Sorcery

As a theme for this Year's Work within the Black Sun Rising Pylon we have decided upon "Sorcery." This is a broad, suggestive topic designed to help frame our Work and provide inspiration.

Here are a few choice quotes related to the topic for your own use.

It is easier to change the world than the self. The world is ruled by the principle of impermanence. Everyone you see will die; everything that is in place will go away; every situation will pass. The self can be made more permanent. Since the self is more durable than the world, and infinately more precious, the magician begins by changing the world.

Changing the world doesn't mean doing a spell for world peace. You don't have the self power to do that. If such power ever evolved, the capacity for self development in the world would end. But you do have the power to get more wealth, be luckier in your chance meetings with people, and/or cause material objects to come your way - as long as these things remain in the realm of the possible. Here is where the magician must begin. Sadly many people try their hands at magic by directing it towards self change. That's about as smart as trying to learn surgery on yourself. Keep records. Try different things. See what works; see how long it takes. See whaty you begin to find out about the world in the process.

Don Webb, Within You and Beyond You page 14

[Simple] magic which depends on the occult connections which exist between physical phenomena. Sorcery is a mechanical art which does not require the theory that connection exist between the mind of the operator and the target. Any effects arising from such a connection can, however, be regarded as an added bonus. Workng on the sorcery level the magician creates artifacts, tools and instruments which interact magically with the physical world and which can be used again in more subtle ways on the other levels. The sorcery level work should be performed thoroughly, for simple as its practices seem they are the foundation on which the higher level work rests.

Peter J. Carroll

Liber KKK

Sorcery (also known as Results Magic, or Spell-casting) is generally understood as the use of magical techniques and perspectives to bring about a change in one's material environment. Traditionally, the use of magical techniques for direct results has been thought of as 'Low' magic, whilst the quest for spiritual growth, uniting with one's 'Higher Self' or attaining transcendence from the material world was, of course, 'High' magic. This distinction perpetuated the division of the world into matter v spirit, subjective v objective, reflecting a general philosophy (shared by science & religion) which regarded the demands of the everyday world as being inferior to abstract metaphysics.

Previous to the rise of dualistic, world-rejecting belief and philosophy, sorcerers were respected (and sometimes feared) for their power to influence events in their favour. For example, the Chinese Sorcerer Chuko Liang is said to have invoked the spirits of wind in a way that was instrumental to his master Liu Pei winning the Battle of Red Bluff (261 AD.).

For the modern magician, such a distinction is artificial and very much a sign of self-limitation. Sorcery is valuable for a number of reasons.

1) Firstly, that success with sorcery techniques embeds in one's mind the certainty that MAGIC WORKS in a way that intellectual argument or practice without clear purpose cannot.

2) Secondly, that in working with sorcery techniques, the rigorous analysis of one's own motivations and desire-complexes is itself enlightening and of great benefit to magical development.

3) Thirdly, that the practice of sorcery itself leads to considerations of personal ethics; if one is serious about bringing about change in the world, one must also accept responsibility for those changes. Moreover, bringing about change in the world tends to lead to personal changes. If I enchant for fame, then I must be able to change in order to make the best use of that fame.

4) Fourthly, practical sorcery demands identifiable results; if I choose to enchant for Wealth, I must be able to at some point be able to say how the sorcery has contributed to my wealth.

5) Finally, successful sorcery requires that we pay attention to the world as it is, rather than how we would like it to be. One of the great pitfalls in magical development is the tendency for people to, when the going gets tough, withdraw themselves into a safe fantasy and count themselves kings of infinite space. Sorcery, which is concerned with the everyday world, can help us keep our feet on the ground, which is very important for those who would reach for the stars.

From Phil Hine's "An Introduction to Sorcery"

Leave the area of the altar and remove yourself to that place, either in the same roomor without, that will be most conducive to the working of the respective ritual. Then, fashion whatever imagery you possibly can that will parallel in as exact a way possible the situation towards which you strive. Remember, you have five senses to utilize, so do not feel you must limit your imagery to one. Here are devices that may be employed (either alone, or in any combination):

a. graphic imagery such as drawings, paintings, etc.

b. written imagery such as stories, plays, descriptions of desires and eventual outcome of same.

c. acting out the desire in tableau or playet, either as yourself or portraying the role of the object of your desire (transference), using any devices necessary to intensify imagery.

d. any odors relative to the desired person or situation.

e. any sounds or background noises conducive to a strong image.

Anton LaVey

The Satanic Bible

Douglas Rushkoff at Personal Democracy Forum

Click To Play

Douglas Rushkoff is the author of ten books on media, values, and society, including Cyberia, Media Virus, Get Back in the Box, and Open Source Democracy. He also made the Frontline documentaries Merchants of Cool and The Persuaders.

In this keynote "invocation," which opened the second day of Personal Democracy Forum on June 24, 2008, he argues that there is no such thing as "personal democracy" and genuine democratic discourse can only be participatory and collective. The power to write and publish, he notes, may finally be in the hands of everyone (after centuries of domination by religious and political elites), but real democracy isn't just blogging and commenting, it's treating the entire world as "open source" and remakable by direct participation.

The Second Beast in Vice

Here's a little article that deals with Sammy Davis Jr.'s involvement with the Church of Satan and then Magister Michael A. Aquino's roll in making him a member

http://www.viceland.com/int/v15n5/htdocs/sammy-devil-jr.php?country=us

The Four World: The Body (iii)

Here are a few interesting titles to help with learning how to Adorn the body. You'll notice some classist implications, which are always good to keep in mind from an LBM perspective. Paul Fussell's Class: A Guide Through the American Status System will help as will his more specifically on topic Uniforms: Why We Are What We Wear.

Here are a few rough guides. These books are best for "Book store reads" rather then things you need in your library. Don't become a slave to any of these texts but do not dismiss them out of hand either.

Dress Your Best: The Complete Guide to Finding the Style That's Right for Your Body by Clinton Kelly and Stacy London

[A good overview for both sexes dealing with common body types and the ways people go wrong and right in picking cloths. The authors are the hosts of the American version of "What Not to Wear" which can be fun, but not nearly as good as the BBC version]

Details Men's Style Manual by Daniel Peres

[The folks who usually need the most advice on how to dress themselves tend to be the men who are attracted to Magical practice. We either come from fashion-inept lifestyles or we are aging subculturistas who haven't substantially changed our sense of style since our later teens/early twenties. This book will help upping your game some by giving you a grasp of the vocabulary of men's clothing and some ideas of what might work and what probably won't for you.]

Glamour's Big Book of Do's and Don't by Cindi Leive

[Much of my previous criticism for the Gentlemen above goes for the Ladies interested in Magical practice as well, though usually less extremely. This book was Glamour's attempt to use the format of Vice's brilliant "Do's and Don'ts" section to get some points across. Vice's roughly pointless but far funnier features can be found at http://www.viceland.com/int/dos.php ]

Sovereignty in Action

In the Quest for Sovereignty one must in time take to making transformations in the world around you, in both direct and subtle means. The following is an excellent example of local individuals taking personal responsibility for their world and using the forces at their disposal to reach a desired outcome.

http://gothamist.com/2008/06/26/community_helps_takes_down_bay_ridg.php

The Four World: The Body (ii)

So, as we're getting things like Physicals scheduled let's look at the simplest level of changing the body: diet. Diet is really about making molecular level changes to the body's operation by controlling what passes into it and become resources and toxins. In general the topic of diet causes a lot of diverse reactions, with many people becoming diet-extremists of one kind or another, usually without any real understanding of nutrition or what their personal level of activity really needs.The following, taken from http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/ART02012/anti-inflammatory-diet is a good general overview of optimal human nutrition

General Diet Tips:

Aim for variety. Include as much fresh food as possible. Minimize your
consumption of processed foods and fast food. Eat an abundance of fruits and
vegetables.

Caloric Intake

Most adults need to consume between 2,000 and 3,000 calories a day. Women
and smaller and less active people need fewer calories. Men and bigger and more
active people need more calories.

If you are eating the appropriate number of calories for your level of
activity, your weight should not fluctuate greatly.

The distribution of calories you take in should be as follows: 40 to 50
percent from carbohydrates, 30 percent from fat, and 20 to 30 percent from
protein.
Try to include carbohydrates, fat, and protein at each meal.

Carbohydrates

On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, adult women should consume between 160 to
200 grams of carbohydrates a day. Adult men should consume between 240 to 300
grams of carbohydrates a day.

The majority of this should be in the form of less-refined,
less-processed foods with a low glycemic load. Reduce your consumption of foods
made with wheat flour and sugar, especially bread and most packaged snack foods
(including chips and pretzels).

Eat more whole grains such as brown rice and bulgur wheat, in which the
grain is intact or in a few large pieces. These are preferable to whole wheat
flour products, which have roughly the same glycemic index as white flour
products. Eat more beans, winter squashes, and sweet potatoes.

Cook pasta al dente and eat it in moderation.

Avoid products made with high fructose corn syrup.

Fat

On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet, 600 calories can come from fat - that is,
about 67 grams. This should be in a ratio of 1:2:1 of saturated to
monounsaturated to polyunsaturated fat.

Reduce your intake of saturated fat by eating less butter, cream,
cheese and other full-fat dairy products; unskinned chicken and fatty meats; and
products made with coconut and palm kernel oils.

Use extra-virgin olive oil as a main cooking oil. If you want a neutral
tasting oil, use expeller-pressed, organic canola oil. High-oleic versions of
sunflower and safflower oil are acceptable also, preferably non-GMO (genetically
modified).

Avoid regular safflower and sunflower oils, corn oil, cottonseed oil,
and mixed vegetable oils.

Strictly avoid margarine, vegetable shortening, and all products
listing them as ingredients.

Strictly avoid all products made with partially hydrogenated oils of any
kind. Include in your diet avocados and nuts, especially walnuts, cashews,
almonds, and nut butters made from these nuts.

For omega-3 fatty acids, eat salmon (preferably fresh or frozen wild or
canned sockeye), sardines packed in water or olive oil, herring, and black cod
(sablefish, butterfish); omega-3 fortified eggs; hemp seeds and flaxseeds
(preferably freshly ground); or take a fish oil supplement.

Protein

On a 2,000-calorie-a-day diet your daily intake of protein should be
between 80 and 120 grams. Eat less protein if you have liver or kidney problems,
allergies, or autoimmune disease.

Decrease your consumption of animal protein except for fish and
reduced-fat dairy products.

Eat more vegetable protein, especially from beans in general and
soybeans in particular. Become familiar with the range of soy foods available
and find ones you like.

Fiber

Try to eat 40 grams of fiber a day. You can achieve this by increasing your
consumption of fruit, especially berries, vegetables (especially beans), and
whole grains.

Ready-made cereals can be good fiber sources, but read labels to make
sure they give you at least 4 and preferably 5 grams of bran per one-ounce
serving.

PhytonutrientsTo get maximum natural protection against age-related
diseases (including cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative
disease) as well as against environmental toxicity, eat a variety of fruits,
vegetables and mushrooms.

Choose fruits and vegetables from all parts of the color spectrum,
especially berries, tomatoes, orange and yellow fruits, and dark leafy
greens.

Choose organic produce whenever possible. Learn which conventionally
grown crops are most likely to carry pesticide residues and avoid them.

Eat cruciferous (cabbage-family) vegetables regularly.

Include soy foods in your diet.

Drink tea instead of coffee, especially good quality white, green or
oolong tea.

If you drink alcohol, use red wine preferentially.

Enjoy plain dark chocolate in moderation (with a minimum cocoa content
of 70 percent).

Vitamins and Minerals

The best way to obtain all of your daily vitamins, minerals, and
micronutrients is by eating a diet high in fresh foods with an abundance of
fruits and vegetables.

In addition, supplement your diet with the following antioxidant
cocktail:Vitamin C, 200 milligrams a day.

Vitamin E, 400 IU of natural mixed tocopherols (d-alpha-tocopherol with
other tocopherols, or, better, a minimum of 80 milligrams of natural mixed
tocopherols and tocotrienols).

Selenium, 200 micrograms of an organic (yeast-bound) form.

Mixed carotenoids, 10,000-15,000 IU daily.

In addition, take daily multivitamin/multimineral supplements that
provide at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and at least 1,000 IU of vitamin
D. They should contain no iron and no preformed vitamin A (retinol).

Take supplemental calcium, preferably as calcium citrate. Women should
supplement with 500-700 mg daily, for a total daily intake of 1,000-1,200 mg
from all sources. Men should get no more than 500-600 mg daily from all sources,
and probably do not need to supplement.

Other Dietary Supplements

If you are not eating oily fish at least twice a week, take supplemental
fish oil, in capsule or liquid form, 1-2 grams a day. Look for molecularly
distilled products certified to be free of heavy metals and other
contaminants.

Talk to your doctor about going on low-dose aspirin therapy, one or two
baby aspirins a day (81 or 162 milligrams).If you are not regularly eating
ginger and turmeric, consider taking these in supplemental form.

Add CoQ10 to your daily regimen: 60-100 milligrams of a softgel form
taken with your largest meal.

If you are prone to metabolic syndrome, take alpha-lipoic acid, 100 to
400 milligrams a day.

Water

Try to drink 6-8 glasses of pure water a day, or drinks that are mostly
water (tea, very diluted fruit juice, sparkling water with lemon).

Use bottled water or get a home water purifier if your tap water tastes
of chlorine or other contaminants, or if you live in an area where the water is
known or suspected to be contaminated.

Of course different people's bodies have different needs, which is often best learned by experimentation.

Eight Basic Winner Scripts by Robert Anton Wilson

[Note: This makes a wonderful personal litany to use as a Daily Rite of Dedication]

From http://www.futurehi.net/docs/8winner_scripts.html

I. The biosurvival winner:
"I will live forever, or die trying."

II.
The emotional-territorial winner:
"I am free; you are free; we can have our
separate trips or we can have the same trip."

III. The semantic winner:
"I
am learning more about everything, including how to learn more."

IV. The
sociosexual winner:
"Love, and do what thou wilt." (Anon. of Ibid)

V. The
neurosomatic winner:
"How I feel depends on my neurological knowhow."

VI.
The metaprogramming winner:
"I make my own coincidences, synchronities, luck,
and Destiny."

VII. The neurogenetic winner:
"Future evolution depends on
my decisions now."

VIII. The neuroatomic winner:
"In the province of the
mind, what is believed true is true, or becomes true within limits to be learned
by experience and experiment." (Dr. John Lilly)

"The Four Worlds: The Body (i)"

[Note: The following is something I wrote for a discussion list for Don Webb's Mysteries of the Temple of Set. The piece being discussed is in the first Note in the second section of the book. If you are interested in taking part in this group, or a simlar one in NYC please contact me at blacksun9 at gmail dot come]

The Four Worlds it is.

This section suggests that the first goal should be maintanence of the body.

The condition of the body can be looked at on a spectrum of Illness to Fitness, with general wellness making the middle point between the two. It would seem to be that the first goal would be moving from Illness to Wellness and form there start looking at whether pursuing Fitness beyond that works within the larger goals of LIfework.

How do we practically start this sort of Work?

For me, the obvious starting point would be a decent physical as well as collecting a family history related to health.

So, time for us to all give the Dr. a call and see how we're doing.

On Xeper

Change in and of itself are not Xeper.

Xeper is not a touchy-feely New Age Slogan.

Xeper is not an excuse to justify all actions as magical or Initiatory.

Xeper is not a means to prevent others from taking a critical look at the value of people's statements.

Xeper is specifically the capacity to genuinely make the statement "I have come into Being."

Xeper is a transformation in Being to a condition of deeper complexity and capacity for action within the Kosmos.

Xeper is something that happens on the grand scale.

Checking Results

Here are a few quick questions to help measure of whether or not you are gaining favorable results from youpr magic:

Where do you live? What is your job?

Who is/are your life partner(s)?

Do you presently have any addictions or compulsive behaviors?

How is your health and general well-being?

Do these things represent what you really desire, what you need and want for your life or are they compromises to avoid hard work?

If they are your desires, what are you planning as your next act of expanding your horizons?

On Liberation

Liberation is not something which comes by simply giving up control. Doing such is simply a slide backwards into the kind of preconscious, prerational material sold by the riverside in the New Age and Self-improvement industries.

The Hard Path to Liberation is one which requires a good deal of discipline, self-aware self-control and a full understanding of your Self-Complex on all levels. Liberation cannot be gained over the course of a simple weekend retreat, a single Working or a particularly ripping bout of flatulence. It is found in the long term work of Mastery. The full formula can be seen as "Discipline - Enlightenment - Liberation."

This is not to say that there is no potential value in consciously descending into the pre-rational. Properly guided such descents can provide one with an encounter with the interior Lead from which the Gold of the Self can be transmuted. This kind of intentional descent is not the same as falsely elevating the prerational, French Kissing the Shadows in Plato's Cave and calling them Divine, or wallowing in your own feces and calling it Transcendence. Rather it is the Key to a kind of Left-hand Path Shamanism or the practice of Seidr and is alluded to in the Mystery of Thurisaz as the Sleep Thorn.

On The Carnal Self

The perhaps most overlooked aspect of the Self-complex by magicians is that of physical health and wellbeing.

It is all to easy to forget about the needs of the body while one pursues the refinement of the Self, but to do such is ultimately hampering. A fit, healthy body provides both a more refined vehicle for the Self in the World and also makes transcending the needs of the body easier when one's Work demands it.

If you have any chronic health conditions make their control and maintenance your highest priority. If you are relatively health consider beginning a program of physical refinement. The body is not simply the envelope of your consciousness while you are alive it is your primary magical tool in the World.

Treat your Carnal Self as well or better then you would any of the items in your ritual chamber and you will be greatly rewarded for the effort.

Scientific Illuminism

When Aleister Crowley founded The Equinox he took as its motto "The Methods of Science, the Aim of Religion." This was to be the banner under which Scientific Illuminism was to be explored.
The rigorous methodology of the Hard Sciences, based upon observation and repetition, were to be used in the exploration and refinement of the Self. The methodology for engaging in this practice would be expounded in the primary practical works for Crowley' s A.'.A.'. These methods combined a foundation built upon Eastern Yogic methods for the control of consciousness with the ritual methods of Western Ceremonial Magic all of which executed and recorded under conditions suggested by contemporary scientific method.

It is at the beginning of the foundational document for Scientific Illuminism, Liber O vel Manus et Sagittae we find the following notice:

In this book it is spoken of the Sephiroth and the Paths; of Spirits and
Conjurations; of Gods, Spheres, Planes, and many other things which may or may
not exist.

It is immaterial whether these exist or not. By doing certain things
certain results will follow; students are most earnestly warned against
attributing objective reality or philosophic validity to any of them. The
advantages to be gained from them are chiefly these:
("a") A widening of the horizon of the mind.

("b") An improvement of the control of the mind.

The student, if he attains any success in the following practices, will
find himself confronted by things (ideas or beings) too glorious or too dreadful
to be described. It is essential that he remain the master of all that he
beholds, hears or conceives; otherwise he will be the slave of illusion, and the
prey of madness.

One of Crowley's major contemporary popularizers, Robert Anton Wilson, outlined certain additional requirements for engaging in the practice of Scientific Illuminism in his Cosmic Trigger vol 1. These are: "a) being in excellent health b)being competent in at least one athletic skill c) being able to conduct experiments accurately in at least one science d) having a general knowledge of several sciences e) being able to pass an examination in formal logic being able to pass an examination in the history of philosophy including Idealism, Materialism, Rationalism, Spiritualism, Comparative Theology, etc. "RAW also notes that "[without this] kind of general knowledge and the self-confidence and independence of thought produced by such study, magick investigations will merely blow your mind.(p. 72)"

So what interest might this be for the Setian? After all the basic methodology that Crowley outlines in his training Libri is that of Greater White Magic. Wouldn't investigating these methods prove fruitless? What is there of value here one all the Crowleyana is shaken off? And why bother with physical fitness or athletics at all?

What Crowley's system of Scientific Illuminism teaches is not simply self-delusion but rather learning to pull the wool over your own eyes and as such learning about the nature of the mind and its contents. As Black Magicians this might seem like a fruitless endeavor, but unless one has engaged in such intentional manipulation of perception and learned how it is done one will never know how much of your own "hard won Initiatory experience" is not simply a product of using black wool, especially in cases of Deity Mysticism and "contact with Set." These methods also teach one a certain amount of healthy skepticism about one’s own magical experiences and helps to provide a more conscious understanding of events in the Ritual Chamber.

At its essence Scientific Illuminism is the combination of three things: Rational Training, Meditative Practice and Ritual Magic. This combination is perhaps one of the most effective methods for fully realizing your potential as a magician, and one that fits nicely with the Setian emphasis upon Socratic Reduction and Self-Realization. Arenas within the Temple, at both the Element and Order level, can provide those interested with opportunities to explore each of these facets of Scientific Illuminism.

Of all of them perhaps the most important is that of Rational Training. Rationality has long been falsely seen as anathema to magic. What it is anathema to is not magic but rather pre-rationalism masquerading as significance. Thankfully this is being remedied by the ongoing Work of the Order of Leviathan and the Order of Xnum, especially via their combined effort in the Setian Academy. Such Work strikes a deathblow at the meandering delusional specter of occultism surer then the strangulation of the last Astrologer with the guts of the last Spiritual Master ever will.

Black Magic: Lesser, Medial and Greater

Periodically the issue of what is the most appropriate form of magic to use in a given situation comes up. This is a difficult question as often Lesser, Medial and Greater Black Magic can be equally appropriate to resolve a given situation but will bring about the resolution in vastly different ways. Here is a look at what I mean.
__________________________________
Situation: You are in need of more money

Lesser Black Magic: You take a quick look at your situation, realize that part of the reason you get passed over for promotions at work is because you're appearance can be somewhat shabby and frankly you don't really care about the job. You take a look at the classified section of the newspaper and find some jobs you think might be interested. Before the interviews you give yourself a bit of a make over, buy some new cloths and use those NLP rapport building skills you learned at that Pylon Workshop a few years ago. You end up landing a job at about 10% more money then you were making before and the work is a bit more interesting. By all accounts you haven't really changed much as a result.

Medial Black Magic: You take a look at your situation with an eye towards probabilities. You have some investments that aren't really earning much income but you heard it through the grape vine that they have a new product about to be launched that will either make of break the company. You decide to do a small Medial Black Magic working the night before the product unveiling for its success. The next day the product is shown, ends up being a big hit and your stock price soars. Since you weren't that heavily invested in the company you cash out with a small profit and go on with your life the richer for it.

Greater Black Magic: You look at your situation and realize that you have terribly ideas about what Wealth and Money actually are and how best to use them when opportunity is upon you. You spend a few weeks exploring these ideas, reading on the topic of Wealth psychology, money management and investing and investigating your own ideas about what attracts you to Wealth and Money (say the ability to get things done more quickly and having access to a wider range of experiences) and what about their achievement disturbs you (that the people using your investments may have the ethical sense of a rabid hyena and that your Punk Rock friends will stop inviting you over to their flophouse parties when they find out). When you feel as if your consciousness has become full of the topic you perform an act of Greater Black Magic with all the trimmings and decide to use Mesoamerican trappings as you find this a most stimulating tradition. Afterwards you have a series of dreams that clearly seem to be trying to communicate something to you (Airplanes? Ruins? Some super attractive person you've never met?) but you are not really sure what. When you wake up, nothing is changed immediately but you write down those dreams.

You go about your day and by coincidence find a local paper on the seat next to you that has an article on a start up company that is looking to engage in Ethical Import/Export and distribution work in Guatemala. Their home office in your area.

You take the magazine with you into work and decide to look up more about the company and discover they have jobs posted, including one that would involve travel to Guatemala to engage in business negotiations and hunt out new potential products in the more obscure villages. You decide to give them a call and schedule an interview, using all the LBM tricks you know when it happens and thus get the job but it pays a bit less then your old job. As a benefit however they offer you an early window on their eventual IPO and you decide to do some preliminary investment even though it is risky to dump cash into unknown start ups.

While on your first trip for the job you discover that there is enough free time to explore the old Maya Ruins and find a local guide who shows you things tourists never see. While at one of these sites you end up meeting a Mesoamerican researcher with whom you share a tremendous amount of sexual chemistry and you mutual decide to act on it. One night they tell you about their interest in trying to preserve these old sites, how it wouldn't take much cash to do it due to the tremendous exchange rate between Guatemala and your home country and how their dream is to form a non-profit to help raise funds and oversee the work.

A few years later you and the researcher have formed a serious relationship, the company has been a success and is about to go public. Since you were there for almost day one you hold a sizable stake and end up making a small fortune freeing you from having to work for anyone else if your smart with it. You and your partner decide that now is the time to start that non-profit and you use the connections you made both at home and in Guatemala to raise funds and find people qualified to oversee things on the ground. It is hard work but you find yourself deeply dedicated to doing it. You find a lot of eager young faces who want to help and discover that in addition to their regular work you have opportunities to impart some of your Initiatory Understanding to them, usually in covert ways, and start suggesting books and practices which had been important to your own transformation. You even manage to find a gig for your old Punk Rock friends who did look at you a bit suspicious for having sold out to the Man years ago but who kept inviting you to their parties anyway. ____________________________________________________________

Not all experiences are going to be this dramatic, but hopefully some people will get some ideas.

On Indulgence

Indulgence has a lot of different applications, but the core of it on a practical level is about dismantling any socially/personally imposed blocks upon your desires and then start to pursue the fulfillment of those desires.

The dismantling part usually gets the most attention. It's that phase in Neitzche's metaphor in the prolog to Thus Spoke Zarathustra of the the period where the dragon of "Thou Shalt" must be slain by the newly emerged tiger. In that sense some of the better resources for actually pursuing this kind of thing can be found in the somatic therapy methods of Christopher Hyatt or the nearly two year long meditation upon ultimate desire and its fulfillment practiced by thee Temple ov Psychic Youth.

On the most basic level though Indulgence is the Aeonic the equivalent of Robert Anton Wilson's accidental summary of his own philosophy in Maybe Logic: Like what you like, don't like what you don't like and don't take shit from anybody.