Wounded Healer
Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 6:36 am
Original post: Horus
I am writing this post first and foremost to get feedback, so I invite all opinions both positive and negative to share their thoughts. Before I explain I would also like to say that perhaps this post is written as a bit of justification, though I do it in earnest because I feel that there is nothing wrong with taking a positive perspective toward ones negative aspects... for how are we to work through them if not by getting above them?
I have noticed a big trend with depression and other dis-ease among occultists. It is common for many people to consider the attraction of those of us who suffer from some dis-ease to the occult to be merely one acting on escapist tendency... that I cannot deny, but historically it is not uncommon for a holy person to come upon The (A) Way as perhaps an escape from whatever it is they might be running from anyway (example: Milarepa)... so perhaps, though it may not be ideal, coming to the occult for such reasons is not necessarily "bad". But I also feel that perhaps there is a different aspect of this... perhaps some unconcious insight that one may find true healing via their investigations into the mind and soul.
I have always had this feeling toward things which alter and deconstruct ones conciousness. One cannot deny the effect the LSD era had on spirituality and healing. With my own experimentations with drugs in Highschool I always felt somewhat different from the people who just wanted to "party" and "get f***ed up!," though again, I won't deny a certain escapist tendency even with that. But I always felt compelled to experiment, not that I may forget the things pressing on me in daily life, but that I may gain insight into how "I" work. I wanted to correct things. This of course carried over into my exploration of the occult, first via attempts to correct things outside of me, later turning more inward.
I can understand fully the urgency with which many would steer away those who by certain standards would be considered in dis-ease, and I myself would caution such from certain Theurgic and higher practices (until their issues are resolved), could it be in being so quick to discourage those away fromt he occult, that we are unknowingly leading such individuals away from a chance (perhaps their only chance) to heal? It also seems that much of this stems from the emphasis Western [and now pretty much any Modern] culture has on dis-ease. Once upon a time, it was not uncommon for an upcoming Healer to experience a type of sickness - either physical, mental, emotion, or a combination - as his "initiation". I have also heard many accounts of Holy Craziness, and other such afflictions which one might have prior to and even sometimes after becoming a Holy Person.
Now I am not advocating that those of us suffering from depression or worse go out and commit ourselves to the Great Work in hopes to heal, nor that simply doing a few spells on yourself will get rid of whatever ailment one might be suffering from. But I do feel however that in some (I won't say all) cases the attraction of one with such ailments to the occult is no mistake. There must definately be an emphasis on the healing aspects in your studies, particularly with Modern Western occultism, where there is a de-emphasis on healing and the wounded healer. Perhaps the high degree of failure associated with these cases stems not from being an unworthy student because of ones issues, but because of a misleading assumption by said person that ascention will automatically bring healing with it. In most cases it will not... and neither will come about. But many of the techniques and insights one might gain through occult studies is quite applicable to their own healing. Again, there must be an emphasis on healing... and I feel there must also be an understanding of the dangers which one may encounter, there must also be an understanding that the process of healing (through increased knowledge of ones "self" and certain practices) is not always pleasant, and in many cases WILL NOT BE.
Well these are my thoughts. I'm sure many will disagree, but I felt really compelled to post this anyway in spite of possible criticism... thoughts?
I am writing this post first and foremost to get feedback, so I invite all opinions both positive and negative to share their thoughts. Before I explain I would also like to say that perhaps this post is written as a bit of justification, though I do it in earnest because I feel that there is nothing wrong with taking a positive perspective toward ones negative aspects... for how are we to work through them if not by getting above them?
I have noticed a big trend with depression and other dis-ease among occultists. It is common for many people to consider the attraction of those of us who suffer from some dis-ease to the occult to be merely one acting on escapist tendency... that I cannot deny, but historically it is not uncommon for a holy person to come upon The (A) Way as perhaps an escape from whatever it is they might be running from anyway (example: Milarepa)... so perhaps, though it may not be ideal, coming to the occult for such reasons is not necessarily "bad". But I also feel that perhaps there is a different aspect of this... perhaps some unconcious insight that one may find true healing via their investigations into the mind and soul.
I have always had this feeling toward things which alter and deconstruct ones conciousness. One cannot deny the effect the LSD era had on spirituality and healing. With my own experimentations with drugs in Highschool I always felt somewhat different from the people who just wanted to "party" and "get f***ed up!," though again, I won't deny a certain escapist tendency even with that. But I always felt compelled to experiment, not that I may forget the things pressing on me in daily life, but that I may gain insight into how "I" work. I wanted to correct things. This of course carried over into my exploration of the occult, first via attempts to correct things outside of me, later turning more inward.
I can understand fully the urgency with which many would steer away those who by certain standards would be considered in dis-ease, and I myself would caution such from certain Theurgic and higher practices (until their issues are resolved), could it be in being so quick to discourage those away fromt he occult, that we are unknowingly leading such individuals away from a chance (perhaps their only chance) to heal? It also seems that much of this stems from the emphasis Western [and now pretty much any Modern] culture has on dis-ease. Once upon a time, it was not uncommon for an upcoming Healer to experience a type of sickness - either physical, mental, emotion, or a combination - as his "initiation". I have also heard many accounts of Holy Craziness, and other such afflictions which one might have prior to and even sometimes after becoming a Holy Person.
Now I am not advocating that those of us suffering from depression or worse go out and commit ourselves to the Great Work in hopes to heal, nor that simply doing a few spells on yourself will get rid of whatever ailment one might be suffering from. But I do feel however that in some (I won't say all) cases the attraction of one with such ailments to the occult is no mistake. There must definately be an emphasis on the healing aspects in your studies, particularly with Modern Western occultism, where there is a de-emphasis on healing and the wounded healer. Perhaps the high degree of failure associated with these cases stems not from being an unworthy student because of ones issues, but because of a misleading assumption by said person that ascention will automatically bring healing with it. In most cases it will not... and neither will come about. But many of the techniques and insights one might gain through occult studies is quite applicable to their own healing. Again, there must be an emphasis on healing... and I feel there must also be an understanding of the dangers which one may encounter, there must also be an understanding that the process of healing (through increased knowledge of ones "self" and certain practices) is not always pleasant, and in many cases WILL NOT BE.
Well these are my thoughts. I'm sure many will disagree, but I felt really compelled to post this anyway in spite of possible criticism... thoughts?
