[Opinion] To Join or Not to Join

[Caliban]

I ran across an article a while back by Stephen Flowers/Edred Thorsson arguing that the best way to progress in magick was in the embrace of a traditional order. (Sorry---forgot title.) Mostly I've been a solo act; latterly, I've started following the "strongly recommended" practices of an online group. Were I in a locale with physically present groups, I'd probably be trying that route. Mostly it's a disinclination to waste time reinventing the (training) wheel. What's anyone else's take on solo act vs. group? I suppose there are at least a few stops in between: single pupil & mentor; online group; small circle; widely-spread formal order.

Magical societies come in all sorts, from suburban Wiccan covens to highly anonymized, distributed colleges that collaborate through correspondence. Working with others adds intersubjectivity, and the effect of shared belief, to magical operations, and one can learn things through that which otherwise one might not, but they are not absolutely essential.

Do be discriminating in what you join. Consult your oracles, intuition and common sense.

 

[Xenophon]

Magical societies come in all sorts, from suburban Wiccan covens to highly anonymized, distributed colleges that collaborate through correspondence. Working with others adds intersubjectivity, and the effect of shared belief, to magical operations, and one can learn things through that which otherwise one might not, but they are not absolutely essential.

Do be discriminating in what you join. Consult your oracles, intuition and common sense.

My uncle said sumpin' similar when I joined the Army.

 

[Konsciencia]

I go solo! I just like my own company a lot.

 

[Mannimarco]

I ran across an article a while back by Stephen Flowers/Edred Thorsson arguing that the best way to progress in magick was in the embrace of a traditional order. (Sorry---forgot title.) Mostly I've been a solo act; latterly, I've started following the "strongly recommended" practices of an online group. Were I in a locale with physically present groups, I'd probably be trying that route. Mostly it's a disinclination to waste time reinventing the (training) wheel. What's anyone else's take on solo act vs. group? I suppose there are at least a few stops in between: single pupil & mentor; online group; small circle; widely-spread formal order.

I think Thorssen is right, it just never seems to work out, at least not for very long. Also the sketch factor is always present, such as the temple of blood and martinet press supposed to have been started by the fbi, and the temple of set being started by a psychological warfare specialist from army intel.

 

[8Lou1]

Might very well be true, manni. Makes it quite logical they didnt evolve as they built their temples on family structure and failed as neither fbi nor military is a family, but a business/organization.

There is a reason cornerstones of society are families and not organizations.

 

[Xenophon]

I think Thorssen is right, it just never seems to work out, at least not for very long. Also the sketch factor is always present, such as the temple of blood and martinet press supposed to have been started by the fbi, and the temple of set being started by a psychological warfare specialist from army intel.

I do recall that Michael Aquino who was Temple of Set founder was a career intell officer. But that was never a secret. The Army itself was a bit leery of the man. Towards his career's end he was implicated in child sex allegations---which the military typically does when it wants to cancel an officer. Nothing ever came to trial as I recall, but care was taken to blacken his reputation. (This isn't special pleading: I get a bad vibe off the guy. He tried too hard to look Satanist.)

 

[Wintruz]

I get a bad vibe off the guy. He tried too hard to look Satanist.

I'm reminded of a Quentin Crisp line: "It may be true that artists adopt a flamboyant appearance, but it's also true that people who look funny get stuck with the arts".

A good order should save you time by transmitting energies, practices and resources which it has accumulated and tried and tested. But these should enhance the greater work, which is most often done when we are on our own and, especially for deeper changes, confronted by the harsh realities of life. An order shouldn't distract from this engagement with our own life and it definitely should not offer an alternative life. In other words, it should help to make your own experience of life your teacher and guide. It shouldn't take more energy from initiates than it gives.

Schools are a good tool to activate consciousness and keep it activated which can be a very hard (but not impossible) thing to do alone in the early phases. However, if you're able to keep your flame burning then you can easily adopt a book's magical curriculum to reconfigure the psyche and this is what most people in the best orders are doing anyway.

 

[Xenophon]

I think Thorssen is right, it just never seems to work out, at least not for very long. Also the sketch factor is always present, such as the temple of blood and martinet press supposed to have been started by the fbi, and the temple of set being started by a psychological warfare specialist from army intel.

Though the Army later busted Lt.Col. Aquino's balls over "child molesting" rumors. I'm no fan of either the Temple of Set nor of Aquino. But when the military decides to turn and rend their own, kiddy-diddling is the charge of choice. Aquino eventually beat the rap; not the smear that never washes off.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

I'd go with Groucho: "I don't want to join any club that would have me as a member."

 

[motzfeldt]

The solo buzz is very enticing and despite being a prospective member of an order myself I do often find myself kind of wanting to go back on the solo path. That said, I appreciate the tutorship and sense of community that being part of an order gives. Especially so when it comes to the LHP, I feel it's an area where you want as much guidance as possible.

 

[Xenophon]

I'd go with Groucho: "I don't want to join any club that would have me as a member."

Actually, he might've been on to something. That's why a real kick-a** order has a pretty high initiation bar. The guy who is permitted to join isn't the one who sought membership. Like the old USMC recruiting slogan, "Maybe you can be one of us."

I seem to recall Crowley's First Labor upon joining his first magical order was to memorize the Hebrew alphabet and tell no one. He seemed to think this pretty tame set alongside scaling Himalayan peaks.

 

[Robert Ramsay]

I seem to recall Crowley's First Labor upon joining his first magical order was to memorize the Hebrew alphabet and tell no one. He seemed to think this pretty tame set alongside scaling Himalayan peaks.

I would have thought for Crowley, the 'telling no-one' would have been the hard part

On reflection, the other reason I haven't joined any order is that I'm not sure there are groups for materialist magicians. Well, not that kind of materialist, anyway.

 

[Xenophon]

I would have thought for Crowley, the 'telling no-one' would have been the hard part

On reflection, the other reason I haven't joined any order is that I'm not sure there are groups for materialist magicians. Well, not that kind of materialist, anyway.

Since he includes the incident in his books, clearly he failed that test.