Jealous Gods

The problem of transitioning between Traditions, integrating them, combining them with varying degrees of harmony, and their compatibility or dissonance is a pressing issue in our rapidly globalizing world.

This problem, from the standpoint of Magic, has two aspects — psychological and energetic — that is, it can be considered both from the point of view of the mind and from the point of view of action. From the first perspective the question boils down to finding harmonious states, productive forms of existence and manifestation of consciousness, and therefore to the search for and development of concepts that promote that existence. We have said repeatedly this is a matter of building one’s own effective Myth — a unique way of describing the world and oneself in it, from which one can construct an individual Way.

However, in addition to this obvious aspect, there is also an energetic aspect, which includes two aspects — the mind’s own energetic limitations, and the energetic limitations imposed by the “external” world. Examine these limitations in more detail.

As mentioned, from the perspective of the described Myth, the mind is regarded as a space in which various psychic streams of different sizes and intensities flow, and each stream is subject to the form-giving influence of certain “skeletal” tensions of the psychocosm — its matrices. In other words, from the Myth’s point of view, personalities, subpersonalities, various psychophysical assemblages and other manifestations of the mind are dynamic formations arising driven by various desires — “differences in potential” — and acquiring certain characteristics under the influence of different matrices. It is clear that any such stream, any such state of mind, is stable insofar as it is internally harmonious, effective and whole. But that means the more harmonious a stream is, the harder it is to change; the more energy must be expended to transform it into another state. Such transitions are needed when the current state of mind, though comfortable and whole, is unproductive, when it exhausts its evolutionary possibilities, when it ceases to contribute to the development and expansion of the mind. In that case it is necessary to dismantle this stable system, to go through a period of (often painful) transformation, and to reach a new level — to form a new stream, moving along which the mind can complete another cycle of development. And here it is important to note that, first, the destruction itself is usually a rather energy-intensive process, which means additional energy is required to initiate it, and, second, the destruction is followed by a stage of instability, depletion and discomfort, during which there is a great risk of being drawn into destructive currents and of further descent.

Moreover, such periods of ‘timelessness’ occur whenever the mind changes the system in which it functions, at any change of worldview or way of describing the world. In other words, it often happens that the mind steps beyond the confines of the Myth it is accustomed to, sensing that this Myth no longer satisfies it, has become cramped, but after such an exit it falls into a deep dark period, experiencing both energy drains and loss of internal orientation. It is clear that there is a strong temptation to perceive this “dark” situation as “retribution”, “punishment” for “betrayal”, and to drive oneself back into the former, exhausted but comfortable condition.

The situation is further complicated by the fact that in any stable state the mind is usually under the influence not only of its own matrices but also of “external” actors — egregores, gods, spirits, and the like. It is obvious that when the Myth changes this system of interactions also collapses, and some of its participants may be displeased by it and may actively try to prevent the mind’s departure from their sphere of influence.

We have already said that if the mind on its developmental path does not encounter such difficulties and resistance, there are serious grounds to doubt that development is happening at all.

Nevertheless, every traveler must clearly understand that destruction, collapse, and downfall are utterly inevitable and necessary as part of the Way. And in order to avoid falling into destructiveness and loss of strength, one should distinguish which difficulties and obstacles are the result of mistakes — and therefore should, of course, be avoided — and which are the natural components of “shedding”, the result of the mind’s loss of stability or the “vengeance” of jealous possessors, and therefore must be gone through.