Self == Selflessness

From Liber B Vel Magi:

"16. Let the Magus then contemplate each in turn, raising {8} it to the ultimate power of Infinity. Wherein Sorrow is Joy, and Change is Stability, and Selflessness is Self. For the interplay of the parts hath no action upon the whole. And this contemplation shall be performed not by simple meditation --- how much less then by reason! but by the method which shall have been given unto Him in His initiation to the Grade."

According to the Kybalion - all opposites ultimatley resolve - it is called the Law of Polarity:
"Everything is dual; everything has poles; everything has its pair of opposites; like and unlike are the same; opposites are identical in nature, but different in degree; extremes meet; all truths are but half-truths; all paradoxes may be reconciled."

So how is the Selflessness Self?

Mahayana Buddhism teaches at times, that "Selfishness" creates "Selflessness" - that Selfishness and Self meet. The teaching is sublime - but comes to a concept that if we want the best things for ourselves, we must give the best things to others. To gain peace, we must give peace. To have wealth, we must give wealth. To procure love, we must love others. Some might find this not very altruistic - but does it matter? For behaving this way, one melts the self into selflessness.

With this frame of reference, perhaps a key can be constructed to unlock Liber NV:
"9. Let the Aspirant beware of the slightest exercise of his will against another being. Thus, lying is a better posture than sitting or standing, as it opposes less resistance to gravitation. Yet his first duty is to the force nearest and most potent; e.g. he may rise to greet a friend.This is the third practice of Ethics (ccxx. I. 41).
10. Let the Aspirant exercise his will without the least consideration for any other being. This direction cannot be understood, much less accomplished, until the previous practice has been perfected.This is the fourth practice of Ethics (ccxx. I. 42, 43, 44). "

It seems to me at first glance, to opposites here... to beware of the slightest exercise of one's will against another... Then in the next verse, to exercise one's will without the least consideration for any other being. The clue here is the end of verse 10, that this can't be understood or acomplished until the previous practice has been perfected.

If I were to perfect being aware of the slightest exercise of my will against another - I would perfect my behavior to such a degree to work to my best return. Selfless, as it were. Once perfected, my true will could be established without the consideration of any other being. But if I were to attempt to exercise my will first (without consideration of any other being), I would become unbalanced - egotistic, hostile perhaps. But with the first part, my will would guide my love.

Verse 3, from The Spiritual Guide

Lately there's been various bad news going around.

I thought this might cheer some up. It's from The Spiritual Guide by Molinos. The following quote is from Chapter I, verse 3:

"Be constant, and cheer up thine heart in whatsoever disquiet these tributlations may cause to thee. Enter within it, that thou may overcome it; for therein is the Divine Fortress, which defends, protects and fights for thee. If a man hath a safe Fortress, he is not disquieted, though his enemies pursue him; because, by retreating within it, these are disappointed and overcome. The strong Castle, that will make thee triumph over all thine enemies, visible and invisible, and over all their snares and tribulations, is within thine own Soul, because in it resides the Divine Aid and Sovereign Succour. Retreat within it and all will be quiet, secure, peaceable and calm."

An excerpt from Liber PORTA LVCIS

An excerpt from Liber PORTA LVCIS:

"19. To you who yet wander in the Court of the Profane we cannot yet reveal all; but you will easily understand that the religions of the world are but symbols and veils of the Absolute Truth. So also are the philosophies. To the adept, seeing all these things from above, there seems nothing to choose between Buddha and Mohammed, between Atheism and Theism.

20. The many change and pass; the one remains. Even as wood and coal and iron burn up together in one great flame, if only that furnace be of transcendent heat; so in the alembic of this spiritual alchemy, if only the zelator blow sufficiently upon his furnace all the systems of earth are consumed in the One Knowledge.

21. Nevertheless, as a fire cannot be started with iron alone, in the beginning one system may be suited for one seeker, another for another."

This rings true for me. Although I could see how some might take offense to it. I first got this idea, when after years and years of growing up in the home of a minister... one day, well into my adulthood, I walked from Christianity and stood in a Buddhist Temple. I felt there, the same peace, I had sometimes felt in the Christian surroundings at church. In that moment I came to believe that perhaps all religions are linking back to the same source.

Liber Librae verse 6

I was re-reading Liber Librae from Equinox Vol. 1 Nos 1

Another verse has caught my attention:
"6. Be not hasty to condemn others; how knowest thou that in their place, thou couldest have resisted the temptation? And even were it so, why shouldst thou despise one who is weaker than thyself?"

It reminds me of the Mahayana Buddhist practice of exchanging self with others. A practice that Master Shantideva goes into great commentary on.

In fact Crowley's writing style here reminds me of Shantideva - it's similar here with giving alternatives, and then answering each one in turn.

Here we have two possibilities: a) don't condemn others because you don't know if you'd fail at the same situation and b) if you wouldn't fail, don't condemn another who is weaker then you.

It's not just good advice, but it's very important to my life. I find often, various people that I become frustrated with. I shouldn't. I should realize that what has frustrated me is their lack of strength in a situation... and i dont know if I would succeed or fail, if the same situation presented itself to me.

Pour Breathing: Elemental Forces

There's this wonderful thing, when we find that someone who came before us, of vastly more experience, teaches something we already came into knowledge of. It validates our work. In my case, it was the drawing in of elemental energy into my physical form - and then expelling it out, for magical purpose.

Awhile back, I created a magical servitor to protect my house. It came about out of necessity, which I won't get into here. But none the less it was created and required a fuel, a vital life force for it's power into the physical world. This is covered in many great books on the matter (ie. this one is a modern approach, which works well.) At any rate, the purpose of this post, isn't to get into the details of how I or others create magical servitors. But rather, to talk about something Bardon discusses and how I found I was already doing it.

When I created the servitor, I called it from a specific elemental force.

But such a creation needs vital force to survive, to accomplish it's usefulness, and so forth. My method for "feeding" the servitor - is to draw in the elemental force used in it's creation - via what Franz Bardon (and possibly others) call Pore Breathing of Elemental Energy.

Bardon teaches a method in Step III of Initiation Into Hermetics. I just moved into Step III this past weekend. As I began to read it, I was happy to see he taught something I was already doing. Pore Breathing of elemental energy.

It's a method of drawing in energy, by the breath, but through the entire body. As though the body itself is a lung, taking in this elemental force.

I won't go into methodology here, but suffice to say, what he teaches in Step III, is oddly close to what I'm doing. The only twist to my work, is that I tie almost all my magical work into Enochian magic. My only addition is opening a gateway through to an Enochian realm of an element I desire. I "breathe" the element in via pore breathing. Once gained, I expel it to the servitor.

Of course "expelling it to the servitor" is more then just breathing it out. There's a variety of other things that were done in the creation of the servitor that are then repeated at this point, to connect to it - and then the energy is expelled on the out breaths to the magical creature.

It was quite encouraging to see that my methodology was taught by a far greater magician, quite some time ago. How I came to the same conceptual method... I'm not sure. It may have been instructions from Enochians I work with on a regular basis. Or it could have been pure inspiration.

Raja Yoga Passage (Sun Energy and Body Limitations)

I found this passage from Raja Yoga (by Vivekananda) quite interesting:

"....Physiologically, the eating of food means assimilation of energy from the sun. The energy first enters the plant, the plant is eaten by an animal, and the animal by a man. This means, in the language of science, that we take an amount of energy from the sun and make it part of ourselves. If that be so, why should there be only one way of assimilating energy? The plant's way is not the same as ours; the earth's process of assimilating energy differs from our own. But all assimilate energy in some way or other. The yogis contend that they are able to assimilate energy by the power of the mind alone, that they can draw in as much of it as they desire without recourse to the ordinary methods. As a spider makes its web out of its own substance, and becomes bound by it, and cannot go anywhere except along the lines of that web, so we have projected out of the material of our bodies this network called the nerves, and now we cannot work except through the channels of those nerves. The yogis say that we need not be bound by them."

I suppose what I find fascinating is Vivekananda's reference to beings feeding from the Sun. The second aspect I find interesting, is Vivekananda's idea on the body being an artificial barrier of the self.

From my Mahayana past, I came to terms that the body is not the self. This, in agreement, makes an interesting analogy that the body is to a person's self as a web is to the spider. But to recognize the body as the self, limits the person. For we are not bound by the body, and should seek to understand that.

My moving outside the body - one realizes the spiritual nature of life. That it isnt only mundane shells and meat bodies. It is here, outside the shell, that the true self can be realized.

Regarding the Sun, it's an interesting and perhaps auspicious reference to the modern occultist. To some, it might be a reference to the Qabbalistic concept of Tipheret. To others, it might be more linked to the Square of the Sun - whose numbers sum to an interesting number that is often feared, or reveared.

Is it coincidence that the Thelemic reference to "93" also correspondes to 93 million miles from the Earth to the Sun? Or is that evidence of a truth?

How important is the Sun to the occultist of today? If important, then the passage above would indicate methods of drinking the energy of the Sun, that are non corpreal in nature.

Crowley on Correspondences

In Magic Without Tears, page 34 (Chapter IV): Crowley answers a letter of a student on the topic of the correspondences of the Qabbalah.

"("How many sets of attributions?"—Well, certainly, the Hebrew and Greek Alphabets
with the names and numbers of each letter, and its mean- ing: a couple of lists of Godnames,
with a clear idea of the character, qualities, functions, and importance of each; the
"King-scale" of colour, all the Tarot attributions, of course; then animals, plants, drugs,
per- fumes, a list or two of archangels, angels, intelligences and spirits—that ought to be
enough for a start.)
Now you are armed!"

Further, on the next page, Crowley goes on:
"You must construct your own Qabalah!
Nobody can do it for you. What is your own true Number? You must find it and prove it
to be correct. In the course of a few years, you should have built yourself a Palace of
Ineffable Glory, a Garden of Indescribable Delight. Nor Time nor Fate can tame those
tranquil towers, those Minarets of Music, or fade one blossom in those avenues of
Perfume!"

I really connect with this idea.

When I first entered the worlds of occult orders - I came to a Golden Dawn society (based on the orriginal HOGD), but referred to as EOGD. There they presented a wonderous work of study - but it wasn't to be deviated. It wasn't to be changed.

Later, in my own personal studies, I came across a personal mentor for a time (Athena of www.enochian.org) who relayed the importance of making our own correspondences. Crowley starts the student off on a set of known correspondences - but then seems to suggest at some ponit the student will need to discover themselves - via their own set of correspondences. Their Own Qabbalah as it were.

This has been my own personal belief and I enjoy seeing it reflected more elequent then I could possibly state it.

As to why one would even attempt to write their own Qabbalah, Crowley posits:
"why should you do all over again the work that I have already done for you? Reason: simple.
Doing it will teach you Qabalah as nothing else could. Besides, you won't be all cluttered
up with words that mean nothing to you;"

Beyond that, I personally believe that magick speaks to us differently - each to his own. Your perception of the world is different then mine. This is how one man can attribute Fire in the East, and another Fire to the South - and both get results of equal merrit. But if one attributes Fire to the South - when their own inner machinery will's it to the East - the result isn't as strong. To sum: To find and obey the Will of one's self in regards to magick correspondences will be most effective as it deals with your machinery to the core.

What's all this Bickering and Arguing?

In the spiritualist communities it seems this is the norm.

Perhaps it's not indicative of spiritualism, but rather the Internet as a whole...

I came to a conlusion in the last year, that I wont get involved in pointless bickering and arguing. I'm not talking about discussion, where you might present an idea in opposition - to gain some insight or to provide insight... rather I'm talking about the pointless arguing going on throughout the mystical/magickal/spiritual societies and communities.

While I've tried to express my feelings on the matter, I think I might not be clear enough. Recently, while reading Raja Yoga (one of the books of required reading for student of the A.'.A.'. - but you needant be following Thelema to appreciate the wisdom of the book), I came across these quotes:

From Raja Yoga (by Vivekananda) page 144 (the chapter on Concentration):
"Do not answer any argument but go away calmly, because arguments only distrub the mind. The only use of argument is to train the intellect. When that is accomplished, what is the use of disturbing it further?"

Vivekananda's commentary is to say - sure it's fine to discuss something... maybe argue a concept to learn from it. But when that is accomplished (no more learning) why disturb the mind further? So when does it become accomplished? When a person you are arguing with, or perhaps yourself, no longer ads anything to the dialogue. When the same principals are repeated over and over. Another sign, is when you or your partner in the discussion begins to ignore your words - perhaps even misrepresenting ideas, in order to "best" or "win."

Further on the next page Vivekananda states, "Every argument throws his mind out of balance, creates a disturbance in the chitta; and a disturbance is a drawback. Argumentation and reasoning are only preliminary stages; there are things beyond them. The whole of life is not for schoolboy fights and debating societies."

I love that passage. Here the commentary is we grow through learning stages... first by arguing.. and then later we learn by going beyond the intellect. I love the passage about debating societies.

Perhaps this is the best advice (taken from page 144): "Do not argue, he says; if anyone forces arguments upon you, be silent."

I've recently put that into practice. In deed arguments distrub the mind. I began to see my mind becoming vexed with arguments last year. Once the argument is put out there, especially on the internet, part of our mind is on that argument. Ever thinking and pondering what others are saying. How to respond.

For me I've determined it's best to remain silent... or if possible, very humble in the posting... so humble that no evil intent will respond back to the post. This is especially true when the other person you are discussing with is inconsiderate, cocky, disrespectful, or modifying your statements to suit their argument. Such a one, will only take your mind off your work - causing disruption.