Re: [BardonPraxis] Feminine / Masculine Balance

[Daniel Alter <daniel_b_alter@...>]

Dear RM and Frater SS,

One view on this issue is that, in comparison to other
systems of initiation, Bardon focuses aspirants on
learning about the mystical aspects of occultism
before showing them some of the magickal aspects.

What is the difference between mysticism and magick?
To paraphrase Dion Fortune (in "The Initiate"): the
sole objective of mysticism is to attain Unity with
Deity. Once attained, the mystic eschews all further
physical experiences. The magician also strives for
Unity but then learns from these experiences and comes
back to use what he has learned to help humanity back
on the physical. Now, personally, I disagree with
Fortune's definition of mysticism as it seems to focus
on "Eastern" mysticism and does not represent Western
forms (especially Jewish mysticism). Nevertheless, the
distinction is a helpful one.

Why does Bardon teach in this way? My belief is that
this focus provides students with an understanding of
what magick is REALLY about (self-transformation in
order to attain Unity). In addition, the system is
quite useful is separating the True Seekers from those
seeking a short-cut or quick fix.

Here's another point. Let's look at a counterfactual.
If Bardon had written IIH from a more
evocative/Masculine perspective, what would step 1
have looked like? Well, for starters he would have
needed to provide guidance on banishing rituals and
would have started with the tried and tested Lesser
Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (or some derivation
thereof to make his book more commercially viable).
What the LBRP does (in my view) is to artifically
create an elementally-balanced environment in which
the magician can work. However, this balance could be
very easily disrupted by an entity with enough power
and the will to do so. 

Instead, Bardon teaches that true elemental
equilibrium can only be achieved from the inside out.
This however takes dedication and time. But the
results are that, by step 8-9, the aspirant is
sufficiently balanced to begin evocative work with
confidence that the elemental balance within him/her
cannot be so easily disrupted as that created through
ritual.

Just my 2 cents!

Kindest regards

Dan






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