Hopes Sustain the Young
How many beautiful words and songs have been composed about hope. They are both a compass and undying; in every way, they lighten and adorn life.
Yet the very tendency to hope is one of the reasons that turns the mind from an active subject into a passive object in the world’s workings.
To hope means to believe that some external force will intervene in our actions, allowing circumstances to fall into a favorable pattern and deliver the desired result with less exertion. In other words, to hope is to permit oneself not to act at full strength, relying on a favorable alignment of circumstances, luck, the help of external powers, and the like. At the same time — to fear that this will not happen, for fear is the inevitable companion and the flip side of any hope: we hope that something will occur and simultaneously fear that it will not.
Thus we fall into two traps at once: on the one hand, we try to lean on something external (which is, of course, a complete illusion), and on the other, our sight is clouded by fear, depriving us of the clarity of vision.
To rely on external forces, on luck, on circumstances is to relieve oneself of responsibility, to allow oneself to become lax and lose vigor.
Hopes shift attention from focusing on action to focusing on the final result, and therefore they make actions motivated by outcomes rather than by the action itself. At the same time, we have often said that the Magus does not act in order to obtain a result, but simply because that is his nature. The result, in turn, is a natural continuation of the action, not its goal. Whether the result is obtained or not does not determine the value of the action for the Magus; that value is defined solely by the impeccability of the action itself and by its influence on the development of the mind. The Magus does not act “for the sake of something“; he acts because he cannot help but act. For the nature of mind is such that it develops and is actualized only by plunging into being. Accordingly, the Magus seeks to perform not those actions that will lead him to one result or another (no matter how attractive the result may seem), but those that will allow him to actualize certain potentials and realize himself. In such a situation, the Magus is not attached to the result; he is not bound by fear of failing to attain it; his Power manifests freely and easily, and the mind is actualized. The Magus does what he must do (not in the sense of owing anyone, but in the sense of an inner necessity, a true desire), regardless of how the external outcome of that activity may appear.
The Magus’s success is determined precisely by the realization of his mind, not by the visible results of his deeds. The Magus does not refrain from hope because he is indifferent to outcomes, but because he knows that the result will be what the action is, and he does not allow himself to shirk or hide behind “circumstances”; he is simply immersed in his action and in the awareness of that action. Regardless of the circumstances, the Magus acts at full strength, with full awareness, and victory for him is merely another step on the Way, while defeat is merely another lesson. The Magus is not bound by fear because he is not deterred by dangers, but because he is committed to development regardless. The Magus relies only on himself not because he is indifferent or hostile to the world around him, but because he accepts full responsibility for his actions and their results since the roots of those actions reach into the depths of his nature. The Magus loves and has compassion, but he does not demonize the surrounding world, does not impose his will upon it, nor does he allow the world to demonize him. He assesses the balance of forces clearly and acts without hoping for the result and without fearing defeat, accepting the world as it is and himself within it, actualizing himself and helping to actualize the world.
For some reason, immersion in action often ends with a treacherous stab from behind. Is it a lack of alertness? The wrong place for activity? Enemies everywhere? Maybe.. ———- I completely agree with what you say about the result. But in reality, we rarely have enough resources not to think about the outcome. We depend on the result. This is a problem – but it is as it is. And very often we go towards a result that someone needs; it’s a good thing if the goals coincide… Yes, immersion in action yields many more results, but who knows if they are right? A customer usually needs a specific final result. (And a more reasonable one needs to see the sequence of results. There’s a practice: ‘the customer is a team member.’ Effective (as this is just immersion of the client in action), but somehow not very popular.)
One might not even reach the result. I understand that it’s difficult to realize that everything is at stake every moment of our lives, but it is precisely the detachment from the result that makes us free and gives a certain boldness. In action, we are primarily looking for ourselves, our true nature. ?
You described hopes straddling responsibility, but what about pairs, marriage? When you share responsibility….
Thank you, Enmerkar, for a clear description of one of the main aspects of the Path. That’s what makes each of us waste our strength every day. After all, the main reason for hope and fear is our inability to adapt to the present and the habit of sending our thoughts far ahead. Thus, foresight, the greatest of blessings given to man, turns into evil. Animals run away only at the sight of dangers, and after escaping them, they no longer feel fear. We are tormented by both the future and the past. Many of our blessings harm us: memory returns us to experienced torments of fear, and foresight anticipates future suffering. And no one is unhappy only because of present causes. The truth, as usual, lies in simplicity: do what you must, and be what will be.
Theo, ‘We depend on the result.’ Constantly focusing internally on the result that is not yet there – this is to fly (sink) into a future that doesn’t exist…this is a trap; it leads the mind-consciousness away from the current moment. Theo, ‘But in reality we rarely have enough resources not to think about the result.’ You are apparently talking about physical reality – in which only the physical body of the Mage lives. Real reality is much broader.
Greetings. I agree with what has been said. ‘Reality’ was meant in the everyday understanding. We are also dependent on the physical body. And this often becomes a problem. 🙂 The reality that is broader than the ordinary also has its own rules and boundaries. I wouldn’t mind relocating to my worlds and resolving my earthly issues there. But if a result is needed here, then affairs must also be resolved here, no matter how slow and dissipative the process may be.
A problem arose in life and I stumbled upon this article and understood that it wasn’t a problem 🙂 Thank you for the article. It helped.
Why does hope die? Because illusions are a lie, Because, dreaming as before You will achieve nothing as always. As always – the heart breaks And the shards fly into nowhere… There are no keys to the sealed door And the living water is frozen…
Dear Master. It is so simple and so deep at the same time! Once again, thank you very much.