Re: A running thought

["Alan Cook" <fish_studios@...>]

Dear Jeremy,

>> Are any of you familiar with Chaos magick? What they say is that 
everything is permitted, nothing is true, free yourself from dogma, 
face your fears etc... and especially this, experiment widely and 
learn from experience and practice. <<

I can't say that I'm familiar with Chaos magic, although I've read a 
bit about it before.

>> How does the Bardonian Hermetic system help the student to 
confront their own fears and how does the hermetic system teach the 
student to learn by experimenting and self-discovery? From what i 
have dbeen doing, its all just following steps. I'm up to step 3 now 
and so far i haven't done anything really...like radical. The 
approach of the hermetic system seems more like a plodding, 
sylabbus, follow the teacher sort of thing. <<

In Step One of IIH, the student must spend a great deal of time with 
introspection, which includes finding his fears. In Step Two of 
IIH, the student must then transmute his negative aspects into 
positive ones. This is where the student confronts his fears. This 
of course depends on the nature of the fear, and how great of a fear 
it is. I have a fear of snakes, but I live in an area that isn't 
inhabited by snakes (unless I go out into the woods outside of 
town). Therefore, this fear does not present a challenge to my 
practice of Hermetics at this early stage and I didn't list it very 
high on my list. But at some time here in the next year, I will 
have to face this fear. Whether it be handling some snakes, or even 
buying one as a pet (probably not that one ;) ) it will have to be 
faced. And this is only the first few steps of IIH.

I would also like to point out that the first two steps are more of 
a foundation for all magical work. Without the foundation, anything 
later will fall. So, by what you are calling magical work, doesn't 
really start then until Step Three. But even here, there is quite a 
bit to work with and experiment on your own. In the Appendix to 
Step Three, Bardon lists many applications of the vital energy: 
healing, space impregnation, magnetization, etc. I myself have even 
found a few ways to apply the elements all ready. So there is not a 
lack of things to do :)

On another note:

>> I'm up to step 3 now and so far i haven't done anything 
really...like radical. The approach of the hermetic system seems 
more like a plodding, sylabbus, follow the teacher sort of thing. <<

It seems that maybe you have the wrong impression about Bardon's 
system. Bardon's system is one of balance, pace, and discipline. 
>From what I have read on Chaos magic, there really isn't any 
discipline to it. Also, with no set development there really can't 
be a balance (of course I haven't done any real work with it so I 
can't really say for sure, just going on what I know). I'm not sure 
of what you mean when you say "radical". If you mean something that 
will blow your socks off when you do it, I don't think you will find 
that with Bardon's system. One of the key aspects to Bardon's 
teaching is introspection. It's placed first and foremost. The 
entire time that the student is working, he is developing his 
psyche. There isn't anything in his magical practices that he isn't 
prepared for. So it makes sense that nothing will really "amaze" 
him. That's not to say that you don't sit in awe at something that 
you have learned how to do, but you are not surprised by it.

An example: In Step Five Bardon gives a technique for using the 
Fire and Air elements to light a candle. Now from the perspective 
of a beginner or a non-initiate, this seems phenomenal, but to the 
magician it is not. He knew what he was doing, how to do it, and 
achieved the desired result. There was nothing radical or amazing 
in what he did. But it may give a sense of awe when he thinks back 
on how far he has come in his development since he started.

So to get to the point. If you are looking for power or ways to do 
amazing and cool things, you might want to reasses why you chose to 
follow Bardon's system. He states plainly at the beginning that 
those who seek these things will not find them in his book. But 
those who seek the Path to the loftiest heights of Wisdom will find 
that path in his book.

All Will Go Well,
--Alan