Magic in terms of development, spiritual progress, initiation

[justin]

I apologize wholeheartedly if I have missed any threads on this topic. I didn't see one, and I felt that this is an important topic, and one that I would personally like to understand more about, even as I try to go about it. So I thought that I would open this up as a discussion on this fascinating (to me, at least) subject.

 

[Octavia156]

what would like to know?

Magick IS a system of spiritual development through initiation, there's no better way to describe it in its true form...

 

[Adramelek]

Magick as I understand it is the Art of altering or disrupting the equilibrium of the subjective universe in order to produce a proportionate change in the equilibrium of the objective universe; occuring in lesser and greater degrees in accordance with the Desire and Will of the individual Magickian.

In my view we each have deep within the Naos of the soul (Egyptian Ba) an individual hidden Truth or Truths. This is the province of the Neter Ma'at, and is the essence of our Thelema. In Setian philosophy it is through the exploration and exercise of the Greater Black Magical Principle of Xeper (Egyptian verb) meaning "To Evolve" or "To Become" or "I Am Come Into Being", that one uncovers, cultivates, and ultimately Becomes the embodiment of the truth of his own being. Thus, transforming one's Self into a potent, immortal, deified force of mind and will. This, I think, is the premise of Magick and is the great Work of Initiation and Life.

Setianism is a metaphysical philosophy of Life which seeks to cultivate and advance the life force of the "Black Flame", the very essence and motivating element of spiritual evolution, and its divine origin - the Prince of Darkness.

Xeper em Ma'at.
/Adramelek\

 

[blackout]

I find the darkness actually
to be the most refreshingly invigorating
place of peace I know.

When you close your eyes,
and go deep inside yourSelf,
or sit in the darkness of your room,
or lay down to rest, regenrate and sleep,
do you not find Greatness of Peace residing there?
In the Darkness?

Who attempts to illuminate a room
with the peaceful flicker of dancing candle light
in broad daylight?
You cannot bathe the spirit
in the warm glow of candlelight magic
in the brightness of mid-day,
with curtains drawn wide.

People's notions of Darkness are so strange to me.

People's notions of Peace, are also strange to me.

 

[Erebus]

Magick as I understand it is the Art of altering or disrupting the equilibrium of the subjective universe in order to produce a proportionate change in the equilibrium of the objective universe; occuring in lesser and greater degrees in accordance with the Desire and Will of the individual Magickian.

Couldn't agree more

I find the darkness actually
to be the most refreshingly invigorating
place of peace I know.

Same here. Oddly enough my sleep patterns tend to try and become nocturnal and I have to be careful to ensure that I sleep appropraitely for university etc during the day. Daytime makes me feel clumsy, nervous and fatigued. During the night I feel invigorated, graceful, confident and strong. It's just incredibly annoying that the city dies after 4am.

 

[Adramelek]

I find the darkness actually
to be the most refreshingly invigorating
place of peace I know.

When you close your eyes,
and go deep inside yourSelf,
or sit in the darkness of your room,
or lay down to rest, regenrate and sleep,
do you not find Greatness of Peace residing there?
In the Darkness?

Who attempts to illuminate a room
with the peaceful flicker of dancing candle light
in broad daylight?
You cannot bathe the spirit
in the warm glow of candlelight magic
in the brightness of mid-day,
with curtains drawn wide.

People's notions of Darkness are so strange to me.

People's notions of Peace, are also strange to me.

Great post UV!

In the "Fifth Part of the Word of Set" the Dark Lord says: "I am with you in peace and comfort..."

Sometimes I'll light one black candle and sit before my altar in the peace and silence of the darkness dimly illuminated by a single flame. I seem to immediately gain a Sense of Set which is accompanied by a sensation of peace and tranquility, and I'll simply meditate and contemplate the mysteries of my own being and of the Dark Lord while focusing on the Pentagram of Set which hangs above my altar. Sometimes I'll put on some ambient music in the background or one of the "Chant" cd's

One of my perceptions of Darkness is that it symbolizes the hidden mysteries which reside within the psyche or Soul. It symbolizes the unknown and secret knowledge, the limitless potential of the Self yet to Be. Also, in the BoCFbN Set says "And those who call me the Prince of Darkness do me no dishonor." The word Prince comes from the Latin word Princeps which means First. Set is the First of Our Kind and the First to explore the Mysteries of Being and the Universe. He is the First to experience the Self-Transformative power of Xeper and to Become the Truth of His own Being. Set is also known as the First Principle of psyche centric Awareness.

Xeper em Ma'at.
/Adramelek\

 

[Adramelek]

I would also like to add, that the Realm of Black Magic is a darkling Universe. And with each Mystery that we uncover, with each new understanding a light is shed like a newborn star in the limitless blackness of the Cosmos.

In the Flame of Eternal Darkness!
/Adramelek\

 

[Octavia156]

.

In Setian philosophy it is through the exploration and exercise of the Greater Black Magical Principle of Xeper (Egyptian verb) meaning "To Evolve" or "To Become" or "I Am Come Into Being", that one uncovers, cultivates, and ultimately Becomes the embodiment of the truth of his own being.

Thus, transforming one's Self into a potent, immortal, deified force of mind and will. This, I think, is the premise of Magick and is the great Work of Initiation and Life.

Xeper em Ma'at.
/Adramelek\

This post is amazing!

I didn't quite realise how much Setian philosophy mirrors my own until you posted this.

In its most simplistic terms -Magick is the process of becoming (a) god.

 

[Octavia156]

Magick as I understand it is the Art of altering or disrupting the equilibrium of the subjective universe in order to produce a proportionate change in the equilibrium of the objective universe; occuring in lesser and greater degrees in accordance with the Desire and Will of the individual Magickian.
\

I certainly do not disagree with you here, Magick is the Art of causing change in accordance with ones Will. Though imbalances may manifest in the objective world of the Magicikan, his focus should always be firmly set on attaining and maintaining a perfect equilibrium with the Universe.

 

[Adramelek]

his focus should always be firmly set on attaining and maintaining a perfect equilibrium with the Universe.

I see what your saying. It's sort of like if potchers were to cause the extinction of, say, the dolphin population. Which would cause an embalance in the food chain in oceanic life, which in turn could cause the extinction of other ocean mamals.

Is that a good analegy?

/Adramelek\

 

[Octavia156]

Sort of, you could apply it to the ecosystem of the soul i guess. If you allow one part of your nature to dominate another.. say you let your emotions govern your reason.. poach out all the reason and all you are left with is emotion

In hermetic magick the goal is Union/Yoga - union between the Microcosm (MAN) and the Macrocosm (THE UNIVERSE) Thus, the magician aims to make his microcosm a reflection of the universe.

Hermetic Magicians also appreciate that as humans we are not perfected microcosms (yet) To perfect oneself to become a perfect reflection of the universe we must attain perfect balance of all the natures and powers of ones own being.

In Thelema this is synonomous of attaining one's True Will - we call it attaining, because its not just knowing what your Will is, but it is being perfectly able to Do it. Thus one must attain balance between desire and Will, between Thought and Will, between Action and Will. This is termed Union with one's Holy Guardian Angel, when you are able to work your Will without obstacle, in perfect happiness and mental Silence.

For me its all about Balance! Imbalances occur of course, but they are to be corrected to attain harmony again. Each correction is an indication of progress

Does that make sense? :sarcastic

 

[Adramelek]

In hermetic magick the goal is Union/Yoga - union between the Microcosm (MAN) and the Macrocosm (THE UNIVERSE) Thus, the magician aims to make his microcosm a reflection of the universe.

I see where your coming from on this Octavia, but this is where we differ. As a life long practitioner of LHP philosophy and Magic I hold my psyche to be sacred. I do not seek unification with the Universe/Cosmic Order. As an adherent of a psyche worshipping religion, I embrace and celebrate the psyche or Self as the very essence of Being, seperate and distinct from the Natural Order.

I hold that Magically, man stands apart or seperate from the Natural Order of things. As a Black Magician my Task is not only to create my own inner Universe (microcosm) as a reflection of my Self, but also to collaberate with the Prince of Darkness in remaking the Macrocosmos into an environment that is less antithetical towards Magic.

Sireal explains it very well is his post on the "Point of Interest" thread found on the Left-Hand Path element of the RE Forum. You might want to check it out.

In the Black Flame of Set!
/Adramelek\

 

[Octavia156]

I see where your coming from on this Octavia, but this is where we differ. As a life long practitioner of LHP philosophy and Magic I hold my psyche to be sacred. I do not seek unification with the Universe/Cosmic Order. As an adherent of a psyche worshipping religion, I embrace and celebrate the psyche or Self as the very essence of Being, seperate and distinct from the Natural Order.

I hold that Magically, man stands apart or seperate from the Natural Order of things. As a Black Magician my Task is not only to create my own inner Universe (microcosm) as a reflection of my Self, but also to collaberate with the Prince of Darkness in remaking the Macrocosmos into an environment that is less antithetical towards Magic.

Sireal explains it very well is his post on the "Point of Interest" thread found on the Left-Hand Path element of the RE Forum. You might want to check it out.

In the Black Flame of Set!
/Adramelek\

Yours and Sireal's threads are excellent - thank you, you have certainly illuminated my understanding of LHP.



I've often thought that the LH and RH magical paths must identical (in essence not nature) until he/she enters 'the Abyss'.

Whether your Left or Right, the path of initiation is still one of Magick - self knowledge actualisation and perfection.

As a Thelemite all I ask is that you do your Will and nothing else. True Will is not left, right , up or down - its YOUR path, unique, self-existant and immortal. It does imply a Natural Order... but I kinda think that Order lies over Disorder. You need the Left to balance the right. Just like you have to have messed up stuff happen - such is the nature of existance.


(NB I think Thelema could be quite an effective universal tool in removing opposition to magick - what say you?)

So then for me the left-right-ness only becomes relevant when you enter the Darkness - do you become the darkness or illuminate the darkness?
There is love and there is love, the serpent and the dove, the will to live and the will die.

Still then, sometimes, I wonder if the whole left-right thing is just a blind..perhaps these two paths are identical even after the darkness..

On the surface what you propose is very antithetical to my magickal universe, being a qabalist, nothing is distinct, everything is connected.

I can accept the idea that I am a god - who is capable of changing the macrocosm according to my Will. I can't accept the idea that I am an alien.

The reason I can change the Universe, is because I am the Universe.:drool:

Thanks again for your interesting posts, they give me plenty o food for thought

 

[Adramelek]

Yours and Sireal's threads are excellent - thank you, you have certainly illuminated my understanding of LHP.
[/code]

Good.

As a Thelemite all I ask is that you do your Will and nothing else. True Will is not left, right , up or down - its YOUR path, unique, self-existant and immortal. It does imply a Natural Order... but I kinda think that Order lies over Disorder. You need the Left to balance the right. Just like you have to have messed up stuff happen - such is the nature of existance.

To me Thelema is a LHP Magical concept. It is because I seek to Become the Truth of my own Being (LHP) and not to sublimate my Will to that of some higher power (RHP). To me, the Prince of Darkness or Set is the very embodiment of Self-Order. Set is the ideal role model that I seek to emulate is my quest for Mastery of the Black Flame, that which is the very Essence of the Freedom of Mind and Will.

[code

](NB I think Thelema could be quite an effective universal tool in removing opposition to magick - what say you?)

[/code]

To me all Aeonic Words from Thelema to Indulgence to Xeper, Remanifestation, Xem, Runa are all gifts of knowledge from the Dark One to humanity that help to guide us and illuminate our understanding of the mechanism and process of psyche centric Evolution. To me it was the Prince of Darkness who infused within humanity the non-natural Element of psyche centric Awareness. However, through aeons of evolution this Essence of the Black Flame has become a part of our nature. Hence, humanity has become a successful and ever evolving result in Set's quest to remake the Cosmos into a more Magical environment. Just as when we Work our Magic the results automatically become incorporated into the fabric of the Cosmic Order, thus, making the Universe a bit more Magical.

So then for me the left-right-ness only becomes relevant when you enter the Darkness - do you become the darkness or illuminate the darkness?

As a Black Magician I choose to explore the Darkness, the Mystery of Existence, the Hidden potential of the Self. And with each step of Xeper the Darkness becomes more and more Illuminated. It's like exploring a darkling universe and with each new Xeper and new Understanding a bright new star is born in the black firmament.

Reyn til Runa.
/Adramelek\

 

[blackout]

As a Black Magician I choose to explore the Darkness, the Mystery of Existence, the Hidden potential of the Self. And with each step of Xeper the Darkness become more and more Illuminated. It's like exploring a darkling universe and with each new Xeper and new Understanding a bright new star is born in the black firmament.

Reyn til Runa.
/Adramelek\

You said that SO eloquently Adramelek.

I love this forum.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

For me, life permeates with magic. As Crowley had said, magic is thought affecting the universe, even if it is simply moving your arm.

What attracted me to Neo-paganism is how ritual and magic becomes a mystical experience rather than a stuffy, mechanical rote with no soul (usually, I know there are exceptions, but perhaps the new cultural resurgence of this religious mindset simply hasn't had time to settle and stagnant).

My interest in Eastern Philosophy has made this magical way of thinking into something that doesn't end with a ritual, but occurs in every moment of my existence.

I don't know if this works with the OP, but I felt like MUSEing on this.

 

[Adramelek]

For me, life permeates with magic. As Crowley had said, magic is thought affecting the universe, even if it is simply moving your arm.

Ipsissimus Crowley was right. All Magic begins in the Mind.

 

[Guitar's Cry]

Ipsissimus Crowley was right.

Ipsussimus was the perfect description for someone like Crowley! Many found him rather odd and crazy, but what is insanity but being in an existence outside the shared view? I think the childlike silliness we see in some older folks is a good example of finally realizing something profound about life: something more romantic and artistic than serious.

 

[Adramelek]

Crowley was an Ipsissimus, the Grade higher than Magus as he did Become the Truth of his own Self. He was/is an Actualization of the Word he Uttered - Thelema.

 

[Octavia156]

Good.


To me Thelema is a LHP Magical concept. It is because I seek to Become the Truth of my own Being (LHP) and not to sublimate my Will to that of some higher power (RHP). To me, the Prince of Darkness or Set is the very embodiment of Self-Order. Set is the ideal role model that I seek to emulate is my quest for Mastery of the Black Flame, that which is the very Essence of the Freedom of Mind and Will.

[code
[/code]

To me all Aeonic Words from Thelema to Indulgence to Xeper, Remanifestation, Xem, Runa are all gifts of knowledge from the Dark One to humanity that help to guide us and illuminate our understanding of the mechanism and process of psyche centric Evolution. To me it was the Prince of Darkness who infused within humanity the non-natural Element of psyche centric Awareness. However, through aeons of evolution this Essence of the Black Flame has become a part of our nature. Hence, humanity has become a successful and ever evolving result in Set's quest to remake the Cosmos into a more Magical environment. Just as when we Work our Magic the results automatically become incorporated into the fabric of the Cosmic Order, thus, making the Universe a bit more Magical.



As a Black Magician I choose to explore the Darkness, the Mystery of Existence, the Hidden potential of the Self. And with each step of Xeper the Darkness becomes more and more Illuminated. It's like exploring a darkling universe and with each new Xeper and new Understanding a bright new star is born in the black firmament.

Reyn til Runa.
/Adramelek\

What you describe here, for me embodies the Thelemic concept of the Holy Guardian Angel. The Xeper and the Prince of Darkness in particular. The attainment of 'Self -Order', or knoweldge of Set as you describe sounds very similar to the Thelemic mystical experience of the Knowledge and Conversation of the HGA - the attainment of the True Will.

When the incarnation becomes the full perfected embodiment of its psyche - it is a perfected Star. Brightly illuminating the Darkness and thus "with each new Xeper and new Understanding a bright new star is born in the black firmament"

I think Crowley would have been 100% on the side of the adversary up to this point - he was the Beast after all

HOWEVER:

The grade of Ipssisimus of which you speak - is so far removed from this psycho-centric universe you describe.

In the A.'.A.'. system the Prince of Darkness or the Holy Guardian Angel correspond to the Adept grades. These grades are entirely psyche-centric and seek a perfect evolution of the Xeper throughout incarnations.

Ipssisimus is beyond Adept, it is beyond the Abyss.
Ipssisimus is not a Xeper.

As you admitted, the goal of the Xeper is to explore and illuminte the blackness. As is the goal of the Adept.
To cross the Abyss, the apsirant must let go of the Xeper, he says good bye to the Prince and becomes the Queen.

This is outlined in the LUX:::NOX formular.

The Old Aeon aims for perfection in LUX (The brightest star illuminating the Darkness) The Prince

Crowleys introduced the goal of NOX - that is first to become one with LUX (the HGA, the Xeper, the Adept, The Prince) then once having done so one Wills for union with NOX - the magician becomes the darkness (The Mother, Babalon, Binah, Magister)

Yes, the psyche of the Xeper is separate from the universe - but zoom out...

It is this zooming out that is the Ordeal of the Abyss. When you enter the Ordeal you go one of two ways - you either cling onto your Star for dear life - getting brighter and brighter until you implode into a hole of Darkness.... or you let go of the Star and become the Darkness - at one with the infinite body of Nuit and the totality of existance

In Thelema these are the Left and Right paths. The Left hand Black Brother, cannot let go of his Xeper, he resides in Daath for eternity. The Right hand Master of the Temple lets go of anything pertaining to psyche and attains immortality by becoming the Mother of all the Xepers in existance.

The LH/RH paths Crowley describes in his system are very different from the more mundane notions of LHP/RHP or to the lower level Adversary LHP of which we speak. Up until the Ordeal of the Abyss - Thelema is a LHP system I agree. But when you take Crowley's mystical Thelemic system to its summit... the whole idea of psyche-centricism just gets blown out of the water.

Ipssisimus is the grade pertaining to Union with the Absolute. Perfect Unity, thus negating any concept of Left or Right - of anything dualistic whatsoever.