Next Installment on the series I'm writing for a Wiccan Site and sharing here - if it doesn't interest you, feel free to skip it ;->
Week 3 - Logic and Intuition / Morality
Excuses, Excuses... You'd think I could just sit down and write something, but, alas, such is not always the case.
Anyway, on to Logic and Intuition, the 'left and right brain functions' we hear so much about (unless it's dominant and recessive sides, depends on who you're talking to).
Projecting the theory I started last week about there being a mental realm existing parallel to the physical and the spiritual with the Brain being the physical organ by which we perceive the Mental; these two methods of thinking take on new importance.
Logic, whether deductive or inductive is the anchor by which we maintain our connection to the common paradigm (or 'grasp on reality', if you prefer).
Intuition, on the other hand, is the way in which we reach beyond the known to discover both new things and new ways of perception.
Both these tools need to be honed in order to proceed on the path of Growth and Learning which I believe to be the purpose of existence.
"To Learn and to Grow are the reasons we are here." <- paraphrased from Walton's translation of The Mabinogian - this four-book set is what I think of as a translation as opposed to a transliteration. By this, I mean that this cycle of Welsh Myth is retold in modern english with imagery which speaks to our modern minds even as the original was told in such a way as to be meaningful to the ancients. Many 'accurate translations' do not go the extra step with the imagery, they expect the reader to be as aware of the lore of the time as the author. This, in many cases, causes part of the heart of the story to pass unfelt by the reader. Should you feel inclined to read about Manawyddan, check out this set by Evangeline Walton:
Prince of Annwn
The Children of Llyr
The Song of Rhiannon
The Island of the Mighty
The preparation of a translation like this is a wonderful example of the use of the tool we call Logic. Deduction is needed to reduce the english synonyms of each word into the most probable one, and Induction is needed to create phrases which create the same feeling for us that the original bards drew from their audiences.
The creation of an entirely new story, though, that requres some invention, and invention does not occur without some intuitive leaps... I find that 'young adult' stories most often do a good job of this, and by reading them along with 'serious' works helps one maintain the feeling of wonder and awe that is vital to the practice of magic.
A good series for this is the "Young Wizards" series by Diane Duane:
So You Want to Be a Wizard
Deep Wizardry
High Wizardry
A Wizard Abroad
The Wizard's Dilemma
A Wizard Alone
Wizard's Holiday
Wizards at War
Wizard of Mars
Forthcoming:
Games Wizards Play
Not only are thes good stories, but there are a lot of valid magical concepts sprinkled through them. One of the big ones is "When should I do something?", I want a manual like they have which would tell me if I was the one who was supposed to be handling a problem or not! It would be so nice to know for certain that I'm not screwing up a larger plan when I try to fix something...
These are kids, and as they grow up, they also delve into a lot of morality questions...
So, what is Morality?
A quick answer would to be "doing the right thing", but how do you know? Where is the set of rules and regulations which let you know which of the multitude of possible actions you could take at any time would be the correct one?
News flash! We don't have such a code.
Even our main guideline "Harm None" is an impossible goal. In day-to-day life, any action you take or refrain from taking (yes, abstinance is also an action) will cause changes in the universe, and those reactions will cause further effects and the cycle continues infinitely. Something, somewhere will be harmed or feel hurt because of the ripples caused by your very existence...
However impossible a goal, it is a noble journey, to Learn and to Grow while protecting the world around you from harm. To me, this is the essence of a moral existence.
The thing about Morality is that it stems from choice. The regulation of behavior reduces morality in a culture because people are not choosing to do the right thing, they are merely doing that which is easier for them (staying out of jail, not having to pay fines, etc.). In the practice of magic, there is no set of laws to prevent you from doing the wrong thing, therefore moral behavior is of the utmost importance.
Logic and Intuition are your best guides in the morality of day-to-day choices you make. That's why this is all lumped together.
When making a decision, weigh all the known factors to see how much harm can be avoided. Then listen to your 'inner voice' about whether it's the right or wrong thing to do. Try to ignore your wants while you're looking for an intuitive answer (easier said than done), and, when you come to a decision, do it. Be secure in the knowlege that you have done your best to find the best way to handle the situation, that's all any of us can do.
It's possible you made a mistake. It happens. When you learn of one, do what you can to improve the situation. We don't have a saviour, what goes around comes around and you know that you are responsible for the actions and will pay for them. But, if you've done your best, don't beat yourself up over it, that will only cause more harm, this time to yourself.
Sounds grim, doesn't it? Not really, just realistic. The thing is, with the infinite ripple concept, there will be both positive effects and negative ones. When you're working to maintain the Harmony of Creation, you tend to stay more on the positive side of things...
Hopefully I got the concepts across I was aiming for, a lot more rambling in this post than I'd like, but it seems to hang together (at least for me).
Blessed Be
Tom