Takamba
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@Corvinae said
You know what I found in Takamba?
After well over a decade of being on this forum, a forum dedicated to Thelema and those from all paths: ie Yogi, cermonial magicians and occultists, each with its own motive and purpose for contributing to an on line forum....
He has never been rude or mean or short tempered or ill speaking or beastly in any way shape or form.
He has been truthful and helpful and kind even when others have not been so to him.
He is a man. A human being with thoughts and feelings uniuque to himself.
He has the capability to be a Beast and to rip to shreads people like Los who are trolls. To be mean and rude with how he points out thier blatent personal sins.
But he doesnt.
He will lay the truth kindly at there feet and let them take the dose if they will.I trust that if I am wrong he will let me know. Or anyone.
That does mean a lot to me because its a rare thing to know someone with such strong personal intergrity.
That doesnt mean I dont question what he says or swollow his words unthinking like a sheep.
I have deeply thought about somethings he has said that didnt sit right with me.
But so far
Ive yet to find anything to disagree about after deeper concideration.Jim and Takamba, two men Ive never met in real life have gifted me with the abilty to trust that not all people are selfish as sholes and genuinely care about other people.
Please allow me to introduce myself
I'm not a man of wealth but I am rarely in poor taste. I've made my points and laid claim to my ways, and in this forum I've claimed no expertise. But I do gno a thing or two.
I was accused of being a Thelemite when I was 18. I had never read the Book of the Law nor anything directly from Crowley. Pop culture had had its way with me in my youth growing up in Southern California and I'd just happened to be an explorer of many "beliefs." Certain concepts just seemed true, but accusations of being "lead" by the teachings of someone whom I thought was an evil satanist (in my ignorance) just didn't sit with me.
I'm 50 years old now, going on 51 soon. I do not suffer fools gladly (mistake not the Fool, for there is the Fool and the fool. See ye well, there is the Natural Born and there is the dullard). I first read actual Crowley in 1996. It was suggested to me by Sandra Cicero (oops, dropped it). Actually, I was referred to Duquette and it went from there.
I wasn't an occult virgin. I'd done my Wiccan rounds, got really intrigued by this thing called Qabalah, became a Freemason and devoured Israel Regardie, Dion Fortune, Albert Pike, Arthur Edward Waite - but never wanted to look at Crowley directly until then. And that just kind of happened.
Long story short, I have degrees and degrees and incompletes and experience beyond belief (I keep trying to figure out how to tell it to my ten-year-old self in an understandable way). I hear the Xtian-bashers and I remember in my youth trying to understand Christ and about being a good Christian, being an atheist and bashing all "ignorance," being a wiccan and bashing.... well, you get the picture. Then one day, whilst talking to my ten-year-old self, I remembered. I remember I was all those things, and all those things I put down, and all those put downs hurt. And I learned something with the aid of Mister Crowley and other gurus - we are all each in our correct orbits whether we know it or not, and someday if we are certain to go Comet on the world, we will - no matter where we started. We all started someplace. So hats off Los, I learned from you as well.
I've learned from the Bible and its ways, I've learned from Buddhism and its ways, I've learned from the Sufi, from the "witches," from the Hindi, from the Lakota, from the Hermeticist, the Qabalist, the Ceremonial, the Chaots, the bunnies and hamsters and cool cats on the street. I've learned from time, the seasons, celestial bodies, ancient histories and expected futures. I've boldly gone where only my mind, body, and soul could go. And I believe these things (with varying grades of each) about all people too. It's my baseline expectation when we meet.
I'm not associated with the OTO (any more). I'm not in line with the A.'.A.'. any more. I no longer attend Shrine or Blue Lodge. I've left those circles and groves behind for the time being. I wander as I will now.
I want to thank you, Corvinae, for your kind words and keen observations. I live with the Law of Thelema in my Heart. I wouldn't claim it was easy, and I don't believe in "Natural Thelemites" or "Indigo babies" (the only blue babies I've ever seen where dead). I think the Book of the Law speaks for itself, and what it says to some may not match what it says to others, but I've learned to learn from that.
I'm only here to learn and share what I've learned. I hope I don't become redundant. Cluck, cluck. Redundant. Cluck, cluck. Redundant. Cluck, cluck. Redundant. Cluck, cluck.
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@Heg said
"You certainly sound like a wise young man dear Takamba. Do you have any advice for another young aspirant?
"Read it all, do it all, measure it all, assess it all, improve or incorporate it all. Repeat as desired
Strive for perfect balance in all you say and do and think and believe. Balance means equilibrium, not stasis. Keep moving. And mostly, even if you don't show it on the outside, smile at every thing.
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@Takamba said
"
Read it all, do it all, measure it all, assess it all, improve or incorporate it all. Repeat as desiredStrive for perfect balance in all you say and do and think and believe. Balance means equilibrium, not stasis. Keep moving. And mostly, even if you don't show it on the outside, smile at every thing."
Thanks a lot Takamba. I will try.
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@FiatYod said
"Are you married?"
Divorced decades ago.
@FiatYod said
"Regarding the concept of "natural Thelemites": who is a Thelemite?"
Anyone who lives in accordance to the precepts of the Book of the Law, having read it or not. Anyone honestly, forthrightly, performing their will (cognizant and mindful and in no way restricting the will of others).
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@Takamba said
"
@FiatYod said
"Are you married?"Divorced decades ago.
@FiatYod said
"Regarding the concept of "natural Thelemites": who is a Thelemite?"
Anyone who lives in accordance to the precepts of the Book of the Law, having read it or not. Anyone honestly, forthrightly, performing their will (cognizant and mindful and in no way restricting the will of others)."
Then a Natural Thelemite would be someone who hasn't read the Book of the Law, and yet performs their True Will, while not restricting others? If so, why don't you believe in such people?
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@FiatYod said
Divorced decades ago.
@FiatYod said
"Regarding the concept of "natural Thelemites": who is a Thelemite?"
Anyone who lives in accordance to the precepts of the Book of the Law, having read it or not. Anyone honestly, forthrightly, performing their will (cognizant and mindful and in no way restricting the will of others)."
Then a Natural Thelemite would be someone who hasn't read the Book of the Law, and yet performs their True Will, while not restricting others? If so, why don't you believe in such people?"
Perhaps, for the sake of argument, we dispense with the terms. What I don't believe in is a preponderance of young people needing no guidance. They did not read the Book of the Law, but they weren't born that way. They were guided by those who either did read the book (and others) or where guided by someone who did read the books - that is, society today is riddled with the precepts of the Book of the Law (know it or not).
I meet people online or read these stories by forum writers who speak of the events of meeting natural born thelemites, usually of the opposite sex, usually half in and half out of forming an actual relationship together. Or a major crush. And then there are the blue babies of the new age movement; these concepts are both of the same type of confusion. And that's what I meant.