The Limits of Magic

Some thoughts on the limits of Magic.

A Summary of Magic

I have dealt with the nature and mechanism of Magic. In this post, I would like to discuss some limitations of Magic. However, a concise definition of Magic is first in order. From Magic, we understand the production of certain results through certain acts that are not empirically linked to the causation of the results. Magic operates without an apparent medium. The main ingredient of Magic is the Mind that needs to be focused on a certain thought, feeling, or a combination of both. The True Will is the only will that can produce Magic, and it is a function of the Higher Genius that is our Spirit. From Black Magic we understand the indulgence in certain Astral by-products of Magic such as charisma and sex appeal. Man is obliged to discover and unpack his True Will instead of use concentration (Yoga) to reap mundane benefits. We term this latter Path the White Magic. One can easily see that Black or White Magic are not related to evil and benevolent desires. They represent the Fall and maturation of Consciousness, respectively. Black Magic lends Spirituality a reward without which the Soul would be uninterested in discovering and appreciating the Spirit. Similarly, Magic is the only way to learn about the Spirit that communicates only indirectly though Fortune, Satisfaction, Purpose, or lack thereof. Before Magic can be the science of Spirit, it needs to be the science of Fortune.

Apep in Egyptian religion was the Serpent which embodied Chaos (source: Wikimedia Commons).

The Limits of Magic

As was mentioned in previous posts, the first limitation of Magic is the Spirit itself. Magical powers accompany the knowledge of the Spirit, hence they can be directed towards a singular Spiritual purpose. Through the spinning of Fortune, Man discovers and comes to terms with his Spirit. 

The second limitation of Magic is about the variety of human consciousness. Many people are immune to Magic. They cannot respond to the plans, dreams, and creations of the Magician. We have classified them as Qliphotic / Chaos characters. It is worth noting that Chaos characters do not necessarily have an outward appearance of evil or toughness. They might be playful, hardworking, law abiding, etc. like everyone else. The lack in them that we are talking about is purely Spiritual. These Men are not yet admitted to the Worldly drama. They do not have the impulse, the emotional intelligence or the Soul to take part in a Creation (Yetzirah, Air, Yesod). Their satisfaction lies in hoarding, materialism, vanity, entitlement, and as such. In modern psychiatry, such individuals are termed Narcissistic. They do not have the emotional apparatus to take part in Life as agents. They tend to be childish, cluster around sociopaths and immensely fear a Magician. The behaviour of Narcissists change when the Magician fixes his gaze upon them. Like electrons (in quantum mechanics), the Narcissist observed by the Magician is different from the one outside the view of the Magician. It is easy to see that social media is a virtual breeding ground for Narcissists. In the Macrocosmos, the Higher God set His Gaze upon Chaos and from his Gaze the Worlds came to being with numberless ungrateful Beings. Similarly, for the Magical Ego, Chaos sustains an attraction that invites the Magician to 'measure' himself. When the Ego tries to measure itself, it shatters. In the Macrocosmos, the Archons (Archangels) led by the Demiurge (666, YHWH), set about a Virtue System to allow the Higher God to take back His Gaze to His Paradise. In the Microcosmos, Baal is the assistant of the Magician. The Worlds will be complete when the Gaze is protected by the Virtue System which can safely reflect its energy through its Beauty. 

We have already covered that becoming a Magician requires maturity and living almost in post-happiness. Therefore, one should not be very concerned about how much he can achieve with Magic. Thus, there is no Spiritual importance to the limitations of Magic. The real problems posed by these are two fold. On one hand, Chaos characters prevent Magician from becoming conscious of his powers. On the other hand, the Magician loses his reward mechanism.

Does the Yin and Yang suggest a coexistence of irreconcilable forces with strict boundaries? (source: Wikimedia Commons)

The Yin and Yang

My own view is that the Yin and Yang symbolize the separate existence of Chaos and 777. For each of them to conserve their sanity and agency, respectively, a strict separation is required. I believe the rest of the humanity go between these two poles, giving their energy to the two extremes in cycles. I believe these two extreme character types correspond to personalities which cannot entertain Object Love (per Freud). They tend to project (Chaos) or to Introject (Magic). Per quantitative description, Chaos means underdeveloped Ego with Demonic Consciousness, while Magic corresponds to extreme Ego development which has used up all the Narcissistic libido available. These two characters tend to destroy the Joy and Sanity of each other, respectively. The Magician wants to measure Himself, while the Chaos character seeks Affirmation. In the end, The Magician loses Power, while the Narcissist becomes miserable. 

Is the mirror source of all the horror? (source: pinterest)

The Magician vs. Chaos

Without a battle with Baal, the Magician cannot know where his powers lie. In a world surrounded by Narcissism, he has no means of gauging his conduct. Meditations, rituals, yoga, etc.: most magic is learned experimentally. There can be no White Magic without the pedestal provided by Black Magic. The modern Western culture is completely disconnected from the Elemental Life that is the life of desires. This is a dangerous situation as it leads the Magician, or general folks with Empathy towards desperation. Without the reflection in the Soul of fellow humans, the Magician, the Artist, or the Empath cannot feel alive. 

The first step to the solution of every problem is acknowledging the issue. A very big part of becoming a Magician is undoing every Narcissistic habit/routine. The Magician needs to confess that he does not want to be praised, to be seen, to control, or to compete. Here is a step-by-step guide to deal with a recent contact with Chaos:

1- Do not panic.

2- Do nothing. Do not seek something like reading, eating, walking, etc. in anticipation of pain. These might put your mind away from reality, but they do not let you relax. Try to relax and cherish the moment. 

3- Do not check social media. Also, do not contribute to it. Social diffusion is the dream of Chaos who hates boundaries. The weakness of Chaos is its enmity of privacy. Checking social media will kick you in the stomach with the old, good reality that men with arrested development enjoy Life about ten times more than you. Once you set your gaze upon an event you are -expectedly- excluded from, there is no benefit in reminding you that internally those people are experiencing nothing. Contributing to social media is anathema for Magicians (unless for business or convenience). It is an abject lie because the things most valuable to the Magician are not speakable.

4- Think about the good things you are still capable of experiencing.

5- Count your blessings. You are actually smart enough to do actual 'nothing' while hordes of people spend a great deal of energy for things not meant for them. 

6- Wait for your energy to rise. Soon you will find yourself inspired and optimistic. 

One of the main challenges in finding balance and direction for the Magician is the need for control/information. The unstable aspect of Magic is the possession of a huge Ego. In the common lore, ego is associated with infantilism, but that is a misconception. Neurotic or pathological behaviours signal a weak and underdeveloped ego. The real burden of Consciousness, the Ego is on the shoulders of the Initiate. Now, Ego wants to be in touch, to resolve, to expand. This is a trap, as expansion towards contact with pathological characters results in introjection, in other words narcissism poisoning. The Magician should learn to ignore the Ego's drive towards communication, information, sharing, etc. The attraction between Magical and pathological Ego's should be worked towards the goals of the Magician. That goal is to shut the underdeveloped characters away from the Initiate's path.  

Conclusion

Do not measure yourself. Acknowledge the existence of a different current in the same waters. The Magical schools of the past decisively failed to acknowledge the limitations of Magic. Many of them sought Joy and Power at the same time, hence putting their mind into an impossible task. Protect your psyche by only focusing on the organized Men.