How do you tell people you're a Thelemite?
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Just to make this even more convoluted:
I've found that the simplest answer I can give is that it's my religion. People who have never heard of Thelema still know what a religion is, so that's a simple frame of reference, and the details don't matter unless they're curious and want to go in-depth. It's like if I said I'm a Hindu: people at least know what category that goes in.
But the problem with that answer is, I think "religion" has a lot of connotations for people that aren't necessarily true, and that are derived from Judeo-Christianity (i.e. belief in a Supreme Being). So even if it would be accurate to say "it's my religion", it would create even more confusion and require even more explanation. I think.
Any thoughts? I feel like there has to be a simplistic catch-all answer for casual chit-chatty purposes... but maybe there isn't.
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@hisguy said
"Just to make this even more convoluted:
I've found that the simplest answer I can give is that it's my religion. People who have never heard of Thelema still know what a religion is, so that's a simple frame of reference, and the details don't matter unless they're curious and want to go in-depth. It's like if I said I'm a Hindu: people at least know what category that goes in.
But the problem with that answer is, I think "religion" has a lot of connotations for people that aren't necessarily true, and that are derived from Judeo-Christianity (i.e. belief in a Supreme Being). So even if it would be accurate to say "it's my religion", it would create even more confusion and require even more explanation. I think.
Any thoughts? I feel like there has to be a simplistic catch-all answer for casual chit-chatty purposes... but maybe there isn't."
I believe in and practice magick. This is not hocuspocus Harry Potter poof there's my perfect car magick. This is creating an inner alignment within myself and the immediate universe around me until such time as I find myself saying "poof, there's my perfect car."
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You should hear me try to describe Thelema to my wife. She's fine with tarot and she's skeptical of astrology, but warming. But Aliester Crowley??? lol...
I hate this. I always feel most inspired to write when I have the most menial of responsibilities pressing. It's more than escapism. It's some weird thing... But I'm sure you are all healthily skeptical... lol... Whatever. I really wish I could fix that though. Anyway... I digress.
For my wife, religion changed when she was put on a morphine drip to have a tumor removed in early college. She's from a strong Catholic family, but for some reason, after experiencing that altered state, she just never could get sufficiently worried about religion anymore. She just related to it differently. She's a natural born Will/Love person though Thelema turns her nose.
I was saying, yes, we... people in our generation... people these days... for whatever reason, find themselves relating to religious others as if they understood Christ, as if they understood Buddha, while these religious others are lost in superstition. In the Bhagavad Gita, it says something to the effect of "the person who sees the truth first hand has no need for Scriptures." And while I'm not saying a morphine drip will show you the Truth, like any other drug, exposure to altered consciousness just ...if nothing else, it exposes you to new kinds of thinking, new experiences of self. (I didn't have to explain all this to her.)
So, continuing, I said, there was once a mystic who asked, "Once I experience religion more like a Christ, what does my religion become?" That really got her attention. "And the answer was simply to learn to see himself as a Self whose job it was to learn to love everything else as Lover. And all of it is Divine. And so all the stories become Divine stories."
She was excited. "Who said that?"
"Aliester Crowley." I laughed helplessly. "But he was an explorer, and he explored sex and poop too, so... some of it's ugly."
"I don't care that he was an explorer. I care that he treated people poorly - that his relationships don't show evidence that he was on to something good."
"That's what happens when you go too fast."
Now, short of ordering large quantities of books and demanding that we read them to understand the spiritual nuances and complexities of his Scarlet Women relationships, among others... lol... that's where we stand. And probably, many more of us...
Perhaps we are meant to be few and secret instead...?
Gentleman, Ladies, it really is quite a lot to comprehend.
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Sometimes you have to leave Crowley out of the picture - especially in talking to somebody who has an established prejudice against him.
As I said at the beginning: Talk about yourself, instead. What you believe, hold to, find useful, etc. Talk about the principles you embrace - this is a communication about YOU, not some dead Edwardian.
One doesn't even have to say where it comes from if you don't want to - and it's a good exercise, because it requires that you be clear on (or clarify) exactly how you relate to principles - and what's really important to you in the whole thing - rather than just buying into the labels.
Instead of "Thelema teaches," or "Crowley said," start the topic with, "The point of view on life most important to me is," or "I believe," or "It seems to me..." Etc. Eventually you can say say, "So, when I found this philosophy called Thelema, it was already saying all these things I believe. It's amazing!"
Or something like that.
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"And while I'm not saying a morphine drip will show you the Truth, like any other drug, exposure to altered consciousness just ...if nothing else, it exposes you to new kinds of thinking, new experiences of self. "
Morphine releases the mind from causality, and frees the mind from the pressures of existence, thus allowing one to realize the inherent basis of thought, as the continuum of the mind is able to be observed, processed and resolved. It's like being able to view and solve a constantly shifting equation that has finally been stilled. It's interesting that your wife had such a positive experience, however. Most people deteriorate into hypnotic euphoria and miss the finer points of what is truly a beautiful medicine.
"Sometimes you have to leave Crowley out of the picture - especially in talking to somebody who has an established prejudice against him."
Crowley usually does more to hinder than help the situation, I've found. I rarely even leave a Crowley book on the table when I'm in public. My disdain towards ignorant but inquisitive people is usually very obvious, so I tend to nip it at the bud.
I've found that the teachings of Thelema are worthless to those who aren't prepared and called to understand. In which case there's really no point in discussing it with non-Thelemites.
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For me Thelema is about freedom. And putting labels on myself restricts my freedom.
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I had a good example at work today.
I said in relation to where some of my time goes, "I have spiritual pursuits". It gave a nice possiblity of further discussion if they were interested, without being too arcane or heavy on specific associations and bizarreing them out.I describe and understand the basic tenet of Thelema (if the discussion progresses that way), as the principle that we should all be able to live freely as we will, so long as we don't hinder anybody elses ability to do the same, and act with love. And if we all did that, we'd be sweet.
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93/93 -
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
For starters, I usually tell people I'm "into comparative religion" when approached about my beliefs. There are (unfortunately) plenty of people out there who have never considered that there are consistent patterns between all forms of religious practice and mythological poetry and literature; that being said, I think it serves as a good platform for determining whether someone can handle something as all-encompassing as "do what thou wilt" or "love is the law." Of course, I wouldn't say that's always my immediate trajectory after deciding someone can handle that.
Its very important (and, to me, a good exercise in observational concentration) to develop that social faculty where one can apprehend where the other party is at in terms of their intellectual and spiritual development. And there's nothing wrong with "planting seeds," so to speak. Every religion has qualities relevant and utilized within Thelema, so I've never really found that it made it any more difficult for me to find common ground with people.
Conversation is a subtle art, especially if we liken ourselves to be gentlemen or gentlewomen. Truth be told, most people will always be exceedingly more interested in themselves than they ever will be with you!!
And, honestly, most of us should be comfortable with the idea of being misunderstood by now, especially since most of us are involved with mysticism which notoriously (and, at times, necessarily) evades any dim hope of verbal conveyance.Rather than searching for the perfect set of words to say to someone, see if you can listen to them sincerely without mentally coloring what they're saying with judgements, opinions, or even thoughts. Don't sit there anxiously waiting for your turn to speak and propagate the Law; just breathe regularly, relax, and really listen. I guarantee you, if you can get that done, you will be surprised how often you can say the right things.
Love is the law, love under will.