This subject is vital to not only magick, but liberatory work as well. We must put our actions where our mouths are and leave the trappings -- especially those that benefit us -- of an oppressive society in order to liberate ourselves and those around us. In order to do this, and to work any magick, we first must know ourselves.
Know Thyself: Looking Deeper Into the Delphic Maxim
For over a year, a few years ago, I hardly spoke. I had needed to go through the death of the person I was, and start over, and it's difficult to know what to say when you have no framework for what the conceptual container of Self is. It was vital in this period to be certain that the recreation was authentic: for too long I'd been a chameleon, simply adopting the mannerisms and interests of the dominant personalities around me. And so to an extreme degree, I went inward. While there is a risk of such a period devolving into the creation of narcissistic complexes, inwardness is so often a necessary balancing factor, and at the time it was critical.
During this time, I began avidly delving into esoteric topics, as well as reading, painting, meditating, and engaging in workshops centered around movement practices. I had a job, which tethered me to a shared societal reality with other humans, and my partner and I did many of these activities together, but we spoke very little, and I did little additional socialization.
As I was researching esoteric subjects, I kept coming across this phrase “know thyself”. Over and over, in various books and pieces of media. At a glance its meaning felt painfully obvious—perhaps even patronizing. Years later, however, I’m coming to understand and practice this doctrine more deeply. I hope to spare you some of that time and share some of my realizations and practical advice for embodying this maxim in your own life.
https://sigillosacro.com/know-thyself-looking-deeper-into-the-delphic-maxim/
