Induction of Power

In the Myth we describe, Power is a key concept, signifying the degree of realization of a given being and manifesting, on the one hand, in its capacity for further development (the receptive (negative) pole), and on the other, in its ability to change its environment (the active pole).

Evolution — the course of development of any system, an individual mind or the cosmos as a whole — is described as the accumulation of Power, that is, the actualization and realization of the potentials embedded in that system.

We have said more than once that Power, understood this way, is not a substance or merely a faculty, but a basic characteristic of any system, of any being. In fact, it is precisely the level of Power that determines the position of each element within the world system.

And the key property of Power is its striving to increase. Since the task of the cosmic process is the full realization, the full actualization of all potentials, and, as a result, the Self-knowledge of the Absolute, any field of possibilities, any potential reality strives to manifest itself.

We have also said that each successive realization is, on the one hand, a natural consequence of preceding events, and on the other, opens the way for new actualizations.

The resulting event is the outcome of the interaction of two impulses: Power’s striving to increase (or, in other words, any system’s striving for development) and the action of forces of resistance, which arise as the environment’s response and hinder its organization.

If the first impulse predominates in a system, it develops; if the second predominates, it degenerates.

Since all universes are manifestations of a single primordial Reality, any change in a system’s state is reflected not only in its immediate surroundings but in the cosmos as a whole. This means that the development of one system contributes to universal development, just as the degradation of any system increases resistance to evolution.

Power’s ability to expand — that is, to align energy flows — is called induction. If a system undergoing intense evolution interacts with a system in which development proceeds more weakly, the latter’s development accelerates.

Similarly, under close interaction between a system in a state of development and one undergoing degradation, their flows will align, and either the degraded system will begin to develop or the developing one will degenerate, depending on the ratio of the intensities of their flows.

Accordingly, by developing, every mind inevitably fosters development in those around it, which underlies the numerous religious assertions about the paramount importance of “personal salvation.”

Moreover, if a person becomes preoccupied with “saving the world” to the detriment of their own development, the result will not be growth but universal degradation, since, by losing the intensity of its realization, the mind is drawn into destructive flows and turns from a constructive agent into a destructive element.

Saints, bodhisattvas, Masters of all religions, schools, and lines have always, above all, preserved their own purity and integrity, understanding that it is precisely their own mind that is the chief outpost standing guard over Power and Light.

It is precisely the ability to induce Power that determines the value of any system. A teaching may be very logical and beautiful, a ritual may yield astonishing results, and techniques may be accompanied by spectacular effects, yet in the final analysis development may be nil — and lack of development means degradation, because it contradicts universal logic.

Every Magus should always ask himself: what is his current state? A Magus must not replace real development with a mere feeling, must not fall into the traps of Orobas and Dantalion, and must not chase “effects” and “states.” Being highly active energetically, a Magus always significantly influences his environment, either inducing development in it or pushing it toward degradation. And the responsibility for these changes always lies with the Magus, as the more aware being.

Moreover, it is important to monitor the influences acting on the mind at the present moment. We have said many times that subjectively inflow and outflow of energy are almost indistinguishable, and any flow of Power is experienced as pleasure. Nevertheless, it is always important to understand whether the current influence is constructive or destructive, and to develop effective tactics for interacting with it accordingly.

After all, the most honest answers to the questions “What am I really to those around me? What is my influence? and What influences do I experience?” must be among the priorities that determine a Magus’s strategy and tactics.