The Binding Colors of Light - A Poem

I am dedicating this poem to all the people on the path who have extended their support and love to those in need whether it be brother or sister, student, or friend, or even an unsuspecting stranger. Our path is not the solitary path, but the path of fraternity. Thank you to everyone who has embraced the true essence of that bond.

The Binding Colors of Light

You were like a rainbow to me,

Like a bridge between the sun and the rain

A moment of promise,

Between the scintillating light within us

And the over-bearing times of pain.

Your colors wore through me

Causing a subtle shift,

And when I looked up

I was lifted out of the horror

That sometimes life plots

To fracture us with.

You invited me to see another side of life

From a perspective all your own.

I remember the way we played,

I remember the way we innocently

Took things too far

To test ourselves and see

The quality of our hearts.

I put my hands into your facets

I breathed them in

Your energy flowed through

The caverns of my heart and mind,

I attempted to return it

With the same love and hope

You offered me over time.

In the end, like all things, you faded

But in the end, like all things, you returned

More beautiful than the past

Your colors presenting themselves

More clearly than before.

Bouncing off the drops of cloudburst left behind

I could see your shining glory

Filling the space of time.

A small reminder

That hope is never torn

From the ones

Who truly share their love.

And the vision of the rainbow

Is that no matter how far apart

We can look in the sky

And be reminded of the beauty of

Frienships’ extended arms

The way they touch softly the good and bad parts

The way they offer promise to those

Who find themselves

Rent within their hearts.

Finding Time For The Great Work

I'm sure at this point my readers either think I've fallen away from blogging, am being lazy, or am super busy. It is the latter I assure you. In the past few months I have moved, started getting ready for a career change and have decided to go back to graduate school for biomedical engineering. Needless to say, my brain is a little fried. I am continuing on with the Great Work. Right now since I have had to focus the majority of my personal time on grad school prep my magical efforts have been dedicated to helping my students, and spending time at the local Temple. Now more than ever I have had to prove to myself that the Great Work is not something that can be separated from regular life, but must be integrated into all areas.

These days, we are all busy. Our time is a precious commodity and choosing what to spend our time on can be stressful. Over the years students have come to me from time to time and told me they have to give up their practice because they "just don't have time for it". But the truth of the matter is that there is always time for the Great Work. The Great Work supersedes all other areas because it is what causes all other areas to blossom and flow. The Great Work is tapping into the true nature of the universe and harnessing it to bring success, happiness, and perfection. Who doesn't have time for that?

If you have time to brush your teeth in the morning, you have time to do an LBRP. If you find yourself sitting at a stoplight, you have time to review your magical correspondences, if you are driving in a car and see an accident on the side of the road you can do a simple ritual to bring healing and light to those in need. Examples such as these show that we merely need to use our imagination at times to fit in our magical practice. But what is equally as important is to cultivate the magical mind frame throughout the day, and begin to transform our minds and thus our spirits. And this is something we often forget, that the Great Work is not focused on ritual work alone, but must be brought into our everyday lives.

There are many ways to do this, and each way will depend on where you are at in your path. However, the general rule of thumb that I like to use with my students is to choose one thing that you are working on...one personal lesson from your particular grade for example, and try to recognize that lesson and the opportunities for growth throughout the day. For example, often I have my Theoricus students spend an entire week just paying attention to how events and circumstances effect and seek to form their perceptions. After that they spend time analysing how they can personally change and effect their perceptions, and then they witness the interplay between the two. None of these particular exercises require ritual work. However they teach one to understand the nature of the mind and its perceptions. Ritual work and work outside the Temple must be utilized together and, depending on one's life can be altered to bring the greatest effects. When I have time I will spend everyday in the Temple. When I don't I will do banishings and a Middle Pillar daily (which takes 5-10 min) and work on incorporating the lessons of my grade into my daily life.

Until sometime soon, good luck in the Great Work my friends.

Nosce Te Ipsum,

Soror FSO