Making this journal to try and keep things somewhat straight for myself. One hurdle in exploring multiple avenues of power is that power seeks to express itself. Differentiating between which is which can be…complicated when a wave of information crashed upon you.
That said.
Things brought into focus and thoughts after invoking balam.
A world is supported by four things … the learning of the wise, the justice of the great, the prayers of the righteous and the valor of the brave. But all of these are as nothing … without a ruler who knows the art of ruling. Make that the science of your tradition!
a recollection of Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam by Paul Atreides
Thoughts on the matter.
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What is not mentioned about the art of ruling is one must first know how to rule ones self.
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To be wise one must know how to learn and realize one can learn.
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To know bravery one must know fear and realize it is the gate one passes through to grow into power and valor.
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To be righteous one must know HOW to pray. It is often referred to as ones “temple” for a reason.
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And to be “Just” one must know the way of things. Be it the political, social, economical climates or ones own mental and emotional climates.
"The mind can go either direction under stress — toward positive or toward negative: on or off. Think of it as a spectrum whose extremes are unconsciousness at the negative end and hyperconsciousness at the positive end. The way the mind will lean under stress is strongly influenced by training."
Bene Gesserit axiom
With training ones mind opens to its experience and embraces the whole of reality under stress instead of trying to flee from it, burying it in the unconscious to bubble up later. Be this the stress of life or the stress of ritual operations.
Prophecy and prescience — How can they be put to the test in the face of the unanswered questions? Consider: How much is actual prediction of the “wave form” (as Muad’Dib referred to his vision-image) and how much is the prophet shaping the future to fit the prophecy? What of the harmonics inherent in the act of prophecy? Does the prophet see the future or does he see a line of weakness, a fault or cleavage that he may shatter with words or decisions as a diamond-cutter shatters his gem with a blow of a knife?
Private Reflections on Muad’Dib by the Princess Irulan
With this in mind the tool of divination becomes the tool of change. As practitioners we use various method to collect data on possiblity and probable outcome. Yet some fail to take advantage of this info once collected. Other take the information divined and use it as an integer in the formulae of ritual to narrow probability and possible manifest reality to meet their vison.
"Deep in the human unconscious is a pervasive need for a logical universe that makes sense. But the real universe is always one step beyond logic."
from The Sayings of Muad’Dib by the Princess Irulan
Most past the need for logic and embrace experience when seeking understanding of this or any universe. Ground this experience in the flesh and in your world but do hope to ground it in logic. Hope in this regard clouds observation.
as such precision on the exact nature of the intent would be a good idea.
