Beginnings
In the beginning, there was nothing and then there was something; a thought and a word; mental and psychical respectfully. But which came first, the thought or the word? For language is an impossibility without the mental constructs of the thought and one can not have a thought without a language to express itself within. So one created the other, and thus created the universe.
For everything starts in pure simplicity and moves and grows towards infinite complexity and then back to the realms of simplicity once more.
People have always wondered about the unknown and the unknowable since the point in time which we as individuals, as well as humanity, became conscious of our own existence; I think, therefor I am. Perhaps even before then, we will never really know for that is one of the true mysteries that has been lost to the mists of time along with so much more. With this wonder of the unknown came the inquisitive nature that is found within humanity today. People started to ask questions to the universe around them and some of them would receive a reply.
Some of the most commonly asked questions about the mysteries of the unknown and the unknowable can be found within these two questions asked to, and of, the universe; when did the universe begin, and how? Throughout the ages there have been many answers to those questions having sprung forth out of the infinite depths of the human mind. Each of these answers being but theories and ideas as to the answer of that question, nothing more nor less. The latest of these theories would be found within the complexities of the Big Bang theory, which is something no more correct than the idea that Elvis created the universe and is the incarnation of the Egyptian God Osiris.
To me the answers to those two questions are simple rather than the next to infinite complexity that the human mind postulates about the reasoning behind its existence. When did the universe begin? When I became aware of it. How did it begin? With a simple thought and a word.
The Keys to Action
There are many keys to the mysteries of action, magic and the like. However these are three of the most prevalent when it comes to the areas of true and pure action. These three keys correspond with the mental, the spiritual and the physical; or the thought, the will, and the action; respectfully. However you, the reader, can relate these three keys to whatever abstract or concrete concept that your mind can come up with. In fact I would encourage you to do so over the course of your training because it may shed some new light upon the topic. This new light coming forth from the shift in perspective.
1./ Visualization: If you can not see, nor imagine the outcome of what you are trying to achieve it will ultimately be impossible for you to make your will take form within this physical plane of reality. This is perhaps one of the most important things that you will ever learn, if you can not get this idea down there is a good chance that you are not going to get anywhere. Visualization is the use of the third eye, your imagination. This third eye becomes weak from lack of use, however it can always grow stronger from prolonged use and exercise, just like any other muscle in the human body. There is an old saying, “Anything that you can imagine, you can achieve with the power of your own true will,” that is very applicable to reality.
2./ Conviction: When you perform the action which you wish to achieve you must do so with the conviction that what you are attempting to do is not an attempt at all. But rather that it will happen without a shadow of a doubt happen. While conviction is something similar, yet also dissimilar, to faith I personally chose to keep the two ideas and as separate as possible. Mostly due to the fact that when a person believes his own faith to be a conviction bad things are bound to happen. One such ‘perfect’ example would be the Spanish Inquisitions.
Whereas faith, to me, is something akin to a blind trust that one thing or another is true, or can be done, conviction is something that is very different. Conviction is the knowledge that it is true and that it can be done without a shadow of a doubt. Thus using the definitions of faith and conviction interchangeably may not seem to be all that much, yet there is a definite differentiation between the two that has to be made.
3./ Power or Energy: No matter how adept you are at the use of the above two keys, if you do not have enough energy to perform the task at hand. You will fail, regardless of what you do. However this sort of power and energy does not need to be of a purely physical kind. This power can also be spiritual or mental in nature. As such, a practitioner of the magical arts does not look for ways to expend all of their personal energy, but rather, they look for ways to cultivate and save their energy for when they truly need it. Thus walking the path of least resistance comes into play.
The Elements
Throughout the esoteric world one will find many elemental system of knowledge, especially within some of the more earth based systems of magic and religion. Pythagrious, a famous Greek philosopher and mathematician as well as a practitioner of the magical arts, is credited with one of the most famous elemental systems of thinking known to the common man. Though the basic premises of his philosophy and ideas pre-dates the Greek culture by far. This system states that everything on this planet can be separated into four categories; earth, air, fire and water.
The earth representing the solid state which nature can form. The water representing the fluid form that nature can manifest. The air being the light and lofty state which is beyond the fluid state of existence. And finally there is fire, the element that burns and consumes all within its path. Transforming everything that it touches into a slightly more purer state of being.
In addition to the four basic elements there is also a fifth element within this system of elemental knowledge. This element adding a slightly more mystical, magical and religious tone. The fifth element is not part of the other four elements, yet at the same time it is the place from whence the other four elements sprang forth from. It is the universal potential, modern day scientists call it sub-atomic energy, Jungian philosophers call it the astral or the cumulative power of the sub-conscious mind, and George Lucas within his movie Star Wars called it the ‘Force of Others’, later to refine it down into just ‘the Force’.
However, like those outside the magical realms of knowledge, those within those realms have also called this force by various names. In the Oriental cultures and esoteric teachings of Japan and China it is called Chi, Ki, Qu or several other variations off those terms. Within India the Hindu Yogis call it Mana, Prana or Kulandi energy. In Egypt this force was known as the Ba and the Ka, the internal and external spirit respectfully. In North America the native Americans called this force the Great Spirit and perhaps even if you stretched it a little bit, the Peacekeeper. The Eskimos of the north have a word for this force, however I do not know what it is called. All that I do know is that the translation would translate roughly into ‘the animating force’. The Ancient Toltec Seers, as well as the new, would have probably called this force the Great Band of Emanations on which we all exist, the Eagle, or the Unknown and the Unknowable. The Sumerians of the Tigris and Euphrates river valley would have simply called it the Abyss from which everything came. This Sumerian imagery being very similar to the Christian concept of Hell, interesting, no? You may use any of the above terms or one of your own creation to describe this force. However I, myself, call it the Aether. The same name that the Ancient practitioners of the Magics called it. The void, pure potential energy, thought, and knowledge. To me it is the potential found within a single atom, as well as the potential found within the depths of the human mind.
Yet in addition to this Greek philosophy there are also countless other elemental systems of thought and knowledge scattered throughout the world. All you have to do is open your eyes and look around you and you will find them there. Each of these various beliefs and philosophies having varying degrees of complexity or simplicity within their own mode of thought. Yet even in the most simplest of things there shall always be one more level of depth into which you can look into for wisdom and guidance in your day to day lives.
I myself was taught within one of these elemental schools of thought. In which there where five main elements; Air, Water, Earth, Fire and the Aether. Thus we worked inwards from the large circle of awareness and knowledge that is Air towards the bright and burning pinprick of light that is the eternal Fire of the soul, and beyond. Eventually learning of the true power of the Aether and drawing that power out through the circles of awareness and knowledge to the largest circle of them all. The circle of awareness where you started your journey – Air; the realm that gives forth the breath of life so that you can let your breath flow into the next generation to continue the cycle of knowledge, awareness and magic once more. As it is within nature.
Within the Druidic elemental system of knowledge there is the concept of the Nine Elements of the Duile, or Self. Which is a system of elemental knowledge that I am currently learning and studying, so you will no doubt see my findings as well as my bumbling within this elemental system of knowledge in the future. The Stone, the Earth, the Sea, the Plant Life, the Wind, the Cloud, the Moon, the Sun and the Stars Above are the Nine Elements of the Duile in the macrocosmic orbit of things. These nine macro cosmic elements can be directly related to the elements of the self. So in a way, you are the planet, just as the planet is you. As above, so below.
Yet not matter what elemental system of wisdom and knowledge that you work from there will always be one common thread and motif: that these elemental systems of knowledge will always look at the natural world around ones self for wisdom, enlightenment and knowledge. For we are all part of nature rather than being separated from it. The ways of nature are also the ways of man. What is relevant in the realms of nature can also be applied to the realms of man. Nature is perhaps one of the best teachers that you will ever find. For it has existed since long before we, as a race, have walked the earth, and will exist long after we are gone from this plane of reality.