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I just wanted to mention something that came to mind, seeing as how many people have mentioned doing stuff and practising when all is going well in their lives.
In a nutshell it's this. Magic - or any form of work on oneself (I say this as my primary focus is more akin to active yoga than spellcasting) - is exactly that, work. "Activity" might be a better word, as I think we need to step away from guilt driven, Protestant work ethic associations (whipping oneself through a demanding and unrealistic training programme with masses of guilt when the inevitable failure comes).
Anyway, it requires some kind of commitement to ACTION, whether it's watching out for a certain habit/train of thought and nipping it in the bud, committing to practising a ritual every night for a fortnight, or getting up early to practise martial arts or meditate before the daily commute* (all of which I've done, or still do). My point is that we are much, much more likely to commit to this sort of programme when we are up and full of beans, than when we're having our low periods. WIth time, I think these sort of thing can snap you out of low periods altogether, or give you a much better range of coping strategies in response to them, but that's a different subject. Obvious really, but I think it needed saying.
On a personal level re. maladaption, a conversation with Ganesh last night prompted a few interesting thoughts. I think that, in my own life, magick certainly has served as a centre of meaning, in a way that's not always been positive, it's perhaps hindered me getting on with career stuff for instance. I don't really regret this, because the satisfaction I've got now I've found what really works for me s huge, but I think I could've got on with stuffearlier in my life, certainly. Perhaps I would've down this if I wasn't interested in the occult, perhaps not.
Actually, one thing occurs on reflection, I remember recived a lot of encouragement from "occult sources" (I Ching divinations) to get on with and get stuck into my working life - I repeatedly through the hexagram "Approach" when asking about work and career matters a number of years ago. No enigma there. Pity I managed not to take the advice as solidly as I might have done at the time! Also, a series of divinations was one of the main things that made me stick out my teaching course last year, when I was finding it very difficult and challenging - advice I'm now very glad I took. So, it ain't always the magick that's maladaptive, sometimes the magic is bang on point, but I'm the one missing the boat ....
*In this sense, magick is manifestly not sitting on the bed at your mum and dad's house reading TEH DARK MATERIALS and deluding yourself you're dealing the dark side. What's the fucking challenge there?
(edited for clarity 3/10/05) |
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