tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-76891061908611922542024-03-05T22:17:42.039-06:00Apotheosis"For Gnosis of the Good is holy silence..."Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-82522913277300376202016-04-08T02:00:00.000-05:002016-04-08T02:00:05.683-05:00Flying the Esoterinerd Flag HighToday, I was very honored to be interviewed by Edward Reib and Joe Shantz for the <a href="http://edward-reib.com/vhfraterbt/Episode-55.html" target="_blank">Esoterinerd Podcast</a>! It was a real blast, and it was wonderful to reconnect with them after
so many years. We were able to traverse our collective experiences,
contrast with what we've been doing recently (in some of my writings)
and even discuss some short but salient points in our magical practices
as well. <br />
<br />
I, for one, will be flying my Esoterinerd flag high for a long time to come. Take a listen and I sincerely hope you enjoy!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://edward-reib.com/vhfraterbt/Episode-55.html">http://edward-reib.com/vhfraterbt/Episode-55.html</a><br />
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-7857233743838287802016-01-14T20:08:00.000-06:002016-01-14T20:48:48.115-06:00The First MatterOnce again, the Wheel of the Year has turned, and we find ourselves in the newest Leap Year. Traditionally, the New Year is a time for resolutions and new beginnings. But Mercury is now in retrograde, and as such is in the midst of its three-week do-si-do across the Capricorn-Aquarius cusp. So presently, I would argue that it is a more optimal time for introspection and contemplation, so that you would have well-crafted plans to launch around the time the Sun moves into Aquarius.<br />
<br />
Perhaps part of your contemplation includes seeking out an esoteric group, organization or Order. In fact, I have seen a number of inquiries as of late on public forums alluding to exactly that. Usually, the seeker states their interest in a particular spiritual path, but laments that there are no such groups in his/her area. Respondents do their best to assist or sympathize, but easy answers are usually at a premium. Still, I think it is still necessary for the seeker – any seeker – to do one’s level best to help oneself.<br />
<br />
When it comes to esoteric Orders, most of my time is spent advising people what to look out for and what to avoid. Here, I would endeavor instead to advise seekers what to look for and what to do to be successful in their endeavor.<br />
<br />
With the ubiquity of the Internet, it is all too easy to jump into social media, ask a question and expect easy answers. We as a society have all but taken this for granted in the 21st century. So at risk of sounding trite, I find myself forced to start my consultation with the most basic of questions.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Question #1</b></u>: “Did you look?” <br />
<br />
When I was first seeking out Golden Dawn Orders in 1997, I had the good fortune of stumbling upon AvatarSearch. It billed itself as the search engine of the occult Internet. It folded a dozen years later, but it was the tool that got me to the threshold of the organized Golden Dawn community.<br />
<br />
Nowadays, Google is your friend, and many well-known organizations out there will have websites, set up with pages displaying all of their locations. Setup and hosting of a website is extremely easy and cheap these days, more especially with WordPress, so even the smallest, most isolated group out there can have a public face. <br />
<br />
The ease of Internet publicity is a boon for most every esoteric group, but it could also be a stumbling block for seekers as well. It means that any charlatan can present him/herself as a spiritual guru. Even some of the larger esoteric groups out there use their websites as a huge marketing ploy instead of a channel for the Light, and they will be more than happy to trumpet their locations world-wide to bring you in. Remember that spiritual groups identify themselves as esoteric for a reason; they are supposed to value the virtues of privacy, secrecy and proper discretion.<br />
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<br />
<u><b>Question #2</b></u>: “Did you ask?”<br />
<br />
Search engines and social media are a great launching point, but they are not the be-all and end-all. Your search for a spiritual life is a harbinger of actually living a spiritual life; you get out what you put in and you reap what you sow. So if you are truly interested in esoteric spiritual groups that are actually spiritual and esoteric, you need to talk to those who are in the know.<br />
<br />
Talking to experienced folks online will get you a better feel for spiritual paths and organizations in general. However, if you are looking for local groups specifically, you will find such communications will give you scattershot results at best. Besides, even if a person knows about a group, they may not have the relevant contact information at hand (or rather, the authority to divulge that information).<br />
<br />
It is important, in this age of the Internet, to not forget the resources in your own neighborhood. Remember that new age bookstore downtown? More likely than not, it is struggling to keep its doors open, so go visit it. Most of them have flyers plastering the walls, and maybe one of them has just the contact information you’re looking for. If not, get to know the proprietors. Part of this path is getting to know people of a like mind, is it not? In fact, I would recommend you find the five closest occult stores nearest you and visit them all. You will likely find that, by the time you get to the fifth closest, you won’t be within your city limits anymore. This alone will give you an idea of the strength of the esoteric community around you (or at least its public face, anyways).<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Question #3</b></u>: “Did you do what was asked of you?”<br />
<br />
Bear in mind that most any esoteric order with an operational history that goes back decades, or even centuries, is going to be a little “old school”. Some will require you to fill out an application form, whereas others may ask you to send an inquiry via post with a self-addressed stamped envelope included. You might be interviewed, or asked to write a short essay about why you would want to join their group.<br />
<br />
This is another mark of a good esoteric group, because it shows that they are circumspect and their tradition is for the select few. Dues might come into play, but they are much more interested in your dedication and zeal than your money. Their tradition is important to them, and they are going to respect it by not only walking the path themselves, but also by bringing in people who are serious about walking it as well.<br />
<br />
So if you’re not willing to fulfill the requests made of you as a candidate, that’s just an indication to them that you are not going to put in the time and effort in their tradition, and you simply won’t find yourself becoming one of their initiates. There is a reason why this quest is called the Great Work; it takes a great deal of work to achieve it. Your spiritual life is too important to <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Too_long;_didn%27t_read" target="_blank">TL;DR</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><b>Question #4</b></u>: “Is your priority enlightenment or convenience?”<br />
<br />
So far, I have addressed the “I’m looking to join an esoteric group” part of the goal, and it is true that most seekers will spend most of their time considering what spiritual path seems best for them at the time. But what is often left glossed over is the “but there are no groups in my area” portion. When a seeker hits this very common initial obstacle, they will often drop their aims and wander off for something less than ideal but closer to home.<br />
<br />
Success in your spiritual journey is more than just picking the right path for you. It is also about following the right guides and walking the path with the right companions. Even in this modern day, esotericists are few and far between, and good people are hard to find in any age, so why would you think that you would find them in your own backyard?<br />
<br />
When all is said and done, <u><i><b>proximity is one of the worst reasons to join an esoteric group</b></i></u>.<br />
<br />
The fact of the matter is, unless you are extremely lucky, you are going to have to travel to get initiated. More often than not, you will have to cross borders, whether they be state, province or country. Many groups have attendance and participation requirements of their members, so you will be expected to travel as such on a somewhat regular basis. As you progress through your group’s degrees, the pool of members will become shallower, and you will probably need to travel even farther for higher level initiations, perhaps even overseas.<br />
<br />
<u><i><b>None of this should come as any surprise</b></i></u>. The fanciful notion of the young seeker traveling leagues to find his or her spiritual guru is practically iconic. Yet when it comes to the seekers of today, few seem to realize that they need to get out of their armchairs in order to go off on a spiritual adventure. <br />
<br />
When you started looking for the Light of Occult Knowledge, what part of that gave you the impression that any of this was meant to be convenient?<br />
<br />
Since time immemorial, those esoteric few who hear that call to be <i>more than human</i> go to the Mountain of Initiation for enlightenment. <b><i><u>The Mountain does not come to you</u></i></b>.<br />
<br />
All this can really be boiled down to one very simple question: "Why?" Why do you really want to join an esoteric group? The answer to that simple question should end up being deep and complicated. This is why the words “<b>KNOW THYSELF</b>” are inscribed in the <i>pronaos</i> of the Temple. It is important, if not downright incumbent, to be completely honest with yourself as to what truly is compelling you to seek initiation, long before you ever approach the Temple.<br />
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You only have one opportunity to take your first step on your spiritual journey. Make it sure-footed and true.<br />
<br />
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-82366430315270807742015-07-04T19:47:00.000-05:002015-07-04T19:47:10.880-05:00Analysis of the Jupiter-Venus ConjunctionIf we are to believe everything we read on the Internet, there was an event last Tuesday night which changed the world! Not seen in over 2000 years, the "Star of Bethlehem" was reappearing in the Heavens! <br />
<br />
Dramatic! Rare! Magical! Behold!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlt3zC-YlGKXjoEldBYxgoGsnjRks5gL7JyWEGhu-3kyJpIjPdA8DjRZ5iFvAaSHbzVN255dhyphenhyphen5vKHmkuKAhzsdi7apOQkxnojMcdHtbitWFTyWTD3HCoShdxvLwkw_CxOhvp_9gYroFH/s1600/jvc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtlt3zC-YlGKXjoEldBYxgoGsnjRks5gL7JyWEGhu-3kyJpIjPdA8DjRZ5iFvAaSHbzVN255dhyphenhyphen5vKHmkuKAhzsdi7apOQkxnojMcdHtbitWFTyWTD3HCoShdxvLwkw_CxOhvp_9gYroFH/s320/jvc.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">Ooh, shiny!</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I jest, of course, but the clickbait just got to be too much. Also, when people get caught up in the good feelings of drama and fantasy, they tend to develop an acute allergy to reality and facts.<br />
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Jupiter and Venus conjoin every 13 months or so on the average, and their conjunction in 1988 was <a href="http://www.space.com/14852-venus-jupiter-alignment-facts.html">significantly closer</a>. Furthermore, Venus goes retrograde between July 25 and September 6, so this conjunction is only the first one in a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_conjunctions_(astronomy)">triple conjunction</a> between the two planets. (Now that's a little more rare; it happens about once every ten years.) The first encounter is the closest, however, and there is actually plenty of omens and portents in the Heavens overall at that moment which are worthy of inspection.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ1XIV01h8wLdSG4YAY-pu5Tzs7N525Kc6Qjy5Tfcz4LC4_bNaqA4hrFawISOOUPTHDkRWy0oEUlYxxUQe9SRIWdNDjiV812mX0Oi288-3PP8b7OUubBGxUrXSDJEBVlMU4vFWC2Tqcib/s1600/jvcchart.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQ1XIV01h8wLdSG4YAY-pu5Tzs7N525Kc6Qjy5Tfcz4LC4_bNaqA4hrFawISOOUPTHDkRWy0oEUlYxxUQe9SRIWdNDjiV812mX0Oi288-3PP8b7OUubBGxUrXSDJEBVlMU4vFWC2Tqcib/s320/jvcchart.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
Starting with the focal matter at hand, we have the celestial tango of the Greater and Lesser Benefics under the solar spotlight in the Sign of Leo. Love meets charity, beauty bonds with bounty. In and of itself, aside from a very weak square to Saturn retrograde in Scorpio, there are no drawbacks here whatsoever.<br />
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Propping up this beatific conjunction are trines to Uranus in Aries and Luna in Sagittarius. There is a strong impulse for sudden change here, change in an independent and perhaps unorthodox manner, coupled with idealistic optimism. These three assemble a Grand Trine in the Fire signs, adding fuel, power and balance to this impetus. The Grand Trine itself is somewhat transitory, as Luna forms one of its vertices, but it makes that snapshot in time all the more significant.<br />
<br />
The only thing that would have made this conjunction more auspicious is if it were just a few degrees further along in the Zodiac. Then it would have conjoined with the fixed star Regulus as well. Regulus is <i>Cor Leonis</i>, the Heart of the Lion, one of the four Royal Stars of Persia, and the "kingmaker" among the stars. In this case, however, Jupiter would hand over his sceptre to a new Cytherean Queen. If one is looking more towards a spiritual omen, it would be more the case of "God is coming back and boy is she pissed!" Despite the precise conjunction not really being there, the path of the triple conjunction does pass over Regulus, so I anticipate seeing more women rise to positions of power in the future. This heralds a change in the governmental order of things, and Pluto hovering in Capricorn would back that up. (The last time Pluto hung out in Capricorn, France and the American Colonies had their revolutions.)<br />
<br />
The patriarchal structure will not go unopposed, literally, as a Sol-Mars conjunction in Cancer is trying to extinguish Luna's enthusiasm by fighting Fire with Fire. That conjunction having a trine to Neptune retrograde in Pisces supports that resistance through belief systems and disinformation. One can even see shades of the Emanuel AME and black church burnings in all of this. As would be indicated by the outpouring of forgiveness from the victims and the subsequent "Hate Won't Win" campaign catching Fire, so to speak, the benefic conjunction supported by the Grand Trine prevails, with an assist from Pluto opposing the Sol-Mars conjunction. <br />
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So this is indeed an auspicious snapshot of the Heavens, but the Star of Bethlehem it is not. However, if you want to look for the next solid candidates to herald the dawning of the Age of Aquarius, look to the Grand Conjunctions of Jupiter and Saturn in Aquarius close to Winter Solstice 2020 and Spring Equinox 2080. Their close encounters bring each other within 6 arc-minutes of one another, which is 4 times closer than this last Jupiter-Venus conjunction.<br />
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-75799102321160631092015-05-08T22:24:00.000-05:002015-05-11T00:41:15.262-05:00Socrates and the Teacher-Student Relationship<br />
Just a few days ago, Nick Farrell posted a list of <a href="http://www.nickfarrell.it/ten-tips-young-occulists/" target="_blank">Ten Tips for Young Occultists</a> on his <a href="http://www.nickfarrell.it/" target="_blank">blog</a>. Although replete with personal experience and insight, it was also controversial, and <a href="https://michaelseblux.wordpress.com/2015/05/04/nick-farrell-and-spiritual-abuse/" target="_blank">ruffled</a> <a href="http://hermeticlessons.blogspot.cz/2015/05/the-wmt-what-went-wrong-ten-tips-for.html" target="_blank">some</a> <a href="http://hermeticlessons.blogspot.com/2015/05/the-wmt-what-went-wrong-them-pesky-kids.html" target="_blank">feathers</a> in the wider esoteric community. They too had their own valid insights and counterpoints. I think the most unfortunate part of the quibbling was that the delivery and tone overshadowed the message in almost every case.<br />
<br />
I've already <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank">written a lot</a> about being careful of toxic teachers in the esoteric arena, but so far, there has been a fundamental point left unexpressed. It is the seeker, the student, that has just as much responsibility for the situations and relationships they get themselves into. I cannot count the number of times newcomers read the <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank">Survival Guide</a> articles, have them agree with every word, and then go back and do everything the articles told them not to do. (Needless to say, these people do not become my students.) So yes, there are toxic teachers, but there are toxic students as well. They are the ones who will generate tons of drama focused upon themselves, suck up the vast majority of the group's time and energy, and when the teacher tries to set a healthy boundary, they run off screaming that they got spiritually and psychologically abused. <br />
<br />
It is my aim here to present the same types of tips, not just for the student, but also for the teacher. I also hope to present them in a much more composed and philosophical manner, and in that spirit, I look to one of the greatest philosophers in history, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates" target="_blank">Socrates</a>.<br />
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<br />
<u><i><b>For Students</b></i></u><br />
<br />
<b>Tip #1: </b><i>"All I know is that I know nothing."</i><br />
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This is the original Socratic Paradox. The initial spark of true wisdom lies in recognizing one's own ignorance. When you are in the position of the student, this is a tenet that is fundamental to embrace. Keep an open mind.<br />
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<b>Tip #2:</b> <i>"If he who does not know kept silent, discord would cease."</i><br />
<br />
Instead of this tip being about the value of a student's opinion, I suggest it should rather be about silence itself. This is not about muzzling underlings. It's about basic discipline and common courtesy. Elementary school children are expected to exercise such restraint in the classroom. Why shouldn't adult-aged esoteric students?<br />
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<b>Tip #3:</b><i> "Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue – to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak."</i><br />
<br />
As a student, are you there to learn the mysteries or to express
yourself? This doesn't mean you shouldn't question the teachings, but
it does mean that you can't receive the teachings if you're spending all
your time chattering. For everything, there is a season. Let that open mind act as a sponge. There will
be plenty of time to share later, when sharing has greater value.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #4:</b> <i>“There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.”</i><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method" target="_blank">Socratic Method</a> has been used for millenia as an effective teaching tool which stimulates critical thinking (something woefully lacking in most new age circles). Ask lots and lots of questions, but only ask <i>relevant</i> questions. Be an active participant in your learning. You, and you alone, are responsible for it!<br />
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<b>Tip #5: </b><i>“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”<sup>1</sup></i> <br />
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Crowley said "Every man and woman is a star". What he neglected to mention is that you're a single star in a galaxy 100,000 light-years wide, among 300 billion other stars. You may be unique, but you're not all that. On the other hand, you're not some cold, dead planet, either. At least you have some light, so it's up to you how you want to shine.<br />
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<b>Tip #6: </b><i>“My plainness of speech makes them hate me, and what is their hatred but a proof that I am speaking the truth.”</i><br />
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For being perhaps the greatest philosopher ever known, Socrates could get a little rough around the edges. He didn't mince words when it came to children and their "bad manners", "contempt for authority" and the way they would "tyrannize their teachers". Good teachers do not suffer fools gladly. They will set you straight when you need it, and tell you the unvarnished truth when you don't want to hear it. By all means, never tolerate abuse, but start developing a thicker skin sooner rather than later. Because if you act like a dumb ass, you're going to get <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=ButtHurt" target="_blank">butthurt</a>. Suck it up, Buttercup. You didn't think occultism was all unicorns and rainbows, did you? If you got your wake-up call from your teacher instead of <a href="http://www.deliriumsrealm.com/andras/" target="_blank">Andras</a>, you got off light.<br />
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<b>Tip #7:</b> <i>“To be is to do.”</i><br />
<br />
It is amazing how many students get their initiations and then do virtually nothing, as if joining is all there is. If belonging isn't quite enough, they will tend to pull the group into becoming some social club with a casual interest in the mysteries. Remember why you're there. The only thing that matters is the Work. You might make friends there, but you're not there to make friends, and the teacher is definitely not there to be your <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Best_friends_forever" target="_blank">BFF</a>. Get your priorities straight, and don't waste people's time, either the teacher's or your own.<br />
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<b>Tip #8:</b> <i>“Socrates gave a lot of advice, and he was given hemlock to drink.” — Rose Kennedy</i><br />
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If the relationship has any tangible duration or depth, transference issues between student and teacher are practically inevitable. Transference can either take a positive (attractive) or negative (repulsive) form, but either way, the teacher is always expected to gracefully deflect such things. It doesn't always happen that way, and it's very easy and very human to cast aspersions. Furthermore, if your opinion of your teacher swings suddenly from Angel on Earth to
Demon from Hell, then the flaw is probably not on your teacher, but rather on your viewpoint. This may come as a shock to new students, but teachers are human, too. Instead, take the "more than human" approach, check your ego at the door and gain some introspection. <br />
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<b>Tip #9:</b> <i>“Let him that would move the world first move himself.”</i><br />
<br />
You didn't think that the Temple furniture and regalia just appeared out of thin air, or that the Temple was set up with a wave of the Hierophant's Wand, did you? When you enjoyed the Mystic Repast, did you ever wonder where the rose and wine, bread and salt came from? If you think traveling a couple hours to Temple once a month is such a hardship, instead try hosting that day and organizing the other thirty days of the month. Stop taking your teachers and your Temples for granted. Show your appreciation not just in words and dues but in deeds. Bring something to the table. If you don't know what, do what you do in the classroom: ASK.<br />
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<b>Tip #10:</b> <i>“I know you won't believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.”</i><br />
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Question everything and everyone, but do so discreetly and respectfully. Learn that oftentimes, the delivery is just as important as the message. Because Socrates also said, <i>“To express oneself badly is not only faulty as far as the language goes, but does some harm to the soul.”</i> If the adults in the room stop acting like adults, it could either be a knee-jerk reaction which will cool down in time, or it might be symptomatic of a more systemic problem. If the issue is irreconcilable, then it might be time to part ways. So when you as a student do the questioning, have a clear line to your teacher, but also have a clear path to the door.<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><i><b>For Teachers</b></i></u><br />
<br />
<i>(You might see a pattern here)</i><br />
<br />
<b>Tip #1: </b><i>"All I know is that I know nothing."</i><br />
<br />
This
is the original Socratic Paradox. The perpetual spark of true wisdom
lies in recognizing one's own ignorance. The more you study a subject, the wider the field gets, and more you realize how uneducated you truly are. When you are in the position
of the teacher, this is a tenet that is fundamental to embrace. Keep an
open mind.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #2:</b> <i>"If he who does not know kept silent, discord would cease."</i><br />
<br />
You don't know everything. You don't even know everything about the tradition you're teaching. Some teachers are so insecure that they feel they have to pad their knowledge where their education is thin. You would be surprised how much respect you would get from your students if you didn't have the answer and honestly said "I don't know". You're a teacher, not a bullshit artist.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #3:</b><i> "Nature has given us two ears, two eyes, and but one tongue - to the end that we should hear and see more than we speak."</i><br />
<br />
As a teacher, are you there to teach the mysteries or to grab the spotlight and show off? This doesn't mean you shouldn't disseminate the teachings, but
it does mean that the students ought to be able to play a role in their own learning. Let that open mind act as a sounding board. Any teacher who can't learn something from his/her students is no good teacher at all.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #4:</b> <i>“There is no greater evil one can suffer than to hate reasonable discourse.”</i><br />
<br />
The <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socratic_method" target="_blank">Socratic Method</a>
has been used for millenia as an effective teaching tool which
stimulates critical thinking (something woefully lacking in most new age
circles). These are not just students you're teaching, but the next generation of teachers of your tradition! Be an collaborative participant in your training. You, and you alone, are responsible for it!<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #5: </b><i>“I cannot teach anybody anything. I can only make them think.”</i><br />
<br />
You may be well-educated in your tradition, but you're not all that. You may have more light than your students, but the light you shine won't make a lick of difference if your students aren't engaged and their eyes are closed. Foster a contemplative environment in your classes.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #6: </b><i>“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”</i><br />
<br />
If your students are not sycophants (and you don't want them to be), they are going to be a little rough around the edges. By all means, you do not have to suffer fools gladly, but don't forget that you once were them. Set them straight when they need it. Otherwise, first pass it through the Three Sieves of Socrates: Is it true, is it good, is it useful? In other words, don't be a cunt.<br />
<br />
<b>Tip #7:</b> <i>“To be is to do.”</i><br />
<br />
For teachers, it's easy to talk the talk. But teaching is more than pontificating, it's about leading by example, so you'd better be ready to walk the walk as well. Because if you do not practice what you preach, you're not going to be a respected teacher, you're going to be just another hypocritical poseur.<br />
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<b>Tip #8:</b> <i>“Mankind is made of two kinds of people: wise people who know they're fools, and fools who think they are wise.”</i><br />
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If the relationship has any tangible duration or depth, transference
issues between teacher and student are practically inevitable.
Transference can either take a positive (attractive) or negative
(repulsive) form, but either way, the teacher is always expected to
gracefully deflect such things. It doesn't always happen that way, and
it's very easy and very human to cast aspersions. Furthermore, if your
opinion of your student swings suddenly from Angel on Earth to
Demon from Hell, then the flaw is probably not on your student, but
rather on your viewpoint. New students are raw and haven't been refined in the fires of the alchemical furnace yet. Take the "more than human" approach like you're supposed to,
check your ego at the door and gain some introspection.<br />
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<b>Tip #9:</b> <i>“Let him that would move the world first move himself.”</i><br />
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You didn't think that these students appeared out of thin air to put you on a pedestal and wait on you hand and foot, did you? The relationship is teacher and student, not master and servant. Stop viewing your students as underlings. Show some appreciation for their participation and enthusiasm. Everyone brings something to the table. If you don't know what that is, open your eyes and stop looking down your nose.<br />
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<b>Tip #10:</b> <i>“I know you won't believe me, but the highest form of Human Excellence is to question oneself and others.”</i><br />
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As a leader in the esoteric community, you are going to be questioned mercilessly, misrepresented constantly and judged harshly. It's not going to matter what you do or say, so you might as well do and say the right things. If the children in the room act up and act out, it could either be a
knee-jerk reaction which will cool down in time, or it might be
symptomatic of a more systemic problem. If the issue is irreconcilable,
then it might be time to part ways. So when a student questions you, let him question you directly, but if he crosses the line, don't hesitate to show him the door.<br />
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<u><i><b>For Students Who Think They Don't Need Teachers</b></i></u><br />
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<b>Tip #1: </b><i>“Experience is the best teacher, but a fool will learn from no other.” — Benjamin Franklin</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
Enough said.<br />
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<i><sup>1</sup>May be misattributed </i>
<b></b><br />
<b></b><br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-52746602449115167022014-09-13T08:30:00.001-05:002014-09-13T08:30:52.349-05:00Un-FAQ's, or Questions Not Frequently Asked, But Should Be<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
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<br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-claims-to-fame-or-question-of.html">Claims to Fame, or the Question of Esoteric Grades</a>
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By now, if you’ve chosen to interact with a good Order which does not automatically accept anyone with a credit card, you will likely find yourself at a point where you’re in front of an interview panel, whether it be a conference call or face-to-face. Most of these kinds of interviews consist of the panel drilling the candidate with all sorts of questions, and the interviewee finds himself navigating a veritable minefield. Any aspirant would likely feel anxious at such a prospect, and that is completely understandable. <br />
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However, such an occurrence need not be a one-way street. It is an opportunity, not only for them to judge if you’re right for them, but for you to judge whether or not their Order is right for you. You shouldn’t be the only person on the hot seat in an interview like this. Furthermore, if you are denied candidacy because you asked too many incisive or uncomfortable questions, then they’re not the people you want to join anyways.<br />
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Below is a fairly comprehensive list of questions you could potentially ask during your interview. You are not going to get answers to all of them, nor should you. Esoteric Orders should have some level of privacy for their members and their information. If they let it all out for you, then you can be reasonably sure what will happen with information about you as well. What may be even more valuable, however, are the things that are not said, or what information is to be gleaned from reading between the lines.<br />
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<i>As a part of my initiation, will I be expected to swear an oath?</i><br />
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Such obligations are commonplace among esoteric Orders. Depending on your faith, though, undertaking an obligation in such a manner might be in transgression with your religious doctrines.<br />
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<i>Is there any clause contained in the oath which may conflict with my civil, moral, religious or familial duties?</i><br />
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Most Orders which are Freemasonic in nature, or are descended in some way from Freemasonry, will assure you, right in the Initiation ceremony, that this will not be the case. However, there are some Orders which, in their higher grades, contain Oaths which obligate you to put the Order before your family. This is a cultish practice and should be avoided at all costs.<br />
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<i>Is there anything in the oath which may require me to swear an obligation to a person?</i><br />
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See above. If you want a quick and easy litmus test to determine whether or not an organization is a cult, this is it.<br />
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<i>Does your organization have written and ratified articles of incorporation, ordinances and/or by-laws?</i><br />
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Orders are called Orders for a reason. They run on structure, rules and regulations. The “house not built by hands” is instead built on principles. If you are in a sizeable group that has no written by-laws and is led by a singular head who rules by fiat, you are not in an Order, you are in a cult. Furthermore, a spiritual organization must also be ruled by the spirit of its laws. If the leaders of the group leverage the by-laws to their advantage, or twist the letter of their by-laws to use against their members, then there is a different sort of power and control issue in the group, despite it not being a cult.<br />
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<i>What is the history and origin of your organization?</i><br />
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For this answer, you’ll want to be reading between the lines as much as listening to the information given. Truth be told, for the vast majority of esoteric groups out there, their origins are humble and their histories relatively short. There is no dishonor in this, and for those who willingly admit it, credit them for the virtues of honesty and humility. On the flip side, if the alleged history is long and their origins shrouded in antiquity and secrecy, that simply means that the tale is tall and there is much more cause to spend time in the efforts of busting the myth. (Odds are it won’t be too difficult.)<br />
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<i>Does your organization have a Charter, or Warrant of Constitution?</i><br />
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For any larger or self-declared worldwide orders, this is basically a follow-up question to the above. Any well-established order worth its salt is going to issue some sort of writ of authority for their lodges to operate under their auspices within their tradition. The important information upon such a document would be its date of issue and those whose hand had bestowed the warrant. Witnessing but a single signature upon a charter may prove cautionary, as it could indicate there is only one person at the Order’s head.<br />
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<i>How many Chiefs are there in this organization? What are their grades? How did they achieve them?</i><br />
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Similar to the previous question, you’re looking here for a cooperative group of leaders who spent years upon years working hard in their tradition and taking their lumps for their honors. Spiritual growth, like alchemy, takes time, attention, care, and most of all, perseverance. A solitary chief claiming a grandiose title because he performed a single ritual and “crossed the Abyss” is nothing but an alchemical flash in the pan.<br />
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<i>Are there dues and/or initiation fees?</i><br />
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Few and far between are the Orders which run completely pro gratis, and they are to be cherished. In reality, however, they are typically taken for granted, which usually lends them to either begin assessing dues or fold altogether. Good organizations then will have some sort of stipulation in case of poverty, so that no sincere seeker of the Light will be turned away simply based on the inability to pay dues.<br />
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<i>What do the monies pay for?</i> <br />
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Spiritual organizations will always have expenditures for consumable supplies, such as candles, incense, charcoal, and esculent items for eucharistic rites or mystical repasts. Temple furniture and regalia are also common expenses and, although they are more durable goods, they too need to be repaired or replaced from time to time. Some groups also have regular expenses related to the rental of a hall or lodge for their meetings. This is the kind of answer you will likely get.<br />
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The information you are poking around for, however, is to try and find out if the head of the Order is getting any financial recompense, simply for holding the position. Such begs the following question.<br />
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<i>Are the financial books open?</i><br />
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In a healthy organization, the finances of an organization are managed by a treasurer and audited by some sort of governing board. In such a case, the books may legitimately be closed to the overall populace. Yet oftentimes, the person holding the purse strings is also holding the reins of power. This may be necessary in a small spiritual circle, but remember that the two slipperiest slopes to corruption come in the form of money and power.<br />
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<i>With whom will my personal information be shared?</i><br />
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If a secret society expects itself to remain secret, it is only right to expect that same kind of courtesy extended back to the people who wish to join it. If such an Order has a formal application process, the information you provide should only be shared with the membership coordinator, the Chiefs of the Order, and the leaders of its closest affiliated group.<br />
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<i>How many active members are there in your group, and how far is the next closest group?</i><br />
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Members of many Orders are oath-bound not to reveal the personal information of any individual member, but asking not who, but how many, should be a reasonable enough question to answer. Some Orders are secretive about where their groups are located. Some publish them prominently on their website. <br />
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By and large, size and distance, as well as the locations of an Order’s groups, are relative. Its importance comes in when you’re considering joining an Order which claims to be international and flourishing. Even then, having the next closest group be 500 or so miles away from you is actually rather close in the grand scheme of things.<br />
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<i>Will I have a full Initiation team?</i><br />
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This is not to suggest that a small Initiation team is by default less effective. It again goes back to verifying extravagant claims of Orders with worldwide temples brimming at the top with magical members. Typically, by the time you arrive at the temple door and find your Initiation team is two people, out of a temple of two people, your application fee and dues money have already been long past spent.<br />
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<i>Is there any portion of the Initiation, or any subsequent Initiations, ceremonies or rituals, which contain elements of any physical abuse to the flesh?</i><br />
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Ritual bloodletting was not an uncommon facet of Initiations in antiquity. Some organizations carry on that ancient tradition. Others consider such a practice to be barbaric and anathema. Either way, this is something every Initiate should know up front. Furthermore, regardless how you feel about such a practice, you would do well to remember that we live in the era of bloodborne pathogens. The magical path is perilous enough without having to willingly open up a vein.<br />
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<i>Will I be given a magical name or motto?</i><br />
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Being given a nickname among your friends is fine, but when it comes to your magical identity, the only person determining that should be you. There is a Talmudic tenet that states that declaring your identity is a way of determining your destiny, and no person other than you should establish the aims, goals or destiny of your magical life.<br />
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<i>What are the criteria for determining advancement within the organization?</i><br />
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Whatever the answer may be, you’re looking here for consistency and uniformity across the board. Things like quizzing, testing and performance evaluations are good methods for this. Naturally, exceptions can and should be made, but again, Orders are built on rules. If the head of a group gets to decide free and clear who advances and who doesn’t, then fairness ends up being strictly optional.<br />
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<i>Has anyone been blocked from advancing for any arbitrary reason and how often does that happen?</i><br />
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Sometimes, a head of an Order needs to take things into his own hands. Still, such cases should be rare and, as much as possible, in accordance with the by-laws of the organization. If the arbitrary cases are the norm rather than the exception, then the Chief is capricious at best and autocratic at worst.<br />
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The other thing you’re trying to root out here is any trace of prejudice among the leadership. Granted, certain organizations exclude categories of people, and some of this is entirely reasonable. For example, members must be of legal age, or Satanists are barred admittance from a Christian Mystical Order. This should be spelled out up front, and only you can decide if such discrimination is acceptable to you. However, if you start hearing insensitive or snide comments about people based on their gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or something similar, chances are the Order does not solely judge its members on their merits alone.<br />
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<i>Will I be denied answers to questions that are technically above my grade level?</i><br />
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This is going to be a matter of preference from group to group. Personally, I’ve just found such a practice to be little more than a source of pretentiousness.<br />
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<i>Can I study individually outside my Order studies?</i><br />
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Again, only you should get to decide how you want to live your spiritual life. If a mentor or Chief outright forbids it, then there are significant control issues in the organization.<br />
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<i>Will I be assigned a personal mentor, and what grade will he be?</i><br />
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A single Chief can’t be expected to mentor everyone in the group, so commonly, mentors are assigned to new Initiates. Typically, your assigned mentor should be a fairly high grade, or at very least, a couple full grades ahead of you. Anything less may be an indication of mismanagement of the group or some other issues. On the flip side, if a large group only has its head as its teacher, you may need to be careful that what you would be receiving is in fact teaching and not indoctrination.<br />
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<i>Are there any mentor-student relationships that are more than just mentor and student?</i><br />
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Relationships in occult circles are notoriously common. This should be no surprise when unusual people share similarly unusual interests. What you’re looking for here is any indication of favoritism. Most of the better Orders out there do not allow people in a relationship to be a mentor and student, so as to not give off the slightest illusion of impropriety. On the other hand, I know of one Order whose Chief started bringing his Neophyte girlfriend into Inner Order meetings, and that was one of many reasons which caused a major schism.<br />
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<i>How do mentors, and especially the Chiefs, handle questioning and criticism, constructive or otherwise?</i> <br />
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The one thing that is certain is that the spiritual path is not smooth, and those who tread upon it will have moments of disagreement with other such seekers. What should be expected at these times is that the mentors and Chiefs should act like the adults in the room. If they are able to listen much more than they speak, and approach conflict with composure, and even compromise, then these are the people you want to follow. If the attitude of their leadership is to expect their students to fall in line, and to be seen and not heard, then the students are not the only ones who have some growing up to do.<br />
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<i>How much influence will they have over my personal life?</i><br />
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Chances are the answer you get will be “none”, but this is something you will need to check against time and time again. Such meddling begins slowly, like making backhanded comments about people with which you associate. Before long, you may be cautioned to stay away from ex-members who have “fallen from the path”. You may even face disciplinary action or be ostracized if you keep those lines of communication open. That kind of peer pressure may be found in high school, but should never be found in esoteric schools. Furthermore, if such control tactics are used heavily and frequently, you might just be in a cult.<br />
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<i>How do I report any misconduct, and is there an appeals process?</i><br />
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It would seem that very few esoteric organizations have any sort of formal process for transgressions, ethical or otherwise. Appeals, if any, usually go to a Chief, if so allowed. What you’re really looking for here though is a feel for how an organization treats its whistleblowers. The best Orders out there will perform due diligence of the claims from the lowest Neophyte, without fear or favor, and if found to have merit, even a Chief may topple. The worst will punish the whistleblower, if not outright expel him, and circle the wagons of the power base in order to save face.<br />
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<i>When was the last time you had to expel someone and why?</i><br />
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This is a follow up from the previous question. Chances are you won’t get a lot of details here, if any, but perhaps you can at least get a time frame. If an Order has a lot of expulsions, there is one thing that all those expulsions have in common, the Chief who did the expelling, and that is precisely where the true problem lies. The most solid and stable Orders have a strong egregore, and such currents have a way of cleansing themselves. Either way, rare should be the times that a head of an Order should have to oust a fellow by fiat. Any expulsion is an indication of a categorical failure, and the ex-member, the leader, the group and the Order all have their own share of the blame.<br />
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<i>When was the last time the head of the Order apologized for something?</i><br />
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The initial reaction you will probably get here is anything from a pregnant pause to stunned silence. Upon first glance, one might think that a Chief who apologizes too much would be weak, but nothing could be further from the truth. He who is exalted is humble, and should be able to admit mistakes when he makes them. Those Chiefs who cannot bring themselves to admit their own wrongdoings are guilty of spiritual pride, the very vice of the Adept. Those organizations which prop up their Chiefs as unquestionable and infallible are not esoteric Orders, they are cults, plain and simple. So if you get an answer to this question that drifts away from a direct answer and turns into a two-minute hagiography of the head of their Order, you too should take a turn, as in simply turn around and walk away.<br />
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<b>Next Chapter:</b> A Quick Reference Guide to Logical Fallacies<br />
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-42555216522206685392014-07-23T22:38:00.000-05:002014-09-13T08:37:27.427-05:00The Claims to Fame, or the Question of Esoteric Grades<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
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<br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-claims-to-fame-or-question-of.html">Claims to Fame, or the Question of Esoteric Grades</a>
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Of all the outlandish claims made by self-proclaimed esoteric leaders, there are none so prolific as those made to exalted, even celestial, levels of mystical knowledge and attainment. False claims of Adepthood are fairly commonplace, so in order to make an impact and separate oneself from the commons, the fraudulent declaration of Magehood often rises up. Although each of these assertions is markedly different and should be addressed as such, they both have one important quality in common. Both smack of spiritual pride, which is a dangerous quality for any human being to possess, spiritual leader or not.<br />
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Although grade structures in various esoteric traditions run the full spectrum of possibilities, one of the most common is the architecture of the Qabalistic Tree of Life. It is a framework deeply rooted in the Western Esoteric Tradition, the most common version of the glyph used having been taken from Athanasius Kircher’s <i>Oedipus Aegyptiacus</i> published in 1652. Furthermore, the idea of “climbing” the Tree from the Earth in order to return to the Divine Source fits the concept of esoteric grading hand-in-glove.<br />
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The basic framework behind the Tree of Life is the concept that the Divine One manifests itself in ten distinct and discrete stages, from the most ineffable Light all the way down to the material Universe. Mapped to these stages are numerous qualities and attributes, including Names of God, Archangels, Angelic Orders, Classical Elements, geometric figures and many other things. As seekers of the Light, this symbolic structure is a veritable Jacob’s Ladder for us to climb our way back to the Source.<br />
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It is common practice for an esoteric student to undertake the regimen of the Four Classical Elements, then equilibrate and consolidate them under the presidency of the Spirit or Quintessence. When this process has been completed, the student is then elevated to a more sublime degree, where he is risen in the Light of the Sun as an Adept. Typically, out of a pool of a hundred initiates, only a scant few ever make it to the Adept grade, though, you wouldn’t think this to be the case with so many people claiming to be Adepti out there. However, there are ways to separate the legitimate Adepti from the impostors, if you know the characteristics of the grade to which they claim.<br />
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After making his way through the Elements, which correspond to the lower four levels of the Tree of Life, a new Adept (or <i>Adeptus Minor</i>) enters into the fifth level, which is known as <i>Tiphareth</i>, or “Beauty”. Tiphareth has a planetary association with the Sun, and many Solar deities have certain qualities in common. When contemplating gods such as Osiris, Christ, Mithras, Apollo, Lugh, and Baldur, you find the traits of self-sacrifice, rebirth, light, prophecy, healing, life, love and compassion. The virtue of Tiphareth is said to be devotion to the Great Work, and a quality Adept will have that dedication, along with a healthy helping of the aforementioned attributions. On the flip side, the vice of Tiphareth is pride and self-centeredness. To this extent, if you interact with someone who’s selfish, insensitive, derisive, short-sighted, resentful, or even a bit narcissistic, you’re either dealing with an Adeptus Minor whose struggling with his grade, or, more likely, he’s not an Adept <i>at all</i>.<br />
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The next step up the Tree is the sixth level, known as <i>Geburah</i>, or “Strength”. This is the realm of the advanced Adept, or <i>Adeptus Major</i>. Geburah is associated with the planet Mars, and gods of war and combat, such as Ares, Horus, Sekhmet and Tyr, figure predominantly here. Their qualities include such things as power, vitality, fortitude, might, combat and vengeance, sometimes even to the point of bloodlust. That is part of the reason why Geburah has alternate titles, such as “Judgment” and “Fear”. Along the same lines, it stands to reason that the virtues of Geburah are energy and courage, while its vices are destruction and cruelty. <br />
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Peculiarly, it seems to be the nature of this grade that next to nobody ever claims it. For some, the mere mystique of attaining the lesser grade of Adeptus Minor leaves them crowing about it. For those whose shine on that golden dubloon has worn off, claims of Adeptus Exemptus, or even Magister levels, fill that void of vanity. Those who actually are of the Adeptus Major grade typically are wise enough to keep their mouths hermetically sealed about it. Despite the traditionally listed virtues, this grade seems to be strongly attuned to discipline, which most noticeably manifests itself in the form of <i>Tacere</i>, “To Keep Silent”, which is one of the Four Powers of the Sphinx. This is one of many reasons why they have little to no desire to take on students. They are at a stage in their development in which they do not suffer fools gladly, not to mention that their bestowal of tough love would leave most students with thinner skins running for the door. <br />
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Typically, the illustrious grade to which most Chiefs or Order heads lay claim is the pinnacle of Adept degrees, known as <i>Adeptus Exemptus</i>. This corresponds to the seventh level on the Tree, commonly referred to as <i>Chesed</i>, or “Mercy”. That level is associated with the planet Jupiter, and a wide variety of deities such as Zeus, Jove, Odin, Thor, Marduk and Ma’at. Common qualities among them include authority, majesty, electricity, ministry, beneficence, magnanimity, righteousness, justice, cosmic order, patriarchy and fatherly love. Subsequently, the virtues of Chesed are humility and obedience, while its vices are qualities such as tyranny and hypocrisy.<br />
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Whether the person is of such a grade or not, if you find a mentor who acts as a nurturing father figure who gently guides with one hand and metes out justice with kindness and without favor, it would be hard to go wrong. Furthermore, such a person, in the act of potentially harsh scrutiny, would always err on the side of mercy. If you meet a so-called Adeptus Exemptus who has knee-jerk reactions and makes rash, irrevocable decisions, like expulsions, out of anger or frustration or just to save face, chances are he doesn’t meet the measure of the degree. I once knew of an alleged Adeptus Exemptus who, when faced with a lawsuit, planned to retaliate by doing everything in his power to make the other party destitute and homeless. Such a person should be ashamed to even don a white robe, much less claim the mantle of Chesed.<br />
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Yet, the debate as to the higher degrees of Adept really should be a rather moot point. Israel Regardie, an Adept in his own right, once wrote:<br />
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<blockquote>
“…it is impossible for the ordinary individual to understand those [grades] above the grade of Adeptus Minor, and individuals who lay claim openly to such exalted grades, by that very act place a gigantic question mark against the validity of their attainment. He that is exalted is humble.”</blockquote>
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Here, Regardie gives a picture perfect rule of thumb for any aspiring esotericist seeking mentorship. Every potential mentor should be subjected to a significant amount of scrutiny. For every grade above Adeptus Minor those mentors claim, that scrutiny should be, as very least, ratcheted up another order of magnitude.<br />
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This then brings us to the threshold of the most exorbitant esoteric claim to fame out there, that of having “crossed the Abyss”. In the most rudimentary terms, the Abyss is an unfathomable gap in the Tree of Life, separating the top three tiers from the lower seven. Those who claim to have made this insurmountable leap get to declare even higher grades, such as Magister and Magus! They might say that their mindsets exist in a totally different reality, and I would agree, but absolutely not in a good way. The top three levels of the Tree are so transcendent as to be indiscrete, and only the most arrogant and delusional egos would dare claim to go there and back again and survive in an individuated state. (Yes, I’m looking at you, too, Mr. Crowley.) Frederich Nietzche once said “if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.” How would anyone be able to objectively describe such an event? Would the words even exist? These are the things you need to think about whenever someone makes such declarations about themselves and their achievements.<br />
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Lastly, regardless of how high up the Tree these people say they’ve climbed, it is of paramount importance to find out <i><b><u>how</u></b></i> these people got there. Ideally, every mentor out there has studied under a viable master and received their initiations over a period of decades. In reality, one does not always find such a systematic approach taken by the heads of esoteric Orders. There are some Chiefs, “Grandmasters” even, who claim Magister level grades, but have never been initiated into anything in their lives. In fact, there is an Order out there run by a person who claims he’s an <i>Ipsissimus</i> (the highest rung on the Tree!), because he completed something called the “Enochian Apocalypse Working Ritual”. I can barely keep a straight face after writing that sentence. By the way, don’t let anyone tell you that the method in which they received their grades is secret or none of your business.
The moment they started bragging about their grade, <i>they made it your
business</i>!<br />
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When all is said and done, the claims to fame and the names of the grades are barely worth the words which annotate them. Remember, <i>by their fruits, ye shall know them</i>. If the esoteric community at large would spend more time focusing on the qualities of its leaders rather than their titles, it would be a much, much better place.<br />
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<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/09/un-faqs-or-questions-not-frequently.html">Un-FAQ's, or Questions Not Frequently Asked</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-19743072157428348642014-06-25T22:32:00.000-05:002014-07-23T22:40:15.328-05:00Observing the Chiefs (If You Can)<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br />
<br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/making-first-contact.html">Making First Contact</a>
<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
In the last article, I said to not blame the spiritual Path for the followers treading upon it. However, because we are dealing with esoteric Orders here, there is one stark exception to that rule, and that is in the case of the spiritual leaders of those Orders. In a very real sense, the Chief is the heart through which the life blood of an Order flows. Each tradition has its own <i>egregore</i>, and every Chief puts his imprint on that <i>egregore</i>, which gives his Order its own distinct tincture.
<br /><br />
You may just dipping your toe in the vast oceans of various and sundry traditions right now, but in actuality, you are setting in motion the first step of the rest of your spiritual life. With all the Orders and covens and circles out there to choose from, you might feel like you’re walking through an esoteric job fair. What you really need to be thinking about, however, is finding the right launchpad for your magical career. In short, you should be in this for the long haul.
<br /><br />
If that is indeed the case, then you need to be thinking about the various stages of your magical life as well. The word “neophyte” comes from the Greek for “newly planted”, and you haven’t even buried your seed in the ground yet. Right now, your needs as a spiritual sapling are to be first and foremost. Yet, you must consider what you want your esoteric realm to be and look like when you are the mightiest oak in the grove.
<br /><br />
This is why observing the Chiefs of a magical Order is so important, even before you begin to think about joining it. If you get a good mentor, act as a good student, and move up the ladder over a period of years, you will indubitably end up working with a Chief of the Order. You may have had the best mentor on the planet for years, but then find out that his beatitude doubled as a mask in enabling a toxic spiritual leader. <i>It is far better to find that out now than to invest several years walking down a path that you will have to abandon out of sheer necessity.</i>
<br /><br />
The challenge comes in, however, at attempting to actually check these Chiefs out. Order leaders are going to be busy with their own students and mentoring their mentors, not to mention the day to day drudgery of their own administrivia. You might see a ping on Facebook here, a blip on a blog there. However, if the Order you are inspecting has a Chief who presents a <i>conspicuous</i> public presence, that is both a warning <i>and</i> an opportunity. For one thing, it begs the question why the leader of a secret society would flaunt himself in public in the first place. More importantly, it allows you to scrutinize, at very least, how he chooses to present himself to the vast, uninitiated masses.
<br /><br />
Now, when newcomers to the esoteric community first gaze upon the principal of a magical Order, they envision an idealized notion of an accomplished, equilibrated, serene, even beatific magical master who is engaged in perpetual gnosis and communication with his Holy Guardian Angel. I will be the first to admit that there are spiritual leaders out there that experience brief flashes of such apotheosis. That said, it is critical to remember and comprehend that <i>spiritual leaders are human beings and must be scrutinized as human beings first and foremost.</i>
<br /><br />
Everything that was said about investigating fly-by-night mentors should go tenfold for examining Order Chiefs. Such people are assuming the position of the highest in their Orders, over and above their Adepti and mentors, with lofty titles (and likely over-inflated egos) to match. If they are going to stand on such a pedestal and claim a level above, then they should be held to that much of a higher standard.
<br /><br />
These Chiefs may likely have social profiles for their own personal benefit, but you will know they are overtly displaying a public presence if they just so happen to have set up a blog devoted to their tradition and Order. For your reckoning, analyze such a presence as a bit of a hybrid of a social profile and the home page for a website.
<br /><br />
That being the criteria, the most cursory examination should reveal the true purpose of the blog. If it is primarily for the dissemination of information on the tradition, read on! You might learn something. If the language has its origin in marketing, then you will have learned one important thing. It is meant to draw you in solely as a recruiting tool. Lastly, if the content is primarily lengthy, exhausting diatribes about other people, Orders or traditions, then it is a home for gossip at best, propaganda at worst. Again, “great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, and small minds discuss people”.
<br /><br />
Some of the worst offenses involve the disparaging of other significant groups or prominent people in their tradition. For example, if a High Priestess of a large coven starts publicly denouncing other groves and circles as “McWiccans”, she is probably not a person whom you would wish to emulate, much less follow. Some Order leaders go so far as to ridicule others by giving them belittling sobriquets and portray them with images of cartoon characters. It seems absurd that the bar should be set so low for spiritual leaders when it comes to basic maturity levels. Then again, if a so-called Chief cannot help himself but to trip over that particular hurdle, you know you’re dealing with an inimitable fraud.
<br /><br />
Also beware those who, from time to time, decide to air other peoples’ dirty laundry out in public. This happens mostly in the context of ex-members who left the Order on less-than-friendly terms, or outright <i>schismed en masse</i>. Esoteric Orders are supposed to keep their internal proceedings private. For some reason, however, that principle has a tendency to fly out the window once such a Chief becomes displeased. Some alleged spiritual leaders can’t even muster enough grace to write a <i>requiem</i> for an ex-member who has passed through the Veil without kicking him in the grave. In the end, you may never know which side is right, but you can rest assured that, in such an Order, the dirty laundry that gets hung out to dry may very well be your own someday.
<br /><br />
There is so much to cover in this particular area, but one more critically fundamental point needs to be made. If a Chief starts publicly announcing haughty and fanciful claims, such as being guided by the invisible hands of discarnate entities or being the reincarnation of some preeminent magus, do everything in your power to discern whether or not this person is <i>delusional</i>. That is not to say that any and all of these things are impossible. It is saying that such preposterous declarations have been made way too often for all of them to be valid!
<br /><br />
Although you may find yourself disappointed by the behaviors of certain spiritual leaders after this phase, try not to abandon the tradition now. Abraham Lincoln was quoted as saying “If you want to test a man’s character, give him power.” All heads of spiritual organizations possess power, but not all of them handle it responsibly, with temperance, wisdom and rectitude. Such esoteric leaders are best avoided, as they are a danger, not only to those around them, but to themselves as well.
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-claims-to-fame-or-question-of.html">The Claims to Fame</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-17510602409262932312014-06-18T23:34:00.000-05:002014-06-25T22:34:25.955-05:00Making First Contact<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br />
<br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/fly-by-night-mentors-and-how-to-fly.html" target="_blank">Fly-By-Night Mentors</a>
<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
Now that you’ve chosen a small group of community members to interact with, and a
few who have chosen to interact with you, you can start asking questions of
them. At last! Maybe now you can get the answers you’re
looking for! Maybe so, but what you
really want is more than answers. You
also want to know <i>how</i> those questions
are answered. There is plenty of
information about the person with whom you’re interacting, if you take enough
time to read between the informational lines.
<br /><br />
Eleanor Roosevelt once said that “great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss
events, and small minds discuss people”. For your benefit, you are going to want to talk about all of those
things with your prospective mentors. This is not to say that you want, say, a small-minded person for a
mentor. What you are looking for is a
person who has been around long enough to have tackled all these things and,
hopefully, has done it with a certain level of grace and dignity.
<br /><br />
Although spiritual Orders are supposed to exist to be a channel to reach for the Higher,
they are still comprised of human beings, who by their very nature are
imperfect. Squabbles between different
circles are commonplace, but even within groups of spiritual brothers and sisters,
wherever two or more are gathered, politics is there in their midst. This is not a sad commentary on the state of
esoteric Orders; it is simply a factor of the human condition. Do not blame the spiritual Path for the
followers who are treading upon it.
<br /><br />
The question then arises as to how much time and attention is given to such
activities such as inter-Order politics. The more they quagmire themselves in such mundane trifles, the less
focus they have on the actual Work. In
litigious struggles, online skirmishes and witch wars, some may get ahead, but
when all is said and done, no one really wins. Spiritual traditions and their communities end up diminishing themselves
and their reputations. Yet again, there
are those who stay out of the fray altogether, or actually conduct themselves with
aplomb. It is those people who can rise
above such things that have the most potential to be good mentors.
<br /><br />
You may wish to withhold questions about community members until later, though. You want your first impression to be that of
a light-seeker, not a gossip-monger. That said, give some thought to the initial questions you want to ask
your group of potential mentors. This
again comes back around to first impressions. If you ask a question whose answer is easily and readily found on the
Web, there may be variable results, but none of them will be good. To the more unscrupulous mentors out there, <i>you will be setting yourself up as an easy
mark</i>. The standup community members,
however, are likely busy with projects in the magical, literary and mundane
realms. To them, <i>you will be wasting their time</i>. No worthwhile mentor is going to take on a student who can’t do his own
homework.
<br /><br />
Once you get your answers, of course, check and cross-check them to see if they are
valid, or at least consonant with the tradition at hand. For example, if a prospective mentor teaches
you that the sign of Libra is ruled by the “esoteric planet” Atlantis, you’re not
getting a lesson in astrology, you’re getting a bucket of hogwash. That’s not to say that there isn’t any room
for innovation in a tradition. Many
modern astrologers assign the planet Pluto as ruler over the sign of Scorpio,
for instance. However, when it comes
down to tradition versus innovation, consistency must rule the day. If a teacher proclaims to be a traditional
astrologer in one breath and then spouts off about Ophiuchus being the 13<sup>th</sup>
sign of the Zodiac in the next, he’s feeding you a line.
<br /><br />
What’s happening here is these mentors are trying to be all things to all people to
make their Orders look enticing, as if they have an edge on all the other
groups out there. What that really
makes, though, is not a good tradition nor a good Order, but just good
recruiting, and nothing more. You’ll
find that most especially in Orders which smash together a bunch of disparate traditions. Yes, syncretism is found at the very heart of
the Western Esoteric Tradition, but again, coherence is the key to an
intelligible magical system. A Thelemic Rosicrucian
Order of Mystic Knights might sound really swank and exclusive, but more than
likely, once inside, you’ll be served up a “garbage plate special” of cryptic tripe
instead of sound arcane knowledge.
<br /><br />
All that said, the other critical thing you need to pay attention to is <i>how</i> your questions are answered. Any teacher worth his salt is going to answer
the question in a language the student is going to be able to understand. Anyone who answers in a grandiloquent
fashion, all the while denigrating alternate views, is an instructor to
avoid. A good mentor doesn’t need to
beat others down in order to raise himself up. A great mentor doesn’t need to raise himself up <i>at all</i>.
<br /><br />
This leads then to the question of the character of the mentors with which you are
now interacting. A spiritual teacher
could hold the keys to the mysteries of the universe. However, all that information is going to be
of no use to his students if the teacher treats them in such a manner as to
leave them spiritually and psychologically broken.
<br /><br />
Knowledgeable mentors are those who have spent years working a magical system through and
through. Oftentimes, though, such magical
achievements yield a certain inflation of the ego, sometimes even leading to a
level of self-adulation. They may treat
your basic questions with an air of haughtiness or even a hint of
derision. A telltale sign would be when
such a mentor doesn’t know the answer to a question you might have but responds
nonetheless. If the response smacks of
rhetorical sophistry rather than pertinent information, then he’s being
dishonest with both you <i>and</i> himself.
<br /></br />
On the other hand, <i>wise</i> mentors are
those who have allowed their magic to work on <i>them</i> as well. They
understand the nature and importance of spiritual alchemy and the psychological
transformation that it yields. These
people will not have forgotten the steps on their path up the mountain, so they
would answer your questions sincerely, on the level, and at <i>your</i> level. They would also have the proper balance of self-assurance
and integrity to actually say “I don’t know” to questions outside their sphere
of expertise. The best types of mentors
will go so far as to <i>make you think for
yourself</i>, rather than spoon-feed you answers from their font of knowledge.
<br /><br />
Again, it would be wise to spend a number of weeks sifting through your short list of
community members and filtering them out according to their proficiency in the
tradition, their prowess in tutoring, and the quality of their rectitude as a
spiritual advisor. Once this is done,
now is the time to ask your key advisors about their affiliations and
recommendations when it comes to esoteric Orders. <i>Listen to them carefully and take their guidance
in this regard seriously.</i> Armed with
their well-informed insight, you can now endeavor to make first contact with those
esoteric Orders which would be the best fit for you.
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/observing-chiefs-if-you-can.html">Observing the Chiefs (If You Can)</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-14858225136123295392014-06-11T22:19:00.000-05:002014-06-22T23:44:30.550-05:00Fly-By-Night Mentors, and How To Fly Away From Them<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br />
<br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/engaging-community.html" target="_blank">Engaging the Community</a>
<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<br />
During your initial communication and interaction phase, you may notice that some members start to correspond with you more than others. They may send you a friend request, which of course you happily accept. You want to be part of the community now, right? They may even start to instant message you outside the discussion group and strike up a conversation. Wow! This guy seems super-smart and really important, and he’s taking a shine to me! Isn’t that great?<br />
<br />
Uhh, no. Not necessarily. There are scores of bogus, self-exalted mentors out there who use discussion forums, not for deliberation on the tradition or the development of its community, but as a pool of unwary potential candidates for their esoteric Orders. These mountebanks put on a performance in front of the incognizant, luring them in with saccharine dialogue and the pretense of the grandeur of their Order. (I like to call this “candi-bait”, a portmanteau of “candidate bait”.)<br />
<br />
Speaking of plays on words, using the term “fly-by-night” is a deliberate pun. On modern terms, the phrase refers to something transitory or someone who’s unreliable at best, shady at worst. Originally, it was a slang term, conceived in the late 18th century, to refer to a woman of reproach, suggesting that she might be a witch! How scandalous an accusation for someone in that time! But I digress.<br />
<br />
Returning to the whole aura and idea around grandeur, keep in mind that, as it often goes, the more magnificent the title, the more bloated the ego. Furthermore, if someone introduces himself to you as the Chief of a multi-national Order with temples world-wide, <i>there is probably something amiss with that Chief or that Order</i>. Why would the spiritual leader of a global convocation of seekers be trawling the Web for the next single seeker? Maybe the Order is not really so multi-national or the membership is not nearly so flush with members. Even if so, then the Chief is putting new recruits over his existing associates, and with that kind of dereliction of duty, his order may not be world-wide nor populous for very long!<br />
<br />
Regardless of position or title, once you’ve been “friended”, you can glean quite a bit from a person’s social media profile. Although you want to avoid sweeping generalizations, you will be able to catch glimpses of the person’s mindset, character, and even intelligence. If a mentor doesn’t have a good grasp of his native language, why in the world would you want that person to teach you spellcraft if he can’t even spell? “Grimoire” comes from an Old French word meaning “grammar”, after all. Someone who passes along sensational news or informational memes that are easily debunked by a five-second Google search clearly lacks critical thinking skills. Esoteric mentors should have a discriminating eye for the truth. Even with setting spirituality aside, would you expect anything less from any other teacher?<br />
<br />
Whether it be on one’s profile, or in discussion, also take particular notice to assure yourself that the person is consistent and, preferably, balanced. For example, it is a fairly common thing to find mystics using psychedelic substances to achieve altered states of consciousness. However, a mentor who practically glorifies drug culture is likely to not function well in the mundane world, or worse, may not be able to separate fantasy from reality. Being a weapons enthusiast is entirely within one’s rights, but when a leader of a group of “white lighters” publicly advocates “second amendment solutions” to societal problems, things just don’t add up. Defending one’s rights is admirable, and fighting for others’ rights is honorable, but if a person voices opinions sympathetic to certain cultural or racial “pride” groups, don’t expect them to play nice with people that are different from them, especially if they’re “<i>untermensch</i>”.<br />
<br />
Don’t get me wrong. <i>Everyone is a hypocrite to some degree</i>. Cognitive dissonance and unenlightened self-interest are virtually the forces that spin the globe. That said, it should be reasonable to expect that a spiritual advisor should be something better than that. “More than human” is the term Israel Regardie used. Bear in mind though, that “more than human” is still always going to be less than perfect.<br />
<br />
On the flip side, let’s say you engage in conversation with a person who has some very strong opinions and even a little bit of inside information. Once friended, however, the person’s social profile seems to be conspicuously thin. He has very few other friends on his profile, no one else seems to know this person, and after a second glance, you notice that the profile was set up only a few days ago. Chances are this profile is a <i>sockpuppet</i>, designed to advocate and attract people to (or scare them away from) a particular Order, while disguising the person’s true identity. For some reason, this seems to be a favorite practice of some of the worst Order leaders out there. These sockpuppets, and the people behind them, deserve nothing more than your silence.<br />
<br />
Sockpuppets aside, if a tangible tutor’s public profile is a total turn-off, that doesn’t mean you can’t have cordial conversations. Having an interest in the occult is a rare thing, so finding people who share that interest is something to treasure. Just be clear in your interactions that, if pressed, you prefer a peer-to-peer rapport, and not a mentor-to-student relationship. Furthermore, if that pressure takes on the characteristics of a hard sell, especially if there are consequences included for not acting soon, you should probably think twice about having that person as a mentor. The path that you take and the choices about it that you make need to be directed by you and only you. <i>This is your path.</i> Don’t allow yourself to be manipulated in any manner that steers you away from that.<br />
<br />
When it comes right down to it, there’s no simple litmus test for occult tutors, so you’re going to have to do your esoteric background check all by yourself. By all means, you want to establish a level of trust with the people with whom you are choosing to interact. However, if one of those people can’t find a kind word to say about anyone else, all the while exalting himself above all others, <i>he is trying to isolate you</i>. Don’t be afraid, therefore, to ask your little circle of potential mentors about others in the community, most of all about the other mentors! Most of the community stalwarts are going to be kind about others, yet you will be surprised at some of the things they have witnessed and the stories they will tell. You will never know until you ask. Then, of course, always verify the information that you hear. You might be surprised to find, though, that some of the more outlandish rumors that you’re told, which you might normally reject as utterly ludicrous, are actually true. That said, it is a basic rule of thumb that the more discreet whisperings from the veterans of the tradition are going to have greater veracity than those you will find lingering about on slander sites littering the Web.<br />
<br />
You also have to be on the lookout for the soft sell as well. Many of the fly-by-night mentors are very well practiced in the fine art of the <i>schmooze</i>. Some of them will try to fawn all over you, to try and ingratiate themselves to you, in order to bring you into the fold. The more seasoned ones are a little craftier. They will tell you exactly what you want to hear and just a little bit extra to whet your intrigue. Remember where you are at this moment. You’re not married to an Order, and you’re not engaged by an Initiation. You’re still on the esoteric dating scene, trying to connect on <i>occult OKCupid</i>. The smooth operators out there are going to tell you how wonderful you are and, if you just hook up with them, you’ll find all the resplendent brilliance and power of your dreams. Truth be told, however, they just want to get into your robes.<br />
<br />
Again, if the question of tutelage comes up, don’t be moved. Really, the subject should be broached by you and on your timeline. Certainly, you can’t expect an esoteric suitor to hang around forever, but if he leaves at the first indication that you won’t be his pupil, then that will tell you what his intentions were all along. Same goes if the person gets impatient or pushy. That shows you his priorities, and he’s putting his over yours. <i>Establish healthy boundaries now</i>, because you may have to do it again, even after you’ve been a long-standing member of an esoteric Order.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/making-first-contact.html">Making First Contact</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-70222070489052280482014-06-04T22:25:00.000-05:002014-06-11T22:25:22.108-05:00Engaging the Community<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a>
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br /><br />
<b>Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/orders-in-age-of-internet.html" target="_blank">Orders in the Age of the Internet</a></b>
<br /><br />
<hr />
<br /><br />
After doing a bunch of
internet searches and web surfing, you probably have a pretty good idea of
which type of tradition is calling to you. Whether it be Wicca, Thelema,
Golden Dawn, OTO, Rosicrucianism, Paganism, Shamanism, Hellenic Reconstruction
or what have you, there are going to be plenty of options to reach out and
connect with people of a like mind. Yet, the goal of this endeavor is not
to just meet up and chat online (although, of course, you want to do that,
too). What you’re really looking for is to uncover the information about
the esoteric Orders you researched that <i>doesn’t</i> show up on
their websites.
<br /><br />
Due to the dynamic and
rapidly changing nature of the Internet, the locations and level of activity of
these online discussion groups changes over time. Back in the 80’s, it
was USENET and groups like alt.magick. At the turn of the century, Yahoo
groups were all the rage. In the early teens of the 21<sup>st</sup> century,
most discussions seem to be through Facebook groups. There are still
websites out there set up as discussion groups, but they are becoming the
exception rather than the rule. Regardless, finding an online group that
addresses your target tradition should not be that hard to do.
<br /><br />
If you want to introduce
yourself as a newcomer to the group, go right ahead. If you want your
initial message to be a little more substantive, ask for a list of good books
on the tradition to read. Jumping right in head first and asking every
question you have on the top of your head, however, is not going to yield you
the most effective results. If the first thing you do once you get into a
discussion group is ask what people think about Order XYZ, you will get flooded
with opinions strewn across the full spectrum, heavily seasoned by all kinds of
group politics. You’re not going to know which opinions are coming from
wizened members of the community and which are coming from propagandists,
predators and delusional “true believers”.
<br /><br />
The best thing you can
do at this point is <i>observe</i>. Dip your toe in the environment
of the forum and get an idea of how feels intuitively. If there’s too
much time spent on petty bickering or the forum owners are using it as a
soapbox for their political screeds or publicity stunts, find a different venue
with a better signal-to-noise ratio. Also, don’t assume that one
discussion group, or a small subset of people in such a group, speak for an entire
community. For every loudmouth on the Internet, there are a hundred good
seekers of the Light doing the Work in silence.
<br /><br />
This phase of
observation should not be rushed over a period of mere days. This is
about observing over a period of weeks, maybe even months. Intertwine
this observation phase with reading a couple good books focused on your chosen
tradition. I know you have a lot of questions. I know you want answers to
those questions. However, when it comes to those answers, you don’t want
quantity, you want <i>quality</i>. You, being a newcomer to the
community and the tradition, likely will not recognize quality answers when you
see them! That is why it is so important to first observe.
<br /><br />
Spend a fairly
significant amount of time to read through the message archives or scroll
through the timeline of the forum. It shouldn’t take you very long to
figure out the people to avoid. You can easily discard those who seem to
post about everything except the forum topic or tradition at hand.
They are not there to benefit the community; they are there to
benefit themselves. Steer clear of anyone who asks questions or makes
comments that smack of radical pseudoscience, or worse, conspiracy
theory. They are a special amalgam of instant gratification and willful
ignorance. Bypass the ones who ask the most questions, or ask questions
whose answers are easily found with a Google search. They’re either
looking for raw entertainment or quick, spoon-fed fixes, not the actual
Work. Also shy away from those people who generate the greatest amount of
chatter. For them, the discussion is more about their social circle than
it is their magickal circle. Remember, you want quality, not
quantity.
<br /><br />
By now, you’ve filtered
out a vast majority of the participants, have gotten through a large chunk of
your books, answered most of your own questions and generated a few new ones.
This is the time to start asking questions, but ask those questions which
show that you've started doing your own research and homework. As a rule
of thumb, higher quality questions get higher quality answers from higher
quality people. Besides, by now, you will have observed enough to figure
out, to some degree, which responses (and responders) can be dismissed out of
hand.
<br /><br />
As you continue to participate in the discussion group, start looking for a
select few forum participants who share certain admirable qualities. They
would be the ones who listen much more than they speak. They present
themselves as knowledgeable without being pretentious or disparaging. They
are mature enough to not have to have the last word all the time. Those
qualities of character are of paramount importance, but just as important is
their level of experience and longevity in the tradition. You want to be
able to talk to those people who are community builders but have been around
for decades and witnessed the worst flaws of their society with their own eyes.
<br /><br />
These are the people to
which you want to ask the more sensitive, incisive questions. Again, don’t jump right in and inundate them
with your questions about the Orders out there and which one to pick. These folks are usually extremely busy with
rituals or writing or some other such community project. They place a great value on their time and do
not suffer fools gladly. However, if you
approach them with dignity and respect, and establish a rapport with them first,
most of them will be more than happy to hold their Lamp of Knowledge out for
you, so that you might find the Path that’s right for you.
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/fly-by-night-mentors-and-how-to-fly.html">Fly-By-Night Mentors</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-67519671265067237702014-05-27T21:49:00.000-05:002014-06-08T18:02:11.255-05:00Orders in the Age of the Internet<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a><br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br /><br />
Last Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank">Section I: Introduction</a>
<br /><br />
<hr />
<br /><br />
Back at
the turn of the 19th century, if you wanted to get involved in an esoteric Order,
you needed to know somebody. Secret societies were, well, still secret back
then, for the most part. On rare occasion, one might see an editorial, or even
rarer, an advertisement in a fringe magazine, with contact information through
postal mail, if one was lucky.
<br /><br />
How much things have changed in a century and a quarter.
<br /><br />
When I was initially looking for the Golden Dawn in 1997, I
stumbled upon AvatarSearch one night, which billed itself as the search engine
for the occult Internet. Although it’s already been gone for a few years, it
did a pretty good job in its day. I remember typing in “Golden Dawn” and
immediately getting half a dozen solid hits. Before I knew it, it was 3 AM, my
eyes were glazed over, and so was my mind from all the information that had
been thrown at it. I started out excited, and ended up inundated. Nearly two decades later, in a World Wide Web
where “Google” has become a verb, a newcomer would only get more overwhelmed.
<br /><br />
Solid, principled esoteric Orders have to walk an
interesting tightrope in the 21st century. Tradition holds that they operate
under a veil of secrecy. They have their oaths to preserve and their heritage
to protect. Contemporary society, however, almost demands that they present
some sort of public presence. This typically rubs raw against Orders’ oaths of
secrecy, but it also provides them a powerful benefit, as they also have the
responsibility of their <i>egregore</i> to
perpetuate. Finding that balance is a difficult exercise, but one that they
should not shrink away from, as good Orders are all about proper equilibrium,
for their members and themselves.
<br /><br />
Because of this, websites of responsible esoteric Orders
are going to be predominantly for educational and informational purposes.
If their tradition already has a rich and protracted history, plenty of
space will be devoted to it. If the Order is a variation on a tradition,
or an entirely new incarnation, expect there to be some sort of founding
statement or<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>manifesto,</i> defining
itself and its <i>raison d'être</i>.
<br /><br />
Every half-decent website is going to have a fairly
sizeable section devoted to resources, including such things as references,
articles, images, historical letters, art, news, and event announcements.
Information pertaining to the Order's teachings, even if it has been
published for decades, should be significantly excised, simply out of respect
to the tradition and its oaths. However, you can get an idea of the
group's mindset and center of attention from the resources they provide.
If their materials adhere closely to their own tradition, you can expect
the Order to be focused and devoted to that tradition. However, if their
information spans widely across a number of different doctrines and practices,
it could be evidence of a hazy concentration on, or worse, a fundamental lack
of understanding of, their own tradition.
<br /><br />
Since
these sites are primarily about information, and because these Orders are still
semi-secret, don’t be surprised if they make it a little difficult to find out
anything about how to become a member.
In fact, you should count on it. You
might find a reference on a remote page to a post office box or an email
address. At most, there may be an online
form to fill out for serious inquiries only.
Many Orders, including ones with groups, circles or temples world-wide,
shy away from publishing their locations.
After all, a good Order is going to, first and foremost, be discreet.
<br /><br />
The more dubious Orders out there do not suffer this
conundrum. In this day and age, anyone
with a little pocket change and time on their hands can register a domain name
and set up a slick website, replete with fluffy bunny affirmations, surrounded
by lots of eye candy. In this sense, the
Internet is the “Wild Wild Web” when it comes to trying to make heads or tails
of legitimate esoteric Orders.
<br /><br />
Those
types of groups, more especially the smaller ones, are more than ready to let
you know how widespread they are. The
thing is, finding out that an Order has multitudinous temples across the globe
really doesn’t tell you much. When
newcomers see the word “temple”, they think of a free-standing building with
dozens of people participating. Truth be
told, many of the “temples” out there are a couple people running things out of
their spare bedroom, if you’re lucky.
<br /><br />
The same
goes for any references to membership brought up by the website. Simply put, the earlier there is mention of
the ease, and especially the cost, of joining their Order, the sooner you know
what their focus is truly on. If the
information on the main page of the website reads like the script of a bad infomercial,
then it is highly likely that <i>they are
trying to sell you something</i>. That’s
fine if you’re looking to buy a pentacle necklace, a cool talisman or some
other pretty bauble, but we’re talking about the first step on a new spiritual
life here. Think about it. If a website claims to be the elite Order of
its tradition, would it be so indiscriminate of its applicants as to allow
anyone with a credit card and a button click to become a member?
<br /><br />
Along the
same vein, if an Order claims that they have all the tools and tricks to make
your newly-founded spiritual life instantly powerful and easy, then they are
trying to take you to the cleaners.
There are many reasons why the endeavor is called “The Great Work”. It’s because it takes a Great deal of Work to
achieve it. Any good writer can give
easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions for rituals and ceremonies. Knowledge, however, falls considerably short
of gnosis, and won’t get you even near the threshold of understanding or
wisdom. Spiritual growth requires a
great deal of personal introspection, admission of hard truths about yourself,
and significant psychological change. <i>There are no short cuts</i>. You will not hold dominion over your own
personal world until you first <i>know
thyself</i>. <i>As above, so below. As within,
so without.</i>
<br /><br />
Remember
that this is but your very first step in finding the spiritual path that is
right for you at this very moment.
Surfing the web is a good opportunity to get a glimpse of what’s
available out there. However, just
because certain statements and claims are out there on the Internet, that doesn’t
make them true.
<br /><br />
If you
want to find the right esoteric Order, you are going to need to do more than
scratch the surface. You are going to
need to crack the veneer. There are
plenty of people out there, also accessible through the Internet, who have been
underneath the candy-coated shell. You
can glean a great deal of valuable information from them, if you next choose to
seek them out and engage them properly.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/06/engaging-community.html">Engaging the Community</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-25545601539864460442014-05-21T21:00:00.000-05:002014-06-22T15:55:40.351-05:00Section I: Introduction<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/p/esoteric-orders-survival-guide.html" target="_blank"><b>Esoteric Orders: A Survival Guide</b></a><br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html" target="_blank"><i>Section I: How To Find An Esoteric Order</i></a>
<br /><br />
<hr />
<br />
You’ve always known you’re a little different. Going to school was always mentally tough,
not because of the coursework, but because you never really fit in. You always knew when your best friend was
having a rough day, because you could feel it in your gut. You could see things other people couldn’t
see, and you couldn’t say anything, because people would laugh and call you
crazy. So you kept it all inside, alone
and afraid to tell anyone. What people
called anxiety, you called survival.
<br /><br />
Your parents made you go to church every Sunday, but you
felt like you didn’t fit in there, either.
Your pastor said that the pentagram is evil and Satanic, but there was
always something about it you liked.
There were other things your priest said at church that just didn’t jibe
with what you read in the Bible. You
looked up the word “occult” once in the dictionary, because you were taught in
Sunday School that the occult was "a tool of the Anti-Christ", but you found out
the word comes from the Latin “occultus”, meaning nothing more than “hidden”. Unlike the masses, you still have your
critical thinking skills turned on.
<br /><br />
Mythology had always intrigued you, especially the Greek and
Egyptian. There was always something
about the tales of Apollo that resonated with you. You also couldn’t help but notice some
parallels with the religion you were brought up with, too. You’ve wondered what the early church was
like. It couldn’t have been as political
and screwed up as it is now, or in the Middle Ages, for that matter. Besides, you’ve always thought of yourself as
more spiritual than religious. You’ve
always felt there was a “Higher Power” out there, whatever he, she or it
is. You never felt or found that
connection, however, in church.
<br /><br />
So one day, the moment hit you. You were tired of feeling
alone and seeking by yourself, so you decided to look for a group of people who
shared the same curiosity, mindset and beliefs that you had. You weren’t exactly sure what you were
looking for, but you were going to look for it anyways. You talked to a couple of friends, the ones
that weren’t muggles, and they had heard whisperings about a group or coven
nearby, but nothing that really piqued your interest. The only other connection you had was the one
in the wall that led to the Internet.
<br /><br />
There’s a reason why the Web is called World Wide. You can find anything you want there (and a
whole lot more of what you don’t want).
You signed up to a few Yahoo groups, joined a few on Facebook, stumbled
upon alt.magick and ran away almost screaming.
You asked a few newbie questions, got chided a bit from the old guard,
but also got a referral to a website that apparently is everything you’re looking
for.
<br /><br />
So you type in the web address, and the browser pulls up a
very well-designed, good-looking site.
Obviously, these people know what they’re talking about. They profess a long-standing history, and are
offering to share age-old secrets that will transform your life. You could be part of a world-wide society of
like-minded people for the first time in your life. They even have training courses through
their "online cyber-circle". All you need
to do is click on “Sign Me Up”, send your money through PayPal and you’re in!
<br /><br />
And maybe that worked out for you! There are plenty of esoteric organizations
out there with rock-solid teachings, taught by smart, knowledgeable mentors,
run by compassionate and wise leaders. However,
there are also plenty of organizations whose members are sycophants, teachers
who are charlatans, and leaders who are charismatic poseurs. Some of these groups suck so much time,
energy and money out of their members, and demand such tight control of their
lives, that they could be easily classified as cults. Others are more insidious; they have bright, nurturing
teachers, but unwittingly, they are psychological enablers for a horribly toxic
chief. You’ll never see that stuff,
though, from the “ooh, shiny” website.
<br /><br />
But how does someone, completely new to the scene, who doesn’t
know anyone in the esoteric community, know who to trust and who to avoid? It’s not like you can drop a couple hundred
dollars and have an online service do an “occult background check” on someone. Querying the community just seems to go
around in circles. Ask a dozen people
about an Order and you’ll get two dozen opinions, along with a whole lot more
confusion than when you started. In
exasperation, you go back to your gut, and that “Sign Me Up” button sure would
feel good right about now.
<br /><br />
Not so fast. The
Quest for the Great Work is one that lasts a lifetime, no matter when you start. A lapse in judgment now, regardless of
whether it is based in a lack of information or lack of wisdom, can send you on
a detour of several years. Then, when
you leave that Order with a pretty website and an easy sign-up button, you will
find yourself essentially right back where you started, more battered and
bruised, psychologically or otherwise, than you originally were. At that point, you might even walk away,
feeling jaded and tarring the entire community with the same tainted brush. (And who could blame you, really?)
<br /><br />
We, the writers, have taken those detours and suffered those
lumps. We write now so that you don’t
fall into the same organizational pits that we did. We cannot tell you which Order, coven or
mentor is right for you, but with this guide, we hope to clue you in on which
types of Orders, covens or mentors are wrong for any seeker of the Light.<br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
<b>Next Chapter: <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/orders-in-age-of-internet.html">Orders in the Age of the Internet</a></b><br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-77004161772549582582014-05-14T23:58:00.004-05:002014-05-21T21:01:41.996-05:00Shattering the VesselsAs you may have noticed, I have just changed my profile picture here to something a little more personal and meaningful. I had originally chosen a frame of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Blake" target="_blank">William Blake</a>'s "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_%28Blake%29" target="_blank">Newton</a>" for a number of reasons. First, for the most topical and obvious, a reference to the study of Newtonian physics and the study of geometry, as it relates to Freemasonry and other sacred subjects. The second, deeper layer is a tip of the hat to Blake, himself a mystic, who thought of Newton as someone who was unable to think outside his own scientific circles and recognize a greater spiritual reality. Lastly, as recent historical research would have it, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Newton%27s_occult_studies" target="_blank">Newton's own esoteric endeavors</a> in subjects such as alchemy and bibliomancy have come to light. Newton then, as such, lived life with one foot in science and the other in mysticism, something to which I aspire.<br />
<br />
Recent events, however, have caused me to brandish my Magic Sword. In the Golden Dawn Tradition, the Magic Sword is a symbolical instrument of the Sephirah Geburah, and is meant to be employed for the purposes of banishing and the warding off of evil forces and influences. Therefore, its hilt is painted red, and various Geburic and Martial Names of God, Archangels, Angels and Divine Beings are painted upon it in their flashing color green. A nearly identical version of the Magic Sword is wielded by the Hiereus, who is the officer in the Golden Dawn Temple who symbolically sits in the darkest part of Malkuth, guarding against the multitudes that sleep through the light and awaken at twilight.<br />
<br />
These multitudes are part of the <i>Qliphoth</i> or Shells, the resultant shards of the cosmogonic event called the <i>Shevirat ha-Kelim</i> or the Shattering of the Vessels. According to Lurianic Kabbalah, the initial Sephiroth or vessels to contain the Divine Light were created in <i>Tohu</i> or Chaos. So when the Light flowed into the vessels, they were subjected to the process of <i>Din</i> or Judgment when the Light reached Geburah. They were judged to be imperfect, and thus they shattered. The shards fell and become the <i>Qliphoth</i>, along with the Light, which scattered in <i>Nitzotzoth</i> or Sparks of Holiness.<br />
<br />
However, the effect of pouring pure Light into imperfect vessels is not the reason why I'm writing this blog entry. Rather, it is about the effect of filling vessels of innocence with the luminescence of external splendor which is internally corrupt. This is the Venereal radiance, "<a href="http://hermetic.com/crowley/equinox/i/ii/eqi02020h.html" target="_blank">known as <i>Nogah</i> amongst the Shells</a>", and is often referred to as a form of Serpent. Affixed to the Middle Pillar, it is <i>Nehushtan</i>, the Celestial Serpent of Wisdom. Let loose, it becomes the Serpent that slithers around the Qliphothic Tree on the <i>Sitra Achra</i>.<br />
<br />
Such is what happens when seekers of the Light, new to a tradition and a community, find themselves joining up with an esoteric group and mentor who looks like the real deal, but beneath the veneer are toxic, or at worst, predatory. Instead of finding the spiritual alchemical transformation they seek, these seekers instead end up as shattered vessels, divided from their "order" through tragedy, often entirely alone to try and deal with their grief and heal from the damage done to them. Learning to trust again seems to many of them like an unclimbable mountain, and the idea of joining a different spiritual group practically unfathomable. Others go "on the rebound", joining a similar group, often presenting itself as entirely different but, under the surface, ends up being painfully similar.<br />
<br />
I have been made aware of numerous happenings like this as of late. I do not know if this is the fallout of the Grand Cross in the Cardinal Signs currently in the Heavens, but it happens much too often to too many good and sincere people.<br />
<br />
I myself have been through four different Golden Dawn Orders. My jump from first to second was a complete rebound. My jump to the third was an "allergic to Orders" move, as the group of us went totally independent. For the fourth, I took my time, and proceeded carefully and cautiously. (Maybe too cautiously than the folks in that Order deserved!) I have now been with the <a href="http://www.hermeticgoldendawn.com/" target="_blank">HOGD</a> for over eight years now, and I'm very happy to be with an Order where the Chiefs are unpretentious, selfless and, most of all, sane.<br />
<br />
It is said that wisdom comes from good judgement. Good judgement comes from experience. And most of all, experience comes from bad judgement. So let me say, I have my fair share of wisdom in this particular subject matter. That said, I have good friends that have had similar yet different experiences, and some who have stared deep into the heart of corruption in some of the leaders in the esoteric community.<br />
<br />
It is my intention to come together with a few of those notable fellows and commence a series of blogs as a definitive guide to the perils and pitfalls of dealing with esoteric leaders, mentors and organizations. Our goal is to share our knowledge and wisdom (see definition above), so that other seekers of the Light won't have to go through the same trials and tribulations that we did.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2014/05/section-i-introduction.html">Stay tuned to this page</a>, as it will stand as an index and table of contents for this blog series. I hope to get the first installment published within a week.<br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-34963472818039625222014-05-05T23:42:00.001-05:002014-06-08T23:47:46.195-05:00In Memoriam<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA02KnvNodkbiMVAk7DL1CK2xIrJkJQt95GE8qxekxB5HkqGcNrZ9WYPTP4UkyS3qGXMCSE4JyykO0bvFQkryKgw9Qz_WAJOVkjA88C-zJsJhvFM36iHIsj4s8PPdQUiavLF32xdobFEAI/s1600/jh3-web.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA02KnvNodkbiMVAk7DL1CK2xIrJkJQt95GE8qxekxB5HkqGcNrZ9WYPTP4UkyS3qGXMCSE4JyykO0bvFQkryKgw9Qz_WAJOVkjA88C-zJsJhvFM36iHIsj4s8PPdQUiavLF32xdobFEAI/s1600/jh3-web.jpg" height="320" width="192" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: small;">Jorge Hevia, III</span></b><br />Passed December 10, 2013<br /><i>Requiescat In Pace</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Last Wednesday night, I was informed that Jorge Hevia, a former Golden Dawn associate of mine, had passed away almost five months ago. I was shocked, for sure, as he was still a young fellow, but I mourned more over the fact that no one in the know breathed a word about it for all this time. Regardless of how one felt about the man, he was a rather notable figure in Golden Dawn circles.<br />
<br />
Jorge and I met and went through the Outer Order grades together in the EOGD before the turn of the millenium, back when it was still known as the Hermetic Order of the Morning Star International (HOMSI). He jumped ship a while before I did and, when my time came, he pretty much personally escorted me right over to the A+O in 2002. He and I worked extensively together for the next four years, he as "Chief Legal Counsel" throughout that time, and me as Cancellarius Ordinis starting in 2004. He must have received his 7=4 sometime after I left in 2006, and likely had become Praemonstrator Ordinis upon Jean-Pascal Ruggiu's departure.<br />
<br />
We had a good working relationship, even a friendship, at the beginning. There was a fair bit of strife, suspicions and inconvenient truths towards the end, which is not proper to get into at this juncture. Needless to say, we never spoke to one another after I left the A+O, but I do remember him being rather weary already at that early point in time.<br />
<br />
Now that he has passed beyond the Veil, I truly hope he has found the peace and happiness that seemed to elude him so on this material plane.Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-22902115156735005442014-04-06T22:40:00.000-05:002014-04-15T23:22:17.173-05:00The Pachyderm in the PronaosMarch 28th would have been <a href="https://www.facebook.com/donald.m.kraig" target="_blank">Donald Michael Kraig</a>'s 63rd birthday. Although the memories of him are good, it was a fresh infusion of grief all the same. I find it ironic that so many people, or at least people I know, have death dates so close to their birth dates. It would seem that karma is more than just a collection of twists of fate. Sometimes, it's just plain twisted fate.<br />
<br />
Yet even before Don's birthday came to pass, there was a suggestion that the magical community was ignoring the "elephant in the room". What it boils down to is, dozens of magicians performed hundreds of healing rites for Don, and he died anyway. Well, those are indeed the facts, are they not? The implication would seem to be then that this was a great failure for the magical community, and the belief in magic in general, but I find that conclusion to be at least a bit myopic.<br />
<br />
As far as healing rites go, suffice it to say, "this ain't my first rodeo". I have been on both sides of this coin that was minted in antiquity. I have been a participant in rites which have essentially pulled lives back from beyond the veil. I have performed multitudinous rites for people who were simply beyond my reach. Experience, is it said, is the best teacher, and I have learned much from this particular brand of experience.<br />
<br />
First of all, cancer is hard. Diseases usually fall under the <a href="http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=influenza" target="_blank"><i>influenza</i></a> of the malefic planets, Mars and Saturn. The nature of cancer is when cell growth goes unbridled, the case of an afflicted Jupiter gone wild. That's why treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy are effective countermeasures. They are basically full-frontal Martial attacks on the body, in the hopes that their effects destroy the cancer before they destroy the host. That's also why most of the magicians I know were not only doing Solar work to improve Don's health, but Mars work to destroy the cancer.<br />
<br />
Furthermore, this wasn't just any old cancer we were trying to get rid of. This was <i>stage IV pancreatic cancer</i>. That type of cancer alone carries a woeful survival rate, but by the time it has developed to stage IV, <a href="http://www.cancer.org/cancer/pancreaticcancer/detailedguide/pancreatic-cancer-survival-rates" target="_blank">the chance of survival is around 1 percent</a>. Even if all our magical work had improved his chances ten-fold, the odds were still horribly against him.<br />
<br />
Over and over again I've seen, when the sick are beyond curing, the energies devoted are directed then to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palliative_care" target="_blank">palliative care</a>. Both the suffering until death, and the transition to the afterlife, are quantifiably eased. My best friend's mother died from pancreatic cancer, and the suffering she endured in the last two weeks of her life I would not wish upon my worst enemy. Don died peacefully and painlessly in his sleep. That alone is a minor miracle in an of itself.<br />
<br />
Personally, I think we as magicians have this tendency to fall into a soft narcissism that "my will be done". There is some rationale for this, as magicians invoke and banish forces and entities at will, and also create living talismans to do much the same. That which the magician invokes, s/he may banish, and what s/he creates, s/he may destroy. Magicians are not the creators of other human souls, so it is folly to think that our magic can control human life and death. Mages can <i>appeal</i> to the Creator to change a human fate, and that appeal may be answered. Just as often, however, the final effect feels similar to signing an e-petition to Congress, and just as effective.<br />
<br />
In the end, <i>no person can change another person's time</i>, and somehow, we need to find the grace to accept that, especially when it is time for the ones we love. The original mythical temple of the Order of the Golden Dawn was named "Licht, Liebe, Leben", or "Light, Love, Life", and I think those words are ordered specifically for a reason. Not only does it reflect the tripartite human composition of <i>spirit, soul and body</i>, but I believe it is in the order in which the magician may affect Creation. Don received a lot of Light and a lot of Love, but we could not extend his Life. Despite that, if he died knowing how loved and appreciated he truly was, then I say "two out of three ain't bad".<br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-75334519421274805592014-03-19T02:16:00.000-05:002014-05-05T23:43:16.071-05:00Requiem for a WizardI can still remember the very first time I performed a Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram. It was sometime in the spring of 1990, and I was on a job assignment in a small city in rural upstate New York. I was 20 years old, so I couldn't go to the regular bars, because I could get arrested. There was an underage bar in town, too, but once I saw all the VERY young girls hanging out there, I figured I could get arrested just as quickly there.<br />
<br />
But perhaps the very thin social scene wouldn't have made any difference for me. I was a smart but painfully shy guy, who could have easily been the poster child for social anxiety disorder (if such a diagnosis had existed at the time). My small but close circle of friends were either back at college an hour and a half away, or back home two and a half hours away. Suffice it to say, I had copious time on my hands, I wanted to do something constructive with it, and getting hooked on 21 Jump Street wasn't in concert with that agenda (although Johnny Depp was pretty good even then, but I digress).<br />
<br />
I had already been dabbling in matters esoteric for a number of years by then. Astrology was my best focus, but tarot, astral projection, crystals and other such new age stuff was also in my mojo bag. Magic was still taboo for me then, and having been raised Catholic only doubled down on that dogma, but one cool, rainy spring evening, I made the decision to put my soul in jeopardy and give this LBRP thing a try.<br />
<br />
My living room was quiet and dark, save for two lit tapers on a square end table, now situated in the middle of the room. I sat down and started the four-fold breath, and I distinctly remember a loud boom from an M-80 going off, making me practically jump out of my skin. I could have taken that as a sign and ran screaming from the room, but I instead chose to face my fear and do the LBRP anyway. I took my time, taking great care in every little part of that ritual. When I was done with the ending Qabalistic Cross, I sat back in my chair to feel the change in the room. What I actually felt was a change in myself. It was a change that I could not identify right away, but I soon realized that my mind was just as quiet as the room was. Then I found the word for what I was feeling: serenity. It was a feeling entirely foreign to me, but extremely comforting. I was hooked. My life changed forever that night.<br />
<br />
The source from which I got my instructions for performing the LBRP? "Modern Magick" by Donald Michael Kraig. I spent the next six months working through the entire book. The magic and meditations became a daily practice. As my mind became healthier, I started to work on my body as well, and lost about 50 pounds overall. I started gaining self-esteem and began to break out of my anxiety-ridden shell. I became a healthier person. I became a better person. I started to attract better quality people into my life. Those who were not good for me found creative ways to spin themselves out of my life.<br />
<br />
Don wrote that "Magic is not something you do. Magic is something you are." I'm that period of time, I became magic, and I am forever in Donald Michael Kraig's debt for it.<br />
<br />
So here I am, again on job assignment, when I got the news this morning that Don passed beyond the Veil into the Company of the Gods. It was an inevitable, but very melancholy moment, and it was hard to focus on anything else throughout the day. Fortunately for me, I had this little tool called the LBRP to get rid of those unhappy and distracting thoughts. After that, my mind shifted towards contemplation and reminiscence of the magical life that started 24 years ago, thanks to Don and his seminal work.<br />
<br />
I never met Don in the flesh, but had the good fortune to correspond with him through email regarding my research and writing on the Rosicrucian Vault, and got the chance to chat with him over the phone once for about half an hour. That was very special to me, and I was sure to thank him for what he did. I wish his soul peace and godspeed. I wish his family and cherished ones love and consolation. If you can, <a href="http://www.gofundme.com/73uktg" target="_blank">please send a few dollars to help out with the outstanding medical bills</a>. As I personally move forward, I will continue to hold out the Lamp of Knowledge best I can, the same Lamp that Don made available to so many a generation ago. How can I not? Magic is not something I do. Magic is something I am.<br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-16923408440280131862014-01-19T14:01:00.000-06:002014-01-28T00:32:21.992-06:00Curing the sick, part deuxFor those not already in the know, an urgent appeal was made for healing just a couple days ago. <a href="https://www.facebook.com/donald.m.kraig" target="_blank">Donald Michael Kraig</a>, a <a href="http://llewellyn.com/author.php?author_id=2377" target="_blank">well renowned and respected author in the esoteric community</a> was recently diagnosed with stage 4 pancreatic cancer.<br />
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<br />
Don is best known for his book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Modern-Magick-Twelve-Lessons-Magickal/dp/0738715786" target="_blank">Modern Magick</a>, first published in 1988. Since then, it has gone through a couple evolutions, including a second edition having been published in 2001 and a twelfth lesson later added to the book in 2010. His very approachable writing style made this a best seller and the premier "Magick 101" book of the time. Many readers first cut their magical teeth on this book, including yours truly. We are all affectionately referred to as "Don's Kids".<br />
<br />
<a href="http://nick-farrell.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Nick Farrell</a> has written a ritual and <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/575207229228361/" target="_blank">set up an event in Facebook</a> to coordinate healing efforts for Don. For those who do not have quite as much time, a simple Rose Cross Ritual can be used to send healing light as well.<br />
<br />
Please join in this endeavor. Don has changed many lives for the better. Let's return the favor.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<u><i><b>UPDATE</b></i></u><i><b>:</b></i> The effort to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/227600154092607/" target="_blank">"Heal Don Kraig"</a> has now become a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/227600154092607/" target="_blank">Facebook group</a>. <br />
<br />
<i><u><b>UPDATE 2</b></u><b>:</b></i> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sandratabatha.cicero" target="_blank">Tabatha Cicero</a> has posted a <a href="http://order-of-the-golden-dawn.blogspot.com/2014/01/a-rite-of-healing_21.html" target="_blank">Rite of Healing</a> on the <a href="http://hermeticgoldendawn.com/" target="_blank">Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn</a> <a href="http://order-of-the-golden-dawn.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">blog</a>.<br />
<br />
<i><u><b>UPDATE 3</b></u><b>:</b></i> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/227600154092607/permalink/230474653805157/" target="_blank">Don is home from the hospital!</a>Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-9833126535434222452014-01-14T01:35:00.001-06:002014-01-14T13:19:59.016-06:00Curing the sick, and that gratisAbout six months ago, the Golden Dawn community had come together like never before and published a <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2013/07/the-brightest-gem-has-many-facets.html" target="_blank">significant treatise on the Golden Dawn Flying Rolls</a>. One of the major contributors and collaborators on that project was well-renowned author <a href="http://aaronleitch.wordpress.com/about/" target="_blank">Aaron Leitch</a>.<br />
<br />
I've known Aaron for nearly ten years now, and we've gotten into some really fascinating discussions about Golden Dawn magic, particularly of the Enochian persuasion. When I saw him last, about a month ago, he was wearing a patch on his glasses, but the patch was covering his good eye. A cataract was growing over its field of vision and would soon completely cover it. Since he was already legally blind in his other eye, this meant he was slowly, but inevitably, going functionally blind. Saving his eyesight would require surgery.<br />
<br />
Understand that Aaron, like almost all those who write on matters esoteric, does not make a living as an author. We writers of the arcane are motivated by our love of the subject matter and the hope that we can shine the Lamp of Knowledge for a wayward soul. That said, the harsh reality is, the profit margin and the sales volume are simply not there. So Aaron, only able to afford high deductible health care through his employer, would have to pay $5,000 that he simply did not have.<br />
<br />
Losing Aaron as an author would be a significant blow to the greater esoteric community. His writings on grimoiric, Solomonic and Enochian/Angelical Magic have shined a great light in these lesser known and understood areas. His online correspondences have also provided much guidance for esoteric cyber-seekers around the world. Also, for me, the idea that he would never see his lady or his daughter again with his own two eyes was practically unbearable.<br />
<br />
My first thought was to look to my Freemasonic brethren and call upon the <a href="http://www.knightstemplar.org/ktef/" target="_blank">Knights Templar Eye Foundation</a>. Masonry has been known for ages to help those in need, and the Foundation's original mission was "to provide assistance to those who face loss of sight due to the need for surgical treatment without regard to race, color, creed, age, sex or national origin provided they are unable to pay or receive adequate assistance from current government agencies or similar sources and to provide funds for research in curing diseases of the eye." However, it seems as if their mission has changed:<br />
<br />
<i>"On December 31, 2010, the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., by direction of the board, ceased participating in direct patient care...The new mission statement of the Foundation is "to improve vision through research, education, and supporting access to care."</i><br />
<br />
Oh, Freemasonry. I heart you so hard, but at nearly every turn, you find new and ingenious ways to disappoint me.<br />
<br />
So the New Year came and went, <a href="http://www.youcaring.com/medical-fundraiser/save-aaron-leitch-s-sight/124698" target="_blank">and then this happened</a>. A YouCaring fundraiser was set up with the goal of raising $5,500 to cover Aaron's medical costs and other small associated miscellany. The esoteric community responded in a manner simply not imagined. The monetary goal was reached <u><b>within 48 hours</b></u>. In fact, the fundraiser was deactivated because they had reached a total of $7,400 donated by 200 contributors. Aaron has already <a href="http://aaronleitch.wordpress.com/2014/01/12/my-response-to-overwhelming-community-support/" target="_blank">posted his reaction to his blog</a>.<br />
<br />
For those wondering, the extra money raised will be donated to the <a href="http://www.cureblindness.org/" target="_blank">Himalayan Cataract Project</a>. As the fundraiser is now deactivated, those who would still like to make a donation may do so at <a href="https://donate.cureblindness.org/" target="_blank">the Project's donation page</a> in Aaron's honor.<br />
<br />
I find it amazing how quickly and powerfully the esoteric community came together to help one of its own. Sadly, the richest nation on the planet seems to think it's acceptable to allow a productive member of its society to lose his eyesight simply for being guilty of the crime of not having enough money. This fundraiser was a great light, but the simple fact that it had to be done indicates a darkness in the heart of the nation. <a href="http://www.cnbc.com/id/100840148" target="_blank">Medical bills are the #1 cause of bankruptcies in America</a>, and such a thing should be anathema in the eyes of a Rosicrucian, who professes nothing but to cure the sick, and that gratis.<br />
<br />
If you feel the need to further <a href="https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/307/p/salsa/web/common/public/content?content_item_KEY=7924" target="_blank">contribute</a> to an organization who supports a similar philosophy, then the <a href="http://www.pnhp.org/" target="_blank">Physicians for a National Health Program</a> may appeal to you. Although single-payer health care his its share of problems, it's a step in a better direction and indubitably more moral than letting human beings fall through the cracks. <br />
<br />
Now that the financial obstacle has been removed, thanks to the kindness and generosity of so many, I wish Aaron a very safe and effective surgery, and also a very speedy recovery. I'll be checking up on him, so he'd better have his new eyes peeled!<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-59043369520730465922013-07-07T10:01:00.000-05:002013-07-07T10:05:48.849-05:00The brightest gem has many facetsI can remember a time, back about a decade or so ago, when the most recent "Golden Dawn Wars" started. A person couldn't go anywhere in the online arena, whether it be alt.magick, or the Golden Dawn Yahoo Groups (most especially the Golden Dawn Meeting Place), or the Order-based fora offered up, without witnessing bickering and infighting as far as the eye could see. Arguments about lineage and legitimacy, who were the <b>REAL</b> heirs of the Golden Dawn legacy, were the most popular. Then the juiciest gossip about misconduct or malfeasance by certain Order Chiefs would come out, to the audience's relish. All this did a lot of damage to the Golden Dawn community, and more especially its reputation, to any esoterically-minded person who heard about the mudslinging.<br />
<br />
Yet in the midst of these various and sundry skirmishes, there would be a rare, occasional post which would basically say, for each person mired in those battles, there were many others simply doing the Work in silence.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J4Zlzdv7qp6kcS3Sfu9fJWrVcR5KQ_lERycJUYfmszfb87f_oHWojnZZmy1wvU7LXoLnsF5jBjmWDJRqYosPrbDAwuBizheC23JQwVghsCFhw-oqC5-v4MIYPHF4mU3LsGvCj8F7UdTb/s1600/GD+Commentaries+small.jpg" height="320" width="286" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><b><i>This book is proof of that declaration</i></b></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
The <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Commentaries-Golden-Dawn-Flying-Rolls/dp/1908705078/" target="_blank"><i>Commentaries on the Golden Dawn Flying Rolls</i></a> is the culmination of an idea over ten years in the making. Twenty-seven authors from fourteen different Orders and organizations and <a href="http://kerubimpress.com/" target="_blank">one selfless publisher</a>, with a singular vision and love for the Golden Dawn System of Magic, were able to set aside any political differences and complete a very well-written work in peace.<br />
<br />
As you read through the various commentaries, you will notice that the authors come from a wide spectrum of backgrounds and experiences, and I'm sure some of them will flat out disagree with some others' commentaries. (I know I do.) I do not see this, however, as a dilution nor a dispersion of the original Golden Dawn egregore. Rather, I see it instead as a rich diversity, in which differing viewpoints can be shared and synthesized, or if not, practitioners have simply agreed to disagree like mature adults. When all is said and done, we are all much more alike than we are different, and that is just one of the many reasons why this book's author is listed as <i>the Golden Dawn Community</i>.<br />
<br />
Having been both a participant of the online kerfuffles and a contributor to this book, I guess you can say I have been both part of the problem and part of the solution. Ten plus years, though, is plenty of time to learn a lot of lessons. The main thing I have learned is that those voices that speak the loudest or most prolifically rarely come from either knowledge or wisdom. Far better to listen to those who speak softly and sparingly, most especially the still, small voice of the Divine Spark within.<br />
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-29388203778635158512012-08-10T01:04:00.000-05:002012-08-10T01:04:41.351-05:00Tolerance in RosicrucianismI was horrified and saddened to hear of the <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/US/sikh-temple-oak-creek-wisconsin-officials-white-supremacist/story?id=16933779#.UCPW4KMeXDw">mass shooting</a> at the <a href="http://www.sikhtempleofwisconsin.com/">Sikh Temple in Oak Creek, Wisconsin</a> on Sunday. The shooter (whom I refuse to name, as he deserves no fame nor remembrance) apparently led a white supremacist band and had many white power tattoos inked all over his body. Presumably, he targeted these people because they were Muslim...the cherry of ignorance on top of this hate cake.<br />
<br />
There just happens to be a Sikh temple about 15 minutes away from me. I hope to be able to visit soon and offer my condolences, on behalf of myself and behalf of my Lodge. Anyone wishing to help can <a href="http://www.indiegogo.com/Milwaukee-Sikh">support the Milwaukee shooting victims here</a>.<br />
<br />
Several weeks ago, I listed <a href="http://eric-v-sisco.blogspot.com/2012/06/how-to-recognize-rosicrucian.html">sixteen qualities of a Rosicrucian</a>. A number of them, such as kindness and patience, would certainly imply a tolerant spirit. But is tolerance a true quality of a Rosicrucian?<br />
<br />
Cloistered as a young boy, presumably in a Catholic monastery in Germany, Christian Rosenkreutz set out as a young man in search of knowledge. In the Middle Ages, if you wanted education, you had to go where the enlightened minds were, the Arab world. He traveled to Cyprus (where his companion died) and then to Damascus, where "by his skill in Physick he obtained much favour with the Turks". From there, he travelled to Damcar, where they received him "not as a stranger, but as one whom they had long expected". Clearly, there was no religious nor racial enmity in these relationships...rather quite the contrary. The most judgmental suggestion made in the <i>Fama Fraternitatis</i> was that CRC found that in Fez "their Cabala was defiled with their Religion", but then the manuscript says "he
knew how to make good use of the same, and found still more better
grounds of his Faith..." and continues to espouse a sense of tolerance for the Muslim faith.<br />
<br />
In fact, the place where CRC was most ill received was back in Christian lands, when he returned with his great knowledge, as "it was to them a laughing matter; and being a new thing unto them, they
feared that their great Name should be lessened, if they should now
again begin to learn and acknowledge their many years Errors". The seed of intolerance can only grow in the darkness of a closed, fixed mind.<br />
<br />
Yet the <i>Confessio Fraternitatis</i> practically opens with a strong admonishment towards Catholicism and Islam. "We do condemn the East
and the West (meaning the Pope and Mahomet) blasphemers against our Lord Jesus
Christ..." Even the <i>Fama</i> says "we also steadfastly believe, that if our Brethren and Fathers had lived
in this our present and clear light, they would more roughly have
handled the Pope [and] Mahomet..." But there is no evidence of their founding father ever espousing those feelings or actions. I think it's rather clear that Frater CRC was a lot more tolerant than even the writers of the R+C manuscripts. Then again, look at Jesus Christ and compare his beliefs and actions to most of today's fundamentalist Christians, and the chasm of intolerance between them is striking.<br />
<br />
As suggested earlier, the Rosicrucian movement was obviously Protestant, and that sentiment persisted into a number of modern Rosicrucian Orders. Take for example the historical <i>Order of the Golden Dawn</i> and its Inner Order, the <i>Roseae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis</i>. The last sentence on the second page of the <i>Cipher Manuscripts</i> advise the Order to "avoid Roman Catholics, but with pity." Yet the Golden Dawn was one of the most progressively minded spiritual organizations of its day. Men and women were admitted on an equal basis, and only a belief in a supreme being was required. Catholics, Muslims, and even Sikhs and Pagans would have been welcome. Today, there are even some GD orders which admit agnostics and atheists as well. Furthermore, in the lecture <i>On The General Guidance and Purification of the Soul, </i>it declares:<br />
<br />
<i>"</i><i>In true religion there is no sect. Therefore take heed
that thou blaspheme not the name by which another knoweth his God for if thou
doest this thing in Jupiter, thou wilt blaspheme YHVH; and in Osiris YEHESHUAH." </i><br />
<br />
Tolerance abounds in the Golden Dawn.<br />
<br />
Also take into consideration the <i>Masonic Societas Rosicruciana</i> (SRIA, SRICF, SRIC, SRIS, etc.) Although membership requires one to be a Trinitarian Christian man, there is clear instruction and direction towards religious tolerance in their Philosophus degree: <br />
<br />
<i>"Worthy Frater Practicus, I feel assured of the good intentions which animate you,
but I warn you that the subjects of our studies are more abstruse and elevated
than those in which you have already become proficient. As a Frater of this
Society of the Rose and Cross you are familiar with the Christian Faith, and
have learned to know of a Divine Creator and of Jesus Who is the Christ. You
have now to study and compare the various conceptions of Divinity which have
been held by the great nations of the Ancient World, and the tenets of the most
famous philosophers, for in all their systems great moral lessons are to be
found. By a serious contemplation of these systems we believe you will come to a
more just appreciation of the beauties of the Christian Faith, and be well able
to show to the world without that our Rosicrucian Fraternity not only confers
knowledge upon its members, but also Wisdom."</i> <br />
<br />
So make no mistake, Rosicrucianism is a peaceful, tolerant spiritual path. Naturally, there will be some who call themselves Rosicrucians, or belong to Rosicrucian organizations, which may not live up to its doctrines and practices of tolerance. Blame not the faith for its wayward followers, whether it be Rosicrucianism, Christianity, Islam, Judaism or Sikhism. Our similarities are so much greater than our differences.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-large;"><u><i><b>PAX et LVX</b></i></u></span></div>
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<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-20569719474268593142012-07-14T20:39:00.001-05:002012-07-14T20:47:20.523-05:00Sub Rosa: The Ceiling of the VaultThe term <i>Sub Rosa </i>denotes that all meetings and activities taking place "under the Rose" are to remain secret and confidential. This has been a long standing tradition across centuries and societies. It is said that even some confessionals had roses painted on their ceilings to assure confidentiality between the parishioner and the priest.<br />
<br />
The vow of secrecy is focused on again and again in the Neophyte Initiation of the Golden Dawn, even to the point of saying "thy blood may be poured out and thy body broken" if the vow of secrecy is compromised. The crowning achievement of the Golden Dawn system, and of the aspiring Neophyte him/herself, is then the admittance to the Inner Order, or the <i>Roseae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis</i>, through the Adeptus Minor Initiation. This initiation takes place in a seven-sided chamber often referred to as the Vault of the Adepti or the Tomb of the founder of the Rosicrucians, Christian Rosenkreutz. So would it be any wonder that, on the ceiling of the Vault itself, is painted a large, brilliant White Rose?<br />
<br />
I have seen a few Vaults in which the Rose on the ceiling is painted as per the petals on the Rose Cross of the Adept. Although aesthetically pleasing, I find this to be technically incorrect. In various Inner Order ceremonies, it is said that "The Heaven is above and the earth is beneath, and between the Light and Darkness the Colours vibrate." It is clear to me that the ceiling is the undifferentiated Light, the floor the Darkness, and the colors vibrate on the Walls of the Vault, and everything that exists in between. Furthermore, based on the diagram below, if the petals of the Rose were to be colored in, they would at least show some grayscale shading, and they do not.<br />
<br />
The diagram below is the common image we think of when laying out the ceiling of the Vault:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm-abrtLxoLrUXhDv5wfEvVhGAE-EapO6QDKtW1QVGxFV_UdAE9keb7eS6FfPOOKdPWUiMXTrD29NCx0RhaQFRk7EeOANPJrZXx4QxEpyGGujx-sT6iwTwXQ2IKQ8Mtnn-AyKLQuRN3Fz/s1600/vault-ceiling.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXm-abrtLxoLrUXhDv5wfEvVhGAE-EapO6QDKtW1QVGxFV_UdAE9keb7eS6FfPOOKdPWUiMXTrD29NCx0RhaQFRk7EeOANPJrZXx4QxEpyGGujx-sT6iwTwXQ2IKQ8Mtnn-AyKLQuRN3Fz/s320/vault-ceiling.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Diagram 77: The Ceiling of the Vault from Crowley's <i>The Equinox</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div style="text-align: left;">
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As you can see, the Rose is exactly the same configuration as on the Rose Cross, with the Venus door in the West, the Mars wall North by East, and the Jupiter wall South by East. In Flying Roll XVII, the Chief Adept, when standing in the East "has Mars and Geburah at his right hand, and Jupiter and Gedulah at his left hand. He faces Venus in the West..." </div>
<br />
Now take a look at the following diagram, showing the Chief Adept in the Pastos:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second Entry: 5=6 Adeptus Minor Initiation</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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Again, Venus door in the West, the Mars wall North by East, and the Jupiter wall South by East, as specified. But note that this is a view from the ceiling downward. So if Diagram 77 before has the same configuration as per the arrangement of the walls, that view must be from <u><b>above</b></u> the ceiling downward. If that is the case, the view from inside the Vault itself, looking upward, would be a <u><i><b>mirror image</b></i></u> of what is actually shown in the diagram.<br />
<br />
This is actually relatively easy to confirm, by the second layer of petals in the Rose, which are seven in number and are attributed to the planets, just like the walls are. So the Peh petal, which is attributed to Mars, should be pointed toward the Mars wall, the Resh petal toward the Sun wall, etc. (So if you're looking up at the ceiling of the Vault wall and the Peh petal is on your upper left, then it is pointing towards the Jupiter wall and your White Rose is technically reversed.)<br />
<br />
The proper arrangement actually lines up a number of different elements within the Vault as well. The Heh petal in the East, attributed to Aries and Fire, should be lined up right above the disc of the Lion, the Fire Kerub, on the Altar. Just so, the Ayin petal, attributed to Capricorn and Earth, will be above the disc of the Bull, the Earth Kerub, the Lamed petal, Libra and Air, above the Man, and the Cheth petal, Cancer and Water, above the Eagle. Lastly, the Adept lying in the Vault, will align his multi-colored Rose Cross with the White Rose on the ceiling, petal per petal in columnar fashion. This makes perfect sense, if you consider the petals as rays of Light, descending vertically in the Vault, passing through the volume where the spectrum of colors vibrate, to manifest upon the Rose Cross of the Adept, whom while laying in the Pastos, is still above the floor, where the black Darkness reigns.<br />
<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-49359481345886971512012-07-09T00:23:00.000-05:002012-07-24T13:50:42.564-05:00Motto Change Results from a ReaderTonight, I received the following email from Soror MKR. She performed the <i>Eadem Mutata Resurgo </i>ritual to very positive effects. Beyond that, I will let the letter speak for itself:<br />
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<i>Greetings Eric,<br /><br />I have had the opportunity of performing your
motto-changing ritual as published in Hermetic Virtues. I didn't want to
change my current motto so much as abrogate mottos I have previously
had in other Golden Dawn orders. I really just wanted to clean the slate
and go on with just the energies of my current motto. It's not that any
of my older mottos did not fit me at the time I had them, but for each
motto change, they represented me operating from a new place and time.
Those places and times were long past, but there was still a feeling of
them lingering on in subtle ways.<br /><br />I have to say that the performance of the ritual was a wonderful
experience, in and of itself. The energies were intense, there were
obvious temperature changes in the air at various points, and a most
discernible feeling of a weight lifted as I abrogated the old mottos
(three of them). But the interesting thing is that I've seen some
changes in the way things are happening in and around me since I
completed the ritual. There have been subtle and not-so-subtle
serendipitous events related to my current motto and what it means to
me. My current motto is related to truth, and I have had a variety of
interesting truths revealed to me, both internally and externally, both
in daily life and realizations and in dreams. I've also felt more
balanced and been much more productive, both of which I had been working
on and having some difficulties with, while after the ritual, it seems
to be flowing more naturally and coming more easily. </i>
<i><br /><br />I'm fully convinced this was all the result of the ritual. I'm very
much looking forward to see where my motto takes me from here. Should I
need to change my motto again at some future time, I plan to use your
ritual again at that time. Thank you!</i>
<br />
<br />
<i>Soror MKR</i><br />
<br />
<hr />
<br />
This ritual can be found in the latest version of <a href="http://www.hermeticvirtues.org/"><i>Hermetic Virtues</i></a> magazine. If you have also performed this ritual, I would love to hear your results as well!<br />
<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-22131875487727341572012-06-28T03:00:00.000-05:002012-06-28T03:00:29.381-05:00Change Your Motto, Change Your DestinySo much attention has been given to the 30th anniversary of the Consecration of the Vault of the Adepti by Israel Regardie, that another important milestone almost slipped under the radar. This Summer Solstice marks the 5th anniversary of the publication of Hermetic Virtues magazine. Vic Sabljic, a tireless and devoted servant of the Great Work, has bestowed a great service to the Western Mystery Tradition. Furthermore, the list of authors who have written for Hermetic Virtues is a veritable "Who's Who" in the esoteric community. From many different walks of life and many different traditions, Hermetic Virtues has also served to bring the community together in a greater sense of sharing and harmony. For all of this, Vic and his Hermetic Virtues team deserves significant accolades.<br />
<br />
This edition of Hermetic Virtues also marks my debut as a published author. The article, <i>Change Your Motto, Change Your Destiny</i>, discusses the concept and history of changing one's name, the various reasons to do so, and provides a deeply meaningful ritual in order to effect such a significant change in one's own magical life.<br />
<br />
Here is a small excerpt from the article:<br />
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<hr />
<br />
<i>Abram was promised to be made a great nation by God, but his wife Sarai was barren. Jacob was a cunning lad who undermined his brother and was sent away. Simon was a simple fisherman, Saul a persecutor of Christians. Aside from all being prominent figures in the Bible, what did all these people have in common? They all experienced a life-changing event, after which they took on a new name.
<br />
<br />
The custom known as Shinui ha-Shem is exercised in the cases in which a person needs to acknowledge life-changing events, change one’s path of misfortune, or even as a last-ditch attempt to save a person’s life from critical illness and imminent death. The foundational premise of this is, if you change your name, you change your fate.
<br />
<br />
As a ceremonial magician, our first charge is to create for ourselves a magical motto. It is not supposed to be a title or categorization as such, but a conscious definition and crystallization of our intent and aim in our magical lives. It is our first application of Will, the first thing we truly magically create and, in that sense, it is a self-initiation in its own right. This is the magical rendition of Shinui ha-Shem.
<br />
<br />
However, the magical life is not all roses and rainbows. We endure trials and tribulations, we come to crossroads and, sometimes, we even get lost along the way. As the Hiereus reminds us, “every obstacle can at length be conquered by perseverance”, and when the dawn of a new day breaks, we arise not the same. As the Angel beseeched Jacob, “Let me go, for the day breaks”, just before giving him a new name, it is such times in our own magical lives that may be opportunities to change our mottos. After all, if changing one’s mundane name changes one’s fate, then changing one’s magical motto changes one’s destiny.</i>
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<br />
<hr />
<br />
Be sure to go over to <a href="http://www.hermeticvirtues.org/">the Hermetic Virtues website</a> and get your copy of the Summer Solstice 2012 edition today. Personally, my favorite article is <i>Two Thrones for the Golden Dawn</i> by Aaron Leitch, with <i>Enochian Magic in the Golden Dawn Tradition</i> by Dean F. Wilson a close second. It's a very good edition and you won't regret getting a copy for yourself.<br />Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-17881118614111813032012-06-22T01:41:00.000-05:002012-06-22T09:10:01.863-05:0030 Years of the Vault of the AdeptiFor 30 years, the Light shineth in the Darkness 30 years, and still, the Darkness comprehendeth it not.<br />
<br />
Sunday marks an incredible landmark anniversary in the history of the Golden Dawn and the Roseae Rubeae et Aureae Crucis. On June 24, 1982, Francis Israel Regardie, our Very Honored Frater Ad Majorem Adonai Gloriam, consecrated the Vault of the Adepti, tirelessly built by Mr. Chic Cicero. Did either of them at the time realize what forces they would set in motion?<br />
<br />
The original Golden Dawn was established in March of 1888. By 1918, it had gone through infighting, uprisings, major schisms, ugly court battles, such bad publicity that name changes were necessary, and the Archon Basileus of the Alpha et Omega, Samuel "MacGregor" Mathers, would be dead by the end of that year. The various splinter factions had already seen their heyday by then, and were well on the decline.<br />
<br />
The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn has seen its fair share of trials and tribulations in its history as well, some paralleling the original Order perhaps a little too closely. But after I saw the following honorarium, signed by so many from such diverse organizations, I could not help but think that the Golden Dawn's best years are yet to come.<br />
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On the door of the Vault is written <i>Post CXX Annos Patebo</i>, "After 120 years, I will open". On Sunday, there needs to be a new inscription: <b><i>Post XXX Annos Nitemus</i></b>, "After 30 years, we flourish and shine".<br />
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Dear Chic and Tabby, may the Lord of the Universe bless you and keep you, for He Works in Silence, and naught but Silence can express my gratitude to your endless devotion to the Order and to the Great Work.<br />
<br />
LVX in Excelsis,<br />
V.H. Frater Phaino<br />
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<i>(<a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/450898208254037/">Send your own congratulations here</a>)</i></div>
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<br /></div>Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7689106190861192254.post-65393800536618430822012-06-19T00:21:00.000-05:002012-06-19T13:33:31.247-05:00How To Recognize a RosicrucianAs one who has taken the circuitous Path of the Serpent around many different orders and organizations, I can tell you I did so out of my own dreamy aspirations mixed with foolishness and inexperience. I like to think of myself as a critical thinker, but there were many times I simply believed what I wanted to believe. It's a very human thing to do, and I learned many valuable lessons from it. I believe it is said that wisdom comes from experience, experience comes from lack of wisdom. Apparently, I resemble that remark.<br />
<br />
So when it comes to Rosicrucians, or at least those who make that claim, there are some guidelines you can use to verify, or at least clarify, the nature of the individual. Naturally, there is the old adage "Any man who declares himself a Rosicrucian is not one". That's a good start, but it only scratches the surface and bestows judgment without understanding. For a more penetrating inspection, the section below taken from the appendix of <i>In the Pronaos of the Temple of Wisdom</i> by Franz Hartmann published in 1890 is extremely helpful. Furthermore, if you aspire to become a Rosicrucian, this would make a rather nice initial checklist of personal qualities to attain.<br />
<br />
Bear in mind that a person could possess any or all of these qualities and yet not be a Rosicrucian. Even so, I would then classify him or her as a Good Person® and worthy of trust and association. Then again, I am one who believes a person can be a Rosicrucian and not even know it. I would consider my father to have been one of those people.<br />
<br />
So please indulge in <i>The Secret Signs of the Rosicrucians</i>. It is a bit of a long read, but it is worth the time. May you gain the wisdom that I didn't have.<br />
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There are sixteen signs by which a member of the order of the Rosicrucians may be known. He who possesses only a few of those signs is not a member of a very high degree, for <b>the true Rosicrucian possesses them all.</b><br />
<b> </b>
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1. <i>The Rosicrucian is Patient</i>.<br />
<br />
His first and most important victory is the conquest of his own self. It is the victory over the LION, who has bitterly injured some of the best followers of the Holy Cross. He is not to be vanquished by a fierce and inconsiderate attack made upon him; but he must be made to surrender to patience and fortitude. The true Rosicrucian tries to overcome his enemies by kindness, and those who hate him by gifts. He heaps not curses, but the burning fire of love upon their heads. He does not persecute his enemies with the sword, or with [torches], but he suffers the weeds to grow with the wheat until they are both matured, when they will be separated by Nature.<br />
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2. <i>The Rosicrucian is Kind</i>.<br />
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He never appears gloomy or melancholy, or with a scowl or sneer upon his face. He acts kindly and politely towards everybody, and is always ready to render assistance to others. Although he is different from the majority of other people, still he tries to accommodate himself to their ways, habits and manners, as much as his dignity will permit. He is, therefore, an agreeable companion, and knows how to
converse with the rich as well as with the poor, and to move among all classes
of society so as to command their respect; for he has conquered the bear of
vulgarity.<br />
<br />
3. <i>The Rosicrucian knows no Envy</i>.<br />
<br />
Before he is accepted into the order he must go through the terrible ordeal of cutting off the head of the snake of envy; which is a very difficult labour, because the snake is sly, and easily hides itself in some corner. The true Rosicrucian is always content with his lot, knowing that it is such as he deserves it to be. He never worries about the advantages or riches which others possess, but wishes always the best to everybody. He knows that he will obtain all he deserves, and he cares not if any other person possesses more than he. He expects no favours, but he distributes his favours without any partiality.
<br />
<br />
4. <i>The Rosicrucian does not Boast</i>.<br />
<br />
He knows that man is nothing but an instrument in the hands of GOD, and that he can accomplish nothing useful by his own will; the latter being nothing but the will of GOD perverted in man. To GOD he gives all the praise, and to that which is mortal he gives all the blame. He is in no inordinate haste to accomplish a thing, but he waits until he receives his orders from the Master who resides above and within. He is careful what he speaks about, and uses no unhallowed language.<br />
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5. <i>The Rosicrucian is not Vain</i>.<br />
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He proves thereby that there is something real in him, and that he is not like a blown-up bag filled with air. Applause or blame leaves him unaffected, nor does he feel aggrieved if he is contradicted or encounters contempt. He lives within himself, and enjoys the beauties of his own inner world, but he never desires to show off his possessions, nor to pride himself on any spiritual gifts which he may have attained. The greater his gifts, the greater will be his modesty, and the more
will he be willing to be obedient to the law.<br />
<br />
6. <i>The Rosicrucian is not Disorderly</i>.<br />
<br />
He always strives to do his duty, and to act according to the order established by the law. He cares nothing for externalities, nor for ceremonies. The law is written within his heart, and therefore all his thoughts and acts are ruled by it. His respectability is not centred in his external appearance, but in his real being, which may be compared to a root from which all his actions spring. The interior beauty of his soul is reflected upon his exterior, and stamps all his acts with its seal; the light existing in his heart may be perceived in his eye by an expert; it is
the mirror of the Divine image within.<br />
<br />
7. <i>The Rosicrucian is not Ambitious</i>.<br />
<br />
There is nothing more injurious to spiritual development and expansion of the soul than a narrow mind and a selfish character. The true Rosicrucian always cares much more for the welfare of others than for his own. He has no private or personal interest to defend or foster. He always seeks to do good, and he never avoids any opportunity which may present itself for that purpose.<br />
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8. <i>The Rosicrucian is not Irritable</i>.<br />
<br />
It is evident that a person who works for the benefit of the whole will be hated by those whose personal advantages are not benefited thereby; because selfishness is opposed to magnanimity, and the claims of the few are not always compatible with the
interests of the community. The Rosicrucian will therefore be often resisted by
narrow-minded and short-sighted people; he will be slandered by calumniators,
his motives will be misrepresented, he will be misjudged by the ignorant, ridiculed by the would-be wise, and taunted by the fool. All such proceedings, however, cannot excite or irritate the mind of the true Rosicrucian, nor disturb the divine harmony of his soul; for his faith rests in the perception and knowledge of the truth within
himself. The opposition of a thousand ignorant people will not induce him to
desist from doing that which he knows to be noble and good, and he will do it
even if it should involve the loss of his fortune or of his life. Being able
and accustomed to direct his spiritual sight towards the divine, he cannot be
deluded by the illusions of matter, but clings to the eternal reality. Being surrounded by angelic influences, and listening to their voices, he is not affected by the noise made by the animals. He lives in the company of those noble beings, who
were once men like others, but who have become transfigured, and who are now
beyond the reach of the vulgar and low.<br />
<br />
9. <i>The Rosicrucian does not think evil of others</i>.<br />
<br />
Those who think evil of others see merely the evil which exists within themselves reflected and mirrored forth in others. The Rosicrucian is always willing to recognise in everything that which is good. Tolerance is a virtue by which the Rosicrucian is eminently distinguished from others; and by which he may be known. If a thing appears to be ambiguous, he suspends his judgment about it until he has investigated its nature; but as long as his judgment is not perfect, he is more inclined to form a good opinion than an evil one about everything.<br />
<br />
10. <i>The Rosicrucian loves justice</i>.<br />
<br />
He, however, never sets himself up as a judge over the faults of others, nor does he wish to appear to be wise by censuring the mistakes of others. He does not enjoy gossip, and cares no more about the foolishness committed by others, than he would about the buzzing of a fly or the capers of a monkey. He finds no pleasure in listening to political or personal quarrels, disputations, or mutual recriminations. He cares nothing for the cunningness of a fox, the dissimulation of a crocodile, or the rapacity of a wolf, and is not amused by the stirring up of mud. His nobility of
character lifts him up into a sphere far beyond all such trifles and
absurdities, and being above the sensual plane, wherein ordinary mortals find
their happiness and enjoyment, he lives with those who do not think evil of
each other, who do not rejoice about an injustice done to their brother, or
make merry about his ignorance, and enjoy his misfortunes. He enjoys the
company of those who love the truth, and who are surrounded by the peace and
harmony of the spirit.<br />
<br />
11. <i>The Rosicrucian loves the truth</i>.<br />
<br />
There is no devil worse than falsehood and calumny. Ignorance is a non-entity, but falsehood is the substance of evil. The calumniator rejoices whenever he has found something upon which to base his lies and to make them grow like mountains. Opposed to it is the truth, it being a ray of light from the eternal fountain of GOOD, which has the power to transform man into a divine being. The ROSICRUCIAN seeks, therefore, no other light but the light of truth, and this light he does not enjoy alone, but in company of all who are good and filled with its divine majesty, whether they live on this earth or in the spiritual state; and he enjoys it above all with those who are persecuted, oppressed, and innocent, but who will be saved by the truth.<br />
<br />
12. <i>The Rosicrucian knows how to be silent</i>.<br />
<br />
Those who are false do not love the truth. Those who are foolish do not love wisdom. The true Rosicrucian prefers to enjoy the company of those who can appreciate truth to that of those who would trample it with their feet. He will keep that which he knows locked up within his heart, for in silence is power. As a minister of state does not go about telling to everybody the secrets of the king; so the Rosicrucian does not parade before the public the revelations made to him by the king within, who is nobler and wiser than all the earthly kings and princes; for they only rule by
the authority and power derived from Him. His secrecy ceases only when the king
commands him to speak, for it is then not he who speaks, but the truth that is
speaking through him.<br />
<br />
13. <i>The Rosicrucian believes that which he knows</i>.<br />
<br />
He believes in the immutability of eternal law, and that every cause has a certain effect. He knows that the truth cannot lie, and that the promises made to him by the king will be fulfilled, if he does not himself hinder their fulfilment. He is, therefore, inaccessible to doubt or fear, and puts implicit confidence in the divine principle of truth, which has become alive and conscious within his heart.<br />
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14. <i>The Rosicrucian's hope is firm</i>.<br />
<br />
Spiritual hope is the certain conviction resulting from a knowledge of the law, that the truths recognised by faith will grow and be fulfilled; it is the knowledge of the heart, and very different from the intellectual speculation of the reasoning brain. His faith rests upon the rock of direct perception and cannot be overthrown. He knows that in everything, however evil it may appear to he, there is a germ of good, and he hopes that in the course of evolution that germ will become developed,
and thus evil be transformed into good.
<br />
<br />
15. <i>The Rosicrucian cannot be vanquished by suffering</i>.<br />
<br />
He knows that there is no light without shadow, no evil without some good, and that strength only grows by resistance. Having once recognised the existence of the Divine principle within everything, external changes are to him of little importance, and do not deserve great attention. His main object is to hold on to his spiritual possessions, and not to lose the crown which he has gained in the battle of
life.<br />
<br />
16. <i>The Rosicrucian will always remain a member of his society</i>.<br />
<br />
Names are of little importance. The principle which presides over the Rosicrucian Society is the truth; and he who knows the truth, and follows it in practice, is a member of the society over which the truth practises. If all names were changed
and all languages altered, the truth would remain the same; and he who lives in
the truth will live even if all nations should pass away.<br />
<br />
These are the sixteen signs of the true Rosicrucians, which have been revealed to a pilgrim by an angel who took away the heart of the pilgrim, leaving in its place a fiery coal, which is now incessantly burning and glowing with love of the universal brotherhood of humanity.Eric V. Siscohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10382536468824813801noreply@blogger.com9