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Concealment and Revealing

To: alt.magick.tyagi,alt.magick,alt.thelema
From: 333 
Subject: Concealment and Revealing
Date: Tue, 04 Jun 2002 06:14:20 GMT

5000207 IVom

> .... thelema is still a specific magickal path working with
> specific tools. 

here we disagree. I'd call that Crowleyanity. to equate such an
ecclesiastic, liturgical, or dogmatic standard with 'Thelema'
is to profoundly misconstrue its liberty and betray that part
of Crowleyan Thelema (e.g. "every man and every woman is a star",
"do what thou wilt...") which serves to underscore liberty.

> ...There is that stuff about "troglodytes" right? And what of 
> people who don't do "their True Will"--who are these people 
> and how do we know exactly that they aren't, or more 
> accurately, how does one know these things or not for
> oneself?

the troglodytes are those who live in caves of ignorance,
content to believe in fixed and pleasing conceptual shadows
projected upon their mental walls by the waggling of internal
fragments. they tend to accept that things are much more 
simple than they truly are, wish to identify the ideal as 
contained within their familial tribe, and seek to describe 
the liberated as those who are constrained to ceremonial and
formulaic norms (equating their peculiar Herd with the Elite).


you asked what is the benefit of group rituals when there 
is no required standard interpretation of the symbolism 
that is inherent to them. compare it to art. there is no
required standard interpretation of a piece of art, even
though there may be an artistic intent, there may be popular
of esoteric interpretations of the art which are considered
'authoritative' based upon the interpreter's reputation and
familiarity with the subject matter, and these may in many
cases disagree. 

group rites coordinate individuals into a cohesive body by
virtue of shared activity, regardless of the experience or
understanding rendered to any single participant. membership
in a group can be a beautiful and extraordinary experience,
and when this is enhanced by symbolic movement and shared
awe or inspiration, it can serve to provide a foundation 
from which even those most bereft of family or supportive
community can approach difficult challenges with courage
and confidence.

there are no universal meanings to artistic expression.
one's background and genetic predisposition will influence
one's perceptual filter and the refraction of mystical
iconography will discover its truth in the mind of the
receiver based on this. the relativity of truth, however,
makes this refraction valuable, in that a multitude can
approach a mystery with awe, have differing experiences,
and, due to the ambiguous and sublime nature of that
precious mystery, take from it an enthusiasm which makes
individual participation in the Great Work possible.

blessed beast!
______________________________________________________________________
(333) nagasiva@luckymojo.com; http://www.luckymojo.com/nagasiva.html
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