Thursday, June 16, 2011

William G Gray - Inner Traditions of Magic

Whatever System evolves from the Mysteries, Telesmic Images (Magical Images, Sigils, Symbols) remain a necessity among mankind. So many attempts have been made at eliminating them, and rational explanations offered in exchange, phrased in terms of abstract principles or purely ethical values. Take the 'Gods' of humans away from them and what happens? They immediately make far worse Images for themselves. In place of Holy Ones and Pantheons, Saints and Heroes, humanity is producing amorphous concepts of State, 'People', commercial products, 'Pop' images, and all the rest of these unsatisfactory substitutes.

Humans do not want remote abstractions as 'Gods', but solid and substantial ones they can come to terms with on their own objective levels. They cling to their material 'God-forms' in the shape of cars, TV sets, and other Images with the same pathetic desire for comfortable assurance that motivated their remote ancestors to grasp at oddly shaped stones and twisted roots. Humanity needs Gods more than anything else, and should learn how to find Them as Inner Realities expressed through whatever Telesmic Image links their common consciousness together. Voltaire was quite right when he commented: 'If there were no God, it would be necessary to invent one.'

Just a small excerpt, I only finished chapter one and will finish this excellent book very soon.

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