One of the sayings that survived over the centuries in many of our traditions around the world is that the four responsibilities of the true Magician are “To Know, To Will, To Dare, and To Keep Silent.”
1 . To Know in this context represents more than simply the “knowledge” given to you by schools, media, social media, etc. in other words it is much more than the knowledge coming from others – it presupposes inner knowledge which could be called knowingness. It is a burning curiosity and desire to penetrate that which is not immediately evident. What is beyond the apparent? What is beyond the obvious? What is one’s inner truth? In a 2 parts post scheduled for next week I discuss the (in)ability to think abstractly (IE big picture) which is a mortal enemy to every seeker of the truth. A real Magician seeks, learns, and formulates his or her own conclusions based on the data s/he acquired which s/he verifies internally consciously and unconsciously. To Know implies a deep relationship between the Conscious Mind and the Unconscious Mind and continuous communication between the two. To Know also implies that one will never know all there is to know, but what one can do is to persevere and continue the path of discovery which leads to more questions rather than finite answers.
2. To Will presupposes far more than a temper tantrum because the little ego is not satisfied. That’s not “will” – it is unconscious rebellion when the little Unconscious Mind is not immediately satisfied. It is the difference between a little child who does not get the sweets s/he loves and an adult who knows excess sugar creates problems and can refrain from eating it. In this context To Will presumes resilience in the face of difficulty, inner power and perseverance, long lasting determination, tenacity and dedication to whatever the Magician deems to be important for him or herself. It also assumes a deep connection to that inner part which is beyond the four F’s (food, fight, flee, and …reproduction). These are instinctual and instincts are unconscious. It implies intuition (which is not unconscious but a conscious understanding of the unconscious messages), where the ego surrenders its petty little desires to the grander purposes. It is the Phoenix Bird rising again and again out of its own ashes. It is the reinvention of the Self anew by means of creativity and imagination after each fall at new levels of wisdom and understanding.
3. To Dare implies the ability to take calculated risks and to take action. It implies Will. It implies inner strength (not power over others who are weaker) but exercise of inner power over one’s own inner “demons” – which in Time Line Therapy® are represented as Negative Emotions like anger, rage, sadness, depression, placidity, apathy and the like and an enormous stack of negative and wrong beliefs and decisions. To Dare implies goals, objectives, intentions and grasping one’s own purpose. It also entails the “Will” to make something happen – in other words to create (IE make reality) whatever one wants regardless of how hard it seems or how long it takes. It implies self- motivation and self-maintenance as well a great dose of courage to face difficulties no matter how hard they seem to be mentally, emotionally or even physically.
4. To Keep Silent is usually a tough one. Many people, when intending to create something special or different or when they experience an awakening of their consciousness cannot stop from bragging about it to everybody available to listen. To Keep Silent does not mean to keep information secret but it implies a responsibility to share only as much as the listener can handle. It is mostly for the sake of the listener and not for the sake of the Magician the To Keep Silent is so important although when the revelation is so far removed from the average mind, it can turn nasty against the Magician. Many times to dump information on untrained minds that lack the intellectual equipment to handle it may do more harm than good due to the shock of the revelation. The Model Of The World of each individual is different and the neurology of each individual is differently developed. Who says that everybody should be a certain way or “discover” certain things? Therefore To Keep Silent also presupposes respect, care and concern doubled by a careful observation of the listener (Sensory Acuity from NLP comes in very handy here). One who is ready will ask relevant questions and the Magician will find a door open to step through and begin to talk. “Right time and right place” is his/her motto. The ability to guide like a silent teacher who nudges the student to discover by him/herself the path is a skill not many possess.
There are many approaches to the path of the Magician, and many have started the walk only to get stuck somewhere. There is no absolute right – only the right to life and creation. To sharpen the capacity for long term focused attention does not forget the beginning point.
“As an apprentice, [The Magician] will have learned how to hold an image in his [or her] mind. He will have learned how to maintain direction in the midst of life’s distractions. He will have learned to keep contact with what is real within him, even in the throes of passion. He will have learned something of the uneven tides that move the hearts of men. He will be independent of the movements of fashionable views and capable of taking a long-term view of humankind’s apparent tragedies. This will make him a more conscious member of the human race.”
Charles R. Tetworth
Until next time, be well.
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At the Tad James Co. we believe that we can assist people to empower themselves by learning the right skills Read more
