Summum Bonum

Many years ago, lifetimes, I met Lon Milo DuQuette. I had driven from Fresno to Costa Mesa with my mentor to pick him up as he was going to speak in Fresno later that day. 

This was at the beginning of the very difficult time in my life. My spirit was leaking out of my ravaged bodies, physical, emotional, mental and destroying that which it would. It hurt. Alchemical dissolution hurts everyone lucky or unlucky enough to have experienced its work. To say I was despondent would be like calling the Pacific Ocean wet. Then Lon opened his front door.

I smiled a true heartfelt smile. Instantly, an old Black Sabbath song from 1970, The Wizard, rang true. "Everyone smiles when the wizard walks by. "

The moment didn't last. True, even though I almost wrecked the car on the I-5 as Lon made us laugh with his song of blasphemy.  I've seen several people ask him to do it and he's turned them all down. Ask anyway, you may get lucky. He rips every religion you've ever heard of,  all of them equally lampooned. The rest of the ride was very amusing as well.

How many years later am I writing about that trip? Six? Seven? Maybe more. Frankly, I don't know. It was lifetimes ago.

I had thought I learned an important lesson and one that served me well. When two folks use the same words, unbidden, having not spoken to each other, listen and listen well. The Universe is telling you something. I've applied that lesson. I've failed to apply that lesson. Still, it is a good thing to know.

But Lon taught me something else that day. That smile was a lesson too. Everyone smiles when the wizard walks by.

Summum Bonum. Smiles. They go together. I'm not all that sure they are separate things.

I've been much more active lately. Last night, I took a very long walk, maybe two miles, meditating along the way. Upon that walk I came upon a police action. Four or five squad cars from various agencies could be seen well down a block. Uncharacteristically, I walked toward them when I could have gone another way. As I approached, a young cop turned toward me, his face a professional mask, immediately broke into a huge beautiful smile. I smiled back thinking nothing of it.

Last night, I slept very well. I awoke with a broad satisfied smile. I did not bother to notice how rare this is for me, rare enough that never before is likely right. Contentment. Peace. Perfect Happiness. Summum Bonum.

We are all human. This will fade, come back, fade again. Yet, I have now been there. I am there.

Normally, I'd use words like fascinating to describe my mindset after a new 'discovery.' That isn't where my mind is at. The word is: Easy. Easy it is to be here and yet we don't get here. When we do we don't stay.  Humans are weird. Who in their right mind wouldn't stay in this place as long as they could? The answer is anyone that will make it stable and enduring.

So what is next? My eyes are still focused above, ascension upon an endless ladder. I'm also focused down, the cthonic.  How does one go up and down at the same time? I have no clue but I think I'm about to find out. The journey never ends.

And to "Anonymous" who said, after a recent life decision that appeared to come out of left field, "Let me know how that works out for you." Fine. It worked out just fine.
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With thanks to my mentor, Lon Milo DuQuette, Sam Webster, John Michael Greer, The Founders and Expounders of the Golden Dawn, Jason Miller, many authors, to those who aided my work in many way and My Gal. 
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Audio to 'The Wizard': Lyrics are immediately below



Lyrics:

Misty morning, clouds in the sky
Without warning, the wizard walks by
Casting his shadow, weaving his spell
Funny clothes, tinkling bell

Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic

Evil power disappears
Demons worry when the wizard is near
He turns tears into joy
Everyone's happy when the wizard walks by

Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic

Sun is shining, clouds have gone by
All the people give a happy sigh
He has passed by, giving his sign
Left all the people feeling so fine

Never talking
Just keeps walking
Spreading his magic