ost self-help (and new age) books obsess over so-called success secrets. From affirmations and mindfulness to habits and discipline, it’s all about learning that one ‘game-changer,’ assuring success.
Insight
While I don’t believe such a thing exists, there’s an insight I’d share with my younger self based on five years of magick, ten of self-help, and more than thirty of living. For some, this may be nothing new but rather an apparent law to never neglect. For others, it may not make sense. Whatever the case, it can be eye-opening for striving yet radical individualists.
Success
According to the Cambridge Dictionary, success is:
“achieving the results wanted or hoped for.” This involves reaching professional milestones, realizing ambitions, or fulfilling a specific purpose. Success can be measured in various ways, including financial gain, career advancement, personal satisfaction, and/or improving well-being.
Context
Somewhat subjective, the definition varies from person to person based on values, aspirations, and circumstances. Career-wise, success is context-based. It is success in something particular — art, content creation, business, climbing the corporate ladder (in a specific industry), etc.
Egregores
The word egregore is derived from the Greek ‘egregoros,’ meaning ‘wakeful’ or ‘watcher.’ According to Mark Stavish, an egregore is:
“… a home or conduit for specific psychic intelligence of a nonhuman nature connecting the invisible dimensions with the material world in which we live…”
Also:
“(…)(occult) autonomous psychic entity composed of and influencing the thoughts of a group of people…
Collective Entities
Stavish defines egregores as the ‘true power source’ of magical and religious groups. He calls them collective entities (group minds) behind states, nations, industries, companies, and collectives.
Influence
Egregores can emerge from specific areas, cultures, or any context involving groups of people sharing beliefs. While their power is not limitless, they can surpass their group’s influence.
Currents of Success
The French Martinist and Freemason Robert Abmelain describes an egregore as a ‘force generated by powerful spiritual currents and subsequently nourished at regular intervals in harmony with the universal life of the Cosmos, or by a gathering of entities united by a shared characteristic…’
Paths to Success
Considering all this, I believe there are two paths to success: conventional and nonconventional, ‘easier and more difficult’, and, if you prefer, even a right-hand and left-hand path. Although much different, each leads to harmonizing the subjective with the collective in some manner.
The Traditional Way
The traditional way is to identify a particular industry, field, or company’s egregore and do your absolute best to let it penetrate your psyche and being. That is beyond romanticizing the idea of succeeding. It includes adopting the habits, hobbies, and mindsets of the people carrying that egregore.
One of Them
Think, speak, dress, and behave like them. Better yet, think their thoughts, speak their words, like what they like and dislike what they dislike. In this case, following your passion and/or building phenomenal skills is not as helpful as readily identifying with the group. If you can’t, you (kinda) lose, no matter how passionate or proficient you are.
Good Enough
On the contrary, doing the previous almost certainly grants success even with mediocre skills. Based on my observations, average performers often outshine exceptional ones by having this. It is because they melt within the egregore, whereas the others can’t be recognized as part of it.
5=6
Then, the egregore starts opening doors for the person. Five, the individual, employee, or worker completely identifies with six, the company or culture.
Thelema
Thelema recognizes one’s True Will as an extension of the divine. In this case, one’s successful career becomes an extension of the company or culture destiny benefiting from its momentum and inertia. There’s nothing to harmonize further, as this five is already an extension of six. You take advantage of its spiritual currents as your entity feeds it. Speaking of inertia, on this path, it may be best to look for opportunities that are most immediately and readily accessible.
A Mirror
If you want to sell a product, then be like your customers — mirroring that egregore. The more you are, the more the egregore will recognize those transactions as rejuvenating itself, fostering your business. Apparently, you are a bonafide star within that aggregate of stars. The less you are the more you’ll feel there are gatekeepers.
Nonconventional Way
The second way differs (vastly). It focuses on (maximally) building oneself so one’s work and skillset can allow separation and difference. Unlike the former, where proficiency plays a minor role, this path is all about what Cal Newport defines as being so good they cannot ignore you.
Excellence
This is how you make the objective harmonize with one’s will, as described in the book ‘Lords of the Left-Hand Path.’ While Setians celebrate academic excellence, striving for it in any field is the only way to increase the chances of the objective harmonizing with one’s will. On the first path, that’s optional; on this, it is non-negotiable.
Freedom
According to Christopher Hyatt, the second is the path of freedom, as one utilizes one’s strengths and talents to build a product (or service), sell it, and be left alone by society. Perhaps that’s the subjective universe one creates to merely interact with the objective.
Price
It is not for those intolerant to intense solitude, sacrificing leisure, rigorous self-improvement, and skill-aquisition. It is often the path of the innovator, as it requires not just excellence but a diversified skillset and unique perspective.
Higher Demands
With or without magick, such a path may take a toll on one’s psyche as the work it requires could be excessive. At is the more challenging. And what may take a year or two on the first can be five or ten on the second. You are going against the grain and perhaps penetrating the egregore with new concepts and ideas.
The Right Choice
Choose wisely based on who you are. Success may not be much about building that exotic craft but recognizing the kinds of people who have what you want and your tendency to become or not become one of them. Also, where what you can offer, can be appreciated.
Geniuses and Talents
IMHO, the world is not full of talents (and geniuses) who do not receive recognition because they do not work hard or persevere. I feel it’s with many who overlooked the value of such reflections. But that’s just my opinion. Let me know if you agree, don’t be one of them, and Thank You for your time!
