Career
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From what I understand almost 95% of the population are not "fulfilled" in their chosen profession and it seems such a terrible waste of time to spend 3/4 of one's life dedicated to something that does not bring joy.
I noticed this rather early on since my father was in some way one of those "great" people that Nietzsche spoke about. There was something strangely coincidental about his death (which occurred in London where his career as an actor first began) and his epitaph reads:"For 50 plus years I've had the rare privilege of being an actor; of being paid money for doing a job I love; being able to exercise my hobby, which is my art, which is a labour of love. What more can a man ask?"
Anyway that aside, I'm now on the verge of my third career change. (fourth if you count the fact that I "wasted" five years studying music). I've always been astute however as to my abilities, passions and inherent capabilities, though at times my passions have led me to obsessive behaviour in refining a certain art or career. There have been moments of intense passion (probably stemming from the need for recognition) however they always seem to dry up though, and I'm not certain if it is the nature of obsession to smother itself or whether the will is simply dynamic rather than static.
Sometimes the whole career thing seems completely empty; my latest attempts to make a change being fraught with obstacles (which to my mind indicated that I did not have the inertia of the Universe behind me); and sometimes I feel I should just take an indefinite sabbatical - perhaps some retirement into a more intensely "spiritual" life; yet some part of me seems to think that there is purpose in such madness, not so much in that is is a process (well that too) but rather in refining some tool or art to "give back" to mankind when the time is ripe.
Apologies for the long descriptions, but I'm feeling rather expressive.
Anyway, I was wondering if any Thelemites out there had managed to align their careers with their True Will? Has anyone made dramatic career changes after K&C or since the "Vision of Adonai"? Does it even matter what we do as a "lower manifestation" of our True Will (does it lack specific "Malkuthian" definition, so to speak...genetics comes to mind)
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@modernPrimitive said
"Anyway, I was wondering if any Thelemites out there had managed to align their careers with their True Will? Has anyone made dramatic career changes after K&C or since the "Vision of Adonai"? Does it even matter what we do as a "lower manifestation" of our True Will (does it lack specific "Malkuthian" definition, so to speak...genetics comes to mind)"
Crowley's mundane profession was poet. His True Will was articulated as, "To Teach the Next Step" (the meaning of which evolved somewhat over the course of his life). He was able to employ his mundane profession's skills to his greater purposes.
In some ways, he's a lousy example, since he hardly lived anything approximating a conventional life with a job he showed up for (except possibly while editing The International). But he deserves an up-front mention.
Over the last 35 years, I've worked as an astrologer and freelance writer, managed a publishing company, tried a computer support business before anyone was doing it, supervised a word processing shop, practiced law for 14 years, then returned to IT. Currently I manage the IT team for one office of a large international law firm. Every step of this has contributed something to what I am, and has given skills that were necessary for my pursuing my real life's work.
When I had my own private practice law firm for a decade, I had a huge income for working sometimes half-time. This was all very useful when we were first starting Temple of Thelema, and enormous free time resources plus significant cash were needed. When it was established in a stable way, neither of these was a priority, and my life took other turns. I'm now back to actually more money than I've ever made before, and generous time off (for trips to our various locations, etc.), but can't say I have free time: My job plus my work for the Order plus some other non-profit contributions of time and energy plus an amazing relationship absorb every drop of it. (Fortunately I learned to average 5 hours of sleep per night long ago - last night it was 3.)
I get the greatest satisfaction from those things for which I don't get paid. They take up more of my time than does my already-demanding job. I'm clear that, while it's nice to have a job I enjoy and from which I get meaning, I don't need my job to give me satisfaction and meaningful contribution. (It does, but I don't need it to do that - I get that from other, non-paying things in my life.) Instead, I need my job to give me money and time.
I fully understand that other people thrive best when their job and their life-fulfillment are the same thing. If money fell from Heaven for the things to which I give my time, that would be splendid; meantime, I don't waste time worrying about it.
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hmm...farming is terribly hard work and I'm rather lazy! But yes, I suppose in some way we will have to return to a more eco-friendly way of living whatever that entails.
Also some people are not physically strong - they have other inherent qualities such as scientific or highly artistic minds or farming simply doesn't interest them. Having said that I think all of us enjoy some form of physical labour especially when we can dig our hinds into the soil, chop wood - there's something very grounding about that sense of touch involved.
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@Ave de Prata said
"Read about the Abbaye des Thelemites in Rabelais and you will know how the Thelemites should be living.
It is not practical for present times ? Yes, it is practical.
Just be a farmer and you can have your own Abbaye de ThélèmeThelema
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopediaen.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thelema "
You are naive and I am guessing, young... otherwise just naive.
Virtually no one has the know how or ability to just pick up and become farmers. Virtually no one except you wants that.
IAO131
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Addresssing your original post, ModernPrimitive, I think with most of us there is a difference between what we really want to do, and how we can make enough money to live in this world. Some people, like some actors, musicians etc. can have both, but many others probably must do other things to make money while persuing their creative side. There is that new-age saying, "Do what you love, the money will follow." Well, it doesn't always go that way, at least it didn't for me yet.
Still, we shouldn't give up. I may never get my novel published, but I keep trying, and I keep writing.
Your father was lucky to have lived his life as he did. Hopefully we all can. Persephone -
@Persephone said
"Addresssing your original post, ModernPrimitive, I think with most of us there is a difference between what we really want to do, and how we can make enough money to live in this world. Some people, like some actors, musicians etc. can have both, but many others probably must do other things to make money while persuing their creative side. There is that new-age saying, "Do what you love, the money will follow." Well, it doesn't always go that way, at least it didn't for me yet.
Still, we shouldn't give up.** I may never get my novel published,** but I keep trying, and I keep writing.
Your father was lucky to have lived his life as he did. Hopefully we all can. Persephone"you know I don't mean to be critical but AS a MAGICIAN, I think this is the wrong attitude, if you don't consider your own words prophetic then why should an elemental or any other human for that matter?
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Basically I was saying that whether my novel gets published or not, I will continue writing. Of course I believe that having the right attitude is important.