Lesser Key Work

I have been busy. I have instigated a lot of local pagan/magickal activity. Posting here has been sporadic. In large part, I simply do not feel like posting. There is now a better reason.

Not too long ago, I did some work out of the Lesser Key. I used my triangle ritual as a base and then called forth a daimon. The triangle ritual gets me so high that the daimon looked very small. The experience was not unlike looking at someone on the ground from a skyscraper. Seeing such a daimon as small, while true from one perspective, is misleading once one returns to consensus reality. The charge was simple. Remove any shell that hides or obscures my soul from myself and/or others. I had my ass kicked so hard that my asshole became my third eye.

I learned the following lessons:

1)      I need to stay fully present in the moment during every conversation I have no matter the form.

2)      I need to apply the same techniques in mundane life as my magickal. In short, in every situation my task is to ask “What do I need to hear?”

3)      I understand now, having learned of my own denial, how people can steadfastly deny the obvious.

4)      I understand now, having seen myself do it, how people can convince themselves of the rightness of their actions, even though they are obviously wrong.

5)      I understand now, having seen myself do it, how people can be abusive or less than helpful, while fully believing they are helping.

6)      I have been arrogant on a massive scale.

7)      Taking care of those you love is a willful 24/7 process.

8)      I am no longer perpetually angry, short tempered or confrontational.

The better reason for not posting is that speaking of the gods and the lessons they bring, feels like hubris. Who am I to say that any god or goddess knows of my existence? Even if I feel them and see their activity, speaking of such seems disrespectful.

On another note, this winter I have traveled several times to Tartarus. That has been quite terrifying, super cool, and educational.

Mage and Mystic

The magician imposes his/her will on the universe. We want something to happen, contact spirits or other forces and direct them towards our goals. This works.

The mystic receives information and responds accordingly. Asking, “What do I need to hear,” is a gentle approach and the universe responds in kind.

As a magician, I was taught to get rid of things that I do not need. This can bring about a desire to cling to old ways, attitudes and behaviors.

As a mystic, I learned to accept my virtues and enhance them. This allows that which I do not need to fall away naturally.

As a magician, I was able to manifest my desires.

As a mystic, I am able to be where I need to be and do what I need to do.

As a magician, I sought to learn.

As a mystic, I am.

This allows me to live the words we uttered when entering a Golden Dawn hall. “I seek to learn that I may serve.”

As a magician, one has to be a bit arrogant to think that one knows enough to impose upon the universe.

As a mystic, one has to be a bit humble to receive a deeper reality without trying to change it.

As a magician, my ego is served when I successfully impose my will.

As a mystic, my ego is not served when I hear what is necessary.

As a magician, I respect power.

As a mystic, I respect the universe and everything and everyone in it.

As a magician, I use the Qabala to project power even though Kaballah means ‘to receive’.

As a mystic, I use the Qabala to receive.

Now, as I magician, I no longer prompt the universe to create my desires but to take me along the path I need to be on.

Now, as a mystic, I accept, love and enjoy that path.

Now, I am a mage-mystic. Life is good. Life is simple. Life is happy. And, I am still learning.

Willing to Die

The first thing a drug addict, who has messed up her life, must do is give up drugs. In order to be successful, the part of the addict attached to the drug must die. The addict must be willing to let it die. Often in order to avoid drugs, so-called friends, beloved or not, cannot remain in the picture. Those friends would resurrect the dead parts and prevent the rise of the soul parts by their very presence alone.

Sometimes, we know what has to die. Sometimes, we don't. Sometimes, the divine kills a part of us. I think we can only do so much and once that is done, spirit steps in. 

Last night, the divine stepped in and killed various parts of me. This morning, I cannot think of a single person that I have ever met that I do not love. 

Your Shells

Shells are comprised of that which traps you within your illusionary being. They are behaviors, the attitudes behind them and the energy of their origin. As a friend put it, they are the bars through which you see the world. What you see of that other side isn't a reflection of divine reality even though that is exactly what you are looking at. Shells are things that reflect the less than true self and all the energy you put in to your own suffering.  Shells are what traps you in hell.

It can be supposed that the shells are made up of bad things. I suppose that is true. When you see your shells you will not be surprised by the bad things you have done. After all, even though you deny them to others, you know. Deep down you know. You may be surprised by what is not there or at least relatively minor.  What will surprise you are the things you thought were right, okay or no big deal.

I asked you, dear reader, to consider that well.

The Perfection of Hecate and Buddha Nature

"Hecate Cthonia holds the highest wisdom...which is 'nothing bad ever happens, only our karma coming back to us.'" from Hecate - Death, Transition and Spiritual Mastery by Jade Sol Luna.

"What is our true nature if it is not this body? There are many words we can use to describe what our true nature is. The simplest word in Buddhism for that is Buddha Nature. The definition of Buddha Nature is that we are already enlightened. We are perfect as we are. When we realize this, we are perfect. When we do not realize this, we are also perfect." - From No Self No Problem the teachings of Anam Thubten

The Land

I took a short four-day vacation to Oregon and arrived home late last night. It was fully educational.
There were four of us traveling. So, we made frequent stops for individual bathroom breaks and the like. We were not in any hurry.

Our first stop in state felt like home. Nothing special happened. During the second stop, my feet began to tingle when my feet hit the ground. This was a feeling not unlike one's foot awakening after 'falling asleep' but it was more gentle. In fact, I would say it was quite pleasant.

The third stop was in Eugene. After getting situated in our hotel room, I popped outside and found a patch of dirt between the sidewalk and the street. Then, I stole the greeting from the fiction series 'The Iron Druid'. I sent emotions into the earth GREETINGS/MAGICIAN/HARMONY. Immediately, a spirit popped up and said, "No one just says hello!" He was quite excited. He explained that he was what I would call fire of earth. He was volcanic in nature but also a tree/land spirit. He blessed me with a circle of fire and bade me to step within. I did. He blessed me with his fire. He explained his domain was all that I could see from where I was standing. A friendlier spirit I have never met.We spent the day in Eugene. We did not meet an unfriendly soul. The people were wonderful! The entire day my legs tingled up to mid thigh. I loved the place.

The odd part was that people in my part, commented that night about how much I "buzzed" in that town. Several people stared at me as if trying to figure out who or what I was.

The next day we swung west and visited a town by the name of Florence. The land was less impressive. It was much better than home and prettier but nearly as to my liking. On that same day we paused in Port Orford. The ocean view was spectacular. The water was BLUE. Being from California, I am used to dirty green ocean water. This was unbelievable. However, the land felt sick. As beautiful as it was to the eye, I felt like I was in Mordor. We saw for people. All of them appeared to be angry and mentally ill. Our last day, was in a town just that side of the state line. It felt much like home.

Aside from when I was in Eugene, no one looked at me twice.

I learned a great deal about both the feel of different lands and how the lands impacted the people. I am sure the gods shared with me sub-populations of all one ilk in each place to make the point and make it they did! Without any intent, I had a most educational trip.

I am in awe. And yes, we will be returning to that blessed land.

My New Website

My career change is slowly progressing and exactly as planned. As such, I have created a new website for the coaching portion of my career. Please pop over and check it out (www.RobertAlanHager.com). There are a couple of examples of my real life coaching practice.

Unlike many coaches that have taken a weekend course, I attend ILCT which is a flow blown school.

When you look at the site, you will find that there is no spooky magick feel at all. In fact, aside from the words "esoteric", "inner initiation" and a mention of tarot classes, there is nothing occult about it. This is my attempt at finding a larger audience but leaving clue for folks that read blogs like this that I am in their category as well.