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