Reflections - the alchemy of the soul.

I have been taking some time off from many things. Studying and reading. I came to notice that there is much to learn, and understand and many things are just tricky, roads that when taken can lead us to the most different aspects of ourselves.


When I examine life, peeling its layers, I get a glimpse of what could be the core. We hold different aspects, masks, layers like I said that exist to support life, this life. This one we have in this existence. But what are we exactly?
Observing some layers we are a name, an age, an address. Then we are a daughter or son, a niece, a cousin. A friend, a professional, someone on the street.
Then there is the internal resonance with something we feel connected to. Those studies, beliefs, things we follow, we practice in order to evolve. But we are still not them.
Descriptions inside this world could be like: vampire, witch, otherkin, Asetian, human... still we ARE NOT these.
I believe they are how we vibrate, we identify, but we can keep digging deeper.

What is inside? The essence... the raw material...


"Know thyself and you will know the Universe and the Gods."

 (Inscription on the frontispiece of the Temple of Apollo on Mount Parnassus, Greece, 2500 B.C.).

There are many ways a person can take in order to discover his true nature, about himself. And it is, indeed a hard work. One that demands patience.


"... Spiritual evolution and magickal power are only attainable through undeniable hard work and those forces cannot be limited by the constraints of time."
Violet Throne
~Luis Marques

I find it to be very interesting The Magnum Opus (The Great Work). A term for the process of working with the prima materia to create the philosopher's stone.

 Then the four stages

nigredo, a blackening or melanosis
albedo, a whitening or leucosis
citrinitas, a yellowing or xanthosis
rubedo, a reddening, purpling, or iosis

"In alchemy, nigredo, or blackness, means putrefaction or decomposition. Many alchemists believed that as a first step in the pathway to the philosopher's stone, all alchemical ingredients had to be cleansed and cooked extensively to a uniform black matter.

In analytical psychology, the term became a metaphor 'for the dark night of the soul, when an individual confronts the shadow within"

"Albedo - It is a Latinicized term meaning "whiteness". Following the chaos or massa confusa of the nigredo stage, the alchemist undertakes a purification in albedo, which is literally referred to as ablutio – the washing away of impurities. In this process, the subject is divided into two opposing principles to be later coagulated to form a unity of opposites or coincidentia oppositorum during rubedo.

Titus Burckhardt interprets the albedo as the end of the lesser work, corresponding to a spiritualization of the body. The goal of this portion of the process is to regain the original purity and receptivity of the soul. Psychologist Carl Jung equated the albedo with unconscious contrasexual soul images; the anima in men and animus in women. It is a phase where insight into shadow projections are realized, and inflated ego and unneeded conceptualizations are removed from the psyche."

"Citrinitas, sometimes referred to as xanthosis, is a term given by alchemists to "yellowness." It is one of the four major stages of the alchemical magnum opus, and literally referred to "transmutation of silver into gold" or "yellowing of the lunar consciousness." In alchemical philosophy, citrinitas stood for the dawning of the "solar light" inherent in one's being, and that the reflective "lunar or soul light" was no longer necessary. The other three alchemical stages were nigredo (blackness), albedo (whiteness), and rubedo (redness).

Psychologist Carl Jung is credited with interpreting the alchemical process as analogous to modern-day psychoanalysis. In the Jungian archetypal schema, nigredo is the Shadow; albedo refers to the anima and animus (contrasexual soul images); citrinitas is the wise old man (or woman) archetype, and rubedo is the Self archetype which has achieved wholeness."

"Rubedo is a Latin word meaning "redness" that was adopted by alchemists to define the fourth and final major stage in their magnum opus. Both gold and the philosopher's stone were associated with the color red, as rubedo signaled alchemical success, and the end of the great work."



Everything goes through different kinds of processes, and they take time. Transformation and transmutation take a lot of time...

(Persistence of Memory - Salvador Dali)

The important thing is acting. Seeking for answers. Feeling that agony inside, the one that moves us forward.
When we begin questioning life, our existence itself, we begin opening our eyes to roads that were not visible before. Learning that life is not real, being mere shadows projected in the walls of this cave we believe is our home.

When we question, we begin to free ourselves from the concepts mentioned by Plato in his "Allegory of the Cave". There is much to question, there are so many things that should not be taken just because someone said it is like that.

Living and experiencing things can bring better results as we are able to feel them.

Bringing this issue to the identity layer, as I mentioned above, the idea of being a vampire, for example, is one of this layers but cannot be used as a crutch, or as a single element of the being, like "I am this or that and period". This kind of thought would be limiting and thus, impede growth.

When a person identifies himself as having a vampiric nature, being a vampire, practicing vampirism, I believe he can use the elements connected to it to go after the necessary things for him to learn and evolve.
It could be the books, the rituals, practices that best align with what he is and pursues.

Inside vampirism, there are a lot of areas, concepts, ideas, practices, and they are also related to what people think, want, like. Especially vampirism that is something people tend to have a prejudice against even inside occult circles, finding answers is not always easy.
There will be lots and lots of people, houses, groups with their own ideas and concepts. Things that resonate with them. Some will have serious work, others crazy ideas. So it is not easy for newcomers to find trustful info.

I would strongly recommend a person that is looking for answers to not stay closed inside a system without questioning, researching a lot of different things in order to compare and validate some of them or discard...

This is something I always had with me, the eager for reading and learning about different things. Of course not practice them all! It would be confusing and conflicting. But, for me, what works is knowing about different things, this way I am able to at least talk about them and know what serves me and what serves me not.
This is something mentioned in the Aset Ka books, by Luis Marques. Studying and learning about many things so we can expand our framework.


When there is seriousness involved in the journey, the process is rewarding.

Life is a mystery and quite fascinating.

In the end, we are all going through the alchemical processes, we are all changing and transmuting somehow.
Let this process be one we are conscious about. Because if we are not in control of life, if we are not driving the car, we will be sitting in the passenger's seat, blindfolded, being driven...


Source:  Wikipedia
              Violet Throne - Luis Marques- Aset Ka

Emptiness

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

~Luis Marques

Silence. Nothing. Just nothing.

I have been wondering why it is so hard to be quiet, and empty. We are always trying to fill the silence with something. It seems that being empty brings a sense that something is wrong. 

Even during a spiritual Journey, there is a tendency of going after information, books, practices, and maybe we forget the value of nothingness.

During some insights, I wondered about the importance of disappearing. We die. We must die. But who needs to cease from existing? Everything that is not us. Everything we identify with is simply not us. A good start is our name. We are not a name, a tag, a body, our Jobs, and families.

We understand that while here, incarnated we are part f these things, but our Real Us is not.

We are blind and deaf for what we really are. Our True Self.

It cannot manifest simply because we are too busy giving attention to our senses and getting so attached to what happens to us in different plans of manifestation, that we just fall. And we become this matter. The false illusion that we are real.

It is like trying to see something through a dirty window. Unless we clear the window, unless we destroy the window, we won’t be able to see the real landscape.

But it is hard, really hard to silence everything and feel the real emptiness.

We first need to know ourselves, completely. All our sides. We cannot defeat an enemy we know nothing about.

We cannot burn everything if we do not even know what to burn, or if we try to hide what needs to go.

It is a long Journey, it is a hard one, but, those who understand that in order to Be we need to not Be, will see some value in these words.

While we are, we will not be.

We will only Be when we realize we have to be Not.

Nothing.

Empty.

Everything.

Full.

Em Hotep ☥

Nigredo - finding self-knowledge

The wise man is not surprised by death

he is always ready to leave.

La Fontaine

This melancholic state is so powerful

that, according to scientists and doctors,

it can attract demons to the body,

even to such an extent

that one can get into mental confusion or get visions.

Agrippa

NIGREDO

In the alchemical sense, Nigredo, or blackness, means putrefaction, decomposition.

Activation of the inner fire occurs by the penetration of the external fire, so the matter starts to putrefy. The body is reduced to its primal matter from which it originally arose.

Psychologically, nigredo is a process of directing oneself to find self-knowledge.

There is a focus, the problem is given full attention and reduced to its core. This is not done so much in an intellectual way, but especially by feeling the emotions. The confrontation with the inner reality is often painful, and can lead to depression. But once in the depth of the darkness, with the discovery of the seed of the problem, the seed in the ‘prima materia’, the white light is born (=albedo, whiteness, the next phase). A state of rest arises. Insight into the problem has been gained, it has been worked out emotionally, and knowledge arises on how to handle it in a more positive way and to build a more pure attitude.
In analytical psychology, the term became a metaphor 'for the dark night of the soul, when an individual confronts the shadow within.

 (Basilius Valentinus, Azoth, Paris, 1659)

Jung

As a student of alchemy, Carl Jung (and his followers) 'compared the "black work" of the alchemists (the nigredo) with the often highly critical involvement experienced by the ego, until it accepts the new equilibrium brought about by the creation of the self'. Jungians interpreted nigredo in two main psychological senses.
The first sense represented a subject's initial state of undifferentiated unawareness, 'the first nigredo, that of the unio naturalis, is an objective state, visible from the outside only...an unconscious state of non-differentiation between self and object, consciousness and the unconscious'. Here the subject is unaware of the unconscious; i.e. the connection with the instincts'.

In the second sense, 'the nigredo of the process of individuation on the other hand is a subjectively experienced process brought about by the subject's painful, growing awareness of his shadow aspects'. It could be described as a moment of maximum despair, that is a prerequisite to personal development. As individuation unfolds, so 'confrontation with the shadow produces at first a dead balance, a standstill that hampers moral decisions and makes convictions ineffective or even impossible...nigredo, tenebrositas, chaos, melancholia'. Here is 'the darkest time, the time of despair, disillusionment, envious attacks; the time when Eros and Superego are at daggers drawn, and there seems no way forward...nigredo, the blackening'.
Only subsequently would come 'an enantiodromia; the nigredo gives way to the albedo...the ever deepening descent into the unconscious suddenly becomes illumination from above'

Further steps of the alchemical opus include such images as albedo (whiteness), citrinitas (yellowness), and rubedo (redness). Jung also found psychological equivalents for many other alchemical concepts, with 'the characterization of analytic work as an opus; the reference to the analytic relationship as a vas, vessel or container; the goal of the analytic process as the coniunctio, or union of conflicting opposites'.

SATURN

The planet that rules nigredo is Saturn. Its alchemical symbol is used, like Mercurius, as a symbol of chaos, the prima materia as rough stone, and as the philosopher’s stone. These are all symbols for man at the beginning of the alchemical process. Saturn, with his traditional scythe and hourglass, is the god of death and putrefaction, from which new life will arise. The scythe is another tool for penetration, as is the lance and the sword. Saturn is the philosopher’s lead. He is the god that can cause melancholy and devilish visions. ‘Melancholia’ is another term for nigredo.

Saturn is also a god of fertility. Therefore "our black earth is fertile earth", an alchemical expression to express the transformation of death into new life, which is also clearly depicted in the thirteenth tarot card. The putrefaction is a necessary phase to start a new beginning. Life itself is a cycle of death and birth, ever creating new life, giving man the opportunity to work on himself and strife to improve his condition.

The alchemists say that nigredo lasts forty days. Forty days has a symbolic value. Jesus fasted for forty days in the desert. There are forty days of fasting between Easter and Ascension Day. The Israelites wandered for forty days in the desert. Saint Antonius spent forty years in the Sahara desert, being plagued by visions of extreme erotic scenes and devils.

"Putrefaction is so effective that it destroys the old nature and form of the rotting bodies; it transmutes them into a new state of being to give them a totally new fruit. Everything that has live, dies; everything that is dead putrefies and finds a new life." (Pernety, 1758)




Notes:
1 http://www.soul-guidance.com/houseofthesun/alchemy%202.htm
2 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nigredo

Loneliness or Uniqueness?

You barely open your eyes. You are alone. Even surrounded by your mom, dad, family, you are and you will always be alone. It is you, and only yourself who you will carry wherever you go. Life happens exactly where you are.
You can be in your house, or decide to go for a pilgrimage at Tibet, everything you will always possess is yourself.

You OPEN your eyes. You awake to your true nature. You realize you may not be "just" a regular human being. You sense you are different, something inside you leads you to seek for answers, for others that might be able to help you. " Are there others like me?" You may think. "What am I? What is this I am feeling?"

Something makes you so unsettled that you think you may be getting crazy.
You make a decision to go for more information. Then, your identification points you to the direction of vampires...
There may be a moment of surprise, shock, fear, empowerment. Many different feelings can run through the veins of different individuals. Each one may interpret from different perspectives.

Alone...

That is the sensation. Loneliness.

You decide to find a group. Maybe read something that you align with. But groups are made of people, and people may have their own agendas. Different personalities, egos, purposes.
Some people do really enjoy the experience of pertaining to a group. They feel safe, they enjoy the interaction and the exchange.

"Belongingness is the human emotional need to be an accepted member of a group. Whether it is family, friends, co-workers, a religion, or something else, people tend to have an 'inherent' desire to belong and be an important part of something greater than themselves. This implies a relationship that is greater than simple acquaintance or familiarity. The need to belong is the need to give and receive attention to and from others.

Belonging is a strong and inevitable feeling that exists in human nature. To belong or not to belong can occur due to choices of one's self, or the choices of others. Not everyone has the same life and interests, hence not everyone belongs to the same thing or person. Without belonging, one cannot identify themselves as clearly, thus having difficulties communicating with and relating to their surroundings." 1

Also, the sense of being guided brings some kind of safety. It makes the person a little more secure of the steps he is taking. We cannot deny that it also can become something negative, like a crutch since the young learner can rely too much on his instructor, guide, teacher. But from my experience, I have seen some people that really prefer the interaction of groups, houses or Orders.

"Abraham Maslow suggested that the need to belong was a major source of human motivation. He thought that it was one of 5 human needs in his hierarchy of needs, along with physiological needs, safety, self-esteem, and self-actualization. These needs are arranged in a hierarchy and must be satisfied in order. After physiological and safety needs are met an individual can then work on meeting the need to belong and be loved. According to Maslow, if the first two needs are not met, then an individual cannot completely love someone else." 2

On the other hand, some individuals prefer to walk their Journey in a lonely way. Some follow a tradition, on their own, others do not get linked to any specific thing, but learn from different sources. Some words are used to describe these individuals, but I prefer to see them as they are, people that have just decided to not join anything, they are there, following their individual paths, as individual beings.

Is there a correct way?

I believe the right one is, as I always say, that one that aligns with your heart and soul. More spiritualized, less spiritualized, more focus on magick, LHP, RHP, the need for group rituals, the practices a person can do alone...

There are so many ways and options. The important thought is to not go by others footsteps... Do not try to fit somewhere, just because it seems "nice". Do not try to join a group because loners are criticized. Do not leave a group because groups are criticized.

What works for me, may not work for you. And even inside groups, the diversity can be so big that, one begins influencing the other.

Problems may arise as the individuals working in groups may develop thoughts about the ones in other groups, or the loners. The sense of honor and loyalty can be very strong in some individuals, and in my opinion, it has to be, since you defend that thing you consider Sacred to you. But everything has to go from the correct level of judgment. The action should be always from the heart, and not blind faith, following rumors, or acting out of anger, without even checking if that is the correct way.

"In-group favoritism, sometimes known as in-group–out-group bias, in-group bias, or intergroup bias, is a pattern of favoring members of one's in-group over out-group members. This can be expressed in evaluation of others, in allocation of resources, and in many other ways.

This interaction has been researched by many psychologists and linked to many theories related to group conflict and prejudice. The phenomenon is primarily viewed from a social psychology standpoint. Studies have shown that in-group favoritism arises as a result of the formation of cultural groups.[3][4] These cultural groups can be divided based off seemingly trivial observable traits, but with time populations grow to associate certain traits with certain behavior, increasing covariation. This then incentivizes in-group bias.

Two prominent theoretical approaches to the phenomenon of in-group favoritism are realistic conflict theory and social identity theory. Realistic conflict theory proposes that intergroup competition, and sometimes intergroup conflict, arises when two groups have opposing claims to scarce resources. In contrast, social identity theory posits a psychological drive for positively distinct social identities as the general root cause of in-group favoring behavior."3

The thought that separates "us" from "them"

"Social categorization occurs whenever we think about others in terms of their category memberships rather than on the basis of other, more personal information about the individual. 
Social categorization can have a variety of negative consequences for the people who are the targets of our stereotypes. But it becomes even more important and has even more powerful effects on our reactions to others when the categorization becomes more emotionally involving, and particularly when the categorization involves categorization into liked ingroups and potentially disliked outgroups.

Because our ancestors lived in small social groups that were frequently in conflict with other groups, it was evolutionarily functional for them to view members of other groups as different and potentially dangerous. Differentiating between “us” and “them” probably helped keep us safe and free from disease, and as a result, the human brain became very efficient in making these distinctions. The problem is that these naturally occurring tendencies may lead us to prefer people who are like us, and in some cases even to unfairly reject people from outgroups."4

There is this feeling of "us" and "them". The first level is when there is the thought of vampires versus mundanes.

Then segregation may begin happening inside the "inner" circle. The "us" becomes our group, and "them" the others, groups or loners.

Maybe it is a natural thing, and maybe there are benefits that can be extracted from this way of thinking. But many negative issues happen as well.

One day I noticed something very curious. There was an argument going on in a Facebook group. People disagreeing, "vampires" debating against each other. Suddenly, a post with something that affected everyone was placed by a person. I do not remember exactly what it was, but it offended almost everybody there, and what I saw was something like a union of people against this other person. At that moment the "us" became the "whole group of vampires". There was not "my group, my people, my house".

For me, it was something very interesting to observe. It is like thinking about people in general, everyone thinking about themselves, their selfish thoughts, defending their causes, but when something affects a greater area they unite with their neighbors, co-workers, defending something that is related to everyone.

There is much that can be learned with the exchange of ideas inside a circle, as well as much can be learned when you are in solitude and have only your inner master to guide you, the experiences that may take you to succeed but also to fail a lot. And then you learn from the accomplishments and failures.
I enjoy the different ways, the respect, the interaction, the freedom.
The kaleidoscope of possibilities...

So what is better: Having a master to guide you? Working by yourself? Having friends you can count on?

Anything you do, any place you are, in the end, you will always be alone.
It is your Self, your personality, your life, your thoughts, your ego.
Even with others, be yourself, act following your heart, be rational.

Do not be a sheep, in a group or not.
The steps can only be taken by the one walking...
The one thirsty should be the one that drinks the water...

No one can learn and evolve for you, so no one can decide things that only you have to.
It is ok to be in a group. It is ok to be alone.

When you realize that you will always be alone, and that is not bad, you become your best company.
Do not only be lonely, be unique.

It does not matter if you are indeed walking by yourself, or if you belong to a huge group of people, you may have company in some parts of the road, but in the end, it is always a lonely Journey.

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



Ref.
1. / 2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belongingness
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In-group_favoritism
4. https://opentextbc.ca/socialpsychology/chapter/ingroup-favoritism-and-prejudice/

Evolution and Diversity

The search for evolution and perfection is something the real vampire craves. When he awakens, he realizes that everything around him is very different from what he had imagined. On the one hand, he comes to see a new world, is marveled by the countless possibilities that are present before his eyes, becoming able to see things now, that went unnoticed before. But on the other hand, he is shocked, because he realizes how much artificiality is present in this so-called "reality", that is nothing, but false interpretations of our senses.

It occurs that we live surrounded by a world, whose nature presents itself in its "Original" form, however, there are several ways to exist within this world, to live, survive, interact, or actually be.
Much can be said about those who are dormant, living happily in a reality that numbs them like anesthesia, which makes them accept things as they are, basic and simple, without questioning much. Mass populace behavior.

A sleeping routine, waking up, working, having fun, sleeping, wake up...and so on.
When you wake up, when you open your eyes and realize that the world in which we are immersed has an "artificial flavor of reality", you suffer.

Suffering is derived from that perception. As in the film "The Matrix", where the artificial reality created serves to deceive, the real reality is that much less attractive.
We suffer because we see beyond what normal eyes see, we sense more, and it affects us a lot.
But what's worth more? A comfortable life of lies, or confrontation with the truth, but which breeds in itself the "heart" of the matter, the Truth?

There is also the interpretation and perception of the "reality" I mentioned above. Reality is subjective. It depends on our internal resources so that we can interpret it, and that interpretation will always occur differently for each individual. Everything depends on what he possesses, knowledge, keys, elements, an internal library that allows him to read what he understands, and creates an interpretation. That is why the search for knowledge becomes an important step for anyone who wishes to evolve.

Follow the path of intuition, feel, but also seeking to acquire the "formal" tools so that we can keep moving onward, climbing each rung of the ladder up the evolutionary path.
Dealing with occultism, with vampirism is not only to identify and live in a "basic layer" of perception.

When looking through the veil, once seen, it is impossible to remain in the previous state. You can try to ignore the path, close your eyes, but the responsibility that exists before you, will always be there. A matter of choice, but after taking the red pill and choosing to wake up, there's no turning back.
Some people keep their evolutionary journey as avid seekers. Respecting traditions and orders, going after knowledge, tools that will equip them to evolve.

I respect  these beings a lot. Especially when they show this respect and realize how much they can learn from different paths.

Inside vampirism, there are different Paths and traditions, and it is normal, holding to an identification, and defending that one you usually align with. However, it becomes very interesting when people, in their serious and mature quest, open themselves to the different ways and it is wonderful how the exchange of thoughts becomes beneficial.

This is the Path of Evolution for me. Not always people will agree, and when it is a healthy debate, it even helps to expand the view about things. People may argue, it is normal. But when the focus is placed on what really matters, then, the real magick happens.

Choose wisely how the energy is going to be applied. Time is precious, our energy is important, our Journey is Sacred.

"Speak your mind. Act on your ideals. Trust your instincts. Live your dreams. Never surrender. Ignore hate, envy and dishonest criticism. ☥"
- Luis Marques



* Edited with the help of Cory Kai Draken.

Elitism and Secrecy.

There has been a nice discussion about elitism in a group. People brought their opinions, shared some opinions, and I decided to write about it.

Definitions of elitism
1 : leadership or rule by an elite
2 : the selectivity of the elite; especially : snobbery elitism in choosing new members
3 : consciousness of being or belonging to an elite
4. The belief that one's social group is superior to another group. elitist
5 .the belief or attitude that individuals who form an elite — a select group of people with a certain ancestry, intrinsic quality, high intellect, wealth, special skills, or experience — are more likely to be constructive to society as a whole, and therefore deserve influence or authority greater than that of others.

Since the definition of elitism can relate to being arrogant and snobbish, that is the idea that people get when they see that something seems to be elitist. However we can expand our ideas.

Elitism is usually seen as something negative, a subject that tends to use segregation to create closed groups, mostly based on ego sometimes. However, many people tend to confuse secrecy with elitism.
It has been seen in history that occult and secretive Orders have oaths of secrecy, keeping their sacred and valuable teachings only accessible to their inner circle. It is not even necessary to go deep into explaining why, because we can understand that real knowledge is not understood by those who are not prepared for it. Is this an elitist way of thinking? Yes.

It tends to be a natural selection. We can use simple examples. Can you discuss vampirism with regular friends around you? Family? Occult related subjects are easy to be brought up in a conversation?

What I see is that even among open-minded people, and occultists, some subjects are like taboos.  A biased opinion appears. So we become more selective about who we talk to, what we talk about.
It is also a matter of levels of understanding, and similarities in the way of thinking. It is not a  benefit trying to discuss vampirism the way we see, with a person that sees it completely different from our understanding.

It becomes completely useless to try to make others see what you see, when the practices, beliefs, thoughts, alignments are different.
A healthy discussion can appear, a nice talk maybe, but we know, that deep inside, some of us become elitist. Not an ego-based elitism, but a different one.

Groups, orders, covens, houses, clans will be based on those who share similar views. Even groups that declare to be open, and welcome everybody, someday, depending on this or that issue, will select, separate in smaller groups, levels...

There is a natural elitism, and we cannot deny it. But as I said, there is the "negative" one, based on ego, and "I am better than you", and there is a different kind of elitism, that may even have this idea of "better/superior" but in a different level. It is like when you observe mundane people, the mass, the "sheep" that is simply surviving and you see that you are different...

You become more selective as time passes, in my opinion, especially in the way you behave. Sometimes you see arguments and instead of jumping in, you just think... "it is not worth it"...
Criticism about secrecy and elitism have always existed, but nowadays it became even worse. It is a generation where everything has to be given immediately, easy, spoon fed.  "I want to know, and I want it now. " "Who do they think they are to not talk to me?" "I am very important, I demand to have a membership and access."

It is a generation that does not know respect, does not recognize patience. One that gets tired of things very quickly. That does not even know why they want something, but they do, as collectors of things, just to say "I have it, I own a title, I have something else to add to my list" But like a spoiled kid, once achieving something, getting it, becomes bored and goes after something else.

Or something funny happens, the pursuit of being part of something, becoming something in that group, but having it denied, he becomes a hater. Like a rejected lover. In the beginning, he worships his beloved one, and having his attempts ignored, he spreads all kinds of horrible things about the ex-target of his love.

Secrecy brings this sense of being elitist. But, wouldn`t it be a necessary elitism, then?

I believe many people and groups are accused of being elitists, and one of them is Aset Ka and Asetianists.
There is a peculiarity about Asetianism that uses the word "elitism" a lot, but most of the times it is misunderstood. Below there is a small excerpt from the Introduction of Words in Silence , in Violet Throne. (link with full introduction at the reference part, in the end of the post.)

" In our modern day and age, with the development of technology and the deceiving sense of empowerment that easy access to information and varying degrees of knowledge provides, many have criticized the Aset Ka for its secrecy and detachment. Often described as elitism and arrogance, such views spawn from the lack of understanding of what drives, enforces and empowers our signature silence and oaths of secrecy. As the author of several Asetian books and teachings I nurture no interest whatsoever in fame and recognition finding no value in such vain desires. My achievements are held to much higher standards and they are bound to the conquering of growth, wisdom and enlightment. Those victories are not at the reach of fame and ego, being only sung in the hymns of those who battle in silence, hence conquering the greater fortunes of all. Such uncommon commitment for a high standard and determination in figthing the recurring battle of perfecting your inner and outer arts may be understood as elitism, and under this mindset every Asetian is a proud elitist at heart. This is especially evident in what concerns the mysteries of magick and spirit, as our path can never be explored and understood when approached with the same mind that would seek, study and praise the work of mere dabblers or the mirrors of commercial occultism without a profound sustenance of truth. That is not the way of the Asetians as such a road is not the path of the warrior."

"Asetian secrecy is not here to please anyone and will remain strong and unbroken despite criticism, but if any genuine seeker finds the secretive nature of our knowledge and the intricate access to our teachings a negative sign of its value, then I am only left to wonder what real wisdom such a person has ever held contact with beyond the grasp of popular magick and basic metaphysics, as every true power fueled by occult knowledge is bound to oaths of secrecy, the art of initiation and vows of responsibility. That is how it has always been on the road to occult science and the way of magick enforced by every mystery school since the dawn of civilization and so it remaisn today. Believing otherwise is folly. Those seeking easy answers and quick lessons will never accept this but such minds have no place on tha path of the wise. "

-Luis Marques


Occultism, vampirism, witchcraft.... lots of things have always been surrounded by secrecy. It is funny that the ones outside claim "They are elitists, they did not accept me", but once they are accepted some feel they are now part of that elite and say: "shut the doors, do not allow others in, we are the royal ones".
Elitism can be seen as arrogance, and it can really have this energy, when ego based. It can be seen as arrogance, but it may not be, but be interpreted this way by who is outside the situation.

Elitism can be seen as segregation, or it can be seen as a way of being more selective.
There are many ways of seeing and interpreting elitism, from the point of view of who is being elitist and why, and from the point of view of those observing it.

For me, it is natural that a selection happens, But it is a natural thing, it will divide people into groups, and these groups will have their own way of thinking, behaving. When it is about the knowledge and protecting, evolving it is good. It only becomes bad when it is used to harm the others, or to fulfill ego, like displaying a membership tag of a high level inside an Order, or to shout out loud a title.

I am sure that each of you, who belong to Traditional Orders know what I am talking about when I mention the oaths of secrecy. And also those who are part of groups, houses that may have your own rules, regulations, and oaths. You would not be sharing what you practice with just anyone, you would not be accepting just anyone that comes wanting to know all the secrets possible.

You would not simply invite anyone to a fancy dinner at your house with your boss, the directors of the company, for example. Just imagine that crazy friend that always says bad jokes, is impolite and whose "level" of culture would not be a good one to carry a conversation with people around? It is an elitist behavior, but... a necessary one.

We can and should interact with anyone, of all different levels of culture or education. Be respectful, talk to a bus driver using the same politeness we use to talk to our boss. We ay, however use different words and ways of expressing ourselves. And this is not being elitist. Elitism here would be not even talking to others, or diminishing them.
We also need to remember that, we may know a bit more than some people, but there will always be those who know more things about some subjects than us.

So sometimes mixing things is positive in the way that interaction brings a lot of learning through the exchange of different ideas, but, there are things that will be better kept inside the ones that ... are the same.
Smaller groups can be created, with more specific subjects, while others can be more inclusive.

Either way, it is a matter of choice, in how you are going to interact with others and share what you know.

"not casting pearls to swine...."


References: 

* Words in Silence ~ Violet Throne , Luis Marques - Aset Ka.
full introduction can be read at the preview button on the page http://www.asetka.org/Words.shtml

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elitism
* https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elitism
* https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=elitism

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