The Hierarchy of Values of the Magus
Any dynamic system is built on a hierarchical principle: it inevitably contains more and less important components, and the importance of each component is determined by how necessary it is, first, for the system to remain itself, and second, for it to be capable of improvement and development.
We reiterate that hierarchical ordering is necessary for development; the Great Spirit in its own nature and the Pleroma in its completeness are uniform structures — in them there is no movement and no gradation or unevenness. However, as soon as the Absolute unfolds its self-knowledge, it manifests a hierarchical system — the Tree of Life, and so on.
But any particular manifested being, like any particular world, any limited structure, is a system undergoing becoming and actualization, and therefore one of its most important tasks is to construct a system of values, that is, ordering, its cosmization.
As we have already said, this structuring of the mind involves the search and actualization of those components that are formative for it, and determining the hierarchical relations among them, i.e., to clearly establish which of these elements are more basic, primary, and which are more secondary, derivative.
Most destructuring influences on the mind are aimed precisely at disrupting or improperly forming this system of values, when elements more important to the system are pushed to the background while secondary or even false components are put forward. It is clear that such a system is greatly hampered both in its self-maintenance and, even more so, in its development.
Building a system of values is a nontrivial task that consists, first, in isolating in the mind its own characteristics and separating them from those imposed from outside, and second, in establishing how they relate among those characteristics and how they generate one another. In other words, the seeker must first determine which elements in his mind are native to him and which are imposed by external factors. After that, for each of the discovered native elements, one must find its place in the overall system, i.e., to determine its foundational importance, what it depends on and what depends on it.
At the same time such hierarchization must be carried out on all levels and aspects of existence. One must not only determine the overall importance of a given component of the mind; one must prioritize actions by importance — not leave more important tasks “for later”, estimate energy required for each action in accordance with its importance; in short, hierarchical ordering must permeate life in all its aspects.
But if the hierarchization of the essential elements of the mind is built on their overall significance for development, then the ordering of actions and the inclinations to be fulfilled is also based on the degree of their “maturity.” In other words, it is necessary not only to determine which of the arising inclinations are desires (and therefore subject to realization) and which are whims and caprices (and should be overcome), but also to determine each desire’s readiness for fulfillment — its “maturity” — and to realize desires precisely in the order of their maturity. By the “maturity” of a desire is meant the degree to which its realization is necessary for further development, the extent to which fulfilling that desire will genuinely ease further progress and development. Of course, this area is also not without destructive forces, and the efforts of predators and parasites are aimed at causing one to satisfy less important desires and postpone the more important ones, for which there is ultimately insufficient energy.
A high degree of order must permeate the Magus’s entire existence. Order his thoughts and actions, order his environment and mind, and all these components are closely interconnected, so disorder in one spreads disorder to the others.
Nevertheless, this order must not harden into ossification; it must be dynamic, necessary for development, not frozen, not constraining the mind, but, on the contrary, allowing movement and growth. The hierarchy of values, constructed across all levels of the Magus’s existence, must be a guide to action, not an object of admiration; it should be a means, not an end of existence.
Here’s the translation to English:
“I would like to add something about the balance of small and important tasks. Small tasks, including whims, are enticing because they seem like they can be done very quickly and provide immediate satisfaction. However, often there comes a moment when you find yourself chasing after each small task, and you can even get lost in them, while one significant task could solve a hundred small ones if viewed from another perspective.
Large tasks can be daunting due to the need to focus on them and maintain that focus, along with the whirlwind of activity they entail.
One option is to use small tasks and whims to build momentum for tackling bigger ones. However, it’s important to feel the moment when the momentum gained from small tasks is sufficient to transition to larger ones. It’s like shifting gears in a manual transmission; if you rush it, you lose speed, and if you delay, you strain the engine.”
Theo, I think there is no point in categorizing tasks as minor or major. Try to complete the ones you have planned. One condition: the decision made must be carried out without fail. Good luck.
It seems to me that orderliness also depends on the content of the flow. The best lesson is the introduction of false and destructive ideas that the student must deal with. The clarity and substance of dreams increase, in which there is also a process of enhancing concentration. The likelihood of lucid dreaming rises.
All of this will lead to the fact that I (my system) want to become new. I don’t yet know what this is related to. I feel like a child. I am nullifying all desires, emotions, and feelings. It’s as if I have stepped out of the flow and am on the sidelines, needing to create myself. I must see my essence within myself. I need to focus on myself. This is quite difficult. It involves tracking inappropriate situations (thoughts, emotions) and filtering them out. I need to learn to live anew. Only now, the parents are different.
Numen, I have become very curious about your perspective on lucid dreaming. The question is, what do you think their purpose is? I consider them simply a result of accumulated energy, and in my view, they occur on their own, and I somehow learn to navigate them, much like how one learns to walk, in a natural way. I see them as a system for gathering data and even a method of working, which I obviously consider very useful, but I only realized this after experiencing them. It seems you have a different experience and perspective, and I find that very intriguing.
Hello, esteemed Enmerkar. A question has arisen. Some time ago, I stopped “practicing magic” and began following the Path, largely thanks to the insights from your articles. I started to see the first successes and went through some bumps along the way. It became clear to me quite quickly that magic is difficult and extremely dangerous, but it was simply impossible to refuse the call of the Force, just as it is now impossible to turn away from the Path.
Nevertheless, soon a strange “seed of doubt” appeared. It was as if an inner voice was explaining all my successes as nothing more than coincidences, and everything else, roughly speaking, as hallucinations of an inflamed mind. Like a snap of the fingers, my surroundings also began to echo similar sentiments.
What is happening? How can I resist this paradox of self-persuasion regarding the unreality of my successes (even if they are small) on the Path, while fully understanding the reality of what is happening?
It doesn’t matter what the events are related to if they lead to the progress of consciousness – whether they are ‘coincidences’, ‘help from higher powers’, or personal efforts. The main thing is that there is an increase in the realization of consciousness. If the events do not lead to the progress of consciousness, then it does not matter what they are related to either 🙂