I want to learn more about magick, but their are some many paths, how do I know which one to choose?
As the saying goes, “all roads lead to Rome.” (although some a little more direct than others). All the paths out there are expressions of people’s understanding of various concepts and “truths” about the Universe and God. It is important to understand that these paths are really only maps. They are not the territory itself. Explore what you are drawn to, but always look for what lies beyond the outward manifestation.
Is magick a spiritual or practical venture?
It is a practical spiritual venture. It is a constant process of having physical and practical experiences, and internalizing them to discover what it is that can be learnt from those experiences.
To what extent is magickal ritual necessary?
Ritual is a symbolic expression of magickal concepts. It requires the ‘right’ internal ingredients, such as intent, and the ability to focus the Will to manifest / channel the magical energies into the physical. Without the use of the ‘right’ ingredients ritual is akin to performing some random gestures and mumbling some meaningless words.
With all the paths and information out there how do I know where to begin?
Where is the beginning of a circle? You can pick a subject / path / practice that you feel drawn to, and explore that. While exploring it, keep in mind that it is the concepts that lie beyond the physical expressions that are important. It is the lessons learned through interaction with others that is the “true teacher” (although an individual teacher can also offer techniques and theory that can be useful).
Magickal knowledge requires a high level of personal responsibility and maturity. Irresponsible people misuse knowledge to harm others for personal gain and self aggrandizement. Some occult secrets are very powerful and dangerous in the wrong hands. For example Hitler was schooled in the dark arts and used that secret knowledge at the cost of millions of lives.
Isn’t the teaching of magickal concepts and techniques on your website akin to giving a self important or ignorant, immature, person access to a nuclear weapon? That would be a form of insanity!
The information on this website is more akin to giving someone the plans and theory to build a nuclear weapon, rather than handing them an actual weapon. As a comparison, the plans for constructing an actual nuclear weapon, and the theories behind how such weapons work, are likewise freely available on the internet.
The point is, those who don’t understand the “secrets” (knowledge that isn’t commonly understood – whether nuclear physics or magickal concepts) will not be able to put such knowledge into practice. Beyond this, for magick to be truly powerful it must go beyond the dualities of “black” and “white” magick. When this is understood, fears of misuse and abuse of magick can be set to rest. After all, there is currently enough information (magickal and mundane) on creating fear and mayhem in this world that is freely available, and what is lacking is information to guide people beyond the lower realms of magick into something that offers new forms to advance the individual, and eventually humanity, into the next stage of evolutionary development.
The teachings you offer sound like you are advocating schizophrenia. By offering individuals disparate and sometimes completely contradictory concepts of reality are you are deliberately attempting to infect as much of the world as possible with mental illness?
In a sense it could be viewed that magickal and occult training is in fact a form of “willed schizophrenia”. The alchemical saying “solve et coagula” (dissolve and recombine) is analogous when applied on a mental level. Essentially what is being promoted are methods and techniques by which a person can become aware of the separate and contradictory parts of their own psyche, and allowing them to re-pattern these parts a new and complete psyche. This is the way of inner alchemy, or the production of the internal “Philosopher’s Stone”, or in Kabbalistic terms it is the recreation (or rediscovery) of the internal Garden of Eden where everything is in proper balance and harmony.