The Power of Realization

We have already said that the Magical Myth, like many others, uses two terms to describe actualization — creation and formation.

By the first term, the Myth refers to the transfer of being’s potentials into a state open to actualization — the delineation of blocks of energy from their common field, while by the second it means the introduction of those blocks into the field of mind as objects. This process is summarized in the mind’s transition scheme along the chain unknowable — unknown — consciousness.

Accordingly, the transition of the undifferentiated Power of Life into an articulated Power of Consciousness occurs precisely in the process of forming the world (that is, the separation and shaping of individual objects) — whether on the macro level or in the psychocosm (at the stage of bringing the unrecognized into the sphere of consciousness).

Therefore, by ‘mastery of Power’ people usually mean the acquisition and development of the ability to shape existing ideas.

Nevertheless, the human mind, at its highest development, has access not only to formative but also to creative activity. In other words, a person can be not only a demiurge, a craftsman merely shaping preexisting ideas, but a true creator, drawing those ideas out of the unformed depths of the World Medium.

Both processes of actualization are, in fact, realization, since their essence boils down to reducing being’s synthetic unity, and thus to an increase in its degree of reality.

Magical realizations, accordingly, are of two kinds: sometimes a Magus only needs to formalize existing tendencies, “nudge” them toward actualization, and they pour into consciousness in a powerful stream, filling it with the light of consciousness. In other cases one must fish these ideas out of the abysses of pre-being, translate them into a form available for realization, and then the very logic of the world-process compels them to take shape.

Naturally, depending on the point of application, one should choose different strategies of action and apply different forms of Power.

The stage of creation requires a clear understanding of the world situation because every new possibility drawn from potentiality must fit into the overall system; otherwise it will cause internal friction within that system, and therefore destabilize the world and cause Power to leak into the Qliphoth. Moreover, this process demands the most precise application of intent — for the extraction of blocks of energy is more successful the greater their degree of differentiation and separateness. The stage of formation requires less wisdom but greater exertion of Power: translating potentials into the field of consciousness is the most “labor-intensive” process; this is why dense worlds exist.

It is precisely the distinction between these two processes that underlies the division of Magi into the “Outer” and “Inner” orders, and the Trees of Life into “Small” and “Great” faces.

The foregoing does not mean that a Magus capable of creation should disdain formation, nor that a Magus skilled at shaping should not strive for creativity.

However, it is important to understand that by the “Realizational Power” for which so many Magi strive, the Myth means precisely a large-scale, somewhat coarse formative Power, whereas creative possibilities are usually less spectacular but fundamental when applied correctly