View from the Big Hills

At the end of each day when he goes to bed a would-be magus, as a symbolic action, should wipe his brow with the back of his hand and say to himself: "Has my brow this day been wet with mental sweat?" This little rite has value not only as a reminder of the Great Work that has been undertaken, but also as a mental and emotional catharsis, for it has been truly said that the chief temptation of any would-be magus is creation without mental toil."  - T he Elemental Ray , Charles Richard Foster Seymour In my Lesser Mysteries training I was taught to apply Colonel Seymour's approach to the mundane life. It came with the turf and was non-negotiable. However, few occultists I’ve met seem either capable or inclined to do so. I think that’s a shame. Hard work in any field of endeavour brings its own wonderful blessings. Sadly there is often a menial attitude toward the world and its fruits in occult circles, and this is not a virtue. Why do some peo...

Somewhat strangely, keeping a magical diary can be both a chore and a treasure. At other times it can be a godsend or even an old wise friend. The Western Esoteric Tradition teaches that the practice of recording and reviewing one’s magical diary is a critical part of the initiate’s deal. Primarily, it is an opportunity to capture, make sense of and ground the experiences and insights gained from ceremonial and meditative practice. Secondly, it provides a personal travel log from which progress can be measured and carefully assessed; the impact of natural, lunar, solar and stellar cycles can be gleaned. Finally, the Magical Diary can provide an occasionally needed safety valve for when people lose their way a bit or things overheat – a kind of Ariadne’s thread for Theseus to safely retrace his steps through the angled labyrinth of the mind. There are lots of examples from famous initiate’s magical diaries – Aleister Crowley, Dion Fortune, Charles Seymour, Christi...