Reviews of Practitioners about the beginning of the Path
This is not my article. I am not the author. It was written by a young practitioner who was over 20 years old at the time. The article was written somewhat in the spirit of youthful maximalism, but it is quite informative, revealing and showing the essence of the Path of Witchcraft, and all the possible pitfalls. The sources and the author are specified by me here. Profanity has been excluded, and the text has been corrected by me, the Magician Thanatos. And so, Magician Thanatos presents to your attention:
Tricks and Traps
Written by Gray
The original article can be found on this site: nnblood.ru
In this article, I would like to talk about various ways to get into a very bad and unpleasant situation in the world of witchcraft. The reasons for getting into the situations described below are vast, but if summarized, the most fitting word would be 'illusions'. You must understand that there are no kind gentlemen around who will make you a great wizard just like that. Also, forget and dismiss all ideas of being chosen or predisposed just because you once saw something or because your great-grandmother could cure a sore throat with raspberry jam, or because some "outstanding" cool, not-really punk, not-really magician, but just a drunk and big talker Vasya, nicknamed "Imp or Glass" after a big party mysteriously labeled you as a "necromage" (what new words they have come up with). Why is all this being explained now? Simply to make those who are starting their Path to come to their senses for a moment and return to reality from their delusional fantasies.
Did you attempt to come back? Good. Step away from your beloved computer and go to a large mirror – look at yourself. What do you see? Now open your diary, report card, or whatever you have, and look at your grades. How is it? Take out your wallet, count your finances... There's no need to continue further, you should have understood the essence, continue on your own. The point is, a person who is unable to take care of their body, perform minimal social tasks like studying well and providing for themselves, etc., should not sit in front of a monitor reading beautiful tales about the magical world. Instead, they could have gone to a construction site to carry bricks, strengthen their body, and they wouldn't have to ask their mom and dad for money. By the way, for those "smart" ones thinking something like: "I'll fix my finances, muscles, and education with magic during my development…” let it be known – you are naive. Practice certainly develops, but not what you are thinking about right now. First and foremost, it develops complete indifference to worldly goods and values, and in severe cases – a God complex. Both factors make it almost impossible and extremely difficult to achieve success in the areas cited as an example. Initially, practice must go through pure HELL and a "psychological self-hack," a reevaluation of EVERYTHING, which outwardly will be accompanied by a bunch of problems in society, during which you will likely not care greatly about yourself. And this doesn't last for months, but for years. So stop reading this article and run into the real world... There, you might become a pumped-up prince in a white Mercedes, or a figure-skating beauty with your own castle, and all that magic won't be needed at all. Because (attention, another secret will now be revealed) - REAL witches and warlocks: they RARELY are fabulously rich or world-famous, etc. They mostly live in the "golden mean" - having the bare necessities, not indulging in luxury, and striving for completely different values that are incomprehensible to the ordinary people.
So, you continue reading. From this, it can be concluded that, at the very least, you are in excellent physical health, you are one of the top students in your class, and you are fully self-sufficient. Yes – great; no – well, things could be better, dream on.
Here we have "briefly" described types of people who come into magic - from all those who have repeatedly been seen in practice. The first type, also the most common one - "Harry, dammit, Potters". The characteristic feature is a childish view ("I want a cool magic wand, a scary black cloak, and lots of sweet cotton candy... by the way, when are we going to make homunculi?"). Or having devoured all kinds of schizoterics about all sorts of nonsenseology, they have the honor to say something similar in the same vein: "Can you teach me how to make demons?"
Absolutism ("I know that a person has 7 bodies, and no one can convince me otherwise!"), a strong mismatch between the image of oneself in one's head and oneself in reality, a total absence of brains, or an obstinate unwillingness to use them. When such students complete a task, they resemble drug addicts during withdrawal - they sharply lose their minds in search of a dose of fantastical impressions. They immediately turn into Merlins and Dark Lords of Mordor, who couldn't care less about everything, as they are witches and not ordinary mortals (according to their beliefs), all caution and planning are immediately forgotten, there is no talk of mindfulness at all. As a result, mere mortals punch them in the face at picnics or on the street, punishing them for their "inappropriate" behavior. From a standpoint of common sense, in Magical and even in conjunction with mundane terms, it is absolutely not evident how such a person can achieve anything on their own. For this, they will need a considerable amount of "luck". This "luck" will consist of the fact that this person will end up in very difficult life circumstances and will be able to get out of them on their own. The thing is that:
1) when things go bad for a person, they suddenly become smarter,
2) nothing brings back to the real world like a bunch of serious troubles. But, let's emphasize again - an Ocean of such "luck" is needed. What's interesting here is that very often, such people do have some abilities. If these abilities are strongly pronounced, sometimes Masters take them as students. But this happens extremely rarely because the Master has to first beat out the "childhood" with a stick, kick out the "absolutism" with their feet, and pray a lot that their efforts are not in vain, and the student will eventually start using their brain. Do you think Masters often deal with such nuisances? The second type, less common than the "Harry, dammit, Potters," which we will conditionally call "Fools". If the main reason for the interest in the Craft for the former is a wild imagination and an attempt to escape from reality, for the latter, it is internal complexes and problems.
Characteristic features:
1) black depression lasting for several years (trying to find the meaning of life is a bit harder than reading 10 volumes of Zelazny and three books of Tolkien)
2) inferiority complex and low self-esteem (wanting to be very very cool/smart/strong/free, wanting to be a god, but looking in the mirror – ugh… how can you not develop complexes here?)
3) a nuclear assortment of various cockroaches and social blocks in the head. There are other signs, but these are enough for a simple picture. These guys would be helped by a good psychologist, but sometimes they try to solve their problems with esoterics. Here, again, the existence of a kind of mentor who will straighten out the brain is very important. Usually, with the right approach, most of the cockroaches run away from the head after the first serious trials and practices given by the Master. And the remnants of the inferiority complex gradually melting away, support in these people the desire for practice and improvement. It should be noted that this type of people risks successfully solving all their problems on their own and understanding that, generally, they no longer need magic. BUT – as they say in the Proletariat: "NO, that won't happen!" - This is where a huge finish with a massive amount of "paragraphs" will come. Because back in the "normal" gray mundane life, there will be no way back. So think, maybe going to a psychologist will be cheaper and easier in the end?
And finally, the third, the least numerous type. If you thought something like – "normal people," you're wrong. "Normal people," that is, the gray mass of the people of this world - they are now relaxing in entertainment venues and fully indulging in physical pleasures, and they even feel very happy while doing so, and their problems are quite primitive and completely different. They do not need all this magic for free.
The third group – in reality, these are people who have been practicing diligently since they were 13-15 years old, perfectly understanding what they are doing and how, or "learning the hard way" on their own. In whom a particle of a pull towards the Unknown is ingrained from birth. Such people are few, and they do not need any teachers. This article is not for them and not about them, so there is no point in continuing.
So, we can finally move on to the main part of the article – the bait. That is, to the "traps for beginners". Below is a list and description of the most typical unpleasant developments. Here, Gray and I, Mag Thanatos, will give more detailed reviews, vividly describing everything.
Trap #1 Monster
Sometimes, a Master needs a medium, a kind of conduit through which communication with Demons and other inhabitants of the Otherworldly World takes place. For this, a naive young girl is chosen (about young guys-monsters, we haven't heard, but they probably exist too) and a certain ritual is performed. The result – the girl willingly allows under the influence of the Master to possess her a Otherworldly Essence of some "rank". This Essence completely enslaves her soul, and the spirit as well - "automatically". Concepts such as Will, Reason, Sobriety, etc., no longer exist for her, from now on she is driven only by the Will and desires of the Master, and consequently - the Essence. In other words, all that remains of the person is the physical shell and empty eyes with a vacant gaze. And somewhere deep inside the body, the soul is "shackled and bound in mental chains". Such a being has no ambitions or desires and cannot have them, except for the ambitions and desires of the Master. The likelihood of falling into such a trap is extremely low on one hand (not many people know how to do this...), and extremely high on the other (externally, it looks like a usual ritual practice, and you will not understand until the very end what has happened to you... the finish). However, the value of a monster for the Clan or Master is very low because there are always more others to be made (naive young girls are like dirt with dust). So, at the first sign of trouble, such "bioenergy material" is discarded.
How to avoid such a turn of events: - Do not get involved in this world at all if you are not sure of your abilities (valuable material is not allowed for such a meat grinder). - Do not engage in serious practices and continue to fantasize in the company of similar fantasists and emotional romantics like yourself. - Go to the gym, tidy up your studies, find a job, visit a psychologist, buy antidepressants, and enjoy life, rather than naive dreams and fantasies.
Trap #2 Meat
A person taken for training with a knowingly destructive intention towards them is called meat. For example: - a beginner "Master" is unsure and does not fully understand what they are doing. To avoid ruining oneself, it is easier to take meat and test their theories on them. If they survive – good, if they end up in a psychiatric hospital or "go to the Ancestors' Earth" – Not my headache, there is plenty of meat around, and it even comes to you for free. - A Master or Clan gathers a group of meat for the Junior Clan Members to practice various practices on this meat for training purposes. - The fate of such meat is the most unfortunate of all three examples. There might be a hope that after the meat endures all the hardships of its fate and does not end up in a grave or mental facility, then there is a chance for it to become something more significant. However, this hope is completely naive and groundless. Firstly, meat is called meat for a reason, to be "skewered on a spit", and secondly, practitioners have rich imagination and are very thrifty and resourceful – they utilize all resources to the fullest. The funniest part is that the meat usually thinks it is being taught something, and when attempts are made to get rid of it, it tries with all its might to stay. There is no need to mention the value of meat to the Clan because it is zero. How to avoid such a fate? Refer to trap #1.
Trap #3 Oath (Here I, Mage Thanatos, recommend paying special attention to Gray's feedback)
The oath is an essential attribute of any training, as well as practice in general. Over time, during communication with the Clan, a practitioner may need not just one oath, but a whole bunch of oaths. A standard one is, for example, an oath of secrecy. Attention, here is where the catch may lie. The student may be unable to adequately assess the text of the oath drafted by the Master if the student lacks cleverness and is naive. In extreme cases, the Master may deceive the student. The result – an oath is given that cannot be upheld in principle. The price – the soul (meaning our will has become yours), Power, etc. This scenario can be played out at any time for any reason. As direct experience of Seasoned Practitioners on students (highly talented and not stupid individuals, it would seem) shows, playing out this scenario is so simple that it is almost offensive. Imagine the situation – the Master says: either swear or leave in all directions. In practice, people do not even reread the text for any loopholes, they just obediently recite and sign with Blood. This experience has been repeated numerous times, even on the same individuals multiple times – with the same effect. The conclusion – do not think that you are special and immune to such tricks. The potential consequences here are diverse and depend solely on the imagination of the Master.
Perhaps we should add a little optimism here – if you work and develop, proving yourself over the years as an independent and strong practitioner, then all oaths will be lifted from you, as they are considered to limit growth and development to some extent. The reason for lifting the oaths is not out of kindness or paternal feelings of your mentor. It is purely a cold calculation. The Teacher receives much more "Gifts" and "Rewards" from the egregore and Gods for a trained independent Master than for a battery (read about batteries below).
Trap #4 Zombification
This topic is old and worn out. There is no magic here, just pure psychology. The likelihood of falling into such a trap is very high due to its accessibility and simplicity of application. There are many methods, but they all have the same essence. The classic "carrot and stick" scheme.
A simple example: your teacher randomly praises and rewards you with sweets, then suddenly punches you in the stomach - "bullseye", threatening to kick you out of training (all while behaving naturally and explaining their actions quite logically). The result – you are constantly stressed and tense, intimidated and trapped, trying everything to not anger them, but instead please and be the best (meaning obedient, compliant, and willing to do anything they say... what? I also prefer sweet treats more than a punch in the stomach...). All other variations in this area are more subtle and cunning than the example provided. However, as a rule, they don't start with very complex things, but rather try to manipulate the individual with straightforward tactics. So, at the first signs of zombification, the most sensible thing to do is to leave (politely say goodbye and thank you, without hysteria or panic). This method is only used on young novice practitioners, as there are much less noticeable and more effective methods to achieve similar effects purely through energetic means. It is also regrettable to note that people have completely mentally degraded and zombified themselves in recent times. Therefore, the theme of de-zombification is currently the most relevant.
Trap #5 Battery
Batteries are certain individuals in the Clan. These are established practitioners who have passed the necessary minimum trials and proven their loyalty. They differ from other Clan members in that they have completely halted their development. The reasons for this halt can be various, for example: - they did not pass a breakthrough (see the next trap) - they cannot further develop because they have reached their limit in terms of bodily resources, Strength, or mental strain - they have lost interest in practice and stopped working on themselves (practitioners are obligated to self-improve and work on themselves, otherwise it will be worse for them... But more on that below...) - and so on. It turns out that there is little benefit from such a practitioner – no development, which means no contribution to the Clan's work. On the other hand, it is too late to kick them out, and it's a pity. The solution is quite simple: – the battery is turned into regular feed and a constant source of nourishment for the Clan's egregore, living expendable material. These kinds of practitioners are typically seen by the Clan leader as a can of energy reserve for a rainy day. In the event of aggressive actions or any conflict, these individuals are the first to be used up. And of course, the entire Clan may know who the battery is, but the battery themselves will have no idea. It is quite difficult to imagine how this is possible, but it all becomes clear when observed from an outsider's perspective. Overall, among Experienced Practitioners, this phenomenon is considered rather positive as it motivates the development of other practitioners and does not allow them to stop at what has already been achieved. How not to become a battery? The recipe is simple – work on yourself, push yourself, but also make yourself work and grow.
Trap #6, or rather "Test of Strength". Breakdown:
If previously we were talking about the nasty things created by evil and unkind Masters for neophytes, then starting from this point (and to some extent already from the previous one), we will be talking about the troubles that any serious practitioner must face in one way or another. So, breakdown, in simple terms, is a test of the practitioner's strength by the egregore, Spirits, and Gods, but more often it refers to the internal struggles of the Practitioner when transitioning to the next, higher level of development. These transitions, as a rule, do not come without difficulty. There is no single description of this process, as there can be various variations. However, as a rule, one often has to deal with purely psychological internal tension. It is easiest to illustrate the concept of breakdown with real examples:
1) The simplest breakdown, one of the first for any practitioner, looks like the following. Neophyte Slava starts working correctly and regularly within the Cult. He prays, fasts, performs rituals, and offers tributes with all his might. Immediately, "gifts" from the egregore start raining down on Neophyte Slava. For example, Slava goes out onto the balcony to get some fresh air, thinks about the girl Tanya, and says out loud - "I want Tanya!" Three days later, she shows up at his place with an overnight bag, almost throwing herself at the bewildered Slava because of the unexpectedness of it all. Since Slava is not a fool, he immediately understands what's going on and starts working even harder. Eventually, Slava has money coming out of his ears, a harem of mistresses, and plenty of free time to enjoy both. Slava may not become an oligarch, and his harem may not be made up of supermodels, but he now has everything he needs, and an interesting thought crosses his mind: "Why do I need this magic now? Sneaking around at night, sitting motionless for hours in uncomfortable poses, etc. Forget this magic, I have everything I need now." Pay attention, at that moment, Slava reached... the finish line. Nothing good awaits him anymore. Even if he returns to practice after some time, he may never achieve what he could have. Most likely, he will either go crazy or end up in a psych ward. His money and harem will disappear as quickly as they appeared, and Slava will drown in, excuse me, manure that will start pouring in from all sides.
2) Here's another example. Adept Dima practices successfully and everything is going well for him. But one fine day, he's on the metro and realizes that something's not right. His brain starts showing him "cartoons" regardless of him. Dima looks at anyone, and his brain immediately shows him a cartoon of how Dima is "taking care" of that person, like in the movie "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". And he even chuckles with enthusiasm. Or he looks at a woman with a child, and his brain shows him a cartoon of him "taking care" of them like "Jack the Ripper". And it seems like our Dima is a normal person, he has never particularly excelled in sadism, and these types of images are appearing in his head for the first time in his life. Dima starts feeling unwell, and the images do not go away. In the first week, Dima will be nervous, afraid of himself, and then gradually he will start losing his mind and getting wild. It's not that he will start enjoying the images, no. It's just that now he will constantly be aggressive, angry, and irritable towards everyone. This will last for him for 8-10 months, during which he will not once lose control (because he can't), and will not relax (because he can't). Believe me, it takes a lot of patience and courage to not give up practice out of fear, not break down, and not lose control after experiencing something like this. Among Experienced Practitioners, there are known cases where people in such states were stopped at the doorstep of their homes, where they were heading outside with sharp objects to harm others.
3) And for dessert, here's another example. Master Zhenya is sitting and listening to calm music, when suddenly the speaker starts making a high-pitched noise. Zhenya kicks the speaker, fiddles with the contacts - but it doesn't help. The noise is so annoying and disgusting that he can't bear it. After enduring this noise for about a minute and a half, Zhenya unplugs the speaker to save his nerves, and realizes that it's not the speaker making the noise, but it's in his own head, Zhenya's head. And the noise continues non-stop for six months, even in his sleep.
So, the purpose of any breakdown is to scare you, or to exhaust you mentally and psychologically to such a point that you completely give up magic and stop practicing. What happens next can be illustrated most easily with an illustrative example taken from Julius Evola. He compares the Force that practitioners come into contact with in their development to a wild, turbulent mountain river and continues: "If you want to approach our Art, know this: it is a painful struggle, a path on the edge of a knife. You can win or lose, and two things lead to inevitable catastrophe: fear and interrupting the operation. Once you start, you must go all the way, because stopping will result in a frightening reaction with the opposite result. It's easy to understand why: with each step you take, an increasing amount of turbulent energy is held and pushed against the flow; excited and provoked, it becomes tense. As soon as you give up everything, it will crash down on you and sweep you away." What does a broken person externally look like? Most often, it's someone slightly crazy with eyes full of fear. At any mention of anything esoteric, the broken person, hiding in fear, will crawl under a bench and start solemnly warning in a frightened voice not to get involved with what you don't understand, that magic is dangerous, and in general, you should stay away from all of this and not even mention it out loud, or else you'll be in big trouble. In many cases, they become both frightened and extremely aggressive and intolerant fanatics of official mainstream religions, created precisely for the "gray majority." Another common outcome is alcoholism, or something even worse - drug addiction. After experiencing what they did, a former practitioner can no longer live like "normal" people - typical representatives of the gray mass, and they also cannot return to the world of magic. As a result, they turn to alcohol, or drugs. In extreme cases, breakdown is fraught with suicide or psychiatric hospitalization. Recommendations to ease the breakdown: - don't stress out - if you are not ready to risk your life for the opportunity to practice - don't get involved in this at all.
Trap #7. Exotica
The Master decides to create a little creature out of some ordinary member of the Clan. The creature can be anything, but it will no longer be you, but something completely different, usually with its Will fully subservient to the Master's Will. It is impossible for a Clan member to escape from this, as they made a mistake from the very beginning by getting involved with this Master, and it is too late to fix it. The difference from a monstrosity is that the monstrosity is a fake, while the creature referred to here is a being with abilities far exceeding the abilities, in one way or another, of any Clan member, including its leader. The positive aspect is that the chance of encountering a Master capable of this in our time is almost zero.
Trap #8. The Game
This is very similar to a breakdown, but now everything is happening externally, not within you. And at stake are not your psyche and fate, but the fate of things and/or people dear to you. It is directly proportional, but on a scale and in terms of understanding, surpasses the "gambling for stakes" among seasoned reoffenders by several orders of magnitude. There, money, valuable property, and sometimes male honor are at stake, while here, in this "trap," the lives of family and loved ones, friends, and loved ones are at stake. And you are "playing for stakes" not with seasoned criminals, not in backgammon-chess-cards, but with Seasoned Practitioners, Higher Entities, Gods in knowledge and skill, in the ability to survive and become stronger. For what does not kill us makes us stronger (Friedrich Nietzsche). And the Higher Forces of Darkness, Chaos, and Death need only Strong Practitioners.
(Once again, I, the Mage Thanatos, recommend paying no less attention to Gray's reviews in the next paragraph, as well as to several paragraphs above):
Although some recommendations were given above to avoid the situations described above, do not have any illusions. As noted at the very beginning: Illusions are the cause of any "trap". If a Master wants to do something with you, he will do it. Otherwise, he is not a Master, and there is no point in communicating with this person. That's the dilemma. If you want to learn, then first learn to live with this thought... Everything described in this article is happening in the real world, in our time, and everywhere. I, Mage Thanatos, personally agree completely with the article. I personally had the honor of witnessing these living examples, and not just once. Everything described is fully and completely happening in real life at the beginning of the path of the Warlock. The article was corrected and posted by Mage Thanatos. Reviews of Practitioners about the beginning of the Path.
This is not my article. I am not the author. It was written by a young practitioner who was over 20 years old at the time. The article was written somewhat in the spirit of youthful maximalism, but it is quite informative, revealing and showing the essence of the Path of Witchcraft, and all the possible pitfalls. The sources and the author are specified by me here. Profanity has been excluded, and the text has been corrected by me, the Magician Thanatos. And so, Magician Thanatos presents to your attention:
Tricks and Traps
Written by Gray
The original article can be found on this site: nnblood.ru
In this article, I would like to talk about various ways to get into a very bad and unpleasant situation in the world of witchcraft. The reasons for getting into the situations described below are vast, but if summarized, the most fitting word would be 'illusions'. You must understand that there are no kind gentlemen around who will make you a great wizard just like that. Also, forget and dismiss all ideas of being chosen or predisposed just because you once saw something or because your great-grandmother could cure a sore throat with raspberry jam, or because some "outstanding" cool, not-really punk, not-really magician, but just a drunk and big talker Vasya, nicknamed "Imp or Glass" after a big party mysteriously labeled you as a "necromage" (what new words they have come up with). Why is all this being explained now? Simply to make those who are starting their Path to come to their senses for a moment and return to reality from their delusional fantasies.
Did you attempt to come back? Good. Step away from your beloved computer and go to a large mirror – look at yourself. What do you see? Now open your diary, report card, or whatever you have, and look at your grades. How is it? Take out your wallet, count your finances... There's no need to continue further, you should have understood the essence, continue on your own. The point is, a person who is unable to take care of their body, perform minimal social tasks like studying well and providing for themselves, etc., should not sit in front of a monitor reading beautiful tales about the magical world. Instead, they could have gone to a construction site to carry bricks, strengthen their body, and they wouldn't have to ask their mom and dad for money. By the way, for those "smart" ones thinking something like: "I'll fix my finances, muscles, and education with magic during my development…” let it be known – you are naive. Practice certainly develops, but not what you are thinking about right now. First and foremost, it develops complete indifference to worldly goods and values, and in severe cases – a God complex. Both factors make it almost impossible and extremely difficult to achieve success in the areas cited as an example. Initially, practice must go through pure HELL and a "psychological self-hack," a reevaluation of EVERYTHING, which outwardly will be accompanied by a bunch of problems in society, during which you will likely not care greatly about yourself. And this doesn't last for months, but for years. So stop reading this article and run into the real world... There, you might become a pumped-up prince in a white Mercedes, or a figure-skating beauty with your own castle, and all that magic won't be needed at all. Because (attention, another secret will now be revealed) - REAL witches and warlocks: they RARELY are fabulously rich or world-famous, etc. They mostly live in the "golden mean" - having the bare necessities, not indulging in luxury, and striving for completely different values that are incomprehensible to the ordinary people.
So, you continue reading. From this, it can be concluded that, at the very least, you are in excellent physical health, you are one of the top students in your class, and you are fully self-sufficient. Yes – great; no – well, things could be better, dream on.
Here we have "briefly" described types of people who come into magic - from all those who have repeatedly been seen in practice. The first type, also the most common one - "Harry, dammit, Potters". The characteristic feature is a childish view ("I want a cool magic wand, a scary black cloak, and lots of sweet cotton candy... by the way, when are we going to make homunculi?"). Or having devoured all kinds of schizoterics about all sorts of nonsenseology, they have the honor to say something similar in the same vein: "Can you teach me how to make demons?"
Absolutism ("I know that a person has 7 bodies, and no one can convince me otherwise!"), a strong mismatch between the image of oneself in one's head and oneself in reality, a total absence of brains, or an obstinate unwillingness to use them. When such students complete a task, they resemble drug addicts during withdrawal - they sharply lose their minds in search of a dose of fantastical impressions. They immediately turn into Merlins and Dark Lords of Mordor, who couldn't care less about everything, as they are witches and not ordinary mortals (according to their beliefs), all caution and planning are immediately forgotten, there is no talk of mindfulness at all. As a result, mere mortals punch them in the face at picnics or on the street, punishing them for their "inappropriate" behavior. From a standpoint of common sense, in Magical and even in conjunction with mundane terms, it is absolutely not evident how such a person can achieve anything on their own. For this, they will need a considerable amount of "luck". This "luck" will consist of the fact that this person will end up in very difficult life circumstances and will be able to get out of them on their own. The thing is that:
1) when things go bad for a person, they suddenly become smarter,
2) nothing brings back to the real world like a bunch of serious troubles. But, let's emphasize again - an Ocean of such "luck" is needed. What's interesting here is that very often, such people do have some abilities. If these abilities are strongly pronounced, sometimes Masters take them as students. But this happens extremely rarely because the Master has to first beat out the "childhood" with a stick, kick out the "absolutism" with their feet, and pray a lot that their efforts are not in vain, and the student will eventually start using their brain. Do you think Masters often deal with such nuisances? The second type, less common than the "Harry, dammit, Potters," which we will conditionally call "Fools". If the main reason for the interest in the Craft for the former is a wild imagination and an attempt to escape from reality, for the latter, it is internal complexes and problems.
Characteristic features:
1) black depression lasting for several years (trying to find the meaning of life is a bit harder than reading 10 volumes of Zelazny and three books of Tolkien)
2) inferiority complex and low self-esteem (wanting to be very very cool/smart/strong/free, wanting to be a god, but looking in the mirror – ugh… how can you not develop complexes here?)
3) a nuclear assortment of various cockroaches and social blocks in the head. There are other signs, but these are enough for a simple picture. These guys would be helped by a good psychologist, but sometimes they try to solve their problems with esoterics. Here, again, the existence of a kind of mentor who will straighten out the brain is very important. Usually, with the right approach, most of the cockroaches run away from the head after the first serious trials and practices given by the Master. And the remnants of the inferiority complex gradually melting away, support in these people the desire for practice and improvement. It should be noted that this type of people risks successfully solving all their problems on their own and understanding that, generally, they no longer need magic. BUT – as they say in the Proletariat: "NO, that won't happen!" - This is where a huge finish with a massive amount of "paragraphs" will come. Because back in the "normal" gray mundane life, there will be no way back. So think, maybe going to a psychologist will be cheaper and easier in the end?
And finally, the third, the least numerous type. If you thought something like – "normal people," you're wrong. "Normal people," that is, the gray mass of the people of this world - they are now relaxing in entertainment venues and fully indulging in physical pleasures, and they even feel very happy while doing so, and their problems are quite primitive and completely different. They do not need all this magic for free.
The third group – in reality, these are people who have been practicing diligently since they were 13-15 years old, perfectly understanding what they are doing and how, or "learning the hard way" on their own. In whom a particle of a pull towards the Unknown is ingrained from birth. Such people are few, and they do not need any teachers. This article is not for them and not about them, so there is no point in continuing.
So, we can finally move on to the main part of the article – the bait. That is, to the "traps for beginners". Below is a list and description of the most typical unpleasant developments. Here, Gray and I, Mag Thanatos, will give more detailed reviews, vividly describing everything.
Trap #1 Monster
Sometimes, a Master needs a medium, a kind of conduit through which communication with Demons and other inhabitants of the Otherworldly World takes place. For this, a naive young girl is chosen (about young guys-monsters, we haven't heard, but they probably exist too) and a certain ritual is performed. The result – the girl willingly allows under the influence of the Master to possess her a Otherworldly Essence of some "rank". This Essence completely enslaves her soul, and the spirit as well - "automatically". Concepts such as Will, Reason, Sobriety, etc., no longer exist for her, from now on she is driven only by the Will and desires of the Master, and consequently - the Essence. In other words, all that remains of the person is the physical shell and empty eyes with a vacant gaze. And somewhere deep inside the body, the soul is "shackled and bound in mental chains". Such a being has no ambitions or desires and cannot have them, except for the ambitions and desires of the Master. The likelihood of falling into such a trap is extremely low on one hand (not many people know how to do this...), and extremely high on the other (externally, it looks like a usual ritual practice, and you will not understand until the very end what has happened to you... the finish). However, the value of a monster for the Clan or Master is very low because there are always more others to be made (naive young girls are like dirt with dust). So, at the first sign of trouble, such "bioenergy material" is discarded.
How to avoid such a turn of events: - Do not get involved in this world at all if you are not sure of your abilities (valuable material is not allowed for such a meat grinder). - Do not engage in serious practices and continue to fantasize in the company of similar fantasists and emotional romantics like yourself. - Go to the gym, tidy up your studies, find a job, visit a psychologist, buy antidepressants, and enjoy life, rather than naive dreams and fantasies.
Trap #2 Meat
A person taken for training with a knowingly destructive intention towards them is called meat. For example: - a beginner "Master" is unsure and does not fully understand what they are doing. To avoid ruining oneself, it is easier to take meat and test their theories on them. If they survive – good, if they end up in a psychiatric hospital or "go to the Ancestors' Earth" – Not my headache, there is plenty of meat around, and it even comes to you for free. - A Master or Clan gathers a group of meat for the Junior Clan Members to practice various practices on this meat for training purposes. - The fate of such meat is the most unfortunate of all three examples. There might be a hope that after the meat endures all the hardships of its fate and does not end up in a grave or mental facility, then there is a chance for it to become something more significant. However, this hope is completely naive and groundless. Firstly, meat is called meat for a reason, to be "skewered on a spit", and secondly, practitioners have rich imagination and are very thrifty and resourceful – they utilize all resources to the fullest. The funniest part is that the meat usually thinks it is being taught something, and when attempts are made to get rid of it, it tries with all its might to stay. There is no need to mention the value of meat to the Clan because it is zero. How to avoid such a fate? Refer to trap #1.
Trap #3 Oath (Here I, Mage Thanatos, recommend paying special attention to Gray's feedback)
The oath is an essential attribute of any training, as well as practice in general. Over time, during communication with the Clan, a practitioner may need not just one oath, but a whole bunch of oaths. A standard one is, for example, an oath of secrecy. Attention, here is where the catch may lie. The student may be unable to adequately assess the text of the oath drafted by the Master if the student lacks cleverness and is naive. In extreme cases, the Master may deceive the student. The result – an oath is given that cannot be upheld in principle. The price – the soul (meaning our will has become yours), Power, etc. This scenario can be played out at any time for any reason. As direct experience of Seasoned Practitioners on students (highly talented and not stupid individuals, it would seem) shows, playing out this scenario is so simple that it is almost offensive. Imagine the situation – the Master says: either swear or leave in all directions. In practice, people do not even reread the text for any loopholes, they just obediently recite and sign with Blood. This experience has been repeated numerous times, even on the same individuals multiple times – with the same effect. The conclusion – do not think that you are special and immune to such tricks. The potential consequences here are diverse and depend solely on the imagination of the Master.
Perhaps we should add a little optimism here – if you work and develop, proving yourself over the years as an independent and strong practitioner, then all oaths will be lifted from you, as they are considered to limit growth and development to some extent. The reason for lifting the oaths is not out of kindness or paternal feelings of your mentor. It is purely a cold calculation. The Teacher receives much more "Gifts" and "Rewards" from the egregore and Gods for a trained independent Master than for a battery (read about batteries below).
Trap #4 Zombification
This topic is old and worn out. There is no magic here, just pure psychology. The likelihood of falling into such a trap is very high due to its accessibility and simplicity of application. There are many methods, but they all have the same essence. The classic "carrot and stick" scheme.
A simple example: your teacher randomly praises and rewards you with sweets, then suddenly punches you in the stomach - "bullseye", threatening to kick you out of training (all while behaving naturally and explaining their actions quite logically). The result – you are constantly stressed and tense, intimidated and trapped, trying everything to not anger them, but instead please and be the best (meaning obedient, compliant, and willing to do anything they say... what? I also prefer sweet treats more than a punch in the stomach...). All other variations in this area are more subtle and cunning than the example provided. However, as a rule, they don't start with very complex things, but rather try to manipulate the individual with straightforward tactics. So, at the first signs of zombification, the most sensible thing to do is to leave (politely say goodbye and thank you, without hysteria or panic). This method is only used on young novice practitioners, as there are much less noticeable and more effective methods to achieve similar effects purely through energetic means. It is also regrettable to note that people have completely mentally degraded and zombified themselves in recent times. Therefore, the theme of de-zombification is currently the most relevant.
Trap #5 Battery
Batteries are certain individuals in the Clan. These are established practitioners who have passed the necessary minimum trials and proven their loyalty. They differ from other Clan members in that they have completely halted their development. The reasons for this halt can be various, for example: - they did not pass a breakthrough (see the next trap) - they cannot further develop because they have reached their limit in terms of bodily resources, Strength, or mental strain - they have lost interest in practice and stopped working on themselves (practitioners are obligated to self-improve and work on themselves, otherwise it will be worse for them... But more on that below...) - and so on. It turns out that there is little benefit from such a practitioner – no development, which means no contribution to the Clan's work. On the other hand, it is too late to kick them out, and it's a pity. The solution is quite simple: – the battery is turned into regular feed and a constant source of nourishment for the Clan's egregore, living expendable material. These kinds of practitioners are typically seen by the Clan leader as a can of energy reserve for a rainy day. In the event of aggressive actions or any conflict, these individuals are the first to be used up. And of course, the entire Clan may know who the battery is, but the battery themselves will have no idea. It is quite difficult to imagine how this is possible, but it all becomes clear when observed from an outsider's perspective. Overall, among Experienced Practitioners, this phenomenon is considered rather positive as it motivates the development of other practitioners and does not allow them to stop at what has already been achieved. How not to become a battery? The recipe is simple – work on yourself, push yourself, but also make yourself work and grow.
Trap #6, or rather "Test of Strength". Breakdown:
If previously we were talking about the nasty things created by evil and unkind Masters for neophytes, then starting from this point (and to some extent already from the previous one), we will be talking about the troubles that any serious practitioner must face in one way or another. So, breakdown, in simple terms, is a test of the practitioner's strength by the egregore, Spirits, and Gods, but more often it refers to the internal struggles of the Practitioner when transitioning to the next, higher level of development. These transitions, as a rule, do not come without difficulty. There is no single description of this process, as there can be various variations. However, as a rule, one often has to deal with purely psychological internal tension. It is easiest to illustrate the concept of breakdown with real examples:
1) The simplest breakdown, one of the first for any practitioner, looks like the following. Neophyte Slava starts working correctly and regularly within the Cult. He prays, fasts, performs rituals, and offers tributes with all his might. Immediately, "gifts" from the egregore start raining down on Neophyte Slava. For example, Slava goes out onto the balcony to get some fresh air, thinks about the girl Tanya, and says out loud - "I want Tanya!" Three days later, she shows up at his place with an overnight bag, almost throwing herself at the bewildered Slava because of the unexpectedness of it all. Since Slava is not a fool, he immediately understands what's going on and starts working even harder. Eventually, Slava has money coming out of his ears, a harem of mistresses, and plenty of free time to enjoy both. Slava may not become an oligarch, and his harem may not be made up of supermodels, but he now has everything he needs, and an interesting thought crosses his mind: "Why do I need this magic now? Sneaking around at night, sitting motionless for hours in uncomfortable poses, etc. Forget this magic, I have everything I need now." Pay attention, at that moment, Slava reached... the finish line. Nothing good awaits him anymore. Even if he returns to practice after some time, he may never achieve what he could have. Most likely, he will either go crazy or end up in a psych ward. His money and harem will disappear as quickly as they appeared, and Slava will drown in, excuse me, manure that will start pouring in from all sides.
2) Here's another example. Adept Dima practices successfully and everything is going well for him. But one fine day, he's on the metro and realizes that something's not right. His brain starts showing him "cartoons" regardless of him. Dima looks at anyone, and his brain immediately shows him a cartoon of how Dima is "taking care" of that person, like in the movie "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre". And he even chuckles with enthusiasm. Or he looks at a woman with a child, and his brain shows him a cartoon of him "taking care" of them like "Jack the Ripper". And it seems like our Dima is a normal person, he has never particularly excelled in sadism, and these types of images are appearing in his head for the first time in his life. Dima starts feeling unwell, and the images do not go away. In the first week, Dima will be nervous, afraid of himself, and then gradually he will start losing his mind and getting wild. It's not that he will start enjoying the images, no. It's just that now he will constantly be aggressive, angry, and irritable towards everyone. This will last for him for 8-10 months, during which he will not once lose control (because he can't), and will not relax (because he can't). Believe me, it takes a lot of patience and courage to not give up practice out of fear, not break down, and not lose control after experiencing something like this. Among Experienced Practitioners, there are known cases where people in such states were stopped at the doorstep of their homes, where they were heading outside with sharp objects to harm others.
3) And for dessert, here's another example. Master Zhenya is sitting and listening to calm music, when suddenly the speaker starts making a high-pitched noise. Zhenya kicks the speaker, fiddles with the contacts - but it doesn't help. The noise is so annoying and disgusting that he can't bear it. After enduring this noise for about a minute and a half, Zhenya unplugs the speaker to save his nerves, and realizes that it's not the speaker making the noise, but it's in his own head, Zhenya's head. And the noise continues non-stop for six months, even in his sleep.
So, the purpose of any breakdown is to scare you, or to exhaust you mentally and psychologically to such a point that you completely give up magic and stop practicing. What happens next can be illustrated most easily with an illustrative example taken from Julius Evola. He compares the Force that practitioners come into contact with in their development to a wild, turbulent mountain river and continues: "If you want to approach our Art, know this: it is a painful struggle, a path on the edge of a knife. You can win or lose, and two things lead to inevitable catastrophe: fear and interrupting the operation. Once you start, you must go all the way, because stopping will result in a frightening reaction with the opposite result. It's easy to understand why: with each step you take, an increasing amount of turbulent energy is held and pushed against the flow; excited and provoked, it becomes tense. As soon as you give up everything, it will crash down on you and sweep you away." What does a broken person externally look like? Most often, it's someone slightly crazy with eyes full of fear. At any mention of anything esoteric, the broken person, hiding in fear, will crawl under a bench and start solemnly warning in a frightened voice not to get involved with what you don't understand, that magic is dangerous, and in general, you should stay away from all of this and not even mention it out loud, or else you'll be in big trouble. In many cases, they become both frightened and extremely aggressive and intolerant fanatics of official mainstream religions, created precisely for the "gray majority." Another common outcome is alcoholism, or something even worse - drug addiction. After experiencing what they did, a former practitioner can no longer live like "normal" people - typical representatives of the gray mass, and they also cannot return to the world of magic. As a result, they turn to alcohol, or drugs. In extreme cases, breakdown is fraught with suicide or psychiatric hospitalization. Recommendations to ease the breakdown: - don't stress out - if you are not ready to risk your life for the opportunity to practice - don't get involved in this at all.
Trap #7. Exotica
The Master decides to create a little creature out of some ordinary member of the Clan. The creature can be anything, but it will no longer be you, but something completely different, usually with its Will fully subservient to the Master's Will. It is impossible for a Clan member to escape from this, as they made a mistake from the very beginning by getting involved with this Master, and it is too late to fix it. The difference from a monstrosity is that the monstrosity is a fake, while the creature referred to here is a being with abilities far exceeding the abilities, in one way or another, of any Clan member, including its leader. The positive aspect is that the chance of encountering a Master capable of this in our time is almost zero.
Trap #8. The Game
This is very similar to a breakdown, but now everything is happening externally, not within you. And at stake are not your psyche and fate, but the fate of things and/or people dear to you. It is directly proportional, but on a scale and in terms of understanding, surpasses the "gambling for stakes" among seasoned reoffenders by several orders of magnitude. There, money, valuable property, and sometimes male honor are at stake, while here, in this "trap," the lives of family and loved ones, friends, and loved ones are at stake. And you are "playing for stakes" not with seasoned criminals, not in backgammon-chess-cards, but with Seasoned Practitioners, Higher Entities, Gods in knowledge and skill, in the ability to survive and become stronger. For what does not kill us makes us stronger (Friedrich Nietzsche). And the Higher Forces of Darkness, Chaos, and Death need only Strong Practitioners.
(Once again, I, the Mage Thanatos, recommend paying no less attention to Gray's reviews in the next paragraph, as well as to several paragraphs above):
Although some recommendations were given above to avoid the situations described above, do not have any illusions. As noted at the very beginning: Illusions are the cause of any "trap". If a Master wants to do something with you, he will do it. Otherwise, he is not a Master, and there is no point in communicating with this person. That's the dilemma. If you want to learn, then first learn to live with this thought... Everything described in this article is happening in the real world, in our time, and everywhere. I, Mage Thanatos, personally agree completely with the article. I personally had the honor of witnessing these living examples, and not just once. Everything described is fully and completely happening in real life at the beginning of the path of the Warlock. The article was corrected and posted by Mage Thanatos. Reviews of Practitioners about the beginning of the Path.
