Fear is Failure: The Folly of Pride

During my spiritual practice I often spend time invoking higher beings (i.e. angels, seniors, etc..) that I may learn the deeper mysteries of nature not available in books. Of all the secret mysteries to be obtained there is one that is not so secret, yet so powerful that it is told to me again and again. "Remember to be humble".

Over the years the meaning of this has changed in my perception. For awhile it meant to remember not to place meaning into a situation that may not be there or assume that I knew the thoughts of others. After awhile it changed to be a reminder that I did not know the fullness of every situation, or the outcome of it, and after that it showed me that the Divine chooses mysterious ways to emit his grace into the world... ways in which I may not understand until after I have long passed away. In all of these situations my involvement in the Great Work was tested and constants changed. But, what has always remained a constant is the fact that just the act of pride in any form is a constant reminder of my own imperfection, an imperfection that could destroy my path, especially if I felt justified in it.

We all know the saying from Dune "Fear is the mind-killer". Isn't it true that Pride is based first and foremost in fear? Can you think of a situation where your prideful nature was inflamed that didn't have its fruit born from fear? It starts out as a situation that makes you uncomfortable, something you don't like... someone's behavior, or action, a deed done wrong. Don't we feel justified in judging another because we fear that if some good may come from the them or the situation, or the wrong-doing our view of the universe could be shattered?

Even if we know that there is not a black and white, don't we feel better if we can pretend like there is? That's really what we as humans fear the most; a world-view that is not stable to the degree that we desire. The more unstable it becomes the more we fear, the more we must attach to the self...thus pride rears its ugly head. As it states in the Neophyte initiation of the Golden Dawn"Fear is failure". Why? Because fear causes one to leave the spiritual path. When we tremble at the flames and floods and the shadows of the night, it is not usually because we saw a demon, but more likely that we let the trials of our progress, our spiritual alchemy, and the alchemy of others turn us away. It is because our sense of right is tested, and our beliefs sometimes shattered.

The fear that something good could come from something we don't like I think for many is too much to bear. But that is where true humility comes in. Light and Darkness bow down to the Lord of the Universe equally, all things must fall under his command.

So in all situations we must remember to adhear to our highest sense of right and to do the right thing, but let us not forget the demon Samael who seeks to use and twist righteousness and goodness to throw us off the path. He invokes spiritual pride within us to convince us to turn our back on the Great Work, he uses reason and goodness against itself. True humility leads to discrimination, loyalty to our vows, and a steadfastnes in the Work which leads us to stay and change the wrong around us rather than to abandon our path.If our world-view is shattered let us rejoice because now we have the room to replace it with what the Divine wishes us to see. We must remember that until we have become one with our Holy Guardian Angel that our perception is imperfect. Let us let the Divine be the one to perfect it, wether it be with a sledgehammer or the lightest of touches.

To learn more about the Golden Dawn visit
http://www.thoth-hermes.org/
http://www.esotericgoldendawn.org/