The Shading of the Mind: Strategies of the Parasite
As has been mentioned many times, the cornerstone of the Magical myth is the idea that the mind is vulnerable to attacks by numerous predators, among which the most important place belongs to the self-styled king of the Psychocosmos, who whispers coaxingly from the darkness – the Parasite of mind (Lamassu).
As a manifestation of the most ancient predatory intelligence, the Parasite has invented countless methods that make the mind work inefficiently and lose energy (life force, activated by it), which constitutes the predator’s sustenance. Unable to draw power from the Great Stream, the Parasite found a way to take it from sentient beings – for this it slips into the stream of consciousness that translates Meygin into Mattr, and intercepts Meygin at the moment when the mind believes it has already grasped something, has fulfilled its function. It is precisely at this stage that the mind no longer regards the life force as its own; it has expended it – and so readily gives it to the Parasite instead of turning it into awareness. It is clear that in order to perform such a trick, the Lamassu must (more correctly one should say ‘must’ since the word Lamassu is grammatically feminine, but for consistency with the term “Parasite” we will use the masculine, although this is somewhat inaccurate) “convince” the mind of the correctness of its actions, that it is doing what it should – becoming aware – while in fact preventing it from completing the process of awareness, from incorporating a new element into itself.
Because Lamassu is a manifestation of pure attractivity, it can dwell only in the shadows.
The power of attention, which creates the world as it is perceived by the mind, is a manifestation of expansiveness, and, when directed at the Parasite, inevitably imparts expansiveness to it too, thus depriving it of the absolutely–predatory quality that forms the Lamassu. In other words, the Lamassu is an absolute predator only when the attention – attention itself – is not directed at it.
This means that in order to feed freely on the power generated by the mind, the Parasite must remain unnoticed.
Hence the Parasite’s efforts aim not merely to make the mind “waste” energy and work inefficiently, but simultaneously to remain unseen. That is possible only when the mind rarely turns its attention inward to the Psychocosmos.
As usual, the most effective way to achieve this result proved to be a slight alteration of the mind’s natural properties.
For a mind situated in the Great Stream, due to the duality of the Stream itself, there are two main possibilities for its expansion. One possibility is tied to active doing, the second to maximal receptivity. In the first case, the mind incorporates an element into itself; in the second it tunes into the element. Accordingly, for every sentient being, its Monad in a given incarnation chooses one of these Ways – the Way of the Warrior or the Way of the Contemplative. The whole question about the binary of these Ways is important but goes beyond the scope of the present discussion, so let us note only that a being is born with a tendency toward either action or perception, and the correct choice of the corresponding Way is the key moment in its development, the guarantee of its impeccability.
Lamassu knows perfectly well the specifics of each of the Ways, and uses those specifics to its own advantage.
For a person born a contemplative, the Parasite has chosen a method of distraction by creating dependence on external stimuli. Lamassu trains such a person to be focused on external phenomena, conditioning the mind to respond only to obvious stimuli. In the absence of external stimuli, or when the mind is indifferent to them, the Parasite forces the contemplative mind to shift into Dreaming. Thus the mind loses the ability to reflect on itself: it is always directed either at external phenomena or at a virtual reality. People inclined to the Way of the contemplative, and enslaved by Lamassu, are extremely dependent on the external world, and when bored or uninterested, they quickly fall asleep.
For a person born a warrior, the Parasite has chosen a method of diverting attention by creating a dependence on action. Lamassu raises such a person to be a restless doer, fixated on frenetic activity, with no time to stop, look back, and look inward. The passion for activity becomes a narcotic that distracts the mind and creates the illusion of movement.
Magi who seek to minimize Lamassu’s influence on the Psychocosmos have developed numerous strategies aimed at detecting and banishing the Parasite of the mind. Moreover, for each type of mental expansion these approaches are distinct.
At the same time, the initial, key moment that allows contemplatives to take the first steps is the cultivation of Inner Silence, since it is precisely the constant inner noise, which stimulates the mind, that distracts them from detecting the Parasite. For warriors, the key moment is the shift from work to play – from goal-oriented activity to actions for their own sake, because it is the perpetual “striving for a goal” that distracts them from detecting the Parasite.
This does not mean that contemplatives should not play or that warriors should not aspire to Silence; it only indicates the order of actions aimed at regaining authority in the Psychocosmos.
A specific question: you call the consciousness parasite Lamassu, although the internet attributes this name to a deity of a different kind. Accordingly, a general question: where do the names of entities come from? For example, take Lamassu. In your tradition, this name refers to the consciousness parasite, but the Sumerians viewed it differently and for them it was the name of a benevolent spirit, or were they mistaken… Or… In general, where do the names of spirits in different traditions come from?
No, not another. The question of the correspondence of Shed and Lamassu is simply somewhat misunderstood. Shed is the designation of the human himself, while Lamassu is the parasite. The Sumerians simply considered these two forces equivalent, since both possess the soul. As for names – there can be different types, some can be arbitrary, some constructed based on sound, numerical or other correspondences, and some can be ‘true,’ reflecting the nature of the Force.
How to know your ‘true’ name? How to know if you are a warrior or a contemplator if both seem to be the same?
The Search for the Name is one of the most important magical quests. It is sought either in the depths of dream or in the depths of Psychocosmos, or in the surrounding world. And regarding the Path – the components are never exactly equal – they balance each other, and if they were exactly equal – movement would be impossible. Therefore, one of the directions always predominates.
The fact that besides the Path of the Warrior, there is also the Path of the Contemplator is a very important discovery for me. And if there are writings about the Path of the Warrior, for example, by Carlos Castaneda, are there descriptions of the Path of the Contemplator? Where can I read more about it?
Yes, as far as I understand, he also wrote about contemplators. He just divided wayfarers into ‘stalkers’ and ‘dreamers,’ which essentially corresponds to the division into warriors and contemplators.
Enmerkar, could you describe in more detail the strategy for confronting the parasite for contemplators? What does Internal Silence actually mean?
Internal Silence is a state of control over the flow of thoughts and emotions. It is precisely in the internal noise that the parasite hides. And this same internal noise distracts consciousness from reflecting on its depths. For the contemplator, it is important for the focus of attention to be stable, not to waver and not to jump from object to object, but this very stability of contemplation is a consequence of control over the flows of the elements of Psychocosmos.
Tell me, Enmerkar, can the awareness of one’s breathing alongside everyday activities throughout the day serve as a means of achieving inner silence? Tracking oneself (a term from CC) is aimed at realizing the activities of the parasite of consciousness?
The answer to both questions is yes. Monitoring your breath is one of the oldest ways to achieve silence, though it only works as a distraction from the talks of the parasite of consciousness. As for the techniques of CC – I don’t actually know how to comment on others’ Paths, but as far as I understand, his stalking is aimed precisely at finding external influences in the Psychocosmos.
Okay, thank you. Then continuing the conversation: in the process of awareness of breathing during the day, the volume of attention increases, including previously unrecognized elements (breathing, position and physical sensations in the body, etc.). There are also practices for “narrowing attention” – for example, concentration on breathing (while sitting) or on the flame of a candle (trataka). Are there similar practices in the Western tradition, and is it possible to gather energy from the flame of a candle (as a manifestation of an element) during such concentration?
Yes, such approaches exist. Drawing energy from the element is possible for those who are capable of resonating with that element.
To which class of Spirits do they belong: to Elementals or Elementaries?
I know that both classes of Spirits can inhabit a person.
The parasite of consciousness is neither an elemental nor an elementary spirit. Although by its nature it is close to elementals, as it is limited by the ‘element’ of consciousness. Myths say that parasites of consciousness are gods, predators who have chosen the path of absolute predation. Whether this is true or not is unknown, but in the Psychocosmos, they behave like true gods-rulers.
Is the true name the name in the primal language? Or is it something completely different? It is clear that parents give a child a ‘random’ name. Is the true name a word or concept that includes a set of qualities?
The Name of Power is a word or words that relate to individuality over a long time. It can be in any language and of any length, its meaning can be understood or unknown.
I can somehow imagine the search for the true name in the Psychocosmos and in dreams, but in the surrounding world – what could that be? Special attention? Resonance? Special perception?
Special perception? I think it’s more accurate to say attentive perception! There are many factors in the surrounding world that signal and repel! It is necessary to remember one’s history in detail from the beginning to the present day. Which names, which symbols were close? And to piece it all together in one chain… At first, it may seem like confusion, like separate links of one chain, but when you correctly assemble these links, everything becomes simple and clear!
Could you explain what the strategies of including oneself in the element and tuning into the element mean, and what their difference is?
desperado:
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 11:55 AM
Enmerkar, could you describe in more detail the strategy for countering the parasite for observers. What does Inner Silence mean?
Enmerkar:
Saturday, March 27, 2010, 4:06 PM
Inner Silence is a state of control over the flow of thoughts and emotions. It is in the inner noise that the parasite hides. And this same inner noise distracts consciousness from reflecting on its depths. For an observer, it is important that the focus of attention is stable, does not get distracted, and does not jump from object to object, but it is this stability of contemplation that is a consequence of control over the flows of the elements of the Psychocosmos.
I laughed for a long time….at myself))). Absolutely 100%. ‘An obsession with activity becomes a drug, distracting consciousness and creating the illusion of movement.’ – the activity, activity, I slept 3-4 hours a day, striving for the goal. And when the goal is achieved. That’s it, no longer interesting. Emptiness. And then? – A new goal. And again the squirrel harnessing into the wheel))). At some point, it became completely uninteresting to build a career. The higher you climb the career ladder, the more the System squeezes you, like a cog. You belong to yourself less and less, more and more to the System. Accumulating things also becomes uninteresting. Once I realized a childhood dream – I bought two expensive, bulky items. Now they proudly collect dust on the windowsill and demand attention – dusting, etc.)))
Yet, it is also uninteresting to play without a goal. It should be a True Goal – The Dream of a Lifetime. Although understanding it is a big problem. Reality, with a Cheshire cat’s smile, always shoves false goals at you. And also – a big problem is finding an interesting partner, partners for Play. There are so few people in the desert, just zombies.
Laughter is a sign of liberation. You have realized a serious thing. You can consider this a starting point. It will get more interesting from here 🙂 Of course, from shattered illusions it sometimes becomes sad. Knowledge is sorrow. This feeling is similar to when you say goodbye to a deceased acquaintance. It is important here not to elevate this sorrow to an aura, but simply to accept it, understanding that this is only the reverse side. The face side is that liberation leads to strength, development, and discovery of one’s essence.
Although, to be more precise, this sorrow gives off an unpleasant odor. In relation to the human world, yes, one can say: Knowledge is sorrow, while NOT knowing is the strength of liberation.:)
Max Numen, what are you talking about? If it’s about the parasite of consciousness, then no, I haven’t gotten rid of it; just yesterday I lost another battle.
Observer, thank you. The game was worth it. You know, by playing the game ‘Test for Vermin,’ I recalled the words I read recently on one page of Vkontakte that has unfortunately been deleted – Your Person is not the one you CAN BE WITH, Your Person is the one WITHOUT WHOM YOU CANNOT BE, Without whom you are no longer you…
And also, I don’t know why, but I remembered that Odin had a brother Loki, and they seemed to be contemporaries and even, allegedly, Loki had hair of a reddish hue like Odin’s… You know, reading about them, it somehow occurred to me that, in fact, Loki always wanted to be Odin. But why? After all, ALL are EQUALLY IMPORTANT. – A rainworm that crawls out after the rain onto the asphalt to certain death is NO LESS IMPORTANT than I, who also crawled out onto the asphalt after the rain… You know, Observer – By trusting a Person, you hand them a knife which they can plunge into your back at any moment. This ‘test for vermin’ is not only for those WHO TRUST, but also for those WHO ARE TRUSTED… Turning the Wheel is easy, but carrying the burden of responsibility for the deeds, oh how hard it is…
Master! I would also bow when I see you, but you don’t like those bows. You are a Master, even without a certificate… In fact, it was not I who started turning the Wheel))) The Wheel began to spin at the very beginning of the World, when the Absolute, having already realized his indivisible Synthesis, decided to understand himself as a collection of separate particulars. That’s when it began to turn starting from Fehu (and how hard it is to get that!!!)… and through thousands of years on the Third planet from the Sun, a certain Tavita Schauta described her friend – an old mage – an elf or fairy? – I don’t know – or maybe she described herself? – only she was afraid to admit this? from the height of her perfection, often imaginary))). And gray mass is so easy to calculate)))… Eric Berne – “Games People Play” – 10-15 standard behavior clichés. People snap like nuts… But everything is NOT THAT, NOT THAT! – Things have faded, reference points have blurred (We who were born to fly learned to crawl, extinguished and smothered ourselves hopelessly)… The rain filled all the entrances and exits, and the worm climbed onto the asphalt… But then what is THAT? – Something Real, Alive – To burn with a Hot Pure Heart in the midst of a cold and dirty world somehow doesn’t work in my solitary cell overlooking the abyss, chewing my eyes at the computer… One worm has already crawled out)))… Probably because it’s raining… and there’s no way to crawl back… the entrances are closed… And also, poets turn the Wheel with their Truly Live poems:
Confess your love, even if you fear rejection,
Even if you are a hundred percent sure of it.
Say funny words and absurd phrases,
Illuminate the dull ordinariness with a bright flame.
Confess your love, not skimping on words or emotions.
And do not fear to stay, spent, on the shallow.
In life, besides love, there are no other lighthouses, maps, or charts.
Without them, ships will never reach land.
Confess your love to those who you need, dear and close.
(Better to act than to weep for what you could have done but alas, didn’t make it.)
Carry out dreams and, laughing, indulge whims,
And the little Cupid will work his magic on the precision of arrows.
Confess your love, do not attempt to hide it in your heart.
The cold is not frightening if you give warmth.
If your fire managed to warm someone,
You’ll understand someday how fortunate you are in love.
(I don’t know who the author is)
…It’s not true, there’s no Strength in solitude, and there’s no inspiration in it at all, and it looks so sad, the frozen self-portrait stuck in the mirror…
But the boundary between warriors and contemplators in interaction with the Parasite is blurred. After all, there is a possibility when the Parasite leads the warrior away from activity – and the warrior, whose actions are constrained by something external, instead of doing something, begins to spiral thoughts around the topic of “What to do?” And their thinking becomes similar to Roman Kartsev’s monologue about buying crayfish: “Yesterday they were big, but for five…” Let’s say, a person starts to analyze the situation and spends more time on it than is deserved by that situation; secondly, they waste time just futzing around with thoughts in circles. And, eventually, they come to the conclusion that to resolve the situation, they need to perform such-and-such ritual. But for some reason they already lack the strength for the action itself (possibly because just pondering over a cup of coffee and a cigarette has drained their strength for the act). As a result, the problem remains unresolved, and some theory is tossed into their mind under which to fit the situation. And it seems like a solution is found, but there’s no strength left for its implementation. In general, it can spiral into a bad infinity.
Hello Enmerkar. If one of the aforementioned features of distraction is noticed, does this automatically indicate a person’s inclination toward a certain Path, and can this be guided for determining the further strategy? I notice ‘dependence on external stimuli’ and a habit of distraction in myself. Sometimes there are also ‘prophetic dreams’ showing several frames from the future with my participation. However, I usually only remember them when these events are already taking place (like, I saw this in a dream). How can such an inclination be reconciled with what the heart indicates in the direction of the Northern Tradition?
You should only listen to your heart, not any habits, dependencies, etc. Only our heart, the foundation of our being, knows where we need to go to realize our potentials.
Consciousness limits itself, it drives itself into dead ends, and the Parasite only needs to cleverly spur it on, like a mahout makes a huge animal obey their will.