Daily Reflection 4.30.21
Apr. 29th, 2021 07:56 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
readoldthingsSorry for the light posting lately-- I've been struggling with the text, and with some things in my personal life. But as I said to someone the other day, you can have the best reason in the whole world for not watering in your garden, but your plants are still going to die. So let's continue.
Chapter 9 of the Art of War goes on to discuss the details of fighting in mountains, rivers, marshes and plains. The details are useful and necessary, if you are conducting an actual war with an army. But what does it mean for us, in our struggle to master our own souls?
For help in understanding, I want to turn again to Eliphas Levi.
In Chapter 4 of the second part of Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, Levi discusses the elemental spirits-- the sylphs, salamanders, undines, and gnomes. These are the spirits, respectively, of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. In the worldview of Levi and of classical occultism generally, these spirits are ever-present and in great numbers. Their influence of the elements extends well beyond the material substances that bear their names. The material earth, the air you breathe, the water you drink or bathe in and the fire on your hearth are only physical expressions of ideas that are present at every level of existence-- and that very much includes the internal environment of your own soul.
Now, each element has its characteristic vices-- these are the ways that the elements express themselves in the unawakened soul. But each has its characteristic virtues, as well. The true magician has complete mastery of the elements of his soul. Levi tells us that
In order to overcome the vices of the elements, we must master their virtues. And so Levi continues:
The elementals dwell within us, and rule the internal landscapes that correspond to Sun Tzu's mountains and marshes, deserts, plains and rivers. In order to master them, we must cultivate the virtues of the elements-- and in that way overcome their vices, and, in our own way, raise the entire elemental creation toward union with the Divine.
Chapter 9 of the Art of War goes on to discuss the details of fighting in mountains, rivers, marshes and plains. The details are useful and necessary, if you are conducting an actual war with an army. But what does it mean for us, in our struggle to master our own souls?
For help in understanding, I want to turn again to Eliphas Levi.
In Chapter 4 of the second part of Doctrine and Ritual of High Magic, Levi discusses the elemental spirits-- the sylphs, salamanders, undines, and gnomes. These are the spirits, respectively, of Air, Fire, Water, and Earth. In the worldview of Levi and of classical occultism generally, these spirits are ever-present and in great numbers. Their influence of the elements extends well beyond the material substances that bear their names. The material earth, the air you breathe, the water you drink or bathe in and the fire on your hearth are only physical expressions of ideas that are present at every level of existence-- and that very much includes the internal environment of your own soul.
Now, each element has its characteristic vices-- these are the ways that the elements express themselves in the unawakened soul. But each has its characteristic virtues, as well. The true magician has complete mastery of the elements of his soul. Levi tells us that
To overcome and subjugate the elementary spirits, we must never yield to their characteristic defects. Thus, a shallow and capricious mind will never rule the Sylphs; an irresolute, cold and fickle nature will never master the Undines; passion irritates the Salamanders; and avaricious greed makes its slaves the sport of Gnomes.
In order to overcome the vices of the elements, we must master their virtues. And so Levi continues:
We must be prompt and active, like the Sylphs; flexible and attentive to images, like the Undines; energetic and strong like the Salamanders; laborious and patient, like the Gnomes: in a word, we must overcome them in their strength without ever being overcome by their weaknesses.
The elementals dwell within us, and rule the internal landscapes that correspond to Sun Tzu's mountains and marshes, deserts, plains and rivers. In order to master them, we must cultivate the virtues of the elements-- and in that way overcome their vices, and, in our own way, raise the entire elemental creation toward union with the Divine.
