[Opinion] Missing daily routine and red flags as to why

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

In working through Chritophers book "Kabbalah, Magic and the Great Work of Self-Transformation", he discusses "Red Flags" as to why people choose to not do their daily work.

Ive not done my praxis for two days straight. My two most recent red flags as to why:
Yesterday - This work is more important
Monday - Im too exhausted
Some other days - I dont have the house to myself/I may be overheard or seen doing my praxis

Christopher recommends several Red Flags as to why praxis is skipped, and recommends adding reasons why to the list as a means to not give in to the red flags.

How about you? Have you skipped any days? What wre your reasons as to why?

 

[Vandheer]

I skip days if I am not feeling it, unless its a ritual that I have to do for X days back to back. Sometimes its ok to just chill the fuck out.

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

I agree, but his point is the need to push through resistance, in effect, to exert will. At least thats my take of his chapter blurb on it.
Other red flags:
"I dont have enough time"
"I will just read one more chapter"
"The house must be clean first"
"This other project is more importnat, because it part of my career"
"I might recieve an important phone call"
"I must never do ritual when Im sick"
"Im tired, and it would be healthier to rest"
"I must wait until Im calm and serene"
These are his red flags listed, and then we are encouraged to add to the list with whatever excuse we come up with to not do the work.
But, sometimes we really are sick. My example: my shoulders, back and upper arms were sore. Odd thing was when I ran a knife or pen over the areas, they ceased to be sore. Perhaps Roma was right, or some teenaged edgelord is vamping me for some reason.

 

[Ancient]

I'm in the same camp as @Vandheer

Mr. Christopher sounds like he doesn't understand what a healthy work-life balance is.

I see things like this:

"I dont have enough time"
"I will just read one more chapter"
"The house must be clean first"
"This other project is more importnat, because it part of my career"
"I might recieve an important phone call"
"I must never do ritual when Im sick"
"Im tired, and it would be healthier to rest"
"I must wait until Im calm and serene"

...as things that usually should be taken care of before doing ritual work. Get your fucking place cleaned, make sure your career and family obligations are fulfilled, and get enough food and sleep to keep your body running. Then approach the mystical shit.

And that's with a normally healthy crowd no less. There seems to be a higher-than-normal representation of mental illnesses among occultists. Things like depression, anxiety, and paranoia do not - DO NOT! - mix well with overworking and self-flagellating discipline.

Having goals to work towards is healthy. Obsessing over those goals or prioritizing them over a functional existence is not.

There is a difference between pushing through laziness or a bad attitude and avoiding self-care. In cases like this a common magical adage becomes very relevant: know thyself. We often think of discernment as being required to avoid another's falsehoods. Don't forget to see through your own bullshit too.

 

[Xenophon]

Some well-known mage or other (I forget the name) opines that, "Magick is something that one is, not that he does." One's daily work is exactly that: daily. Years ago, I spent some months in a Buddhist monastery practicing. The personnel there practiced (pretty intensively) as well as preparing food, cleaning, doing laundry &c. &c. ven conversed and had a sense of humor. Their secret for getting it all done? I dunno. Mebbe they were immune to cultural brainwashing about "work life balance." They were clear as to their real goal and prioritized accordingly, having exorcised the demon of "healthy ordinary life."

Believe me "ordinary life" is a rabbit hole with a viper at the bottom.

 

[Ancient]

Their secret for getting it all done?

Hmm, maybe it had something to do with:

some months in a Buddhist monastery

A completely different lifestyle? I think the real cultural brainwashing is represented by the go-go-go mentality that has been touted all last century. Concepts such as a work-life balance coming into the public mind promote the very thing you praise: individuals becoming clear as to their real goal and prioritizing accordingly.

 

[Xenophon]

Hmm, maybe it had something to do with:



A completely different lifestyle? I think the real cultural brainwashing is represented by the go-go-go mentality that has been touted all last century. Concepts such as a work-life balance coming into the public mind promote the very thing you praise: individuals becoming clear as to their real goal and prioritizing accordingly.

Could be, could be.

Post automatically merged: Mar 21, 2024

Could be, could be.

I am pretty insistent on the point that the desire---lust---for "a quiet normal life" will either end life on this planet, or at least render man's kinds a lower breed than any of the beasts.

 

[stratamaster78]

I never skip days....Never.

The reason is because I know myself and if I let one excuse one day allow me to skip then it will snowball and before I know it I will have quit.

There are days that I have excuses and days where I really need to do something else that's needs attending to and I sometimes am short on time.

Doesn't matter the excuse I will always make my Daily Ritual routine the #1 priority and get it done.

Sometimes I have to really rush through it to get it in and as a result it will be a shit-show.

It still counts though and in my Diary it probably goes down as.... "well that was shit but I'm proud of myself for getting it done and not skipping."

I'm not meaning to say no one else should ever skip a day.... I'm just saying I know I can't.

 

[Xenophon]

I never skip days....Never.

The reason is because I know myself and if I let one excuse one day allow me to skip then it will snowball and before I know it I will have quit.

There are days that I have excuses and days where I really need to do something else that's needs attending to and I sometimes am short on time.

Doesn't matter the excuse I will always make my Daily Ritual routine the #1 priority and get it done.

Sometimes I have to really rush through it to get it in and as a result it will be a shit-show.

It still counts though and in my Diary it probably goes down as.... "well that was shit but I'm proud of myself for getting it done and not skipping."

I'm not meaning to say no one else should ever skip a day.... I'm just saying I know I can't.

Yes. I'm not much of a Krishnamurti fan, but he hit the nail on the head pretty square saying that if one wants to do a thing, one does it now. He doesn't "make resolutions" and "commit himself." Ditto for being a mage.

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

I never skip days....Never.

The reason is because I know myself and if I let one excuse one day allow me to skip then it will snowball and before I know it I will have quit.

There are days that I have excuses and days where I really need to do something else that's needs attending to and I sometimes am short on time.

Doesn't matter the excuse I will always make my Daily Ritual routine the #1 priority and get it done.

Sometimes I have to really rush through it to get it in and as a result it will be a shit-show.

It still counts though and in my Diary it probably goes down as.... "well that was shit but I'm proud of myself for getting it done and not skipping."

I'm not meaning to say no one else should ever skip a day.... I'm just saying I know I can't.

I wish I could say the same, I am proud the past couple days I climbed back on the horse and got it done.
Ditto with mundane activities. I've made excuses as to why or why not it didn't get done. Whether work-study, study for the Ham Radio Technician exam (of which I have two perks for passing it, half the price in Michigan and a hand me down Baofeng from my uncle when I pass).
I haven't even gone to the activities center here in California for two weeks straight.
Even grooming. Some days, not proud to admit, but depression can be a bitch.
Yet, when I focus and get it done, there were no excuses.
Excuses is a zero sum game. Literally.

 

[stratamaster78]

I wish I could say the same, I am proud the past couple days I climbed back on the horse and got it done.
Ditto with mundane activities. I've made excuses as to why or why not it didn't get done. Whether work-study, study for the Ham Radio Technician exam (of which I have two perks for passing it, half the price in Michigan and a hand me down Baofeng from my uncle when I pass).
I haven't even gone to the activities center here in California for two weeks straight.
Even grooming. Some days, not proud to admit, but depression can be a bitch.
Yet, when I focus and get it done, there were no excuses.
Excuses is a zero sum game. Literally.

Yep. Most of the time when/if you skip your Daily Practice there is something(s) else that you did that took it's place that day.

It's not that it couldn't be done it's that something else was given priority over it.

 

[Xenophon]

I wish I could say the same, I am proud the past couple days I climbed back on the horse and got it done.
Ditto with mundane activities. I've made excuses as to why or why not it didn't get done. Whether work-study, study for the Ham Radio Technician exam (of which I have two perks for passing it, half the price in Michigan and a hand me down Baofeng from my uncle when I pass).
I haven't even gone to the activities center here in California for two weeks straight.
Even grooming. Some days, not proud to admit, but depression can be a bitch.
Yet, when I focus and get it done, there were no excuses.
Excuses is a zero sum game. Literally.

Been there a bit. Like Goethe said, "Days are lost mourning days lost."

 

[Diluculo_DelFuego]

I may try toet back to an invoking Field each day, using pentagram and hexagram rituals for the planet of the day.
Yeah, some days shit happens, but I'd like to strive like @stratamaster78 where I don't miss another day, ever. Even if it means late nights and early mornings.
I want to get serious with Magick and actually self transform with it. Between use of "Modern Magick" and "Kabbalah, Magic, and the Great Work of Self-Transformation", and "The Golden Dawn", Id like to reach adept and possibly take on Quareia or Bardon at that point for further Hermetic work.

 

[stratamaster78]

I may try toet back to an invoking Field each day, using pentagram and hexagram rituals for the planet of the day.
Yeah, some days shit happens, but I'd like to strive like @stratamaster78 where I don't miss another day, ever. Even if it means late nights and early mornings.
I want to get serious with Magick and actually self transform with it. Between use of "Modern Magick" and "Kabbalah, Magic, and the Great Work of Self-Transformation", and "The Golden Dawn", Id like to reach adept and possibly take on Quareia or Bardon at that point for further Hermetic work.

Something that helps for me is that my Daily Practice has a Script w/ Modular components.

Some sections I can add or subtract things as needed based on my time constraints.

I know you are following LTC's Scripts that he titles 'Neophyte Formula' or 'Zelator Formula' etc that have various adorations that go with rituals he has created as well as other additional meditations and Tarot rituals etc etc + Reading materials.

It gets pretty lengthy and I'm sure if you do the full thing everyday it can create a bit of burnout.

My Daily Script is basically....


I Opening: 'Hekas Hekas...etc

II Opening the Field: QC-LBRP-QC-LIRH

III Prelim Invocation/Identification w/the Divine: MP + Adoration to the Lord of the Universe

IV Tuning the Space (Optional): GIRP or SIRP or GIRH depending on the work for the day.

V Conjuration of Elemental or Planetary Energy/Spirit/Intelligence etc or Invocation of the HGA

VI The Charge/Statement of Intent for the Energy/Spirit/Intelligence or Freestyle Adoration to my HGA

VII (a) Prayer of the Aeon (For Attainment to Kether) after HGA Invocation

VII (b) License to Depart

VIII Closing: QC to seal in Invoked Energies or LBRP to send the Charge on it's way in the Macro and sever from my SoS


I may or may not do all of those things and I may or may not add some additional meditations or Invocations.

But if I'm REALLY pressed for time or really close to skipping for one reason or another I might just do a quick QC-LBRP-QC or a QC-LBRP-QC-LIRH-QC and leave out any additional Invocations or Adorations.

So long as I've done some kind of daily Magickal 'Hygiene' type maintenance I'm counting it for the day.

I feel like it's better to at least hit the absolute basics instead of saying "Omg I don't feel like doing this super long list of work today....F**k it I'm skipping because it's too much"

Just do what you can on the days it feels too daunting.