning. In my principle god face I venerate various dances of Shatki as creating, sustaining and destroying the cosmos.
I borrow little from traditional texts and consider what I do no less an intentional fallacy but I lay no historical claim thus I see no justification to be made. Rather considering what I do art that a deity 'made an impression on me in idea' so I use that to give impression as an object of consciousness to assess the cosmos. Truly my goddess has no name for she is the mystery that is darkness within darkness and thus belongs to and is the eternal Tao.
I am an adherent in the Left Hand Path for I believe all is permissable in the cosmos but that each action shall bare a consequence without it necessarily reflecting a cosmic justice. I follow the path of ecstasy and seek to make my being like ecstatic tides in an esoteric sense.