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Initiation Never Ends

Skeleton Camera

20:24 / 04.01.05

The mantra-like repetition of this idea, that the initiation moment is ongoing and never really ends, suddenly cleared up in my noggin. Is this not just one way of phrasing the idea that universe is a process of constant change? Everything is constantly mutating, folding, revealing and inverting itself - so every moment is a new adjustment, a new ass-kicking, and a new brilliant explosion. Ja?

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02:42 / 05.01.05

Recently, over the last few months or so, I've been incorporating video games into my occult system, in particular the old skool Nintendo games I recall so fondly from my childhood. The very first Super Mario Bros. game, in particular, has always fascinated me, what with it's system of warp zones, reptilian adversaries, secret hidden places and trippy mushroom landscapes. The game follows a simple formula, in that Mario must fight his way through eight worlds of the Mushroom Kingdom, and at the end of each castle at the end of each world he expects to encounter the purpose of his quest, his Holy Grail, Princess Toadstool. Yet at the end of each world he never discovers her, instead he liberates a regular mushroom retainer (machine elf?) who thanks him but tells him that his "princess is in another castle". And so Mario's quest (for truth, illumination, uncovering a higher reality) continues.

Until, finally, at the end of world 8-4, he saves Princess Toadstool. It's the big climax our little Italian plumbergician has eagerly been awaiting. And what does the Princess say to him, after all this time?

"Thank you Mario! Your quest is over. We present you a new quest."

And then you press "start" and begin the new quest. Initiation never ends, indeed...

I've always loved that line. On one hand, the Princess tells you the quest is over. But then in the very next breath she tells you that a new quest must be begun. I wonder what happens at the end of the second quest...

09:32 / 05.01.05

I think the ol' "initiation never ends" motto means at the macro level that

Everything is constantly mutating, folding, revealing and inverting itself - so every moment is a new adjustment, a new ass-kicking, and a new brilliant explosion

and at a personal (micro) level that you can never really become a mage, or initiated...there is always something more to learn, and if you think you're accomplished you are becoming complacent and you're missing the whole point of being a chaotician... moving on and always learning

Phex: Dorset Doom

12:12 / 05.01.05

"There is always something more to learn, and if you think you're accomplished you are becoming complacent and you're missing the whole point of being a chaotician"
Yep, which reminds me of the old Buddhist saying "When you're on the road and you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha": the credits won't ever roll and you'll never win the game.

(incidentally, since JC brings up Mario as a magick metaphor, does anybody recall the choatee interpretation of Dumbo? It's all about shamanic initiation apparently)

farseer /pokes out an i

15:37 / 05.01.05

James Champagne!

Cheers to you!

I think your video game analogy just unlocked something in my headspace, brain-space, or perhaps downloaded something from idea-space into my grey-ish matter. Not sure exactly what shape it'll take, but it's crunchy, gear-like, articulated, and fully animated.

I think the feelings posted above re: macro/micro are on the button, re: "it never ends". The lifelong collection of data (information) / experiences never stops. To me, using magic in my life has always been closely connected with:
- real-time observations (being "here, now")
- recognizing opportunities
- seeing the synchronicities
- not being overly stressed/tense (which hasn't really been a problem for a few years, but I'm listing it now due to the blockage it used to provide.)

And I seem to find new ways to apply the "the initiation never ends" to differing parts of my life, and experiences, which seems also to be the point, too... eh?

Boy in a Suitcase

02:42 / 06.01.05

Why Sypha, the Buddha himself could not have put it better!

One of the best bits about magick ever. Thanks.

Boy in a Suitcase

02:57 / 06.01.05

Actually I posted this to my blog it was so good. Hope that's OK. I give you my total props.

06:43 / 06.01.05

My initiation ended last week. I’ve just got tons of time on my hands now.

The Home Shopping Network is pretty good when you get into it.

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00:52 / 07.01.05

Thank you for the compliment, Boy in a Suitcase. I don't mind you putting it on your blog at all... I like having my shallow vanity satiated...

Skeleton Camera

17:17 / 09.01.05

Found by extension through the PKD Exegesis thread, from Henry Vaughn's "Man":

Man is the shuttle, to whose winding quest
And passage through these looms
God ordered motion, but ordained no rest.

Also inspired by the PKD thread is the question of the initiation/gnostic moment itself. It is not an identical event for each individual, but the results are very similar. Someone was nicely roasted on that thread for the typical 'Yea, me too!' comment. But what of that? The ability to say "Yea, me too!" is an amazing one. But the point, it would seem, is to move beyond it.
Where? How? It's been difficult, through these glasses, to find a contribution that does not atrophy the original insight - most attempts to "make sense" of the latter have caused atrophy and confusion - and I doubt much contribution can occur without LOTS AND LOTS of work. (A statement, not a complaint). The thing takes time. How many of us had the "I gotta publish a book about this!" in those first months, until we realized the shelves were crowded with ham-fisted attempts to express similar experiences...

23:47 / 10.07.05

question:

there used to be a thread here that explained how the Walt Disney movie DUMBO is an allegory to the initiation of a magician...
I cannot find it... any pointers how I can find it? does anybody remember any keywords besides "dumbo"?

thnx