Power, Will, and Energy

As we have already discussed more than once, the Myth we are considering uses two concepts — measures of interaction between beings and the environment — Power and energy. Let us recall that the Myth calls Power the ability to realize one’s will, and energy the ability to act. At the same time, in order to avoid confusion in terminology and to sort out in which contexts one can speak of Power and which refer to energy, it is necessary to understand the difference between action and realization.

Let us recall that a similar distinction can be seen in the physical meanings of these terms: in physics, force is a vector quantity, while energy is scalar; that is, force describes not only the interaction between bodies but also its direction, whereas energy speaks only of the capacity to do work. In other words, one can say that force pertains to processes, while energy is a kind of resource.

We also discussed that the Hermetic myth calls the guiding, ‘vector’ component of Power — will. In turn, by “will” the Myth understands an aware desire, a desire that is in the process of being realized. Thus, realization can be understood as a volitional process aimed at fulfilling a desire, situated within the lawful chain of actualizing a being’s potential.

Thus, one can say that by “Power” is meant the total ability of a system to act with direction, while it is energy that gives it the capacity to act, and will that provides direction.

And this concerns not only terminological subtleties; the question concerns the practical foundations of generating, using, and interacting with each of the mentioned categories.

The first such point is the question of their sources. We have already mentioned more than once that in the Myth’s terms, Power is induced, will is developed, and energy is acquired. In other words, Power is the system’s inner foundation, will is its ability to manifest externally, and energy is the resource for that manifestation. Accordingly, neither strong will nor an abundance of energy taken separately guarantees success — that is, effective and evolutionarily directed — realization; and even combined, an integrating factor is required, and that factor is Power.

Accordingly, when speaking about the importance (or even the necessity) of accumulating energy on the Path, one should not forget that without “supervision,” the correct ability to direct and distribute this energy, it may well be dissipated in vain or absorbed by predators. One can say that Power in this sense is a deep understanding (gnosis) of how energy should be applied and directed. And it is precisely such “twofold nature” of Power — as Wisdom and Method — that makes it the cornerstone category of Magic.

This is precisely why many techniques and approaches to accumulating energy, psychophysical practices, and the like do not have significant evolutionary potential: they help accumulate the resource but do not provide the ability to use it correctly.

Magic, on the contrary, has always focused especially on the guiding, vectorial categories — will and Power. It is clear that will cannot be realized without energy, and Power is altogether meaningless without energy; however, the order of development is key. The Magi strive simultaneously and comprehensively to find sources of energy, train the will, and induce Power. In passing, let us recall that if Power is the “automatic” ability to act in accordance with one’s will, then another important ability is Authority — the skill of finding methods suitable for solving a particular task.

Accordingly, in order for actions to be not merely aimless activity but realizations — that is, instruments of cognition, actualization, and liberation of mind — it is not enough to possess energy; even energy and Authority are not enough (that is, knowledge of how to use this energy). Another thing is necessary: Power, the linking foundation between deep needs, the paths, and the possibilities of their fulfillment. And since the main way of attaining Power is the Hunt for it, the path of the magus is a technology of conscious search: the Magus searches consciously, knowing exactly what he seeks.