Concerning Personal Power and MysticismPersonal power, is that which empowers the will, particularly to be in accord with its nature. Personal power is that which is exuded by the liberated will as conscious becomes its own guide.
As nature is the logos, from which awareness of Deus and all gods arise; be forewarned that all the spiritual practices strictly forbidden by the false teacher as sinful, are the ones that are said to bring personal power. They instruct their sheep in the fear of responsibility, offloading it, and therefore the power given alongside it. They speak of many dangers regarding the occult, and indeed it is often a dangerous art; yet understand that their purpose is not to illuminate those who yield to them.
Thus their flock does not inflame themselves with prayer as the Magician does. For they have handed over the disciplines of the spirit. Anything mustered is quickly dissipated by the spirit of self-defeat. More gravely still they have given up the work which is the direct communion with Deus. They are robbed of their direct connect with god and subject onto the egregore of the oppressor.
At times you may find those whom undeservedly direct at you malevolent intent or perhaps even go so far as to pray that the wrath of their god be upon thee. Be steadfast in your path, unmoved by the storms of bigotry and fear for their rites shall be ineffective, no harm befalling thee. This is not in dismissal of their gods or traditions nor of their potential prowess for their devotion is to the same power; rather it is to the ignorance they enshroud themselves thereby effectively cutting themselves off from the flow and equilibrium of divinity by the entrapment of their own psyche. As such they are not disciplined, being moved by fear, their aim is off for they are not steadfast enough in their discipline to perform the high art; being without the power of their true will. For though their numbers are often great they know not the transcendental art nor have they mastered the mind as to effectively direct it in conformity with their will. Though They may raise energy in their prayers, chants, vigils and other proclamations it is unrefined and quickly dissipated, the remainder given up to a creator deity that wills into motion a beatitude of diversification. Therefore, be unwavering in your devotion and if anything, tempered in your resolve for they sit not in the seat of co-creator. What volition they have of themselves is residual, for having given away the birthright of their fire they are as mere thought-forms being only as threatening as the most troubling of daemons.. Strive on doing your work.
Magickaly it is a literal power which allows us to perform our works. However that power comes from initiation. Coming into ones true being is to come into ones power. Therefore the power can not be coveted. Dabbling, it quickly dissipates leaving it's wielder burned. Rites of passage are rites of power. The more we experience who we are the harder it is for us to be manipulated by others, and the greater range of operation we have. In all things be Thrice-Great.
For whatever spiritual power a practitioner has it is directly proportional to the knowledge of self. Knowledge is power. Understanding is knowing the nature of that power and wisdom is the virtuous use thereof. One can read every book on magick out there or be handed any foundation yet if they do not know their-self they are powerless to use much if any of it.
It is only by the self which we should measure ourselves. The only thing we are competing against is the self, comparing yourself to others robs you of personal power. Granted, as a pantheist who sees inherent divinity; everything is the self. However, when living as waking, be the waking.
γνῶθι σεαυτόν "Know Thyself"; μηδέν άγαν "Nothing in Excess"; Ἑγγύα πάρα δ'ἄτη "Make a pledge and mischief is nigh; E(psilon) 5, Mediation - Oracle at Delphi
Let it be revealed here that it is the Oracle that maketh the mystic. A mystic is no more nor no-less than one who has become the magick itself. They have internalized providence in so far as it has been revealed regarding their world-view. They have become the Arcanum from which they have worked. The word coming from the French mistique, meaning "Full of mystery" which in turn comes from the Latin mysticus meaning "*of* secret rites" and further back to the Greek mystikos which means "connected with the mysteries" and "secret, hidden". It is realated to the word mystes meaning "One who has been initiated" and "One who has received power". A mystic is someone who has mastered the art of initiation, and sees all experiences as such; in that they are the living embodiment of mystery, anointed, and bring unto themselves constant revelation. The entities they have encountered so deeply, are of them and just as a watcher can manifest as any entity of it's governing world or offices, so to can a mystic align to the agencies, perceptions and ego of those entities which s/he has been in covenant with. Instead of asking a familiar spirit to affect causation, a mystic can act as the spirit through established relationship not unlike a pact. However, it is much more notable to their craft that a mystic takes on the identity of some other entity as to experience its mysteries for every conscious being is a mystery.
In this regard a mystic is not unlike a shapeshifter. For this reason journey work, vision quests, berserking, lycanthropy, mind-melding and invocations are all considered mystical works. As the focus is on the manipulation and transformation of the self and its identity mysticism can certainly be conflated with theurgy, though theurgy infers divine communion as well. While Theurgy however is temporal in that it is passing and formally dedicated while mysticism is often practiced as a constant state of mind. Because it can rightfully be called the art of initiation mysticism is directly related to the receiving and building up of personal power. It also teaches in the proper application of that power to achieve the Great Work.
The grade of Adeptus Major 6=5 is the transition from a largely magickal to largely mystical praxis in that once the practitioner has reached the grade of Adeptus Exemptus 7=4, they are expected to have full control over the agencies of their personal self-egregore and of all forces below the abyss. They are to have self-mastery of their life, manifesting their true will though the agencies of Yetzirah, being fulfilled in Assiah. At such time one is an appropriate vessel to maintain and become L.V.X. During which they should do the work of the Portal Grade to further build up their vessel and receive instruction on the great crossing. The Portal/Orcale will guide their mysticism toward the melding with and experience of the Supernal Light. Then and only then will they truly come to know Mystery - Dryghten.
To be a mystic is to put more value in your own revelation of experience than second-hand doctrine; to know more about the self and therefore everything else by experiencing different positions, roles and states of being. Prior, and of all, to be a mystic is to be a priest or priestess, not simply a congregant. Once this has hit critical mass one shall find themselves a Magus. None can attain mysticism without first accepting this vocation. You direct your own unfolding spirituality instead of following a Shepard. If you do follow a Shepard it is to see where s/he takes you, for your own experience and growth, not for obedience, and you leave when you have learned all that you can from that experience.
Mystics might have a foundation that is of a particular religion but beyond that they don't ascribe to just following one way. They seek the wisdom of all paths. Forget never that religare, relationship, is the foundation of the work. Through covenant does mediation begin and the matter of the work resolved, that ye are none but relationship.
The statements "I want to know who I am" and "I need to take in all that is me, because only when those things are fulfilled will my needs be met" are the same. The only difference is that the first is of desire and wanting, and informs the self that it is lacking. It struggles with the identity of "I". The latter recognizes the self as a community of needs and informs the self of what it needs to do. However it is better to say "I have taken in" and to say it willfully with love for it welcomes the beloved to dwell within, opening and stirring evermore to open the self up to everything that is reflected within it, which is providence
Thus it is not that one should be any one thing but is one thing in meditation. But do not speak of it as one, but none for it art continuous and boundless. Only definable as mystery as it is not itself defined. The wise know nothing for nothing is certain as all things are ever becoming; wise are those who know they know nothing. Those who are one with the changing seasons are one with change; eternal.
The wise are fools. and their number is 0; for they cannot be defined in quanta.
Yet is the Magician the defining; The fool must be tempered by the Magicians Nous.
This is the Path, and the path-working. 0=2 11=10
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