A short essay about Occultism - Part I

If we had no occultist background, maybe we would be the ones creating things nowadays. There are many people who have an unsettled mind. One that simply cannot accept this reality, and goes for more information. Feeling that, there is much more, and many things in the occult world.

Occultism is a term that applies to things that are hidden, covered, magick, mystery, but in reality, the occultist does not see anything as supernatural.

The occultist knows there are constructive principles in the universe that are the cause of many things some call mysterious, that exist beyond our regular senses.
The occultist understands that those things cannot be searched in an objective way, but must be researched in other kingdoms of the human experience.

Unfortunately, there has always been a prejudice against Occultism, and many people tend to see it with a bad reputation. A set of practices and creeds that link to superstition, and should be abandoned.


“Superstition has been defined as the use of a form whose significance has been forgotten.” 
― Dion Fortune, Esoteric Orders and Their Work and The Training and Work of the Initiate


But we know that through the centuries, occultism has developed its own sciences. So, at first, the occult sciences were ridiculed by the physical scientists, because their result would be beyond reason, and should not be taken into consideration.

However, these occult sciences brought light to the other sciences, that exist nowadays.
Astrology, for example, came from the rudiments of astronomy. From alchemy and its search for the quintessence, elixirs came chemistry.
Occultism favored the experiments of Franz Mesmer when he brought to the world his studies that human body could emanate, through the tip of the fingers a flow and reflow of energy, that could be detected by the others and used to influence them. It also provided Mesmer hypnotism experiences to happen in times where this was considered black magick.
Success in this area from the occultists finally compelled an investigation of the phenomena by the physical science and the discoveries resulting from the fundamental principles of psychology.


“Science is always discovering odd scraps of magical wisdom and making a tremendous fuss about its cleverness.” 
― Aleister Crowley, The Confessions of Aleister Crowley: An Autohagiography


Who were the first occultists?

Maybe we will never know, but we can say that they were those men and women that could see beyond the limits of the objective way of seeing things, that could hear beyond the limits imposed by their ears.

They were men and women that were not satisfied with the limitations of their regular senses.
Maybe the most ancient story from Egypt is the one written by Manetho. He was a man of great culture, power and with unlimited access to the arcane knowledge and Egyptian teachings.

Manetho is believed to have authored the Aegyptiaca (Αἰγυπτιακά, genitive Αἰγυπτιακῶν), or History of Egypt, at the request of Ptolemy II Philadelphus. The work is of great interest to Egyptologists for evidence of the chronology of the reigns of the ancient pharaohs. It may have been the largest of all the works attributed to Manetho, and it is certainly the most important.

Being the high priest of Heliopolis, from the Great mystery school, that was dedicated to the sun.
Manetho is well known because he was the first one that tried to make a complete register ou tried to discover the lineage of the kings and dynasties from the Egyptians, from the most ancient times.
Even nowadays, with the advance of archeology, his chronology of dynasties is used a lot as a reference.

In his works, we can see that Egyptians might have been occultists, and therefore, would be the most ancient occultists in the world.
According to Manetho, ancient Egyptians tried to discover when the first mortal appeared on Earth. We can notice that they wanted to see beyond the limitations, beyond what was just there.
They were not happy in accepting things as they supposed to be, they did not want the unknown to remain unknown.

According to their conclusions, the first mortal on earth was someone known as Hephaestus, and they calculated that he would have shown up about 24.000 years before their time, or 30.000 before ours.
According to “The Sacred Book”, one of Manetho’s works, prepared by him to one of the Ptolomeys and to be put in the Alexandria Library, the ancient Egyptians contemplated long ago the principle of Unity of Existence.

For them, the goddess Aset /Isis was the maternal aspect of the universe. Besides, according to Manetho, Isis name meant “ I came from myself”. That would indicate that Isis was a movement that self-originated: she, therefore, perpetuated her own existence, she had no creator, she kept going from the nature of her own existence.

“All that has been, that is and shall be”

There are many legends among Egyptians trying to explain Isis origins as a goddess and her representations, however, among the adepts of the Mystery Schools and among the real occultists, Isis, the maternal aspect has always been a fundamental attribute to the being, of which the universe consists.

“The Sacred Book,” says that each being, in his primary condition has ever existed. He never had a beginning. There was always an eternal movement, attraction, and repulsion between two opposite forces, good attracting bad (Typhon).

According to this book, this oscillation, this continuous movement created the four principles, the four nature expressions, fire, air, water, earth. And these four expressions cross the whole world, exist and move everywhere, by this, they transform themselves, to the infinite variety of forms and creations, that we are aware of, like realities.

In those Ancient times, centuries before greek antagonists, before Heraclito and Empedocles, for example, it was declared by these occultists that the essence of everything, each thing is the same, meaning that they are all related.
It was also declared that nothing in the world, despite its complexity or importance, is independent of these primary forces of nature and nothing can elevate above them.

Meister Eckart,  a famous German, and occultist used to say “God is everywhere”. God is the same in each form or aspect. Eckart says that people should seek God, not as a light in dark places, but in every nature manifestation.

                                                                    (Meister Eckart)


According to him, it is important that people study the Self and nature.

The occultist knows that it is not enough just studying, pleasing ourselves with the notion of a God, “knowing” God. But that it is necessary to “use Him” everywhere, because just by “using” Him we could benefit from his power and nature.

“...spirituality alone will not take a man far in the Mysteries; he must have intellectual powers as well.” 
― Dion Fortune, What Is Occultism?


Traditional Occultism versus Popular occultism

There is a difference between traditional or classical occultism and popular occultism.

"Popular occultism refers to the simplistic esoteric culture of common people that is focused on reaction instead of the transformational path of inner growth; the readily accesible and endlessly more superficial side of broad magickal practice. That is the occult seen on television and in other media, as found in the majority of paid workshops and public classes, which is commonly referred to as Low Magick in occult circles and is entirely different in content and practice from the occult knowledge and systems developed in the various initiatory societies and found in ancient cultures that have dedicated their efforts to the understanding of nature and serious magickal practices." (1)
- Violet Throne

Being Popular and "easy" it is what primarly people seek, in order to achieve fast results, where they avoid the longer and more dangerous roads, as Luis Marques states, which are the ones that would bring valuable lessons, teachings in life.

"On the other side of the vibrational scale there is the traditional occultism, often referred to as High magick and the Great Work by the mystery schools. It refers to a diverse set of practices, hidden wisdom and initiatory information that is developed and used in honor, respect and exclusively for the spiritual evolution of the initiate through the means of an expanded understanding of the Universe and the mysteries found in Life and Death. It is a field of gnosis achieved through dedicated study, initiation and responsible practice that differs greatly from anything at the reach of popular occultists, commercial psychics and fortune tellers alike, by the simple fact that it is secrete." (2)
- Violet Throne

We can understand here that the worde Secrecy brings a deceptive connotation, but a necessary one.
It is not by desire of status or elitist mindest, or in way to fulfill ego. The secret is to empower and mantain a greater cause. It is necessary a high level of spiritual maturity to deal with it.

Unfortunately occultism has been transformed into a show, where we can see dishonest commercial books, poorly research works that sustain magazines, tv programs, documentaries, workshops that mislead people, harming more than helping.

So what are the studies we are loooking for? The answers, the questions that make us go ahead?
What is the occultism we are dealing with?

I see that occultism relates to a lot of things and inspires us to seek for those answers that exist inside us all, Those questions that bother us and we cannot simply ignore. I am grateful for those ancient occultists, from the past ones that brought a lot of knowledge to us, for modern occultists that keep these studies. The real ones.

 It is an endless road, it is an endless study. Eternally learning.

"A mystical path requires courage as you must take a first step of faith so that the second may be of science. ☥"
-Luis Marques

Sources and references:

 "Eternos Princípios de Ocultismo" by Ralph M. Lewis, FRC - Published in the Rosicrucian Digest, October 1946).

Manetho: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manetho

Meister Eckart : https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meister_Eckhart

(1) , (2) Luis Marques - Violet Throne - Book of Orion - page 535

Introdutcion of Book of Orion and the "Traditional Occultism" text can be accessed through this link in the preview button on the page.

http://www.asetka.org/Orion.shtml

Honor, Love and Loyalty.

There are certain elements that we simply cannot explain in words, and usually, they become the most real ones since they are perceived through our feelings and not our mind.

In society, in our everyday lives, we become part of specific groups. Family, friends, at work, school, and others.Talking about a subject that is familiar to us, like vampirism, in this case, we see that most people tend to identify with a system. Some prefer to follow their lone journey, while others gather in groups, houses, orders.

There is something that appears in all those cases. As you are part of a group, the tendency is that thoughts and ideas align. A sense of preserving, caring, defending, protecting it, appears.

Honor, Love and Loyalty.

What is it about things that draw people to something, sometimes even without a clear explanation?
There are some connections that are simply invisible, and happen, because they are the way they are and have to be that way.
Things you do not choose to be part of, but you are somehow chosen.

I have been working on this text for a couple of days, and today, after reading an interview related to Astrum Argentum: Fraternitatis A∴A∴, I read exactly the same words and things with the same meaning.

There are some things that we are not beginning, but continuing. Sometimes when you sign an oath, you are actually just reinforcing something that you have done in the past.
When we talk about spirituality, occultism, and subjects that relate to past lives, we may understand that we are eternal students, and most of the times we are just taking new steps in this eternal journey.

Talking specifically about Asetianism in this next paragraph, I will enter a delicate matter, since it follows the same idea of something that needs to be felt, rather than just understood.
There is a specific kind of energy that works as a beacon, and that bonds those who identify with Aset Ka and its teachings. There is an element of Loyalty that cannot and does not need to be explained.

Many can question this detached act of defending, being loyal, and honoring something that, supposedly you are “not officially a part of”, however, Loyalty bears much more meaning than people imagine.

Love and Loyalty are two words that have always been used inside Asetianism.

It’s always Love and Loyalty that brings every Asetianist and Asetian back to the Aset Ka in each lifetime, like a signature calling back home those who have always followed this path with honor.
This Love and Loyalty for the Aset Ka is not for a  person, some beings, a building, an order, or an organization, it's for this power that cannot be defined by words. It's also a Love and Loyalty for nature. For the Universe. For this unique magick that is Asetian Magick.

Asetian culture always touches and affects everyone, sometimes creating anger and frustration.  Asetianists often have to face prejudice, dishonor, and falsehood from others who lack that unique special Loyalty that is a fingerprint of Asetianism.

It's the Loyalty that makes even the simplest of Asetianist into a mighty warrior, fighting against all odds, fighting for that Love.

Understanding a pure feeling is not easy, especially when people develop strong opinions against something, most of the times out of ignorance. It is very easy to criticize something you do not understand, or even worse, just to be the one that goes with the mass and trusts every lie, misconception, wrong ideas, and without a deeper comprehension, keeps spreading the rumors.



“The essence behind the Aset Ka is not found in buildings or objects and it is designedly not accessible to anyone who seeks it with dishonor. The mysteries, culture, and wisdom of the Asetians are tied to intricate gateways of inner growth and profound initiations that can only align with the cosmos through unrelenting honesty, being unveiled to the humble and worthy. The legacy of Aset is a path of lifetimes, uncovered only through the ladder of spiritual evolution. Although undeniably elitist and secretive those characteristics are not established from a mundane concept of superiority but designed as a natural shield from those who seek to exploit and deface or desire power. Ultimately the aged locks and weathered doors of the Aset Ka cannot be broken by the devices of force, deceit or desire and its labyrinthine pathways may only appear to those who are loyal and true. As for everyone else... the Order will never exist.”

 “Guided by this mastered understanding the Order of Aset Ka takes pride, confidence, and determination in never being deterred by adversarial opposition in any shape or form, always rising from its own ashes like a newborn phoenix. It has done this fiercely across the ages, writing history and shaping the course of the future with the initiatory feather of silence that makes this violet call a unique beacon of truth, power, and immortality at the grasp of anyone daring to seek it.”

Violet Throne

http://www.asetka.org/order.shtml



We can see loyalty from the past examples, where warriors were loyal to their masters no matter what.

Loyalty - a strong feeling of support or allegiance. , the quality of being loyal to someone or something.

A lot of criticism is made about the way many Asetianists carry this feeling for Aset Ka, and for Luis Marques for example. Some say bad things, comments, sarcastic words like Asetianists are worshipping him as a god, or something like that.

They fail to see that it is called respect. When someone brings you knowledge, wisdom, things that help you grow, evolve, that person deserves our respect. Masters like that shall be honored.
Real teachers, real masters.


“You can't fight Union, Loyalty, and Love with lies, envy and anger. ☥”
-Luis Marques


Therefore we know criticism will always exist. No one passes through Asetianism without being affected by it somehow.

I just wish that it can bring some great things for those who get in touch with it. Even knowing that transformation most of the times come under painful things, hard ways. The fire that consumes, brings to ashes so rebirth may happen. Some may face their own demons when dealing with Asetian magick, even in an indirect way.

The fact that Aset Ka decided to publish their teachings, this way, allowing people to know about it, relates to something I read in Magick – Theory and Practice by Aleister Crowley. There is a chapter where he talks about the “Magick Link”, and the publishing of some Thelema material. He mentions that something may be strong and powerful, but Truth cannot prevail unless it can be applied by mankind.

So when we see important, relevant occult material being published, we need to be grateful and respect it.

As for those who feel this link,  "Honor, Loyalty and Love" are words that can “try” to explain this deep bond Asetianists feel for Aset Ka, for this beacon, for this unique kind of energy and magick that Asetianism holds. We learn to grow respect and admiration. We feel its power inside us. We learn from the teachings, we benefit from the energy. And as individuals we grow, we evolve.

We feel inside us the Honor, the Loyalty, and the Love.

Unfortunately, mundane minds are and have always been too limited and full of bias, judging, condemning honest feelings, laughing at people who follow their hearts and Will, discrediting and trying to destroy important and sacred things. It has always been like that, and we have lots of examples throughout history. Sadly to see that this kind of behavior still happens nowadays, even among people who should have now developed new concepts, ideas. Educated people that should teach, through their own examples of behaviors, and act contrary to that, holding immature ways of acting.

What we see is still an ignorant society, stagnant, poor in quality of thoughts and ideas, that instead of evolving, remains still.


“In a modern world inspired by conflict and competition an Asetian mind committed to loyalty and honor is bound to be misunderstood. ☥”
-Luis Marques


It is easy to criticize, to point fingers, and believe that you are right, the other is wrong. It is hard to be neutral, to watch the thoughts, to realize how judgmental we are during our day.

Some criticize the passion of some when talking about Aset Ka, or the feeling of anger that sometimes appear when lies are being spread. Others laugh at the way Asetianists defend Luis Marques, or make jokes about “it being smoke and mirrors”.

It does not matter. There is a key that is the one uniting mind and heart.

Honor, Love, and Loyalty represent how Asetianists feel about this unique energy that permeates them.
So there is not only the rational language, getting full of "logical and rational" knowledge, being good at just talking about things without actually feeling them.
One can try to define the Universe, God, the Tao… and will fail, as the single idea of creating a definition for it, using language and rational thoughts, simply destroy the real concept that can only be “sensed” by feelings.

The following excerpt I will paste is from the Bible and it relates to Love, and the need of feelings when dealing with things in a deeper level. Emotions and not only words.


 "If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

1 Corinthians 13:1–13

Footnotes:
[a]1 Corinthians 13:1 Or languages
[b]1 Corinthians 13:3 Some manuscripts body to the flames


Writing this text, about these feelings was one of the most challenging entries. I feel very passionate about it, and also I like to see things from a rational view. So what I try to do is align both ways. Mind and heart.

I can talk about Asetianism from a scholar point of view, where I can say it is a serious and deep study, full of important teachings, and occult-related subjects that deserve our respect. A Path of freedom, one that allows you to be yourself,  get to “know thyself”. That may perfectly align with your other beliefs, practices, and bring you new ones.

And I can talk about Asetianism as an Asetianist. A person that feels this unique organic, energy that is alive. And from this point of view, no words would be enough to describe it.

That is the energy, that is the feeling…

The Ka that is inside our Ba. The Violet Energy. Aset Ka.

Notes:

• The ancient Egyptians believed that a human soul was made up of five parts: the Ren, the Ba, the Ka, the Sheut, and the Ib. In addition to these components of the soul there was the human body
• The Ka  was the Egyptian concept of vital essence, which distinguishes the difference between a living and a dead person, with death occurring when the kaleft the body.
• The 'Bâ'  was everything that makes an individual unique, similar to the notion of 'personality'. (In this sense, inanimate objects could also have a 'Bâ', a unique character, and indeed Old Kingdom pyramids often were called the Bâ of their owner). The Bâ is an aspect of a person that the Egyptians believed would live after the body died, and it is sometimes depicted as a human-headed bird flying out of the tomb to join with the Ka in the afterlife.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_Egyptian_concept_of_the_soul

Energy - Quality not quantity

It is said that everyone is always exchanging energy at some level. Even the subtle interaction comes with an exchange.
Most of the times, people, in general, do it unconsciously. However, more sensitive beings tend to notice when the energy of some place or some people have this or that “quality”, and they put in words like good, bad, light, evil…

Of course, this should be for everyone, in general. People should seek best quality energy in their lives. Being it the environment they live, to people they interact. We should concern about the food we eat, so why not about the energy that surrounds and permeates us?

When we talk about vampirism, and the ones that deal with energy, that feed on it, talking about the quality of energy becomes an important issue because then we are talking about a conscious action. This way bringing responsibility for it.

It is not an automatic exchange or feeding anymore. So the person can observe and be selective about it, being the energy he just interacts with to the one that feeds him.
While some people prefer to create a separated definition of psi/energy vampires, others see It as a complete being, not separating in definitions because of the way of feeding. But I believe it is important when learning about the subject and dealing with energy manipulation, that the person gets in contact with things that may teach him about how to work with it.

First thing would be “know thyself”. Self-observation helps to bring a better understanding of how you interact, what you feel, what your responses are, your actions and reactions. It is important to do it in a detached way, otherwise, the mind will create traps and the results would be inaccurate.
Then, it is important to go after things that explain about energy. And maybe here is where some people fail to realize that most of the things linked to vampirism, is just not about vampirism.

Energy and its manipulation are usually explained in books, texts, systems…
Chakras, Reiki, yoga, tai chi, qigong, etc.

There are many things that talk about energy to vampires or not. Teaching interesting things about energy manipulation, about shielding, grounding, using it for healing.
So it is not only a question of being a vampire and draining energy. Or allowing ambient energy to “come” to you. It is a matter of observing the kind of energy you want to be “within” you.

When we go to certain places we may feel good at that place, then allowing this energy to flow through us, or the opposite may happen so we can shield from bad quality energy.

Being aware of it would be the secret. Sensing, then being neutral. Consciously interacting or blocking, or just observing.
There are nice studies about energy, being it from ambient, or people.

Asetian Bible and (its version in Violet Throne) contains a serious study about it. The preview of the books can be read at the links below.

http://www.asetka.org/AsetianBible.shtml

http://www.asetka.org/VioletThrone.shtml

We all know that when a person begins dealing with occultism, he becomes more sensitive, and since he is not well prepared for it, all kinds of energies are attracted, and he may suffer from astral attacks, or influence.

We also know that many people when they begin awakening for a vampiric nature, out of immaturity, tend to act recklessly, feeding on what appears, testing his “abilities”, causing harm to others and to himself.

It is a long road to learn how to control some things, learn others, but most important, achieve some maturity, not being childish in the behavior, or ego driven.
So from my point of view, I believe that a person interested or that identifies with occultism, vampirism, should see that it is a huge web of things, entwined.

Those who say vampirism is just about feeding, just about fangs, or theatrical things, I am sorry, but fail to see that it is a serious subject inside occultism. Some may link to spirituality, others won’t. But when talking about energy, the research, studies, and practices have to go much beyond basic layers.
Be curious, explore, question, doubt, try. If there is a need for some guidance from people with more experience, go after them, if the learning would be a solitary quest, so be it. But either way, it is an individual path, with its individual practices. Each one learns, feel and do things in their own way.
Above all, we should worry about the quality of things in our lives. I believe everyone wants a nice life. And this is not a matter of this or that path. As incarnated beings, we can seek for the best quality things, from food to entertainment.

Observe the places you go, the things you watch, the books you read, the people you talk to, the debates you spend energy with...
See what benefits they are bringing to your life, or if they are harming you.
We tend to attract things we want, we need... so let's observe what we are attracting to ourselves.
Be aware of what is "feeding and fueling you" and if necessary make changes.

Let go the things that do not serve your purpose. Go after the things that suit you.

The only mistake would be doing nothing at all.

Dedication

We usually have a routine. Regular things, regular day. There are things that we need to do on a daily basis. Some out of obligation for work, school, others for our health like exercising. Some things are like hobbies like music, painting. However, there is something that is essential in whatever activity we perform: dedication.

These days I have been thinking about it in a general way, but also about specific things. When we decide to begin something, like going to the gym, it will take us a great part of the energy to keep doing it.

When it comes to some discoveries about ourselves, and the path we chose to follow in order to develop and evolve, it is not different. Actually, it requires even more dedication than other subjects.
Occultism, witchcraft, or vampirism for example. An individual who awakes to his nature, what is the next step? He is a vampire. Ok, and now? I wrote about this issue in another post. Some just stay in this cool layer of “being” something but do not do anything in order to evolve, to grow.

What practices are being done? Studies about the energy manipulation? The spiritual world is something that you are interested in? Occult related things?
A diversity of things exists in order to help each person to achieve knowledge about the necessary tools. Practice, theory…
A lot of things that go beyond just staying in front of the computer arguing in groups over vain things.


Developing body, mind, spirit


We would be incomplete beings if our dedication was placed upon just one or two things, then one of the parts would be deficient.

Body - Taking care of our temple is something very important. The quality of life: the food we eat, sports we practice, the air we breathe, even the sounds and the surroundings that affect us physically, stress, work, noise, pollution.

Mind -The things we read, we study. How we spend our time. Are we being productive? Using the time wisely? The distractions are huge nowadays, that is easy to spend hours in a Facebook debate that won’t lead anywhere, just an ego trip, instead of just getting a book or a text that would bring some knowledge.
We have easy access to so many things. In the past, people would have to travel long distances, go after sages, find masters. But now, we can have knowledge found easily in books and online, the thing is knowing where to look for, reliable sources, and wanting to go after them.

Spirit – Each one may have a particular way of dealing with it. But it is an important area to be developed.

There are so many practices like tai chi, qi hong, martial arts, meditation, yoga, reiki... Systems, studies that link to a diversity of things. It is no excuse to say that we lack time, or that we cannot find something that aligns with us.

We are the ones that are always finding excuses to not practice something, to not keep doing something we know we should, that would bring benefit.

I understand that patience and the time are important, the pace. Some say there is the “correct” time for things to happen, and that we achieve a better maturity as the years pass by. However, if we keep waiting for that “right” moment, it could be just a mind trap looking for excuses to send us to the laziness reign, where stagnations rules.

There are many things linked to vampirism for example. Many layers. Even if one “just” thinks of himself as a “sang”, or “psy”, what is he doing to learn more about his “condition”?

Knowledge about things is important. And not only a focused one. When you begin studying, researching, if you are an interested and curious person, you will see a vast world opening ahead of you. And it is a wonderful thing.

Some are interested in the origins of vampirism, then they keep researching, and go for more information. They hear about energy, chakras, what takes them to theories, practices, energy manipulation. Some deal with magick, witchcraft. Others try to understand under a biological view, the sang condition.

My point here is, being a vampire, a witch, a wizard, a mage, or a human seeking for evolving, everyone can and should keep going ahead. Learning, studying, talking, discussing, exchanging.
The secret is to know where you want to go, to understand the means you can use that align with your Self, the tools you can gather and manage to use.

But the most important of all is in the title of this post: Dedication.

If we do not dedicate to our practices, we will fail. We will create a false illusion that something is being achieved, but we would be negligent. “ Tomorrow I begin, next weekend I will read about it, next Monday I keep the practice…” Dedication is a matter of beating our laziness, our mind.

Time passes, the clock is ticking, and when we realize, many years will have passed… We may regret, and think… “ there were so many things I could have done…”

So if you find yourself inside occult related studies, read, go after what you need. Practice, learn, train… Experience, fail, learn from your failures.

If you are a witch, you will learn from nature, with the practices, and with books and people. If you are a vampire, the same thing. It is not just about “being” a vampire, but all the things that weave the fabric of it, that is just a layer of the big picture of the Self.

So I would say it is not only a matter of dedication but also commitment.

It has to become something important, otherwise, things will remain the same layer as they are now. We would be the people we are now, not changing, not growing, not maturing.
Same old talks, same old actions. Just accepting things as they are.

Things won’t knock at our doors. Knowledge won’t just appear. Wisdom won’t be there suddenly when you wake up. Masters won’t just invite you to be their students.

We have to go after all of these. We are the ones responsible for ourselves and what we want, where we want to get. It is personal, individual. We have free will, and most important, we have Will.
We need to know where we want to get.

“One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. ‘Which road do I take?’ she asked. ‘Where do you want to go?’ was his response. ‘I don’t know,’ Alice answered. ‘Then,’ said the cat, ‘it doesn’t matter.”

― Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland

"If you don't know where you are going, you'll end up someplace else."

―Yogi Berra  '

I believe no one wants to be the same in 5, or 10 years. So what are we doing today?