Number one reason students of Magic fail

[Tisha]

Thank you Radha!  Over here we call this "the call of the Harieth."  That inner yearning.

I have an astral guide . . . I often go to her with questions.  She's a rather prim, blunt lady.  Usually, she answers with, "What do you want?  How can I help you if you don't even know what you want?

ha ha! Thanks for the reminder.

[Radha]

You are welcome.  My first teacher in esoteric matters and I were talking one day and she asked if I knew the definition of "The Way"...a term often used in these arts.  I gave her some sort of reply, and she said this: (1) draw a large circle on the page.  (2) out on the circumference is where you are (you was reference to myself) among the exoteric teachings.  I made an "x" to show where I was on the circumference.(3) Now put a point at the center of the circle.  I did this.  (4) She asked if I understood what Pythagoreans meant re a point being dimensionless?  We discussed that for a bit. (5) Next she told me to draw a straight line from where I had made the point, to the "x" representing myself on the circumference.  I did.  She said that straight line, narrow and razor sharp was "The Way" for me.  It was my personal Way from where I was to where I hoped to arrive some day.
She said if I didn't have a clear and clean goal (point in the center) then I didn't have a "way".  I would just wander aimlessly.
The only goal the esoteric schools have ever had is to assist people in regaining conscious union with Source.  Once I had that as my honest and true goal, she said, THEN, things would flow to me as I needed them.
It is an old wives tale that "When the student is duly and truly prepared, the Master will appear."  The first step in that preparation is to have a well-defined goal.
I started to apply this to the best of my ability, and over the years I have had teachers I needed at that moment, literally seem to appear out of nowhere.  I still have within my reach here at my desk the exact page I wrote my goal down on.  I can see it lying there as I type.
If an erstwhile student of Ars Magica never learns anything else, it would be this lesson.
A.O.M.

[beavis]

First of all, spend some time pondering, and then articulate the true answer to this question: "What do you want?"

I want power to create realities. I could already have that power. Why am I not using it?

[Tisha]

Hey beav, you are creating realities.  Look around you! Magic masquerades as the ordinary.  No poofs of smoke, no special-effects. Just you and your life.

[Soulfire]

Radha,

I really enjoy your posts, thank you.    

Thus far I have been somewhat skeptical of "mystery schools".  From my admittedly very limited perception of them based on the few individuals I have known who claim to be involved with them, they seem to be more about inflating egos than they are about helping people return to consciousness and enlightenment.

I respect your opinion based on your other insightful posts, so I would love to hear your views on this:  Are there any good "mystery schools" for people who just want to understand themselves and the universe more completely rather than earning "titles" and feeling self-important?  People who care more about knowing and mastering themselves rather than mastering supposedly external "power"?

--Soulfire

[James S]

Radha,

VERY sage words.

This problem I find particularly true of myself. This problem can be true of anyone seeking any spiritual/metaphysical path.
I have recently been assigned a guide - specifically a teacher. I am gratefull for this as I have been running in circles exactly as you have described. My guide now tells me simply to leave all things be, sit and quietly meditate each day, don't go off in any particular direction.

I simply do not know what direction I need to take. What I do know is that as you have said - Deep has called to Deep. What I also now know, is that I have a guide that I have learned I can trust, who now has the drivers seat. Time for me to sit down, keep quiet, watch and learn.

Kind Regards,
James.

[Radha]

There is not a problem you could encounter or a mistake you could make that I haven't myself experienced.  My teacher (one of them) used to tell me that when I got cocky, which I did occassionally, to go stand in front of the mirror and remove and put my pants back on as many times as it took to see that I, just like every other person, put on their pants one leg at a time.
The lady I mentioned as my first esoteric topics teacher was a kunoichi.  In Japan these are the Ladies who practice NinPo.  She was also Kahuna.  The way we met was almost a story in itself.  I walked in to a dojo in Honolulu where I trained "back yonder" in the late 50's/early 60's and when I noticed a very attractive young lady sitting there in the visitors chairs, I did what any red blooded surf bum would do.  As I was preparing to knock her off her feet with my imagined charms, I asked her why she was there?  Was she there to see about training?
She just looked at me and said  "Last night I had a dream and they told me to come get you and train you."  And if you think that didn't knock me for a loop, I'm Rolf Harris's Daddy.
Among other things she taught me was a simple way to obtain guidance.  She also taught me how Ninja talk to trees, but that's another time and place.  
Get a notebook.  Write down your question, and the date.  Wait.  The answer will come.  Maybe a month later maybe minutes later, but it will come.  When it does, wherever you are write the answer down as exactly as you can, and the date.  When you get home put it in the proper place in your notebook.
I know it sounds crazy, but I still use it all these years later.  Is there a way to check the answers for validity?  Yes.  First try this that I mentioned tonight.  Do it a few times to ground the energy and put action to will.  Then in a day or two we'll take it a step further if any of you are interested.
It will help some with not having a physical teacher to visit with.
Mahalo

[beavis]

Tisha, thats probably true, but I meant any kind of reality, not just realities similar to earth. I've been out of practice for so long I cant make anything else.

[Ari]

This entire thread was incredibly helpful. Thanks to all of you.

(Yes, I did draw a circle and define a destination...I feel more focused now....)

Thank-you.

[n/a]

quote:I want power to create realities. I could already have that power. Why am I not using it?

because it is THE ABILITY, NOT POWER.
and you are over-concerned with yourself-the Saturn.

quote:"Number one reason students of Magic fail "

and here is the formulae ;
to much sociology=not enough practise.

[n/a]

and then, on the other side, you have this Example.
magician with the proof to his self and the others!
:
that he is the centar of the world.
convienced that the world is spinning around him.
(if he is zodiacaly bull, for Example,
that person is convienced that this, material world is spinning around him.)
they talk-think just like this Example:
"I AM A BORN LEADER!,I AM (A GOOD)MOTHER!, I LIKE KIDS!,
I AM GOOD PERSON!, I WAS BORN BEAUTIFUL!,
I AM NOT A RACIST, I DO NOT HATE ANYBODY, AND EVERYBODY LIKES ME!,
I HAVE MY OWN ASTROLOGIST!, BLACKSMITH!, ASTRAL GUIDE!, CAR!, CHILD!,
BEAUTIFUL CHILD! JUST LIKE ME!
MY FRIENDS LOVE ME! AND I AM ALSO A MAGICIAN!
I CAN MAKE EVEN WEATHER NICE-LOOK AT ME!
I AM EVERYTHING!"

those are the schizo(schizoid) turnin psycho(tic).
they never were the Magic students, but!

"they got the Masters degree when they were born!
and they have found it, when they got the first knowledge of
self !"

[Radha]

After nearly a half century in various Orders, both East and West, and having apprenticed a few students, I wanted to mention what I feel is the main reason students fail to achieve anything with their attempts at studying Magic.
(1) Students have never realized they don't know what training they need.
Commentary:  All to many students run here to this book, or run there to this lecture, and continue like this for many years.  Why?  They actually think they know what they need.  They think that they have sufficient knowledge to know what exercises etc will benefit them the most.  Once they have run in circles long enough, if they are fortunate, an inner still voice will tell them to knock it offf...sit down...keep quiet...and learn from a competent mystery school that depends from the Inner School.

Recommended handling:  First of all, spend some time pondering, and then articulate the true answer to this question:  "What do you want?"  Until you can define with clarity what your goal is, then you aren't going there.  In truth you may not be going anywhere...simply because you never determined a "where" to go to.
If you haven't a goal, then any given "thing" you get interested in can only titllate.  It can't put you a single step nearer the goal.  It is said in the Schools, that man, as he moves through various lifetimes in his involution, will at some point hit the Nadir of his journey.  The "Initiation of the Nadir" it is called.  At that point, he or she will feel an inner urge to "do" something.  To "learn something"...usually ill-defined at first.  There is nonetheless that indefinable inner impulse that tells you there is more to this world than meets the eye.
That is "Deep calling to Deep".  Spend a few minutes each day sitting quietly and see if that call can be heard...and having heard it, see if you can ask for guidance as to what path would best fit your Needs (I didn't say wants, did I?)  You will get an answer
LVX