My Qaballa is not your Kabalah

J.W. Treadwell wrote in a comment to one of my posts that adding emotion to ritual was a given for him. I think that was a way of expressing surprise that it wasn't a given for me. In turn I'd be surprised by those folks whose first act of magick was of spirit evocation. I had to work up to that too.

Somewhere along the line, I focussed on detachment. Someone, I have no idea whom, told me that one must be detached from the results of magick. I can see the validity of such advice when working with one's own thought forms. How can an artificial elemental go out and do its work if you don't let it go?

Also, at some point I latched onto the idea that will or Will is in the desire or want family of emotions only evolved to a higher state. I suppose this is still true but incomplete. Nevertheless, the dry emotional dust of my will thrown about in my LBRPs and BRHs has born fruit. Would a greater effect been achieved had I thrown raw anger, desire or love into the mix? There is no way to tell from this point.

I had to let go of the idea that emotions were negative things. For the vast majority of stupid things I have done have been based on emotions. I am no different from other humans. When I look out into the world most people's mistakes come from ill formed reactions to emotion. The flip side is an all too barren intellect can cause the same catastrophes.

Unknown to myself, my cosmic lesson plan included emotionally barren ritual disguised as detachment. That has moved on to something else. A good part of my ritual preparation now is finding that long suppressed emotionally-based seed of purpose. I don't think it will change the goal of my work overmuch. After all, I am a theurgist at heart. Unity is always the goal.

Emotion may change the form of my work. After reading Jason Miller's superb Protection and Reversal Magick, I've ordered a book from his bibliography, Mastering Witchcraft by Huson.

This in turn will lead to a new lesson. Not long ago my HGA told me to lay off the goetic stuff less I get consumed by material change and power. That is fine for some people but not for me. Yet, now I feel compelled to do some natural magicks and work with beings closer to the realm of earth. Is this merely temptation away from my goal, a negative lesson if you will? Or is there a measure of growth in seeing the divine in this manner as well? Yes, growth can be found there but is that what I am drawn to or the raw power of effecting mundane change?

Lessons Lessons Lessons! We each have our own. May yours bring you true wisdom, perfect happiness, the Summom Bonum.

(picture from: http://sqt-fantasy-sci-fi-girl.blogspot.com/2008/02/sweet-emotion.html)
(male witch picture from: http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/1434583218067373857coVifX)

This post was originally written in draft on 8/11 and posted there. I have copied and reposted so it fits into the right day as all but the first line was written today.