Ancient fire

Luis Marques words always have a deep effect on me. They always bring a deeper meaning than those merely seen in "words". It is always special, as those words are full of wisdom and unique power.

These words today made me think a lot. Inspired me to write about something, from my humble point of view.

During the last weeks, while talking about many things regarding people, and VC, for example, some thoughts came to mind. People fail to go to a more Spiritual approach to things. Modern society is making people lazy. Everyone wants everything ready and for now. Fast results, things that can be done in the microwave in seconds.
Easy, ready recipes, masters telling what to do and what to follow.

People want practices, immediate results, they are "short-termists". "Light a small candle here, throw a little blood there, read some spells aloud, make some gestures and see little sparks going on..."
If they do not see this happening, then it is not magick, it is not real. Reading and studying? Books? What for...? "Too much philosophy." Of cours,e I agree that things have to be balanced, and theory is just theory, practice is needed. But believing that it is just easy as going to a library and getting a "how to make spells in 10 steps", it is nothing but a delusional path.

Some would say that spending so much time reading and studying something to, just a long time later get a small change, would be a waste of time. Many do not have the patience, like the alchemists, to just watch that little flame burning the elements, that in years may become something else.
"Waste of time", they would say. Boring and dull...
They want the cute, noisy, fast fireworks. You set some fire and they explode, lasting for few seconds.
They do not want the Real Work.
Real work takes time, years, decades, lifetimes.
They do not want to grab the correct sticks, and have to discover how to ignite the fire. How to make it happen, and then admire it growing, burning...

No. The "how to become yourself in 20 steps" would be nicer...the "cool thing".

Modern "things" tend to attract because they can cause this allure, fast results, fast fake results likea placebo. A mix of "weirdesoterism" sometimes...
I know some things work for some people, many paths should be respected, that is not my point here. My criticism is about the failure to see beyond, to go and explore the real thing. And get attached to the idea that "shallow results" are THE ultimate truth.

I also think that people should ask themselves: "Why do I want to do this? What do I want magick for? What is my objective?

Many just want the little tricks, like illusionists, magicians. This "ready to go magick", just to give a sensation of "something is happening!" , whereas the real work, the internal work is ignored, because it is "dull" , it is hard, and you sometimes don't feel "things" going on, or see lights and sparks around you.
The internal work keeps happening very slowly, sometimes felt as intense, sometimes just subtle, but it is Real, it is worthy...

Fast, fake, beautiful little fireworks... And when they are over, there is just that sensation of being amazed for those seconds, and forgetting about it the next moment... like New Year's fireworks...

People fail to see the beauty of the ancient fire. That one, that burns inside ourselves. That fire burning in the desert at night, or in the forest. That brings the heat, brings comfort, security. That fire that also burns and can destroy. And it will. That brings us to ashes so we can be reborn.

I am just talking here from my insights, feelings... It is not a theoretical study, it is just my opinion, based on what I feel.. But I believe that we can always be explorers of the mysteries. We can learn, we can discover, and what is needed is just the desire to do so... the Will.
I admit that it has been really difficult, and I am aware that it will always be. It is not an easy path, the one you take in order to know yourself, to better yourself. I try, and I fall many times. I believe that I even fail more than succeed. But I may fall as many times necessary and I will stand up and keep going, learning from the mistakes.

We should not ignore this fire. We should not go blind. Be in the comfort zone.

We can even be the kid playing with the firework, but we have to remember that the real fire is much more intense than just artificial colors produced for seconds.
There is more, much more...And nothing can be obtained without dedication, patience, perseverance.

All of this made me remember Joisten Gaarder -  Sophie's World and this specific excerpt:

“The only thing we require to be good philosophers is the faculty of wonder.”

To summarize briefly: A white rabbit is pulled out of a top hat. Because it is an extremely large rabbit, the trick takes many billions of years. All mortals are born at the very tip of the rabbit’s fine hairs, where they are in a position to wonder at the impossibility of the trick. But as they grow older they work themselves ever deeper into the fur. And there they stay. They become so comfortable they never risk crawling back up the fragile hairs again. Only philosophers embark on this perilous expedition to the outermost reaches of language and existence. Some of them fall off, but others cling on desperately and yell at the people nestling deep in the snug softness, stuffing themselves with delicious food and drink.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” they yell, “we are floating in space!” But none of the people down there care.

“What a bunch of troublemakers!” they say. And they keep on chatting: Would you pass the butter, please? How much have our stocks risen today? What is the price of tomatoes? Have you heard that Princess Di is expecting again?

— Sophie’s World, pg. 16

Labels and Limitations

I have gathered some thoughts about psychology, VC, and Asetianism.
I was wondering about people in general and how human behavior happens. From my humble point of view, by observation, I was at the beach today and some things came to mind.

Once I wrote about it, about how people try to put labels, and classify, or use specific descriptions in order to fit something, to be part of a group.
The human being is always trying to find a group to be part of, those similar in concepts and ideas, a sense of pertaining. I was thinking macro, as to how people divide themselves into groups, subgroups and the sense of identification gives a sense of security, of not being alone, not being different, or being different and belonging to a group of different people.

Sometimes there is just transference of ideas and concepts. And that behavior that is criticized by being a mass behavior, mundane, is brought to a smaller world, but just remains the same, under a different perspective, with the false illusion of being something new, but feeding a make-believe world to escape reality.

So I brought the thought to a more micro world that would be VC and vampirism.

I have been talking and debating some things with some people, especially the role-play, fiction, examples or the concepts people use to define a vampire. My thoughts were then, about how they begin using it as a segregation of ideas.
So normally we can see that people, especially inside VC got many traits as to what they would define, classify a person as being a vampire or not.

“A vampire is one that needs energy, does not like sunlight, goes out only at night, is goth, is evil-minded sometimes, selfish. Does not like people, prefers to be alone. , does not care about people, is not kind, a vampire is always cold, darkness surrounds him…”
So when something different from it appears, it is just not classified as a vampire according to many, just because they do not “fit”, or worse, they are contrary to some of the things.
So it is weird for some when a person is focused on Spirituality, is a healer dealing with Reiki, cares about other people and is kind. Talks, in a humble way but can transmit a lot of knowledge, not claiming a royal blood, or spreading he is the ultimate master and guru. Even if the person is Buddhist, or walks a Right-Hand Path. Many things just are seen as a sign of “oh no you are not a vampire, you are not like us, you say a vampire does not need fangs, a vampire is ok with sunlight, a vampire can be generous…”

They try to apply those definitions to either validate or exclude people.

We also have people that read those traits and begin a trial in order to fit them, to be part of the group, of a little club. They think: "hum a vampire is always in black, does not like sun and is cold" so the person begins acting like that, even if some things are contrary to his beliefs and thoughts.
And if a vampire even goes to the beach and get a suntan, he is not a vampire then? Imagine if we got the idea that vampires do shine under the sunlight? How many would be vampires then? (lol) .
Of course, if I begin talking about some concepts and why they are described, we could understand the mention of sunlight and other things. But that would be a talk about metaphysics, and that is not my intent in this post.

And my thoughts were even further, so a person that goes to the beach, deals well with people and people feel good around them, cares about the others... would simply NOT be a vampire because it "goes against" what they have as examples of "100 traits you are a vampire"?
An individual would be classified as boring, dull when dealing too much with philosophy, spirituality, and not focused on “let`s do this ritual by this recipe, or let`s go to this party because that is what a vampire does”.?

We understand that there are different beings, that deal with vampirism in a completely different way. They can be polite, kind, but this should not be a sign that they are not capable of the most devastating things. The difference is that they are aware of what they are and what they can do.
I noticed that on some biased comments. If you value too much this path of wisdom, acquiring the knowledge they simply think it is .. “too much.” Why so much reading and philosophy?

But let’s think, would not that be a natural way for every being seeking to better oneself? At least read, be curious, learn…? And that is my view about Real and serious people that deal with vampirism.
If ones prefer fiction, role play, ok, go ahead. Everyone is free to enjoy things they want. But please, do not classify it as the ultimate truth about what vampirism is. DO not say “this is a vampire”.

I see how hard it is to even bring the subject vampirism. First, among regular people. We don’t even need to talk about it when it comes to this subject. I am sure many of you know the looks we receive if people get even the mention of the word vampire.
Then you try to talk about the real and serious side of it with people inside vampirism but in their view, you are the boring and dull one.
In the end you try to talk about vampirism with occultists and they don’t respect vampirism because they think you are just one of the “crazies”.

When it actually should be observed and studied from a spiritual, occult point of view.

So even inside Asetianism, and thinking about a person that would try to fit here or there, the mistake would be trying to fake behaviors to be part of something, like trying to act according to things written in the book just to sound “part of it”.

In the end, I see it all connects to ego, and opinions people develop about the others and about themselves.

The problem is applying concepts to try to give definitions and thus, limitation happens.

Bringing my observation as an Asetianist, and after some months dealing with the Asetian teachings, I can say that it is a Path of diversity. It aligns with the individual practices. It is not because you are a healer that you cannot study it, or you deal with witchcraft and it would be conflicting. By no means is it a Path of limitation. No ready recipes, no direct instructions on what to do or follow. The person has a way of perceiving things by oneself. And even can dedicate much more to his own individual practices and beliefs, building a more expanded way of dealing with everything, thus evolving.

“Do not trust a teacher who raises limitations in your quest but embrace the master who advises you to study the work of his opposers. ☥”
~Luis Marques

At this point, again I have to mention and congratulate Luis Marques for his way of thinking, in the diversity, even inside the descriptions of the Asetians, and Lineages, or the general concepts of the complexity that surrounds what an Asetian is. Also reflecting in what an Asetianist is. Not being a specific closed system, but a colorful kaleidoscope of knowledge, as he himself writes in Book of Orion.

There is a lot of conflict of thought when it comes to vampirism, but the major problem and I always mention that, is the lack of respect, and now I see that is also developing biased ideas from rumors, or from the feeling of not understanding something.
And I mean, there are many ways people try to portray and explain vampirism, many examples from the simple need of feeding to a more complex being that has the predatory spirituality linked to what he is. But here is the point, vampirism is a part of it and not what defines it.
Every individual is an individual so one should not be classified by being or not being something, under others point of view, if this people just built their image from some examples, that is a false reflection that may not mirror the truth.

“Fitting in is a quest of fools. Being accepted a hope of the weak. Embrace your uniqueness notwithstanding opposition and criticism. ☥”
~Luis Marques

Happiness

The so desired happiness has been the main pursuit of many, from the period of Ancient Greek, and now is the aim of scientific studies and gurus texts and books.
We all want to be happy. And being happy has many different meanings to each individual.  according to World Health Organization, in 2030 depression will be the most common disease in the world, so happiness has never been so studied.

There was a research conducted by some psychologists from the University of Illinois and Virginia that considers happiness the most desired goal for most of the people, even more than being rich or “going to heaven”.
So if there is this desperate need for happiness, there is also a whole world of things trying to offer you ways to get to it.

We can see that everywhere, from medicine prescribed without a real need, to self-help books, it seems like everyone has a good promise for you to be happy.

The concept of happiness

According to Luiz Felipe Pondé a philosopher, a major historical change happened in the understanding of this term.
"In Greek philosophy, being happy was not fulfilling the desires, but do the necessary to not suffer from any kind of passion, seeking then a state of serenity.”
Very different from our modern times, where in our culture, unfortunately, being happy means quite the opposite of it – looking for the fulfillment of your individual wishes at any cost, in an endless pursuit for pleasure.

We go through all kinds of experiences, the pleasant and the unpleasant ones. They are all part of our existence; however, those who understand happiness as a state of never-ending pleasure, and zero frustration are doomed to live dissatisfied.
According to Pondé "happiness inside a market system also disturbs many people, as the notion that I am only happy if I earn a lot of money and buy a lot of things, generate a kind of emptiness, you acquire something, get satisfied, pleased for some time and soon you are after a new acquisition".

Besides the rampant consumption nowadays, the social obsession of being happy goes through the need of being “yourself”, work in what you love, seek things that have to do with you, but it is not always possible to leverage authenticity all the time.
Living in society means making choices and making concessions, but not meaning that you have to let go of your desires. The important thing is to have balance.

Science

A study from the University of Edinburgh, with over 900 pairs of twins has concluded that there may be a genetic predisposition to happiness, but it is important to remember that this becomes very relative, as our posture, behavior, and choices throughout life also play an important role in our wellness.
So not only a matter of genetics but also how we tend to deal with things that happen to us during our life. How we are able to adapt, change and strengthen ourselves.

"The brain is endowed with neuroplasticity, which means that we can reorganize experiences and develop a more positive and realistic mentality of things," says Louise Maria Malmström, English psychologist.

What do we want?

The kinds of desires that we pursue tell us a lot about the chances that we will have to be happy.
According to Tim Kasser, a psychology professor at the University Knox, in Illinois, there are two types of values and opposing objectives: the extrinsic ones and the intrinsic ones.
The former are all those in which the focus is placed on external things, which depend not only on us - succeeding, making money, having a good appearance and being popular. The intrinsic is the psychological needs that say only about you, how to try to be who you really are.

Those people who are more focused on extrinsic values are less happy, suffering from depression and anxiety and having less energy and vitality on a daily basis.
We can observe how extrinsic things affect us doing a simple exercise. During a week just watch how you feel when you are going to post something online, how you react to other posts, when you see who liked something from you, and you will realize that those things relate to self-esteem and are extrinsic things.
Then observe intrinsic things, like a walk with your friends, drawing, dancing. Watch your thoughts and feelings in those moments. Probably you may feel more connected to life, less anxious and happier.

Impermanence

It is important to focus and understand that nothing lasts forever. "The pain exists and it is not a question of denying it, but if you are aware of impermanence, bad events will not bring them down." Nun Zentchu Sensei, from São Paulo.
We must see happiness related to something that is much more inside not in what happens to us.
We should not deny the inconvenience caused by the bad times, but we must enjoy the good, knowing that both are temporary, and accepting this brings peace.
The journey is individual and there is no ready recipe. "We should not worry about getting away from the pain, but about following our feelings, even if it means suffering, "Pondé says.

For some to be happy means to change jobs, from home to country, for others to buy a refrigerator or a tv. Everything is very relative and does not necessarily mean the idea of abandoning everything, there is not a formula that works for everyone. Self-knowledge is the key.
When you are well with your questions and choices, it is easier to be happy.

Flow

There is a state called – state of flow. Positive psychology has this name because it works with affirmative emotions, strengthening our personal resources.
The concept of flow was developed by the Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Flow is an experience where we reach our zone of excellence and we do not see the time passing, it is that sensation of dedicating yourself to a pleasurable activity, to be totally absorbed by it and the time simply does not exist, you flow.

Finding the activities that lead you to this state is important, be it a painting, a sport, a walk in the park, what matters is to use your internal resources to discover the activities that lead you to that state of flow.

Simplicity

We also need to dream about what is possible, instead of fighting with life because it does not bring us what we want.

Valuing the present moment and not waiting for the end. To lessen the anguish, we must focus more on the present moment, instead of always keeping our head on future goals and plans. In Buddhism, happiness involves being aware, putting your consciousness in what you are doing

"In meditation, you bring the mind to the present. Do not fight with the thoughts, but you perceive them and turn your attention to the present moment" says the nun Zentchu Sensei.

It may be an excellent training,  instead of expecting happiness only from the great achievements, we must find it every day, in simple things, like observing the waves, having a cup of coffee or reading a good book.

Attraction

For some writers, therapists, gurus, quantum physics joins spirituality to explain how the Universe works. We are made of atoms, and atoms are energy. We attract what vibrates at the same energy frequency as ourselves.
If we vibrate at a low frequency, we feel sadness and life only gets worse.
Everything we observe with focus is energized and drawn into our experience. Manifesting sadness, dissatisfaction, we channel our energy in the same frustration.
What happens is that we attract even more situations that make us unsatisfied.
When we act in the opposite way, being very happy, accomplished with what we already have, being grateful, the Universe understands that we like what we have, and then sends more of it to us, in an amplified way.
Each one on an individual journey, like I mentioned before, each with a particular quest, but the most important thing is to know that we are responsible for what we attract, and for our happiness.


"Embrace only the song that echoes the tune of your soul. ☥"
~Luis Marques, 20.03.2015

Reference , Prata, Liliane - Em busca da Felicidade, Revista Cláudia, Agosto 2016

The Power

We are influenced by our surroundings since the moment we are born. Everything that happens around us begins molding what we come to be and how we are and react to things. Having those as a reference, we become sometimes a part of it all, like a "patchwork blanket".

The problem is when this influence begins taking control of us. Thoughts, opinions, judgment from the others affecting you more than it should. Then who are you in the middle of all of these influences?

We give too much power to others when we rely on them. When they dictate what is better for us. We give part of our energy when we open, and we become exposed. And there is another problem, we 

may be giving too much power to our self, but the "wrong" parts of it.

Maybe we feed to much that part of fear and ego, or that part of insecurity and lack of self-confidence.

I believe the only way out of it, can be seen in The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself"

This may have been adopted from Ancient Egypt, related to Luxor Temple having two parts:

In the external one where beginners were allowed to enter, and in the internal one where a person could only enter after proven to be worthy and ready to acquire more insights and knowledge.

In the external one this sentence: "The body is the house of God.".

In the internal one: "Man, know thyself, and you are going to know the gods"

So what is the best way to Be, to manifest your True Self? By knowing yourself. Observing what is yours and what is not. What derives from the others, from the surroundings, even if you have linked something to you. Even if you believe that they are part of you because actually, they become like that.

Our "personality", our life in this present moment, this lifetime, in this matter, is derived from those influences, but unless we get to the core of our inner beings, we will be nothing else, but just an echo of what is around us.

When we see ourselves alone, in silence, many things tend to occur. Some deal pretty well with it, some just can`t stand their own silence, because they begin to hear, first, all the noise they have inside, and second, they begin to see and realize things that they were not able to perceive before, due to too much external noise and "pollution".

Facing Silence is facing yourself. Being alone, turning yourself to your inner side, is a journey into your real Self.

“Great power and forgotten mastery hides in the unspoken art of interpreting the forbidden language of silence. ☥”

~Luis Marques 17.01.2017

It is a hard work when you decide you want to know yourself, it is a hard work when you actually begin seeing things, and not many endure on that.

It is even painful. To see your many faces and masks, to accept things, and to see how many things you keep in denial. You may deny you are a proud being, egoic. You may want to deny you suffer from these external influences saying: "Oh no, I am really like that", or the opposite "this is not me, I was under the influence of the others". The only important thing is to not lie to yourself. It will only hurt you, it will only prevent you from evolving.

It is not a sign of weakness when you recognize that you are indeed weak. That you suffer from those influences, that you have so much self-work to do, that you do not even know where to begin.

But I believe that, once you think about it, you have already begun.

So Silence is a powerful tool and initiator. A sense of isolation sometimes is interesting, because, metaphysically speaking, there is less external energy influencing ours. But, living in complete isolation, without getting in touch and experiencing the surroundings is not helpful either, as you can only get elements of comparison when you live them when you go through the experience and have a parallel to speak about them and compare what is and what is not.

You then can dispose of things that are not yours. You begin seeing what you are not.

There is something else I was thinking today, that also relates to knowing yourself, and influences.

Sometimes we focus too much on a "final goal". And then in a moment, you realize that maybe, what you thought to be the main objective, was actually the means for you to achieve other things.

Somehow you put yourself in this thought on focusing too much, on looking too close, and lacking perception of what the Universe has to offer, that it can offer much more.

There is a natural flow in the Universe that, when you are able to feel and work with it, things happen. You do not force, you do not go against the current. You are not influenced by the wrong things, being external or the ones you created yourself. You just feel, by not feeling. You just surrender. Not in a way you don`t care and " get whatever comes". But in a way to work in cooperation with it. Adapting the sails of your boat.

There is a beautiful tweet from a special person I would like to share:

"The moment you realize how the Universe is only willing to work in accordance with your True Will, you become aware of how powerful, and at the same time powerless, you are in front of it. A terrible and beautiful moment of limitless potential, surrender and acceptance."

~ @Naverya 20.01.2018

So that may be it. A Self-work, self-observation, knowing ourselves, surrendering to the Universe aligned to our True Will.

But to get to the point of being able to at least feel, it brings us back again to the zero point: Know yourself.

It is conflicting, it may be funny sometimes, painful, chaotic. But in the end, there will be nothing left but You. It may take lifetimes, but something is being done. The Path is being walked, the Journey is advancing.

No matter the tools you are using, no matter what means. Just get to do something done. See what tools align with yourself. Occultism, spirituality, magick, everything has an infinite number of possibilities, One is right? One is wrong? One is best?

The best one is that one that changes you, even if it gives no results. At least the trial showed you something.

And as the Tao states, the non-action, the non-being is much more powerful than we believe.

So that may be the Real Power. One that, as Luis Marques says: gives control back to Self.

It is a sense of self-empowerment. The right one, in the hands of who should be in control of it, not the others, not the wrong parts of us, but real Power is there.

And this power will help us to break from the prisons, the external ones, and most important, those ones created by ourselves.

Perceptions

We are beings with different stories. We have our daily struggles, routine, things we have to worry about and deal with in our lives.

We come from different paths, different worlds sometimes, with realities that may or not be similar. But when seeking a Spiritual Path, and sharing the same one, some things just get linked. Some more, some less, but there are certain elements that create a connection.

This diversity in stories is very interesting because we can see some situations that we have gone through or others that we never experienced, but it can make us think about our own stories.

With a closer approach to some people, we notice that, even from a different situation, with a different background, that pulse that urges us to seek for answers is similar.

There is a powerful energy that emanates its beacon, and then it is seen and felt. It is a flow of a current. And it is possible to notice how everything is just connected.

And one thing is undeniable, we all go through a process of change, of awakening, maybe in different times, in different levels, and a process that may last lifetimes, but we experience it. The act of perceiving reality as it is.

Yesterday Luis Marques tweet brought a beautiful message:

"New Moon — There is great beauty, color and life in that which cannot be seen. Transcend beyond the limitations of a mundane eye and the senses constricted by a materialistic society chained in its own insignificance. ☥"

And this message made me reflect.

Sometimes things go unnoticed because we simply are not paying attention to them. We are not being able to perceive its beauty because we may be using the "wrong eyes" to see them. Our feelings interfere in the way we interpret the world.
When we go beyond, much beyond what is in the first layer of illusion, we can see the things in their raw and pure state. It is almost like seeing creation happening at this very moment.

Unfortunately, society is really chained to an energy that gives an illusion they want to see. Feeding them with what they need. Those who are observing from a distance can get even shocked in how things are happening.

It made me also remember, some simple references. One is the song from Kate Perry " Chained to the Rythm", and how she mentions just "we think we are free", I mean, people get what the world gives them, believing they are really free.. when in fact.. they are not. A beautiful horrible fake reality.

The other example of illusion is from the movie/anime "Spirited Away", where Chihiro brings a spirit to their place that tries to get people attention and love, so he starts giving them "gold" in form of coins. He notices that people get happy when they get those coins, so they worship him, he feels loved and he gives more coins in return. But he begins to get big, and feed on people. He eats them. And people begin to get scared. And try to make him go away.

In one moment, they can realize that those coins were not real. They were just mud. That monster was giving them an illusion and they were happy.

So I see the world is living this illusion.

It is a fake beauty. We have to see the real colors of everything, but the ones hidden, the ones that are really meaningful.

Today I opened up Violet Throne, and I got this interesting "message", aligned to his tweet, and with all the situation going around. Text follows below:

" The alchemical process of spiritual evolution sustains the philosophical and metaphorical realization that most people being capable of seeing in color are actually only experiencing a powerful illusion. They truly can only see in shades of gray while under the illusion that such view is the full spectrum of color, hence assuming it as the whole manifestation of the rainbow. But once you have your first glimpse of sight in real color, if you are capable to look at what an Asetian can see even if only for a split second, then a whole new Universe unfolds in front of your eyes. That is true initiation... and it is eternal."

" Once learned the tools that allow to see from an Asetian perspective, the soul remains forever changed, unable to go blind again." Tânia Fonseca

It is very interesting the way he describes this process, and how some of us who may have had this perception before getting into Asetianism, can relate. And later, when reading these words and getting an understanding and the experience, like described above, to see the world, even if for a split second, through Asetian eye, then we can not only see but feel what he means, and how powerful it is.

The next part of the text is about how the Major Arcanum XVI of the Tarot - The Tower, represents this process. It is a collapse of the inner world. The structure falls, there is the break of dogma and beliefs. I see this first process like one of the most intense, because it is when you perceive the reality, and you feel very apart from it. But I also believe it is a continuous process. Those who believe that have gone through this and "won the battle" may be just ignorant of how things come to shake our reality and bring new perspectives, even if under painful transformation.

" Remember, from the darkest times come the deepest forms of liberation".

The breaking of the sarcophagus of matter is mentioned. For those familiar with Asetianism, the reference is about the initiation and the very process of awakening.

" The breaking of the sarcophagus of matter and the conquer of independence from all the mundane conditioning, through the attaining of conscious spiritual awareness, is a powerful form of magick and personal achievement that brings the power over the subtle - but more real - existence back to the hands of Self. This represents a profound form of awakening, so hidden but also so very real, being a true hallmark of vampire spirituality so often misunderstood by the uninitiated, still locked inside their own mystical prision." 

That is what I think one of the most, if not the most powerful tool - the power back to the hands of Self. Then you are aware of your actions, you are responsible for them, you truly are, and not only live.

There is also something that Luis Marques mentions next, after this part, that is the wrong idea some people may get, that they should then be distant from every mundane aspect that exists. This should not be done.

" It should be noted that none of this means to say that every mundane aspect should be rejected and discarded, or that life in the material plane is inherently shallow and obsolete. Quite on the contrary, as life in this realm is a unique opportunity to learn and evolve in ways that mere subtle existence would not be potentiated. It is up to the individual to make a conscious choice and take active steps in order to embrace life in its full potential for spiritual learning rather than to simply waste time in the empty illusions of the superfluous. 

In the end, true power lives inside every single one of you. 

The physical world allows for the unfolding of True Will and its enlightening flame to be made manifest once purified in the higher realms of subtle existence."

To achieve that, to manifest our inner essence, it is necessary that we first break from the deceptive chains of matter.

It is very intense how we can be able to be empowered just by the sense of being awake for all of that. These perceptions of reality. Truth. And most important, knowing how to deal with it, in a balanced way. Being able to walk between worlds, learning from both, manifesting our True Will and our True Self.

Being able to enter a pool full of mud and dirt, and getting out of it without being affected.


Reference: Marques, Luis . 2017 Violet Throne , Book of Orion - Liber Sigillum 333 , 652 - 653.

Kindness...

The last post I was angry and sad. And I woke up today thinking that, we see all those injustices, and lies... We feel, but we cannot be affected in a way we begin acting the same. We don't fight hate with hate. We don't fight lies with more lies.

We cannot allow our inner kindness to be diminished by it, criticized. We cannot allow our inner flame to extinguish, defeated by this dirty mud.

Yes, we can balance light and dark. And dark does not mean evil. It does not mean that you don't care about the others.

Some people just act in a bad way towards the others, because of ego, because they want to show off, by diminishing others to feel empowered, or just by the simple pleasure of being evil.

Some, when identity with something, like vampirism for example, and "getting the wrong idea of it" begin acting like a "dark and evil being", just because they believe it is the "expected behavior".

And this is should not be the way of an evolved soul.

A person I admire and respect a lot wrote a tweet about kindness that moved me.

"...Don’t be afraid of being kind and of a helpful gesture no matter how small. To someone, it may change a life. Ignore the haters and their negativity, they can’t move a grain of sand but together we can move mountains"

~ Daשn Lilian, 31.12.2017

So maybe just a word you say, just a compliment, a "good morning" , an unexpected message of kindness when someone is going through a sad moment, just by talking, even silly things, or being able to be there just to listen, you can be affecting someone's life more than you imagine.

So just because you follow specific Paths, just because you identify with things that "people" would link to darkness the way they see darkness, it does not mean you cannot be gentle, kind. It does not mean you don't care about the others.

We are not indifferent, we are not haters. And being kind is not a sign of weakness, but one of comprehension about your self and the others.

"Our unwavering darkness should be no hindrance to kindness, a gesture capable of echoing empathy through courage. ☥"

~Luis Marques, 20.12.2016

Where is honor? What is really behind the mask?

Lies, falsehood, ego, vanity, betrayal...

I don`t understand. I simply don`t get this world. Never got, and now even more.

I may be too kind, or naive. I don`t know. Maybe I am not really from this planet. I can`t seem to understand all this dirty behavior driven by ego, or who knows what.

I understand life is a matter of balance, and that a being is not totally good or totally bad. I understand, observing from a Tao point of view that neutral and detachment is necessary when dealing with everything.

But I can`t, I simply can`t deal with all of this.

They make me feel bad, in a physical way, they affect me

The worst thing is that truth always reveals itself, one way or the other, and many times it is painful because you see manipulation, lie, everything. You don`t even need to seek for the truth, it just comes. Things begin connecting in a strange way, and one thing leads to another.

Then your brain makes the connection. It is terrible, it is... painful, you see the truth. You see the ugliness behind all the mask of fake beauty.

Sometimes you think, "how I wish I did not have this... intuition..." but you have, you know things, even beforehand... the wind blows the message to you, the pages appear, the things come...

There is also all that goes around, in everything. We just see the world devouring itself, drowning in its own ignorance, out of primitive thoughts and actions.

What is going on?

The cycle just keeps repeating and repeating. Same wars, same lies, same killings, same falsehood and vanity... jut different times, and scenario and characters...

What is really going on?

I just feel like.. going into a cave, just getting disconnected from everything... it is really painful.

Running away is not the best option, delivering itself is not the best option, resigning yourself is not an option. Maybe strengthening yourself to endure. Maybe raising your shields to not be affected, maybe find the best strategy, maybe the use of Love.

But it is hard, everything is so hard for me to understand. I cannot see things from this human eye. I am sorry but I can`t.

If acceptance of it all as normal is to see from human eyes. definitely, I am not human.

"Normose - A patologia da atualidade" Pierre Weil , seeing everything as normal... no, I won`t be in this flow.

"Any soul that dishonorably scars a seed of Aset is bound to an inescapable truth: it may take one day or a lifetime but fire awaits. ☥"

~Luis Marques, 09.12.2013

Pieces

Sometimes your universe is shaken and you see your pieces scattered all around. Broken, in many parts, missing parts, huge holes between them.

Everything you thought you were sure falls apart. It comes to show you that you were wrong. Period. Checkmate. You are now the defeated king, lying on the board.

You are soul naked, alone, lost. You do not have even a body anymore. You are there, on the white and black floor, half of you in a white square, half in a dark one. Light and dark. And solitude.

Nothing but Silence. Pieces, broken pieces that need to be put back together. And if they do not fit in the correct places anymore? And if they have to move to another position?

Will the system work properly again?

What are you? Who are you?

The questions echo, in this endless quest. And it hurts.

Why is it so difficult to face the mirror and the truth? Why is it more difficult to assume what you are than to deny? And when you feel but just don`t accept?

So many ways, so many thoughts. It is time to gather the pieces again.

May I embrace the element of change and accept its lessons.

"You can't rise without plunging below. There you shall find the meaning of darkness and the abyssal forces to devour you into becoming. ☥"

~Luis Marques 31.10.2014

Mirror

Many times we are not able to see things about ourselves. It may be fear of looking into the mirror, or a lack of reflection.

There are some experiences that we go through and sometimes we find no reference, and others that we can see it while we observe other people going through similar things.

We can see, observe and see ourselves there. It may be an experience that you never passed, but in this case, it is more difficult, unless you have a good empathy, because usually, that thing we never experienced, we would not relate. If you have empathy you can try to "put yourself in the other person`s shoes" but just imagining how would it feel.

When we actually go through the same, or similar experience, we know the feeling, so we have a record in the memory.

Memory works with feelings, and it keeps a good record of experiences, especially when there is an emotional charge involved, being good or bad.

So when someone is telling us something that we also lived, and that thing has some kind of emotion, we can relate, and many times it becomes a mirror, when used wisely.

Not using it as a crutch, like having to seek for the answer in the others, to try to get the others to give you things, or wait for their judgment. Not that.

Not by just a comparison, but as a tool of Self Observation. You can listen to the person telling you, watch her actions, give your opinion, and you have that internal feeling "I have been there". But you just kindly say a few things, not as a teacher who knows everything and wants to teach everything, but maybe just as a wise friend who could say some things in order to help the other. And the interesting part, when you see yourself "again" in the same context, when you even listen to your own words, you revisit the situation, in the past, you analyse it, from your perspective, your own experience, and you can see it under a different "sunlight" , or under the light of the stars...

My point is, that for me, I try to get the most I can from what can teach me, what can make me a better person, even if having to revisit all kinds of experiences, that may bring some "not very good'' memories.

But usually, they are the good ones. And I also feel glad, when I see people going through such good experiences, that I passed in some moment in my life, and I know that it was life-changing. I know that there are experiences that are a bit painful when you awake for a reality that is just as it is, but it is like watching a new day coming...."it was dark, now it`s sunrise"*.

I feel glad many things bring me back good memories, and I can go through these pages of my own book, read some things that will make me smile, have a surprise because some things I may have forgotten, and use these things in my present moment somehow.

And there are some processes that do not happen just once, and specific processes that may even last a lifetime. There are experiences that keep repeating, under a new stage, and they may even take lifetimes.

So we need to be wise, to have our memories, to be kind when observing others experiences,, and find ways to learn, always learn from what we do.

* Hypnotised - Coldplay

** My special thanks for some special and cherished people who somehow were and have been a mirror and an inspiration for me to keep going.
And my deep and respectful thanks for everything related to this Path that through my inner compass has been guiding me.

Em Hotep.

"My soul is my compass. My inner master. The map of my past, candle of my present and omen of my future. ☥"
~ Luis Marques, 03.07.2014

Em Hotep.☥

More than meets the eye

Beauty. How can you see the wonders of everything? Our eyes look, but do we actually see? How does our brain interpret the images, and how does our being actually "feel" them?

There is always something else about what we see, about what we feel with our regular senses. There is always more, much more.
There is just this subtle vibration that makes everything happen, that create life, that brings death. That transforms.

We can look, and we need to see, we need to be able to feel with all our being, in our essence that thing that is being observed.

Sometimes it may be just a painting, a song, "simple words", a message... But they come, imbued with such a wonderful meaning, such a deep and Sacred message that if you are aware, you can feel.

They will resonate with your heart, they will bring peace to your soul. That very moment where everything seems just... perfect.

So, it is important to not attain just in the first layer, just in the first perception, or conclusion... Allow yourself to dive, and feel things in its more complete and subtle way.

Cherish those moments. Appreciate those simple words, because deep within you know their meaning and how special they are.

There is more than meets the eye, dare yourself to explore and trust...

See life with different eyes, and you may be surprised to notice things you have never seen before, and they were just there.

Even about yourself.

Look at the stars, they have a message, and it is always there...

Feel, and then, things will just be where they should.

May Aset guide us.

Em Hotep. ☥

Roots

Sometimes you just go, you just flow and you are taken to so many different places...

There are things that touch us so deeply, that no words can describe. You close your eyes, and you feel.
You know the smell of the air, the salty taste in your mouth. The heat in your skin. You know every noise around, even from the smallest grain of sand, moving according to the wind.

You, eyes closed, can feel, that soft breeze, the voices around, or the silence. The desert speaks, the river speaks, the sky sings... There is a unique melody and you can just feel.

As the sun is going down, there is that unique energy around. from that very special moment where light and darkness meet.

So many memories, they are, not linear, not images, but sometimes just feelings... But you know that your heart beats faster when you think about it, you know your breath stops for some moment when you are taken back there...

No matter what, no matter when you will always remember, and you will always carry those memories inside you.

You, and a part of your long and endless Journey. Chapters of your existence, that is being written as you live it. Many pages before, many pages to come, and you, a living book, of symbols, lives, beings...

Different times, Ancient roots, present memories...

Like a sunset, darkness and light meeting. Like a dance, Universe flowing. Like a song, melody, eternal melody being played by invisible hands of a unique Source.
Then, night comes, dawn comes, and you face a new sunrise...

Reborn.

Alive, again, united.

No more here, there, was, will... but just be.

That is home, first, Ancient roots...

My love, my loyalty, my respect. I honor Her. I love Her, always loved, always will.

Dua Aset.

The Beacon

There are some things that work as a trigger. Keys to unlock many things that we carry inside us. Actually, we could say we carry it all. The whole Universe lies inside us. It is not arrogance to think like that. If we understand how everything is connected, how all the things are from the same raw energy, from the very subtle fabric of the Source, we can understand that everything we need is inside us.

It is not easy, though, this feeling of "feeling". It is not exclusive of some, this does not make one or the other "special", but we see that there is a difference in the way people tend to think about life, about existence, being by merely living, or by asking about it, its origins, its purposes...

Overthinking is not good either, there are things that we cannot answer, especially by logic thinking. Rational thoughts won't bring any answer at some point. But not wanting to find answers, not seeking a sense of knowing about your Self, means to stagnate, not evolve.

And that takes me to the topic of this post, this beacon. Some people tend to identify with specific places, times, even if Ancient times. They could be related to epic wars, medieval times, the desert, religious pilgrimage, moments of happiness and despair, different countries, symbols, languages...

Sometimes it is necessary we even go after them. Go to a place that somehow will bring some memories, some sensation, something... just something that we need.

A pull that we just feel in our heart, in our soul. Sometimes feelings we bring from childhood that gives us some inclination towards some specific subjects. And then, when we listen to some songs, when we see some pictures, we just feel that feeling of longing, homesickness, we just feel a mix of things, happiness, nostalgy, sadness...

We live here, now in the present moment, but when we are open for more deep things when we understand that we are not made of only this here and now, but that we are souls of endless existence, we can catch these nuances these moments bring to us.

There is always something that awakens those feelings inside us, and there is always a beacon, a specific one that calls us, pulls us, in the direction we have to go.

This beacon shines so brightly, that calls us from what distance it may be, and once spotted, it will always be there, as it always has been and it will always be.

So no matter the storms, the huge waves, or the calm sea, we all know how to come back... home.


* I want to thank you for this Beacon that has been guiding me. Em Hotep ☥

Balance - Chaos

Balance is the key we are looking for. An element that would be the main objective. When we look for our development, and our objective, we see that achieving the balance state would be what we need.
I was wondering about something.

To achieve balance many times we have to go through chaotic moments. It is like when we are cleaning a house and we have to take everything out, we look around and it is a huge mess, then we start organizing and cleaning it.

There is no order without the chaos first. Adjustments through the necessary "disadjustments".

But I thought, then you organize the house. Then you reach a state of balance, is that the final point then?

If this balance, seems like a stagnation, wouldn`t it be "bad instead of good?

My point is, it is said we are always changing and through movement, action, chaos. Elements of transformation. So I think that believing we have reached the final state of balance would be wrong.

It is a paradox and something that put me to think.

We seek for the state of balance, we reach a state of balance. But then things are still... and we feel numb. So the change is necessary again right? Like when things are disassembled and need to be rebuilt.

So would there be a complete final state of balance? or the real balance is exactly this one between chaos and order, like when Yin reaches its peak, then comes Yang and when Yang reaches its peak comes Yin? In an eternal dance of chaos that would mean balance?

Roads

Walking is the only way to get somewhere. Action. There is no other way to accomplish a Journey if the steps are not taken.
There is another thing, we are the only ones responsible for what we do and where we get. No master can do that for us, or anybody else. There is no way to achieve something if the effort is not ours.

"The one thirsty should drink the water". No one can live your life for you. No one can evolve for you, do things in order to take you somewhere. We are born alone and the things happen around us, where we are.

No matter if we are home, or traveling around the world. It is that moment, that place where things are happening: in the present moment.

The only thing we can take with us... ourselves. Our thoughts, our wishes, and desires. And the actions have to be done by us.

If we procrastinate, it is our responsibility, if we act, it is our responsibility. It is what we do that makes us what we are.

So it may take a day or lifetimes, but it is only up to each individual. Systems, religion, philosophies, techniques, masters, books, can only inspire us, give us hints, or keys to unlock the things that are hidden in plain sight, inside ourselves. They are and have always been there.

So it is a combination of everything, studying, learning, reading, talking to people, practicing, experiencing, but most important trusting and acting.

And maybe, in the end, we realize that things are so simple, and it is in the simplicity that is the secret of existence, an endless state of balance.