Da'ath Becomes Her: January 2014

Sunday, January 19, 2014

A is for Abyss

Pagan Blog Project Week 2: A Is for Abyss

"Ringu," 1998; Dir: Hideo Nakata

A Is for Abyss

The Tree of Life contains a non-sephiroth known as Da'ath. It is not a sephiroth but is included on most diagrams of the Tree of Life because it plays an important role in it.

Source: Copenhagen Qabalah, http://www.qabalah.dk/qabstart-eng.html

Da'ath, also known as "Knowledge," is also "The Abyss." As with everything in the Kabbalah/Qabalah, there are many levels to Da'ath, and countless facets to its meaning. Da'ath is, among other things: The chasm between Divine and human consciousness. The gap between knowledge and understanding. The space between imagination and manifestation. The Abyss lies between what is and what could be. There are no shortcuts through it, you either make it through or you don't. If you don't, there is good and bad news: If you realize you have not crossed it, you have the advantage of learning from your mistakes. You stand up, dust yourself off, and try again, using the info you learned to your advantage. If you don't realize you haven't crossed it, it's a problem. At best, you delude yourself. At worst, you fall thru into the qlippoth. But that's a subject for another day. For now, let's talk about The Abyss and why I chose it for this week's topic.

Da'ath Becomes Her

"The Deep," 1977; Dir: Peter Yates

I'll let you in on a secret. The name of this blog (thanks to Hermes Adrastos, author of the blog Ramblings of a Gay Traditionalist Witch) is highly ironic, and a bad joke. Da'ath doesn't become me at all. I have come to think of it as something of a friend, though. In a broad sense, nothing is created without passing through Da'ath. In psychological terms, it is the last obstacle to transcendence. As a Hermetic magician, self-evolution is high on my list of priorities. Put more simply, magic(k)al study saved my life and has helped me cope with debilitating depression. To be even more general (which sometimes you have to be when it comes to subjects as large as psychology and the qabalah), I am familiar with The Abyss. I live there. I would like to move to a new address, though. That's what this blog is about.

The Abyss is a bitch. It is always there. The Abyss is why I am late posting this entry. (All the more embarrassing because I am participating in the Pagan Blog Project 2014.) It's easy to hate and fear The Abyss, and easier still (for some people, anyway) to ignore it and pretend it isn't there. Unfortunately, none of those are the correct reactions.

The correct reaction--the only reaction, really, if you want to successfully cross The Abyss--is to grit your teeth and slowly, determinedly, deliberately make your way across. It's not a fun road trip. There is no shortcut. It's not for the shallow or the immature, either. Or the impatient. Or the deluded. The Abyss isn't always dark, sometimes it manifests as a hall of mirrors. You have to be prepared to question yourself and learn how to see through your own delusions. The reward, though, is incalculable. What's it worth to you to overcome one of your demons? Break a bad habit? Grow as a person?

To successfully cross The Abyss, you have to be prepared to do whatever's necessary. Yes, that's a vague statement, but this is a monumental subject and I'm trying to keep this blog post simple and concise. Of course, "whatever's necessary" depends on the specifics of one's situation. In broad terms, to successfully cross the Abyss, one needs to acquire both the knowledge needed to achieve one's goal and the wisdom required to use that knowledge properly. Sounds simple, and it is--but it's not easy. Particularly in terms of self-evolution, gaining wisdom requires facing one's deepest fears, acknowledging (and accepting) one's greatest flaws. You go up against yourself again and again and again until you learn how to think differently and become a different person.

It's not for sissies. Or cowards. Or people who don't like having to take a hard look at themselves. Or ask themselves...

What Are You Prepared to Do?

Saturday, January 4, 2014

A is for About

http://www.merriam-webster.com/

Following the theme set by the Pagan Blog Project 2014, "A is for About" seems the perfect place to start. Because, in addition to the definition above, in this post "About" is meant as statement, description, and challenge.

This is not a teaching blog. Nor is it a personal diary--though it will contain elements of both. It is one person's musings on her personal quest to achieve spiritual development--as well as many other less "noble" goals--through magic(k)al study and practice.

About Me

I am a woman, American, raised in Detroit, MI and lived all around the country before settling in Southern California some 15 years ago. I've been practicing magic for somewhere around 30 years (yikes!)--since I was around 15. My journey started with practicing wicca-type spirituality, leading to practical hoodoo/conjure, before formally studying with a ceremonial magician for 7 years and undergoing a form of Hermetic initiation. I say "a form of" because my instruction was largely one-on-one, with one major teacher over several years and a few less influential teachers in shorter time periods. While I have great respect for them, I have never been a part of The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, Builders of the Adytum, or any other formal organization. I describe myself as an independent magician. I am more spirit-inclined than the average magician, though. Meaning I have a great relationship with many spirit guides and enjoy great rapport with them. I also practice and have an appreciation of both high and low magic(k).

About This Blog

Now that you know of my leanings and background in Hermeticism it's easy to see why "Da'ath" is part of the blog title. But I think a little more explanation of what this blog is about couldn't hurt. It's not for everyone, and I want to make that clear up-front. It's not for everyone because this blog is going to be focused on the trials, rewards, and frustrations of pursuing spiritual growth. It's not about spells, otherkin, or any other of the popular topics in paganism. I am choosing to write about this because it is of urgent importance to me. Not every person who practices an alternative spiritual path or is interested in working magic is into pursuing self-evolution, though. And that's perfectly fine. I'm just letting you know that this is not a blog about magical technique--well not entirely, anyway. I am an unabashed magic geek and I love to talk technique and spells. I probably will from time to time. However, this is not a "practical magic" blog. If deep topics bore you, you might as well bail right now. Because...

About You

So now you know where I'm coming from and what this blog is generally going to be about. But while the impetus for me to write this is to push myself further along my path, I don't intend this blog to be about me as a person. As I already mentioned, it's not a diary. I welcome dialogue and encourage people to comment. I am happy to hear about other people's experiences too. For me, spiritual and magical practice are intertwined.

I want to wrap up this PBP inaugural entry with a challenge for all readers: I am far from where I want to be as a person and in life, but in spiritual terms I know what I'm about. Do you?