I've been thinking a lot about occult
practice in regards to personal transitions. What happens when an
occultist has to pickup shop? Close his books, roll up his
tapestries, zip his robes into suit bags, wrap up his quarter
tablets, and say good by to his permanent outer temple. What then?
When the vicissitudes of life
necessitate a certain flexibility of personal property, how does the
practitioner of a religious art which basically necessitates the
building of holy ground and the equivalent of a church in one's own
home cope with the loss of the space and tools necessary to properly
perform his art?
This question is probably one that
every Magus has faced at one point or another in his existence. We
are just as prone to economic, social, and personal distress as
practitioners of any other faith or practice.
Understand that I am in no way
discounting the Inner Temple, mental practice, “it's all in your
head, you just have no idea how big your head is” (thanks Lon)
philosophy of magic. However, when a practitioner become accustomed
to a certain level of theatricality and high ritual, how is the Magus
affected by having to 'settle' for a purely mental or less than ideal
magical environment.
As an illustration: While meal
supplements can nourish our bodies and be nutritiously valuable, when
we are used to meat and potatoes downgrading to liquid protean has to
cause some amount of withdrawal and cravings.
So how does a practitioner who has
downgraded his Outer Temple cope with the cravings for the grand
Temple he was used to? How does he replace the accoutrements of his
trade with simple, portable, and affordable substitutions?
I don't quite have an answer yet, but I
am considering a few options. The first is parchment. Lots and lots
of parchment. Parchment is portable, and can be pinned to walls
easily. Does it replace nicely carved quarter tablets, or framed
paintings. Maybe not. But it is easily replaceable, and with enough
time and investment a Magus can make even parchment tools into
personal extensions of his will.
Any other suggestions? Replacements for
robes? Temporary tools? Simpler rituals?
Looking for input here :)
