Are You Surprised?

You know those infamous Seven Deadly Sins? Remember when docjeff tried to apply them to himself (unsuccessfully in my opinion)? Here's my opinion of the Seven Deadly Sins: They are pitfalls people fall into when they desire something that isn't theirs to have, period. Some even realize what is happening, but they think they can ignore the Natural Laws of the Universe, anyways - and always act surprised when they fall down into that deep, dark pit.

This thought leads to something which was often repeated early this evening, when I was spending a rare time with close, good friends: You can have all the knowledge in the world, all the degrees, all the learning you can cram into your skull - but if you lack common sense, it's all useless. You are doomed to destroy yourself with that knowledge, one way or another, whether you acknowledge that fact, or not. It WILL happen.

It's like the old saying that those who ignore history are doomed to repeat it. I believe these issues are all part of the same Natural Laws.

These Laws aren't written down anywhere. Various religious prophets have tried to articulate them into understandable human language, and that is what sets apart a true religion from a Cult - do these basic Laws exist in the dogma, in some form? And still, no matter how they try, they are just humans and can only repeat what the Divine has chosen to reveal.

I always liked the way the Baha'i Faith approaches the whys and wherefors for at least 9 known major religions which have existed since Man (as a species) can remember. It is akin to a rose unfurling: Each set of petals which open to reveal the sweet treasure within represents the Divine choosing to reveal the Natural Laws, one step at a time, when people of the world can understand them.

Why did these religions always originate in the current "Armpit" of the world, depending on the time frame? A part of that has to do with making them believable. I mean - if, say, Christianity had started with Televangelists in all the major cities, it would've died out, and been declared as a cult, in a very short amount of time. Instead, it began with simple people, with simple, core values and ethics, in a place where you'd never expect something great to start. Think about it; I certainly did, and it made sense.

I believe a person's true Inner Journey starts by recognizing this cosmic Chain of Events, looking past what is preached and beaten into one's collective head, and looking at the heart, to find the evidence of the Natural Laws, or Divine Truths. When we see how it has panned out, despite corruption, manipulation, and a thousand other human influences, that's when we look inside, to see if our soul is TRULY stamped with these Truths, as we've been led to believe.

Once we find what our soul has been "stamped" with, it's time to work on acceptance. Acceptance. Such a simple word, such a complicated - and hard - idea.

We've all been raised, regardless of country and culture, that having things labelled as "bad" within us is an undesirable thing. However, ask yourself: How would you know what was "good" if you had nothing to compare to? Who said these things you have found, deep inside yourself, are "bad"? Who makes the standard? Most of the time it is "the church" and/or society in general; for instance, wanting to journey inwards has always been discouraged, and why? Because, to discover one's self, is to renounce dependance on any and all religion which insists you have to look up to yet another human being for salvation. It renounces the idea that questioning is "bad", that sex, or dancing, or whatever your religion, denomination, sect, etc., has labelled "bad".

You begin to redefine what is "bad" or "good". You discover that the concepts of "good" and "evil" are very relative to the situation, and the beings involved (I use the term "beings" to include that which is not human). You outrage those around you by breaking from the mold, by daring to be different from the rest. They exert peer pressure on you to abandon this trek of self-discovery, more out of fear of what it may make THEM think about, than from a sense that you're doing anything "bad" (oh but they'll attempt to guilt you into reverting by insisting that it's "bad" and you'll end up in whatever Hades your particular religion believes in, if you continue). For at least a while, you may be alone because those you formerly associated with (including family) have ostracized you, refused to accept that you no longer fear what they STILL fear. It is at this time that you must be strong and determined; lack of these motivators will cause you to cave into that pressure, sooner or later. Hang in there. I can attest that the light at the end of that tunnel isn't a mirage.

It's those who know they need to be on this journey of self-discovery - well before they begin to work with the energies surrounding them (often referred to as Witchcraft, The Craft, etc.) - who don't find themselves on the wrong end of yet another Truth - the Law of Return (also referred to as the Threefold Law) - and who do not fall into the pits of the Seven Deadly Sins. That's not to say you won't make mistakes. Mistakes are our way of learning what truly works and what does not.

Oh yes, The Law of Return exists, no matter how much a person tries to ignore it. Even those who are following other external religious paths recognize that what you do, say, or think, can affect more than the immediate world around you - and that it will eventually generate a return. The Golden Rule, in its many forms, is one human way of attempting to explain the Law of Return. The Law of Return is scientifically proven; wanna know how? Take a Physics class, and you will see the Law of Return in action. What makes you think that it applies only to the materials in a Physics experiment, and not to real-life exchanges of energy? Try telling Newton that, or Einstein. They'd laugh in your face.

People are made of a collection of electrolized atoms, just like everything else we recognize as "matter" on this planet. Every movement you make, every breath you take, and exhale, every thought you broadcast, the words you say, the words you type or post - every single one of these things generates energy. Since you don't live in a vaccuum, this energy release has an effect on the energies in the immediate vicinity, and it keeps working its way outward - just like ripples in a pond, when you drop a pebble into it. Eventually, the ripples return, and often have picked up further steam from the other energies they have interacted with. Well, d'oh, where do you think that goes? Energy can never be destroyed. It's just incarnated into a different form - and one which will always "wash up" against you, stronger than what you sent out in the first place - and usually different, and/or enhanced, by that which it has interacted with, along the road homeward.

It WILL affect you. Now, tell me. If you knowingly send out harm, as defined in your universe, what makes you think it won't eventually return, and stronger? What do you think happens when it does? It doesn't go *poof*. It affects YOU.

All the Christian, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. values aside - this idea of return is a very good frame of reference to use in magick. It says you take responsibility for your actions; it says you're not going to send out to others, unbidden, what you aren't willing to experience, yourself. It is the Golden Rule, again. Are you surprised?

You shouldn't be. It just makes sense.