Let’s talk about eclecticism, dogmas, and traditions
As magicians, sorcerers, occultists, initiates, (insert here the title that each person wants), from time to time, we tend to fall into the belief that we know everything, that we have everything clear, that we are scholars, not only in occultism, but in history, mythology, folklore, and in whatever magical/spiritual tradition there is, which gives us the access and the obligation to qualify and decide if something is right or not if a form of magic is correct or no if other magicians have genuine experiences or are just phonies who have not reached enlightenment and are therefore wrong in what they do. As human beings we tend to be critical, or rather, we tend to criticize what others do, this is acceptable social behavior, and even daily something standard among people, we cannot change that. However, when it is taken to the field of magic, what this type of behavior leads to is dogmatism, closed vision, blindly believing that we have the truth and that what we say or do is above others.
Let’s go step by step. At first I will speak in general terms, but always keep in mind that my experiences and comments are based on my magical tradition, on what I believe, and what I do within my personal space. As an occultist, I think we should read a bit of everything, that allows us to form ourselves, understand what happens beyond what we know, this allows us to see that others share what we believe or there are other bodies of beliefs. All this gives us theoretical training on different magical traditions, world beliefs, mythology, history, etc. Today, we can say that there is a branch of occultism that is purely theoretical, that is, people who are dedicated only to reading on the subject, and perhaps have good intellectual training in this regard, but have no or almost no practice. Perhaps this is because they feel better theorizing than doing, these people are usually cultured and stand out for the knowledge in their words/writings. It is in a modality, there is nothing wrong with it, it is not mine, but I think you already know this.
Returning to, when we speak of dogmas, and one might believe that it is something old-fashioned, we speak of a body of beliefs or rigid practices, which cannot be questioned, it is a truth, period. It sounds authoritative, but it is what it is. Nowadays it is more complex to see the dogma within magic in a clear way, perhaps more happens in imperative religions with their sacred books, but in magic, it also happens, and it happens especially when we firmly believe that what the other does it’s stupid, it’s worthless, it doesn’t make sense, or it just seems ridiculous to us. That is dogma. We must separate common sense, or that something is not for us, we do not like it or we do not vibrate, that the other thing that another magician does is something useless. I differ from some things that I see in other magical traditions, many related to the LHP, however, I do not think they lack value, they just are not for me, it is not my cup of tea, but I respect that it is for the other, for those who do found his answer there. Although in the depth of the problem, dogmatic people always seek, by one means or another, to persuade the other to see that he is wrong in what he does, and that he does not have the truth, that he will not find it from that mode. It is just a matter of thinking a little and you will see that this is daily bread.
Another great topic that concerns this essay is eclectic, personally and along the path that I follow, being eclectic is something natural, it is something that flows me and that serves me in my practices. The figure of the Dragon and the Serpent are present in all cultures, myths, and forms of the spirituality of the world, therefore, I do not limit myself to working only with a pantheon or with this or that god/goddess/demon, I am wide, and sometimes somewhat chaotic, however, I always try to use my intuition, and not to mix everything since I do not want a single-color puree, but I like to give each thing its time, and above all the respect it deserves. In essence, Draconian Magic / Draconian Tradition / Draconian Current is eclectic, it is something natural, typical of the dynamics of working with these energies. This does not mean that you have to go testing with how much pantheon you come across, or with how much mythology appears, no, everyone must do what flows naturally and work with those aspects that you want. As long as we do things conscientiously, following our intuition, we can get the best results.
Finally, we find the traditions, which in my view is one of the most complex issues, here I am only going to talk about the «Draconian Tradition» which is what concerns me. When we talk about tradition, we talk about a set of creeds, practices, and rituals that are always performed in the same way and that are usually inherited from other times, a rustic definition but I think that for this it is enough. The problem why this is complex to apply within the Draconian Path is that each person is unique, and each one understands and works with these energies in their way. It is complex that there is a one-sided or dogmatic vision, at least not when we speak that this is eclectic, therefore, I can do things one way and another draconian magician come and do things differently. There are no absolute truths, there are no sacred books, there are no teachers who know everything or organizations that are not going to reveal the way to the truth in exchange for a few $$$, well no, we are lonely seekers of the truth … but which truth? ours, our own, personal, the personal gnosis that serves us for our growth, to re-discover our divine spark, the one that opens our eyes and allows us to interact with the Other Side, to discover that the Gods and Demons of the Sinister Path are guides, friends, allies and mentors. This is a long way of personal discovery, but also of seeing and discovering the universe, both in which we find ourselves and others, and seeing it differently, with different eyes. It is to take control of our lives and to execute our will, it is to become something more than mere men, but the Gods of our destinies, creators of our universes. That is what this Path is about, the Path of the Dragon, at least that is how I understand it and how I live it. Is this the truth? Of course not, this is my truth, personal, unique, mine, which is shared by many other crazy people who have lived the experience of Emptiness and understood that the Primordial Void is a great canvas full of infinite possibilities, it only requires will to shape it.
So I say goodbye, hoping that you liked this article, and I invite you to have an open mind since there is still much to do and discover.
Daemon Barzai