Advices you'd pass to your young self

[Saint]

As I was searching through recent and old posts on the Forum, one question came to mind.

What would you tell to your 'young self', if you could pass down advices, tips or tricks you've gained on the magical, spiritual field through your life? What knowledge, experience you have now, that could have make your life, your practice far more easy, effective, potent or efficient?

1. Sometimes the answer for my question lies hidden where I'd least consider looking for, in places, situations or entities I'd never consider taking a glance at (or straight up fight against to do so) and yet, the 'differences' are the finest mirrors of myself, what I lack, what I failed to notice in myself, what I neglected to understand and explore
2. Don't be lazy, lead a journal, note and sketch everything I can; passing by visions, dreams, names of entities, unknown thoughts travelling through my mind as intuition, strange encounters or phenomenons, note them all! - as I never know when any of these would come up to me again in life, with pressing significance that my brain fails to recall when most needed
   * oh, how often I said a prayer for myself, when I was able to dig up some of my experiences from older text messages, that helped a lot, and scholding myself recognising it's importance, knowing I failed to do more out of being lazy to do so, a shame. *
3. Never try to force other people's rules and beliefs they follow into my practice, just because I'm pressured; continue exploring, experiencing, call my own shots, do not bend by others' rules, bend the(ir) rules (and find my own truth)
4. Every fixation in my life has a meaning, pay attention, they're talking to me
5. SIT DOWN AND M-E-D-I-T-A-T-E! Stop skipping days! No matter how sharp my senses has been, how spiritually 'privileged' I think I am, no matter how often I communicate with entities, deities, demons whatever, skipping the basics of this all will eventually result in losing that edge, draw dullness, close gates and senses; same way I can't expect big, fine toned muscles and great strength without frequent physical work, if I neglect any skill, I'm gonna lose it, or have it significantly weakened

What advices you have for yourself? With this topic, hopefully, not only we help ourselves refreshing our memories on our lessons, but perhaps, help others too.

 

[Keldan]

Never try to force other people's rules and beliefs they follow into my practice, just because I'm pressured; continue exploring, experiencing, call my own shots, do not bend by others' rules, bend the(ir) rules (and find my own truth)

I totally agree with your #3. My practice is pretty different, and throughout my whole journey I kept hearing “that won’t work” from people who were convinced there’s only one valid way to do things. I’m genuinely glad I didn’t listen to any of it, because if I had, I wouldn’t be where I am now. At some point you have to be able to wade through everyone’s opinions, and make your own calls.

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it’d be that a lot of the time, what you need is already right in front of you, you’re just too scared to work with them.

Also, not really advice, but I switched to The Creature profile picture the same day I finished watching Frankenstein on Netflix. It just felt fitting. So when I see your signature, it makes me want to rewatch it now.

 

[Saint]

Also, not really advice, but I switched to The Creature profile picture the same day I finished watching Frankenstein on Netflix. It just felt fitting. So when I see your signature, it makes me want to rewatch it now.

Did you? It appears he touched you deeply too then. He is amazing. Tragically amazing.

I'm terribly attached to The Creature from Guillermo del Toro's Frankenstein. I didn't even know the movie exist, until bumping into it on Netflix. It is such a deep, such a meaningful piece of art, and I relate to the Creature in many-many ways; I'd say, I often felt -and still- feel the same way he does, the only difference, that we don't look alike.

I practice pop culture magic, ever since I decided to dive deeper into Chaos magic, so I do plan to work with his spirit, and involve it into my works. I'm not sure if I should lead a journal of it here or not, I do remember having a post or two on the general subject of pop culture magic and it's concept.

 

[pygmalion]

I'd 100% just tell him not to follow Peterson's 12 Rules, specifically assuming everybody knows something you don't. I forget what rule that is, but for me I took it very literally.

Of course everyone does know something you don't, but I took it to mean that everybody knew something I didn't about everything. And doubted my own knowledge and abilities as a result. I lose some magical powers I had as a young teenager and have been remembering them over time.

 

[slim116]

Really cool question.

I would tell my younger self...

1. Stop looking for the Divine in church, the sooner you leave, the sooner you'll really find what you're looking for.

2. Always follow you're curiosity, especially the taboo end of spirituality and magick. Because there is the knowledge and wisdom that no one can teach you.

3. Don't waste time seeking or manufacturing ego death. It will come when its time, and the change will be life altering.

 

[Ohana]

1. Speak up. Face defeat. Talk. But talk about what matters to you. Even if reincarnation is a thing there is no recreating this moment. Just talk. Talk about what you think instead of burying it. Never to be seen again.

2. Enjoy every moment you have with your family because they might leave sooner than your prepared for. Write down everything that happens as well because there are memories I cannot remember fully and I might never fully get them back.

3. If tarot cards talk about a future you don't like then try to make a better one. Don't be so passive all the time. Do something. Try to atleast.

I totally agree with your #3. My practice is pretty different, and throughout my whole journey I kept hearing “that won’t work” from people who were convinced there’s only one valid way to do things. I’m genuinely glad I didn’t listen to any of it, because if I had, I wouldn’t be where I am now. At some point you have to be able to wade through everyone’s opinions, and make your own calls.

If I could give my younger self one piece of advice, it’d be that a lot of the time, what you need is already right in front of you, you’re just too scared to work with them.

Also, not really advice, but I switched to The Creature profile picture the same day I finished watching Frankenstein on Netflix. It just felt fitting. So when I see your signature, it makes me want to rewatch it now.

I like the creature from Frankenstien too. When I was in high-school I read the book then cried. It was amazing. I also listened to the musical and need to watch the full movie. I've only watched parts of it. The Creature is so cool an amazing pop culture icon.

I practice pop culture magic, ever since I decided to dive deeper into Chaos magic, so I do plan to work with his spirit, and involve it into my works. I'm not sure if I should lead a journal of it here or not, I do remember having a post or two on the general subject of pop culture magic and it's concept.

I think that Journal would be cool but up to you at the end of the day.

 

[tzalschuk]

Practice every day. Take notes. Keep moving. Master one paradigm to its core. Fewer drugs. Every horror comes to an end. Bliss is not the end, but the beginning. Keep going. Liberation is not the end, but also another beginning. Keep going.

 

[IllusiveOwl]

Things went as they were meant to, there's little I would be able to say to my younger self that he would be able to grasp or use meaningfully anyway.

That being said, I know one piece of advice would have made sitting in the darkness more bearable, even if dispelling it would be impossible:

"Suffering is the greatest spell there is. You are as permanent as a lightning bolt, with just as much meaning or purpose. Strike true, it'll be over soon anyway and will be like it never was."

 

[Accipeveldare]

Stay grounded. Youll thank yourself.

 

[AlfrunGrima]

Don't be lazy, lead a journal, note and sketch everything I can

Yes, this would be my main advice to my younger self. It took a few years before I started journaling and did I regret that. Otherwise, looking back, I would not change things, or have another advise. Both the highs and the lows in the process were good as they were. Most lows were about accepting myself as a person and I feel that those confrontations, were there on the right place and right moment. (So, I must have done something good)

For the rest I tried everything I wanted to try. Tried to taste from all kinds of cake, tried a lot recipes. That was nice and for me meaningful to do so. I have returned to my own system and current, but I like and see worth in everything that's in my backpack.

Stop skipping days! No matter how sharp my senses has been, how spiritually 'privileged' I think I am, no matter how often I communicate with entities, deities, demons whatever, skipping the basics of this all will eventually result in losing that edge

Nice that you mention this, skipping the basics is never a good idea IMHO. Things keep going if one is engaged on a (almost) daily basis.

"Suffering is the greatest spell there is. You are as permanent as a lightning bolt, with just as much meaning or purpose. Strike true, it'll be over soon anyway and will be like it never was."

This is something I resonate with. I have often thought that I am like a wave on the beach, it collaps and returns to the sea. Nothing is permanent. Sometimes the collaps hurts, but the moment after when I return to the current, the pain of that collaps is not that important anymore, the 'me' that collapsed either. Over time I started to notice that I actually need a collaps every once or a while to stay grounded. Though, the needed collapses are much smaller than years back, the sea is much quieter. To stay grounded is much easier by then.

 

[hollowglasd]

Hang in there. It gets worse. Never give up. Is what I’d tell my younger self. It’s what I tell myself today too

 

[IllusiveOwl]

This is something I resonate with. I have often thought that I am like a wave on the beach, it collaps and returns to the sea. Nothing is permanent. Sometimes the collaps hurts, but the moment after when I return to the current, the pain of that collaps is not that important anymore, the 'me' that collapsed either. Over time I started to notice that I actually need a collaps every once or a while to stay grounded. Though, the needed collapses are much smaller than years back, the sea is much quieter. To stay grounded is much easier by then.

There is still a lot of division in this perspective, I had said a lot of things like this early on and I was still pretty lost in the darkness, I said these things and they made me feel better, but but I didn't entirely grasp the monumental implications of these words. The recognition of unity comes at the total cost of separation, apprehension comes with total obliteration, once it's understood it is irreversible, that is why people who claim to have undergone multiple ego deaths are just delusional and trying to show off plumage.

Pain and struggle is beautiful, nowhere in the solar system does depression exist, loving families only exist on Earth, these experiences are explosions of color in an infinite black void, to call one better than the other is human arrogance, and that makes existence an infinite continual explosion of beauty and narrative that doesn't ultimately mean anything, it's just for the fun of it, a continual procession of Shakespearian plays, one after the other.

 

[Primal]

"Work on yourself before doing anything... Don't be so indecisive and unpredictable. Why are you doing this to yourself? Don't even think about magickal work before you learn about yourself and the path you want to follow!"

 

[AlfrunGrima]

The recognition of unity comes at the total cost of separation, apprehension comes with total obliteration, once it's understood it is irreversible, that is why people who claim to have undergone multiple ego deaths are just delusional and trying to show off plumage.

Yes. What I experience is not a complete collaps, it is for me still is needed to undergo till resolve. I don't even know if it somewhere near to unity, but the experiences of not being at middle of everything and not being important (the collaps) are eye opening till now. (Bye bye Florence-Nightingale-nurse-behaviour)

to call one better than the other is human arrogance

It is indeed a very human thing.

 

[beardedeldridge]

Nothing really. You need the lows for the highs and all that Jax.

Save this: I was traveling for work and after a long day I was heading back on a freezing winter day to my room along “one of the most haunted areas in the country”. I came along a young boy and his elderly grandfather. Kid was way into it and was attempting to remember and piece together all he’d read about the place. I was bored so I decided to give them the whole tour. Which I did, I threw in the theatrics and all of the stories. Both were having the best of times and when they turned to leave they were still talking about it excitedly and the grandfather froze, turned holding his breath and touched my arm just to “make sure”. I would advise my younger self to mysteriously vanish (the perfect opportunity was available given the layout) before the grandfather turned around.

Not the answer you were looking for but I think about them from time to time and smile. So I guess my only advise would be to make the most of even the smallest opportunity to create a core memory for someone even if all you really want is a hot shower and a warm bed to sleep in.

-Eld