Isolation: good or bad?
Posted: Wed Dec 27, 2017 1:41 pm
It seems to be a recurring theme among the greatest magicians. Shakyamuni left his home, became an ascetic and gained illumination. Iesu (Jesus) also spent forty days in the wilderness, fasting and doing magic to conquer his own ego (Satan). These are just two well known examples. But many mystics, from time immemorial, leave the world to become ascetics. The Abramelin operation also requires one to isolate himself from the world.
What are your views on this? Is isolation from the world a good or a bad thing, as a magic practitioner? I myself prefer isolation, as long as I have good books to read and good magic to practice.
Crowley has another view. I remember reading in one of his books (I think it was Liber Aba), that Jupiter is in charge of the social life and if one were to isolate himself from it, it would create an internal imbalance. Humans are social beings. Would isolation really cause a disturbance in one's practice?
What are your views on this? Is isolation from the world a good or a bad thing, as a magic practitioner? I myself prefer isolation, as long as I have good books to read and good magic to practice.
Crowley has another view. I remember reading in one of his books (I think it was Liber Aba), that Jupiter is in charge of the social life and if one were to isolate himself from it, it would create an internal imbalance. Humans are social beings. Would isolation really cause a disturbance in one's practice?