I AM.
I am Baphomet. I am ALL. All things are of my flesh.
My awareness is the awareness of all beings. You are as I am at your
moment of truth, when your nature out-shines the façade of your daily
life. In that I am all things, all things are therefore Baphomet. You
are therefore my deity in microcosm.
I AM LIFE.
I have but one commandment; to LIVE and awaken to
your true-self. All else is of little consequence. Indulge your urges,
respect your limitations, and understand who you are.
I AM TRUTH.
TRUTH cannot be taught. It must be experienced.
Therefore, while many things will be absolute, many more will be a
matter of perspective. Seek the truth for yourself and respect the
truth of others. Place always the inner light of understanding above
the outer light of common dogma.
I AM JUSTICE.
All things have a RIGHT to be, lest they somehow
violate that right of another. Respect those who are worthy of justice.
Do not tolerate those who are unjust. Be active and vigilant in
retribution. Treat all in kind as their actions merit.
I AM FREEDOM.
Seek not the praise of others, but know the value
of your own works. Seek not fault in others, but understand and accept
your own limitations. Provide your own sustenance; be your OWN keeper.
To be dependent on another is to be a slave.
Something which I think must be understood when reading this is that Baphomet is being used as a symbol for our true-selves, what Crowley referred to as "Will". The first stanza, "I AM", does more than describe how Baphomet is all things and all things are united in Baphomet. Ego Diabolus describes this as the first step of a process, the recognition and acknowledgement of our own existence. The words "I AM" force the mind to remember itself. When reading those words, we are instantly aware, if only briefly. It is this awareness that must be expanded from an instant to a more consistent state of being.
ReplyDeleteThe second stanza represents the second step. "I AM LIFE." Awareness and life are intertwined. Life is the purpose of being, to exist is its own reward. Life must be lived with intent, as vividly and valiantly as we have strength to manage.
The third step is the understanding of truth. "I AM TRUTH" is an instruction to seek experience and define what we discover in our own manner. We should not be content with second-hand wisdom, nor should we live vicariously through the lives of others. Vital existence is key! Truth means being willing to see, undeluded, unafraid, turning that eye especially inward.
"I AM JUSTICE". Be not the burden of a man or accept the burden of another. Awareness, a vital existence, undeluded, cannot abide the unjust. This speaks to false pride, to pretentiousness, to the inequity of our society which is an inherent part of the grand illusion which we must resist.
These things lead to freedom. "I AM FREEDOM." The ideal symbolized by Baphomet is the individual, fully aware of themselves, living to his or her fullest potential, who sees the truth of the self and reality, who refuses to accept the injustice of the illusions thrust upon us.
These five points alone are the only lessons that are really needed. Every other lesson is a path or method to furthering the individual toward one of these steps.