I was going to post this somewhere else, but honestly it became more of a rant while I was writing it.
So I'm at the point in my ever continuing spiritual development where I've read up on multiple spiritual traditions extensively, incorporated, refined, honed, and re-evaluated every bit of wisdom I've come across. It is a continuing process, but I've read texts ranging from more accessible stuff like Christopher Penczack's works to more jarringly radical material from the likes of Peter J. Carroll. I've begun searching for texts that offer new perspectives. Ones focused on less introductory material and more on the intellectual meat of the subject. However it seems that whenever I go looking for "advanced" texts, they seem hidden among a sea of books aimed at beginners and initiates more accessible and less offensive to the sensibilities of the average western Christian. Now when I say that, I am not saying we should be filling our manuscripts with vitriol and hatred of Christianity or that we should go out of our way to offend. What I am saying is that many of these texts seem to be aimed at people in the shallow end of the pool who may be beginning their journey and are not necessarily ready for the heavier stuff yet. Now there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself. Throw someone into the heart of a forest they've never been to before and they will become lost. However, they will reach the inner reaches of that forest if they wish to explore it and they will need certain pieces of knowledge and tools that a beginners kit or text will not provide. This is part of the forest is terrifying to those not used to it's pathways. This is the sort of thing I'm talking about. What complicates this is that I have no coven, sect, order, or any other such congregation, so in many cases I rely on the indirect tutelage of others for new perspectives. I seek something deeper and more focused on philosophy rather than a guide to practice (though relating them back to practice and ritual would be good). However, I have come across a number of other problems in the process.
The first of these is that a number of those touting themselves as teachers or experts on advanced Pagan/Occult theology and practice seem to be in a bit of a rush to act like the stage personas of so many Norwegian Black Metal musicians (That's not a diss to the black metal. I happen to like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Immortal, and other bands associated with it.). They seem be so utterly focused on attacking Abrahamic religions and making references to pacts with Devils or Satan that one wonders if they aren't just the vaguely Gothic reverse of the ever despised "fluffy bunnies" playing at being edgy by throwing in as many references to Crowley (for the record, The Book of The Law is near and dear to my heart), Goetia, Lovecraft, and fictional satanic cults as possible then making haphazard connections to paganism and various occult traditions. An extension of this are some of the people enamored with a brand of chaos magic that eschews certain simple facts about the world we live in and ethics, taking the old adage "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" a bit too seriously for my liking. Then you have the people who seem to think that nearly upper echelon practices have to involve sex. Yes sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of and we often neglect the positive power of sexuality, but it's not the end all be all of practice or philosophy for that matter.
Then there are the people who possess a wealth of knowledge of folk magic and beliefs, historical information, and little known techniques from the western traditions, but seem to have a certain dudebro attitude where they're mad that progressive politics have become such a major part of these spiritual communities, some times heading to territory that reads as if they really want to say "Get ur tumblr SJW PC stuff out of my mgcks noob." and simply seem to think that whatever wisdom they do possess gives them an exception for whenever they want to do or say something problematic. On a similar note, you have the elitists whose dedication to a single tradition may be admirable, but seem to be too invested telling other only to stick to the historical or that there is only one way to honor the Divine, especially in their own tradition. They believe they have a monopoly on truth. This is also something I've seen people who claim to be "traditional" witches delve into. A third extension of this are some forms of so called "neo-shamans" and animists who seem to think that all these other people with their ceremonial magic, grimoires, covens, and other such things of full of BS and in a puzzling turn of events combine the previously mentioned ones into a single form with a vaguely "shamanistic" twist. Ceremonialists also do something like this on occasion.
Now none of this is me saying that my way is the best or anyone else's. It's just me voicing my frustration that comes with the search for more "advanced" writings without people seemingly falling into any of those categories. Yes, I think people do need to explore the more grim, "dark", shadowy aspects of Pagan and occult spirituality. Yes, we could stand to learn from traditional forms and historical sources and knowledge. Yes, sexuality is often neglected. Individualism and personalized practice most certainly should be valued and explored. Dogma some times needs to be criticized. However, I am so sick of people taking it in these particularly baffling directions. I just want to read about these different, possibly quite innovative perspectives without having to deal with blatant egotism, elitism, problematic vitriol, and other similar issues.
P.S.
If anyone does have any recommendations, please send them my way.
So I'm at the point in my ever continuing spiritual development where I've read up on multiple spiritual traditions extensively, incorporated, refined, honed, and re-evaluated every bit of wisdom I've come across. It is a continuing process, but I've read texts ranging from more accessible stuff like Christopher Penczack's works to more jarringly radical material from the likes of Peter J. Carroll. I've begun searching for texts that offer new perspectives. Ones focused on less introductory material and more on the intellectual meat of the subject. However it seems that whenever I go looking for "advanced" texts, they seem hidden among a sea of books aimed at beginners and initiates more accessible and less offensive to the sensibilities of the average western Christian. Now when I say that, I am not saying we should be filling our manuscripts with vitriol and hatred of Christianity or that we should go out of our way to offend. What I am saying is that many of these texts seem to be aimed at people in the shallow end of the pool who may be beginning their journey and are not necessarily ready for the heavier stuff yet. Now there is nothing wrong with this in and of itself. Throw someone into the heart of a forest they've never been to before and they will become lost. However, they will reach the inner reaches of that forest if they wish to explore it and they will need certain pieces of knowledge and tools that a beginners kit or text will not provide. This is part of the forest is terrifying to those not used to it's pathways. This is the sort of thing I'm talking about. What complicates this is that I have no coven, sect, order, or any other such congregation, so in many cases I rely on the indirect tutelage of others for new perspectives. I seek something deeper and more focused on philosophy rather than a guide to practice (though relating them back to practice and ritual would be good). However, I have come across a number of other problems in the process.
The first of these is that a number of those touting themselves as teachers or experts on advanced Pagan/Occult theology and practice seem to be in a bit of a rush to act like the stage personas of so many Norwegian Black Metal musicians (That's not a diss to the black metal. I happen to like Dimmu Borgir, Emperor, Immortal, and other bands associated with it.). They seem be so utterly focused on attacking Abrahamic religions and making references to pacts with Devils or Satan that one wonders if they aren't just the vaguely Gothic reverse of the ever despised "fluffy bunnies" playing at being edgy by throwing in as many references to Crowley (for the record, The Book of The Law is near and dear to my heart), Goetia, Lovecraft, and fictional satanic cults as possible then making haphazard connections to paganism and various occult traditions. An extension of this are some of the people enamored with a brand of chaos magic that eschews certain simple facts about the world we live in and ethics, taking the old adage "Nothing is true, everything is permitted" a bit too seriously for my liking. Then you have the people who seem to think that nearly upper echelon practices have to involve sex. Yes sexuality is nothing to be ashamed of and we often neglect the positive power of sexuality, but it's not the end all be all of practice or philosophy for that matter.
Then there are the people who possess a wealth of knowledge of folk magic and beliefs, historical information, and little known techniques from the western traditions, but seem to have a certain dudebro attitude where they're mad that progressive politics have become such a major part of these spiritual communities, some times heading to territory that reads as if they really want to say "Get ur tumblr SJW PC stuff out of my mgcks noob." and simply seem to think that whatever wisdom they do possess gives them an exception for whenever they want to do or say something problematic. On a similar note, you have the elitists whose dedication to a single tradition may be admirable, but seem to be too invested telling other only to stick to the historical or that there is only one way to honor the Divine, especially in their own tradition. They believe they have a monopoly on truth. This is also something I've seen people who claim to be "traditional" witches delve into. A third extension of this are some forms of so called "neo-shamans" and animists who seem to think that all these other people with their ceremonial magic, grimoires, covens, and other such things of full of BS and in a puzzling turn of events combine the previously mentioned ones into a single form with a vaguely "shamanistic" twist. Ceremonialists also do something like this on occasion.
Now none of this is me saying that my way is the best or anyone else's. It's just me voicing my frustration that comes with the search for more "advanced" writings without people seemingly falling into any of those categories. Yes, I think people do need to explore the more grim, "dark", shadowy aspects of Pagan and occult spirituality. Yes, we could stand to learn from traditional forms and historical sources and knowledge. Yes, sexuality is often neglected. Individualism and personalized practice most certainly should be valued and explored. Dogma some times needs to be criticized. However, I am so sick of people taking it in these particularly baffling directions. I just want to read about these different, possibly quite innovative perspectives without having to deal with blatant egotism, elitism, problematic vitriol, and other similar issues.
P.S.
If anyone does have any recommendations, please send them my way.
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