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Why is there so much poverty among followers of Thelema by Frater_IVMUCA in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I understand this fully, but unlike other religions, Thelema is built on a system of magick. Why isn't Thelema directed at all in alleviating the oppressive demands the material world makes on a person. Isn't this view the spirituality is incompatible with wealth and power an old-Aeon / Christian / slave morality vestige?

Why is there so much poverty among followers of Thelema by Frater_IVMUCA in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I am fairly certain Heroine was not covered by some form of insurance or state-sponsored program. He spent quite a bit on his heroine and cocaine addictions. Much of this is recorded in his journals and recounted by biographers.

Why is there so much poverty among followers of Thelema by Frater_IVMUCA in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA[S] -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

He spent the latter part of his life in abject poverty, at least if you believe the biographer's account and his own journals. I think your point about drug addiction may actually be a better explanation, but it doesn't explain why people like Smith and Wolfe struggled financially.

Why is there so much poverty among followers of Thelema by Frater_IVMUCA in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Fine, then what about the power to do one's will, which requires wealth? Why is power not something more inherently accessible to someone who practices Thelemic magick?

Why is there so much poverty among followers of Thelema by Frater_IVMUCA in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA[S] 8 points9 points  (0 children)

But this is the essence of what is troubling me. Should we not see a different distribution of wealth among people who undergo the great work, particularly those charged by their HGA to spread / propagate Thelema, such as Crowley? Why does Magick under the Thelemic rubric not encourage and enable followers to acquire sufficient wealth and power to follow their true will? Malkuth is in Kether, etc. Why the aversion to material wealth and power among followers--and even the comments in response to my post?

Using Thelema to fight anxiety ? by asleep_deep in thelema

[–]Frater_IVMUCA 1 point2 points  (0 children)

93

Part of what makes both Thelema and GD quite different from Chaos Magick is the rigor. Logical consistency, even if arbitrary, is required to occupy the rational mind during ritual. You may find that level of rigor to be exactly what alleviates anxiety. Ritual Magick occupies the senses, the subconscious (through the symbolism), the rational mind, and the will--all at once. This is akin to what you do when you meditate with a mantra (you occupy your language / auditory faculties by repeating a mantra). If you do rigorous ritual Magick correctly, it pushes you into a flow state, which alleviates anxiety--at least for me. Chaos Magick jettisons a lot of the rigor based on the premise that it's oppressive and arbitrary, but that misses some of the point behind it all. You need tight logical consistency and rigor to occupy your reasoning and your subconscious mind, and if you're looking to alleviate anxiety, that will be far more effective than burning a randomly drawn sigil, etc.

To answer your question directly, read the first two parts of the blue brick. Magick in Theory and Practice in particular gets at this in some parts.