Integration of the Mind
The attainment of the being’s wholeness, absolutely necessary both for its effective existence in the manifest world and for ultimate pleromization, above all requires a highly ordered mind.
Yet, since any manifestation requires the splitting of the primordial unity into a biner, the attainment of wholeness is often confused with the ‘correct choice.’ At the same time, we have already discussed that ‘choice’ in the narrow sense of the word means committing to a single pole of the biner — that is, maintaining being’s separation via Naxash.
In other words, each time the mind chooses one pole of the biner, it brings that biner into being, empowering it to manifest and preventing its integration.
And this is directly opposed to the mind’s purpose, which is precisely to integrate biners, creating from the original duality a pleromic unity.
Thus it turns out that embedded in the very idea of choice — so important and central to all Ways — is a powerful distractor: instead of choice as a preference for the more effective strategy (and therefore a vertical action by nature — that is, effectively an integration of the biner), choice often functions as a horizontal act — favoring one of equally possible alternatives.
Put differently, the Magus’s choice comes down solely to understanding that there is essentially no choice — because either he acts effectively and progresses, or ineffectively and regresses. The task is merely to see clearly where to go to maximize effectiveness. Such awareness, of course, makes the outcome largely determined. A significant caveat in this process is the unevenness of development itself, in which ascents alternate with descents, so an effective choice may mean a step up or, sometimes, a step down. The question, of course, is primarily one of awareness.
At the same time, for a person choice usually means: “I want this and that — but since it’s difficult to have both at once, I’ll try to get one thing for now.” Because this line of thought arises from a failure to distinguish between desires and whims, such an approach is, of course, the result of obscuration and the fragmentation of the mind, and it in turn sustains and consolidates that fragmentation. Broadly speaking, two scenarios are possible in such a situation: either a whim opposes a desire to push the mind toward attempting to realize the whim instead of the desire, thereby scattering one’s energy; or both “options” are whims, and the “choice” between them distracts the mind from awareness of its desires and thus once again forces it to disperse its power.
Therefore one of the most important tasks facing the Magus striving for the development of the mind is to identify the mind’s key components and to set their hierarchy, designed to avoid equating things of different importance.
The self-analysis with which the Magus’s Way begins already at the Seeker stage is meant to reveal those characteristics of his unique structure of the Psychocosm that are key, “skeletal” for him — without which his individual manifestation would be impossible or hindered. Afterwards, when fully realized, this analysis becomes the Vision of his Orlög, attained in various ways, for example in “knowledge and communication with the HGA.”
The Magus must find that set of properties, traits, and desires that are key to him — their realization constituting the essence of his existence — and establish a hierarchy of fulfillment — that is, determine which realization is prerequisite for another, decide which are more fundamental and which are more derivative. As a result, the Psychocosm becomes a cosmos, an ordered system whose elements assist one another’s development and the attainment of the greatest possible harmony.
However, even when this Vision has not yet been attained, the Magus must tirelessly work at separating “the wheat from the chaff” in his mind, distinguishing what he truly needs from mere wants — from what destructive forces have whispered to him, from what draws him toward himself and what pulls him away. Can that selection be called a choice?
Hello and thank you for the article. This is a very extensive topic, and I would like to say, from my still quite low (probably aspiring) level – that the main problem feels not finding the right choice of direction, but rather finding ‘support pillars’ on YOUR Path. Society and relationships in it are based on consuming each other, predators eat predators, everything goes in a circle – everyone is satisfied; it’s like a web that envelops a person from their birth – and even when the trajectory has already been chosen, and a glimmer of light is visible, often there is nothing to lean on for a jump except oneself; everything has rotted… Perhaps for others, it’s different; I’m not insisting. Happy Upcoming New Year!
Well done Eiol, for noticing the common structure of mass consciousness. Every person is a self-organizing structure closed on itself with special tasks. As long as a person is undeveloped and has not become Light, they are useless. In other words, they carry the Shadow to those around them. Every person should understand that they have become Light and carry light. But many do this too early. This is why there are so many ‘teachings’.
The idea is generally clear and has been expressed multiple times – ‘In this world, be your own island’ – Buddha’s words, I am talking about the sad fact that all it takes is to loosen the grip a little, to give in to whim – and the predatory world will rejoice, engulf, spin and conversely, the longer you try to walk towards the Light, the more severe the blows are. I am sincerely grateful to Enmerkar and a few others for helping in the Search, but still, there are so few in our world who stand in opposition to the consumer world or can give a push towards the Light for those who, as you said, are ‘in the shadow.’ – ‘But many do this too early’ – I didn’t understand you, how is this too early?
It turns out that a person’s usefulness is the result of the sum of the light they carry and the shadow they cast.
A teacher would do well to imagine what his students will be like in his rays, where each student’s light will go, and to know how to manage each one until the right moment.
Dear Numen, when you talk about the structure of consciousness, I feel like a hedgehog in the fog. Usually, knowing the structure provides a clear idea of where something comes from and how it works. For example, the structure of the periodic table tells how the atoms of various elements are built and what properties they have as a result of their structure. The structure of a machine clarifies why it works and how it does so. If you can speak about the structure of consciousness (from what I have heard, these were descriptions of some characteristics, some elements), I bow both my knees.
Eiol, I agree with you: everything around has rotted away, and it’s safest to rely on oneself. It would be good to replace the rotten with something fresh along the way so that next time the chance to withstand will increase. One can lean on much within oneself, and one’s own tested experience is more stable than shaky external opinions. A friend whom you’ve allowed to show themselves may become a support later.
Indeed, if you stop wasting attention on unnecessary, empty, imposed things, attention itself redirects to what is needed, to what is desired. And then readiness and courage are needed to approach it.
A timely article. Thank you.
I will add a quote from “The NeverEnding Story” by Michael Ende:
“You cannot stay here. You must live your Story. You can only find your way thanks to your desires. And you can only go from one desire to another. Everything you do not desire is unattainable for you. The words ‘close’ and ‘far’ have only this meaning here. You must strive to get somewhere. Only your desires can guide you.”
Good day! In the first image, against the background of heads, there is a veil, just like the one I sometimes see during contemplation, I initially thought this is some kind of energy or let’s say ‘compressed air’ (gel or other substance) in which we live and constantly move (like fish in water), but looking at the picture I started to think that this is some kind of boundary between worlds or something like that… Please clarify my guesses, lest it turn out to be just hallucinations and I initially just indulge and make excuses for myself… Thank you!
Could you please say what it means, what I see?
Nothing has special significance, therefore the warrior simply chooses some action and performs it. But he acts as if it has significance. His controlled foolishness compels him to say that his actions are very important, and to act accordingly. At the same time, he understands perfectly well that none of this matters. Therefore, ceasing to act, the warrior returns to a state of peace and balance. Whether his action was good or bad – he cares not.
You are right, Shinobi, everything is correctly written by Castaneda. And although the main stimulus should be unceasing internal burning, I agree with KK that sometimes it is necessary to slow down in order to examine oneself, to tighten up, to map out one’s path and create a reference point.
Releasing from whims, I become a mountain stream. My banks are the walls of the vessel that gathers the seeds of wisdom for further sprouting, allowing the rest to flow further. One can open up and absorb the Strength of this stream. The main thing is not to take more than necessary. One can look at the mouth of this flow… It is the Mountain… the Mountain of the Sun. You understand why it has such a name when you see the streams flowing in all directions like rays. You can enter another stream and see who is in it 🙂 I will try to learn to interact with this stream.
I take this for myself. Thank you, Numen with a capital letter.
Yesterday, I was deeply impressed by these words. One phrase resonated particularly strongly with me: “The main thing is not to take more than necessary.” I’m not entirely sure how one can take too much—it simply isn’t meant to be, it won’t fit, and it can’t be carried. It remains closed.
At night, I had a dream: I met Emre-bey (a teacher at a Turkish college). He handed me sheets with interesting information and a template for processing—I need to look at it, use it, take it for myself. I felt happy and grateful. I climbed up the stairs with these sheets—they were very high—up to the sky. At the end, there was a small platform the size of a half-meter square. It was here that I needed to read and sign these papers. I stood on this platform, saw the sky all around me, and… my head was spinning.
The sheets were handed down. It was annoying, but a few steps below were my girls—Uliyana and Verочка. I asked them to go down and bring me the sheets. They agreed. I stood at the top with my eyes closed, thinking that if I imagined standing on the ground, the dizziness would go away. I tried to do that.
With some vision, I saw that there was a man standing behind me, someone I didn’t know. He was on his own ladder. He offered me coffee. We suddenly found ourselves on a solid surface, on the floor. My head was no longer spinning. But the coffee he offered stayed with the stranger, because another young man with light hair approached, not looking into my eyes, and handed me another coffee. I didn’t recognize him, but I knew that this second one was one of ours (perhaps from my work?). His arrival and his coffee signaled to the stranger that there was someone here who could take care of me. I felt a little sorry. I extended my hand—a handshake with the stranger.