The Solidity of Barriers
For any Magus, choosing a direction on the path is the most important task.
At the same time, very often — both at the beginning of the Way and after its sharp turns — the problem of deciding where to go next can seem difficult to resolve.
Where to go? This question confronts all Magi fairly regularly. Many approach it ineffectively, not fully grasping the nature of the situation.
In such moments of choice it seems that the Magus is surrounded on all sides by a seemingly insurmountable wall, and finding a way through it appears impossible.
To solve this problem, let us once again recall how the Magical myth describes the disposition of forces in the cosmic process.
The cosmos is considered to have arisen in order to realize potentials (the Absolute, Monads) — to bring them into actuality, thereby enabling self-knowledge.
This means that the Magical myth does not regard the cosmos in its manifest reality as accidental or hostile, but describes it as an infinite field of potentials.
At the same time, the process of actualization, or namely, the emergence of concrete blocks of energy — worlds and objects — proved possible only in the presence of a difference in potentials — the duality of giver and taker: the flow of force can occur only from one point to another; one point must give and the other must receive. Thus arose the principle of predation, which later became a key characteristic of a cosmos divided into predators and their victims, while the victims of some predators usually act as predators toward other beings.
Traditionally this course of the cosmos’s development is called its «fall», although it is evident that it was a direct consequence of the very idea of actualizing the unmanifested.
However, the Magical myth also insists that behind the scene of universal devouring there stands the original drive for development, which became the driving force of the cosmic process — Epinoia. Moreover, despite being hidden, this striving is more fundamental than consumption; therefore, in fact, the world thus continues to evolve.
But how does this relate to the choice of the Way? Quite simply. Two groups of forces act on a Magus’s mind who is in a state of development: on the one hand, predators feeding on him hinder accumulation of Power and awareness, since that threatens them with losing control over their prey. On the other hand, Epinoia, the Benevolent Providence creates a potential field that allows self-development.
That is, the wall surrounding the Magus in the process of movement, and especially at the points of choice, has varied natures.
In some directions this wall blocks movement because it is not conducive to development of mind and will only lead to their dispersal.
That is, some obstacles are created by the being’s own nature in order to ensure its proper sequential development.
But from this it is obvious that in other directions there should be no wall — there should be an open Way — Orlög. In other words, the idea of Orlög itself arises from the notion that some possibilities available to a being are open and useful, while others are useless and meaningless. Then «One’s Own Way» – this is precisely the set of options open and useful for the evolution of a given being.
But here the predators come into play. They make every effort to “mask” these exits from the dead end. Lacking the power to create genuine barriers, they cunningly cause the being to stall, to fail to find a way out, and to lose power. One can say that the wall surrounding the being is brick in some places and paper in others, but carefully disguised to look like brick.
Thus, the search for the Way reduces to answering a simple question — which of the obstacles facing the Magus are inherent to his path, and which are created by predators and parasites. The answer to this question is also very simple — those obstacles whose overcoming requires one to go against one’s nature are the «real» obstacles, while those whose overcoming requires only the removal of an illusion are created by predators.
Therefore, in fact the search for a way out is the search for the “weak spots” of the Magus’s current state and the destructive forces hiding the exits there. It is precisely this action that is called the Hunt for Power.
…trying to break through the barriers of the “system” I felt the hardness of the wall… only desperate heads can break through it… and those who try to break free from its nets only get further ensnared in it…
I found a way out for myself… I changed my perspective, looked not at the system but at myself… who am I in it? What am I doing with it? Everything changed… and now it is I who am the bone in its throat and not vice versa… it is I who am the splinter under its nail… and the thorn in its backside )) haha)) now it will not be able to break free from my hands ))… now I hold its throat in my right hand )) and the system is subdued… I am free from it… nothing is impossible for the traveler seeking glory in the subtle worlds for many timeless eras )) and not on sinful planets… ))
What is wrong with me, Enmerkar?
It’s nothing, it will pass 🙂
Eugeny, if you found a way out, then why are you asking what’s wrong with you?
If I were a predator, behind the paper wall I would additionally hide another labyrinth, just to have a complete trap…. just like a feast for the whole world)
It seems to me that not everything is that simple. It is initially difficult to say which of the barriers are those for overcoming which one needs to force nature, and which need only to be dismantled the illusion. Since initially a person is squeezed within some description, some Personal History, some images of their Ego. And they look at themselves and the World in accordance with these descriptions. As Crowley wrote about the danger of Ceremonial Magic, that a person begins to call upon what they already have in abundance – as a result, distortion and hypertrophy towards something singular. In this regard, it would be correct to work out what causes clear rejection from the point of view of the Ego (roughly speaking, if you love blondes – get yourself a mistress who is a black woman 🙂 ) Therefore, determining what nature itself places barriers requires going beyond their self-description. Otherwise, when viewing the situation from the perspective of an hypertrophied image of their Ego, formed by a Personal history, it would turn out that the person, by their true nature has a tendency towards Shamanism, but begins to engage, for example, in Enochianism. And then they are surprised why it is, from their perspective, they should have passed through all the Ethers from the Thirtieth to the First, yet they haven’t even learned to open the Watchtowers by now. And precisely because they are caught up, they formed a hypertrophied image of their Ego – “Mage practicing Enochianism”, which they are trying in every way to realize, although this image does not correspond to their true nature at all. And thus, it turns out that a person ended up with a substitution of a different kind. They did not take the paper wall for a brick wall but rather accepted the brick wall as a paper one and are trying to break through it with their forehead. And they are surprised why their head hurts while the brick won’t budge. And someone, for instance, may well be ready and feel inspired by the Magic of the Golden Dawn, for example, and be predisposed to it. But at the same time, they are constantly stuck in place, precisely due to their innate laziness; they find it burdensome to carry out the cumbersome rituals of the Golden Dawn (the mere consecration of the Tools is something). And because of their laziness, they start looking for ways to circumvent these difficulties, searching for simpler directions. And then, again, they are surprised why things aren’t advancing.
I didn’t quite understand what all this was written for? “He did not take the paper wall for a brick one, but on the contrary, he took the brick wall for a paper one, and is trying to break through it with his forehead.” Indeed, that was what was stated in the topic.
The topic mentioned that destructors strive to present the paper wall as a brick one. I said that the opposite variant is also possible. And as for what this is all written for – see the beginning of the reasoning – to show that it is not so simple to separate that which the path is closed by nature from that which the destructors seek to close the path to.
On one hand, indeed, it’s not simple at all. And the danger of accepting “the brick wall as a paper one” also exists. But “difficult” does not mean impossible. And correct differentiation has always been the most important activity of magicians. Now regarding “blondes and brunettes” – I fundamentally disagree. If a person is really inspired and has the Power in the Magic of the Golden Dawn, then they must engage in precisely that, rather than hoping to “supplement what is missing” in other paths. And if “natural laziness” hinders them – then they are a poor mage, and their fate is defeat. Versatility is, of course, a good quality, but only up to a certain limit, after which it turns into superficiality. And if “a person has a true nature inclined towards Shamanism but begins to engage, for example, in Enochianism” the problem specifically lies in the fact that they haven’t found their way out, but have engaged in what “was at hand”. This is a very common approach – to be satisfied with little and not strive for the clouds. But common does not mean effective. A person who has a tendency towards shamanism is called by Power into shamanism, and not into Enochianism. And if they confuse the call of Power with the voice of predators – this is very bad. Magic is not for the weak and deaf. Magic is the Path of the strong, the sighted, and the attentive.
“…And the answer to this question is also very simple – those obstacles for overcoming which one must violate their own nature are the ‘real’ obstacles…”
“…to violate one’s nature…” What does this mean?
Thank you, I understand.